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Bryon Russell = best Jazz SF all time

Favorite B-Russ moment had to be Round 1 of the 1998 playoff against Houston.

Jazz were actually down 2-1 in that series. B-Russ put on a all world defensive clinic in Games 4 and 5. Held future HOF'er Clyde Drexler to 3 for 25 shooting in the last two games combined. And it wasn't even just shutting down Drexler - the dude was everywhere on D.

He did all that so he can end up on a poster in the Finals, lol
 
The way to answer this question is, what SF, swapped into BRs role during the finals years, could have tipped the scales, and if they would have made a difference over B Russ.

Along these lines I think 3 guys would have had a bigger impact and may have tipped the scales:

1. Adrian Dantley
2. Prime AK
3. Prime Ingles

Then I would slot in Russell.

I think Dantley and AK are pretty obvious. But I slot Ingles in here because he was so much the complete package, top notch 3 pt shooting, excellent D, and on top of that he would have been probably the 2nd best playmaker on those teams. I think he would have been enough to tip the scales.

Then I would slot in B Russ and the rest in some order after that.
 
LogGrad98 said:
No one denies AKs accomplishments. My beef was that he never felt like he cared that much about the game or team. He had otherworldly skill and talent, and if he had half the passion and work ethic Gobert does he would have been talked about as nothing short of the greatest two-way force the jazz had ever seen. But he didn't. And people felt that, knew it, so when he got that contract most felt it was a heavy over-pay because he didn't impact the game the way we knew he could if he put forth consistent effort. But that wasn't his focus. He wasn't the lynchpin of the team that he could have, and frankly should have been. So it felt like an over-pay that hurt the team rather than what was necessary to retain our generational talent. I get that you're an AK homer, fine, but don't kid yourself he was just a random whipping boy for no reason.
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See, this is what I'm getting at. How do we actually know we didn't care? Yeah, he made some bad decisions. But I don't recall him taking plays off (like Boozer for sure did.) We know for sure he and Sloan bumped heads - I have to imagine that impacted how folks saw AK. It's not like the local media took it easy on him either. There were also plenty of chances to trade him - we do know a Marion deal was on the table at some point. If he wasn't a good fit, he should have been traded.The reason that team didn't go further was roster construction. Theoretically, if it had been built around AK, Memo, and Deron, with a different SF or PF, that is the potential to be a team way ahead of the curve, or at least more balanced. AK would be an absolute monster in today's game.

That team was the most successful the Jazz had have since Stockton and Malone - to this day, that is true. Toronto forgave Vince Carter for flat out quitting to tank his value and made sure they got a terrible trade package in return. I say let bygones be bygones - I might be in the minority on that. I feel the same way about Deron, especially since he made amends with Sloan.
 
campaignist said:
Always an excuse when there's a grudge.

I notice no one ever brings up the season he almost got to the playoffs single handedly when they were predicted to only win 9 games. And hey, it's not his fault he got paid-good for him.
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That qualifies as a bad/mediocre team, even if it overachieved.

He was an afterthought on any good/talented team.
 
Engorged On Unborn Gore said:
Dantley, AK, and Hayward were all better. Despite being a$$#0les.

IMO, Harpring and Marshall were also better.
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If we are including Dantley as a 3, he is the run away best of this group. He played a lot of post up ball and at times was used almost like an undersized 4 but AD was amazing. Your list of 5 are all better than BRuss. I forgot about Marshall.
 
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