George Karl would take Dirk Nowtizki over Charles Barkley and Karl Malone

[gomretat]

I have been a Jazz fan for years and always will be. And I would take Dirk over Karl. You can make a good argument both ways and I get that. Acting like George K is dumb or has a vendetta is being a homer.

 

[franklin]

Nowitzki could never carry some pretty decent teams to the finals. Does everyone forget how good Michael Finley was for a while? He went for over 20 for years. 2002-2003, Dirk (24), Nash (28), Finley (29)--that's a stud young core and they lost in the WFC on a 23 to NOTHING run by the Spurs in the 4th quarter. Van Exel was only 31 that year too.

They added Antawn Jamison (6th year, 27, putting up 20+ and 7 for four years in a row), Antoine Walker (8th year, 27, a 20 and 9 guy for years), and Nash and Dirk gotbetter the next year yet the team got worse?

Stockton, Malone, Finley, Jamison, Walker = Domination. Swap Nash and Stockton and you still crush. But put Nowitzki in there and you drop out in the first round. Stockton, Malone, and a consistent 20 point threat probably would have been enough for multiple titles.

Of course Cuban made one of the dumbest moves of all time after losing in that first round. Had he resigned Nash they may have won a few titles.

 

[gomretat]

A) If Cuban resigns Nash I am betting they would have been to the finals in not won it.

B) The argument about not making it to the finals is the same one people used for years against Karl and John. If Dirk retires and never makes it, then you can use that.

 

[sirkickyass]

I'm willing to bet this is driven by not wanting to give Dirk bulletin board material. Karl will still have to coach against Dirk next season. Charles and Malone aren't coming out of retirement to punish him anytime soon.

 

[Jeffrey32]

Tim Duncan has to be the #1 PF of all-time; Karl is #2 only because he never won a championship, and Dirk is probably top 5, but if he wins the title, you'd have to move him into Top 3 because of the championship and he is easily the most versatile PF of all time.

 

[silesian]

Meh. Does anyone talk about how many championships Russell won anymore? But plenty would probably argue he is not even a top 10 center anymore.

who are among these "plenty"? The guy just averaged 22.5 rebounds per game over a 13 year career. To get 9 better centers, you have to dip into the likes of Patrick Ewing, David Robinson and Geoge Mikan. Not even close.