HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Roland Lazenby

10. Allen Iverson

“The Answer” might well have roosted near the top of this list if he had somehow managed to be a team player and a disciplined leader. Those qualities, however, were not in his portfolio. What he did have were quickness and fearlessness in abundance. He could break down virtually any defense and find an open shot when none seemed possible. As a defender he gathered steals in amazing bunches, although his size sometimes left him being exploited by taller opponents. His weakness was justifiably viewed as his attitude toward playing the team game, yet Iverson could also amaze with his passing displays. In the end, he remained a mystery, infinitely talented yet unable to compromise on so many of the team issues central to the game.

9. Paul Pierce

Pierce might have been overlooked on this list if his stupendous performance in the 2008 league championship series hadn’t revealed his remarkable abilities. He literally ran the Lakers’ defense into the ground and exposed Los Angeles during that series. It was the kind of performance that made observers stop and think about Pierce’s great effort on undermanned Boston teams throughout the decade. He had been forced to carry undermanned teams on his back, and when his chance came in the NBA Finals, Pierce took his place among the best. And the Lakers nor any other team in the league could do anything to stop him.

8. Steve Nash

He’s not blessed with the greatest athleticism, but he is athletic enough. Rather, it is his brilliant and rare court vision and passing ability that have allowed Nash to reign as a two-time Most Valuable Player in the NBA. He found the high gear of his game with the up-tempo Phoenix Suns, a team that pushed the pace at the expense of defense. If not for defensive questions, Nash might surely rate higher on this list, because he has the ability to turn mediocre teams into very good ones. He is simply one of the best open court players in the history of the game.

7. Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki is the big man with the perimeter skills of a guard and the rebounding abilities of a dedicated role player. He has become one of the toughest matchups in the NBA today and the primary reason that the Dallas Mavericks have remained in contention for the duration of the decade. Not only has he been consistently good, but he has continued to get better over the course of his career in Dallas. Versatility is one of his key functions as well, as he can play multiple frontcourt positions in a league where athleticism and specialty make that a true accomplishment. His passing isn’t bad either.

6. Dwyane Wade

Wade’s ability to get to the rim and his quickness and crossover dribble immediately branded him a star as soon as he entered the NBA. Naturally, he’s a powerful combo guard, able to play some at the point although he thrives at the wing. His natural leadership abilities and defensive competence help complete the package. He literally drove the Miami Heat to the 2006 title with the help of Shaquille O’Neal and an array of role players. His outside shot has made steady progress over his years as a pro. Much of his future is also yet to be decided as he attempts to find stronger supporting players to fit his leadership and drive.

5. Kevin Garnett

Garnett labored for years in frustration with the Minnesota Timberwolves (where he was named league Most Valuable Player) before his 2007 trade to the Boston Celtics. But it was in Boston where Garnett realized his championship possibilities. His size and strength and durability helped define him as a power forward, but nothing framed his persona more than his legendary intensity. His competitiveness drove the teams he played on and established his place as one of the game’s all-time greats. His characteristic weapon was the face-up jumper from the top of the key, but really Garnett could score from any spot of his choosing. And his defense intimidated even the best opponents.

4. LeBron James

James is the unproven upstart who has seen his teams thrive during the regular season only to fail in the playoffs. Clearly he has lacked the supporting players that other greats of the decade have employed to win their titles. But none of the other greats have survived the childhood difficulties that James faced as the single son of a drug- and alcohol-addicted mother. In some ways, James is a blend of Bryant and O’Neal – a physical specimen with the athleticism of a Michael Jordan. His best days seemingly lie ahead, depending on what supporting cast he can find.

3. Kobe Bryant

No player over the decade matched Bryant’s determination, effort and dedication. He was the supremely disciplined star in command of every phase of the game not just because of his talent but because of his labor to perfect every element. His talent thrilled crowds like no big man ever could. Bryant has long been viewed as the “second coming” of Michael Jordan, but one thing that the high-scoring, high-flying Bryant established over the course of winning four NBA titles during the decade – he is his own man. That, in itself,  meant that he frustrated Phil Jackson and Tex Winter as Bryant matured into the game’s top player late in the decade.

2. Shaquille O’Neal

The Shaq fans see today is a mere shadow of his former self. In 2000, his size and strength terrorized the league. The undisciplined O’Neal finally found a coach he respected in Phil Jackson, and that brought the best focus of his career. O’Neal became more disciplined that year, although he still disliked setting screens or defending the pick and roll. The Lakers’ new triangle offense put O’Neal in position to do what he did best – score at point blank range. His longstanding feud with teammate Kobe Bryant began to wane and Jackson made sure Shaq got the ball. He led the league in scoring at 29.7 points. Shaquille O’Neal was at the height of his powers in the 2001 NBA Finals, where he averaged 33 points and almost 16 rebounds over five games. But there’s also the sense that his habits and bull-headedness meant that he wasted much of his immense talent.

1. Tim Duncan

Shaquille O’Neal teasingly nicknamed Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental.” That brought more publicity than the naturally reserved Duncan cared for. However, the name was true. Strong and smart, Duncan presented a skill set and an intelligence that no big man in the NBA could match. His presence on the block demanded fast double-teams, but he also struck terror in opponents with his face-up bank shots. His consistency proved to be the perfect centerpiece for building a championship team. He was the one player admired by all the retired Legends from the NBA’s past. They loved how he played the game with the highest skill and kept his mouth shut. And true lovers of the game treasure his ability to pass the basketball.

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Phoenix Suns fans these days are just starting to understand how Michael Jordan felt.

Jordan, you may recall, punched Steve Kerr in the face in a 1995 Chicago Bulls practice.

Kerr, as I remember, had the audacity to stand up to Jordan during one of those scrimmages where His Airness was heaping abuse on teammates.

Kerr is the GM of the Suns these days, and it seems he’s up to his old tricks.

And this is where things get dicey. If you loved the old Suns regime led by the mad scientist of basketball, Mike D’Antoni, then you probably want a shot at Kerr yourself.

On the other hand, if you’re less of a dreamer and you subscribe to what, 75 years of basketball precedent and history? If you do that, then you’re probably inclined to agree with Kerr that if the goal in the NBA is to win a championship, then the Suns probably needed to change to a philosophy that actually has a chance of producing that outcome.

The circumstances make for a fascinating debate and one very ugly transition.

That transition, of course, began in the middle of last season when Kerr traded the Matrix, Shawn Marion, an open-court machine of a forward, to the Miami Heat for Shaquille O’Neal.

At the time, I equated the move to owning a garage filled with sleek Ferraris and suddenly adding to it a lumbering Mack Diesel belching black smoke.

That’s exactly what the situation has proved to be.

After last season, D’Antoni departed Phoenix for a job with the New York Knicks, where he has resumed his mad, fun experiment. And I must admit that I love watching his Knicks play these days (I always love the rebirth of a dead franchise), just as I loved watching those Suns of the past few seasons running up and down the floor, jacking up shots, sharing the ball, scoring lots of points and even giving an occasional nod to defense.

By the way, I also loved Pete Maravich’s performances with the old Atlanta Hawks. I remember my shock at interviewing Richie Guerin, the tough old pro who coached those Hawks, and hearing him say that he was nauseated by the Pistol’s approach to the game.

So this is hardly a new argument. The concept of basketball as entertainment began to take root back in the 1930s and ’40s with the Harlem Globetrotters and other barnstormers. They started out playing the game straight but soon found they could make much more money and gain much more attention if they focused on entertainment and the gags.

Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics took an early stand on this issue. Yes, he finally agreed to take the fancy dan passer Bob Cousy as his point guard, but Red didn’t stop till he got the no-nonsense Bill Russell as his post player.

Those old Celtics teams won lots of championships, and even though the game changed, Red didn’t allow dancers or silly marketing games in his Garden.

For Red and the long line of great competitors of the sport, it’s all about the winning of championships. Nothing else matters. Let me repeat that. Nothing else matters.

I love being entertained by the Knicks and those Suns of D’Antoni’s. Do I care if they win championships? Not a lick. I’m not a serious fan of either team.

D’Antoni’s point, of course, is that he can win a championship playing with an up-tempo, quick-shooting style. He’s swimming upstream against years of evidence to the contrary, but I’m entertained at watching him try.

Kerr, on the other hand, has a different experience with the game. He’s played for two great coaches — Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich— who built multiple championships around great post players. Jordan is the game’s greatest weapon, and Tim Duncan and O’Neal aren’t far behind.

Kerr saw a chance to get O’Neal and figured that with the right approach there was still a championship or two with the Diesel. Last year he struggled, but this year O’Neal is showing signs of rounding into form (at least that’s what longtime Shaq critic Tex Winter thinks. Even so, it’s not so much about building around Shaq per se as it is building an organization that relies on a sound system of basketball).

Kerr, meanwhile, has been busy disassembling the old team and building something that has a chance to win. I know this. I’ve spent some time over the years discussing basketball philosophy with Kerr and he knows what he’s doing.

I also understand that Steve Nash is decidedly unhappy with the circumstances. He’s had a lot of fun and earned a lot of recognition playing a key role in the D’Antoni experiment. But understand this: Until somebody actually wins a championship playing that madcap way, that’s all it is: a fun experiment.

The guy I feel sorry for is new Suns coach Terry Porter. He’s a solid basketball guy who’s stuck in the driver’s seat during a head-spinning transition. And most real transitions are like this. Very, very ugly until all at once they turn pretty. The longer they take, the uglier they are.

With the NBA’s complicated personnel rules and salary-cap system, transitions are oh so slow and tedious, not to mention dangerous. Taking a stand in the NBA can cost you your job in a blink. That’s why most GMs don’t want to take a real big stance. They want to go with the flow and cash those big checks until the vibe runs out.

Kerr’s far from perfect, but he’s got way too much integrity to sell out like that. He’s gonna try to do the right thing, no matter what.

The thing that may seem curious to most fans is that they remember the old Steve Kerr, the son of the career diplomat, the darling of University of Arizona basketball, the fan favorite in both Chicago and San Antonio, the guy who hit that winning shot for Bulls title no. 5, the guy who made those big shots for the Spurs.

What I recall most about Kerr is what a great voice of reason he was for the Bulls back in 1998 when the team was being ripped apart by a battle between Jackson and Jordan on one side and team management on the other. In those days, Kerr was the guy with the thoughtful, clear approach, the smooth communication.

Why doesn’t he play that card more today and talk more to the fans in Phoenix?

The answer there is pretty clear too. Kerr has never been one to engage in shouting matches or heated conflict, although he’s not afraid of taking a stand either (Jordan can attest to that).

No, when it comes to difficult transitions in basketball, it’s most about biting your lip and getting ‘er done. It’s about walking the walk, not talking the talk right now.

I have no doubt that if ownership stays behind him (and of course that depends a sophisticated fan base that loves and cares about winning NBA basketball) then Kerr will see this transition through. And Phoenix will have a shot at winning a title.

Kerr knows that championship moments mean so much more than a little nightly fun. And he’s always been willing to take a punch in the face to prove it.

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