Iverson's numbers

[MCIGuy]

According to a TNT broadcast last week Iverson is the first player in NBA history to finish in the top five for a season in points per game, assists per game and steals per game. Everyone in the media talks about LeBron's 27 points per, 7 rebounds per and 7 assists per. Great numbers indeed for such a young player. No hate for King James on my part. But those stats had been put up before by five or six other players over the years. Iverson's achievement has never been accomplished until now. Where's the buzz?

Also if some MLB player was on a last place team but still pulled off a first like AI just did, the ESPN types would have talked about it months before the season had even ended (in other words...they wouldn't had even waited to the conclusion of the season to see if the dude had accomplished the feat).

Steve Nash or Shaq deserve MVP. But AI better make the NBA First Team. If LeBron makes it and Iverson doesn't that would be a joke considering 1)LeBron has played with a fellow current all star all season long 2)The Cavs didn't make the post season and 3)The Sixers swept the Cavs.

[JohnJacquesLayup]

I second everything you said, MCI. There was a thread early in the year about how Iverson is not what he was, has "lost a step" and the best of his playing days are behind him. Iverson just did to you guys what he did to Tyron Lue back in game 1.

[ptldhoya]

AI's not getting love because the Sixers suck pretty badly and are going to get their doors blown off in the playoffs. Mostly, this is because AI has nobody on his team. Your statement that LeBron has "a fellow allstar" to play with made me smile though. Illgauskas hahaha. The Cavs are pretty bad too.
Sigh....great players stuck on bad teams.

[the_way]

Don't let me start on Lebron James. ESPN's "son" can do no wrong in their eyes. He is the NBA's cash cow right now. They are riding everything on this kid. So everytime he does something okay, they will say its good. Everytime he does something great, they say its phenomenal. Everytime he gives an all-star performance, they say its legendary. If he smiles, they say he is mature. If he farts, they say he has charisma. Its bogus. Carmelo had a better rookie season and more of an impact on his team than Lebron did last year and yet he got hosed with the rookie of the year award. Dwayne Wade looks like the best out of their draft class. Yet you don't hear a word about these guys as much as you did Lebron last year and Lebron now.

So don't be suprised why you don't hear that much about what Iverson is doing. Its all about Lebron right now. The NBA is not just a league, its a machine. They don't like Iverson nor his image. However, Iverson is one of the most popular and well-liked players in the league. People love to see him play. Iverson is playing the best basketball in the league right now. Look at his team this year. They are a bunch off role players, raw young players, and washed-up power forward who thinks he is 2-guard shooting jump-shots all day. I think Shaq should get the MVP this year. Look at what the Heat and Lakers did last year, and look at what the Heat and Lakers year did this year,and that tells why Shaq should be MVP. Iverson would be my second choice. Iverson is the most dominant player in the league next to Shaq.

[HeartAttackHoya]

All the comments on A.I.'s performance being underrated by the media are agreed with yet undoubtedly Lebron's performance this year, considering his age, are unfounded in NBA history. Considering Lebron's improved performance between his 1st and 2nd year, I think claiming LJ is ESPN's project is a stretch. I was among the doubters last year but his performance this year speak for itself.

As for A.I. , in my eyes, he is the league's most valuable player in that his performance brings more value to his team than any other player in the league.

As a matter of fact, all of our Hoyas are playing great ball. Porn Star Mutombo is playing great off the bench, Sweetney has been coming along, Junk Yard Dog is still punching in, Othella has played a big part on the Bulls playoff team as of late and Zo has played well in his limited time...

Now about Jahidi....

[MCIGuy]

Good responses by all. I think the problem goes beyond just the favortism towards LeBron (whose game I really admire). Its just how the media is treating the NBA in general. Some no-name on a MLB team could be hitting .400 over the first four weeks of a very long baseball season and the ESPN pinheads (on TV and radio) will start talking about this guy round the clock. It wouldn't matter that there is like a 1000 weeks to go. It wouldn't matter if he dipped a few percentage points under .400 for his batting average. It wouldn't matter if his team was in last place. They would keep an eye on his numbers all year long to see if he could get back to or stay above .400.

Iverson is one of the most well known athletes in the country and the world. He was in the top five in points, assists and steals for at least the last three months. And yet no one talked about it until TNT brought it up last week. They will mention his 4th scoring title but said nothing about how only a few players in NBA history (Jordan and Oscar Robertson amongst them) have ever averaged 30 plus points and 7 plus rebounds. Is LeBron James the ONLY NBA player they feel is worthy this season to discuss in full detail? If so I don't blame LeBron for that. I'll blame the lazy media who are trying to pick the stars instead of reporting on what's happening on the floor.


HeartAttack is right about how well some of the other former Hoyas are playing. I'm very happy for Othella. But watching some of that Chicago-Indiana game last night it seems O is still slapping the ball instead of grabbing it when he's trying to rebound amongst a crows. He still allows any contact to distract him from snaring any missed shot that falls towards his hands. Some things never change.

[TBird41]

the_way said:

Don't let me start on Lebron James.

Quick question: How do I keep you from starting on LeBron? Just tell me how and I'll do it, per your request ;D

[RDF]

To add to MCI's point, look how the media went nuts over Ichiro's quest for most hits in a season last year on a terrible Seattle Mariner team. I enjoy Ichiro as a player and thought he should get acclaim for his accomplishments but it just goes to show you how the media seems to be low key on certain "types" of athletes. Believe me, if the accomplishments that AI put up this season were done by Grant Hill or Ray Allen we'd be bombarded by it more than Red Sox-Yankee crap they shove down our throats.

As for AI's season, the past month is the best basketball I've seen from AI. He's scored in flow of offense, set up teammates, and just about done everything you could do to help a team win. He's also shot the ball better in the past month then I've ever seen him in his NBA career. I find it funny that detractors point to his turnovers (he leads the league there as well) but Dwayne Wade is close second to AI and most of their turnovers are from aggression and trying to make plays--attacking basket, getting banged around and no call. AI has had some terribly sloppy games with poor decisions too, but a lot come on drives to hole and getting smacked, losing ball, etc....

As for Way's comment on Chris Webber--this is why I refused to get excited over the trade. Webber is a gutless coward. He's going to do anything/everything he can do to get out of Philly because the fanbase has EXPECTATIONS and doesn't just look at his stats and say "He's putting up.....so he's doing his part" and he's probably not liking the pairing of AI as his teammate because if you go for style points and loaf, it shows with Iverson diving on the floor and playing hard no matter how his night is going.

Good luck to all of the Hoyas in Playoffs, and although it's far fetched, my dream is for AI to get by Brown and Pistons on a last second shot and then go over and punch "Mason" the annoying PA announcer of Pistons right in the face. ;D

Also, to my dismay, ESPN has the majority of the Sixers Playoff Games again and that means Mike Tirico could be appearing--PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T LET THIS MAN NEAR THE SIXERS GAMES!!!

[the_way]

MCIGuy said:

HeartAttack is right about how well some of the other former Hoyas are playing. I'm very happy for Othella. But watching some of that Chicago-Indiana game last night it seems O is still slapping the ball instead of grabbing it when he's trying to rebound amongst a crows. He still allows any contact to distract him from snaring any missed shot that falls towards his hands. Some things never change.

O has trouble with handling the basketball. First, he has small hands for a guy his size so he can't palm the ball, thats why you always see him hold the ball with two hands all the time. Plus, I think he ruptured a tendon in his hand his freshman year at GU during pratice for the NIT Finals and his grip on the ball has never been the same. Othella is a great role player. He is going to give you everything he has and he is very cerebral on the court. However, he can be a defensive liability because he has poor athleticism. He had trouble guarding Drew Gooden one time. He is more of a banger. He likes to bang and box people out, but he doesn't have any lift to go after rebounds. On the offensive end, he has the nicest touch when it comes to shooting. He he has a great 15-ft jump shot (turn-around or facing the basket) that people seem to have a hard time blocking.

[aggypryd]

JohnJacquesLayup said:

I second everything you said, MCI. There was a thread early in the year about how Iverson is not what he was, has "lost a step" and the best of his playing days are behind him. Iverson just did to you guys what he did to Tyron Lue back in game 1.

Oh my GOSH!!!

Was that move on Lue great or what?

Do you remember what he did to Kobe in the regular season that year?

Shook 'em down...