Ranking the small forwards, 11 through 1

[spectre]

We've went way too long since stroking on our all star. Dwyer is giving Crash a whole lotta love here...FOURTH in his SF rankings, and even goes on to say that he'd have no problem ranking him over Anthony:

Yahoo - Kelly Dwyer (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Ranking-the-small-forwards-11-through-1?urn=nba-264568)

11. Danilo Gallinari (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4468/;_ylt=Ag1ATNRHh4uDxCnjAND5a7bYrYZ4), New York Knicks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/nyk/;_ylt=AlNsrjDvh7AQwAOIQz29ZkPYrYZ4) (last year: unranked)
10. Rudy Gay (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4136/;_ylt=AmGnZwg80Ubjm.Y5ncFARuzYrYZ4), Memphis Grizzlies (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mem/;_ylt=ApdAUpLxzPG5tJFzf1DWGpTYrYZ4) (last year: 18th)
9. Andrei Kirilenko (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3347/;_ylt=As226gR.IueAIqMzJPvlBh3YrYZ4), Utah Jazz (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/uth/;_ylt=ArYHDGSIthwM4ZEcmordrlrYrYZ4) (last year: 24th, but as a power forward)
8. Luol Deng (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3824/;_ylt=AsoXPm00_hDTzdbVLem_EfDYrYZ4), Chicago Bulls (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/chi/;_ylt=Alzqb_aPUSb6XitkbBuFlkXYrYZ4) (last year: 19th)
7. Paul Pierce (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3253/;_ylt=AgGKKsH5XvBsdFfNGNYZHnvYrYZ4), Boston Celtics (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/bos/;_ylt=Ai0fPnLAgFuPxSwCEi_ILjLYrYZ4) (last year: fifth)
6. Danny Granger (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3943/;_ylt=AqxPv3kL.fiERfNmdmcBYWjYrYZ4), Indiana Pacers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/ind/;_ylt=Aizj8Q5o634WIW_OyVqVYtzYrYZ4) (last year: fourth)
5. Andre Iguodala (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3826/;_ylt=Aj93Q1hCFVZZdJrJKb2ufJzYrYZ4), Philadelphia 76ers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/phi/;_ylt=AnfOnwOYFVIT0IeDMh9AoITYrYZ4) (last year: eighth, but at shooting guard)

4. Gerald Wallace (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3533/;_ylt=Ana.z6AEgQG2vYLk9AmwVXPYrYZ4), Charlotte Bobcats (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cha/;_ylt=Av7O4fF7PcsM3tvsKfGiq3rYrYZ4) (last year: seventh)


Defense is half the game, and though Wallace's roaming instincts were reined in a smidge last season, it's that work on the other side of the ball that has this man as a top five player at his position.
The stuff that shows up in your morning paper doesn't hurt his case, either. 18.2 points and ten rebounds last year, with 2.6 combined blocks and steals, and two assists per game. Alongside right-there defense.
I would have no problem and am not trying to draw attention nor hits (you've already clicked on the darn thing) in flipping him with Carmelo Anthony (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3706/;_ylt=AghEVPD3MTAXMoannlcifMbYrYZ4) on more than a few nights. Anthony's offense is as good as Wallace's D, but Wallace's offense is so, so much better than Carmelo's defense.
3. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/den/;_ylt=AmYjep.4e48bxDIRFI4MGMHYrYZ4) (last year: third)
2. Kevin Durant (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4244/;_ylt=As38fCmi6boESaan96ypBJTYrYZ4), Oklahoma City Thunder (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/okc/;_ylt=AkCSUuQ_Ky3LvbgE1Gq7ZsHYrYZ4) (last year: second)
1. LeBron James (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3704/;_ylt=Aueo1qDWPbU9DNBTr14bncDYrYZ4), Miami Heat (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mia/;_ylt=AjyIw3gwCMhn6Te2Q.Zc98LYrYZ4) (last year: first)

[ajbry]

Kelly Dwyer is an idiot - and he put Iguodala on the SG list, as well - but it's good to see Crash get some love.

My order would probably be LBJ / Durant / Melo / Pierce / Crash. There's no way in hell that Danny Granger deserves to be placed ahead of Pierce, and for the moment Pierce's playoff excellence gives him a slight advantage over Crash.

[stun704]

Kelly Dwyer is an idiot - and he put Iguodala on the SG list, as well - but it's good to see Crash get some love.

My order would probably be LBJ / Durant / Melo / Pierce / Crash. There's no way in hell that Danny Granger deserves to be placed ahead of Pierce, and for the moment Pierce's playoff excellence gives him a slight advantage over Crash.
pierce is not better then crash, period. :paddle:

[Fred Williamson]

Crash and Granger ahead of Pierce is ridiculous. Pierce is still better than both of them. But I could care less, at least we get some more attention.

[Toocool]

Pierce is still better than Crash, so although he got a lot of love there, probably is top 7 or 8 SF's, not 4th though.

[teej]

Pierce is still better than both of them.


Pierce is still better than Crash,

Do either of you watch the Celtics? Paul is not in any way better than Crash. 3 years ago, sure, but not anymore.

Jack was rated #8 on the SG's, which was strange since J-Rich was #9...

[Toocool]

Do either of you watch the Celtics? Paul is not in any way better than Crash. 3 years ago, sure, but not anymore.

Jack was rated #8 on the SG's, which was strange since J-Rich was #9...

I do watch the Celtics. If One HD (Sports channel here) shows a NBA game, most likely it's Mavericks, Spurs, Lakers, Cavs (not anymore), Heat or Celtics. I've watched a lot of PP over the time, and I still think he's better than Crash. However, I think this year Crash will surpass PP, as Crash is in his prime and PP is declining.

[BlockParty]

Show's you how obscure this year's USA team is with Gay, Granger and Durant all on it. And Gay and Granger being ranked lower than GW, and GW not making the team. Part of that has to do with outside shooting, either way, I'm glad GW is back in Charlotte, working out, and not risking injury.

Congrats to GW.

Pierce is probably top 4 in the playoffs, but his 82 game stats don't measure as much of the Celtics team is O L D in NBA terms. Rondo and Perkins are the only consistent skill, youth and energy in their rotation.

[dvdbumpus]

Show's you how obscure this year's USA team is with Gay, Granger and Durant all on it. And Gay and Granger being ranked lower than GW, and GW not making the team. Part of that has to do with outside shooting, either way, I'm glad GW is back in Charlotte, working out, and not risking injury.

Congrats to GW.

Pierce is probably top 4 in the playoffs, but his 82 game stats don't measure as much of the Celtics team is O L D in NBA terms. Rondo and Perkins are the only consistent skill, youth and energy in their rotation.

NO WAY Pierce is better than Wallace. He's like Shaq when he can turn it on for a 10 minute period in the playoffs and be spectacular. But Pierce cannot play defense or play all around game like Crash. Crash is also still on the upswing, while Pierce is surviving by having a stud PG in Rondo and by his name.

GO CRASH!!

[Chef]

all around crash is superior to the aging pierce. but offensively as a scorer pierce is still better than crash.

[rsxnova]

Pierce still has that bad ass 3. Other than that, ill take Crash.

[ohara831]

Crash cannot be ranked over James, Durant or Melo, so #4 is his ceiling. But that is very high praise to rank him #4. Way to go Crash.

[BlockParty]

NO WAY Pierce is better than Wallace. He's like Shaq when he can turn it on for a 10 minute period in the playoffs and be spectacular. But Pierce cannot play defense or play all around game like Crash. Crash is also still on the upswing, while Pierce is surviving by having a stud PG in Rondo and by his name.

GO CRASH!!

I said in the Playoffs....not for the entire season. In the playoffs, Pierce is better than Wallace, or at least that is what history has shown.

Would I take Pierce over Wallace? no way, but we are talking about the article that was presented.

[dvdbumpus]

I said in the Playoffs....not for the entire season. In the playoffs, Pierce is better than Wallace, or at least that is what history has shown.

Would I take Pierce over Wallace? no way, but we are talking about the article that was presented.

Playoffs?? We're talking about playoffs?? :)

[BlockParty]

Playoffs?? We're talking about playoffs?? :) touchee


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40mhBE5MpbA