Legend Showdown: Kareem vs Michael.

Yesterday we put up a graphic by notrickshot that kind of caught everyone’s attention. One reader emailed me stating,

“What would be hilarious is if we tried comparing jordans stats to kareems!!! i think the only category jordan beats kareem in is dunk contest titles and all star mvps. just saying!”

I was really expecting to see Kareem overshadow MJ. After all Kareem played near 500 more games than Michael and had the privliage of finishing off his career playing with Magic in his prime. Once again, Jordan holds his own.

Next week’s Legend Showdown: Magic vs. Bird. If you have any suggestions or requests, let us know: playoffsblog@gmail.com

@Suga_Shane

Kevin Durant (@KDThunderup) can become one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and lock up a spot in the Hall of Fame this upcoming season. Before you call me asinine, let me explain myself.

Call him what you want to call him; KD, Durantula, Kid Delicious, or even KSmooove. No matter how you spell it it always reads ‘points’. KD gets his and there isn’t much the NBA can do to deny him.

Last year he scored a remarkable 30.1 points per game. Including a few scoring streaks that nearly gave Jordan’s records a run for their money. Now think about this: Kid Delicious, in only his third NBA season, was crowned the youngest scoring champion in NBA history at 21 years old.  

Being this good this young is a rarity in this game. To put things into perspective; the only other player under 21 to score 30+ a game was Lebron James. Not Kobe, not Michael, not Kareem and not Wilt. In fact averaging 30 points a game for an entire NBA season is so difficult that it has only been done 77 times by 30 different players. (Jordan x 8, Chamberlain x 7, Robertson x 6, Barry x 4, Dantley x 4, West x 4, Iverson x 4, Abdul-Jabbar x 3, Baylor x 3, Bryant x 3, McAdoo x 3, James x 2, Gervin x 2, Wilkins x 2, Archibald, Bellamy, Erving, Free, Hawkins, Issel, King, K. Malone, M. Malone, Maravich, McGrady, Pettit, Scott, Twyman, Wade, and Durant.)

Only 13 of those 30 have averaged 30 points per game in two or more seasons and of those 13 players, only 11 of them (pictured above) have done it in consecutive years: Chamberlain (59-66), Baylor (60-63), Robertson (60-62, 63-67), West (64-66), Barry (66-69), Abdul-Jabbar (70-73), McAdoo (73-76), Dantley (80-84), Iverson (01-03, 04-06), Bryant (05-07), Jordan (86-93). 

You don’t average 30 points in consecutive seasons on accident, everyone of these 11 players is or will be enshrined in the Hall of fame when eligible. And of the 30 players mentioned earlier only Charlie Scott and Bernard King have not made the Hall of Fame (Side note: How the heck is Bernard King NOT in the Hall of Fame?)

Another great qualifier for great scorers is the NBA Scoring Title (which KD won last year). Only nine players have won consecutive scoring titles: Mikan (48-51), Johnston (52-55), Chamberlain (59-66), McAdoo (73-76), Gervin (77-80), Jordan (86-93, 95-98), Iverson (00-02), McGrady (02-04), Bryant (05-07). Again every single one of these players is in the Hall of Fame. 

If we filter out players down to those who have scored 30 points per game and won scoring titles in consecutive seasons we get the following short list: Chamberlain, McAdoo, Jordan, Iverson, and Bryant. 

Kevin Durant has a shot at etching his name on this short list this season and it’s hard to imagine that he won’t. His closest competition is either aging (Kobe), demanding trades (Carmelo Anthony), or giving up points for rings (LeBron and Wade). Durantula’s game is expanding and maturing through hard work and age. Kevin has had an impressive off-season; stealing LeBron’s most-lovable-player title, taking over Kobe’s Team USA leader title, and inking a massive contract extension with the Thunder. Based on his drive, work ethic and humility KD is sure to put up better numbers this coming year. It’s near impossible to fathom that this young man will only be 22 years old playing in his fourth (!!!) NBA season.

I’m going to pencil him in for 34 points per game. How many points do you think KD will average in the 2010-11 season? 

@Suga_Shane

**EDITS:

Photo: I fixed the typo on the photo, sorry about that. Still recovering from Vegas.

Tracy McGrady: In NO WAY do I think T-Mac is going to the Hall of Fame. I meant to mention him as one of those never going. Thanks to all of you that pointed that out. 

Don’t forget to pick up your very own Durant/USA t-shirt from the NBA Off-season Shop:

“I wish I knew how to quit you!”

Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats have signed Kwame Brown to a vet-minimum 1-year deal.

@Suga_Shane

NY Post:

Partygoers at Chelsea lounge Avenue were amazed when Michael Jordan turned up at 1 a.m. Friday with Jay-Z. The NBA legend “was in a good mood, wearing a white button-down shirt with jeans and white sneakers. He was drinking scotch on the rocks,” a spy said. Jordan sat at Jay and Beyonce’s table, then headed upstairs, where “he chatted to other guests before leaving around 2:45 a.m.” Rick Ross, in a velour cardigan, performed for the packed club, while Fat Joe and DJ Cassidy ran the VIP lounge.

What? No dance off? No crown shaped cake? No waiters serving drinks from trapeze wires? I’m so glad I refused this invitation.

“I am the Mike Jordan of recording” ~Jay-Z

We all knew this day would come, and it did.

Everybody loves it when Magic does his Buddy Hackett impression (by everyone, only Michael Jordan).

[slapclap]

(via: thegrandarchives)

BROS FOREVER, PT. 2

It was a great day in Harlem.

This morning the 23 kids involved in the Jordan Breakfast Club showed up for their graduation ceremony at Rucker Park only to be greeted by some surprise guests: Carmelo, Wade, Chris Paul, and the G.O.A.T. himself.

Dime magazine has got all the pics and details.

Jordan to Introduce Pippen at Hall of Fame Ceremony, Friday night.