Comments on: The Don Nelson All-Star Team

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:51:27 +0000

Steve, PLEEEEEEEAASE?

I just have visions of the uber stylish Mokeski lining up those deep, flat-footed 2s from the corner.

By: Steve Aschburner

Steve Aschburner — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:53:10 +0000

Ouch. No. Paul Mokeski was a PF/C. I recall that someone (a broadcaster?) gave him the nickname of "Speed Bump" because he doesn't stop you but he does slow you down. Still can visualize Mokeski and Randy Breuer locking arms over on one wing to draw the opposing bigs (under the illegal D rules of the time) away from the three-man game Nelson would run. Then they would rumble toward the rim when the shot went up.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:09:35 +0000

Can I slot Paul Mokeski in at SF for Nellie's team?

By: Cort

Cort — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:29:17 +0000

yes you are right about miller. but reggie was a 6-7 "guard" with long arms too. stockton was maybe 6-1. much tougher to play into your 40s at that size i think.

By: BSK

BSK — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:56:37 +0000

In his age 40 season, Stockton posted a PER over 20 with 10PPG and 7APG in about 27 minutes of action. As I said, Stockton was simply a freak of nature.

Reggie Miller was close (he turned 40 slightly after his last season) and was still pretty productive at the end of his career. A few other guys (who escape me now) also turned 40 right after the season, but I think they were bigs, too.

I'd be curious to see a 18-year-old team, though that might be harder to search for.

By: Cort

Cort — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:11:47 +0000

not many guards have played well past 35, and virtually no point or small guards. hal greer played til his late 30s and gail goodrich was still a good offensive player after 35 and might have played longer if he hadnt hurt his achilles. stockton, given his lack of size and high skill level/massive bball IQ and competitiveness, was probably the best player after 40. people talked about how elway was a great athlete when he won 2 super bowls in his late 30s. what stockton did was far more impressive into his early 40s since elway simply played 1 part of the game, not defense, and wa sin on maybe 45% of a game's plays tops. stockton did it all at a high level as usually the oldest and smallest guy on the floor in a game of giants. kareem was the biggest reason LA beat boston in game 6 of the 1987 finals at age 40. he had a season-high 32 points and wouldnt let a beat up celtic team get it to a 7th game. his last year though he slipped a lot at 41-42. but he was also 7-2.

By: BSK

BSK — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:16:16 +0000

Over-40 Team:
PG - Stockton
SG - Jordan (turned 40 during his last season, though listed as his age 39 season)
SF - Karl Malone
PF - Moses Malone (turned 40 during his last season, though listed as his age 39 season)
C - Abdul-Jabar
Outside of Stockton (freak of nature) and Jordan (two retirements), all of the guys I found who played into their 40's were big men. Putting Malone at SF was a bit of stretch. Of course, I was limited to simply going one-by-one through the guys who ranked atop the career games list. I don't know how to use the search stuff. Also, this was simply based on guys who played into their 40's... not necessarily what they did in their 40's.

By: Cort

Cort — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:23:46 +0000

6th men...Vinnie Johnson deserves a mention too as one of the best.

By: Cort

Cort — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:56:59 +0000

In honor of Don Nelson, the all-time Celtic 6th man team:
C-Bill Walton
F-Kevin McHale
F-John Havlicek
G-Frank Ramsey
G-M.L. Carr
6th man-Don Nelson

The greatest NBA 6th men:
10-Rickey Pierce/Mitch Kupchak
9-Dan Majerle
8-Junior Bridgeman
6-Detlef Schrempf
5-Fred Brown
4-Frank Ramsey
3-Bobby Jones
2-Kevin McHale
1-John Havlicek

By: Cort

Cort — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:48:53 +0000

How about these ideas: all-time left-handed NBA team?
Centers-Bill Russell, Willis Reed, Dave Cowens, David Robinson, Bob Lanier, Artis Gilmore
Forwards-Billy Cunningham, Chris Mullin, Larry Bird (special mention, naturally left-handed), Jack Marin
Guards-Gail Goodrich, Nate Archibald, Lenny Wilkens, Dick Barnett

All-time moving without the ball team:
C-Alvan Adams
F-Bob Love
F-John Havlicek
G-Jim Paxson, Jr.
G-Doug Collins

All-time southpaw shooter team:
C-Willis Reed
F-Jack Marin
F-Chris Mullin
G-Gail Goodrich
G-Dick Barnett

All-time ambidextrous team:
C-Dolph Schayes
F-Larry Bird
F-Bobby Jones
G-Paul Westphal
G-Steve Nash