Greatest Small Forwards of All Time

The 2020 season is about to kick off again, and the stakes are high for some of the best players in the game. Last year, Kawhi Leonard showed how high a playoff run can elevate a player’s all-time status, as he led Toronto to an unlikely championship. How high has he climbed on the rankings of the greatest small forwards of all time? And if he wins a third ring with a third franchise this season, where will that place him among the greats? Here is an in-depth listing of the top 10 small forwards ever, with a (ranked) 22-person honorable mention list.

10 (tie) – Paul Arizin – 108.8 WS, 19.7 PER, .183 WS/48, 4X All-NBA, 1 championship

Those familiar with Arizin’s career will not find it surprising that he cracked our top 10. He was a two-time scoring champion and pioneering jump shooter who was efficient on the offensive end of the court, with a career true shooting percentage that was 11% better than the league average. After his first scoring crown (in his second season), he went to serve in the Korean War, and missed two seasons of his prime. He didn’t miss a beat upon his return, and in 1955-56, he was the best player in the league in the playoffs, leading the Warriors to the championship. While Paul Pierce was productive for a longer period of time, Arizin’s dominance despite missing a chunk of his prime earns him equal status on this list.

10 (tie) – Paul Pierce – 150.0 WS, 19.7 PER, .157 WS.48, 4X All-NBA, 1X Finals MVP, 1 championship

Pierce was a professional bucket-getter, who had 17 productive seasons in the league before his final two seasons as a Clipper. He put up some eye-popping scoring numbers during a time when offense was down in the NBA (24.8 PPG from 2000-01 to 2006-07). He was the top regular season scorer on an NBA champion, and won Finals MVP that season. While he was never an MVP-caliber player, and only earned four all-NBA honors in his 19 seasons, his crafty game and clutch scoring ability helped him carry on the rich Celtic tradition.

9 – John Havlicek – 131.7 WS, 17.5 PER, .136 WS/48, 11X All-NBA, 8X All-Defense, 1X Finals MVP, 8 championships

Hondo was an 8-time champion who, by career accolades, should be even higher on this list. His first season was 1962-63 with the four-time defending champion Celtics. They won it again in each of his first four seasons, and in six of his first seven years. Along the way he became a key cog, leading the team in scoring on two of those runs. The team struggled for two seasons after Bill Russell retired, despite Havlicek putting up eye-popping numbers (26.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 7.1 APG over those two seasons). They vaulted back into contention afterwards, led by Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Jo Jo White. They earned the best record in the league in ’72-’73 (when a shoulder injury to Havlicek may have cost them another championship), and won it all the next season with Havlicek as their best player. Two years later, they won it all again, though by this time, Cowens had taken over as their best player, and Hondo was actually their fourth leading scorer in the regular season (they had four players averaging between 17.0 and 19.0 PPG). In the playoffs that year, Havlicek dealt with a foot injury and only averaged 13.2 PPG in their run to the championship. So Hondo was the best player for one of his eight championships, and was a vital cog on the seven other ones. It should be noted that his advanced stats are surprisingly pedestrian for a player of his caliber. While these facts give more context to his career, let’s be clear – Havlicek was a great player who was clutch, could do everything on the basketball court, and could play in any era.

8 – Scottie Pippen – 125.1 WS, 18.6 PER, .146 WS/48, 7X All-NBA, 10X All-Defense, 6 championships

Pippen’s brilliance is highlighted by his standing as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. He was a point forward who would be even more valuable in today’s game, in which versatile wings are the gold standard. There are two events that would have further enhanced his legacy and moved him into the highest tier. In 1993-94, when Pippen was arguably the best perimeter player in basketball, he led the Jordan-less Bulls to 55 wins and an Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance. Had Hue Hollins not called a questionable foul on Scottie in the closing seconds of the pivotal Game 5 in New York (the subsequent foul shots erased Chicago’s one-point lead and gave the Knicks the victory), then the Bulls would have had a chance to close out the series in Chicago. There are no guarantees, but the Bulls would have been favored to make the NBA Finals, as an inferior Indiana Pacers team awaited them in the Conference Finals. The second event was the 2000 Western Conference Finals, in Pippen’s first year in Portland. In Game 7, the Blazers blew a 15-point lead with 10:28 remaining in the game, an almost impossible task in an era when three-point shooting was a much smaller part of the game. Pippen’s Blazers (who were more an ensemble rather than a Pippen-led outfit) would have been favored to win the title against the Indiana Pacers in the Finals. Had Pippen succeeded in either of these instances, he would have escaped the long shadow cast by Michael Jordan. As it turns out, there’s nothing wrong with being the greatest sidekick ever, even if he couldn’t win one on his own.

7 – Kawhi Leonard – 73.4 WS, 23.0 PER, .220 WS/48, 3X All-NBA, 5X All-Defense, 2X DPOY, 2X Finals MVP, 2 championships

Similar to last season, Kawhi has a chance to enhance his legacy more than any other player over the next few months. He has already shown he can be the lead player on a championship team, and he also gets credit for being an essential part of the 2013-14 NBA champion Spurs, one of the great teams of the current generation. His peak is up there with the greats on this list, but he has a long way to go to earn the career accolades of everyone else in the top 10. With his leg issues and load management, he may never get there, but his brilliant all-around game and championship pedigree still earn him this lofty status. If he’s able to lead the Clippers to the championship, I will bump him up to fifth all-time.

6 – Rick Barry – 128.9 WS, 21.0 PER, .162 WS/48, 10X All-NBA/ABA, 1X Finals MVP, 1 championship (NBA)

Like our fourth-rated small forward, a chunk of Barry’s prime was played in the ABA, and he missed his third professional season due to an unfortunate contract matter. He transferred right after leading the NBA in scoring and taking a mediocre San Francisco Warriors team to the NBA Finals in his second season. His greatest accomplishment was leading the ’74-75 Warriors to the NBA championship; after Barry (who averaged 30.6 PPG and a league leading 2.9 SPG that season), their second leading scorer was rookie Jamaal Wilkes, at 14.2 PPG. Arguably the third best player of the 1970s, Barry’s all-around offensive game would have been effective in any era.

5 – Elgin Baylor – 104.2 WS, 22.7 PER, .148 WS/48, 10X All-NBA

As great as he was, there are two unfortunate circumstances that stand out from Baylor’s career. First is the injury bug; his knee problems began in the 1963-64 season, and he was never the same player once those occurred. That can best be seen in his efficiency stats: in his first five years, he had a cumulative 26.1 PER and .195 WS/48; for the rest of his career, those sunk to 20.2 PER and .112 WS/48. The second issue was his failure to win a championship: he was 0-8 in the NBA Finals, and in ’71-72, he retired after nine games then watched the Lakers win 33 in a row on their way to an elusive ring. However, it’s hard to fault someone who fought so valiantly for so many years. His rookie year, Baylor led a 33-39 Lakers team to the Finals, where they got swept by the Celtics. Over the next four years, he was an absolute tour de force, leading the league in playoff PPG each year and cumulatively averaging 35.8 PPG, 15.3 RPG, 4.1 APG on 45.3% shooting with a 26.7 PER and .205 WS/48 in 47 playoff games. He was a trailblazer who could have reached even greater heights if he had access to modern medicine and/or did not play in the era of Russell’s Celtics.

4 – Julius Erving – 181.1 WS, 23.6 PER, .192 WS/48, 12X All-NBA/ABA, 1X All-Defense, 4X MVP (1 NBA, 3 ABA), 3 championships (1 NBA, 2 ABA)

Dr. J was the best player in the 1A league of the 70s, the ABA. For historical purposes, it’s a shame we don’t have an apples-to-apples comparison of his prime years to other NBA legends. His NBA body of work was certainly impressive, including the fact that his teams were usually in title contention; in his first seven years after the merger, Philadelphia went to the conference finals every year, made four finals appearances, and won one championship, after acquiring Moses Malone in year seven. His legacy would be bolstered if he had been able to win it all as the lead player in the NBA, but two championships as the lead guy in the ABA is certainly noteworthy, especially his run in ’76, when he averaged 34.7 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, and 2.0 BPG on 53.3% shooting from the field, with a 32.0 PER and .321 WS/48 in 13 playoff games. His longevity, three championships, and playoff dominance put him in the upper tier of basketball legends.

3 – Kevin Durant – 141.7 WS, 25.2 PER, .217 WS/48, 9X All-NBA, 1X MVP, 2X Finals MVP, 2 championships

Durant has more scoring titles (four) than anyone on this list, and he has become one of the most unstoppable forces in league history with his flawless repertoire. What’s striking about Durant is his consistency: he averaged 25.8 PPG in his lone year at Texas, has averaged 27.0 PPG in his 12 pro seasons, 25.0 PPG in his 10 all-star games, and 29.1 PPG in nine playoff appearances. Just 32 years old by the time the ‘20-21 season starts, he has a good chance at earning the number two slot on this list and knocking on the top 10 all-time player list if he can overcome the devastating Achilles injury he suffered in the 2019 Finals. Even if Durant never played another game, his career accomplishments are already staggering.

2 – Larry Bird – 145.8 WS, 23.5 PER, .203 WS/48, 10X All-NBA, 3X All-Defense, 3X MVP, 2X Finals MVP, 3 championships

Greatest Small Forwards of All Time
Larry Bird and Julius Erving ca. 1986
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

For now, Bird holds a slight lead over Durant due to his dominant run as the best player in basketball in the mid-80’s, and his three NBA titles as the lead player. Bird was a timeless offensive player; the thought of him shooting 10+ threes a game in the modern era is tantalizing, even if he would have had struggles on the other end of the court. His passing was as special as his shooting, and he was a tough rebounder who could challenge anyone on this list in that category. My favorite Bird stat? Outside of the year he played 6 games due to injuries, the Celtics averaged 59.1 wins per game in his career, and 61.1 wins in his prime (prior to the ‘88-89 season).

1 – LeBron James – 236.1 WS, 27.5 PER, .235 WS/48, 15X All-NBA, 6X All-Defense, 4X MVP, 3X Finals MVP, 3 championships

LeBron’s career is now leaps and bounds ahead of the pack due to his combination of peak value and sustained excellence. Consider that as of this writing, his 236.1 career win shares equal the career totals of Elgin Baylor, Kawhi Leonard (to date), and George Yardley combined. Arguably the most versatile player in league history, he has a good chance of having the greatest statistical career ever if he continues his unprecedented run over the next few seasons. A fourth championship as the lead player on his third different team will bolster his GOAT credentials, and may ultimately be his most impressive feat, considering where the Cleveland and Los Angeles franchises were prior to his arrival.

Honorable Mention

Greatest Small Forwards of All Time - Honorable Mention

33 – Jim Pollard won 5 championships in his seven professional seasons, and as a great athlete and good shooter, his game had a good chance to translate well to other eras…32 – Jamaal Wilkes enjoyed great success in his career, playing a key role on Warriors and Lakers championship teams. He was always overshadowed by bigger stars; in the closeout game of the 1980 NBA Finals, Wilkes scored 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to support Magic Johnson’s legendary effort…31 – Jack Twyman was the first player (along with Wilt Chamberlain) to crack the 30 PPG mark but played on a series of miserable Cincinnati Royals teams before Oscar Robertson saved the franchise…30 – If you squint, Andre Iguodala‘s game may remind you of Scottie Pippen’s: unselfish, great passing, all-world defense. He was a key component of the great Warriors teams of the past few years, and cemented his name in history with a Finals MVP award in 2015…29 – Bernard King was the best scorer in the world for a one-year stretch, when he led the league in playoff scoring in 1984 then won a scoring championship the following year, before injuries curtailed his prime…28 – George Yardley was the first player in league history to crack 2000 points in a season, and was the leading scorer on the 1954-55 and 1955-56 Fort Wayne Pistons teams that lost in the Finals…27 – Chris Mullin was a brilliant offensive player who averaged 25+PPG five years in a row with the run-and-gun Warriors teams of the 1980s/90s…26 – Paul George is an all-around force who should shoot up this list with more healthy, productive seasons…25 – Roger Brown was a three-time ABA champion who led Indiana in playoff scoring in two of those three seasons…24.- Bob Dandridge was a key cog on two NBA champions (the ’71 Bucks and ’78 Bullets), and was a force on both sides of the court. He’s still, unfortunately, waiting for his Hall-of-Fame call…23 – James Worthy was the perfect complement to Magic and Kareem’s Lakers upon his arrival in 1982-83. The three-time champion also had the fourth-greatest game 7 performance ever on his way to the 1988 Finals MVP…22 – Marques Johnson was a force with the great Bucks teams of the late 70s to early 80s, and had better career efficiency stats than most players on this honorable mention list…20 (tied) Carmelo Anthony and Alex English were both one-time scoring champions who are in the 25,000+ point club. Both have virtually equal career offensive and defensive ratings however, indicating their impact on the court was less than their scoring suggested. It also remains unclear how they would best serve a championship-level team, though with the right mix of talent around them, I believe they could have achieved greater team success…19 – Chet Walker never made an all-NBA team, which seems shocking considering his career accomplishments. He was the best player on the early to mid-70s Bulls teams, and was a key cog on the ’67 Sixers, one of the greatest teams ever…18 – Connie Hawkins was unfairly blackballed from the NBA for five seasons. In the last two of those years, he played in the ABA, where he won a scoring title, MVP, and playoffs MVP award in his first season. When he finally made the NBA, he made all-NBA first-team in his debut season and had a productive run thereafter, although his prime was robbed from him…17 – Cliff Hagan was the league’s best player in the 1958 playoffs, when he and Bob Pettit led St. Louis to the championship. He led the league in playoff scoring, field goal percentage, PER, true shooting percentage, win shares, and WS/48 that season, then led again in playoff scoring, PER, and true shooting percentage the following year…16 – Shawn Marion was one of the most underappreciated players of his era; consider that he never made an all-NBA defensive team, and only made two all-NBA teams in his career. However, he was a spectacular player on both ends of the court, and was a key piece on the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. He also has the second most career win shares of anyone on this honorable mention list…15 – In his prime, Grant Hill was one of the league’s top players, and before his injury woes crept up, he dialed up his scoring to average a career-high 25.8 PPG is his last year in Detroit. Injuries robbed him of many prime seasons, but he wound up playing 18 seasons in the league, including a five-year stretch in Phoenix when he became a valuable role player…14 – Billy Cunningham dominated in the NBA in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with three straight all-NBA first team appearances followed by a second team birth, before jumping to the ABA and winning the MVP award in his first season there. He also was a sixth man extraordinaire on the aforementioned ’67 Sixers title team…13 – Dominique Wilkins never found the team success that would have vaulted him into a higher stratosphere, and he missed out on some key accolades as a result (namely, the Dream Team and NBA’s 50 Greatest Players List). He was, however, an unstoppable force offensively who won a scoring title and finished as the runner-up in the 85-86 MVP race…12 – Adrian Dantley is one of the most efficient offensive players in NBA history, ranking ninth all-time in career true shooting percentage. He also was the leading scorer in the regular season for a team that came within seconds of winning the NBA Finals (the 1988 Pistons). His game may not have translated as easily as others to the modern era, and he only earned two all-NBA honors, but his career is still vastly underrated.

#AllTimeNBADraft

Recently, I had the privilege of participating in the #AllTimeNBADraft with 19 other basketball historians, the details of which can be found here. To recap, every player in NBA and ABA history was eligible to be drafted, and once selected, that individual was ineligible to be selected by any other team. We were also assessing peak value, so we had to select one season of that player’s career, with a maximum of four seasons per decade. Here are my selections:

#AllTimeNBADraft

My starting point guard was the team’s first selection (pick 15), ‘The Big O’ Oscar Robertson. While many identify him with the ’61-62 season, when he averaged a triple-double, I selected his sole MVP season, ’63-64, when he led the league in assists per game, free throw percentage, and offensive win shares, and carried the Royals to 55 wins. Oscar was able to punish the smaller guards of the 60s with his physicality (standing at 6’5” and weighing 205 pounds), but his skillset would translate to any era, and he’s as good as any lead guard in this draft. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by the 1982-83 Defensive Player of the Year, Sidney Moncrief. As heralded as Moncrief was on defense, he actually led the league in Offensive Box Plus/Minus that year, and is one of six players on the team with a 60 percent true shooting percentage in their selected year. Both starters can handle the ball, post up, and Moncrief’s athleticism will allow him to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player. Chauncey Billups, the team’s first selection off the bench, is another do-it-all guard who can play with either of the starters. In 2007-08, Billups shot 40.1 percent from three on 4.4 attempts per game, and his great shooting, low usage, and high efficiency make him an essential part of the lineup. Michael Redd, who shot 39.5 percent from three on 5.2 attempts per game in ’05-06, will be tasked with standing in the corner and creating space for all of this team’s great mid-range and low-post options. While he’s the team’s most natural shooting guard, he’ll play sparingly due to the versatility of the other guards. Derek Harper, the team’s fifth guard, is another all-around gem can play both guard positions and shoot from long-range, while also serving as an ace defender (selected to the All-NBA Defensive 2nd team in ’89-90 when he averaged 2.3 steals per game).

The starting forwards are two unstoppable forces who should provide great balance to the guard rotation. James Worthy, who can play either forward position, will start off at small forward. His athleticism made him one of the game’s greatest finishers, and in his selected season, ’85-86, it translated to a 57.9 percent shooting percentage and a 61.3 percent true shooting percentage, all while maintaining a low usage percentage for a player of his caliber (22.6 percent). Dirk Nowitzki, the starting power forward, achieved the shooter’s Holy Grail (50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three point range, 90 percent from the foul line) in his ’06-07 campaign, when he won the league’s MVP award and led the Mavericks to 67 wins. Unfortunately, that season is best known for his team’s first-round flameout against the Golden State Warriors, but his remarkable efficiency and shooting prowess will perfectly complement Worthy and the other starters. While Worthy received the starting nod, this team will also have the option of starting all-around stud Bob Dandridge when facing high-scoring wings. Dandridge was a premier defender, who helped lead the Bullets to the NBA Finals in his selected season, when he made the All-NBA Defensive 1st team, while averaging 20.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.7 APG. Bernard King is the bench’s best scorer, with remarkable efficiency (57.2 percent shooting percentage and 61.9 percent true shooting percentage) and a proven ability to score under pressure (a league-leading 34.8 PPG and 27.6 PER in the ’84 playoffs). Dan Roundfield, the backup power forward, was another first-team All-NBA defender who also averaged a double-double and made the All-NBA 2nd team in his selected season (’79-80). The deep forward roster allows this team to play small (with Worthy at power forward), play for offense (with King and Nowitzki), play for defense (with Dandridge and Roundfield) or mix and match depending on the opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

The great Willis Reed will man the middle as the team’s starting center. In his standout ’69-70 season, he won every MVP award (regular season, finals, and all-star game), while earning All-NBA Defensive 1st team honors and leading the league in defensive win shares. He also provided one of the greatest highlights in sports history that year, and gives this team toughness, physicality, and leadership. The backup big men provide a mix of rim protection (Jermaine O’Neal) and offensive efficiency (Brad Daugherty), depending on the matchup. Daugherty, a remarkably efficient offensive force, led the league with a .635 true shooting percentage in the ’92-93 season, and did not dominate the ball to achieve this mark (21.1 usage percentage). O’Neal is the team’s best rim protector, who can complement Nowitzki or partner with Roundfield to provide maximum defensive resistance to opponents.

A team with this much talent needs a coach who can alter the rotation based on matchups, keep players engaged, and command respect in the locker room. Rick Carlisle is a remarkably adaptable coach who always finds a way to put his teams in the best position to succeed. He’s aided by the fact that this team is full of high-character individuals who weren’t known for creating problems. On a team where the talent discrepancy between many starters and bench players is negligible, he’s an ideal coach who will help them compete against any opponent.

All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time New York Knicks

Our next matchup features two teams who have played in the same division for the past 67 seasons, and who’ve had 440 regular season battles as of this posting. They’ve also met 10 times in the playoffs, though only two of those series have had a deciding, winner-takes-all game (both in the early 1950s). Considering their proximity to each other (in location), and the frequency of their matches, this should be a celebrated NBA rivalry. Though their real-life matches have failed to live up to these expectations, the battle between the All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time New York Knicks is highly anticipated, and should ignite the two franchises’ fan bases.

76ers vs. Knicks

Key Matchups

Battle of Hall-of-Fame frontcourts: These two teams feature a number of Hall-of-Fame and all-star level performers in their frontcourts. Philadelphia starts perhaps the greatest frontcourt in this tournament, with three legends who were all MVP-level performers (Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Wilt Chamberlain). They also feature one of the deepest frontcourt benches, with four Hall-of-Famers coming off the bench along with Bobby Jones, one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. New York’s frontcourt is also impressive, featuring two former scoring champions splitting time at small forward (Bernard King and Carmelo Anthony), a two-time NBA Finals MVP (Willis Reed), and a member of the 50 Greatest Players list (Patrick Ewing). They also have three Hall-of-Fame frontcourt players coming off their bench, and in total have a whopping six players on their roster who averaged a double-double (scoring and rebounding) with the franchise.

Defensive stalwarts: With so much offensive talent on each team’s roster, the defensive aces on both sides will see big minutes in this series. Walt Frazier, arguably New York’s best all-around player, will have to chase around the lightning-quick Allen Iverson. Dave DeBusschere, one of the NBA’s greatest defensive forwards, will see plenty of minutes against Charles Barkley, Dolph Schayes, and Billy Cunningham. Philadelphia’s Maurice Cheeks will play alongside both Iverson and Hal Greer, and will take turns defending New York’s high-scoring guards (Frazier, Richie Guerin, and Earl Monroe). Bobby Jones will see time against the Knicks’ small forwards (King and Anthony) and their bruising power players (including Reed and Harry Gallatin).

Biggest Mismatches

Philadelphia’s athleticism advantage: The Sixers have one of the most athletic teams in the tournament. Erving, Chamberlain, Barkley, and Iverson were all exceptional athletes in the starting lineup, in addition to Andre Iguodala, Chet Walker, and Billy Cunningham off the bench. New York does not have the same assortment of athletes, and will need to slow down the tempo of the games to compete.

X-Factor

The Answer: can Allen Iverson become a pass-first distributor? Iverson is one of the most ball-dominant players in NBA history, with the third highest career usage percentage since this statistic has been tracked (starting in 1978). While he was used to playing with non-offensive threats in his days in Philly, he’s now on a team that features some of the biggest names in NBA history. How will he adjust to being a secondary option? Will he get their dominant frontcourt players enough shots for their liking as the de facto point guard in the starting lineup?

The question: Who is Philly's wild card? The Answer: Allen Iverson Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com
The question: Who is Philly’s wild card? The Answer: Allen Iverson
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Results

New York keeps the series close against Philadelphia, and Walt Frazier harasses Iverson into a few horrendous shooting nights. With the series tied at two, player-coach Billy Cunningham replaces Iverson in the starting lineup with Mo Cheeks, and the offense runs smoothly through their Hall-of-Fame frontcourt. Iverson proves to be terrific in the sixth man role, and the Sixers clinch in six.

Philadelphia wins, four games to two.

Next Round

The Sixers battle the All-Time Lakers Team.

All-Time New York Knicks vs. All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers

Our next match up features two teams who have suffered a lot of pain in their respective histories. One franchise has not won a championship since 1973, while the other is still waiting for their first ring. They’re united in their hatred of this man, who caused both franchises much misery during his reign of dominance. They’ve both been around long enough, however, to field competitive all-time franchise teams, each of whom can advance in our tournament. Who would win the battle between the All-Time New York Knicks vs. All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers? Each team holds several key advantages.

New York’s Advantages

Depth: The Knicks have been around for 24 more years than the Cavaliers, and this difference is reflected in their respective benches. Every Knicks bench player was a multiple-time all-star with the team (other than Walt Bellamy, who’s a Hall-of-Famer), while the Cavs only have two players off the bench with these credentials (Terrell Brandon and Zydrunas Ilgauskas – neither of whom is a future Hall-of-Fame player). The Cavs’ starters will play heavier minutes than their counterparts, and may wear down over the course of the series.

Rebounding: New York features six players who averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding on their team, while the Cavs don’t feature any. While part of this is due to generational differences (see below), the Knicks should maintain an advantage in this area.

New York’s Question Marks

Two-Center Lineup: How will Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing co-exist alongside one another? Both are natural centers, even though each has experience in a twin towers lineup (Reed with Walt Bellamy, and Ewing with Bill Cartwright). Expect Dave DeBusschere and Harry Gallatin to get plenty of minutes alongside each starter, with Willie Naulls occasionally mixed in as well.

Cleveland’s Advantages

James-Price Two-Man Action: What a perfect pairing. LeBron James is the one of the great playmakers ever, and Mark Price is one of the great shooters ever. In addition, Kyrie Irving, Terrell Brandon, and World B. Free are all capable shooters who should play well off of LeBron.

Multiple Points of Attack: Cleveland has multiple ways they can attack an opponent and initiate their offensive sets. They have three players in their starting lineup who can play point guard (Price, Irving, and James), and a great passing center in Brad Daugherty. Expect this offense to thrive, especially when the starting unit is on the floor.

Cleveland’s Question Marks

Depth: How many minutes can James play while guarding one of New York’s multiple perimeter threats? LeBron has averaged 39.9 minutes per game for his Cavaliers career, but that type of workload isn’t ideal when guarding Bernard King and Carmelo Anthony.

High Usage Scorers: James, Irving, and Free are all high usage players who are accustomed to having the ball in their hands. Each will have to adjust to not having the ball every possession, and Coach Lenny Wilkens will have to design an offense that emphasizes ball movement over one-on-one play.

X-Factor

When adjusting for era, will the Knicks maintain their statistical advantage on the glass? Rebounding percentage is not available in the basketball-reference.com database prior to the 1970-71 season, so it’s difficult to compare the raw totals of several of the Knicks’ pioneering big men to their modern-day counterparts. However, in the latter stages of Reed’s career, he still held an edge in this category over Larry Nance’s career total, as Ewing did over Daugherty. DeBusschere’s mark from 1971 on eclipses the total of Nance and Hot Rod Williams. While Naulls and Gallatin are difficult to contextualize, the Knicks should still maintain their advantage on the glass, even without major contributions from these two.

Results

In the words of sports writer Bill Simmons, “God hates Cleveland.” The Knicks have a deeper, more physical roster, and wear the Cavs down over the course of the series. Walt Frazier, the Knicks’ Mr. Clutch, wreaks havoc on the Cavs’ talented backcourt, and leads the team to victory.

NBA_Champions_1970_New_York_Knicks

New York wins, four games to two.

Next Round

New York faces the All-Time 76ers team.

All-Time New York Knicks Team

All-Time New York Knicks Team Infographic

Our next franchise has been in existence since the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946-47, which later merged with the National Basketball League to create the NBA that we’re familiar with today. They’ve experienced more heartbreak than triumph in that time, with a cumulative record slightly below .500. Despite their troubles, they’re one of the league’s signature franchises, and they have an important role in professional basketball history. The All-Time New York Knicks team is steeped in tradition, featuring a number of basketball pioneers and Hall-of-Famers.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier may be the funniest person in broadcasting history, but he first was a Hall-of-Fame point guard who was one of the best defenders ever at his position. Frazier’s signature game came in game seven of the 1970 Finals, when he led the Knicks to their first title with 36 points and 19 assists. He was a clutch player throughout his Knicks tenure, averaging 20.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.4 APG, 19.8 PER, and shooting .511 in 93 playoff games. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by fellow Hall-of-Famer Richie Guerin. The Bronx-born Guerin was one of the top guards of his era, peaking in the 1962 season with averages of 29.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.9 APG, and 20.9 PER. They’re backed up by two other Hall-of-Famers: Dick McGuire, who was one of the league’s premier play makers in its earliest days, and Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, who adjusted his game to fit alongside Frazier in the 1970s, and helped the team win its second championship in 1973.

Bernard King, perhaps the greatest scorer in team history, is the starting small forward. Much like Bill Walton in Portland, King’s reign as an elite player did not last long. When he was healthy, however, he was spectacular: he averaged a league-leading 34.8 PPG on .574 shooting in 12 playoff games in 1984, then led the league in regular season scoring the next year at 32.9 PPG (on .530 shooting). Willis Reed, the most decorated player in team history, is the starting power forward. Although he primarily played center in his career, he also spent some time at power forward as well, and was the team’s pillar during their glory years. The under-appreciated Patrick Ewing is the team’s starting center. While the conversation around Ewing often centers on what he was not able to accomplish (namely, winning a championship), he led the team to championship contention for years while serving as its only star. He was one of the greatest shooting big men in NBA history, and will combine with Reed to give them a forceful interior presence on both ends of the court.

Off the bench, Carmelo Anthony can replicate King’s role as a scoring extraordinaire, and with a few more productive seasons, he has a good chance of supplanting King in the starting lineup. As previously mentioned, Hall-of-Famer Dave DeBusschere is one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, and will also see plenty of minutes. Hall-of-Famer Harry “the Horse” Gallatin led the league in rebounding in 1954 despite being built like a modern shooting guard (6’6” 210 lb), and Willie Naulls also attacked the glass (11.7 RPG as a Knick) while doubling as a high scoring threat (25.0 PPG in 1962). Walt Bellamy, the backup center, was no longer the scoring force that he was with the Bullets franchise, but was still a double-double machine in New York, who provides them with another great interior scoring threat.

This team is marked by physicality, rebounding, and toughness. They have several different lineup combinations they can utilize, with great depth in the frontcourt. The 10th seeded team in our tournament, they have an opening round match up with LeBron James and the All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers.

Coach: Red Holzman

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .495