Ranking the Greatest NBA Players of All Time

Yesterday, Michael Jordan's long time duo, Scottie Pippen, made the following statements:

"Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play the game. I may go so far as saying LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game."

Hours later, Pippen was bombarded by reactions, mostly violent, via Twitter.

Well, you can't blame the guy. When he was a Trail Blazer back in 2000, he also said his Trail Blazer team was the best team ever formed. His team went on to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Now, will anyone listen to this guy again?

For once, I have to agree with Yahoosports expert Kelly Dwyer with his article, and I quote:

"No, James hasn't surpassed Jordan in any meaningful way yet. He hasn't won jack, in comparison to MJ's six titles. He hasn't simultaneously won a Defensive Player of the Year in the same season he led the NBA in scoring, though that might be Dwight Howard's(notes) fault more than anything else. And because James joined the Miami Heat midway through his career, he'll never be looked at as the singular drive behind any championships he earns. After all, when Jordan won his first ring in 1991, Pippen hadn't even made an All-Star team by then."

As unchangeable as the fact that the sun rises in the east, His Airness, Michael Jordan, was, is and will always be the greatest player who ever played the game. I rest my case.

So ballers, let's clear the air and rank the top 10 greatest NBA players of all time individually. And the top first five, second five and third five of all time, obviously this is by position. Good luck!

Here's the list where you can choose from:

CENTERS

Kareem Abdul Jabbar (6 rings, 6 MVP, 2 FMVP)

Wilt Chamberlain (2 rings, 4 MVP, 1 FMVP)

Moses Malone (1 ring, 3 MVP, 1 FMVP)

George Mikan (5 rings)

Shaquille O'neal (4 rings, 1 MVP, 3 FMVP)

Hakeem Olajuwon (2 rings, 1 mVP, 2 FMVP)

Willis Reed (2 rings, 1 MVP, 2 FMVP)

Bill Russell (11 rings, 5 MVP)

Wes Unseld (1 ring, 1 MVP, 1 FMVP)

Bill Walton (2 rings, 1 MVP, 1 FMVP)

Robert Parish (4 rings)

Bob Petit ( 1 ring, 2 MVP)

David Robinson (2 rings, 1 MVP)

POWER FORWARDS

Charles Barkley (1 MVP)

Karl Malone (2 MVP)

Kevin McHale (3 rings)

Tim Duncan (4 rings, 2MVP, 3 FMVP)

Dirk Nowitzki (1 MVP)

SMALL FORWARDS

Rick Barry (1 ring, 1 FMVP)

Elgin Baylor

Larry Bird (3 rings, 3 MVP, 3 FMVP)

Julius Erving (1 ring, 1 MVP)

John Havlicek (8 rings, 1 FMVP)

Sam Jones (10 rings)

Scottie Pippen (6 rings)

James Worthy (3 rings, 1 FMVP)

LeBron James (2 MVP)

Dominique Wilkins

Bernard King

SHOOTING GUARDS

Clyde Drexler (1 ring)

George Gervin

Oscar Robertson (1 ring, 1 MVP)

Jerry West (1 ring, 1 FMVP)

Michael Jordan (6 rings, 5 MVP, 6 FMVP)

Kobe Bryant (5 rings, 1 MVP, 2 FMVP)

Allen Iverson (1 MVP)

POINT GUARDS

Nate Archibald (1 ring)

Bob Cousy (6 rings, 1 MVP)

Walt Frazier (2 rings)

Magic Johnson (5 rings, 3 MVP, 3 FMVP)

Pete Maravich

Earl Monroe (1 ring)

John Stockton

Isaiah Thomas (2 rings, 1 FMVP)

Jason Kidd

Steve Nash (2 MVP)

The 2011 NBA Finals

Dim the lights, here we go...

This year's NBA Finale features a Miami Heat team desperately looking for vindication against a Dallas Mavericks team whose chance for a redemption is now or never.

The Road to the Finals

Miami took round one in five games against the pesky 76ers team, humiliated the Celtics in five games in round two and stopped the Bulls in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Guys, only one word can describe this team -- Monstrous.

On the other hand, Dallas outlasted the Trail Blazers in a tough round one in six games, shocked the world by dethroning the defending champions Lakers in round two with an unimaginable series sweep, then broke the hearts of the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals in five games. This Mavericks team deserves to win it all.

The Eastern Conference Champions

Credit the Heat's huge success this year's playoffs on their swarming defense. If you shut down the Rondos, the Pierces, the Garnetts and the Roses (the league's Most Valuable Player), your defense is something special. But of course you will agree with me if I say that the reason why the Heat is just unbeatable in a seven-game series is simply because they have the three best players in the league right now. And when their role players like Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Joel Anthony and Mario Chalmers contribute solid numbers, it's the end of the story.

The Western Conference Champions

Dirk Nowitzki, Dirk Nowitzki, Dirk Nowitzki. It's all Dirk Nowitzki. You can't blame Rick Carlisle if he said Dirk is among the top 10 NBA players of all time. But credit should also be given to the interior defense that Tyson Chandler provides, the intense defense that Shawn Marion gives, Jason Kidd's leadership, Barea and Terry's scoring punch off the bench, and owner Mark Cuban's enthusiasm. If the Heat got the top three players in the league, the Mavericks is a team, perhaps the best team ever formed since the Jordan era.

The Matchup

MIAMI - LeBron James creates a lot of mismatches, but Shawn Marion is a seasoned defender. LeBron would still have several 30 point nights but Marion can make stops when needed most. The problem is, if Marion gets in foul trouble, no one in the Dallas bench can guard LeBron anymore. Dwyane Wade had been shut down in the Chicago-Miami series all thanks to defensive specialists Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer. The Finals won't be any different. Dallas has Deshawn Stevenson and 6'4", 38 year old Jason Kidd who shut down Kobe Bryant in the 2nd round and 6'9" Kevin Durant in the previous round. Wade would have his hands full against Jason Kidd. And Chris Bosh? He would have a dreadful time guarding Dirk which would affect his offense. That demands the Heat's role players huge contribution down the stretch.

DALLAS - Now, let me ask you a question: What do Marcus Camby, LaMarcus Aldridge, Gerald Wallace, Nicolas Batum, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, and Kevin Durant have in common? Yes, they all can't guard Dirk. Dead simple they just can't. Now if these defensive-minded players can't guard him, who will the Heat throw in to guard him. Ilgauskas is too slow, Dampier is too old, Anthony is too stiff, Bosh is too weak, Haslem is too small, and no they won't put their best guy LeBron against Dirk to avoid foul trouble. Now we have a big big matchup problem issue. And when Jason Terry will find his shooting stroke, that's another big problem for the Heat. And if Juan Jose Barea can easily squeeze through the Lakers and Thunder's interior defense, life would be easier for him against the Heat's inside defense. Lastly, Chandler, Haywood, Marion, Stevenson and Stojakovic will have their share of points since Dallas works as a team.

And Of Course, The Prediction

Yes, we can't deny that the Heat team is a three-headed monster and to beat them in a seven-game series is close to impossible, but have you forgot how this team was formed? It was a 'cowardly' act to team up with the best players in the league just to have an easy cruise to win the championship. That even angered His Airness, Michael Jordan. And for that, I won't pick the Heat. On the other hand, there are no reasons not to love this Dallas Mavericks team. They swept the Lakers, they are fun to watch because they play as a team, Nowitzki and Kidd's place in NBA History is long overdue, and Mark Cuban is such a loveable jerk. The only downside for the Mavericks is that the Heat get to enjoy homecourt advantage. But hey, Mavericks is a great road team. This would probably be the best Finals in recent history and you surely don't want to miss any single second played by these two teams. This is basketball at its best! What's not to love?!

And so I say, Dallas Mavericks will win the Larry O'Brien trophy in 6

2011 NBA Playoffs Fantastic Four

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Bulls, Heat, Mavericks or Thunder?