Center, Dikembe Mutombo (Houston Rockets)
That finger wag would be a lot more intimidating if there was a giant championship ring on it.
Mutombo has been a shot-blocking machine his entire career, which has spanned the lifetimes of several redwood trees.
Even at his age, he is making a major impact on the defensive end for the Rockets.
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year deserves champagne in June more than most.
Power Forward, Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)
KG is the most complete big man ever to play pro basketball.
No other seven-foot guys have the passing ability of a point guard, explosiveness and leaping ability, an 18-20 foot range jump shot, or the defensive presence that Garnett has.
Not only that, The Big Ticket is the most intense player on the floor every night. He sets the standard for versatility, now being emulated by Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Bosh.
Now that he has Ray Allen and Paul Pierce as his wings, he has a very good shot of finally getting that title.
Small Forward, Grant Hill (Phoenix Suns)
Hill is probably one of the most talented and unluckiest guys ever to set foot on an NBA court.
In Detroit, he averaged 20-9-7, was a perennial All-Star, and was once labeled as the next Jordan.
But then came Orlando, and suddenly his career went downhill once his ankles gave way.
Now that he's with the Suns, he's an excellent role player, and has a decent shot at winning a title if the Suns make it out of the brutal West.
Shooting Guard, Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets)
Easily the toughest player in the league, Iverson is an unstoppable scorer.
Even at age 32, he's still third overall in scoring at 26 points per game.
At barely 6 feet tall, it's unbelievable that he has the third highest points per game average in history, at 27 per game.
As of right now, Iverson is playing with a broken finger and still leads the league in minutes played.
His durability, intensity, and quickness are legendary—but the Nuggets still need to add one more piece before Iverson has a legitimate shot at getting a ring.
Point Guard, Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)
Mr. Triple-Double continues to produce at age 35—but the only part of his game that seems to have declined is his shooting.
Aside from the shooting, he's still averaging 11-8-10, insane numbers for a 6-foot-4 point guard.
Now that he's with Dallas, he and Nowitzki can lead the team to the Finals if they find some chemistry before the playoffs. If he gets the ring, then he has completed his Hall-of-Fame career.
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6 months ago
How about Steve Nash, who needs a championship soon?
Or Dirk Nowitzki, who came so close, and wants to get there again.
Just suggestions.....
6 months ago
Yeah, it's essentially a toss-up between Nash and Kidd at point guard. I chose Kidd because he's done playing his best ball, while Nash only recently became the the double-double monster that he is. But Nowitzki is still in his prime, and has a ways to go before he starts to decline, so he's not on this list yet.
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