Ball Don't Lie: Five Elite NBA Players That Never Get Enough Credit
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
In a league of Superstars there will always be those who fall through the cracks.
Not completely, but just enough to fall out of sight.
They get dismissed.
They get made the scapegoat.
They just don't get enough credit.
So who are they?
Well, to be honest, there are hundreds of active players in the NBA that probably don't get the credit they deserve
But there is only a handful of very good players that seemingly get passed over on a national scale.
Who are they?
well, you have to keep on reading to find out.
Thanks For Reading.
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Brandon Roy
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This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Brandon Roy may very well be the most underrated player in the NBA.
He started out his career by winning the Rookie Of The Year award, then topped that by being selected to three straight All-Star games.
In his short career, Brandon Roy has led the Portland Trail Blazers with career averages of 20.2 points, 5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds while being easily a top five player in terms of clutch play.
He isn't flashy.
He doesn't put up huge numbers.
He isn't a character (unless you count good character).
But he is a fantastic NBA player that is down to earth.
Portlanders love him.
But it doesn't seem that the National media gives him the credit he deserves.
and I don't blame them because you have to watch him play every single night to really get a feeling for how good he really is.
Last season was a disappointment, but i wouldn't expect that to occur again.
Brandon Roy is everything you want out of your leader and best player.
Unfortunately, the Nation just doesn't see it.
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Carlos Boozer
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This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Carlos Boozer recently changed venues, moving from the Utah Jazz's Energy Solutions Arena to Chicago's United Center, and the doubters followed him.
Right now, as far as active NBA players go, Carlos Boozer is a top five power forward.
I would put him ahead of Amar'e Stoudemire, LaMarcus Aldridge, Josh Smith, Zach Randolph, and in terms of statistics for next season, I would say he is better than Chris Bosh.
Carlos Boozer is just that good.
Hard nosed.
Serviceable passer.
and a very good rebounder.
Averaging 19.5 points, 3.2 assists, 11.2 rebounds, in 34 minutes last season should open your eyes.
But just in case it didn't, I should point out that Boozer is a career double-double player and he will be on a team with a chance at battling for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
I hope that Boozer being out of Salt Lake City and onto the National stage will open the eyes of many fans next season, because when you really think about it, you realize that Carlos Boozer isn't your average forward.
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Kevin Garnett
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This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Kevin GarNOT as labeled by the one and only Skip Bayless has been an interesting player to follow throughout his career.
He started his career straight out of highschool playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a fan favorite and everyone inside of Minnesota thought he was great, while everyone outside of Minnesota thought he was crazy.
When he was traded to Boston in a deal that topped of what is now the Big-Three, those from Minnesota turned on him much like those in Cleveland turned on LeBron James (just not to the same extent).
Within his years as being a Celtic, in between the Finals appearances, Garnett turned into the player that seemingly was always underachieving.
A possible scapegoat for the teams string of failures?
The reason that they weren't going as far as they should.
Whatever it was, the blame always seemed to fall on Kevin Garnett.
However was you want to look at it, Kevin Ganrett is a very good player, and most likely a first ballot Hall-of-Famer at that.
Scoring career highs of 24.2 points, 5 assists, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in the 2003-2004 season,
and career averages of 19.8 points, 4.2 assists, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
The Championship he won with the Celtics was just icing on the cake.
Let's just hope people realize that through the twilight of his career.
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
LaMarcus Aldridge
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This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
LaMarcus's biggest knock is his physicality.
I just don't see it to the extent as others.
Blazers fans accross the internet, on blogs and on forums, have disafectionately pronounced LaMarcus "LaMartha" for his "Soft" play.
The reality is that LaMarcus Aldridge has made huge strides towards being a post up power forward. His post moves are amoung the best in the league and his ability to open up the floor and create room in the paint using the threat of his silky smooth outside jumper is vastly underrated.
I don't know if you watched the Portland Trial Blazers a lot last season, but I did.
Yes, LaMartha was the Portland Trail Blazers center until the team aqcuired Marcus Camby.
and I'd have to say that he did a very good job considering that he was playing out of position. He banged underneath the basket through 40 games as the center, and before he was the center, he showed off his array of improved post moves.
Including his new up and under move that drew a number of fouls.
The reality is that it is hard to shake of a stigma of being soft. People look at a bigman with a jumpshot and instantly, maybe without even thinking, label him a soft player.
LaMarcus was soft earlier in his career.
Aldridge had no post moves, no inside rebounding game, and treated the paint as if it were a disease.
His outside jumper was still very good back then and since he wasn't able to out athleticise the NBA forwards, he reverted back to what he knew he could do well.
and that was to shoot the ball.
Four years, 20 pounds, and an inch later, LaMarcus Aldridge is someone that will likely be an all-star within the next two years.
He has the numbers, averaging 17.9 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a game, but he just needs to shake the stigma of being soft.
Overall, LaMarcus Aldridge is vastly underrated as a player and will open a few eyes of those who refuse to give him the credit he deserves.
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
Dwight Howard
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This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
I would have never thought of Dwight Howard to be an underrated player.
It never crossed my mind, until I wrote a couple articles about him being a dominant force in the NBA and recieved a bit of a reader backlash against those statements.
Really, I never thought I would be putting Dwight on this list, but I just had to based on my personal experience of speaking with others about Dwight Howard.
Those that believed that Dwight wasn't an elite player said that:
- He had no post game
-Is a terrible Freethrow shooter
-Fouls too much
-Can't create his own shot
-Is limited to what his teammates can create
-Gets overpowered on defense
-Bad on the pick and roll
etc.
The truth is that almost all of those are true.
Dwight has a limited offensive game and he does mostly rely on lobs or offensive rebounds to get his points, but is that really all that terrible?
An offensive rebound and putback is one of those things that drains the opposing team. If they are working so hard to box you out, and yet you continually grab the offensive board and throw down a monster two handed slamajama.
Heck, i'd almost take those offensive rebounds and putbacks instead of giving him the ball inside with his back to the basket.
It's easy math.
Seond point, Dwight is a terrible freethrow shooter.
Third point, Superman fouls too much.
Name another shot blocker that doesn't.
There are risks involved with blocking shots, heck, there are risks you take when playing center.If you think about it, the center is the last defense against the opposing teams offense.
Centers are always the ones taking fouls to prevent easy baskets. They are continually having to slide over and cover the quick point guard driving down the lane because one of the guards didn't do a good job.
For the most part, what I am trying to say is that no superstar can do everything great.
There are going to be places where each player could improve.
The reality is that Dwight Howard is a game changer.
A superstar.
and possibly the best center in the NBA.
But people act like he doesn't have any game.
This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report
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