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The best lineup is one of the most important honors in the basketball season, second only to the Most Valuable Player. After all, when players are selected for the best lineup, their contract value increases. At the same time, being part of an outstanding team is also a crucial benchmark for assessing a player's quality. Recently, American media compared the honors and skills of major basketball stars in the 21st century and selected the best lineup of this century. Let's take a look at who they are!
Chris Paul, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwight Howard form the NBA Third Team.
In the third team, the guards include Chris Paul and James Harden, who were once teammates. Paul is a traditional point guard, excelling in both offense and defense. In the 2007-08 season, he averaged 21.1 points, 11.6 assists, and 4.0 steals per game. With averages of 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals, he even became an MVP candidate, but unfortunately lost to Kobe Bryant. This event sparked heated discussions among fans. Paul has won 5 assists and 6 steals titles in his career, making him a shining achievement for traditional point guards.
Harden is a versatile shooting guard. After joining the Houston Rockets, Harden's talent was fully showcased. In the 17-18 season, he led the Rockets to the top of the league and won the MVP honor. In the 18-19 season, he contributed a high average of 36.1 points per game, and during his peak, Harden competed with the entire universe, deserving admiration. For the small forward position, we chose Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis won the MVP honor consecutively in 2019 and 2020, and in 2021, after leading the Bucks for years, he once again won the NBA championship. He is considered the most outstanding player for the Bucks in recent years. In addition, the power forward for the third team is Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki's scoring ability ranks among the top power forwards, especially as a player with over 30,000 points. In 2011, he led the team to defeat the Miami Heat's "Big Three" and became a legendary figure with a championship halo. Although Dwight Howard is no longer playing in the NBA, he was once hailed as LeBron James' successor during his peak. He won the Best Defensive Player award for three consecutive years, reaching historical levels of rebounding and shot-blocking.
Here is the list of players for the NBA All-Star Second Team: Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, and Nikola Jokic.
In the NBA's second-best lineup, only Dwyane Wade has not won an MVP award. However, in the 2005-06 season, he led the Miami Heat to a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the championship and earning the FMVP honor. Since then, his career has become brilliant. Nash's peak was in the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Phoenix Suns, where he led them from a strong team to the league's top team. During that time, he also received the MVP honor and led the team with the trend of "Seven Seconds or Less" tactics.
Durant is currently the most powerful small forward in terms of scoring ability in the NBA. He has won the scoring title four times in his career, an MVP, and two FMVPs. His scoring ability is unquestionable, and he always steps up in crucial moments. Garnett peaked during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves and won the MVP honor in 2004 but failed to win the championship. Finally, after joining the Boston Celtics, he fulfilled his dream of winning the championship. Garnett's versatility also earned him the title of "The Big Ticket."
Jokic is the current strongest center in the NBA, without a doubt. Although he has a full figure and fair skin, he has won the MVP award twice and led the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever club history championship in 2023. Before Jokic, no one expected a center to have such outstanding performance. Although Jokic appears to move slowly, he often delivers three key stats. At the same time, he also has an excellent shooting touch. If he can win another championship in 2024, he will be one of the players eligible to compete for the top two centers in NBA history.
The NBA's strongest lineup consists of Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal.
The best lineup in history is unique, even from the perspective of NBA history; this lineup has almost no controversy. First, let's take a look at Stephen Curry. Curry, with his three-point shooting skills, ushered in the small-ball era in the NBA. In 2015 and 2016, he won the MVP honor twice, and the 2016 MVP was the only unanimous MVP in history. He ranks first in history with a single-season record of 402 three-pointers. He led the Golden State Warriors to become a powerhouse in the league. He could defeat Paul and Nash, maintaining a leading position for a long time without a doubt.
Kobe Bryant is considered one of the greatest scoring guards of this century. Throughout his career, he won five championships, one MVP, and two Finals MVPs. His scoring ability is comparable to Michael Jordan, and he is also one of the symbols of the Los Angeles Lakers. His "Mamba Mentality" has had a profound impact on several generations of young people. Although Durant is eligible to enter the NBA's best lineup first team, LeBron James's honors and influence are even more powerful. He has the ability to compete with Jordan for the title of "Greatest Player in History" and has set too many records in his career. Even now, at almost 40 years old, LeBron James still aspires to win championships. Let's appreciate and cherish his games together.
The first team's interior players are Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. This is without suspense. Duncan's stability brought the San Antonio Spurs five championships. He is the cornerstone of the Spurs becoming a strong team. O'Neal led the Los Angeles Lakers to achieve the third three-peat in history. The consecutive three Finals MVP achievements also made him the most dominant center in NBA history.
It is worth mentioning that all five players in the first team have won the MVP. Who do you think is eligible to enter the best lineup of this century? |
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Post time 2-3-2024 12:20:31