Best Defensive Player since '85: Mutombo vs. Cooper

[Gregg Popabitch]

Dikembe Mutombo



vs.

Michael Cooper

[ric]

mutombo

[Reason]

again, comparing a 7 foot plus center who literally defensively-single-handedly won a 8 seed versus 1 seed series just to mention one of his many defensive exploits to a 6'5 lean guy who was a great defensive guy at his position but who couldn't even crack 30 minutes per game in his prime (thus by default couldn't even have been that great an influence on defense) is pretty patently ridiculous to me

obviously mutombo. kareem is one of the best defensive players of all time. he's the driving force behind the lakers D ever being more notable than the 'showtime' factor, NOT michael cooper (who was little more than what bruce bowen was for the spurs)

[Reason]

HOLY SHIT MICHAEL COOPER BEAT SHAQ LMAO

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

and one person (fucking big breeze of all people) referenced the fact that coop won a dpoy off the bench. WHO CARES? that's one year and one award voted on by fucking WHO CARES? it'd be like referencing nash's 2 mvps as a way to reason that he's better than every pg but magic (since only magic has won 2 mvps as a point guard)

jesus christ.

[Big Breeze]

I doubt anybody on this board has seen as many Michael Cooper games and Shaq games as me. I'm older than most of y'all and my main criticism of Shaq is that he was horrible on pick-and-roll defense. He hardly seemed interested in hedging screens. When he would lumber out the painted area, it would often times be too late. Those Utah teams definitely knew how to exploit those Laker teams from the late 90's.

Lol at Kareem being the driving force of the Laker defense and that he was more notable than the "Showtime" factor. Not gonna deny that he wasn't a boss on defense, but if we're gonna single out the "Showtime" factor, Magic is the de facto leader in charge of why they won. Whether it was with his passing or leadership (cuz it wasn't HIS D), Magic more the Kareem was the engine that stirred the drink. Not that what I said isn't some Captain Obvious shit, but I think the argument leading with Kareem is weak.

Regardless of how many minutes Cooper played, he made a huge impact nonetheless. He played the stickiest man defense in the 80's when it was way more physical than it is now. He couldn't get starter minutes because the Lakers had Norm Nixon and then Byron Scott with Magic in the backcourt. It was a great problem to have and that's why it produced five championships.

Even though Coop is my guy and all, I can't pick him over Mutombo.

[Gregg Popabitch]

HOLY SHIT MICHAEL COOPER BEAT SHAQ LMAO

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

and one person (fucking big breeze of all people) referenced the fact that coop won a dpoy off the bench. WHO CARES? that's one year and one award voted on by fucking WHO CARES? it'd be like referencing nash's 2 mvps as a way to reason that he's better than every pg but magic (since only magic has won 2 mvps as a point guard)

jesus christ.

Magic won 3 MVPs.

[Gregg Popabitch]

wait wtf

Kareem wasn't that great defensively in the 80's.

Rzn wtf?!? Hardwood classics on NBATV. WATCH THEM!! They show a lot of 80's Lakers stuff.

[Reason]

HOLY SHIT MICHAEL COOPER BEAT SHAQ LMAO

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

and one person (fucking big breeze of all people) referenced the fact that coop won a dpoy off the bench. WHO CARES? that's one year and one award voted on by fucking WHO CARES? it'd be like referencing nash's 2 mvps as a way to reason that he's better than every pg but magic (since only magic has won 2 mvps as a point guard)

jesus christ.

Magic won 3 MVPs.

i know how many mvps magic won. i was using 2 as a minimum b/c no other point guard has 3

[Reason]

I doubt anybody on this board has seen as many Michael Cooper games and Shaq games as me. I'm older than most of y'all and my main criticism of Shaq is that he was horrible on pick-and-roll defense. He hardly seemed interested in hedging screens. When he would lumber out the painted area, it would often times be too late. Those Utah teams definitely knew how to exploit those Laker teams from the late 90's.

Lol at Kareem being the driving force of the Laker defense and that he was more notable than the "Showtime" factor. Not gonna deny that he wasn't a boss on defense, but if we're gonna single out the "Showtime" factor, Magic is the de facto leader in charge of why they won. Whether it was with his passing or leadership (cuz it wasn't HIS D), Magic more the Kareem was the engine that stirred the drink. Not that what I said isn't some Captain Obvious shit, but I think the argument leading with Kareem is weak.

Regardless of how many minutes Cooper played, he made a huge impact nonetheless. He played the stickiest man defense in the 80's when it was way more physical than it is now. He couldn't get starter minutes because the Lakers had Norm Nixon and then Byron Scott with Magic in the backcourt. It was a great problem to have and that's why it produced five championships.

Even though Coop is my guy and all, I can't pick him over Mutombo.

this is ONLY about defense though. i'm not (didn't mean to/don't know if i did/ not checking if i did) saying kareem was the driving force behind "showtime" or the team even...and the reason i reacted the way i did is that no matter how dominant your wing defender is at defense he cannot possibly impact the game as much as your center anchoring everything

[Gregg Popabitch]

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