I got the idea from the other back court thread ranking the best back court for the coming season. There are a couple of obvious omissions like Sleepy Floyd and Robert Reed. Sleepy Floyd was not on the best of teams for the Rockets and Robert Reed only played point guard because John Lucas got suspended and Allen Leavell was hurt, although he had a great play-off run. Includes 1st back court player off of the bench. 1. Kenny Smith, Clyde Drexler and Sam Cassell 2. John Lucas, Louis Lloyd and Mitchel Wiggins 3. Mike Dunleavy, Calvin Murphy and Allen Leavell 4. Kenny Smith, Vernon Maxwell, Sam Cassell 5. Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Moochie Norris 6. James Harden, Patrick Beverly and Eric Gordon 7. Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin and Kyle Lowry 8. Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic and Kevin Martin 9. James Harden, Chris Paul and Eric Gordon 10. James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon
Hard to vote for our current backcourt since they haven’t played a game yet. So I had to got with CP Harden Gordon since they led us to best record and should have won a ship if not for that injury.
Tough one between the first two clutch cities. Kenny wasn't ****. Almost every pregame matchup had us as the loser in that position (KJ, Stockton, GP, Penny, etc..). I mean if that team played today, half the people here would wish he'd crawl in a corner and disappear to give Sam and others more minutes. But that magic three seemed to fall when Mario or Sam's didn't. True grit. I picked the 2nd one because I was a lil bit older and every series seemed like a mountain to overcome. Plus that Jazz series...oh Vernon.
On sheer talent this seasons potentially deadly lineup could be astronomical in terms of sheer production.
The team in CP3's first season was far better than last season or this season. Fortunately for the squad this year, they don't have any super teams in the league.
We’ll see about this year. 2017 backcourt is the best we’ve ever had and it’s not even close. One of the best for any teams ever.
This. You had the should've-been-MVP EDIT: (Idiot me can't even remember the season where he actually won the MVP, he's been screwed over so many seasons...) next to a .264 WS guy, who happens to be a 1st ballot HoF point guard. Coming off the bench a perennial 6th Man of the Year candidate. How could it be anything but 2017-18's club? It's not just the best backcourt in Rockets history; it's a contender for best backcourt in NBA history. Not Chris & James's fault the frontcourt can't measure up.
I'm a die hard fan of the clutch city Rockets but any backcourt that includes Kenny Smith should be disqualified. He couldn't drive and finish, didn't play make, and his defense may have been the worst in the NBA at the PG position. He used to get absolutely torched and he was the biggest weak link by far during our championship run. He got demoted to 3rd string later on and it was the correct decision. James/CP/EG from 17-18 by a country mile.
Probably IDIOT, but how does the Paul-Harden-Gordon backcourt compare historically to all time great NBA teams? The closest I can think of is maybe Magic-Michael Cooper-Byron Scott. None of the MJ teams seem to fit. Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge, but who's the great 6th man? Walton? Maybe the Curry-Klay-Barbosa trio? I'm sure I'm forgetting some great trio.
I agree. Throw Dream in the middle of that lineup with Horry at the 4 and you have another ring without question.
I don't really understand how Harden/Westbrook/Gordon are eligible since we haven't seen them play a game.
It was easily the first year of CP3/Harden. Yes the ones from 93-95 won two titles, but they won those titles because of Olajuwon.
Put 2017-2018 Harden/CP/Gordon next to Dream and that roster, and the team is much better than with Kenny, Maxwell, and Sam. I don't think it's close. We are witnessing a great thing right now with James Harden. Enjoy it. We may never have a guard this good again on the Rockets in our lifetimes.