January 20, 2008 -- MIAMI - Isiah Thomas said he would support Heat coach Pat Riley if Riley stepped down as coach to concentrate on his team president's duties.
But Thomas wouldn't address his own similar dual role with the Knicks.

Talk About It On Berman's Blog

Rumblings are Riley would like to get off the bench and focus on retooling a roster that is 8-31 - a stunning collapse of team that won the championship two years ago. The Heat have lost 13 straight with last night's loss to the Knicks.

"I have tremendous, tremendous respect for Pat Riley and everything he's done in the game of basketball," Thomas said. "Whatever he decides to do, he'll have my full support as I'm sure every coach in this league. Guys like Riley and [Phil] Jackson, you marvel at their perseverance and their strength. We, as young coaches and young managers, we all aspire to be what they are."

In a bizarre exchange, a Miami reporter asked Thomas three times if he thought the dual role was overreaching, and each time he told the writer to ask the Knicks beat writers his thoughts on the topic.

Actually, Thomas has addressed that issue publicly, only in generic terms, saying he would "never, ever quit." However, two weeks ago, as The Post reported, he told a friend he was near the "breaking point" and thinking of going upstairs.

WTF??? Isiah has Riles back? His support? On what planet is this meglamaniac even pretend to be in the inner sanctum fraternatiy of the great ones???? If he has Riles back, he is trying to stick a knife or his dick in him!!!!

Isiah is a loser and has always been that way...He always tried to pull himself into a league where he has no calling...After he retired and reporters quizzed him about his playing days he would always do the "When me, Larry and Magic played" shtick...Use to kill me....

Posted by holfresh:


Isiah is a loser and has always been that way...He always tried to pull himself into a league where he has no calling...After he retired and reporters quizzed him about his playing days he would always do the "When me, Larry and Magic played" shtick...Use to kill me....

But he does belong with Larry and Magic in the NBA pantheon.

YES.

Bird, Magic,Jordan,Russell,Chamberlain,Oscar,Kareem,Doc are all time greats...

Isiah,Patrick,Malone,Barclay,etc are second tier...

All time greats change the game...those other guys was just merely excellent participants...

Posted by holfresh:


All time greats change the game...those other guys was just merely excellent participants...

No one approached Isiah til Allen Iverson. And he hasn't won. So how is that not changing the game? When has a 6'1 PG ever led his team to TITLES? Back-to-Back and against those vaunted Laker and Celtic dynasties. Give it a rest already.

Yeah...

Posted by kam77:


Why is Magic a given and Isiah not? Magic was the undisputed PG leader of a team who won back-to-back titles. Isiah was also the undisputed PG leader who won back-to-back titles. They were the best players on the best teams. Isiah might have had less of a supporting cast, and he certainly didn't have the advantage of being 6'9 and easily seeing over defenders. Isiah did what he did at 6'1. He is widely acknowledged as the best little man to ever play the game. If all those team and individual accolades don't make one an all-time great than your definition of all-time great is too narrow. Why not just limit the list to Wilt? Was there ever anyone better?

Here's why:

Earvin Effay Johnson, Jr. (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan) is a retired American National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Before joining the NBA, the 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) point guard enjoyed success in NCAA college winning the title in 1979 with Michigan State University.[1] With the Lakers, Johnson established a successful career as he won five NBA championships, played in nine NBA Finals series, and was elected three times for both NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and NBA Most Valuable Player. Johnson also played in 12 All-Star games and was voted into 10 All-NBA First and Second Teams, and led the league in regular season assists four times.

Johnson is acknowledged as one of the most popular NBA basketball players of all time, being well-known for his uncanny passing and dribbling skills, and for his cheerful nature on and off the court. His fierce, but friendly rivalry with Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird rejuvenated the NBA and ushered in the era of million-dollar salaries. He was also a member of the Dream Team U.S. basketball team which won the Olympic gold medal in 1992. For his feats, Johnson was honored as one of the NBA 50 Greatest Players in 1996 and enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.[2]

[Edited by - holfresh on 01-20-2008 4:55 PM]

[Edited by - holfresh on 01-20-2008 4:56 PM]

You keep changing your definition of what it means to change the game. You're quoting me media clippings about salaries.

What Isiah didn't make millions too?
Isiah didn't win an NCAA chamionship too?
Isiah didn't have a fierce rivalry with Larry too?
Isiah wasn't a 12 time all-star too?
Isiah wasn't voted 5 times into All-NBA first/second teams too?
Isiah didn't play in 3 NBA finals (he had to go through BIRD -- Magic went through what All-Time great?)
Isiah didn't win back-to-back TITLES too?
Isiah wasn't a first-time ballot HOF inductee too?

Isiah was all those things! AND played in a harder conference, against stiffer competition and at a height disadvantage!

All Magic has over Isiah is a few more votes into All-NBA teams and some more TITLES and ASSISTS. But who wouldn't have ASSISTS playing in an up-tempo SHOWTIME game rather than BAD-Boy thugball? And who wouldn't have more titles with Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, AC, etc? Especially when not having to play against your Larry Bird and Michael Jordan in the conf. finals every year?

You have to give all due respect for Isiah's playing career. He was an all-time great. No matter what he's done to tarnish his legacy.


[Edited by - kam77 on 01-20-2008 5:17 PM]

Isiah was a great player but he's nowhere near an all time great in the class of Bird, Magic and Jordan, no matter how often he tries to include himself. It's not even close.

I put Isiah somewhere below Hakeem, but in that class.