Wardell

I don't get this argument. This isn't a one-on-one game. Stockton probably averaged more assists and steals in those games. Isiah probably shot his typical 45% (Some years low 40s) from the field. Compare that to Stockton almost always being north of 50%. The Pistons and the Jazz had completely different offenses, and Isiah was a shoot-first point guard. In college, Stockton averaged 21 points and 7 assists. If he wanted to score, he could. Sloan's Flex offense was fairly restrictive and focused on getting the best shot available for the team.

@@WritingWell When it's all said and done, who helped lead their team to TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Jazz had their chance and came up short. Isiah helped seal the victory against LA and against Portland. People always point to Jordan's championships when comparing him, do the same with Isiah and Stockton. Keep in mind Stockton admires Isiah and had Zeke introduce him into the Hall of Fame. The Stockton family loves Zeke because when the Olympic controversy was happening. Isiah called Stockton's dad and told him your son belongs on the Olympic Team.

@@muskegontribune The Pistons actually tried, and successfully so, to injure their opponents in the playoffs. That said, Michael Jordan never won a championship until he had Phil, Scottie Pippen, and other key players in place. In other words, individuals don't win titles, teams do. Also, did you know that the three best point guards of the late 90s and 2000s said Stock was the greatest point guard of all time, namely Nash, Payton, and Kidd. John Wooden, arguably the best college coach of all time, said John Stockton was the only player he'd play to watch. Wilt Chamberlain said that if he were picking one player to build a team around it would be "Johnny Stockton". True, Stockton didn't dribble through his legs repeatedly and jack up 20 shots a game, hitting 40% of his shots. He did have many subtleties to his game that impacted both sides of the floor in ways that aren't always obvious. Someone in this thread mentioned the Jazz vs Lakers 1988 playoffs. The announcers in that series are amazed by Stockton's repeatedly disrupting the Laker's offense, taking charges, knocking the ball away, and getting tips and steals. Most that stuff doesn't show up in the stat line. Frankly, Stockton played the game the game the way it was meant to be played--getting the best opportunity for the team every time.

@@WritingWell That is a LIE. Do you really think David Stern, owners of other teams would allow that? You just making up foolishness. Who did they injure? Name the players? Who did they injure where they could not play?

@@WritingWell Isiah Thomas was drafted in 1981, the guards of the 90s got the tail end of his career. MICHAEL JORDAN said Isiah was the second-best guard after Magic. Magic said you can't compare Stockton to Isiah there is no comparison. Barkely said Isiah was the best little guard along with Step Curry but he would pick Isiah. When the 90s rolled around Isiah was almost a 10-year veteran.

There was footage from one game to answer Magic’s absurd claim Stockton “didn’t have those types of abilities” to take over. There was a lot of other footage of other games of Stockton in the clutch.

Better how? Not a better shooter. Not better at passing, not better a defense. Basketball is more than leading a team in scoring.

@@WritingWell he was exceedingly skilled fam. Better handler, imo better defender, better clutch shooter, and tough as nails in the clutch. Not to mention a two time champ! Seems like a rap. Thoughts?

Better handler based on what? How much dribbling he does through his legs? The above video show six game winning shots by Stockton. There are more, including one against Isiah, so he is more clutch. Stockton is a far superior defender than Isiah. That’s not even close. All time steals and 5 all defensive teams.

This one is not close, Isiah took over games at will & won back to back in a league where he had to beat Bird,Jordan…then Magic in the playoffs. In addition, Stockton played 19 seasons & is clutch, so of course, he’d have moments, but there’s levels to this 🏀

@@PhilBurr100 The Pistons liked to injure their competition. That helped them win. No player wins anything. It's a team game. Stockton understood that.

When people make the argument that Isiah was a better player, my mind goes to scoring. The game was actually not designed to have one player dominate the scoring load. Stockton plays basketball the way it was designed to be played. He did what his team needed in the moment, and he could score as required. If he shot as much as Isiah, his numbers would be just as high. Isiah's shooting percentage wasn't that great. So, Isiah wasn't a better shooter, wasn't better at defense, wasn't better at off-ball movement (setting screens, running plays), wasn't a better passer, and he wasn't more clutch. If all of those are true, why is Isiah the better player? People also need to consider Stockton's minutes. He didn't play as many minutes as a lot of star starters out there. That affects stats (for example, stockton played under 30 minutes a game for 4 of of the last 5 years of his career, but the one year he was over 30 minutes a game at age 40, his stats went up considerably). Stockton had a completely different mindset than most point guards, and it wasn't about getting stats or taking as many shots as possible. If you look at what he did in college, he scored a lot more. He averaged 21 points per game and 7 assists. Those are huge numbers in college. The point being, the system you are playing in and what you are asked to do makes a big difference.

whatever... Stockton's Jazz also took the Lakers to 7 games in the 88' playoffs

@@observing8686 And.....loss the series!!!!

​@muskegontribune same as Isiah. Stockton played better against the lakers that playoffs. check the stats!

@@observing8686 The Pistons won a championship by beating the Lakers, that's the stat I am focusing on.

@@observing8686 When Stockson got inducted into the Hall of Fame, guess who he asked to induct him? Isiah Thomas. Stockton believes Isiah is the best small guard in the history of the game.