Arvydas Sabonis [31pts/10reb/7ast] VS Phoenix Suns - 1998

Arvydas Sabonis [31pts/10reb/7ast] Portland Blazers VS Phoenix Suns (Season 1997/1998) - www.basketball-reference.com/b...

[@Hunt1275]

Almost sad seeing how effective he was knowing that he was playing on 2 blown out legs. The world will never know how good he really was, one of the greatest tragedies of the cold war.

[@levesd3722]

Sad but true.

[@pex3]

I think the gulags and massacres were greater tradgedies

[@aha3885]

I know how really good he was. The first time I saw a board broken, was this little angel at 20 years old. With a one hand dunk. Pabellón de los deportes, Madrid. Real Madrid vs URSS. Christmas, 1984. This guy ran and jumped like a 6'7 player. But was a 7'4 player. His IQ, his hability to pass, his touch... XXL Larry Bird.

[@LION0410]

This man is probably the Best Center to ever play the Game.

[@Marigoulino1]

Frankie Calimano not probably but for sure..the best center in all over the world..

[@saiken811]

Yeah I have this big beast up there with Hakeem

[@veerchasm1]

No, Kareem was

[@dovydass7020]

@@veerchasm1 no

[@dovydass7020]

@Terry Bogard u dont got to be on drugs to know that

[@GrahamCStrouse]

I wish we could have seen him before his legs were wrecked. He has so much ability.

[@MrDickharder]

He did it all,dunks,free throws,threes,passing,rebounds..unreal player

[@funkykriz21]

what a incredible game for him !! so effective!! and then he fires up a 3 pointer for Ot !!!! as a Center!! props!! He was an outstanding passer and had a good movement and a very good shooting touch! :)

[@vaidasneviera5192]

Hands down one of the best players in the world, after his torn Achilles recovery in 86, he was already drafted at a young age but decline to play in the nba for 8 years until he was 31, After his recovery in 1986 he was a beast he won the Olympic gold medal and went on to play like a legend, if he had agreed to play in the NBA in the year he got drafted in 1986, from a young age he would of owned the NBA, just look at him playing when his in his 30s with worn out legs still plays unreal and played better than most centers, he had everything and i mean every set of skill that dominating centers in the nba lacked at the time, like great at shooting the ball fron 3pt line and mid range and his passing ability was just perfect, just look at his nba highlights theres like 4 videos of him driving past and going hard in the paint against Shaquille Oneal without any problems, drives past young in his prime oneal without breaking a swear, Drexler who was drafted in 85 pushed portland to the nba finals in 92, if sabonis was playing at the time they would of been a dominating team with 3-4 guaranteed championships, So after his injury in early of his career if he went on the nba he would of been the greatest but its a shame he had to come in in his 30s when his legs started to worn off, still his stats are unbelievable in europe and even Divac siad in a Lithuanian documentary film about Sabonis that if he would of played from early of his career in the NBA he would of been in the top 3 probably even better than Jordan

[@povilasmacionis946]

Čeeqžąožąčočpąpąpąpččočoeūwūūwųwųqų

[@k.squared]

+Dziugas Neviera What do you mean "declined"? Is this some kind of a joke? :) He was a USSR citizen. Nobody asked him what he wants. Going to play for an NBA team in 1986 was impossible. His only chance to do that would be to, I don't know, flee the Soviet national team or Žalgiris while they were playing outside of the Iron Curtain and ask for polytical refugee status in whatever country that was happening, but even that, I'm sure, was extremely hard to do, plus, you'd have to leave all your friends and family and, at least from 1986 perspective (nobody knew USSR has only five more years left till it blows up for good), never be able to come back.

[@karoliskanapickas9492]

Sabonis the best center of all time ...

[@kcw6222]

Best center portlands ever had in my opinion, possibly best in nba if u factor in the age differance when he finally got here. Definently better skilled than most centers ever. Only one id consider just as skilled would probably be tim duncan, and yes tim duncan is a true center, but pop plays him at PF because of his shooting game. Sabonis had it all, rebounding, three point shooting, free throws,18 footers, in the paint offense and defense. Very few people could go one on one against shaq, but sabonis did and did it very well. Great great great player, very impressive to watch.

[@jan279]

Kasey Winborne How 'bout Hakeem and Kareem?

[@kcw6222]

jan279 wow lol you really like to debate basketball. Hakeem and kareem didn't play for the blazers. At least I dont think they did. I said best portlands ever had. Possibly best ever if you factor age when he finally got here. No offense but kareem was not a finesse player. Alot of his shots were in the low post. Now hakeem I'll buy that one to the bank. But kareem had a incredible team, and got away with alot to. Sabonis was although as other nba players have said "a gaurd in a centers body".

[@jan279]

Kasey Winborne As a matter of fact, yes, I do enjoy debating basketball a lot. lol Anyway, I just mentioned Hakeem and Kareem because you said Duncan is the only one as good as Sabonis skill-wise at the center spot. IMO Kareem and Hakeem were as good as, if not better than, Sabonis.

[@kcw6222]

jan279 I dont know man rookie of the year at like 30. Stopping shaq all the time. Thats why portland was so good in 99 and 2000 cause when we saw la we never had to double on shaqeal. Sabonis could do anything on that court even after two surgically repaired knees.

[@dutchwizard3825]

+jan279 Sabonis in his prime was a better skilled player then Kareem, Only Hakeem is on the same level .... sad story the russians wont let him play in the NBA

[@keithgillespie4365]

If he came to the NBA young and no injuries he would have the league at his knees what a beast

[@AndriusStadalius]

Great upload, true legend.

[@123123123CHUN]

all-rounded great center. I mean , really ALL-ROUNDED

[@jan279]

Lookin' like a 7'4 Larry Bird out there, could barely run or jump, all skills and basketball IQ. =)

[@OZMozis36]

Basically his knees were done by this time and he was still very effective.

[@laisvis14]

not his knees but ankles.

[@levesd3722]

You should have seen him in his prime before those soviet quacks destroyed his legs.

[@zpacify]

Yup, spot on. Could affect the game despite limited mobility.

[@gurkansavkli5835]

@@Just_another_Euro_dude They were similar players but Sabonis was little bit more visionary, Bird was little bit more fierce i think.

[@guyyang4674]

Yao Ming used to idolize Arvydas Sabonis

[@dariusantanavicius2652]

"... o my Godness ! Holly Lithuania !" The big Man, who's saved Žalgiris !!!!

[@user-lg3sj2ed2d]

Bravo Arvidas!!

[@zenonas7941]

Mūsų Arvydas geriausias visų laikų centro puolėjas !!!

[@timhoward5]

greatest passing big man in history 7'3 shoot 3 and pass better than must guards yes ur a famer

[@MisterBinx]

What's crazy about this is you had Jermaine Oneal on the bench, and Nash playing back up minutes. Two absolute monsters in their primes. Steve Nash is going to be a hall of famer. Man, those were the days.

[@ruini7015]

Had Sabonis came to NBA in his prime time, he would have won several rings.

[@marijusp]

Sabonis had really good hands. This thing is often missing for big mans. If not severe injuries, Sabas could be one of the GOAT's.

[@OlajuwonDR34M]

the way he palms the ball and passes it.. my god you never see that now a days lol just looks crazy!

[@milosobrenovic1241]

Back in the time he was too tall even for a center position but had body coordination and shooting skills of a point guard. Had he come to NBA before the injury, he would have been officially what he is - the best center ever.

[@vladvovchuk1555]

Most versatile CENTER to ever play the game .

[@joseantonio3122]

Madre de Dios.como jugaba esta bestia, y estando lesionadoo.

[@user-cj7ls6vu9k]

обалдеть, красава

[@hectorecasaus2022]

Can't hardly walk but anyway still the best in the game. In his prime he would have been unstoppable

[@zpacify]

Sabonis is one of the greatest centers ever. Probably after Bill Russell, Kareem, Wilt, Olajuwon and Shaq, Walton you could argue he should have been 5th all time if not for the injuries. He's so skilled and had a high bball IQ; great hands. You notice after rebounds he gives up the ball very quickly unlike a lot of big men who hold on to the ball. He can pass, shoot, has a low post game. Too bad injuries left him rather immobile by the time he was 30. The guy was one of the greatest, even better than Robinson and Ewing.

[@11riehldeal]

G.O.A.T.

[@yghorvalente8554]

GOAT OF THE CENTERS

[@apearsonful]

Sabonis could have put up these numbers every night if he played in the NBA in his prime years

[@truongnd1]

if he came over to the states earlier he would of been a beast . he gain so much weight over the years

[@batyrn]

Hoping that Domantas grows his game with improved shooting. He is already one of the dominant in the game. LeBron wrapped him up every time Domas received the ball in the paint in the playoffs.

[@nicholasfox966]

I could watch him pass all day.

[@antlsah2009]

that pass from sheed to sabonis was hill/laettner 2.0!

[@vyla2581]

Rashid’s pass was perfect

[@aakao2593]

Great white guy dance @ 3:34

[@RingRingRingBananaPhone]

thats what you call pure talent

[@TITOF123]

i know that nba it is far away from europe, but sabonis and petrovic where close to the best in a time where europe was like a a child compared with USA

[@ptmandu]

He is a pioneer of Joker-wise player!

[@bbburner2954]

amazing

[@karoliskanapickas9492]

BEST BLACK PLAYER IS MJ BEST WHITE PLAYER ALL TIME ARVYDAS SABONIS

[@tatjanaboguslavskaja3006]

Barely walking man...in his medical history before his debut in 1995 he was diagnosed as disable, literally disable. If he would not suffer multiple achiles and knee injuries, and would come into NBA in 1986 - everybody would smoke peacefully in the dark quite corner. Between 1988 and 1993 he would be a 26-29 pts 14-17 reb, 3 blocks and 5 assist big man. Blazers would win in 1990 and 1992 for sure. In his rookie season, being 31 years of age, with no legs, after infection and overweight in just 23,5 min he managed to score 14,5 points. This is ridicilous!

[@plcustodian]

If only he (Arvydas Sabonis) could've came into the NBA earlier, but no, Russia wouldn't let him leave, he also lost some great years due to injuries, he may have come into the NBA late but at least he can say he played in the NBA. He would've had a great career if he was permitted to come earlier.

[@MistressAkasha]

How can't you love good old Arvydas?

[@paulmadariaga3635]

Imaginense sabonis llegando a la nba en el 86 jugando a lado de clyde drexler, sin lesiones una dinastia los trailblazers?, puede ser pudieron haber derrotado a los bad boys y los mismisimos chicago bulls con todo y jordan me atrevo a decir si, pudo haber pasado era el complemento que necesita drexler GRANDE SABONIS

[@rockedthecrapout]

That Blazer team just needed a closer they had everybody locked on D.

[@jamesbrook7440]

first time hearing of this guy

[@Bdrbs]

+james brook were u born like 2 months ago?

[@erikaslithuania7717]

Ever seen b asketball? :-D

[@91justelis]

U know nothing about basketball

[@saiken811]

You must be either really really young of you don't play/watch bball

[@jumacoco180598]

Sabonis ..uno de los grandes jugadores europeos del básquet 😁

[@namcord]

iako sam iz Beograda secam se da su Cosic i Radja ipak bili kvalitetniji igraci do Arvidasa, uz svo postovanje prema velikom Litvancu. nema potrebe da trazimo okolo najbolje kad smo imali svoje najbolje. pogledajte im i arijere i utakmice pa mozda drugacije izmerite

[@kingofsidewalk]

guys whatis that music played starting at 3.30 ? its has been played through the years in NBA, let me know pls

[@CroPETROforeverNBA]

+MasterOfTheMoon bollox It is called: THE HEY SONG

[@lekamrkela6937]

+MasterOfTheMoon bollox Gary Glitter - Rock'n Roll Part 2

[@veerchasm1]

Wallace/Sabonis: “Hold our Laettner” 🍺

[@paologisela]

Avrei voluto vederlo nei Celtics con Bird e D. PETROVIC...

[@Rytees]

4 overtimes? wow

[@mickus6613]

Lithuanian STAR!

[@karolic112]

all say SHAQ best all time center bro he cant even take free trhow what you can say about 3 point

[@williammunny9916]

_132 pts in 4 overtimes. Today, with the soft defense that is played in the NBA, they score that in regular time._

[@V.J.J.V.]

Sabas is amazing

[@OpenThatWinder]

Who won?

[@CroPETROforeverNBA]

+Joe Bill John Waffensburger Suns...

[@OpenThatWinder]

***** AW HAIL NAW

[@TITOF123]

with petrovic tbe european closer to the all star usa

[@alove8135]

Out there looking like Nikola Jokic.