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Sixers legend Allen Iverson ranked No. 4 shooting guard in NBA history

Sixers legend Allen Iverson ranked No. 4 shooting guard in NBA history

Yahoo10 hours ago
There is no question that Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson is one of the best players to ever play this great game. Standing at just 6-feet tall, Iverson would go toe-to-toe with the giants of the league and put on a dominant display of scoring the basketball.
In 12 years with the Sixers, across two separate stints, Iverson averaged 27.6 points and 6.1 assists along with 3.9 rebounds. He won the MVP award in 2001 when he led the Sixers to the finals and was able to throw the franchise on his bony shoulders on numerous occasions.
When it comes to the shooting guard position, Iverson ranks near the top. Of course, the great Michael Jordan takes the No. 1 spot followed by the late Kobe Bryant at No. 2 and Dwyane Wade at No. 3, and per HoopsHype's ranking, Iverson comes in ranked No. 4 on the list:
A cultural icon as well as one of the best lead guards of his era, Allen Iverson has to be one of the most ridiculously explosive athletes the sport has ever seen, especially out of a player generously listed at 6-feet tall. Iverson's crossover was devastating (just ask Jordan), and his bombastic style as a scorer made for thrilling viewing throughout his prime. Iverson was one of the most influential players ever, both on and off the court was one of the most exciting players to watch and in his prime. He could really score with the best of them in such an unorthodox package.
Iverson is one of the best players to ever play this game. One can make an argument for other impactful players at the 2-guard position over him, but Iverson's stamp on the game of basketball cannot be denied as he influenced an entire generation of young players trying to get into the game.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers legend Allen Iverson ranked No. 4 shooting guard in NBA history
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NFL offseason power rankings: No. 3 Detroit Lions lost in the playoffs, then had other big losses
NFL offseason power rankings: No. 3 Detroit Lions lost in the playoffs, then had other big losses

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NFL offseason power rankings: No. 3 Detroit Lions lost in the playoffs, then had other big losses

It's hard to imagine anyone rooting against the Detroit Lions. They have a likable team led by a relatable head coach, a passionate fan base and have been terrible for most of their existence. Their rise to the elite tier of the NFL has been fun. So there's no joy in wondering if the Lions' best chances for that elusive Super Bowl appearance have already past. It's possible Detroit fans will be sitting around 20, 30 years from now and still rueing how the 2023 and 2024 seasons ended. Ranking playoff losses by the level of heartbreak isn't the most healthy exercise, so let's just say that the Lions' past two playoff losses are tied for first. In the NFC championship game two seasons ago, the Lions led the San Francisco 49ers 24-10 and their win probability reached 90.4%, according to Next Gen Stats. San Francisco stormed back to win. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Last season hurt in a different way. The Lions had a historic season, going 15-2 with the fourth-highest scoring team ever at 564 points. All they had to do was win two home games to make the Super Bowl. The Lions were 15-4 at home over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including postseason, heading into their playoff game against the Washington Commanders. That game against the Commanders felt like quicksand, with the Lions sinking further every time they tried to take a step. A defense that was decimated by injuries was chasing Washington and its rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels all game. Detroit's offense suddenly couldn't stop making mistakes and turning the ball over. The Lions lost 45-31 and it was hard to put into words the devastation for a franchise that has never even been to a Super Bowl. There have been only nine teams in NFL history to win 15 regular-season games. Before last season, only one didn't win a playoff game. Now it's two. The 2011 Green Bay Packers were a great team but ultimately more forgettable than the 2010 team that went 10-6 but won a Super Bowl. Unfortunately for the Lions, they don't yet have that Super Bowl win to ease the pain of that unexpected one-and-done. "It's disappointing. It's hard," quarterback Jared Goff said. "We had everything we wanted. Home-field advantage, the fans were incredible and unfortunately, we just let it slip out of our hands." [Get more Lions news: Detroit team feed] When you become good, other teams pick at your roster and coaching staff. For decades, nobody wanted Lions coordinators. This past offseason, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were two of the top three candidates on the head-coaching market, with Mike Vrabel being the other. Johnson was hired by the Chicago Bears and Glenn went to the New York Jets. It won't be easy to replace two of the best coordinators in football. The Lions have had a great offensive line the past few years but 40 percent of it needs to be replaced after guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency and center Frank Ragnow retired. That's another huge blow. The good news is Detroit is still very, very good. The Lions' roster is still full of blue-chip players. Dan Campbell looks like one of the better head coaches in the league. And maybe the losses at coordinator won't be that bad. John Morton, who was on the Lions' staff in 2022 and spent the past two seasons with Sean Payton in Denver, takes Johnson's place as offensive coordinator. Glenn is replaced as defensive coordinator by Kelvin Sheppard, who was coaching Detroit's linebackers the past four seasons. They're both capable of keeping the Lions heading in the right direction. But things change quickly in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles look hard to beat in the NFC. The NFC North is the toughest division in the league. 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The offseason was rough on the offensive line, with guard Kevin Zeitler leaving in free agency and center Frank Ragnow retiring at age 29. Zeitler was ranked as the NFL's third-best guard in Pro Football Focus' grades last season and Ragnow was the No. 2 center. Detroit drafted defensive tackle Tyleik Williams in the first round and offensive lineman Tate Ratledge in the second. Ratledge could play a big role right away with Zeitler and Ragnow gone. Grade: C Quarterback report Jared Goff didn't look like a mainstay at quarterback for the Lions when they traded for him in 2021, but that's what he became. He has a 100.2 passer rating in his four Lions seasons, and over the past three seasons he has averaged 4,547 yards and 32 touchdowns per season. Of course, those three seasons came with Ben Johnson running the offense. Johnson is off to Chicago, and now Goff has to prove he can have the same level of success with John Morton replacing Johnson as offensive coordinator. 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Goff isn't going to forget what's worked with Amon-Ra St. Brown the last four years. The Sun God lost some volume last year but made it for it with a spike in his touchdown rate. But even if he regresses to the 2022 touchdown rate, we're still talking about a player with a very high floor. I have no problem paying the sticker on St. Brown, which is somewhere in the 9-12 range in most Yahoo leagues." Stat to remember This won't surprise anyone who paid the slightest attention to the 2024 Lions, but they finished the season as the most injured defense in the NFL. The Lions had 86.5 adjusted games lost to injury on defense according to FTN Fantasy, most in the league. FTN's Aaron Schatz said that was the sixth-most games lost on defense since he started tracking the stat in 2001. Despite that, the Lions' defense finished fifth in DVOA. There's a reason Aaron Glenn is off to coach the Jets. 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Former world champion boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi dies at 72
Former world champion boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi dies at 72

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Former world champion boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi dies at 72

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MLB trade deadline: Live updates, news, transactions, rumors as Royals reportedly extend Seth Lugo, Yankees add Rosario, McMahon
MLB trade deadline: Live updates, news, transactions, rumors as Royals reportedly extend Seth Lugo, Yankees add Rosario, McMahon

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

MLB trade deadline: Live updates, news, transactions, rumors as Royals reportedly extend Seth Lugo, Yankees add Rosario, McMahon

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