The role of "The Second" (1 Viewer)

[SaintsInDome2006]

Disclaimer: I am way out of my league talking about basketball with you maniacs and I acknowledge that. So give me a break - thank you in advance.

Ok I have a question as to the role of "The Second". That's my term.

We all know of the importance of the Sixth Man. Fine.

What is a STAR without the second guy? What was Jordan without Pippen? What is Durant without Westbrook? What is (was) Curry without Thompson?

Why didn't the greatest player of all time - Wilt - not win more championships?

How many great players in NBA history have gone without championships for lack of this 'Second"?

Discuss.

Please don't hit me. Thank you.

 

[Eephus]

Does the second enable the STAR more than the STAR helps the reputation of the second? 

 

[Long Ball Larry]

We all know the importance of the sixth man?

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Will probably didn't win more championships because he had to go up against a legendary team and by many accounts, he was more concerned with his personal accomplishments than team success.  I don't know how to verify that for sure.

If he came along the 50s or 70s, probably gets another title or two, though him vs Alcindor in the east would have been something.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Barkley and Ewing come to mind.

im not sure how to quantify the importance of the second high level player.  Most have the champions have multiple stars.  The 3 Pistons championships plus Hakeem's first come to mind as those that didn't.  The mavs also?  

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Having a HOF-caliber second-best player is pretty much a requirement for winning a title.

Given the overemphasis put on titles won when evaluating individual players, the Second plays way to big a role in how Firsts are perceived.

Wilt played for some lousy coaches and lousy organizations.  He also played in an era where the league and its rules worked hard to limit his dominance, especially compared to how much the league accommodated later stars like Jordan.

A lot of times a good fit for the Second is as much about personality as it is skill.  Pippen was pretty much the perfect fit with Jordan at both ends of the floor, but his pat-on-the-back leadership style at practice and locker room smoothed out Jordan's abrasiveness.  Westbrook's nonstop motor hid some of Durant's deficiencies on the court, but Durant's softer side reached more players in the locker room.  Thompson is a follower who needs better players on the court to be effective on the court and good role models to be safe off it.  Thompson is great when he has uncontested jumpers to shoot, but he gets in his own way following Green's fugazi tough guy act.

The list of great players without a title is tremendously long.  An active player who IMO fits the mold you're talking about is Chris Paul.