this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2023
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So recently a couple of my friends brought up the idea that PEAK DeMarcus Cousins was better than PEAK Dwight Howard. I pretty much watched all of DeMarcus Cousins prime in Sacramento and he was my favourite player in the NBA for a couple years, but I still cannot fathom how he compares to a player as dominant defensively and offensively like Howard.

As well, Howard led the Magic to a finals appearance in his prime. I do acknowledge that Cousins is the better passer, shooter, and post player, and that if he didn’t have to carry the offensive load as much as he did in Sacramento he could’ve been way more efficient (we got to see a preview of that in NOLA), but are these abilities enough to take him over Howard?

I was a huge Dwight fan in Houston, but unfortunately I never got to see prime Orlando D12. So could you guys please fill in some context?

NOT CAREER-WISE, STRICTLY PEAK

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[–] bruce_cocker@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Don't be stupid

[–] Guts709@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight, anybody saying Cousins is wild, lol

[–] KevinDurantSnakey@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Ur friends don’t know jack shit

[–] logone22@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight easily

[–] Terminatorns19@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight. Just definitely, definitely Dwight. Orlando Dwight was a leaner, higher-jumping version of the Shaq archetype - power player, solid touch in the post, absurd athleticism and agility for a guy his size. Man won 3 consecutive DPOYs and was probably a top 5 player on the planet in a league with LeBron in his first prime, prime Wade, and late-prime Kobe.

[–] youfeelme1997@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Dwight was a top 3 player in the world for a few solid years. This shouldnt even be a post.

[–] PatrickCoughATon@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Maybe like 1 year? His prime collided with Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Durant, Dirk, Duncan who were still at the top at any given time all of whom were clearly better

[–] GigachadFurryEnjoyer@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Peak Dwight was a problem. He actually led his team to a finals appearance.

[–] Rapey_Keebler_Elves@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Can someone explain to me how Demarcus Cousins has become an almost mythic figure in NBA history?

I watched his entire career, and he was always a turnover machine with mediocre efficiency.

[–] HotspurJr@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Because so many of these conversations are driven by two things:

  1. How does a player look in highlights.

  2. What does it feel like the player should be able to do.

Those two things are very different from who actually helps you win. DeMarcus looked like who the gods would build if they decided to make the perfect center. You could see highlights where you said, "Wow ..." On paper he had every skill you would want a center to have.

And yet he never put it together. And people seem to forget that part.

[–] Wolver8ne@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I 100% agree with you, but tbf, he was never in a proper system where he could thrive and cover some of his deficiencies. Look at his NOLA tenure when he actually was on a decent team. Were they gonna beat the warriors? No. But they were pretty dominant, and fans still talk about that team as a what-if.

[–] IHateYouKids@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Oof then no you didn't . Except ecting him to shine the turd that was SAC would be impossible for any player in NBA history. Jordan, Bron, Timmy, even Wikt couldn't get those guys to the playoffs. There was a concerted effort by the owners to tank whole seasons, dishearten the fan see so the team could move.

He had 5 coaches in 7 years and the worst of the worst; minimum wage coaches and George Karl. The one coach who was good they snaked em.

Jimmer, Tyreke, Willie Cauley Stein, all drafted. Best teammates he ever had were Rudy Gay and Rondo for one season together.

They sold a t5 pick for cash. They made commercials about being rich in the hardest hit area of America during 2008 housing crisis. They made the worst picks, traded fan favorites, insulted the fanbase, reneged on arena deals, and even sat Lakers fans in the owners seats at what was supposed to be the Kings last game in SAC.

They were never gonna win and nothing was gonna change that.

[–] doordaesh@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago
[–] ballgreens@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Because he was that good an individual offensive player, that talented, whatever failures and shortcoming, you still gotta respect the raw skill. A guy like Dwight, obviously he beats out Cousins, but OP called him that dominant defensively and offensively. I have a hard time calling Dwight an offensive superstar, it was athleticism that faded, dude never improved his game on that end and became the guy crying for post touches.

[–] indocartel@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

You seem to have a lot of these comparisons posts . Do you even have friends lol

[–] Wolver8ne@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Buddy you have been commenting on this post for the last 10 minutes multiple times, I think that says enough.

[–] Louis-grabbing-pills@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Do you guys think peak Shaq is better than peak Mozgov?

[–] babyeflo4422@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Mbenga is up there.

[–] snyckers@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Mozgov's peak being five mins before he signed with the Lakers?

[–] nikop@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I don't think a Cousins-led team ever broke 40 wins in a season

[–] IHateYouKids@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Ain't his fault

[–] LosCleepersFan@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Cousins was nothing but empty stats, poor attitude and self implosion end game. He hasn't contributed to winning bball his entire career.

Million dollar skill set, worth a nickle between the eyes. Terrible player imo.

[–] IHateYouKids@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] LosCleepersFan@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dude was terrible for winning basketball. just pointing out the obvious.

[–] RVAIsTheGreatest@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight and it isn't particularly close. The defense and the defense at the C position matters.

[–] IHateYouKids@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

PEAK DMC was his last season in NO. He was the best C in the league, dominating everything.

PEAK DH was 4 seasons.

[–] JoJonesy@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Lmao what? Dwight and it’s legitimately not even close

[–] Joetheshow1@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

this is a stupid ass post

[–] HotspurJr@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

It's Dwight and Jesus Christ what's wrong with people.

DeMarcus had better moves, and better offensive highlights. But he was also a player who was constantly destructive to the chemistry of his team, and top defenders could shut him down.

Andrew Bogut owned him because he just wasn't that fundamentally sound - Bogut ate guys like that up. Demarcus's was so big and fast and strong that his whole career was sort of "man, when this guy fully puts it together" and then he maybe did for like six months (maybe) before his knee injury and that was it.

If you want to tell me that DeMarcus should have been better than Dwight, you might have an argument (which is interesting because it's not like Dwight is a guy where you say "man, that dude got every ounce out of his potential." But even as his peak, DeMarcus was better as a collection of highlights than he was as someone who was going to help you win games.

[–] herseyhawkins33@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Howard peaked as an MVP level player in 2011. Cousins was insanely talented but never got there.

[–] gundam1983@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

As a die hard kings fan, it's Dwight by a Taiwanese country mile.

[–] CaptainBananafishJr@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight Howard by a country mile and then some. Is this a joke? 2009 was absolutely a carry job. The man took his team to the Finals. Cousins never even sniffed that as the best player on his team. Rashard Lewis got half (i.e. one lol) is his All Star selections on that team, and Jameer Nelson got his singular one that season as well, so miss me with that "he had better teams" argument. That was a lottery team without Dwight.

[–] ShadowOutOfTime@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Is this a fucking joke

[–] blue74821@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago
[–] No_Match_7939@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

The Dwight Howard disrespect got to stop

[–] employeremployee@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Can the mods please put an end to these posts?

[–] TalkQuirkyWithMe@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Cousins never even made the playoffs in his prime. He put up numbers on a bad team and even when he got together with AD, they weren't close to being a contending team.

I've heard the "best big man in the NBA" conversation thrown around for him, but that was honestly a stretch of years where there were no other good bigs. He doesn't hold a candle to the actual good bigs.

[–] hansislegend@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Dwight all day.

[–] TheMandoAde888@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Cousins was better in terms of offensive skills and refinement. Howard was just better period.

[–] Thestudio13@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Boogie cousins never took his original team to the finals. Dwight should’ve been top 75, but when he left to LA his career went to shit

[–] YayoBankroll@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Demarcus didn't even peak higher than KAT. Please stop.

[–] Wolver8ne@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Okay now this is stupidity 😂

[–] Ok_Hornet_714@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

When comparing two players and one has finished top 5 in MVP voting 4 years in a row, and the other player has never received a single MVP vote the player with the more MVP votes (i.e Dwight) is better

[–] photacos@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

In terms of game I prefer to watch Cousins. A big man with his ball handle? He’s arguably the best ball handler ever at his size. So to me, that peak of having that guard like skillset, is better than Dwight’s career.

Sure Dwight had more success and a legendary defensive career but he crapped out hella fast and couldn’t even focus on winning when he had Kobe. So I suppose I’m being bias due to his Lakers failed stint. Still I’ll admit yea Dwight had a better career, but in a way Boogie is/was always better in my eyes.

[–] RedditUser538xxx@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

😂 you never saw d12 play

[–] CBridgeDC@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I can’t be the only one who thinks this isn’t even close…and judging by the other comments, I’m not lol.

[–] One_Cardiologist_573@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

God this sub is just the absolute worst sometimes. The OP should have had his question closed by the mods and received a 24h ban

[–] Hibachi-Flamethrower@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Demarcus Cousins is one of the best big men to ever play the game but he was nowhere close to Dwight’s prime.

[–] NoAsk111@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

The further we drag away from my childhood the more and more these questions irk me

[–] SeedOilsRGood4U@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Lmfao Dwight Howard and it’s not even close