Tim Duncan

[Calzone Lord]

Would he be considered the best NBA player of all-time if he played in a city with a big media center instead of San Antonio and wasn't a boring person with a boring defensive oriented game?

The Spurs have been like a top 5 caliber NBA team ever since he got there in 1997 and isn't he basically the only common denominator with the players on that team?

The Bulls went 55-27 during the season without Jordan.

I don't really watch basketball ever -- just wondering if Duncan doesn't get his due because he plays in a small market, with a defensive style, and a drama-less personality.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Would he be considered the best NBA player of all-time if he played in a city with a big media center instead of San Antonio and wasn't a boring person with a boring defensive oriented game?

The Spurs have been like a top 5 caliber NBA team ever since he got there in 1997 and isn't he basically the only common denominator with the players on that team?

The Bulls went 55-27 during the season without Jordan.

I don't really watch basketball ever -- just wondering if Duncan doesn't get his due because he plays in a small market, with a defensive style, and a drama-less personality.

The point you are making is true. He's vastly underrated because of SA and because of his style and personality. The funny thing is that he may be underrated..........even though many people acknowledge him as at the very least, one of the top three power forwards ever. Quite a few list him at the top of that list. I don't think he'd be put at the top of the greatest players ever though, although I think he's belonging of a seat at the table and a title this year would really make it a great conversation.

[Calzone Lord]

Winning five NBA Championships with San Antonio and always being a very top tier regular season team seems pretty wild if they get it done.

I remember one year a long time ago when he got hurt and missed a playoff series and the Suns swept them in the 1st round.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Winning five NBA Championships with San Antonio and always being a very top tier regular season team seems pretty wild if they get it done.

I remember one year a long time ago when he got hurt and missed a playoff series and the Suns swept them in the 1st round.

12 times either first or second team all-NBA (nine first)
13 times either first or second team all-defense (eight first)
Three finals MVP
Two league MVP
Four titles in hand and good shot at a fifth

It's really been an incredible career for him. I remember that year you are talking about. It's just really been a treat watching him in these playoffs. You watch him all season and think he's done. Wondering why is he holding on to the end of his career? Then he comes out and shows that he's not only still got it but he's got a lot of it. Same has been true of Kevin Garnett this year. It also shows you the difference between coaches like Popovich and Rivers and coaches like Mike Brown. Pop and Doc realize that the regular-season is not where titles are won. They don't worry about stuff like best record and home-court advantage. They properly dole out the minutes to their aging stars in order to have them ready for when it really counts. Meanwhile, Brown was over there working the hell out of Bryant. There's no reason by Kobe should have been among the league leaders in minutes played (at least until he got hurt and missed those seven games at the end) at his age and with all of those miles under his belt. In the playoffs, Kobe was visably worn down.

Ehhh. He's definitely one of the greatest forwards to play the game but it's debatable if he gets 5 titles to include him amongst the greatest to ever play the game.

One of those titles was during a player strike that shortened the season if I recall...without being a google tard.

[Cannon Shell]

He has been a center for a long time. I have no idea why he is considered a forward except it is far easier to be considered one of the best Power forwards of all time as opposed to one of the best centers.

Don't think so? Ask yourself who is the last Center who started for the Spurs since David Robinson? Seriously? Who is the starting Center for the Spurs this year?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

12 times either first or second team all-NBA (nine first)
13 times either first or second team all-defense (eight first)
Three finals MVP
Two league MVP
Four titles in hand and good shot at a fifth

It's really been an incredible career for him. I remember that year you are talking about. It's just really been a treat watching him in these playoffs. You watch him all season and think he's done. Wondering why is he holding on to the end of his career? Then he comes out and shows that he's not only still got it but he's got a lot of it. Same has been true of Kevin Garnett this year. It also shows you the difference between coaches like Popovich and Rivers and coaches like Mike Brown. Pop and Doc realize that the regular-season is not where titles are won. They don't worry about stuff like best record and home-court advantage. They properly dole out the minutes to their aging stars in order to have them ready for when it really counts. Meanwhile, Brown was over there working the hell out of Bryant. There's no reason by Kobe should have been among the league leaders in minutes played (at least until he got hurt and missed those seven games at the end) at his age and with all of those miles under his belt. In the playoffs, Kobe was visably worn down.

Please don't ever mention Doc Rivers and Popovich as being on the same level...

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Please don't ever mention Doc Rivers and Popovich as being on the same level...

I don't think that I did. I do, however think that both are elite coaches and although I'm not sure which one you rank higher, I think the other is pretty close. The point I was making was that they both realize that the regular-season is not super important and ration out the minutes accordingly while Brown drove his guys into the ground. Pau Gasol played the second most minutes in the league this year and on average minutes per game, Bryant was fourth at 38.5. Why was Bryant playing a minute more per game than LeBron James?

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

12 times either first or second team all-NBA (nine first)
13 times either first or second team all-defense (eight first)
Three finals MVP
Two league MVP
Four titles in hand and good shot at a fifth

It's really been an incredible career for him. I remember that year you are talking about. It's just really been a treat watching him in these playoffs. You watch him all season and think he's done. Wondering why is he holding on to the end of his career? Then he comes out and shows that he's not only still got it but he's got a lot of it. Same has been true of Kevin Garnett this year. It also shows you the difference between coaches like Popovich and Rivers and coaches like Mike Brown. Pop and Doc realize that the regular-season is not where titles are won. They don't worry about stuff like best record and home-court advantage. They properly dole out the minutes to their aging stars in order to have them ready for when it really counts. Meanwhile, Brown was over there working the hell out of Bryant. There's no reason by Kobe should have been among the league leaders in minutes played (at least until he got hurt and missed those seven games at the end) at his age and with all of those miles under his belt. In the playoffs, Kobe was visably worn down.

I can't stand Mike Brown, but in all fairness, the Spurs and Celtics bench compared to the Lakers is like Secretariat vs some nickel claimer.

[Conrad]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Would he be considered the best NBA player of all-time if he played in a city with a big media center instead of San Antonio and wasn't a boring person with a boring defensive oriented game?

The Spurs have been like a top 5 caliber NBA team ever since he got there in 1997 and isn't he basically the only common denominator with the players on that team?

The Bulls went 55-27 during the season without Jordan.

I don't really watch basketball ever -- just wondering if Duncan doesn't get his due because he plays in a small market, with a defensive style, and a drama-less personality.

Although the chances look grim at this point, a fifth title would have cemented Duncan's place alongside Kobe as the greatest players post-Jordan.
Shaq too.
IMO he is the greatest #4 ever...The Big Fundamental

[Cannon Shell]

I dont understand how winning or losing a title has any bearing on a players historical standing especially toward the end when a guy is clearly diminished like Duncan is. It just makes no sense.

So basically if Parker had continued to play unreal and SA had won the title somehow Duncan is looked at as a better player?

And Duncan is a 5 and has been for at least the last 10 years. Perhaps we can use some revisionist history and make Hakeem a PF as well since he played with Sampson as part of the Twin towers?

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I dont understand how winning or losing a title has any bearing on a players historical standing especially toward the end when a guy is clearly diminished like Duncan is. It just makes no sense.

So basically if Parker had continued to play unreal and SA had won the title somehow Duncan is looked at as a better player?

And Duncan is a 5 and has been for at least the last 10 years. Perhaps we can use some revisionist history and make Hakeem a PF as well since he played with Sampson as part of the Twin towers?

All the positions are clouded now anyway, so what difference does it make?