11/14/2022 0 Comments Tim duncan![]() Perimeter players just aren’t able to impact the game on the defensive end as much as interior ones. Even if Kobe was that transcendent on defense, the reality is, for the rest of NBA history, almost all of the best defensive teams are anchored by someone with Duncan’s profile. Kobe’s defense was very good, but his 9x All-Defensive First Teams and 3x Second Team overrate both his pure ability, as well as effort. Duncan never scored massive amounts of points because he didn’t need to, and it wasn’t conducive to winning. I hesitate to even bother saying that points scored aren’t everything, but it’s true. But even his skills were not enough to make a bad team decent. Offensively, Kobe is a more well-rounded scorer, no doubt. But I struggle to see the argument for what makes him greater for a list such as ours - in either greatness (accolades) or goodness (actual talent). Kobe has undoubtedly had a bigger impact on basketball the game, as a Lakers icon turned global icon. The other comparable, which I’m sure you thought of, is Kobe. Though that’s all good and true, I think the advancement of the modern game, and the value we place on versatility of big men like Giannis - over defensive anchors like Rudy Gobert - has swelled Garnett’s defensive legacy over Duncan’s slightly. I also think Garnett’s legacy has aged well, with people rightfully recognizing him as the transcendent defensive player he was. This isn’t necessarily a knock, as that profile can be very beneficial on high level teams it just wouldn’t have been as useful to what the Spurs needed at various times. Like I mentioned above, I think he works well next to another ball-dominant scorer. At the end of the day, I don’t think his offensive package is as robust. I love Garnett, and agree he probably could have won a couple championships with the Spurs. Many opined that if Duncan and Garnett were to switch roles, it would be Garnett who would be considered the greatest power forward ever. In the early aughts as the Spurs won title after title, it was all but natural to wonder about the diametrically opposed careers of Duncan and Garnett. Second myth : “Duncan’s team, system, longevity, and consistency, has propelled him above other superstars who had higher ceilings.” They ranked 1st in Defensive Rating (95 pts allowed per 100), but only 11th in Offensive Rating (104 per 100). He was not the David Robinson we saw in his twilight in 2003, who won behind the carry job of Duncan (which we’ll get to shortly).ĭuncan was an animal on the defensive end in his own right, but it was the duo of both players on defense that helped the Spurs win. He didn’t make the All-Star game that year, but made it in ’00 and ’01. But the 32 year old Robinson - a historically underrated player in general - was not washed by 1999. There are a few myths about Tim Duncan I would like to debunk.įirst myth : “Sophomore Duncan carried the ’99 Spurs in the lockout year to the title”įor those who don’t know, Duncan ended up going to the Spurs in the first place, because David Robinson was injured during almost the entire 96–97 season, which allowed the team to tank for the #1 pick in Duncan. But do people really know what made Duncan good? He didn’t have the personality or force of Shaq, the tragic figure of Garnett, nor the pretty perimeter game of Dirk. Casual fans will make mention of his bank shot, and his leadership alongside Greg Popovich, which has helped the Spurs maintain status as a marquee franchise in the league. He’s memed for being boring, both in personality, playstyle, and fashion style (although I’d call that anything but boring). 1st or 2nd best player on 6 Finals teamsĪlthough Tim Duncan is considered by almost all to be the greatest power forward ever, he is still not talked about enough in any substantive way. ![]()
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