If Duncan wins #5, will people start rating his career above Shaq?

[konex]

On LG, someone started a thread about how Duncan getting #5 affects Kobe's legacy (Some crazy folks already rate him higher even though he has less rings and hasn't remained elite so I don't think anything changes lol)

I actually think a 5th ring for Timmy "hurts" Shaq more. Thoughts?

[It's A VC3!!!]

I think it's stupid when people believe that one players success translates to another players demise.

Tim Duncan will move up the rankings with number 5 and be remembered for the next century just the same way Shaq will. They will both be regarded as winners and dominant forces.

[LEFT4DEAD]

Duncan>>> both Shaq and Kobe and its not that close.

[stallionaire]

Duncan is already the best PF of all time.

If he wins another ring, he will be MILES ahead of Kobe. Lakers fans wouldn't dispute it either, only Kobe-stans.

[kingkong]

they shouldn't, Shaq was much more dominant (nothing on Tim but come on, Shaq might be the most dominant player...ever)

[francesco totti]

kobe has 2 as the man, shaq 3, duncan 4.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Quite a few already have him above Shaq. For me, it doesn't alter that much, it's more icing on the cake for Duncan at this stage of his career. Considering how they were regarded when they were in or near their primes at the same time, it's a stretch to me to say it's not or won't be debatable either way. Duncan was the considered the best player by most in the '99 lockout year after he won the title, then Shaq was considered the best with how he played in '00 and the the 3peat. He was considered the best until Duncan won in '03 and beat the Lakers. Though '03 was a transition year because many were arguing if it was Tim, Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac or KG. During the 3peat, Shaq was widely considered better, but Duncan got underrated to some degree during that time. Kobe seemed to be considered the 2nd best by most in '01 and '02, and Duncan actually finished tied for 3rd with Kobe when NBA "insiders" were polled in April 2002 for best player behind Shaq and actually T-Mac.

Another ring might get Duncan a bit more respect, though. It seems that in a lot of media/analyst lists, Duncan has been one of the 2 guys who commonly gets shortchanged out of the top 2 in favor of Oscar or West, along with Hakeem, unfortunately. Ring number 5 might change that, though for me, what Duncan did in the early/mid 00's speaks for itself and that's what I'll always judge Duncan by.

And no, it's not crazy to currently rank Duncan over Kobe. I have Duncan a bit ahead of Kobe right now.

[Droid101]

Tim Duncan hasn't been the reason they're winning. Tony Parker and outrageously over-performing role players and bench have been getting them wins.

Tim Duncan has been on the decline since he lost finals MVP to his point guard.

[SpecialQue]

If Duncan goes HAM in the finals and wins FMVP, ISH is going to explode, especially if it's against the Heat.

I do like the idea of having a second "revenge" finals in a row. Last year Dirk got his revenge on Wade. Maybe this year Lebron gets his revenge on the Spurs?

[ShaqAttack3234]

Tim Duncan hasn't been the reason they're winning. Tony Parker and outrageously over-performing role players and bench have been getting them wins.

Tim Duncan has been on the decline since he lost finals MVP to his point guard.

Tim was great in '07. He had a better season than he had in '06, and arguably '05 as well. Duncan was still the 2nd best player in the league in '07, Parker exploiting the Cavs slower backcourt in a series where the losing team was just overmatched doesn't change that. And Duncan's defense impact was still all over that series, even though I can understand Parker's finals MVP. Duncan would've hands down been the playoff MVP that year if that award existed.

Even though he didn't win in '08, Duncan was still among the best players in the league, top 5 or so, and got his team back to the WCF at 32 years old by the time of the playoffs. He remained top 10-15 range the next 2 seasons, not bad at all for his age, and to be a key contributor on some really good Spurs teams these last 2 years in his mid 30's is impressive.

Parker is the Spurs best player and they're a very deep, well-coached team, but Tim has also been very good for them and essential to their success. The Spurs wouldn't look like the best team in the NBA(by a good margin) if Tim wasn't clearly playing at an all-star level in the second half and playoffs.

[EricForman]

On LG, someone started a thread about how Duncan getting #5 affects Kobe's legacy (Some crazy folks already rate him higher even though he has less rings and hasn't remained elite so I don't think anything changes lol)

I actually think a 5th ring for Timmy "hurts" Shaq more. Thoughts?

Duncan has one fewer rings than Kobe and was never a distant second best player on his own team like Kobe was his first 5 years in the league.

As for Kobe being elite now while Duncan has dropped off? Well, Duncan became elite earlier. He was the best player on a title team in 1999. Top 5 player in the league by 2000, you know, the same year when Kobe averaged 15 on 37% in the finals and was outplayed by Bonzi Wells in the WCF.

[Big#50]

On LG, someone started a thread about how Duncan getting #5 affects Kobe's legacy (Some crazy folks already rate him higher even though he has less rings and hasn't remained elite so I don't think anything changes lol)

I actually think a 5th ring for Timmy "hurts" Shaq more. Thoughts?

Kobe Stans still have delusions about Kobe being up there with Shaq and Duncan?

[AlphaWolf24]

Kobe Stans still have delusions about Kobe being up there with Shaq and Duncan?

Kobe named player of the decade beats out Duncan.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/spor...he-decade.html

SportingNews.com voting
Bryant 55%
Duncan 45%

The best part of the story on The Sporting News' website is what Shaquille O'Neal says about Bryant:


The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct that you know when the game is on the line he is not going to shy away from the big shot, he is not going to make excuses. If we would go into the fourth quarter, playoffs or just some game in the season and we were within a little bit of the other team, Kobe was not going to shy away from the challenge of getting the win. He was going to take the shots.


- and that was the closest one....other poll's Kobe won by a landslide.


recap: Nearly all of the basketball community agrees Kobe is the best player of his generation.....no one agrees with your opinion.




next

[SpecialQue]

Kobe Stans still have delusions about Kobe being up there with Shaq and Duncan?

I'm astonished at how vastly overrated Shaq is on this forum. Was he really as important to Wade as Kobe was to him during his single Heat championship?

[guy]

Not sure it really does much for his career ranking. It's hard to say it would when he probably isn't even a top 10 player in the league. But I don't know. You can argue that while Shaq has the peak and dominance over him and Kobe has the longevity over him, it's Duncan's leadership and unselfishness that could put him above both since it's really been that has enabled pretty much all of his teammates to flourish with him way more then in the case of Shaq or Kobe. And maybe overall, that's been better for winning and winning is what matters. If anyone is the modern day Bill Russell, it's clearly him.