Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan

[kennethgriffin]

Duncan has been a top 3 center this year at worst (this sentiment is near-universal), how does that translate to 30th-40th?

Being a top 3 center in todays league doesnt automatically equate a top 30 player... Theres atleast 25-30 total pg+sg+sf+pf's combined better than duncan

[KG215]

Anyone who puts league ranked 30th-40th duncan over league ranked 3rd-5th kobe has no clue what theyre talking about

Duncan is nowhere near the 30th-40th best player in the league right now. He's much higher, especially when healthy.

[aau]

Being a big man is a lot more physically strenuous and taxing than being a perimeter player, especially in the modern NBA. And Tony Parker wasn't the Spurs' best player in '06-'07, Duncan should be sitting on 4 finals MVPs right now.

yeah

because playing against the likes of

camby - chandler and pau carries a death sentence

[Big#50]

While I don't think Kobe should play second fiddle, I think his shots per game should have been lower, specially at the start of the season. He was supposed to give others shots and touches to get accustomed in the offense. His mentality of I'm the big dog is the reason they struggled a lot this year.
Duncan has the hunger of a young lion (no 1500 essay) after losing to the Thunder. I think he felt his team was jobbed. Seems Tim is on cruise control right now. I say he turns it on again with 12-15 games remaining in the year. They should both be all NBA first team. Tim should be all defensive as well. Specially if Kobe makes it again. Which would be laughable.
Let's not forget KG. As much as I hate him, he still is a really good player. These guys are legends, but it also says a lot of the state of the NBA.

[Jameerthefear]

kenneth and niner need to **** off. this was a good thread. stop dickriding kobe so much damn.

[kennethgriffin]

kenneth and niner need to **** off. this was a good thread. stop dickriding kobe so much damn.

Ya.... And you're ugly

[secund2nun]

Being a top 3 center in todays league doesnt automatically equate a top 30 player... Theres atleast 25-30 total pg+sg+sf+pf's combined better than duncan

Duncan is a far superior player than overrated Kobe.

[KOBE143]

Both are still best in their respective position.. Duncan is probably the best center while Kobe is still the undisputed best sg in the league by far..

Kobe still a superstars..

Even tho Duncan is no longer a superstars and already a shell of his former self, he still capable of putting an allstars caliber stats in a regular basis..

THis year Duncan is better than Dwight Howard..

[Legends66NBA7]

Still one of the funniest commercials between the two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC099FK-ltc

[Smoke117]

My main problem with Tim Duncan is the fact that he was never a Power Forward. The only reason he ever played that position is the fact that David Robinson played about 6 games in the 96-97 season and the Spurs were the luckiest mother ****ers ever to get the first pick and be able to get Duncan in the 1997 draft. The fact of the matter is he's a CENTER AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A CENTER. THE ONLY REASON HE'S EVER BEEN PUT AS A PF IS THAT HE PLAYED WITH DAVID ROBINSON FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF HIS CAREER. It's ****ing annoying how people say Duncan is the best PF of all time when HE WAS NEVER A PF EVER! He was only put at that position because he played with David Robinson.

[9512]

I always thought how suspect it was how Duncan got to SA.

Prior to the 96 97 season, the Spurs were elite and were title contenders then they implode for that one year. That one year could've been a year too late or too soon.

The year too late was could've been the year they could've have taken Olawakandi in 98 or maybe camby or AI in 96.

Nope. It happened to be the exact same year Duncan would go to the draft after exhausting all 4 years of his NCAA eligibility.

He was predicted to be #1 in any of the previous years he would've declared for the draft.

Bit the stars were really aligned for the Spurs. I think other struggling franchises like the Kings or Celtics could have benefitted from Duncan

The Spurs really lucked out and should feel privileged (dare I say) to have had Duncan on their roster since 97 . and he didn't jump the shark to join Hill and Tmac in Orlando in 2000.

I always likened the Spurs to the Duke of the NBA. The rich getting richer

[nosfan773]

My main problem with Tim Duncan is the fact that he was never a Power Forward. The only reason he ever played that position is the fact that David Robinson played about 6 games in the 96-97 season and the Spurs were the luckiest mother ****ers ever to get the first pick and be able to get Duncan in the 1997 draft. The fact of the matter is he's a CENTER AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A CENTER. THE ONLY REASON HE'S EVER BEEN PUT AS A PF IS THAT HE PLAYED WITH DAVID ROBINSON FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF HIS CAREER. It's ****ing annoying how people say Duncan is the best PF of all time when HE WAS NEVER A PF EVER! He was only put at that position because he played with David Robinson.

Has this affected you personally?

[Big#50]

My main problem with Tim Duncan is the fact that he was never a Power Forward. The only reason he ever played that position is the fact that David Robinson played about 6 games in the 96-97 season and the Spurs were the luckiest mother ****ers ever to get the first pick and be able to get Duncan in the 1997 draft. The fact of the matter is he's a CENTER AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A CENTER. THE ONLY REASON HE'S EVER BEEN PUT AS A PF IS THAT HE PLAYED WITH DAVID ROBINSON FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF HIS CAREER. It's ****ing annoying how people say Duncan is the best PF of all time when HE WAS NEVER A PF EVER! He was only put at that position because he played with David Robinson.

LoL relax. It's not that serious.

[rmt]

The reason i dont give duncan as much credit as kobe in terms of longevity is because of the fact that tony parker has been the spurs best player and leader since 2006-07... Thats nearly 7 years that duncans been his teams second fiddle

Now ofcourse for kobes first 6 years he wasnt his teams best player either. But that was shaq. This is tony parker...

Kobe would never be the 2nd best player on a team with tony parker. Not even if kobe was 45 years old

Tony Parker has not been the Spurs' best player since 06-07.

Parker / Duncan

06-07
18.6 pts 5.5 asst 3.2 reb 52%FG / 20 pts 3.4 asst 10.6 reb 2.4 blk 54.6%FG
Finals MVP, All-Star / All-Star, All-NBA 1st team, All-NBA Defensive 1st team

07-08
18.8 pts 6 asst 3.2 reb 49.4%FG / 19.3 pts 2.8 asst 11.3 reb 2.4 blk 49.7%FG
- / All-Star, All-NBA 2nd, All-Defensive 1st
This year Manu was All-NBA 3rd team with 19.5 its 4.5 asst 4.8 reb 46%FG

08-09
22 pts 6.9 asst 3.1 reb 50.6%FG / 19.3 pts 3.5 asst 10.7 reb 1.7 blk 50.4%FG
All-Star, All-NBA 3rd / All-Star, All-NBA 2nd, All-Defensive 2nd

09-10
16 pts 5.7 asst 2.4 reb 48.7%FG / 17.9 pts 3.2 asst 10.1 reb 1.5 blk 51.8%FG
- / All Star, All-NBA 3rd, All-Defensive 2nd

10-11
17.5 pts 6.6 asst 3.1 reb 51.9%FG / 13.4 pts 2.7 asst 8.9 reb 1.9 blk 50%FG
- / All-Star
Manu was the best player this year - All-Star, All-NBA 3rd

11-12
18.3 pts 7.7 asst 2.9 reb 48%FG / 15.4 pts 2.3 asst 9 reb 1.5 blk 49.2%FG
All-Star, All-NBA 2nd / -

12-13
21 pts 6 asst 3 reb 49.5%FG / 16.7 pts 2.6 asst 9.7 reb 2.7 blk 49.6%FG
All-Star / All-Star
- /

Spurs' best player
06-07 Duncan
07-08 Duncan
08-09 tie - Parker (22/6.9) - Duncan (19.3/10.7/3.5)
09-10 Duncan
10-11 Manu
11-12 Parker
12-13 Parker

This is not counting the fact that Duncan is by far the best defensive player on the Spurs, and the defense is noticeably worse when he sits (especially with Bonner, Blair and Diaw).

[Artillery]

I always thought how suspect it was how Duncan got to SA.

Prior to the 96 97 season, the Spurs were elite and were title contenders then they implode for that one year. That one year could've been a year too late or too soon.

The year too late was could've been the year they could've have taken Olawakandi in 98 or maybe camby or AI in 96.

Nope. It happened to be the exact same year Duncan would go to the draft after exhausting all 4 years of his NCAA eligibility.

He was predicted to be #1 in any of the previous years he would've declared for the draft.

Bit the stars were really aligned for the Spurs. I think other struggling franchises like the Kings or Celtics could have benefitted from Duncan

The Spurs really lucked out and should feel privileged (dare I say) to have had Duncan on their roster since 97 . and he didn't jump the shark to join Hill and Tmac in Orlando in 2000.

I always likened the Spurs to the Duke of the NBA. The rich getting richer

That's a really bad comparison seeing as the Spurs are a small market team that's been forced to stay under the luxury tax for most of their existence. Meanwhile, Duke spends more than any other college program in the nation.