Peak Kevin Garnett vs. Peak Tim Duncan

[Richard 23]

I'm a Celtic's fan and I am going with Duncan. Best PF of all time.

[veilside23]

I'm a Celtic's fan and I am going with Duncan. Best PF of all time.

i could always claim am a celtic fan as well :) who owns ur account?

[feyki]

Duncan, no question in my mind.

Duncan was a better low post player, better shot blocker and defender, IMO, better overall scorer and more clutch. Other than handle the ball, shoot jumpers and free throws, KG did not do a single thing better than Duncan. Rebounding was basically a wash and KG was no better than Duncan as a passer(despite the assist numbers). Give me Duncan, any day of the weak.

...

[rmt]

I miss all those posters - substantive, well thought-out, knowledgeable. Whatever happened to them? (And why am I still here? when the quality of posters has gone so far down)

To all those who complain about KG's team mates - he had chances to leave MIN and yet signed 3 contracts with them - took the money (not that I blame any player for doing so) but you can't have it all (back then) and taking big money affects the quality of the team around you. And do you all think that it's coincidence that all those players who played/passed through SAS reached their potential there? Sure, part of it was Pop but part was also Duncan who allowed Pop to coach. And I'm gonna miss TD so.

Reflecting on Duncan's personality, impact and legacy:

http://www.nba.com/2016/news/feature...on-tim-duncan/

[greatest-ever]

For me it's Duncan by a small but noticeable margin. He was a much better scorer come playoff time at their peaks.

Kg 04 playoffs: 18 games 24.3 ppg on 51.3 ts%
Duncan 03 playoffs: 24 games 24.7 ppg on 57.7 ts%, similar volume but the efficiency difference is huge.

I can't see picking KG when the scoring difference is there, and other areas are comparable.

[SamuraiSWISH]

KG easily. He had less to work with. Oh and actually led USA to a gold medal. And not the most embarrassing Olympics of all time.

[Pointguard]

For me it's Duncan by a small but noticeable margin. He was a much better scorer come playoff time at their peaks.

Kg 04 playoffs: 18 games 24.3 ppg on 51.3 ts%
Duncan 03 playoffs: 24 games 24.7 ppg on 57.7 ts%, similar volume but the efficiency difference is huge.

I can't see picking KG when the scoring difference is there, and other areas are comparable.

TS% is a garbage stat in measuring great bigs. Too many stats are better than TS%.

[SamuraiSWISH]

TS is stupid because free throw percentage, an unguarded, referee discretion awarded shot can see field goal percentage mightily either up or down. It's a dumb stat.

[Pointguard]

TS is stupid because free throw percentage, an unguarded, referee discretion awarded shot can see field goal percentage mightily either up or down. It's a dumb stat.

Exactly.

Shaq, Duncan, Wilt, Russell and Hakeem all suffered in TS% In fact of the top ten GOATs only Magic, who you never hear it ever quoted is top 25 in TS% and he's at 9.

[rmt]

TS is stupid because free throw percentage, an unguarded, referee discretion awarded shot can see field goal percentage mightily either up or down. It's a dumb stat.

Well, in the case of TD vs KG comparison, wouldn't TS be more detrimental to TD than to KG (because of his worse free throw percentage) and still the gap is in TD's favor. They are both PFs - so any stat is a comparison between 2 similar types - this isn't between a comparison between a guard and a PF - that might favor one position over another.

[Young X]

Kevin is better.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Garnett versatility defensively trumps the shit out of Duncan. Garnett can guard smaller players and come out on the pick / roll yet still be able to switch, move his feet to contest shots of perimeter players.

He's also a more versatile scorer. Only difference career wise is David Robinson, Coach Pop, Parker, Manu and Leonard for the duration of his career. The Spurs are the Patriots of the NBA. So well run.

KG wasted his career on a bum Minneosta franchise, with only one year they were slightly talented enough KG immediately took them to the conference finals.

Give him Duncan and Spurs caliber roster when he was past his prime in Boston? Immediate dominant championship run. Went to the Finals again with older veteran players, and after being crippled with injury.

Was so beastly with adequate help he forced prime LeBron, Wade and Bosh to team up just to take them down.

[Young X]

Garnett versatility defensively trumps the shit out of Duncan. Garnett can guard smaller player and come out on the pick / roll yet still be able to switch, move his feet to contest shots of perimeter players.

He's also a more versatile scorer. Only difference career wise is David Robinson, Coach Pop, Parker, Manu and Leonard for the duration of his career. The Spurs are the Patriots of the NBA. So well run.

KG wasted his career on a bum Minneosta franchise, with only one year they were talented enough KG immediately took them to them to the conference finals.

Give him Duncan and Spurs caliber roster when he was past his prime in Boston? Immediate dominant championship run. Went to the Finals again with older veteran players, and after being crippled with injury.

Was so beastly with adequate help he forced prime LeBron, Wade and Bosh to team up just to take them down.

All facts.

Imagine if you gave 26-30 year old Garnett his 2008-2012 Celtics supporting cast.

[SamuraiSWISH]

All facts.

Imagine if you gave 26-30 year old Garnett his 2008-2012 Celtics supporting cast.

I would have loved to have just seen a Kobe / Garnett team. Surround them with shooters. Ugh, such a perfect fit. Especially in that 2005 - 2007 era when both were suffering from dog shit caliber teammates. It would've been the Kobe / Gasol duo on steroids. No physical or mental softness either.

[Young X]

I would have loved to have just seen a Kobe / Garnett team. Surround them with shooters. Ugh, such a perfect fit. Especially in that 2005 - 2007 era when both were suffering from dog shit caliber teammates. It would've been the Kobe / Gasol duo on steroids. No physical or mental softness either.

I always said the perfect match made in heaven would be Garnett and Jordan. The intensity on both ends, competitiveness, midrange game.

And there wouldn't be any ego issues because KG is unselfish. It's basically an even more dominant Pippen & Jordan.

Kobe would be the same thing. They would dominate the league in a similar fashion to Shaq and Kobe. Too bad the best Minnesota could do was give KG Wally Sczerbiak and Trenton Hassell.