Who has the better Career, Tim Duncan vs Shaq

[ShaqAttack3234]

The subtle diminishing of Tim Duncan, and what his game meant to a slower paced, low scoring, half-court, very much sharing team is sad. Both players are amazing, but it's not like Duncan had the deepest cast ever to the point where all he had to do was put up 20 points and that's it, Spurs won. Look at how he was playing in 2003, it was all-around effective. But it's a team game, and if Duncan or Shaq had to lead the game in scoring literally every time, chances are their teams wouldn't have been as good as they were, and maybe we wouldn't be talking about them as much. Both of them generally had high a high usage-percentage, and both of them could pass really well for big men, but they were different players (Shaq more dominant in low-post at C, Duncan a bit more versatile at PF). I wouldn't look entirely at a players cast (it is important, but not entirely) to quantify how good a player was to that team, both players won multiple championships with completely different rosters, so they're both doing something right. When it starts becoming "well this player went up against a better team, and that player went up against a worse team, yadda yadda"... in terms of playoff basketball, it starts to be more about agendas. Not every finals team is as good as the next, but it's still the finals.

If I diminished Duncan's 2003 title run, that wasn't my intent.

My response was to RocketGreatness for his asinine statement that holds Duncan's title over Shaq's, which is ridiculous. Both at incredible playoff runs and carried a huge load on their teams.

Neither were carrying scrubs, but neither had all-time great supporting casts.

[SCdac]

If I diminished Duncan's 2003 title run, that wasn't my intent.

My response was to RocketGreatness for his asinine statement that holds Duncan's title over Shaq's, which is ridiculous. Both at incredible playoff runs and carried a huge load on their teams.

Neither were carrying scrubs, but neither had all-time great supporting casts.

I agree with that. Any team with David Robinson (even at 35-37), and Gregg Popovich, is not full of scrubs. They won 60 games (in 03) for a reason. At the same time, take Duncan (or Shaq) away from those teams, and they'd be much worse. Surely players like younger Kobe and younger Tony Parker (especially back then) got a lot of open looks and stuff because of Tim and Shaq.

[laker24]

Their careers are pretty much the even. But I will give Tim the edge because Shaq won with Kobe and Wade.

[Desperado]

Career wise they are both probably even, but Shaq had a superior peak.

[ShaqAttack3234]

I agree with that. Any team with David Robinson (even at 35-37), and Gregg Popovich, is not full of scrubs. They won 60 games (in 03) for a reason. At the same time, take Duncan (or Shaq) away from those teams, and they'd be much worse. Surely players like younger Kobe and younger Tony Parker (especially back then) got a lot of open looks and stuff because of Tim and Shaq.

Yeah, to me, these titles in general should be viewed as similar accomplishments based on how much each player had to do. You can't carry scrubs to a title, anyone who calls any championship team a team of 1 star plus scrubs is misinformed.

[Lebron23]

Career wise they are both probably even, but Shaq had a superior peak.

This

[Rendezvous32]

I agree with that. Any team with David Robinson (even at 35-37), and Gregg Popovich, is not full of scrubs. They won 60 games (in 03) for a reason. At the same time, take Duncan (or Shaq) away from those teams, and they'd be much worse. Surely players like younger Kobe and younger Tony Parker (especially back then) got a lot of open looks and stuff because of Tim and Shaq.

You do realize David Robinson that season was basically a bench player with a bad back right? He started every game, but he basically played bench minutes. I believe he played around 23 mpg that season. It was probably like playing with a Raptors Hakeem Olajuwon.

[SCdac]

You do realize David Robinson that season was basically a bench player with a bad back right? He started every game, but he basically played bench minutes. I believe he played around 23 mpg that season. It was probably like playing with a Raptors Hakeem Olajuwon.

Yeah, I watched him, and the team, live. He was on his last legs as a ball player, and had some serious injuries, but you do realize David Robinson was arguably one of the most physically fit players ever right? How many players started at center at 37 years old? Last season, during a D-Rob HOF ceremony, Duncan jokingly asked him to join the team again, saying they'd take him back any time. It was obviously a joke, but also a poke at how Robinson barely looks any different than his playing days, and aged pretty well for all intensive purposes.

[Rendezvous32]

Yeah, I watched him, and the team, live. He was on his last legs as a ball player, and had some serious injuries, but you do realize David Robinson was arguably one of the most physically fit players ever right? How many players started at center at 37 years old? Last season, during a D-Rob HOF ceremony, Duncan jokingly asked him to join the team again, saying they'd take him back any time. It was obviously a joke, but also a poke at how Robinson barely looks any different than his playing days, and aged pretty well for all intensive purposes.

Yeah, but my point was how Robinson was on his last legs and that he was not even close to the David Robinson everybody loved and knew in the 90s. He was far, far, far away from an All-Star caliber player that season.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Yeah, but my point was how Robinson was on his last legs and that he was not even close to the David Robinson everybody loved and knew in the 90s. He was far, far, far away from All-Star player that season.

He was still a solid role player at center. He could still rebound, block shots and defend, obviously his passing ability didn't go anywhere, he could still hit a mid-range jumper or 2 and convert on a dunk around the rim. He didn't have the stamina or durability to play big minutes or be relied on as a real featured player, but he was definitely a solid role player. He had some nice games in the playoffs, too.

Game 1 vs Phoenix- 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 8/8 FG, 31 minutes
Game 2 vs Phoenix- 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3/5 FG, 27 minutes
Game 5 vs Phoenix- 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 5/10 FG, 26 minutes
Game 6 vs Phoenix- 6 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, 24 minutes
Game 1 vs the Lakers- 14 points, 11 rebounds, 5/10 FG, 30 minutes
Game 1 vs New Jersey- 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 6/8 FG, 27 minutes
Game 2 vs New Jersey- 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 3/6 FG, 33 minutes
Game 4 vs New Jersey- 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4/5 FG, 24 minutes
Game 6 vs New Jersey- 13 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6/8 FG, 31 minutes

Nobody is saying he was an all-star, but he was a solid and valuable role player with veteran/championship experience.

[magnax1]

This is one of the debates that makes very little sense to me. Shaq was just a much better player, and so far their career longevity has been pretty equal. Duncan never dominated teams like Shaq did during his championship runs.