Rookie Tim Duncan vs. Rookie Blake Griffin

[Fiasco]

Rookie Duncan was better than rookie Griffin and impacted much more. 23/12/4 and only 3W improvement?.. That really hurts Griffin's case in greatest rookie season debate.

It's not a fair comparison at all. Duncan had the better season (duh), but he also had the better team. When Brian Cook is your 3rd go-to scorer it says a lot.

[b0bab0i]

Actually they were at the same age(21) in their rookie seasons.

Rookie Duncan was better than rookie Griffin and impacted much more. 23/12/4 and only 3W improvement?.. That really hurts Griffin's case in greatest rookie season debate.

Because basketball is a "team" sport. Clippers had so many injuries throughout the season. EJ, Baron, Kaman, foye, craig smith.

[Odinn]

It's not a fair comparison at all. Duncan had the better season (duh), but he also had the better team. When Brian Cook is your 3rd go-to scorer it says a lot.

I didn't talk about record. Improvement. There is a considerable difference.

He averaged 23/12/4 and Clippers won only 3 more games compared to previous season? I think this says a lot.

[Fiasco]

I didn't talk about record. Improvement. There is a considerable difference.

He averaged 23/12/4 and Clippers won only 3 more games compared to previous season? I think this says a lot.

It says he had a crap team.

EDIT: This argument is so stupid because it completely ignores the fact that Robinson missed the season before Duncan was drafted, which is why the Spurs were so freaking terrible. The year before Robinson was out, they won 59 games with a similar roster from 1997 season. Sure, Ducan was a big part of that, but let's not act like the Spurs were some scrub team that Duncan breathed life into. I'm sure if Blake Griffin played his first year with a HOF center, the Clippers would not have been a 32 win team.

This is the first time Griffin is going to be playing with franchise player talent. Reserve your judgment until you've seen what he can do with someone who is as gifted as he is.

[Odinn]

Because basketball is a "team" sport. Clippers had so many injuries throughout the season. EJ, Baron, Kaman, foye, craig smith.

Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
David Robinson
Shaquille O'Neal
Michael Jordan

All of them say hello to you. Duncan's rookie season can be compared to these players' rookie season, while Griffin's one can not.

The only reason you guys compare Duncan and Griffin, they played at the same position and their ppg-rpg-apg numbers are similar. But numbers only aren't enough to make a case for rookie Griffin against rookie Duncan.

[32Dayz]

Rookie Duncan's Best Game :
34 / 14 / 4 / 2 / 3 on 56% shooting

Rookie Griffin's Best Game :
47 / 14 / 3 / 1BLK on 80% shooting
or
44 / 15 / 7 / 2 / 1 on 58% shooting

[Warners0]

1st year playing in the NBA = Rookie Year.

Um no, he went through a training camp, got coached by NBA coaches got used to the NBA speed.

[32Dayz]

Um no, he went through a training camp, got coached by NBA coaches got used to the NBA speed.

I guess but i'll still give him credit for his rookie year.

[Vienceslav]

Rookie Duncan's Best Game :
34 / 14 / 4 / 2 / 3 on 56% shooting

Rookie Griffin's Best Game :
47 / 14 / 3 / 1BLK on 80% shooting
or
44 / 15 / 7 / 2 / 1 on 58% shooting

How many 50 point games does Blake get this year?
My conservative prediction is 3.

[Smoke117]

Tim Duncan, easily. He was the far, far superior defensive player and he was playing in an era where you actually still be physical with the offensive player and every little bump wasn't a foul. There is no way in hell Griffin averages 8.0fta's his rookie season in 1998.

[Clippersfan86]

Duncan for reasons Fiasco and a couple others have pointed out. Griffin had 9 eight new teammates, teammates going out with injuries nonstop and a new coaching staff. From the time Griffin was drafted by the Clippers we had literally 3 head coaches. WAY too much stacked against him to turn the team around immediately but his impact is massive.

Duncan's defense and all around player put him ahead but people saying it's not even close are ignorant. Yes Duncan is better defensively but he's also nowhere near the scorer, rebounder or passer of rookie Griffin. Sure Duncan was a solid-good post passer as a big but not Griffin level.

Then you factor in David Robinson who was an MVP worthy player and it all makes sense. You have two players that could of won MVP and it's not hard to see why they won 56 games or w/e. The most important thing of all that you guys forgot is that Duncan was brought in during the prime of bigmen. When they were allowed to do a lot more. Be more physical, 5+ seconds back to basket etc. Now it's MUCH harder for a big man to put up stats or play D at a high level than it was then.

[Clippersfan86]

How many 50 point games does Blake get this year?
My conservative prediction is 3.

2. Multiple 40.

[Carbine]

Duncan for reasons Fiasco and a couple others have pointed out. Griffin had 9 eight new teammates, teammates going out with injuries nonstop and a new coaching staff. From the time Griffin was drafted by the Clippers we had literally 3 head coaches. WAY too much stacked against him to turn the team around immediately but his impact is massive.

Duncan's defense and all around player put him ahead but people saying it's not even close are ignorant. Yes Duncan is better defensively but he's also nowhere near the scorer, rebounder or passer of rookie Griffin. Sure Duncan was a solid-good post passer as a big but not Griffin level.

Then you factor in David Robinson who was an MVP worthy player and it all makes sense. You have two players that could of won MVP and it's not hard to see why they won 56 games or w/e. The most important thing of all that you guys forgot is that Duncan was brought in during the prime of bigmen. When they were allowed to do a lot more. Be more physical, 5+ seconds back to basket etc. Now it's MUCH harder for a big man to put up stats or play D at a high level than it was then.

Duncan was every bit the rebounder Griffin is. I'd say better.

Drob wasn't an MVP type player after his injury either.

[Clippersfan86]

Duncan was every bit the rebounder Griffin is. I'd say better.

Drob wasn't an MVP type player after his injury either.

Tim averaged 12+ rebounds 3 times in his career, first time being in his 7th season. Blake Griffin is NO QUESTION the hungrier, more aggressive rebounder. Have you watched Griffin play? He plays like he's a garbage player trying to get minutes. He will always be a better rebounder than Duncan ever was. Just like Barkley before him.

Griffin cracked the 13 rpg mark for a while last season until Eric Gordon went down and teams started roughing him up hardcore. Expect him to get to the 13-14 rebound range which is MUCH harder in this current era than it was in Duncan's.

David Robinson did have a drop off and you're right wasn't quite MVP level (I shouldn't of said that) but he was still a lot better/more impactful than anything Blake had on the Clippers. He put up 21.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.6 bpg with great D. He was actually a better player than rookie Duncan you can argue and he played 73 games. So it's stupid to act like Duncan carried a team who had a player that dominant on the roster with him.

Give Griffin 97-98 D Rob and see what happens.

[Miller for 3]

Tim averaged 12+ rebounds 3 times in his career, first time being in his 7th season. Blake Griffin is NO QUESTION the hungrier, more aggressive rebounder. Have you watched Griffin play? He plays like he's a garbage player trying to get minutes. He will always be a better rebounder than Duncan ever was. Just like Barkley before him.

Griffin cracked the 13 rpg mark for a while last season until Eric Gordon went down and teams started roughing him up hardcore. Expect him to get to the 13-14 rebound range which is MUCH harder in this current era than it was in Duncan's.

David Robinson did have a drop off and you're right wasn't quite MVP level (I shouldn't of said that) but he was still a lot better/more impactful than anything Blake had on the Clippers. He put up 21.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.6 bpg with great D. He was actually a better player than rookie Duncan you can argue and he played 73 games. So it's stupid to act like Duncan carried a team who had a player that dominant on the roster with him.

Give Griffin 97-98 D Rob and see what happens.

no its much easier to get rebounds when your center is Kaman/Jordan, you don't play any defense and only worry about your boxscore stats, and you play on a losing team that no one tries against. Rookie Duncan was world's better than Sophmore Griffin. Let me know when Griffin averages 10+ rebounds while playing with a HOFer, actually playing defense, and is on a good team.