Who Was Better In The Finals? LeBron or Duncan?

[NumberSix]

I disagree. Duncan was destroying in the post, while playing great D.

You think Duncan was the difference between a 5 game blowout series win for the Spurs and a series loss? Really?

[Quizno]

lebron did a great job this finals of showing up big for one quarter and then playing well below his standards while his team got blown out

[DonDadda59]

He scored 28 ppg in just 1 quarter per game? GOAT!

Game 5: 17 points first quarter. 14 points over the next 3.

Game 4: 19 points in the third quarter. 9 points the other 3.

Game 3: 14 points in the first quarter. 8 points over the next 3.

Game 2: Only Game Bron played well throughout. Also the only game MIA won.

Game 1: 12 pts in the 3rd. 13 the rest of the game *LeCramp Game*

TOs for the series: 19

Assists for the series: 20

[Soundwave]

So the Heat got waxed by a Spurs teams where Duncan wasn't even that huge of a factor?

Which is it LeBron-stans? You look like b*tches either way.

[K Xerxes]

Bron's finals are the paradigm for somewhat misleading stats. Dude only played great for 1 quarter every game and was either a ghost or absolute trash the rest of the time. He was a sieve defensively and a turnover machine. Scottie Pippen had more FGA than him in a finals series while playing second fiddle.

Duncan was just as efficient (which is all Bron really had going for him) while having much greater impact defensively.

Misleading perhaps, but still the best player, no?

Anyway, if Lebron wasn't better than a 38 year old Duncan, we'd really have to evaluate our views on Lebron. Lebron played well, not great, not terrible. The Miami team was just outmatched and beaten by the better team, simply as that.

[DonDadda59]

Misleading perhaps, but still the best player, no?

For game 2 maybe. LeCramp game... don't need to get into that. Games 3-5 were all about the FMVP, the other SF.

23.7 PPG/ 9.3 REB/ 2.3 APG/ 2 SPG/ 2 BPG (68.6 FG%, 53.8 3FG%, 84.2 FT%)

[Rondo]

LeBron's highs were of course higher than Duncan's but his low's were also much lower. Didn't he have more TO's than assists?

[Solefade]

You think Duncan was the difference between a 5 game blowout series win for the Spurs and a series loss? Really?

people ITT and in general still don't acknowledge the fact that this heat team way under performed in these finals and the loss is solely lebron so of course no one is going to acknowledge that lebron was actually the best player in this series. he had 51 more points than the next guy with the most points in this series while getting double and triple teamed as soon as he stepped inside the 3pt line

[Inactive]

For game 2 maybe. LeCramp game... don't need to get into that. Games 3-5 were all about the FMVP, the other SF.

23.7 PPG/ 9.3 REB/ 2.3 APG/ 2 SPG/ 2 BPG (68.6 FG%, 53.8 3FG%, 84.2 FT%)

28/8/4 .571/.519 > 18/6/2 .612/.579.

Kawhi shot out of his mind, and still wasn't near Lebron.

[robert de niro]

So the Heat got waxed by a Spurs teams where Duncan wasn't even that huge of a factor?

Which is it LeBron-stans? You look like b*tches either way.

this basically

[DonDadda59]

28/8/4 .571/.519 > 18/6/2 .612/.579.

Kawhi shot out of his mind, and still wasn't near Lebron.

Kiwi shat all over Bron's lawn from games 3-5 en route to winning FMVP.

And let's not forget that he was the Spurs 4th option.

[rmt]

Spurs win this series with or without Duncan.

Please watch Lebron's answer (0:52 to 1:50) to what is it about Spurs' defense that makes it difficult for an individual to put up a lot of points on them.

http://www.nba.com/video/?ls=iref:nba:gnav

Basically, his answer is Duncan - one of the very best at protecting the rim.

Don't see how Spurs win this series playing only Splitter, Diaw and Bonner(?). And without Duncan's 15.4 pts (56.9%FG), 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 blk? I would say Spurs could do without Parker or Manu before Duncan. Maybe not Leonard as there's no one else to guard Lebron.

[Harison]

Its fashionable to laugh at Lebron (I do it too ), but there is no question he was the best player on the floor.

Whether Duncan was the best on his own team, is an open question, Kawhi deserved FMVP IMO. Spurs are perfect example of a team play, they had like 3 more guys who were almost as worthy of FMVP.

[mehyaM24]

lebron didnt have the luxury of having one of his teammates carry him

lebron > kawhi > duncan

[Anaximandro1]

1) Who Was Better In The Finals?

LeBron


2) why is a worse player getting a ring anything special as far as individual comparison goes?

Timmy had a great season for a man of his age; led the Spurs in almost every statistical category during the playoffs. He averaged 18/10 in WCF and 15/10 in the NBA Finals... Duncan was the best big man on the court in those series by a considerable margin.


It's been a long journey.

-Pop had a coaching record in the NBA of (17 - 47) when Duncan joined the Spurs in 1997.

-Pop was going to be fired after the Spurs (6-8) got destroyed by the Jazz (11-2) early in the 1998-99 season (The Jazz were the Spurs daddy in the 90s)

Avery Johnson, David Robinson and Tim Duncan remained loyal to Pop ... they saved Pop's coaching career in Houston.

A few weeks later, Duncan destroyed the Jazz, the Lakers and the Knicks ... The Spurs won their first championship.

Tim has the utmost respect for his teammates. He didn't join the Magic in 2000 ... it was the easy way.

Duncan + Grant Hill + T-Mac in the East vs Duncan + aging Robinson in the Shaq/Kobe conference ??

He stayed, competed and won another title in 2003 after destroying the Shaq/Kobe Lakers again.

The Spurs have won five NBA championships in three different decades ... the best franchise in the post-Michael Jordan era.

Duncan is now reaping what he has sown since 1997.