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  • December 25, 2007 10:42 PM ET

Tim Duncan Is The Greatest NBA Power Forward In The History of the League.

IrishR#1 (162-89-9) vs Fan of Football (3-2-0)
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There are 3 PFs that are in the argument for greatest PF ever: Karl Malone, Kevin McHale, and Tim Duncan. No question there unless you say Russell was a PF for some reason. Let's see how they match up.

Malone-19 seasons, 25 ppg, 10 rpg, .516 fg%, .7 bpg, 0 NBA championships, 2 MVPs, 14 time All-Star, 11 All-NBA first team, 3 time All-NBA defensive team
McHale-13 seasons, 17.9 ppg, 7.3 ppg, .554 fg%, 1.7 bpg, 3 NBA championships, 0 MVPs, 7 time All-Star, 1 All-NBA first team, 3 time All-NBA defensive team
Duncan-10 seasons, 21.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, .509 fg%, 2.4 bpg, 4 NBA championships, 2 MVPs, 9 time All-Star, 9 All-NBA first team, 7 All-NBA defensive team

Malone won in 3 categories and tied in 1
McHale won in 1 category
Duncan won in 4 categories and tied in 1 while playing almost half as many seasons as Malone.

Duncan is not finished either. He will probably win at least one more championship, probably more All-defense and All-NBA teams. He may even win another MVP. McHale won 3 championships with Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Danny Ainge on his side. Malone had John Stockton. David Robinson was great, but he was not Bird or Stockton. He is the best PF ever.


Okay, this may be set up but I'll bite. I will say Karl Malone.

Karl Malone is the 2nd all time leading scorer at 36,928, only 1,459 points behind Kareem. Not only was Karl great, but he was great for 19 seasons, an amazingly long time for an NBA player. Not only that, his FG percentage is an amazing .516. Sure, only .07 points above Duncan, but over 19 years that is a lot of baskets.

Karl was an animal who worked on his weaknesses until they became is strengths. He came into the league with a 48% at the FT line, he retired with a career average 74% because he refused to have a weakness, even one (unlike some other people, cough cough Shaq).

You mentioned the championships that Duncan has which is great, but.... I would use the stronger team argument, but since Malone had Stockton that might be a hard one to get by, though still true. So I am going to use the stronger league argument. The reason Malone never won the big one is because he was unfortunate enough to play in an era of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and...... Micheal Jordan who beat him twice in the finals. I'm sorry, but Duncan and the Spurs had to face that today, they probably wouldn't have one ring.


Forfeited Turn


Glad you forfeited your turn because there was still more in your first argument I wanted to talk about but ran out of room.

You say that Duncan leads in 4 of the categories but only has played half as many seasons like that is some type of accomplishment that puts him above the others. You do realize you are talking about per game averages there right? That means the more seasons you play, especially when past your prime, the more likely those averages go down?

That means that Duncan's averages will most likely dip from their current mark considering he is in his prime now and is just starting his downturn in his career. Karl Malone's numbers INCLUDE past his prime season. Meaning he performed at a high level throughout his career, and even at a higher level for a time then his career stats indicate. Not saying Duncan won't have that greatness in longevity, but he hasn't yet. That's why right now he is not the best PF to ever play the game, Karl Malone is.


Forfeited Turn


Well, it looks like you gave up. Let me just finish this with that another reason that Karl Malone is the best is that he has a better nickname - THE MAILMAN! ;)

Comments (7) Add A Comment

December 26, 2007  10:57 AM ET
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Karl Malone helped to define the PF position. If anything, Duncan is really a C playing out of position. Although both are great, championships have no bearing on the individual accolades of the player since they are a TEAM effort. That said, you have to compare the figures straight up.

What Malone accomplished is amazing considering just how long he played. I'm sure that if he'd wanted to go somewhere besides the Lakers, he could easily have done so and been just as effective.

December 26, 2007  06:50 PM ET
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Malone was great but timmy is the greatest. Consider this for anyone who has played basketball or knows anything about it. As a big man the easiest way to score in the post is off the pick and roll. It is designed to get you defender to switch off of you and to take the smaller quicker point gaurd (which in Stockton's case is one of the best of all time) in turn leaving you either a free lane to the bucket or a mismatch with a smaller weaker defender. Malone was the best big man to run the pick and roll in the history of the NBA. Duncan on the other hand doesn't play nearly as much pick and roll. For most of his career he has had to play a true post postition with his back to the basket usually drawing double and triple teams. It is much harder to post huge numbers in that type of offense but he has somehow done so. Timmy has won 4 rings, Malone has 0! That is enough for me.

December 26, 2007  06:54 PM ET
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the nba was no doubt tougher in the 90s but malone only made it to the finals twice. if he constantly made it but always lost to the bulls that would be one thing but this is different. when you have the best PF and PG of the generation and you only make it to two finails something is wrong.

December 27, 2007  01:45 AM ET
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Yes, the wrong thing is that you have to go up against the best PG and Center of the generation. Magic Johnson and Kareen Abdul Jabaar. When they retire and the way to the finals is clear, opps, you meet Micheal Jordan the best PLAYEr of the generation.

December 27, 2007  01:46 AM ET
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SpursCowboys, read the argument. 4 rings doesn't hold much water to me in todays game when trying to compare two great players. Spurs won those rings during the commonly excepted weakest era in basketball.

December 28, 2007  12:37 PM ET
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Weak era in Basketball? Are you kidding me? The Lakers with Shaq and Kobe. Shaq the best big man to play the game. The Mavricks with the best shooting 7ft of all time. The Suns with Nash, Amare, and Sean. The 90s had 3 teams that were good Bulls, Jazz, and Houston. The Knocks were so so but would get destroyed by the Jazz of today which is not even on my list. That is just a dumb statement to me look at the superstars and TEAMS in the league now compared to the Superstars and TEAMS in the 90s. Does not compare sorry. And Tim is the best PF just not enough of a good argument from Irish. He started good but gave up. And 4 rings means a lot ask Karl!

 
December 28, 2007  02:37 PM ET
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nope, weakest as it's ever been. No fundamentals anymore. Case in point, nobody can make a fricken FT anymore. I can make FTs for Christ sakes and the highest level of BB I've played was 6th grade boys club, why can't somebody who has been playing a high level of BB for 10 years?

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