Kevin Garnett And Tim Duncan Still Elite? (Article)

[Thomas82]

Are Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan Still Elite Players?
By Hadarii Jones (Lakers Featured Columnist) on September 15, 2010

There was a time when power forwards Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett were considered not only the best players at their position, but among the very best in the NBA?

Has that time passed?

In recent years both Duncan and Garnett have battled wear, age, and multiple injuries, while at the same time other forwards such as Pau Gasol, Amare Stoudemire, and Chris Bosh have posted better numbers.

Garnett is still considered as the emotional leader of the Boston Celtics, but most observers feel point guard Rajon Rondo has surpassed Garnett as the team's top player.

Any championship hopes the San Antonio Spurs harbor still hinges on the health and play of Duncan, but other players such as Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker figure just as much into the equation as Duncan does.

Duncan and Garnett's numbers from last season appear to bolster the perception that neither player resides among the ranks of elite NBA players.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/463603-are-kevin-garnett-and-tim-duncan-still-elite-players?utm_medium=twitter

[Destro]

Duncan and Garnett can still smoke Stoudemire or Bosh with their Bb IQs Gasol is a different story. He is to quick and just as smart as both of them

[G-Dawgg]

If I were an NBA player and had to play 1 game for everything I owned, I'd rather have Tim Duncan on my team over any other bigman in the game... Duncan may not put up the big numbers anymore, but when a game is on the line he still has the tools to get it done, the composure to execute in high stress situations, and the veteran experience to do whatever needs to be done to win.

He may not be the best bigman in an 82 game season anymore, but he's still easily the best bigman to have on your team in a 7 game series.

[spectator]

i wanted to stop reading after seeing it's a bleach report article. however, after finishing it, i can say that it's a general discussion with no significant questions/answers/issues tackled. everyone knows they are older, more injury prone and not as productive (not the same as efficient) due to limited minutes. moreover, everyone knows that they are still a core part of those teams - timmy is the emotional/offense/defense/owner of the spurs and kg is still the emotional leader, although his offense and defense are 3rd, maybe 4th options.

[Giuseppe]

If I were an NBA player and had to play 1 game for everything I owned, I'd rather have Tim Duncan on my team over any other bigman in the game... Duncan may not put up the big numbers anymore, but when a game is on the line he still has the tools to get it done, the composure to execute in high stress situations, and the veteran experience to do whatever needs to be done to win.

He may not be the best bigman in an 82 game season anymore, but he's still easily the best bigman to have on your team in a 7 game series.

The Skunker withstanding.

[ezau]

The Skunker withstanding.

did you celebrate your 16 rings with your mom? tee, hee

[Mel_13]

By Hadarii Jones (Lakers Featured Columnist)

About Hadarii:

Favorite Athletes
Kobe, Lebron, A-rod

http://bleacherreport.com/users/136182-hadarii-jones

[Mark in Austin]

About Hadarii:

Favorite Athletes
Kobe, Lebron, A-rod

http://bleacherreport.com/users/136182-hadarii-jones


:lol

[Giuseppe]

Mel; Garnett, and especially Duncan are now plodders.

Sad, but, true.

[Mel_13]

Mel; Garnett, and especially Duncan are now plodders.

Sad, but, true.

The current state of Duncan's game may be the point of departure for a discussion here, the opinion of Laker/Kobe/LeBron/Arod fan is not.

[ajballer4]

Lol at Josh smith being an elite power forward

[elbamba]

Duncan and Garnett can still smoke Stoudemire or Bosh with their Bb IQs Gasol is a different story. He is to quick and just as smart as both of them

Yes but Gasol does not have the defense to guard either Duncan or Garnett. They pretty much cancel each other out.

[Obstructed_View]

These articles are so much fun, particularly when the writers never seem to actually look at Tim Duncan's numbers. When you look at the fact that Gasol plays 39 minutes a game and Duncan plays 31 minutes a game you realize where the difference in stats comes from. There's a neat stat on basketballreference.com called "per 36 minutes". Duncan has comparable numbers to any big in the entire league, center or forward, and his per 36 is surprisingly close to what it's been his whole career.

Kevin Garnett, on the other hand, is clearly in the midst of a career nosedive. Why Duncan has to get linked to him in every other article is a complete mystery.

[Obstructed_View]

Yes but Gasol does not have the defense to guard either Duncan or Garnett. They pretty much cancel each other out.

Gasol is a pretty damn good defender.

[galvatron3000]

duncan # 21
garnett # 21

duncan rookie season 1997
garnett rookie season 1996

both play power forward although kg did play sf for a time early on
both are approx. 7 foot or 6'11

both were elite at their positions but duncan clearly was ahead of garnett from entering the league
garnett is most notably an elite defender, duncan is most notably the total package on both ends of the floor

garnett gained the contract that sparked the 1999 lockout which also kept duncan from receiving close to those numbers, yet duncan went on to win the last championship of the decade whereas garnett, being loyal, went on to remain on failure teams and post season forgetfulness.


there are many reasons they are linked but duncan's career and performance top garnett

[Obstructed_View]

They're roughly the same age, they're 6'11" guys who play power forward, and they were issued the same jersey number. Uh, that's about it, folks.

Any comparison between the two of them should have ended years ago. Garnett's numbers are on the decline, Duncan's are not. Garnett is clearly facing serious health issues, Duncan is not. Garnett has never won a championship as the best player on his team, Duncan has four.

[mingus]

Ducnan is great up until the after the all-star break, when fatigue starts to set in. a lot of that has to do with Manu and Parker being injured and him having to carry a larger load...hopefully they can stay healthy, adn with adddition of Splitter now things can hopefully change.

[ohmwrecker]

They are both still top 5 @ their position . . . easy.

[DJB]

If I were an NBA player and had to play 1 game for everything I owned, I'd rather have Tim Duncan on my team over any other bigman in the game... Duncan may not put up the big numbers anymore, but when a game is on the line he still has the tools to get it done, the composure to execute in high stress situations, and the veteran experience to do whatever needs to be done to win.

He may not be the best bigman in an 82 game season anymore, but he's still easily the best bigman to have on your team in a 7 game series.
+1000 :tu

[jdiggy0424]

Duncan has always been better than Garnett.

[crc21209]

They're roughly the same age, they're 6'11" guys who play power forward, and they were issued the same jersey number. Uh, that's about it, folks.

Any comparison between the two of them should have ended years ago. Garnett's numbers are on the decline, Duncan's are not. Garnett is clearly facing serious health issues, Duncan is not. Garnett has never won a championship as the best player on his team, Duncan has four.

+1. Although TD is getting older, he isnt as broken down as KG is. KG missed nearly half of last season...

[Barfunk]

when the writers never seem to actually look at Tim Duncan's numbers. When you look at the fact that Gasol plays 39 minutes a game and Duncan plays 31 minutes a game you realize where the difference in stats comes from.

09-10 Duncan: 18pts, 10reb, 3.0ast, 1.5blk, half a steal, 72%FT, 52%FG at 31 min per game.

09-10 Gasol: 18pts, 11reb, 3.0ast, 1.7blk, bout half a steal, 79%FT, 54%FG at 37 min per game.

Seems like pretty similar numbers. :ihit

[Obstructed_View]

09-10 Duncan: 18pts, 10reb, 3.0ast, 1.5blk, half a steal, 72%FT, 52%FG at 31 min per game.

09-10 Gasol: 18pts, 11reb, 3.0ast, 1.7blk, bout half a steal, 79%FT, 54%FG at 37 min per game.

Seems like pretty similar numbers. :ihit

Since the quote in the article was:


In recent years both Duncan and Garnett have battled wear, age, and multiple injuries, while at the same time other forwards such as Pau Gasol, Amare Stoudemire, and Chris Bosh have posted better numbers.

I stand by my statement that they didn't look at Duncan's numbers. When you add to that the fact that, over the last three years where Duncan has supposedly been battling all these things, he's averaged 77 games a season and Gasol has averaged 71.

[DAF86]

With the lack of quality bigmen, they're pretty much elite.

[TD 21]

If I were an NBA player and had to play 1 game for everything I owned, I'd rather have Tim Duncan on my team over any other bigman in the game... Duncan may not put up the big numbers anymore, but when a game is on the line he still has the tools to get it done, the composure to execute in high stress situations, and the veteran experience to do whatever needs to be done to win.

He may not be the best bigman in an 82 game season anymore, but he's still easily the best bigman to have on your team in a 7 game series.

Agreed.


09-10 Duncan: 18pts, 10reb, 3.0ast, 1.5blk, half a steal, 72%FT, 52%FG at 31 min per game.

09-10 Gasol: 18pts, 11reb, 3.0ast, 1.7blk, bout half a steal, 79%FT, 54%FG at 37 min per game.

Seems like pretty similar numbers. :ihit

But Gasol is an amazingly skilled, incredible player, because he plays for the Lakers and Duncan is a washed up, old bum, because he plays for the Spurs.

There isn't an argument to be made that Duncan is not still an elite player, unless you consider only top five to be elite and don't put him in that class. If we're talking top ten, twelve, fifteen, whatever number in that vicinity you want to pinpoint, then he's for sure elite.

Garnett, on the other hand, isn't. I know they've always been linked, but Duncan shouldn't be lumped in with Garnett in this discussion. Garnett has fallen off a cliff. Duncan is still one of the three best all around big men in the game.

[Obstructed_View]

If there's a big in the NBA that has per 36 numbers that are clearly better than Duncan's, I'd love to see them.

[Thomas82]

09-10 Duncan: 18pts, 10reb, 3.0ast, 1.5blk, half a steal, 72%FT, 52%FG at 31 min per game.

09-10 Gasol: 18pts, 11reb, 3.0ast, 1.7blk, bout half a steal, 79%FT, 54%FG at 37 min per game.

Seems like pretty similar numbers. :ihit


Excellent point!! Which proves my point that Tim Duncan's production is about the same as it has always been, and the main reason for his decline in numbers is because of his decline in minutes.