mudyez
03-30-2012, 05:50 AM
So basically everybody (media, sportsfans, players) agree on Timmy beeing the best PF of all time and rightfully so.
That said, Spursfans are pretty proud of it and probably wouldn't like to see someone taking that BPFOAT-belt of his hips.
Ok, it doesn't really take anything away from him, but wouldn't Suns/Utah fans love it to see Barkley/Malone mentioned every time someone is speaking about THE best PF?
As time moves on some other great PFs will play in this league and will get an extra advantage, just because they will be more recent and in short-term memory (thats how we -people/media- work).
We don't know which great PF's we will see in like 15 years, but I'd like to take a look at the best PF's in todays NBA, asking if they might unthrone Timmy (chances are nobody will, but lets ask if someone at least has a chance).
First of all we have to ask ourself, what makes Timmy the greatest PF of all time?
While he has great stats, its not what makes him the GPFOAT. It's more the way he plays both sides of the ball, anchoring the Defense, while beeing the focus on Offense. Guys like Barkley, Malone or Dirk couldn't do the same on defense, even though I wouldnt call them two-way-players as well. Then there is the "great teammate" factor. The three guys mentioned have not been bad teammates, but nobody touches Timmy. And don't underestimate that fact, as your leaders have to lead and a lot of them simply can't! Next we have the longevity. Ok, he isn't the same Timmy he used to be in the early 2000s, but his game martures very well compared to guys that only jump out of the gym. The "Big Fundamental" stuff is no joke and every basketball fan should be proud of him, showing kids how to be sucessfull without having insane physical gifts (ok he is tall!), but listening to your coaches and working hard. And finally there is the hardware! While there could be a lot of good PF's that might get into the conversation, Timmy won 4 Ships as the main guy (props to Manu and Tony, but they will tell you the very same thing). If anyone wants to touch him, he has to win at least 2-3 ships as the leader, only to have a chance to do so.
So lets take a look at current PF's that might have a punchers chance to take Timmy's spot.
Lamarcus Aldride
He is a well rounded player, can't anchor a defense or seems capable of beeing the clear cut lead guy on a multi time champion. While I can see him beeing the best PF in todays NBA, I dont see his cailing as league MVP. He also has to go through another rebuilding project, that will take some years of him playing a main role in the league.
Chris Bosh
Basically already gave up on any chance. He might win several Ships, but I dont have to tell you that nobody will talk about him in that regard. Also not an defensive anchor.
DeMarcus Cousins
Great skills which might give him a punchers chance. But his character issues will never let it happen, as well as his situation in Sactown at least for a while. My bet would be, he ends up beeing the next coming of Sheed (ok, I'm not the first to tell you), with him jumping from team to team.
Dirk Nowitzki
I already included him and he might have the best chance (while still very slim). He intruduced the typical euro-PF to the league (ok, he didn't really but he was the first to make himself an MVP with that skillset) and got one Ring as the lone starplayer. I dont see him winning more than that one but who knows? Some already see him as the 2nd best PFOAT, but he is too old to close that big gab I believe.
Kevin Garnett
Not sure, where he ranks all time. Probably #5 (Timmy, Charles, Malone, Dirk???). Had the chance to have Timmys career if they had switched places. Or at least that is what some believe (I dont, but he might have been better in SA nontheless). Now he is old, won one Ship as the second to third guy (still probably the most important of them but not really THE "main cock") and wont increase his standing compared to Timmy much over the rest of his career, I believe.
Blake Griffin
While, again, not an defensive anchor like Timmy, he jumpstarted his NBA career very will. But there you have it! "Jumping" doesn't age very well. It's hard to compare him to guys like Kemp and Carter, as there have been other problems with these dudes, but Blake won't jump out of the gym for like 10 years. He might add some other stuff and will be a great athlete for a long time, but when everything is said and done, we might see him as Nique or Nance but probably not much else.
Kevin Love
The one I'd like to give the best chances of the young guns especially because his smart game and skillset will age very well, giving him the chance to have a very very long career. While he also isn't a defensive anchor, his insane rebounding and spacing the floor make up for a lot of stuff. He just feels like a young Dirk, but with an even nicer allround arsenal of what he brings to the table. Problem with him should be the hardware as the main guy. He will be locked in a situation (MIN), where I doupt, they will win any championships. And even if he leaves or they dramatically improve, he doesn't seem like the guy, that could go that far without at least one other big piece that might put him into a shadow. I love Love and like that he even gets mentioned as possible MVP, but can you see him as the 1st option on a mulditchampion, without a major ballhandler on an All Star level or at least a team that puts him into a "they had like 5 great players and Kevin just was the best of them" situation?
and no, no room for Zach or Bonner! Nor did I talk about Horry.
What are your thoughts of the mentioned guys?
Did I leave someone off the list in your opinion?
Any fear Timmy will loose his belt to one of the current players?
That said, Spursfans are pretty proud of it and probably wouldn't like to see someone taking that BPFOAT-belt of his hips.
Ok, it doesn't really take anything away from him, but wouldn't Suns/Utah fans love it to see Barkley/Malone mentioned every time someone is speaking about THE best PF?
As time moves on some other great PFs will play in this league and will get an extra advantage, just because they will be more recent and in short-term memory (thats how we -people/media- work).
We don't know which great PF's we will see in like 15 years, but I'd like to take a look at the best PF's in todays NBA, asking if they might unthrone Timmy (chances are nobody will, but lets ask if someone at least has a chance).
First of all we have to ask ourself, what makes Timmy the greatest PF of all time?
While he has great stats, its not what makes him the GPFOAT. It's more the way he plays both sides of the ball, anchoring the Defense, while beeing the focus on Offense. Guys like Barkley, Malone or Dirk couldn't do the same on defense, even though I wouldnt call them two-way-players as well. Then there is the "great teammate" factor. The three guys mentioned have not been bad teammates, but nobody touches Timmy. And don't underestimate that fact, as your leaders have to lead and a lot of them simply can't! Next we have the longevity. Ok, he isn't the same Timmy he used to be in the early 2000s, but his game martures very well compared to guys that only jump out of the gym. The "Big Fundamental" stuff is no joke and every basketball fan should be proud of him, showing kids how to be sucessfull without having insane physical gifts (ok he is tall!), but listening to your coaches and working hard. And finally there is the hardware! While there could be a lot of good PF's that might get into the conversation, Timmy won 4 Ships as the main guy (props to Manu and Tony, but they will tell you the very same thing). If anyone wants to touch him, he has to win at least 2-3 ships as the leader, only to have a chance to do so.
So lets take a look at current PF's that might have a punchers chance to take Timmy's spot.
Lamarcus Aldride
He is a well rounded player, can't anchor a defense or seems capable of beeing the clear cut lead guy on a multi time champion. While I can see him beeing the best PF in todays NBA, I dont see his cailing as league MVP. He also has to go through another rebuilding project, that will take some years of him playing a main role in the league.
Chris Bosh
Basically already gave up on any chance. He might win several Ships, but I dont have to tell you that nobody will talk about him in that regard. Also not an defensive anchor.
DeMarcus Cousins
Great skills which might give him a punchers chance. But his character issues will never let it happen, as well as his situation in Sactown at least for a while. My bet would be, he ends up beeing the next coming of Sheed (ok, I'm not the first to tell you), with him jumping from team to team.
Dirk Nowitzki
I already included him and he might have the best chance (while still very slim). He intruduced the typical euro-PF to the league (ok, he didn't really but he was the first to make himself an MVP with that skillset) and got one Ring as the lone starplayer. I dont see him winning more than that one but who knows? Some already see him as the 2nd best PFOAT, but he is too old to close that big gab I believe.
Kevin Garnett
Not sure, where he ranks all time. Probably #5 (Timmy, Charles, Malone, Dirk???). Had the chance to have Timmys career if they had switched places. Or at least that is what some believe (I dont, but he might have been better in SA nontheless). Now he is old, won one Ship as the second to third guy (still probably the most important of them but not really THE "main cock") and wont increase his standing compared to Timmy much over the rest of his career, I believe.
Blake Griffin
While, again, not an defensive anchor like Timmy, he jumpstarted his NBA career very will. But there you have it! "Jumping" doesn't age very well. It's hard to compare him to guys like Kemp and Carter, as there have been other problems with these dudes, but Blake won't jump out of the gym for like 10 years. He might add some other stuff and will be a great athlete for a long time, but when everything is said and done, we might see him as Nique or Nance but probably not much else.
Kevin Love
The one I'd like to give the best chances of the young guns especially because his smart game and skillset will age very well, giving him the chance to have a very very long career. While he also isn't a defensive anchor, his insane rebounding and spacing the floor make up for a lot of stuff. He just feels like a young Dirk, but with an even nicer allround arsenal of what he brings to the table. Problem with him should be the hardware as the main guy. He will be locked in a situation (MIN), where I doupt, they will win any championships. And even if he leaves or they dramatically improve, he doesn't seem like the guy, that could go that far without at least one other big piece that might put him into a shadow. I love Love and like that he even gets mentioned as possible MVP, but can you see him as the 1st option on a mulditchampion, without a major ballhandler on an All Star level or at least a team that puts him into a "they had like 5 great players and Kevin just was the best of them" situation?
and no, no room for Zach or Bonner! Nor did I talk about Horry.
What are your thoughts of the mentioned guys?
Did I leave someone off the list in your opinion?
Any fear Timmy will loose his belt to one of the current players?