The real "best player in NBA" - Duncan and S. O'Neal still are it, period

[Rummpd]

Bryant is incredibly skilled, has won championships etc and is the best scorer in the game - and in a former life, I published on hoopsworld.com an article "In Defense of Kobe Bryant)



That being said he is not the most accomplished or the best player, despite all the rubbish being put out these days!



S. O'Neal has accomplished far more with winning another title and is far more dominant. Teams still change the way they play against him, just like they have to with Duncan manning the post, much of time for Spurs. With Wade out he is leading a team that is scary again to win a title.



Tim Duncan has led his team to the highest winning percentage ever in the history of professional sports so far in his career. Quietly he is doing it all again, and is not getting the respect he deserves day in and day out for MVP. (Dirk does deserve it this year, but the gap or non-discussion of Duncan is troubling).



Tim Duncan and S. O'Neal are both slugging it out for historically great careers, and K. Bryant, while sublimely great is a step below them.

Put either a healthy O'Neal or Duncan on same Lakers team and they will win 50+ games every year and truly threaten to win championships.

(When Bryant, leads a team to a championship without O'Neal I may re-evaluate.) Period!

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I think if you were to say which active player has had the best career, than you can go with Shaq.

But if you're talking best player in the NBA on 30 March 2007, I think you have to go Kobe, Duncan, Dirk or LeBron.

[Testing]

Dirk and Lebron don't play good enough defense to be labled "best player in the NBA."

[Fabbs]

Put either a healthy O'Neal or Duncan on same Lakers team and they will win 50+ games every year and truly threaten to win championships.

Bingo. Shaq also had quite the winning streak going a few weeks ago while the Kobester was losing. But that has reversed.
Anyone know what the Kobesters career record without Shaq is?
Vs Shaqs record without the Kobester?


(When Bryant, leads a team to a championship without O'Neal I may re-evaluate.) Didn't Pink Floyd write a song about this? :oink

[Obstructed_View]

I agree. Too bad MVP voting doesn't reflect that anymore.

[Rummpd]

Shaq is not the same Shaq, but he still (like Duncan) shapes the game more than any other player.

In the playoffs, "these two Lions of Winter" will be heard from again and again, just like always.

[duncan228]

In my opinion there is no one better than Duncan. His impact on any given night is incredible. I notice Shaq because, well, who could miss him? But it's Duncan's subtlety that keeps him out of these conversations. He's simply brilliant on the court. It's easy to overlook what he brings because there's no flash. His resume speaks for itself, if he retired today he would stand among the greats of this game forever.

I appreciate what Shaq, Kobe, LeBron etc. bring to the game I love. But Duncan is it for me. There's no one I'd rather watch.

[ducks]

the best player has to be clutch
james is not clutch
therefore he is not to be mentioned in that sentence
thank you

[Shank]

Kobe may be the best individual player in the NBA. But there's little argument that you'd do better to go with a Duncan or Shaq if you were going to build an organization around them as they're both excellent cornerstones and better guys to lead others.

[mardigan]

Kobe may be the best individual player in the NBA. But there's little argument that you'd do better to go with a Duncan or Shaq if you were going to build an organization around them as they're both excellent cornerstones and better guys to lead others.
Yea, I agree with that, and I think as soon as Dirk becomes a better leader he will be in the conversation.