Tim Duncan: best power forward ever?

Tim Duncan: best power forward ever?



By David DuPree, USA TODAY

SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan stands out because he doesn't stick out. He is a selfless, fundamentally sound all-star in a league that thrives on pomp and flair.
The San Antonio Spurs star could also be the greatest power forward in NBA history.

The position is a modern-day amalgam that requires old-school skills. You have to be a scorer, rebounder, facilitator, shot blocker, passer and team defender.

Some players meet more than one of those requirements; Duncan has mastered them all.

"He is probably the best player to ever play the position the way he plays it," said Utah coach Jerry Sloan, who coached Jazz great Karl Malone.

With Duncan as the centerpiece, the Spurs have won three NBA titles (1999, 2003 and 2005) and are going for a fourth beginning Thursday night (9 ET, ABC) against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. No matter what the outcome, Duncan's place in history is secure.

"I think all around, there's never been a big forward quite like him," said Hall of Fame coach and analyst Jack Ramsay. "Bob Pettit was a great scorer and rebounder. Karl Malone was a more powerful player, but they didn't have the versatility Tim does. Kevin McHale was probably the best low-post, back-to-the-basket big forward, and he was a good defender, but he, too, couldn't do the things Duncan can do."

McHale, now vice president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves, also puts Duncan at the top of the list.

"With what he has done, three championships in eight years and having the Spurs right there for a fourth, he has to be right up there," the former Boston Celtics star said. "The thing about him is he's not flashy. He just goes out and plays."

Duncan is averaging 23.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.3 blocked shots, 3.1 assists and is shooting 53.9% from the field in the playoffs.

During the postseason, he had a string of 11 consecutive games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. He has had game highs of 33 points, 19 rebounds, nine blocked shots and seven assists in different contests.

"He's one person who impacts every single aspect of the game," said former teammate David Robinson. "Everything you ask him to do he's able to do."

"He may be a 7-footer, but he's basically a quarterback in shorts," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Team feeds off his steadiness

It's never about the individual accomplishments with Duncan.

"I feel good right now," Duncan said. "On top of putting those kinds of numbers up, we're winning games and winning series, and that's all that matters."

Robinson, a former league MVP who teamed with Duncan to help the Spurs win their first two championships, has witnessed Duncan's growth from an eager yet consistent and dominant rookie to a polished superstar without changing his demeanor or approach.

"No question he's the greatest power forward ever," Robinson said. "It's hard to compare anyone to Tim. He's in a class by himself. He's been consistently good for so long, and he's been ridiculous from Day One. He's just a steady presence, and the team feeds off it."

Because his style looks simple and he never seeks attention or accolades, Duncan is often taken for granted by the media and fans. Not so with his teammates and peers.

"He doesn't worry about credit," said Popovich, the only NBA coach Duncan has had. "It's fool's gold and doesn't figure into the equation to him."

What does figure into Duncan's equation is winning.

Since he joined the team as the first pick in the 1997 draft, the Spurs have had the best winning percentage in any of the four professional major sports (.709).

Duncan this season made the All-NBA first team and all-defensive first team. In his 10 seasons in the league, he has made All-NBA first team nine times and second team once. He has been named to the all-defensive first team seven times and the second team three times. He's been to the NBA Finals three times, has three rings and three Finals MVP awards to go with his two NBA MVP awards.

These are incredible feats for a player in a sport driven by highlights of spectacular plays. Duncan says every time he tries something fancy he loses the ball.

"He is just a steady man, and it's a pleasure to play alongside a guy like that because he opens up so many shots and creates so many opportunities," teammate Bruce Bowen said. "Look at all of his MVPs and All-NBA stats. It's truly incredible. But he would never tell you that. That's his humbleness, and we need more of that in this world."

Funny bone emerges

Though it is as hard to get a comment from Duncan about himself as it is for opponents to contain him, he does have a sense of humor and manages to loosen things up when necessary.

Manu Ginobili was in a horrendous shooting slump early in the playoffs until he got belted in the eye during the Phoenix series, causing a large welt that made him look like Rocky Balboa.

"It fixed his shot. I might do the other eye," Duncan said deadpan. Then in the Utah series, Duncan was cut under his eye from an errant elbow and said he asked for it because he liked the way it looked on Ginobili. "I think it's sexy," he said jokingly.

Duncan laughs so rarely on the court that when referee Joey Crawford saw him doing it during a game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 15, Crawford took it as Duncan taunting him and ejected the Spurs big man.

What isn't funny is trying to defend Duncan.

"He's probably the best post-up player we have in the world," Utah's Carlos Boozer said. "He has every move. He has poise. He never gets rattled. You can send a double-team at him, but he'll pass out of it. If he has single coverage, he'll face you up and shoot off the glass, get the layup, spin move baseline, right hook, left hook, fadeaway.

"He can do whatever he wants down there."

Duncan has been criticized as being soft, but former NBA coach Rick Carlisle dismisses that.

"He's such a great guy and a great person that the thing you forget is the thing that may define him — he's a cold-blooded killer as a competitor," Carlisle said. "There is no one tougher and no one who loves winning or hates losing more than Tim Duncan. With a superstar who is that good, that competitive and that selfless, you've got a franchise cornerstone and one of the greats of all time."

Power forwards are so critical to a team's success that seven of the past 15 league MVPs have played the position —Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns (1993), Utah's Malone (1997 and 1999), Duncan (2002 and 2003), Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves (2004) and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks this season.

Pettit is a fan of Duncan's game, although he says he doesn't know what a power forward is ("I guess it's a forward who scores and rebounds. In my day, there were just forwards and centers and guards.")

"He's pretty unique in how he plays," Pettit said. "He can play with his back to the basket or facing it. I spent 95%-97% of the time facing the basket. He's pretty versatile as a player. It also seems that he's stepped it up in the playoffs."

Duncan teammate Robert Horry echoes Pettit's sentiments.

"He is the head of our snake, and everyone knows that, yet he still manages," said Horry, who has won six NBA championships with the Houston Rockets, Los Angles Lakers and the Spurs. "It's a testament to his abilities. His place in history is sure to find him as one of the best power forwards to ever play."

Tony Parker has had the luxury of playing all of his six NBA seasons alongside Duncan.

"He makes it very easy on me," Parker said. "He's doesn't mind sharing."

Suns point guard Steve Nash, the league's MVP two of the past three seasons, shakes his head and pauses when asked what impresses him most about Duncan.

"Just the way he approaches the game," Nash said.

Duncan had one of the most impressive Finals performances in 2003 when he averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 5.3 blocks against the New Jersey Nets. In the series-clinching Game 6 win, he came within two blocked shots of the only quadruple-double in NBA playoff history with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks.

"He plays great games at the right times," Robinson said. "You know you can count on him, but you don't have to praise him. You just have to appreciate him."

Is this still even a question? Duncan could've retired after 2003 and been the best ever at his position.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timvp

Is this still even a question? Duncan could've retired after 2003 and been the best ever at his position.

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I guess all we needed to know it was so, was to hear Jerry Sloan's opinion on the matter to verify.

:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimcs50

I guess all we needed to know it was so, was to hear Jerry Sloan's opinion on the matter to verify.

:)

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Hey Jim a question for you:

Since when did you start thinking Spurs CAN win the championship this year?

Cos you were a dumbass for ever doubting the spurs..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gilmor

Hey Jim a question for you:

Since when did you start thinking Spurs CAN win the championship this year?

Cos you were a dumbass for ever doubting the spurs..

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You ARE clueless, truly.

Quote:

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Re: Big 3 in good company

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimcs50




TP, TD and Manu are averaging 20 pt/game. This is the first time in 20 years that 3 teammates have done that in the Finals. Last threesome to do so? Bird McHale, and Parrish in 1987 along with Worthy Kareem and Magic, also in 87.

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Quote:

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimcs50
My jinxing powers amaze and befuddle me.....

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this shouldn't even be a question anymore.

/thread

-Mars

This article came out the day of game 1.
More dicussion here:

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70335

EDIT: The article was also the cover story of USA Today's special NBA Finals section that day. (Thursday June 7) It's worth picking up if you can still find it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ClingingMars

this shouldn't even be a question anymore.

/thread

-Mars

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The sad thing is, is that in the middle of next year regular season, nobody will be talking about TD any more, because he will be somewhere in the 10-20 in the league in scoring, somewhere in the 5-7 in rebounding and he will be nothing more than an afterthought by the media.....until the playoffs roll around and he puts SA back in the Finals for another low rated NBA Finals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimcs50

The sad thing is, is that in the middle of next year regular season, nobody will be talking about TD any more, because he will be somewhere in the 10-20 in the league in scoring, somewhere in the 5-7 in rebounding and he will be nothing more than an afterthought by the media.....until the playoffs roll around and he puts SA back in the Finals for another low rated NBA Finals.

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discussion on who's the best at their position usually never takes flight until they retire.

-Mars

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ClingingMars

discussion on who's the best at their position usually never takes flight until they retire.

-Mars

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Exceptions:

Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and MJ

I'm privileged to see him :] best ever

And just like MJ and Magic, Duncan's competition admits he is the best of all time:
- Barkley has said so more than once
- McHale agrees
- Sloan endorses Duncan over Malone
- Pettit is a big fan

Basically Duncan doesn't need the media's endorsement because the rest of the field agrees that he's the best.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buck Rogers

duncan #1 PF
duncan #4 C

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I like it! :spin

This is bullshit
TD is the best Forward all time, now which guards and centers are better?

Magic?
Oscar?
MJ?
Kareem?
Wilt?
Russell?

Is there somebody else?

Quote:

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Power forwards are so critical to a team's success that seven of the past 15 league MVPs have played the position —Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns (1993), Utah's Malone (1997 and 1999), Duncan (2002 and 2003), Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves (2004) and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks this season.

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awesome :wow Only Duncan won a title among them:D

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Originally Posted by makedamnsure

I'm privileged to see him :] best ever

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:toast I feel lucky to start watching the NBA when Tim entered the league.

you have no soul

That would be a YES

duncan is going for the best forward now

Its without a doubt. Tim is the man. If McHale, Sloan, and Pettit can say it then I thnik that says a lot. He just does what he does year in and year out. You know that coming into the season you're going to get 20 and 10 from Tim and that you have a chance of going to the Finals every season because of him.

Tim Duncan: best power forward ever?

YES.

It´s beyond all doubt.

No, he's the best PF/C ever.

Duncan is easily the best PF of all time ..

1) Duncan
2) Barkley
3) McHale
4) Petit
5) Garnett

How does he rank among all Forwards? These are the Top SFs of all time:
1. Larry Bird
2. Dr. J
3. Elgin Baylor
4. Scottie Pippen
5. John Havlicek
6. James Worthy

I think with his 4th title he beats out Larry Legend for top F of all time

I believe that Tim is the best forward ever, sharing No 1 spot with Larry. And also, he is in my ideal team ever:

PG Magic
SG Jordan
SF Bird
PF Duncan
C Olajuwon

I don't think you can put him with Larry just yet. But if he maintains his current level of play to age 33-34 and gives you anything beyond that, I think it bears consideration.

This conversation is usually more fun when the trolls are around to insert their player into it.

We all agree. There's no question that Duncan is the best.

Bird and Duncan (with 4th ring) are tied for best forward ever.


Duncan is 31 years old. :)