Dr. J: I'd Take Duncan

[Sobe_Kucks]

Who quietly got to 4 fastest?? Hmmmm

[timtonymanurich]

lakaluva

Next time you have a thought.....

Let it go.

Every Laker after S.A. beats them 3-0 this season --->

[easjer]

Leaving aside the Spurs/Lakers pissing match, a nice article and a nice compliment to Duncan from a great of the game.

And it reminds me of one of my favorite Spur-related commercials of all time - the 2004 (?) Trophy Love commercial featuring Timmy D and Dr. J. Loved that commercial and can still recite it from memory, I think.

[in2deep]

He would come off the bench playing with Kobe or James... its only obvious why he would settle for Duncan.

at sensitive lakerfan

hilarious

[duncan228]

And it reminds me of one of my favorite Spur-related commercials of all time - the 2004 (?) Trophy Love commercial featuring Timmy D and Dr. J. Loved that commercial and can still recite it from memory, I think.

"La-la-la-la...I'm not listening."

It was a great commercial. For some reason it's disappeared from youtube. I haven't been able to find it in a while.

Anyone have it?

[ginobilized]

I always loved Dr. J. Quietly intelligent, intense player who like Duncan made the right play at pivotal moments in a game. It makes sense that the good Doctor appreciates Duncan's game. That's a really awesome compliment for Tim.

[benefactor]

In all honesty, it is much better to have a dominate big man than a dominate guard. If I had a choice between building around a 22 year old Duncan or a 22 year old Bryant it would be Duncan all the way. With the exception of the Jordan teams, the team that dominates the paint wins. Why? Because the paint is where the easy baskets are scored. If you score more easy baskets than the other team then you have a good chance of winning.

It's funny how this is the first line of thinking in the mind of most knowledgeable NBA fans, yet is it foolishness to any fan who dons a purple and gold jersey.

One look at their careers tells the tale. 53 wins or more in any season of a career vs three seasons in a row of mediocrity, including one where the Lakers missed the playoffs and another where they only managed to get 2 games over .500.

[Baseline]

Well when you're playing with Kobe, there's a chance that he'll make a video about you, asking for you to be traded, and throwing you under the bus..why would anybody want to go through that?..

There's also the chance that he tries to take over an entire series to get out of your shadow..in the NBA Finals of all places..

Oh, and don't forget the possibility of him snitching on you if he knows anything personal about you..

There's also the chance that he'll quit on your team in a game 7, because he feels like you aren't worthy of being his teammate..

what a great teammate and all-around human being..

, Duncan never complained when the Lakers used to swarm him, but nobody on the perimeter could ever make a shot until he got help a few years later in 2003, leading to countless meltdowns in the 4th quarter..he's never complained about not having a legit big man to help him out since Admiral left..he didn't complain last year when we were eliminated in the 1st round, clearly needing more talent..

when he didn't have any all-star caliber players in 2003, but had some improving players that were coming up..what did he do?..he carried us to a le..

the FO repaid him by getting him players out of respect, as Holt and RC have said..

what does Kobe do when he's upset?..he threatens to sign with the Clippers if Shaq isn't gone..he cries to the media for weeks about wanting to leave, makes videos about Bynum, throws the entire organization under the bus like a baby..asks to go to Chicago, but refuses to let the Lakers get anything back in return..

finally Jerry West helps him out by giving him an All-Star for nothing, and now he's happy again..we'll see for how long..

what a piece of ..

Well said. Totally true. The greats of the game know basketball and have played with great players and done great things. So they can see straight through a guy like Bryant.

The truth is that if he weren't on Shaq's team, he would only have one ring. And as Halrem Heat pointed out, if West hadn't sent Gasol to the Lakers in the most obviously tainted trade in NBA history, Bryant wouldn't have been to the last two finals.

Tim Duncan wasn't carried to any les. Bryant was carried to three. The fact that people say that Bryant's four les even compare to Tim's four is a joke, if not completely insulting. Frankly, the only people who are stupid enough to make that comparison are Laker fans. Have they forgotten that Shaquille averaged over 30 points and 14 boards over the course of those three Finals in 2000-2002 ? He was the most dominant player in the league at that time, and he carried Bryant and everybody else on that team. That's absolutely indisputable.

Derek Fisher has won four les as well. Get my point?

[benefactor]

So, you'd take Duncan over Magic?

Without hesitation. Magic was great...but he also had Kareem making his life easier.

[PM5K]

In all honesty, it is much better to have a dominate big man than a dominate guard. If I had a choice between building around a 22 year old Duncan or a 22 year old Bryant it would be Duncan all the way. With the exception of the Jordan teams, the team that dominates the paint wins. Why? Because the paint is where the easy baskets are scored. If you score more easy baskets than the other team then you have a good chance of winning.

You said it right there, that's also why what Jordan and the Bulls did was so special, they did it without a dominant center, or even a decent center.

[WildcardManu]

Exactly!!! Dr. J played the two guard, and the small forward position. He mainly played the 3 spot. If he played with James, he would only get spot minutes cause James plays huge minutes, and if he played with Kobe, he would get whatever Kobe left over. Both Kobe and James are far superior in talent than Dr. J. Dr. J even took back seat to Andrew Toney when he arrived, and it would be no different with James and Kobe.

It would only make sense that he would want to play with a big man, and he even stated that in the article, but stupid Spur fan twisted it as a diss to Kobe and James. I just put it in prospective, that's all.

So if he play with either one of them, why would he come off the bench when he can just switch to the other position?

[SenorSpur]

The man should know. He's a doctor.

[TD4THREE]

Kobe led his team to team of the decade.

, 3 of his championships came from being Shaq's sidekick.

[cornbread]

Dr. J always struck me as being an intelligent, sophisticated and classy guy. Of course his choice would be Tim.

[lotr1trekkie]

Lakaluva obviously never witnessed Dr. J, Rick Barry, the Pearl, Tiny A in action. He is an under 40 fool who thinks that he knows is all and that all his heroes must be superior. Dr. J was a beast. Today Barry would be the best #2 guard in the league. The Pearl was a combine CP and Kidd. Tiny A was better than AI. Generational comparisons never work. You can only compare players to their contemporaries. Kobe, finally, has one ring without the best center this generation. Duncan has won 3 without a player considered the BEST of his generation. Pau and Kobe need 2 more to even be considered with Duncan.

[vednam]

Exactly!!! Dr. J played the two guard, and the small forward position. He mainly played the 3 spot. If he played with James, he would only get spot minutes cause James plays huge minutes, and if he played with Kobe, he would get whatever Kobe left over. Both Kobe and James are far superior in talent than Dr. J. Dr. J even took back seat to Andrew Toney when he arrived, and it would be no different with James and Kobe.

It would only make sense that he would want to play with a big man, and he even stated that in the article, but stupid Spur fan twisted it as a diss to Kobe and James. I just put it in prospective, that's all.

You obviously know nothing about Dr. J. Dr. J in his prime was superior to LeBron and Kobe. He was as good at his peak as anyone who ever picked up a basketball.

Go research the 1976 ABA playoffs. Perhaps the best postseason performance ever.

[vednam]

In all honesty, it is much better to have a dominate big man than a dominate guard. If I had a choice between building around a 22 year old Duncan or a 22 year old Bryant it would be Duncan all the way. With the exception of the Jordan teams, the team that dominates the paint wins. Why? Because the paint is where the easy baskets are scored. If you score more easy baskets than the other team then you have a good chance of winning.

Please, it's "dominant big man" not "dominate big man".

[daslicer]

I would say 2003 Duncan was better then any great years that Kobe had including his MVP season last year. Duncan had broken Wilt Chamberlain's record for most consective 30-10 games during tha playoff run in '03. Thats just how dominant he was that year on both ends of the floor. On top of that he had no all-stars on that '03 team and still manage to win the le. Bottom line Kobe needs a load of talent to win more then anyother superstar thats why I would say he's not as big of a game changer Duncan is.

[Johnny RIngo]

Well when you're playing with Kobe, there's a chance that he'll make a video about you, asking for you to be traded, and throwing you under the bus..why would anybody want to go through that?..

There's also the chance that he tries to take over an entire series to get out of your shadow..in the NBA Finals of all places..

Oh, and don't forget the possibility of him snitching on you if he knows anything personal about you..

There's also the chance that he'll quit on your team in a game 7, because he feels like you aren't worthy of being his teammate..

what a great teammate and all-around human being..

, Duncan never complained when the Lakers used to swarm him, but nobody on the perimeter could ever make a shot until he got help a few years later in 2003, leading to countless meltdowns in the 4th quarter..he's never complained about not having a legit big man to help him out since Admiral left..he didn't complain last year when we were eliminated in the 1st round, clearly needing more talent..

when he didn't have any all-star caliber players in 2003, but had some improving players that were coming up..what did he do?..he carried us to a le..

the FO repaid him by getting him players out of respect, as Holt and RC have said..

what does Kobe do when he's upset?..he threatens to sign with the Clippers if Shaq isn't gone..he cries to the media for weeks about wanting to leave, makes videos about Bynum, throws the entire organization under the bus like a baby..asks to go to Chicago, but refuses to let the Lakers get anything back in return..

finally Jerry West helps him out by giving him an All-Star for nothing, and now he's happy again..we'll see for how long..

what a piece of ..

Don't forget the fact that Kobe refused to play for any team but the Lakers when he was drafted.

[BoricuaCJA]

When you guys say Kobe or LBJ would eat up his minutes, I think that is just a dumb reason. They would just change positions. SG-Kobe SF- Dr.J SG-Dr.J SF LBJ vice versa. Now it is true he would rather play with Duncan b/c easy buckets, rebounding, blocking, post player etc.

[ChumpDumper]

He could do that as well, but he would easily go from star to supporting cast. Thats my whole point.

Like when Kobe was part of Shaq's supporting cast.

[benefactor]

Dude, losses to the Mavs may as well be missed playoff seasons. Stop reaching for crumbs. Kobe led his team to team of the decade.

So missing the playoffs altogether and 42-40 = losing to the Mavs in the first round...for the first time in 9 years.

Sounds like I'm not the one that is reaching.

[FireDavidStern]

Dude, losses to the Mavs may as well be missed playoff seasons. Stop reaching for crumbs. Kobe led his team to team of the decade.

"The team of the decade" spent three seasons missing the playoffs, losing to the (Amar'eless) Suns 4-3 (with Kobe quitting in game 7) in the first round and then losing in the first round to the Suns 4-1. As oppose to the Spurs who lost 2 in the first round and both times was because of injury to a main player (Duncan 2000, Ginobili 2009) and they have won the same number of les and had a better winning percentage in the decade. But of course the lakers are the "team" of the decade

[Nathan Explosion]

First off, the Spurs are the team of the decade. They have a higher winning percentage and Duncan has the same amount of rings as Kobe. Plus, Duncan never played alongside the most dominant big man of his generation.

In fact, both Duncan and Shaq have a higher winning percentage than Kobe. Again, winning is the name of the game, and Duncan has a higher winning percentage than Kobe, therefore, Duncan is better than Kobe.

ESPN and Kobe lover may not like it, but Duncan is the best player of this generation.

[Nathan Explosion]

Oh yeah, and for those that wouldn't pick Magic as your PG, you're just on crack. Magic is hands down the greatest PG ever and arguably one of the 5 best players to ever play the game.

Name me another PG that could run the break like Magic, play the PG position as well as him, and then in a pinch, slide over to center in the Finals and lead you're team to victory.