Tim Duncan vs Bill Walton

[raspsa]

When comparing Timmy against the greats that came before him, I think Bill Walton comes closest. Both had outstanding college careers. Both had an immediate impact upon entering the NBA. Both played great defense, were consummate team players and natural leaders. Their offensive games were also very efficient, nothing flashy but very fundamentally sound.

If Walton had not been plagued by injuries, he'd have dominated the NBA for years IMO.

[jaffies]

No.

1. Walton's college career > Duncan's college career
2. Duncan's rookie impact > Walton's rookie impact
3. Duncan's defense > Walton's defense
4. Yes, they're both great team players, but led in completely different ways.
5. Offensively, they were both efficient, but there was NO way Walton could completely take over a game by scoring at will, and is nowhere near Duncan in any way offensively.

6. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he would dominate the NBA, but Walton started right off the bat with several injuries that would last his whole career, so his full potential was probably never seen.

7. Personality-wise. Forget it!
Can you really imagine Duncan demanding a trade, sitting out a season because he didn't get his way, going to rehab for addiction to pain-killers (though I can't blame Walton, he was in constant pain for nearly a decade), becoming a national TV broadcaster and annoying the out of millions of people?

[lefty]

Walton was great, but..................

Tim Duncan FTMFW

[raspsa]

No.

1. Walton's college career > Duncan's college career
2. Duncan's rookie impact > Walton's rookie impact
3. Duncan's defense > Walton's defense
4. Yes, they're both great team players, but led in completely different ways.
5. Offensively, they were both efficient, but there was NO way Walton could completely take over a game by scoring at will, and is nowhere near Duncan in any way offensively.

6. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he would dominate the NBA, but Walton started right off the bat with several injuries that would last his whole career, so his full potential was probably never seen.

7. Personality-wise. Forget it!
Can you really imagine Duncan demanding a trade, sitting out a season because he didn't get his way, going to rehab for addiction to pain-killers (though I can't blame Walton, he was in constant pain for nearly a decade), becoming a national TV broadcaster and annoying the out of millions of people?

OK who do you think comes closest to TD among those who preceded him?

[Chieflion]

Bill Walton beats Tim Duncan in passing only and nothing else.

[whottt]

I'm pretty sure Walton only made the playoffs like 3 or 4 times in his entire career....get serious Raspa.

College maybe, NBA is not even close and brittleness is a negative. If Duncan was brittle the Spurs fortunes the past few years would be greatly different.

[duncan228]

Could be my bias, but I've always had a hard time trying to compare Duncan to anyone. I guess you can take pieces of his game and find matches, but overall, Duncan strikes me as a one-of-a-kind player.

[Cry Havoc]

OK who do you think comes closest to TD among those who preceded him?

Why do you need to compare Duncan to someone? How does it make him more of a legitimate player in your mind to have a cookie-cutter sheet for players so you can fit them into a certain size hole when they near the end of their careers?

It's like when LeBron was first coming into the NBA and everyone said, "Oh, he's not the next Jordan. He's the next Magic."

Now, no one compares the two, because no one has been like LeBron. And no one has been like Duncan.

And no one was like David. And no one was like Iceman. And no one was like Jordan, or Pippen, or Howard, or Kareem, or Chris Paul. They are their own players. Shoehorning them into a rough comparison based on statistical numbers (especially across eras, which is insane) is pointless and a waste of time and energy.

[bishopospurs]

Why do you need to compare Duncan to someone? How does it make him more of a legitimate player in your mind to have a cookie-cutter sheet for players so you can fit them into a certain size hole when they near the end of their careers?

It's like when LeBron was first coming into the NBA and everyone said, "Oh, he's not the next Jordan. He's the next Magic."

Now, no one compares the two, because no one has been like LeBron. And no one has been like Duncan.

And no one was like David. And no one was like Iceman. And no one was like Jordan, or Pippen, or Howard, or Kareem, or Chris Paul. They are their own players. Shoehorning them into a rough comparison based on statistical numbers (especially across eras, which is insane) is pointless and a waste of time and energy.

Totally agree, well said

[raspsa]

Why do you need to compare Duncan to someone? How does it make him more of a legitimate player in your mind to have a cookie-cutter sheet for players so you can fit them into a certain size hole when they near the end of their careers?.

I don't NEED to.. its just idle speculation to kill time till training camp begins.. besides, the Drob vs Dwight thread was running out of steam..

[NZ Spurs]

Their offensive games were also very efficient, nothing flashy but very fundamentally sound.

Go and re-watch game one of the 2003 finals, thats not efficient, that f*%king domination!

[Nathan Explosion]

I think Chris Paul compares favorably to Isiah Thomas.

[duhoh]

shaq told off the media that no big man under shall talk trash about a big man over.

i would consider duncan either at or above shaq's level. and i do agree with shaq's statement.

i hopin that yao doesn't stay injury plagued like this walton.

[nkdlunch]

I think Chris Paul compares favorably to Isiah Thomas.

yes. they are both assholes

[TIMMYD!]

yes. they are both assholes

Ha Ha just what I was thinking