As of the past 2 Years... Pau > Duncan

[TheMACHINE]

We already know, it's just simple logic.

Fact: Kobe can't win anything without a top-flight big man.
Fact: Kobe won 4 championships - 00,01,02,09.
Fact: Shaq was the top flight big who carried Kobe to championships in 00-02.

Therefore: There is a top flight big on the 09 Lakers.

Fact: 09 Lakers had Bynum and Gasol as their primary bigs.
Fact: Bynum sucked in 09.

Therefore: Gasol was a top flight big in 09.

Fact: Duncan wasn't a top flight big in 09.

Thus: Pau > Duncan in 09.

i knew i was right.... even Ambchang agrees.

[ambchang]

Yes, Duncan has been slipping the last few years, especially with all the injuries he suffered in 09.

But of course, a 33 year old Duncan playing on bad wheels was only slightly worse than Pau, who is the heart and soul of the Lakers success.

[TheManFromAcme]

Yes, Duncan has been slipping the last few years, especially with all the injuries he suffered in 09.

But of course, a 33 year old Duncan playing on bad wheels was only slightly worse than Pau, who is the heart and soul of the Lakers success.

I'll agree. I am not saying Tim is over and done with but his decline is evident.

[Agloco]

So is Tim as serviceable as Pau is right now?
I am not bashing Tim whatsoever. Just stating that Tim's slight decline started right at or in 2008.

The last 2 years to include this one. Look at all the chippys Tim missed during the Suns series. There was a time when Tim missing those kinds of shots was not happening. It's not just this year that Tim has been on the downside. He's been at this pace the last 2 seasons.

No hate. Just pointing out.

Geesh.

Yes, Duncan has been slipping the last few years, especially with all the injuries he suffered in 09.

But of course, a 33 year old Duncan playing on bad wheels was only slightly worse than Pau, who is the heart and soul of the Lakers success.

I'll agree. I am not saying Tim is over and done with but his decline is evident.

Apparently he is. And you agree.

[Agloco]

Tim had his day in the sun and will go down as one if the best. Pau is at another level right now as Tim once was.

This is just pathetic.

So is Tim as serviceable as Pau is right now?
I am not bashing Tim whatsoever. Just stating that Tim's slight decline started right at or in 2008.

The last 2 years to include this one. Look at all the chippys Tim missed during the Suns series. There was a time when Tim missing those kinds of shots was not happening. It's not just this year that Tim has been on the downside. He's been at this pace the last 2 seasons.

No hate. Just pointing out.

Geesh.

If that's all you meant, then there's a case for what you posted. I took it to mean that Pau is playing at the same level skillwise that Timmy played at for all of those years. Sorry if I misunderstood.

[rmt]

Well, the 34 year old Duncan does have 4 championships as the #1 guy and multiple deep, post-season runs (at higher intensity) compared to Gasol who never got out of the 1st round before going to LA. So, that's a lot of mileage (probably 2 extra years) added on to those knees.

The past 2 years, I've thought that Duncan was done at the end of the season but he comes back each year with great performances before the ASB. At one point earlier this last year he was 2nd in PER behind Lebron. He just can't keep it up for the whole season + playoffs. Last year, having to carry the team with both Parker and Manu out and this year while everybody adjusted + injuries was asking too much at this stage of his career. Still, 18/10 in 31 minutes isn't too shabby - adjusted for mins., it's probably the same as his career numbers.

But yes, the past 2 years, Pau > Duncan. He looks soooo slow.

[TheManFromAcme]

If that's all you meant, then there's a case for what you posted. I took it to mean that Pau is playing at the same level skillwise that Timmy played at for all of those years. Sorry if I misunderstood.

I may have conveyed it wrong and if I did, my apologies.

[TD 21]

Gasol is better than Nowitzki. What is with the Nowitzki obsession? The guy is one dimensional. Gasol is a better post scorer, team defender, individual defender, rebounder, passer, shot blocker, etc. and in most cases, by a wide margin. What does Nowitzki have on Gasol other than shooting/scoring?

Not that the gap between Gasol and Nowitzki is as wide as the gap between Wade and Allen, but it's a similar example. Is Allen better than Wade because he's a better shooter? Of course not, because that would be overlooking the fact that Wade is better at almost everything imaginable and by a wide margin. So why would Nowitzki be better than Gasol? It's not like Nowitzki has proven on the biggest stage that he can carry a team and Gasol hasn't; neither has. There isn't a case to be made and the only reasoning I can think of is Nowitzki has been at an elite or near elite level far longer than Gasol has. That or people are fooled by the amount of points Nowitzki scores.

Howard, Duncan and Gasol are a cut above Nowitzki, Stoudemire, Bosh.

[picc84]

I was on the Dirk > Pau train too, until recently. Gasol seems to be improving, and his all-around game might make him a better prospect than Dirk's great one-dimensionality.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Pau is better than Duncan now. Why do you think they're going to the finals so easily?

That's why its so laughable that Kobe gets even half the credit for the Lakers success.



lol the new jordan not even being the best player on his team

[Brazil]

I say big man right now:

1. Dwight (offense still a work in progress but growing)
2. Dirk (not traditional still crazy effective)
3. Pau (no true weakness wish he wa sMORE dominant)
4. amare (when he gets going ...relies on Nash a lot)
5. Tim cant leave him off for Bosh, Bogut etc too much respect for him ...

pretty solid I know mavs fans won't be happy but I'd switch dirk and pau and maybe cauz I'm homer I'd put tim at 4 and amare at 5

[TD 21]

They're going to the finals so easily because they have three of the best bigs in the entire league on one team; no other contender even has two. On top of that, they have one of the best perimeter players in the league, who's a fail safe scorer and proven closer to take them home. Good as Gasol is, you put Duncan in for him and the Lakers are doing exactly what they're doing now, only they'd have had a better chance to win in '08.

Someone give a legitimate argument (if it's possible) as to why Nowitzki is supposedly better than Gasol and Duncan? You know, guys that do so much more than score, unlike him.

[024]

i'd say pau>duncan the past two years but he's certainly not the best bigman in the game. top 5 though.