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No way. We'll be lucky if Tiago can average 10/8. I just don't think Tiago has the sort of potential in him to be a franchise type player.
The '02-03 Duncan could not be stopped by anyone and he was playing defense at extremely high level too. That's why K-Mart did nothing in the finals while Duncan was getting almost quad-double's.
With a no other all-star (Parker in his second season, a rookie Manu, Robinson on his last legs, 6'5" bigman Rose, journeyman S-Jax), Tim managed to cut the dynasty of one of the most dominant teams ever.
That player can't be replaced.
However, Splitter could in the best scenario became a 20/10 player with solid defensive presence.
No way. We'll be lucky if Tiago can average 10/8. I just don't think Tiago has the sort of potential in him to be a franchise type player.
I would be happy with that!!!
Splitter will never average 20/10. I doubt he ever even makes an all star team.
Ask this question after the season... oh wait.. don't ask this question at all. too late.
Tiago will be good in his own way, but replacing TD is similar to trying to find a defensive replacement for Bowen. A like caliber player just does not come along that often. An interesting question would be of all of the new or nearly new Spurs, which one could have a hall of fame career?
Not to say Splitter can be to Duncan what Duncan was to Robinson, but he was a star in Europe. The previous ACB MVP players that came from Baskonia (Nocioni and Scola) were considered above average players that signed over MLE contracts. And Noc and Scola never lead TAU to the ACB championship like Splitter or Gasol (with Barça).
One can get 10/8 from any stiff of a size of a tree, given +30 mpg playtime. Olowokandi, Kwame and Darko can do that. The problem is, with what kind of defense, how many TO's and points per shot efficiency.
Marc Gasol had 14.6/9.3 averages in his second season, he was ACB MVP too. And he's not athletic like Tiago.
His first season perhaps won't be good (I wouldn't discard the possibility he could be productive right from the start). In the end who knows, but IMO Splitter has upside that's not necessarily limited by 10/8 stats maxi or never making all-star teams.
Good post...
only happy with a 20 10 ? if Splitter averages a 20 10 during a season happy is not the correct term...I would be happy with that!!!
Will Tiago ever be as good as Duncan? That's easy... no. Saying that, Duncan is in much better shape at 34 years old than what Robinson was at 34 years old meaning that we don't need Tiago to be what Duncan was to Robinson. To win the championshp do we need Tiago to be great? Yes, but not necessarily in the box score.
like someone stated earlier "theres no one that could replace tim duncan playing in the nba" i agree w/this, but i want to add. For a championship caliber team such as the spurs and w/such a great win % ratio the fact that we obtained tiago and have him along side dejuan blair is something to be very grateful for.
So yes there will never be another tim duncan, thats not to say we cant draft another superstar just as good and to me having tiago on our team is a step in the right direction. we have no clue as to what point tiago will plateau but hes a heck of a center to have with blair/hill/anderson
Not to nitpick, but I see some revisionist history here.
The idea seems to be that Duncan was some kind of "assistant" to Robinson at first. Never was.
In Duncan's second year he was NBA Finals MVP, something that Dave, as great as he was, never accomplished.
Duncan was the man the minute he stepped on the floor.
Splitter will never be Duncan. But Splitter (in his prime) could be to Duncan what Robinson (past his prime) was to Duncan. Now we're talking.
Tiago, at best, can what Scola is right now. A taller, much more defensive minded Scola if, he will work hard on his offensive game.
I never really watched Robinson during his prime and it's actually sad. My question now would be, is the prime Duncan better than prime Robinson. I'm not trying to insinuate anything here. I would just like to know your opinion.Not to nitpick, but I see some revisionist history here.
The idea seems to be that Duncan was some kind of "assistant" to Robinson at first. Never was.
In Duncan's second year he was NBA Finals MVP, something that Dave, as great as he was, never accomplished.
Duncan was the man the minute he stepped on the floor.
Splitter will never be Duncan. But Splitter (in his prime) could be to Duncan what Robinson (past his prime) was to Duncan. Now we're talking.
Yes (for team/championship purposes).
No....After seeing Scola trash him in the FIBA games, I don't think so?...Me personally, I don't think he is as good as everyone made him out to be....He may have been killing people in the WEAK Euro League, but can he do it in the NBA?...Guess we will be finding out very soon?...Don't get me wrong, I like the addition, but don't think he will ever come close to being A Timmy D....
Pop was right to say that Spurs fans need to temper Splitter expectations.
Splitter won't touch Duncan or Robinson (at any point in their career) at any time during his career.
How awesome is it that we are finally able to have these conversations knowing we will get to see results!
Still can't believe he is actually here, regardless of how he performs.
This is the height of idiocy. this type of logic results in the hate that goes out to Matt Bonner because he is put into a position that he cannot live up to due to the expectations of the idiots on this board. The same could result with Splitter. He will be a solid role player , but to even talk of him assuming Duncan's role shows how dam moronic many people are on this board. Put your shorts on and go compete before you make stupid f---ing comments on a subject like this on a board.
Last edited by rogcl1; 09-23-2010 at 11:01 PM.
David accomplished amazing things, MVP, scoring le, blocked shots le, DPOY, one of only 4 recorded quad doubles. He was an amazing physical specimen in an era where big men were mostly plodders. He ran the floor and dunked like a SG. If you only saw the end of his career, you didn't see him at all. Players feared to go into the paint to try to score. If you divide the NBA into pre Bird/Magic and post Bird/Magic, David was the premier big man defender of the latter era.
All that being said, I think Tim was a better player overall. I always felt that basketball was a means to an end for David, but the main event for Tim. I always felt that Tim loved the game, and never felt that about David. The biggest strike against David, in my eyes, was his complete resistance to developing any post up go to moves. For his whole career, his offensive game was that of a SF: drives, cuts to the hoop for lobs, and jump shots. Teams shut that down in the playoffs, which is why the Spurs only advanced past the second round once in the David-only era. He was also resistant to the motion offense that LB tried to install early in his career. That could have helped SA in the playoffs over the years, too. In fact, it did in the time starting about 2002 up to today.
Never said Duncan was "assistant".Not to nitpick, but I see some revisionist history here.
The idea seems to be that Duncan was some kind of "assistant" to Robinson at first. Never was.
In Duncan's second year he was NBA Finals MVP, something that Dave, as great as he was, never accomplished.
Duncan was the man the minute he stepped on the floor.
Splitter will never be Duncan. But Splitter (in his prime) could be to Duncan what Robinson (past his prime) was to Duncan. Now we're talking.
For 97-98, Duncan's rookie season, I would disagree he was leader of the Spurs. Robinson had put similar numbers in lower minutes and taking fewer shots. In the playoffs they played similar minutes, with Robinson being better in rebounds, blocks and assists. It was complicated for Robinson to take all-nba first team over Shaq and all-defensive over Mutombo. He was past his prime. Duncan made the all-nba and all-defensive first teams, but forwards are picked two (he shared the honors with Malone), while centers only one.
Basically for the shortened 99 season, Pop asked Robinson to take the defensive duties primarily and explained him that if the offense flows trough Duncan, the Spurs would be more successful. Robinson was a mature individual and did what was best for the team. In the end, the Spurs won the le, and Duncan was the well deserved finals MVP. Still, in the most difficult serie IMO, WCF against Portland, Duncan was struggling and Robinson stepped up.
He can be good but replace Timmy.. Never happen. Spurs won't ever see another one like Tim..
Solid post dude
I don't know if Duncan would have taken any of Robinson's teams to the promised land... and that isn't a knock on Duncan.... all of the Spurs' Championship teams featured multiple players that would punish you for double teaming the post player (J. Jackson, M. Elie, S. Kerr, D. Ferry, B. Barry, R. Horry, and Manu). Sean Elliott was the lone marksmen during those years when players who were brought in to space the floor (such as C. Person) didn't step up to the plate during the playoffs... and even Sean didn't have prolific playoffs before Duncan's arrival. Sure, a large chunk of that is due to Duncan's presence, the other reason is that perimeter defenders could no longer focus on just him alone.
David's teams never had the three point shooting or the clutchness to force him into becoming a back-to-the-basket type player. Especially in the playoffs... It's unfair to suggest he never tried to develop those skills because he lacked the supporting cast to do so, surprisingly enough, when David did play in the post he managed to get to the free-throw line at will... Del Negro and Avery? as your championship pieces... Please.
It's a knock on David's work ethic to suggest that he didn't want to win, or that he lacked the compe ive fire to work hard enough to do so. I'll never buy that argument. His teams just didn't have the right players or the clutchness despite how well they may have fared in the regular season. Who would you rather have chucking three pointers in critical playoff games Rodman or Horry? 'nough said....
Tiago Will Be A Average To Above Average Player..... Tim Is A Top 10 Player to ever Play The game.... Tim Will not ever Be replaced...
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