NBA: Duncan vs Wilt

[Buddy Mignon]

I'll just say this. 6 humbled me as a sports fan. Like every Spurs fans, I took the bait. Of course I'm always aware that LeBron James can win any game when he's on the floor, but I thought they'd close the game. They didn't, and as a result of getting my hopes up, I was categorically depressed. As I moved on from that, I learned to just watch sports and see it for the great game that it is. Not just appreciating the Spurs, but the fact that other teams have great talent and are not easily defeated.

In the glory days of the Spurs and Lakers rivalry, when the winner would go on to win the championship each time it seemed like, I was always afraid of playing the Lakers because of Kobe. I don't mean to diminish anything Shaq did. He was a force and I certainly feared how we would match up with him too. But Kobe is an assassin. He always seemed to have great games against the Spurs. He could drive the lane, hit midrange shots and it seemed like every time he hit a 3, he just jacked it up, it went in and he runs back on D saying "Yeah, you." Michael Jordan is the greatest player ever. His accomplishments are there to see and no one can dispute that. But Kobe is certainly not far behind, and true fans of the NBA recognize that.

A lot of people here are dip s, Buddy. If they want to slam Kobe for not being Jordan, then brush them haters off.

I respect that, J.T., I respect that. Enjoy your victory.

[Kidd K]

Wilt was an excellent stat padder in a weak era. He blows everyone away in stats not just Duncan.

Wilt also isn't the only player to put up great numbers and be a loser. Charles Barkley. Karl Malone, etc.

When Wilt put up that huge 50 PPG season, he didn't even win 50 games. The year after he wasn't even ing .500.

It took Wilt 7 years and a change of teams to finally win 50 games once. Duncan has never won less than 50 in a season except the year NBA teams only played 50 games. And even then he was way over pace to crack 50. Was on pace to win about 60.

Wilt only won 50+ 7 times in his 15 year career. 2 of those being in his last two years. He only won 50 one time stat stuffing 30+ a game. The rest he scored about what Duncan usually did or worse.

Wilt's stat padding did not lead to wins. So they don't mean a lot vs a MAJOR winner. Winningest NBA player since Bill Russell.

Wilt is a top 10 GOAT (#6 to me now), but Duncan is above him due to being in the elite category of multi-time MVP 5x champ along with MJ, Jabaar, Russell, and Magic.

[ezau]

Wilt was an excellent stat padder in a weak era. He blows everyone away in stats not just Duncan.

Wilt also isn't the only player to put up great numbers and be a loser. Charles Barkley. Karl Malone, etc.

When Wilt put up that huge 50 PPG season, he didn't even win 50 games. The year after he wasn't even ing .500.

It took Wilt 7 years and a change of teams to finally win 50 games once. Duncan has never won less than 50 in a season except the year NBA teams only played 50 games. And even then he was way over pace to crack 50. Was on pace to win about 60.

Wilt only won 50+ 7 times in his 15 year career. 2 of those being in his last two years. He only won 50 one time stat stuffing 30+ a game. The rest he scored about what Duncan usually did or worse.

Wilt's stat padding did not lead to wins. So they don't mean a lot vs a MAJOR winner. Winningest NBA player since Bill Russell.

Wilt is a top 10 GOAT (#6 to me now), but Duncan is above him due to being in the elite category of multi-time MVP 5x champ along with MJ, Jabaar, Russell, and Magic.

Great post.

[J.T.]

I respect that, J.T., I respect that. Enjoy your victory.

Respect here as well, Buddy. Cheers

[Kidd K]

Great post.

Thanks bro.

I definitely am not trying to undercut Wilt here, he's top 10. But winning counts more than stat padding.

[ezau]

Thanks bro.

I definitely am not trying to undercut Wilt here, he's top 10. But winning counts more than stat padding.

Agreed.

[Spurs da champs]

I just don't see how anyone can criticize Wilt for playing in a weak era but not Russell?

[TDMVPDPOY]

Wilt was an excellent stat padder in a weak era. He blows everyone away in stats not just Duncan.

Wilt also isn't the only player to put up great numbers and be a loser. Charles Barkley. Karl Malone, etc.

When Wilt put up that huge 50 PPG season, he didn't even win 50 games. The year after he wasn't even ing .500.

It took Wilt 7 years and a change of teams to finally win 50 games once. Duncan has never won less than 50 in a season except the year NBA teams only played 50 games. And even then he was way over pace to crack 50. Was on pace to win about 60.

Wilt only won 50+ 7 times in his 15 year career. 2 of those being in his last two years. He only won 50 one time stat stuffing 30+ a game. The rest he scored about what Duncan usually did or worse.

Wilt's stat padding did not lead to wins. So they don't mean a lot vs a MAJOR winner. Winningest NBA player since Bill Russell.

Wilt is a top 10 GOAT (#6 to me now), but Duncan is above him due to being in the elite category of multi-time MVP 5x champ along with MJ, Jabaar, Russell, and Magic.

but wilt put his in 10,000 women must count for something then jumping into the arms of another man, even if its drobs pecky arms

[TDMVPDPOY]

I just don't see how anyone can criticize Wilt for playing in a weak era but not Russell?

weak era, yet couldnt win....there should be no excuses when playing against unethletic white man

[Spurs da champs]

weak era, yet couldnt win....there should be no excuses when playing against unethletic white man

Point still stands, put Deandre Jordan in Russells spot & who's to say he don't do the same?

[TDMVPDPOY]

Point still stands, put Deandre Jordan in Russells spot & who's to say he don't do the same?

bill is nothing more then a overglorified ben wallace

[~O~]

bill is nothing more then a overglorified ben wallace

That hurt me a little.

[dg7md]

Wilt played when his main compe ion was short white guys and has less les than Duncan who played during the height of the more athletic, well-conditioned players.

[Kidd K]

I just don't see how anyone can criticize Wilt for playing in a weak era but not Russell?

Bill Russell IS penalized for playing in a weak era. You realize Bill Russell won 11 NBA les in his 13 year career, right?

Even Michael Jordan's run looks pedestrian compared to that. . .but Russell's era was weak, so he is not the GOAT. His rings are not equal to rings today, but he simply has so many and won so damn much that it still adds up to high level GOAT status.

That is why Wilt can't be above a dominant 5x champ with multiple MVPs that never played with a guy who was either winning MVPs or a major MVP candidate (btw this is also why I have Duncan above the great Magic Johnson. Magic had a great Kareem for years). Wilt was not a winner in a weak era with basically only one real threat out there. He didn't just not beat Russell though, he struggled to reach 50 wins period. He was dominant for sure, and he gets his credit for it. But he can never be put above actual greats who were also winners imo.

[Kidd K]

Point still stands, put Deandre Jordan in Russells spot & who's to say he don't do the same?

Stop it. DeAndre Jordan is a typical ignorant modern day baller who was blessed with a tall body. He is not leading to les. Have you ever heard Bill Russell speak? He is a very wise and intelligent man who played his career out amidst extreme racism.

That is a disgusting hypothetical, and tbh you should feel extreme shame right now for even suggesting it.

[Malik Hairston]

Honestly, it's tough to be too impressed with Bill Russell when you consider that he has a career 44 FG% in an era where all of his big men peers shot normal big man percentages..

I'm sure there is some fabricated story/myth about the way Russell was used in Boston's system that led to his ty FG%, knowing the way everybody loves Russell..

[Kidd K]

Honestly, it's tough to be too impressed with Bill Russell when you consider that he has a career 44 FG% in an era where all of his big men peers shot normal big man percentages..

I'm sure there is some fabricated story/myth about the way Russell was used in Boston's system that led to his ty FG%, knowing the way everybody loves Russell..

He was a defensive player mostly. No one says he was an amazing scorer.

Kinda like how Barkley and Kobe were a great scorers but mediore defenders. Of course their D' prolly wasn't as bad as his O', but his D' (relative to era), blew away their O' relative to era. Look at Russell's Defensive win shares. Led league every year of career besides 2 (one of which was rookie year, other was 2nd to last year)

Dude was basically DPOY, All NBA first team D every season, if they had those awards back then.

[Malik Hairston]

I'm not doubting his defensive ability, nor his passing and rebounding ability, but most of the great big men in our era were great 2-way players(Duncan, Olajuwon, etc)..even Shaq had great defensive years when he was motivated and in shape(2000, in particular)..

If you're strictly looking at accolades, then whatever, but just as an individual player, I can't really see any reason to believe Russell was better than Duncan/Shaq/Hakeem, etc..

[Kidd K]

If we're being purely technical, yes, Duncan, Shaq, and Hakeem would have probably beat the brakes off of prime Russell. Russell is getting "relative to era" back pats here. I mean, honestly, if Babe Ruth played now, he would not be that good. That doesn't mean he wasn't an amazing player.

I think of it in a similar way to how I respect old time scientists. Yes, it's more impressive to build a satellite than it is to build a radio, but building a radio when no one even thought of that before is WAY more amazing than building satellite #573 after someone taught your ass how to do it and after you saw other people build 572 other satellites already.

Bill Russell was a great player and shouldn't be disrespected with a bad GOAT list placement because he was an average at best offensive player.

[Thread]

I just don't see how anyone can criticize Wilt for playing in a weak era but not Russell?

Because Media told 'em to.

[Buddy Mignon]

I just don't see how anyone can criticize Wilt for playing in a weak era but not Russell?

It's the rose colored glasses, man.

[Buddy Mignon]

bill is nothing more then a overglorified ben wallace

I agree.

[Raven]

i have no issue with anyone saying wilt is the goat, i also have no issue with anyone saying duncan is better. It's just hard to really compare them, different times tbh. I have issues with someone saying KAJ is better than Wilt though.

[ohmwrecker]

Hmmm... it's funny how things are relevant. When Jordan is the only wing player mentioned ahead of Kobe you guys make it seem like an insult.

You take it as an insult because you so desperately need Kobe to be better than Jordan. Relax, man. Kobe is a good player.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i have no issue with anyone saying wilt is the goat, i also have no issue with anyone saying duncan is better. It's just hard to really compare them, different times tbh. I have issues with someone saying KAJ is better than Wilt though.

his individual ability excluding skillset, not everyone uses it to their full max ability on the court cause there are stuff that can negate that, whether its boxing out or better positioning....

yeh he was a beast against white dudes, but in todays league or any era after the 90s, he be playing against guys who can also monkey ball...