Greg Anthony's comments about Tim Duncan

[picnroll]

That's not the right way to look at it.

1. If Bird was on the Spurs, they'd have built the team around him differently than they have around Duncan to complement his skill set.

2. If Bird was in today's NBA and there was a draft of all players, Bird would be the #1 pick because he'd be the best player in the NBA.

3. Duncan's great but some of this homerism is out of hand. There's no shame in "only" being the best PF of all time and not the best overall Forward of all time.

4. Bird's defense gets ripped a lot by people who didn't watch him and think he was some "slow white guy". His defensive style was just like Ginobili's. Whatever he lacked in quicks, he more than made up for with instinct, anticipation, and serious hustle and intensity.

5. I hope you weren't implying he was at the level of Nash or Dirk defensively, because that's just crazy. Ginobili is the best comparison amongst active NBA players and I doubt you consider him a poor defender.

1. Far, far easier to build a team around a dominant post player, offense and defense. Look what they built around Bird, 50 all time greatest players. Granted the Celtics went up against more stacked teams but that's neutralized, maybe more than neutralized, by the equity now and that Duncan has to carry the laod more nights in, night out. Basically Celtics could coast until the Eastern finals or even NBA finals.

2. No Oden would be. Coming out of college Bird didn't have thephysical attributes to awe.

3. Were looking apples to oranges. People downgrade Duncan as best saying he should be considered a center. You're giving Bird a bit of a pass saying he should be conisdered a SF when it comes to a player's impact defense-wise. Bottomline here, whole package offense/defense I'd take Duncan.

4. Bird was an above average defender because of his guile, strength, tenacity. I think he'd have a bit more trouble with todays no touch rules. But nobody can ever make the case he could be the cornerstone of an NBA best defensive team.

5. No I wasn't. I'm implying that when you look at impact on a team, both ends of the court making Nash or Dirk an MVP over Duncan is a joke.

[Sec24Row7]

Is it?

Yeah... and I would venture to say that 95% of people here would agree with me...

Kareem won 6 championships 6 MVP's made 19 all star teams and averaged 24+ points and 11 rebounds a game for 20 years...


He's not even second on a lot of people's list of greatest players... you want to leapfrog Duncan in front of that?

I havent even said the J word yet and timmy has 3 championships and 4 MVP's to go... and he better pick up his scoring by 8 points a game for the next TEN YEARS to get to more than a 24 ppg average.

Edited: 19 all star teams

[Sec24Row7]

1. Far, far easier to build a team around a dominant post player, offense and defense. Look what they built around Bird, 50 all time greatest players. Granted the Celtics went up against more stacked teams but that's neutralized, maybe more than neutralized, by the equity now and that Duncan has to carry the laod more nights in, night out. Basically Celtics could coast until the Eastern finals or even NBA finals.

2. No Oden would be. Coming out of college Bird didn't have thephysical attributes to awe.

3. Were looking apples to oranges. People downgrade Duncan as best saying he should be considered a center. You're giving Bird a bit of a pass saying he should be conisdered a SF when it comes to a player's impact defense-wise. Bottomline here, whole package offense/defense I'd take Duncan.

4. Bird was an above average defender because of his guile, strength, tenacity. I think he'd have a bit more trouble with todays no touch rules. But nobody can ever make the case he could be the cornerstone of an NBA best defensive team.

5. No I wasn't. I'm implying that when you look at impact on a team, both ends of the court making Nash or Dirk an MVP over Duncan is a joke.

You also have to add in the fact that Bird is considered about 20% better than he actually was because he is White Guy.

[bresilhac]

Yeah... and I would venture to say that 95% of people here would agree with me...

Kareem won 6 championships 6 MVP's made 20 all star teams and averaged 24+ points and 11 rebounds a game for 20 years...


He's not even second on a lot of people's list of greatest players... you want to leapfrog Duncan in front of that?

I havent even said the J word yet and timmy has 3 championships and 4 MVP's to go... and he better pick up his scoring by 8 points a game for the next TEN YEARS to get to more than a 24 ppg average.

Ok, good points. But, the fact that Kareem played so long and was so effective brings up an interesting point. What if Tim could be that effective for another 10 years? How would that equate to Championships? Or at least being in contention for championships? Given the tendency of this organization to make key personnel moves over time how many Championships could Tim Duncan win before he's through? 6, 7? I get charged up just thinking about it.

[GrandeDavid]

I think if Tim leads the Spurs to a championship this year, he goes down as the greatest power forward of all time, Bird included.

[Sec24Row7]

...

Bird was their 3...

[Hook Dem]

Then you are wrong, because I live in Dallas, a city that hates both the Spurs and Suns, and everyone here cant stand to watch Duncan, but still love to watch Amare because of how he scores. And in Phoenix where I'm from, they enjoy to watch someone like Dirk because he scores in many different ways.

Imagine that!!!!! Mavs fans & Suns fans in bed together!

[Jimcs50]

By the time all is said and done, TD will be the best power forward of all time. He has to get more points and rebounds to get into Malone's and Barkley's neighborhood, then he will have qualitative and quan ative evidence to back up that claim.

The thing is, I do not think Malone would be in this conversation, had he not played with John Stockton, his whole career. TD has not needed any one particular player to make him better, a great sysyem and supporting cast, but not any one player.

[Sec24Row7]

By the time all is said and done, TD will be the best power forward of all time. He has to get more points and rebounds to get into Malone's and Barkley's neighborhood, then he will have qualitative and quan ative evidence to back up that claim.

The thing is, I do not think Malone would be in this conversation, had he not played with John Stockton, his whole career. TD has not needed any one particular player to make him better, a great sysyem and supporting cast, but not any one player.

I have a hard time putting Karl Malone in Duncan's League... His numbers are inflated just like Stoudemire's because of all the layups and Dunks he got from playing with a first ballot no brainer Hall of Famer point guard.

Duncan is a more skilled player, has led his team to the highest winning percentage of any team in a major sport over 10 years in DECADES... has won three championships as the best player and focus of the opposing team's defense... and has three finals MVP's

Malone has done none of those things... He's scored more points than Duncan...

Wooptie...

[Jimcs50]

I have a hard time putting Karl Malone in Duncan's League... His numbers are inflated just like Stoudemire's because of all the layups and Dunks he got from playing with a first ballot no brainer Hall of Famer point guard.

Duncan is a more skilled player, has led his team to the highest winning percentage of any team in a major sport over 10 years in DECADES... has won three championships as the best player and focus of the opposing team's defense... and has three finals MVP's

Malone has done none of those things... He's scored more points than Duncan...

Wooptie...

a leading rebounder too, with over 14,000 rebs....that is impressive, you have to give him credit for that, TD needs about 5000 more to catch him....and if you notice, I did talk about the benefit of playing with JS, yes?

[Sec24Row7]

He played on a team that scored 54 points in a finals game...

[Jimcs50]

He played on a team that scored 54 points in a finals game...

That was against a Bulls' team that had won 5 championships, and they came within a last second shot of taking that very same team to a game 7.

[ShoogarBear]

Duncan is boring . . . if you don't know jack about basketball.

[Sec24Row7]

That was against a Bulls' team that had won 5 championships, and they came within a last second shot of taking that very same team to a game 7.

I dont give a who it was against... That's pathetic...

[pwilliam]

And the argument about Duncan being a better rebounder than Bird is complete hogwash. Duncan is a PF/C and Bird was a pure SF. Bird's rebounding prowess was more rare of a SF than Duncan's prowess as a PF/C. I mean the dude averaged 10.00 rebounds per game in his career in a much tougher era (guys actually made shots back then and scores were 15 ppg higher so there were much lesser boards to go around than in today's NBA where getting 100 points is rare).

you are completely wrong on your logic. actually back then there were MORE rebounds than today. When Bird averaged 11 rpg in 1982-83 (his highest), he had a rebound rate of 15.7, while Duncan has averaged a 19 rebound rate in his prime. and please remember larry bird is 6'9, only 2 inches shorter than duncan.

Antoine Walker (6'8) averaged a rebound rate of 15 in his first two years, and i think no one label him as a great rebounder. so anyone saying bird is a better rebounder than duncan is just saying that Walker is a great rebounder.

[bobbyjoe]

I have a hard time putting Karl Malone in Duncan's League... His numbers are inflated just like Stoudemire's because of all the layups and Dunks he got from playing with a first ballot no brainer Hall of Famer point guard.

Duncan is a more skilled player, has led his team to the highest winning percentage of any team in a major sport over 10 years in DECADES... has won three championships as the best player and focus of the opposing team's defense... and has three finals MVP's

Malone has done none of those things... He's scored more points than Duncan...

Wooptie...

He's also 2-0 lifetime in the playoffs against Duncan.

In 04 WCSF, Malone frustrated Duncan with his physicality and that was at age 40.

[samikeyp]

Personally I don't think you should compare two players careers until both are over. I do think though that Malone and Duncan have each done one thing that is the same. I think they both re-defined their positions. Malone did it first then Duncan has done it since. Not a slight on either guy.

IMO, when Duncan is done, he will be considered the best PF ever.

[ducks]

He is damn good, but is so damn boring because he does nothing exciting. Just because a player is good does not always make him fun to watch. In TD's case, he ios not fun to watch. Sorry, just how it is.

he got mad and duncan in game 6

[picnroll]

He's also 2-0 lifetime in the playoffs against Duncan.

In 04 WCSF, Malone frustrated Duncan with his physicality and that was at age 40.

Having watched that series many times what the refs allowed Malone to get away with wasa travesty beginning in game three. Malone had one move that was REPEATEDLY allowed where, when Duncan would go up for a shot, Malone would shove into him pushing him backwards, making the it look like he, Malone, was releasing to go upcourt. The shot ineviably fell short.

Interesting that that is the only time in their many years of matching up that Duncan didn't pretty much slap Malone. It's not a coincidence that the Spurs complete ownage of Utah pretty much commenced with Duncan donning the silver and black.

[samikeyp]

He is damn good, but is so damn boring because he does nothing exciting. Just because a player is good does not always make him fun to watch. In TD's case, he ios not fun to watch. Sorry, just how it is.

no..that is how it is in your opinion....doesn't make it the truth.

And before you bounce back with the expected "your opinion doesn't make it the truth either" I am not saying it does.

[Sec24Row7]

He's also 2-0 lifetime in the playoffs against Duncan.

In 04 WCSF, Malone frustrated Duncan with his physicality and that was at age 40.

Ok... because that was the Series... Malone vs Duncan

Let's not forget the other 2.5 first ballot hall of famers in that series...

and Duncan's rookie year?

ROFL...

[bobbyjoe]

you are completely wrong on your logic. actually back then there were MORE rebounds than today. When Bird averaged 11 rpg in 1982-83 (his highest), he had a rebound rate of 15.7, while Duncan has averaged a 19 rebound rate in his prime. and please remember larry bird is 6'9, only 2 inches shorter than duncan.

Antoine Walker (6'8) averaged a rebound rate of 15 in his first two years, and i think no one label him as a great rebounder. so anyone saying bird is a better rebounder than duncan is just saying that Walker is a great rebounder.

Walker's first 2 years he was on a crap team with a weak frontcourt so his reb #'s were inflated.

Bird played alongside 2 great bigmen in Parish and McHale and still corralled 10.0 RPG for his career. With that frontcourt, Boston doesn't need him to be a major rebounder and yet he still was. The guy was great in all facets of the game because of his compe iveness. In Bird's first 3 years, he was at 13 rebounds a game in the playoffs!!!

Again, name me some Small Forwards with a higher career RPG than Larry Bird.

What's next, are you going to say that because Duncan was a better player than Magic Johnson because he got more rebounds, never mind that Magic was a PG?

[MadDog73]

Who cares about the past?

Duncan is the most dominant player in the NBA right now.

Not "the best power forward", the best player. Period.

Shaq = too old

LeBron = not there yet

Amare = LOL

I'd like to see somone argue there is a better player in the NBA currently...

[Sec24Row7]

Walker's first 2 years he was on a crap team with a weak frontcourt so his reb #'s were inflated.

Bird played alongside 2 great bigmen in Parish and McHale and still corralled 10.0 RPG for his career. With that frontcourt, Boston doesn't need him to be a major rebounder and yet he still was. The guy was great in all facets of the game because of his compe iveness. In Bird's first 3 years, he was at 13 rebounds a game in the playoffs!!!

Again, name me some Small Forwards with a higher career RPG than Larry Bird.

What's next, are you going to say that because Duncan was a better player than Magic Johnson because he got more rebounds, never mind that Magic was a PG?

No i think that 5 les 3 finals MVP's and 2nd all time in assists might stop us before we got there...

[samikeyp]

Bird and Duncan both played forward but in two totally different styles. Larry was a 3, TD is a 4. Why compare two different positions?