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Well said (and do ented).
I'm fascinated by watching Tim Duncan find his place among the all-time greats. As the years click by his accomplishments seem to become more and more impressive. This playoff run has seen Tim put some additional luster on his already sparkling resume.
For instance, Tim has scored 371 points in this playoff season, which moved him into 13th place all-time for playoff points scored. The names in front of him comprise a fairly impressive list of NBA royalty: Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, Jerry West, Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Elgin Baylor, and Wilt Chamberlain. Tim's place is as high as it is even though he's not in the top 40 all-time in playoff appearances -- at least not yet (with a 7 game Finals, he'd reach the top 35; with a 4 game Finals, he'll be just inside the top 40).
Tim is also now in the top 10 all-time in playoff rebounding with 1682 boards. With his next playoff rebound, he'll tie Larry Bird for 9th place. If he grabs 43 boards in the Finals, he'll move past Elgin Baylor into 8th place. If he pulls down 83 boards in the Finals (about 14 per game over a 6 game series), he'll pass Robert Parish for 7th place all-time. Unless Tim is a rebounding beast in the Finals or unless the Finals go to 7 games and he grabs 13+ rebounds per game, he'll be in position to pass Wes Unseld in 2008 and move himself into 6th all-time in that category. Once in 6th place, the only names in front of Duncan in that category will be Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, and Karl Malone. The latter 3 have all played at least 60 more playoff games than Duncan.
Tim is also now 4th all-time in playoff blocked shots (though this category is a bit corrupted, since the league didn't track blocks until relatively recently). Still, Tim is comfortably 4th with 371 playoff blocks. If he could block 28 shots during the Finals, he would pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 3rd place and be within shouting distance of Shaq (433) and Hakeem (472) for the all-time lead.
There are obviously differences in considering his place all-time when it comes to per game averages in these categories, but you don't get into the heights that Tim has reached without playing well enough in the playoffs to keep your team alive for several rounds every year.
It might be that nobody else cares, but I'm appreciative for the fact that I get to watch this man work -- and continue to cement his place among the greatest of the great.
Well said (and do ented).
Cliff's Notes version: Tim Duncan is awesome!
Very, impressive indeed. And you figure Tim has at least three or four more years of pretty deep playoff runs left, so I figure by the time he retires he'll be among the five or so all time greats, hands down.
Well done.
Thank you.
I'm fascinated as well, and I care deeply.
Thanks for something worthwhile to read among all this Cav troll nonsense.
Duncan is the reason I watch, the reason I'm a Spurs fan.
There's no one in the league as complete a player on both ends of the court.
The company he keeps in the record books will speak volumes as to who he is and what he means to this game.
It's an honor to watch him play.
Duncan is the best player I've ever seen and will probably ever see in my lifetime
Excellent post, FWD. My list below of Tim's career accomplishments isn't so fine, but it's a list that people don't pay enough attention to.
Let's compare the first ten seasons of Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird:
Bird: Avg. W-L 59-23, 3 championships, 3 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs
Magic: Avg. W-L 59-23, 5 championships, 2 MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs
Jordan: Avg W-L 49-33, 3 championships, 3 MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs
O'Neal: Avg W-L 56-26, 3 championships, 1 MVP, 3 Finals MVPs
Duncan: Avg W-L 58-24, 3 championships, 2 MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs
This is year ten for Tim, so the championship number may move to four soon.
No matter what your list consists of Duncan is simply the best. Or close enough for me.
Good stuff. I need to write up a piece on how FWD continues to cement his place among all-time great posters.
td
Amen to that.
I didn't realize how far up he was in those categories and with fewer playoff appearances. That's amazing, plain and simple.
Thanks for sharing.
FWD just reminded me what a pleasure
and privilege
it is to watch the most ruthless player I will ever see play the game of basketball in my life.
Go Duncan Go.
Michael Jordan wasn't kicking ass in your life time? What are you like eight years old?
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