Tim Duncan is now top five all time.

[Fafnir]

I don't get the overtakes Kobe thing still.

I think Shaq, Dirk, Duncan, and KG have all been clearly better players than Kobe has. Its unfair to be a guard compared to the giants in the end, only Jordan has overcome it really but its just reality in basketball.

[fairweatherfan]

I don't think Duncan can quite be called a top 5 player.  I can't pick one of Russell/Wilt/Kareem/Magic/Larry/Jordan that he can be considered greater than, let alone two.

I do think he's the closest thing we've got to a modern Russell, in that his most eye-popping stats all revolve around how many games and series he's won.  (I know Bill's got crazy rebounding and in theory block numbers, but you get the idea).  The greatest winner of his generation by far, maybe the greatest since Russell himself.

[pearljammer10]

I would honestly give Duncan the nod over Bird. Look at the guy's pedigree. 5-time champ, 2-time MVP, 3 time Finals MVP, best PF to ever play the game, and does it with such grace and class... factor in his longevity. Top 5 easily. The guy won a championship in 3 different decades for God's sake.

MJ, Russell, Abdul-Jabaar, Magic, Duncan.

I agree , it hurts that he should have been a Celtic. Whats even worse is that in his heart Im sure he is a Celtic, playing with grace and class and playing team ball.

Now your top five is good, but Id add SHAQ.

I honestly have to agree here as well.

Duncan have just been consistently unbelievable during his 17 season. He's never really been injured and has 16, 50+ win seasons. That one season being the lockout... The dude is so good that his team still won 50+ games in a lockout year!

He benefits from the professionalism of the Spurs but he completely changed a franchise with his talent, play,grace, and winning attitude. He literally has created his own NBA era. He's 38 and it's still Duncan's time. That's impressive.

[mgent]

1. Jordan
2. Russell
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Larry
6. Magic
7. Big O

Those are the untouchable 7 that I don't even think LeBron will get close to.  After that I usually go

8. Dr. J
9. Hakeem
10. Shaq

...which I don't think Duncan can break either.  Shaq's dominance of other players is greater than Duncan's dominance of a decade.  They'll probably both admit that Hakeem was better.

Duncan is somewhere just outside the top 10 list with guys like Jerry West.  I definitely wouldn't put him on a different tier than McHale and Malone (and arguably KG).

[wdleehi]

I don't get the overtakes Kobe thing still.

I think Shaq, Dirk, Duncan, and KG have all been clearly better players than Kobe has. Its unfair to be a guard compared to the giants in the end, only Jordan has overcome it really but its just reality in basketball.

Completely agree.



Think Duncan is a top 10 player of all time, but the starting PF if you had to put together a starting lineup using specific positions.

[Roy H.]

I don't get the overtakes Kobe thing still.

I think Shaq, Dirk, Duncan, and KG have all been clearly better players than Kobe has. Its unfair to be a guard compared to the giants in the end, only Jordan has overcome it really but its just reality in basketball.

I hate Kobe and I like Dirk, but I still have Kobe over Dirk.

[Donoghus]

I don't get the overtakes Kobe thing still.

I think Shaq, Dirk, Duncan, and KG have all been clearly better players than Kobe has. Its unfair to be a guard compared to the giants in the end, only Jordan has overcome it really but its just reality in basketball.

I hate Kobe and I like Dirk, but I still have Kobe over Dirk.

As much as it pains me (despise Kobe) , I tend to agree.

[Moranis]

Duncan is the best PF in history, but he is not top 5 all time.  Back half of the top ten is the absolute peak for him.

He's a center, the majority of his HoF career has been at C. He needs to be compared to Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Moses.

Not the somewhat less impressive figures at PF.

The majority of his career has been at PF.  He has certainly played center a fair amount and there was a period of about 3 years where he was mainly a center, but through 2006, he was almost exclusively a power forward and the last few years he has been mostly a power forward (with Splitter playing center).

[Fafnir]

Duncan is the best PF in history, but he is not top 5 all time.  Back half of the top ten is the absolute peak for him.

He's a center, the majority of his HoF career has been at C. He needs to be compared to Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Moses.

Not the somewhat less impressive figures at PF.

The majority of his career has been at PF.  He has certainly played center a fair amount and there was a period of about 3 years where he was mainly a center, but through 2006, he was almost exclusively a power forward and the last few years he has been mostly a power forward (with Splitter playing center).

He plays the central role on offense as a post and pick and roll big and is the primary paint guy and help defender on defense. He's a C, they just have the luxury of playing less skilled offensive big men next to him due to his jump shot and overall greatness.

Less skilled big men get called Cs in the modern era.

Duncan is a Center and has played that position more minutes than PF. He should be compared to the great all-time big men, including other Cs.

[Fafnir]

I don't get the overtakes Kobe thing still.

I think Shaq, Dirk, Duncan, and KG have all been clearly better players than Kobe has. Its unfair to be a guard compared to the giants in the end, only Jordan has overcome it really but its just reality in basketball.

I hate Kobe and I like Dirk, but I still have Kobe over Dirk.

As much as it pains me (despise Kobe) , I tend to agree.

Dirk's longevity as the primary player for playoff (or near playoff teams) without nearly the cast around him makes me put him over Kobe. Nearly as prolific with scoring but more efficient and greater longevity as an impact player.

Team success is superior for Kobe, but then again he's had superior teammates as well.

[LilRip]

while I dont think hes in the top5 all time, he is likely the best PF in league history.

[LooseCannon]

Saying he is top five now suggests that he recently knocked someone out of the top five.  You can't make a claim like this without saying who he replaced in the top five.

Can't we just taunt Heat fans by claiming that Timmy is greater than Lebron James will ever be?

[Surferdad]

1. Jordan
2. Russell
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Larry
6. Magic
7. Big O

Those are the untouchable 7 that I don't even think LeBron will get close to.  After that I usually go

8. Dr. J
9. Hakeem
10. Shaq
...which I don't think Duncan can break either.  Shaq's dominance of other players is greater than Duncan's dominance of a decade.  They'll probably both admit that Hakeem was better.

Duncan is somewhere just outside the top 10 list with guys like Jerry West.  I definitely wouldn't put him on a different tier than McHale and Malone (and arguably KG).

I would put Duncan right at #10 and move Dr.J to just outside the top ten:

1. Jordan
2. Russell
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Larry
6. Magic
7. Hakeem
8. Big O
9. Shaq
10. Duncan

[Rondohara]

Talking about career achievements plus players individual quality there is:

"The Unquestionable 3"
Russel, Jordan, KAJ

Then the tier below with "The other 4"
Magic, Bird, Wilt and Duncan would be the 4th.

(So Duncan has a chance of top 5)

Then "tier 3":
Kobe, Hakeem, Shaq, Oscar...

Havlicek, M. Malone, Karl Malone, Baylor, West, Dr. J,  Cousy etc.

LePebble will be lucky to get in Tier 3.

[moiso]

Duncan is the best PF in history, but he is not top 5 all time.  Back half of the top ten is the absolute peak for him.

He's a center, the majority of his HoF career has been at C. He needs to be compared to Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Moses.

Not the somewhat less impressive figures at PF.

The majority of his career has been at PF.  He has certainly played center a fair amount and there was a period of about 3 years where he was mainly a center, but through 2006, he was almost exclusively a power forward and the last few years he has been mostly a power forward (with Splitter playing center).

Splitter has played 20 minutes a game both this year and for his career and a lot of those minutes are when Duncan is on the bench.  In the finals Duncan was the C and Diaw was the PF.

I like the Russell comparison.  Duncan is just a winner.