Someday, I hope Danny and Brad Stevens can turn the Celtics into this

[wayupnorth]

Easy peasy... just draft one of the 10 greatest players ever to live and build around him for 15 years.

Top ten?

I will give him the title of best power forward in history, but..

you know, I just tried to list ten better players than Timmy, but I couldn't do it.

I guess you kind of forget just how good he was/is.

[LarBrd33]

Easy peasy... just draft one of the 10 greatest players ever to live and build around him for 15 years.

Top ten?

I will give him the title of best power forward in history, but..

you know, I just tried to list ten better players than Timmy, but I couldn't do it.

I guess you kind of forget just how good he was/is.

Yeah... Simmons had him 7th on his hall of fame pyramid.

4? NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)
3? NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005)
2? NBA Most Valuable Player (2002?2003)
14? NBA All-Star (1998, 2000?2011, 2013)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000)
10? All-NBA First Team (1998?2005, 2007, 2013)
3? All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008?2009)
All-NBA Third Team (2010)
8? All-Defensive First Team (1999?2003, 2005, 2007?2008)
6? All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004, 2006, 2009?2010, 2013)

Piece of cake... just land a transcendent once-a-decade superstar big man with the #1 pick in the draft, build around him for 15 years... blam.  Done.

If you want to see something freaky, check out Duncan's Per-36 over the years... his minutes have decreased, but he's remained basically the same player... even now at age 38.  Scary.
                                                   

Season    Age  Tm  FG%  3P%  FT%  TRB AST STL BLK  PTS
1997-98    21 SAS .549 .000 .662 11.0 2.5 0.6 2.3 19.4
1998-99    22 SAS .495 .143 .690 10.5 2.2 0.8 2.3 19.9
1999-00    23 SAS .490 .091 .761 11.5 2.9 0.8 2.1 21.5
2000-01    24 SAS .499 .259 .618 11.3 2.8 0.8 2.2 20.6
2001-02    25 SAS .508 .100 .799 11.3 3.3 0.7 2.2 22.6
2002-03    26 SAS .513 .273 .710 11.8 3.6 0.6 2.7 21.3
2003-04    27 SAS .501 .167 .599 12.2 3.0 0.9 2.6 21.9
2004-05    28 SAS .496 .333 .670 12.0 2.9 0.7 2.8 21.9
2005-06    29 SAS .484 .400 .629 11.4 3.3 0.9 2.1 19.2
2006-07    30 SAS .546 .111 .637 11.2 3.6 0.9 2.5 21.1
2007-08    31 SAS .497 .000 .730 12.0 3.0 0.8 2.1 20.5
2008-09    32 SAS .504 .000 .692 11.4 3.8 0.5 1.8 20.7
2009-10    33 SAS .518 .182 .725 11.6 3.6 0.7 1.7 20.6
2010-11    34 SAS .500 .000 .716 11.3 3.4 0.8 2.4 17.1
2011-12    35 SAS .492 .000 .695 11.5 2.9 0.8 1.9 19.7
2012-13    36 SAS .502 .286 .817 11.9 3.2 0.9 3.2 21.3
2013-14    37 SAS .490 .000 .731 12.0 3.7 0.7 2.3 18.7
Career            .506 .176 .694 11.5 3.2 0.8 2.3 20.6

[fitzhickey]

Easy peasy... just draft one of the 10 greatest players ever to live and build around him for 15 years.

Top ten?

I will give him the title of best power forward in history, but..

you know, I just tried to list ten better players than Timmy, but I couldn't do it.

I guess you kind of forget just how good he was/is.

Yeah... Simmons had him 7th on his hall of fame pyramid.

4? NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)
3? NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005)
2? NBA Most Valuable Player (2002?2003)
14? NBA All-Star (1998, 2000?2011, 2013)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000)
10? All-NBA First Team (1998?2005, 2007, 2013)
3? All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008?2009)
All-NBA Third Team (2010)
8? All-Defensive First Team (1999?2003, 2005, 2007?2008)
6? All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004, 2006, 2009?2010, 2013)

Piece of cake... just land a transcendent once-a-decade superstar big man with the #1 pick in the draft, build around him for 15 years... blam.  Done.

If you want to see something freaky, check out Duncan's Per-36 over the years... his minutes have decreased, but he's remained basically the same player... even now at age 38.  Scary.
                                                   

Season    Age  Tm  FG%  3P%  FT%  TRB AST STL BLK  PTS
1997-98    21 SAS .549 .000 .662 11.0 2.5 0.6 2.3 19.4
1998-99    22 SAS .495 .143 .690 10.5 2.2 0.8 2.3 19.9
1999-00    23 SAS .490 .091 .761 11.5 2.9 0.8 2.1 21.5
2000-01    24 SAS .499 .259 .618 11.3 2.8 0.8 2.2 20.6
2001-02    25 SAS .508 .100 .799 11.3 3.3 0.7 2.2 22.6
2002-03    26 SAS .513 .273 .710 11.8 3.6 0.6 2.7 21.3
2003-04    27 SAS .501 .167 .599 12.2 3.0 0.9 2.6 21.9
2004-05    28 SAS .496 .333 .670 12.0 2.9 0.7 2.8 21.9
2005-06    29 SAS .484 .400 .629 11.4 3.3 0.9 2.1 19.2
2006-07    30 SAS .546 .111 .637 11.2 3.6 0.9 2.5 21.1
2007-08    31 SAS .497 .000 .730 12.0 3.0 0.8 2.1 20.5
2008-09    32 SAS .504 .000 .692 11.4 3.8 0.5 1.8 20.7
2009-10    33 SAS .518 .182 .725 11.6 3.6 0.7 1.7 20.6
2010-11    34 SAS .500 .000 .716 11.3 3.4 0.8 2.4 17.1
2011-12    35 SAS .492 .000 .695 11.5 2.9 0.8 1.9 19.7
2012-13    36 SAS .502 .286 .817 11.9 3.2 0.9 3.2 21.3
2013-14    37 SAS .490 .000 .731 12.0 3.7 0.7 2.3 18.7
Career            .506 .176 .694 11.5 3.2 0.8 2.3 20.6

I think people forget how great he is

[D.o.s.]

I think Tim Duncan's underrated status might be getting overrated.

[Future Celtics Owner]

All they did was draft Tim Duncan........

[LarBrd33]

I think Tim Duncan's underrated status might be getting overrated.

He's not underrated.  He and Shaq were the greatest players of their generation.  I think it's a widely held belief he's the greatest PF ever... Simmons had him #7 in his Hall of Fame Pyramid a few years ago... and he's just adding to his legacy by continuing to lead teams deep into the thick of the playoffs. 

The premise of this thread is the hope that someday Danny and Brad can turn the Celtics into the Spurs... sure... all it'll take is landing one of the Top 10 greatest player ever and keeping him here for 15+ years.

[footey]

Danny Ainge understands "The Secret" of basketball - I truly believe this. I just think he wasn't able to replicate the beautiful side of basketball in the modern Celtics... yet. The Truth and KG and Ray Ray and Rondo were great. But only the Spurs truly epitomize team basketball in the modern era. This video is a thing of beauty...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6NbJMq-QfU

Great video.

Actually, I feel the ball movement with our last title run period (2007-12) was excellent, often as good as the Spurs.

[D.o.s.]

I think Tim Duncan's underrated status might be getting overrated.

He's not underrated.  He and Shaq were the greatest players of their generation.  I think it's a widely held belief he's the greatest PF ever... Simmons had him #7 in his Hall of Fame Pyramid a few years ago... and he's just adding to his legacy by continuing to lead teams deep into the thick of the playoffs. 

The premise of this thread is the hope that someday Danny and Brad can turn the Celtics into the Spurs... sure... all it'll take is landing one of the Top 10 greatest player ever and keeping him here for 15+ years.

Your reading comprehension might be in danger of 'overrated' 

[Celtics4ever]

86 Celtics when Bird and Walton on the floor was fun ball movement.

[LarBrd33]

I think Tim Duncan's underrated status might be getting overrated.

He's not underrated.  He and Shaq were the greatest players of their generation.  I think it's a widely held belief he's the greatest PF ever... Simmons had him #7 in his Hall of Fame Pyramid a few years ago... and he's just adding to his legacy by continuing to lead teams deep into the thick of the playoffs. 

The premise of this thread is the hope that someday Danny and Brad can turn the Celtics into the Spurs... sure... all it'll take is landing one of the Top 10 greatest player ever and keeping him here for 15+ years.

Your reading comprehension might be in danger of 'overrated' 

Oh my mistake... you think it's overrated how underrated Duncan's underrated overrated status is.  Makes sense.   So essentially you're saying Duncan's underrated overrated status proves he's underrated...  one of the best ever.  Agreed.

[D.o.s.]

Right, but the opposite. 

Similarly to the way Carmelo Anthony's been called 'overrated' so often the last few years that he's arguably underrated now, the idea that Tim Duncan's is an 'underrated player' is remarkably overdone, considering the fact that we're all basically in agreement that he's, at worst, one of the five best power forwards of all time.


Even if he's secretly played center for the last few years.

[LarBrd33]

the idea that Tim Duncan's is an 'underrated player' is remarkably overdone

And my point to you is that Duncan is not "underrated" or "overrated" at all.  He's widely believed to be the greatest PF ever... one of the top 10 players of all time... He's properly rated as such. 

[Celtics18]

They have truly been a marvel.

Those three guys together are something special.  I would love to see them get past the Thunder and get another title.  It's not looking positive right now.  I'd say one of the two superstar teams is looking like the favorites again this year. 

It would certainly be cool, though.  And, it would be doubly cool to once again build our own next contender around the team concept as opposed to around the one player concept.

[LooseCannon]

Maybe Ainge plans on building a team with the same sort of athleticism as the Spurs.

[mgent]

Maybe Ainge plans on building a team with the same sort of athleticism as the Spurs.

Fine with me.  Rondo is the only guy in the league who can run a one man fast-break as well as Parker (now that Nash is 6 feet under).

Please Danny, build this team as close to the Spurs as possible!  I simply LOVE watching them play (although that probably has as much to do with Pops as it does their talent).