article on Durant - his top 5 all-time team

[slamtheking]

link:
http://news.yahoo.com/kevin-durant-rattles-off-time-172303286.html

of particular note:
"Well, good question. I would stay with Magic Johnson as a basis for their exceptional height, vision and be a triple-double machine. As guard Kobe Bryant is a legend and five-time champion. It?s been half-life in the NBA! Michael Jordan like three. Sorry for Larry Bird, but I have to let him out for Kobe. As a power forward is difficult, between Karl Malone, Tim Duncan ? I stay with Tim Duncan . For longevity, the securities and the impact it has had and still has on the court. And Shaquille O?Neal as a dominant center."


I've lost any respect I had for him.  leaving out Bird and Russell and including Kobe, Shaq and Duncan just calls into question his basketball IQ.   Just so disappointed and sad and such a p---poor evaluation of the greatest players of all time

[Endless Paradise]

On what planet is Tim Duncan not worthy of being mentioned as one of the best big men to ever play the game?

Edit: and Shaq, for that matter.

[slamtheking]

On what planet is Tim Duncan not worthy of being mentioned as one of the best big men to ever play the game?

Edit: and Shaq, for that matter.

I'm not saying they aren't AMONG the best.  I disagree that they're top 5 or better than Bird or Russell or Wilt or Kareem or Mchale or several others.

[Monkhouse]

link:
http://news.yahoo.com/kevin-durant-rattles-off-time-172303286.html

of particular note:
"Well, good question. I would stay with Magic Johnson as a basis for their exceptional height, vision and be a triple-double machine. As guard Kobe Bryant is a legend and five-time champion. It?s been half-life in the NBA! Michael Jordan like three. Sorry for Larry Bird, but I have to let him out for Kobe. As a power forward is difficult, between Karl Malone, Tim Duncan ? I stay with Tim Duncan . For longevity, the securities and the impact it has had and still has on the court. And Shaquille O?Neal as a dominant center."


I've lost any respect I had for him.  leaving out Bird and Russell and including Kobe, Shaq and Duncan just calls into question his basketball IQ.   Just so disappointed and sad and such a p---poor evaluation of the greatest players of all time

I think Stockton, Jordan, Bird, Duncan and Shaq would be one of the most dominant teams ever. Magic Johnson is the best PG, but Stockton would be perfect on that team.

[Endless Paradise]

Both Shaq and Duncan can pretty easily be considered superior players to McHale.

[Ogaju]

On what planet is Tim Duncan not worthy of being mentioned as one of the best big men to ever play the game?

Edit: and Shaq, for that matter.

On the planet where Hakeem Olajuwon has them for lunch, dinner, nightcap, and breakfast the next morning.

[Roy H.]

Eh, he's young.  He's naming guys he saw play.  It shows a lack of historic perspective, but lots of other guys fall into that same category.

Plus, there's no "right" answer to the question, although I think most folks would agree that Kobe has no serious claim to a starting position.

(For the record, it's Russell / Duncan / Bird / Jordan / Magic.  Partial credit is given for listing Kareem or Wilt at center.)

[Endless Paradise]

On what planet is Tim Duncan not worthy of being mentioned as one of the best big men to ever play the game?

Edit: and Shaq, for that matter.

On the planet where Hakeem Olajuwon has them for lunch, dinner, nightcap, and breakfast the next morning.

So, by your logic, the same thing applies to Bill Russell 'cause Wilt?

[Moranis]

You also don't see the question which was translated from a Spanish speaking site.  Maybe the question asked him about players he saw play. 

But Duncan or Malone are clearly the 2 best PF's and he mentioned them both and then went with the guy who most people think is the greatest PF in history (i.e. Duncan).

[Ogaju]

You also don't see the question which was translated from a Spanish speaking site.  Maybe the question asked him about players he saw play. 

But Duncan or Malone are clearly the 2 best PF's and he mentioned them both and then went with the guy who most people think is the greatest PF in history (i.e. Duncan).

You cannot bail him out on that he lost all credibility once he forced Kobe on the team by putting him out of position. Kobe and MJ play the same position. MJ in Kobe out. Once he tried to force Kobe in he opens himself to criticism. Force Kobe in then you have to force Hakeem in next to Russell.

[D.o.s.]

He's naming guys he saw play.  It shows a lack of historic perspective, but lots of other guys fall into that same category.

Correct.

[jambr380]

You also don't see the question which was translated from a Spanish speaking site.  Maybe the question asked him about players he saw play. 

But Duncan or Malone are clearly the 2 best PF's and he mentioned them both and then went with the guy who most people think is the greatest PF in history (i.e. Duncan).

You cannot bail him out on that he lost all credibility once he forced Kobe on the team by putting him out of position. Kobe and MJ play the same position. MJ in Kobe out. Once he tried to force Kobe in he opens himself to criticism. Force Kobe in then you have to force Hakeem in next to Russell.

Absolutely love Hakeem and Duncan, but I would have them on the 2nd team (Kareem could take Hakeem's spot) if we are 'forcing' players into position. Russell and Wilt could probably work it out if they had to play together and I would put them along with Bird, Jordan, and Magic on my team.

[Vermont Green]

It is actually an interesting approach to take both Kobe and Jordan.  Think of it this way, after Durant makes his picks, now you get to pick from the rest and have the two teams play.

He has Magic-Kobe-Jordan-Duncan-Shaq

To match up against this team I would take

Oscar Robertson (PG)
Jerry West ? (SG)
LeBron (SG)
Bill Russell (PF)
Kareem (C)

4 of 5 positions are clear.  I love Larry but I would rather have LeBron to match up with Jordan and I know that Bill Russell played Center but he could play PF along side of Kareem and would be perfect to match up with Duncan. But with Kobe and Jordan off the board, who is the next best SG?  I put Jerry West in but feel he would be the weak point in my team.  Other options off of the all time scoring list are Havlicek, Ray Allen, and Reggie Miller but I feel that any of these are kind of a drop off from Kobe or Jordan.

Taking Kobe and Jordan is kind of smart.  If Durant took Bird for example, I could then take Kobe at SG and Lebron at SF and actually have a better team.  I am sure that is Durant's plan   

[Csfan1984]

This is why I like decade teams. But all time to matchup to face any other five I'd go
PG- Big O
SG-Jordan
SF- Bird
PF- KG
C- The Dream

[guava_wrench]

The only think about this list that disappoints me is that people still get upset about other people's top 5 lists.