Who was a better player in their prime...Charles Barkley vs. Kevin Durant?

Prime Scottie also did not carry a team outside of that one year MJ played baseball.

 

Skill and talent wise KD is better than Barkley. Charles was one of those rare guys who maximized every iota of talent they had through effort and determination. Durant rarely shows that level of heart or force of will in a game.

 

I still can't believe Barkley had the career he had playing in the NBA as a 6'4" power forward. Maybe 6'5" on a good day.

 

KD averaged over 7 rebounds a game for a small forward- that’s pretty good, especially with him lurking on the perimeter so often.

 

These are very similar impact players.

 

Barkley was a beast bro, him and kj on the suns. Durant is another Harden. Needs to be 3rd wheel to get a trophy. But hell he did the same stuff around Pippen, and the Dream, so why is he talking so much smack on KD, is beyond me lol

 

I do dig Barkley a lot though, the Philly and Suns version.

 

Inch for inch, barkley.

Pound for pound, Durant.

 

KD without his free ride in GS wouldn’t even be above Harden in the all-time rankings

Harden has more offensive feats and taking GS to 7 is more impressive than anything KD has done…if KD wasn’t on GS, or if CP3’s hamstring survives, Harden probably has a title on his resume while KD would still be ringless

 

nicknames in the 2000s and below were lame: the answer, round mound of rebound, dream, air, admiral, boring duncan donut, hibachi, half man half injured, pet raptor, etc.

today's acronyms are where it's at.

 

Hard disagree. Round Mound of Rebound is an all time great nickname, far better than anything used today. Other competitors were Dream, Human Highlight Reel, Chocolate Thunder, Basketball Jesus, The Pearl, and Magic.

 

Not even close, KD dominated in the finals, there were games where he made it look so easy it felt like a pre season game with how calm he was, i think thats why ppl don't recognize how good he was/is. In the last Olympics, He was hands down the best player on the planet. W a subpar team and competition better than ever , he carried the team. Without him, USA would have been embarrassed. He was the best player on multiple finals matchups and olympics which all resulted in winning.

 

Just out of curiousity..is the PF position the weakest to carry a team? I'm looking at Barkley, Malone etc. would one classify Bird as a prototypical PF or more the modern small forward with his range? I just cant recall any PF led teams being as good as guard centric or centre - centric led teams.

 

Weird comparison. They are both so different. I'd put them roughly even I guess.

Also, Pippen is a tier below.

 

I would take Barkley over KD to build a team around any day.

KD is like Pete Sampras. Barkley is like Rapha Nadal.

That is that Kevin Durant is far too clinical for my taste and he doesn't have the intangibles of a Barkley.
But he is such a fundamentally sound player with superior length to anybody else which makes him a great player by default.

 

My initials were was KD, but that’s tough. Barkley was a beast in prime before the rockets. Great rebounder for his frame. KD has a better shot. KD is a scoring machine.

The game was different and these both don’t compare in a similar fashion. Barkley was just unlucky, because like every superstar in that frame. Ran into MJ or Dream before having their title hopes crushed…

Outside of Seattle, that Suns team gave us fits. We just had their number when it mattered the most. The playoffs.

 

Tim Duncan. I know he played C too but I always viewed Timmeh as a PF. The greatest PF of all time.

 

turrible

 

I think history will remember KD as the better player. When it comes to entertainment value though, Barkley might be the greatest of all time

 

Going with Barkley-
Any Durant led team would of got swept by the 94-95 Houston Rockets in the Playoffs.