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[Poll & Discussion] Best player of last generation

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by OTMax, Jul 12, 2016.

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Best of last generation

  1. Duncan

    100 vote(s)
    49.0%
  2. Kobe

    48 vote(s)
    23.5%
  3. Shaq

    47 vote(s)
    23.0%
  4. Dirk

    3 vote(s)
    1.5%
  5. KG

    4 vote(s)
    2.0%
  6. Other (specify please ;)

    2 vote(s)
    1.0%
  1. OTMax

    OTMax Member

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    So, with some of us already talking about in Tim Duncan's retirement thread, let's see what people can come up with. These are the kind of topics that make a forum, right?

    Here's a take by some regular dude from ESPN:

    So who is your pick and why? I already thought Duncan was and this just supports it, so I've nothing else to add. Just a great guy who could do it all and might have even bested Hakeem if they ever went head-to-head in their primes. Just an all-round, fundamentally sound player who completed where David Robinson left off and took an organisation into stratosphere and arguably one of the most successful ones in his 20 years in any major sport around the world.

    My top reason outside him being an all-round player like Hakeem, a leader by example as well, is he never had a Kobe or Shaq type of impact player. Parker and Ginobli are good, but Kobe is #2 in my book on this list and I'm not so sure he would be if it wasn't for another great player in Shaq. Give Duncan a guy of that magnitude and there's no telling what he could've accomplished.

    Then again, he didn't need to because it was all team oriented and that might actually be his greatest accomplishment. To lead and do all he was able to do while never being selfish and making the team be about him.
     
  2. mac2yao

    mac2yao Member

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    Generations are weird. LeBron James isn't in Duncan's generation, but Kobe and Shaq are the same generation? Anyway, just ranking these players:

    Shaq > Duncan > Garnett > Kobe > Dirk
     
  3. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    SHAQ, DUNCAN

    KOBY


    GARNETT, DIRK
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. CDrex

    CDrex Contributing Member

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    Duncan and Shaq are really close.

    Shaq clearly the better offensive player. Duncan clearly the better defensive player by about the same amount.

    Shaq clearly had the more dominant prime. Duncan clearly had the greater twilight (and ended up playing longer in terms of minutes played).

    I have to admit it's personal taste that decides it for me, I loved the Spurs culture and would have loved to play with Duncan, and I rooted against the Lakers culture.
     
  5. sugrlndkid

    sugrlndkid Member

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    If I had a choice between Prime Duncan vs Prime Shaq during the course of a game...I take Shaq. Shaq could not be defend 1-1 in the post. During the height of the Lakers Spurs (99-04) the Lakers won 14-11 over a 5 year head to head stretch.

    That being said, Id take Duncan if it were about making one game winning play/shot.
     
  6. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

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    I detest the dude... but gotta go Kobe....
     
  7. saleem

    saleem Contributing Member

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    I voted for Duncan, because he was the best all round player and very consistent.
     
  8. torque

    torque Contributing Member
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    Y'all don't remember how dominant Shaq was.
     
  9. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    How good would Shaq and Duncan be in today's NBA? They would be fouling shaq even more than he was. They would be shooting way more 3s. He might become a liability in today's NBA.
     
  10. AirBud#10

    AirBud#10 Member

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    Peak: Shaq

    Highest consistent level of play: Duncan

    Most iconic: Kobe
     
  11. ISOBall

    ISOBall Member

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  12. RHU525

    RHU525 Member
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    Sure the lakers won 14-11 but Shaq had Kobe.
     
  13. pirc1

    pirc1 Contributing Member

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    SHAQ in his prime cannot be stopped other than hack a SHAQ.
     
  14. awc713

    awc713 Member

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    Quick argument for KG, because I doubt anyone else chooses him:

    A lot of a player's success is determined by luck. The other players are great (and I have a very hard time not selecting Shaq), but from a pure player standpoint, irrespective of teams, organizations, coaches, etc., I have to go with prime KG.

    I wonder how Duncan would have fared in Minnesota, without Pop. He's an all-time great, no doubt. Not taking away from him. But, where you are drafted dictates how you develop to a certain extent. I mean, there's a reason there aren't any Knicks or Kings on the list, if that makes sense.

    Same goes for Kobe. Guy was absolutely blessed with talent around him. What happens if he gets drafted/spends his career in Sacramento instead? Again, not taking anything away from him, but how these players progressed was largely influenced on factors outside of "who is the best player" (in my opinion, at least).
     
  15. Eric00009

    Eric00009 Member

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    Nobody was better than kobe point blank period Duncan benefits from great coaching and his core players sticking around my opinion shaq was better and kg was better but nobody was kobe Bryant period
     
  16. OTMax

    OTMax Member

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    I get the Shaq dominance, but he's not the best all-round player. Cannot shoot, only dunk and lay it up, cannot shoot FTs and without Kobe I'm not so sure he wins all those titles.
     
  17. Duncan McDonuts

    Duncan McDonuts Contributing Member

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    It's hard to evaluate because Shaq broke the game. His dominance forced the NBA to change its rules. Given their careers now, it's a toss up. But if Shaq was allowed to play his game, Shaq for sure.
     
  18. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Fixed.
     
  19. gqgeo

    gqgeo Member

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    Duncan | Kobe
    Shaq
    Dirk | KG
     
  20. Amiga

    Amiga I get vaunted sacred revelations from social media
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    I will said Duncan.

    Because the next two are on the same teams for multiple seasons. Would Shaq or Kobe win as much as they did if they were never teammates?
     

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