I'm been thinking about this a lot lately, especially now that it looks like Karla will be winning a ring with the Lakers. Is Malone the greatest PF of all time? Obviously, most Rockets fans have pretty strong feeling abour Karl to say the least, but I've noticed that most, including myself, would concede that he is indeed the best ever. The more I think aobut it, the more I think that it might just be Tim Duncan. Lets looks at some of their accomplishments: Duncan - 2 rings, 2 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 All-Star MVP, Rookie of the Year, 5 time All-NBA First team, 5 time All-Defensive First Team, has only missed 8 games in his career Malone - 0 rings, 2 MVPs, 2 All-Star MVPs, 11 Time All-NBA First Team, 2 Time All-NBA Second Time, and once All-NBA Third Team, 3 Time All-Defensive Team Selection, once All-Defensive Second Team, second in league history on all-time scoring list, two Olympic gold medals, has only missed 10 games in his career I think the argument is a lot like Marino vs. Montana. Sure, Dan has the stats, but would you really rank him ahead of Montana? Or Elway? Or even Steve Young, or Brett Favre? The rings the thing. But will it really mean anything if Karl wins a ring in L.A.? It seems as though it would just be a formality (if that makes sense). Thoughts?
It is still a team game and rings are earned by teams not individuals. Individuals win matchups not titles.
I only compare statistics at the end of someones career. Before it just makes no sense (to me). To get some rings you need some good players on your team even if you are a superstar. Malone had Stockton and they reached the playoffs almost as long they've played together. They reached the finals twice and lost to the MJ lead Bulls. Thats no shame I guess. Also I guess it was much harder to get to the finals some years ago in the nineties then it is now. (In the east you can go there by sleeping). Therefore I do not give that much value to the Spurs rings since the first one was on the shortend season and this one was against the nets (a good team - but not a terror team). Of course to win the west you can't do it while throwing butterfingers in the crowd. Looking back at Malones numbers - I think every GM would take a player like him in a heartbeat. He always played (10 missed games - thats just amazing) and produced. Of course he's a cheapshot a lot of times but when he would have played on the Rox we would laugh on the opponents he fouled and flipped on. To make it short - rings are the thing and great - but not one player alone brings the rings normally. Malone is a very solid-good and enduring power forward. TD is very solid-good power forward - lets wait for the future. I'm not a Malone fan - I just enjoy if someone is that good for so long. cheers & peace GO ROCKETS !!!
1) Tim Duncan is a CENTER. He is no more a power forward than Yao or Shaq or Olajuwon are. Duncan is only a PF by DEFAULT because Robinson is/was there. Otherwise he is a center anywhere else in the league. He played CENTER for the US team this summer. I don't think Duncan and Malone should be compared. 2) What is the deal with "Karla" and Karl Malone? Is calling him a girls name supposed to be an insult? I never understood that.
Karl Malone is ahead of Tim Duncan -- for career greatness, at this point. Just as Malone lapped Barkley TD may yet lap KM. Boston had a pretty fair 4 themselves in Kevin McHale. I have never been convinced any 4 bettered McHale. All that said, all four 4's have had magnificent careers (and TD still is).
Why shouldn't they be compared? They're matched up together. Do you think Rasho will be defending Karl when the Spurs and Lakers meet? I don't. When you defend other PFs and other PFs defend you, you should be considered a PF, and likewise compared to other PFs. Yes.
Keep an eye on KG. He is already changeing the game. In 3 years he should be the best player in the NBA. In 10 he might be considered the best forward ever. As of right now, Karla is probaby the bes........cant say it dammit!! nah, screw karla
Well, no, not necessarily, I understand that he's saying Duncan plays the pivot and is thus a center, but just because he plays like a center doesn't mean he is a center. Not as long as he's defending PFs and is being defended by PFs. He might not play like most other PFs, but that doesn't mean he can't be compared to other PFs. That's like saying Flopton and Magic can't be compared because one played primarily in the halfcourt, while the other ran the break.
Just because guys can do things others in their position normally can't--e.g. Magic could score/rb, Barkley could pass and handle like a PG, ditto with Pippen and Webber, TD can block shots on par with a very good defensive center--does not mean those guys are not a PG, PF, SF, PF and PF respectively. You are what you play--and that makes TD a power forward. Further TD excells at everything PFs are supposed to excell in. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and plays like a duck--even if it is as big as a goose--it is still a duck. On the issue at hand, Malone has to be considered the greater PF right now simply because of the mountain of years/stats. If both were in their prime it is a tough call who is better, probably inch toward Duncan but not a 100%.
Really? i never got the chance to see this guy play. I remember bill walton talking one time that McHale had the best, and most post moves out of any1 ever, just above dream and a few others. He talked about McHale putting guys in the "torture chamber" and using every post move he had until one worked. This sounds great but bill walton hypes up every guy he sees so i dont know
Yeah, I'd put Karl as the best PF of all time. Just to see what he can still do, at his age, is amazing. Like they said, he's missed 10 games in almost 20 years! You look at guys like Carter who missed twice that many games in two months this past year, and you really appreciate his work ethic. I probably won't acknowledge his championship this year (IF the Lakers win) because they could have won without him anyway, but I still have all the respect in the world for Malone and the rest his career accomplishments.
This isn't just Walton hyperbole, McHale really did have the greatest post moves ever, IMHO, with the Dream a close second. Bill played with him for a few years too, so he knows first hand. That being said, I would still rank Duncan, Barkley, Malone, and possibly Pettit ahead of him on the all-time list. But he was a great player, nonetheless.
Bob pettit was excellent, but last of your list. Dead last. I think Hakeem had more moves than McHale, but McHale was #1 as a 4 along with (hated) Malone. barkley was better, but without the longevity. CB fell off exponentially in the latter years.
It's tough to argue for McHale as best PF of all time because his stats were never that great. He was never the #1 option, so he had many 19 ppg years. If Duncan can play near this level for a long time then he will be the GOAT of power forwards. Nobody remembers the runner-up, and that's what Karl Malone will always be.
Barkley is the best 4 of all time. In his prime, he would smoke Kung-fu Karla. Just because Malone was lucky to never be injured, and had the #1 assist man of all time feeding him the ball constantly, he racked up a mountain of points. Head-to-head, Barkley would kick his ass.
The one problem with your statement that Duncan is no more a Power Forward than Shaq or Yao is that Duncan actually plays Power Forward. Shaq and Yao do not play power forward. So should we dismiss Magic Johnson as a Point Guard and refur to him as a Small Forward just because he was 6'9"? Tim Duncan is just as much a power forward as Magic Johnson was a point guard. I don't think there is any doubt that calling Karl Malone, Karla is meant as an insult. Personally I think it fits as much as he whines to the refs.
