Kenny finally poses the KG question that's been on my mind for years...

Yeah, but he was beginning to past his prime, I mentioned this in Yao vs. Dirk thread....that alot of superstars have to get on a better team before they win titles.

Do you think Kareem would've won another title, if he stayed in Milwaukee.

 

I think you anti KG people are being unfair. The two times KG has had talent around him, he has had tremendous team success. This year and in 04, his team had the best record in the NBA. His team also finished ahead of Duncan's to win the division that year and went further in the playoffs. He also had to face the Lakers in the Western Conference finals without Sam Cassell, and in the end with an unhealthy Sam. Cassell, was not a scoring machine, but was their second best player. The series still went 6 games.

Wait till the end of this year, if the Celtics cannot pull through and KG is lackluster through the playoffs, criticize then. I think the Celtics come through and win it all and KG is the main reason. Let's see what happens.

 

2007-2008 season when Kobe scores 40+ in a game:

Wins: 5
Losses: 3

2007-2008 season when Kobe scores between 30-39 in a game:

Wins: 20
Losses: 8


2006-2007 When Kobe scores 40+ in a game:

Wins: 14
Losses: 5

2006-2007 When Kobe scores 30-39 in a game:

Wins: 8
Losses: 12

Do some homework before you posture.

 

Sorry forgot your 2005-2006 season critique:

2005-2006 When Kobe scored 40+ in a game:

Wins: 19
Losses: 9

 

That's true but having Nash on your team does help him a fair bit, no doubt no matter who he has on his team he would still be the beast he is but having one of the best PG's in the league does make it somewhat easier to score.

 

I don't know if this is necessarily true, when you consider how close the Timberwolves got to the NBA Finals with Cassell and Sprewell around KG.

And look at the Spurs. Duncan may be the best PF in the game, but he's not IMHO a dominant offensive presence, even though he can take over a game. There has been no point in the concurrent careers of Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett that I wouldn't take KG over Duncan.

Look at the 1999 Spurs. Duncan had an aging Robinson, a reliable Elliot, a capable Johnson, and Jaren Jackson.

Go look at the other two championships and you see similar strength in the supporting cast, except it's stronger with Ginobili and Parker.

Still, Kenny Smith's criticism of KG was and is fair. For all of KG's fierce moments, sometimes I wander whether he wants to be "the man".

 

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DPOY will get a hell of a shot to lead his team to a title this year....




If we had KG instead of Yao, do you think we would be out of the first round?

 

Well it was true especially for that team. Cassell and Spree might not be scorers in Kobe's class, but they ARE scorers and are fearless scorers at that. They don't mind taking the game winning shot and they thrived under those situations. Garnett is the best (ABSOLUTE BEST) sidekick player anyone can have. You think a Kobe and Gasol tandem is scary? Just imagine if that Garnett to LA trade would have went down during the offseason. You put a superstar with a team oriented mentality like Garnett with an alpha-dog type like Kobe?

This don't make sense to me. He's not an dominant offensive presence....but he can take over a game? Don't you have to be a dominant player to be able to take over a game and pretty much change the outcome of the game (as Duncan has done over the course of his career)?

He's had a strong supporting cast, no doubt about that. Manu and Tony are All-Stars in their very own right but I would think it's a bit easier for them to get open and score when you have Duncan down low. With Duncan on the floor, you can't double team him knowing that Parker or Manu will light you up and vice versa. Duncan showed against Phoenix that he can take over a series, despite showing signs of regressing. I've thought ever since Manu came into his own that Duncan was slowing down but for some reason, he still can do what Garnett can't--be a dominant post player in the paint and be clutch during crunch time as well.

 

The league has limited low post players that play defense, this is why Mutombo is still in the league. Duncan cannot dominate against good low post defenders. Phoenix is a joke and Amare still has never played consistent deffense. Refer to the 2005 NBA Finals, Duncan was very average against a good big Pistons front line, not spectacular against a decent Cavs front line either. West and Chandler who by no means are the Knicks from the early 90s will limit Duncan's offensive game. Game 1 was one example, but I think you will see like one 30 point game in the whole series by Duncan. KG will probably have 1 30 point game against the Cavs too.

And after all Duncan is really a center and has the benefit of playing in a league that really has limited centers that can make a difference on deffense. Duncan is more of a center than Robinson was in my opinion because he plays more with his back to the basket.

 

Interesting Poll would be who would you rather have in crunch time? Yao or Kevin Garnett?

 

i love yao...but I'd take KG in a heartbeat. You guys saw how he came back and dominated us in the 4th quarter earlier in january. guy can score in crunch time if he has to. at least, he did it in the game against us.

 

I totally agree, ive always said the same thing

 

My exact quote the moment KG hit that second 21-footer to bury us the first time we played them: "Gee, that's how you know it's still January. Kevin Garnett just hit a big shot"

 

Individual Playoff Stats from the only year Duncan and Garnett were on a somewhat even playing field. Although I think the Spurs still had a better coach, supporting cast, and were defending champions. 04 playoffs Both players also faced Karl Malone and the Lakers. I don't think you can really say Duncan is the more dominant offensive player based on that season or this season.


03-04 SAS 10 10 40.5 0.522 0.000 0.632 3.3 8.0 11.3 3.2 0.8 2.0 4.20 3.40 22.1

03-04 MIN 18 18 43.5 0.452 0.313 0.776 2.2 12.4 14.6 5.1 1.3 2.3 4.17 3.20 24.3

 

I always see KG hit big shots, So I don't know or understand where that hate is coming from.....

 

kg is a punk. a big one. "classless" according to calvin murphy.

me don't like punks too much personally, in my 20 some years of watching.

the only time he's been out of the first round before this year was when he had help from cassell and spree big time; AND iirc they were lucky in the playoffs because chris webber got injured in game 2. otherwise it would've been another lakers-kings wcf series.

after that his team missed playoffs most of the time.

let's see how the celts do this time, in the east. this boston team, with their best overall regular season record and the impressive record against the west, has not impressed me too much.

 

and, kg is known for having the tenancy of passing the big shots in big times. (lebron has the similar issue.)

 

^^ sorry, meant to say "tendency".

 

KG does hit big shots, i guess people want him to be a post player instead of taking long J's in crucnh time. I say do what you're comfortable with

If KG really isnt a superstar, neither is our duo