What IF Duncan had entered the league before The Admiral?

Dream would have done the same thing to Duncan that he did to Robinson, I really doubt that Duncan would have any great impact in the early 90's NBA. No doubt that he is a top 3 PF ever but he would have had to face guys like McHale, Barkley, Malone, Chambers, Kemp, Chris Webber, Coleman, Grant, Cliff Robinson, Manning, Schrempf, PRIME VIN BAKER (yeah baby) and other big guys he would have to defend if he would have taken Drobs place, guys like Olajuwon, Shaq, Ewing, Daugherty and the list goes on. Obviously Duncan is one of the best among these guys but he would have to be a center on that spur-team and I just don't see him being a guy dominating the likes of Barkley, Webber, Malone and bigger guys like Olajuwon, Shaq and Ewing on daily basis.

He wouldn't have been able to do anything at all to 98 basically, from the Pistons to the Bulls and the rockets and the Bulls again, no way he would have been able to lead the spurs to a title in those years. Duncan should be glad that he came into the league in MJ's last year and at the time where almost every good big-men had retired or was on a serious downfall.

 

Has there ever been a guy in NBA history to be handed better circumstances in his career than Tim Duncan? Walks onto a veteran championship contender his rookie year, and when that cast breaks down, his management rebuilds on the fly without missing a beat. This is not to take anything away from Tim - you still have to do the job at the end of the day.

Then you have Shaq not going a single year of his career without playing next to a hall of fame talent (Penny, Kobe, Wade, Nash/Amare).

Kind of sad that the two 'mainstream' picks for best big men of the modern era had some great situations handed to them. Imagine Dream playing with anyone half as good as Kobe before he was already peaking out when he got a 33 year old Clyde Drexler.

 

You guys are seriously underrating TD. Over the last decades the western conference has been as tough as it has ever been. Don't forgot as a pf TD had to go against weber, KG, Brand, Dirk, Malone, Boozer, shaq, etc. Also his 1st championship he did not have a second star player Drob at that point was well past his prime.

 

He did. His name was Ralph Sampson. He averaged 22 and 10, and then 19 and 11, in Hakeem's first two seasons, and the Rockets beat the mightly Lakers and made the NBA Finals.

Imaging if Ralph could have stayed healthy, and the rest of the team could have stayed away from the drugs. Would have been a dynasty.

 

I don't know if I want to down Duncan, so much. As great and athletic as the Admiral was, he didn't win games, like Duncan, even the regular season. Duncan is just a very clutch player.

I will be honest about this, I don't believe San Antonio would win 3 titles in this decade, if they traded David Robinson for Tim Duncan.

I remember when the Spurs (with Admiral) were losing to teams, like the Warriors and weaker Jazz teams, who no kind of inside presence.

 

Neither wins jack by himself without Parker and Ginobili.

 

What a lot of people seem to forget. Parker and Ginobili carry a huge chunk of offense for the Spurs, especially in 4th quarter.

When Manu struggles in playoffs, Spurs struggle. Spurs would be lucky to win even one of the last 3 championships they did without Manu on board. A very underrated player.

 

He's not underrated. He's just not that flashy. Other than that he is true champion.

 

Even if Duncan did play in the early to mid part of 90s, he'd still end up with more championship and be more clutch player than Karl Malone.

 

What if Magic hadn't contracted HIV. People forget that most of Magic's prime was cut short. That's why I feel Magic was greater than Jordan. It sadens me that Magic just accepts the media's portrayal of MJ as the G.o.a.t.

 

Yep,I think Ginobili is more valuable to the spurs than tony parker. For me Parker is a little overrated, and Ginobili and Duncan are the best players in the spurs.

 

talent alone, i believe chris webber is #1 all time in pf's.

 

Duncan had both luck and talent.

 

Power forward is a damn hard position to rank all-time. They don't warp the floor like all-world centers do, they're not as athletic and don't do the things small forwards and shooting guards do, and they don't run the show like a point guard... not ot mention they are just as dependent on receiving an entry pass as a center. On an all-time list, you'd probably have at least two of the other four positions listed before you considered even one power forward, where your options are pretty much restricted to Malone and Duncan. Put another way, what power forward has revolutionized the game the way Magic, Dr. J, Dream, Jordan, Wilt, Bird, etc. have done?

Of course, Duncan really is a center, but even with his championships, you can't come close to putting him in the upper tier of centers.

 

I'm a big Webber fan to. While I think Duncan is the better player... just because of what hes done I never think of Timmy as a pure PF. I think you gotta give a lot of credit to the mental side of Tim Duncan too and everyone the Spurs have. Imagine how much easier it must be playing on a team with a good coach and players that don't complain, do their job and want to succeed as a team not just as a player. I love beating them but besides Manu and his flopping I respect them a lot.

 

But he didn't!!!

 

Nope. On talent alone, Barkley is far and away the best PF. You put all of the Chuckster's heart and skills into Garnett's body and he is dominating the league. It would be like giving AI Jordan's body. It just wouldn't be fair. Unfortunately for Chuckles, he was cursed with being a 6'5" PF that was averse to putting in the time and effort off the court.

 

I also think Webber was the most talented PF that has ever played the game. He was just given too much too soon and didn't have the drive and work ethic the other greats had. The guy good post up, drive, jump shoot and had insane vision.

 

He's probably one of the most versatile, but I doubt you can consider him the most talented. If you want talent at PF position, think of either KG or Rasheed Wallace. KG is a better physical specimen, and Wallace is just the right mix of strength and speed, power and athletecism that you would want in your big man. Wallace also has a complete skillset just like Webber had, and unlike Webber Wallace can also bang around with the opponent's big man. He's one of the main reasons why the Pistons upset the Lakers Big four before.