RealGM

Who's higher on your All Time List: Tim Duncan or Magic

It’s close. I might get crucified for this as a Laker fan, but I’m leaning towards Duncan due to his defense and longevity. The guy was just the ultimate building block.

Magic’s career was sadly cut short due to his HIV diagnosis. He was effectively out of the league at 31 years old. His last season before the diagnosis he still on top of the world, averaging 19-12-7 and MVP runner up.

Without the HIV diagnosis, it might be hard to argue against Magic’s case if his body held up into his 30’s.

It's Tim, his longevity is vastly superior while his peak is still crazy. And we're talking super valuable longevity of being a defensive anchor and important complementary piece offensively on a contender. Magic may have a better peak, but that's only one regular season MVP more while Duncan was robbed of DPOTY awards.

I have few people better than Tim all time, but Magic is one of them.

So many more years from Tim (18 year career vs. 13 from Magic). I like Tim's peak slightly better too (2003 Timmy>1987 Magic).

Magic is one of the best offensive players ever, and Tim is just solid on this end, relative to other all-time superstars. The defensive gap is a canyon though. Tim played basically DPOY-level defense for 16 of his 18 years, while Magic was a very weak defender.

I honestly don't know. This is a great player comparison thread. Both are arguably the best to ever play their respective positions. Both had championship careers and stayed loyal to the teams that drafted them. Both are hall of fame players. I'm abstaining from voting on this one.

Duncan for me. People forget what a two-way beast he was at his peak.

Think relative greatness to your peers gets lost in these debates. When magic was playing he was in goat talk debates. Not just best player of a season. The gap between magic all time point guards is decent. With modern thinking, we got Westbrook, LeBron, and Luka as modern magic type guards.


With all that said it’s tough for me see that same level of peer dominance by Duncan. Sure the league has more depth but that’s an advantage of playing later in history. There is more knowledge to excel. Duncan at worst top 2 of a lot of modern day bigs but is the gap between him and top 5 top 10 bigs great as magic

MJ->Bird->Magic->Wilt->Lebron->Kareem->Olajuwon->Shaq->Oscar->Duncan

Magic is my GOAT so it's him for me.

FarBeyondDriven wrote:MJ->Bird->Magic->Wilt->Lebron->Kareem->Olajuwon->Shaq->Oscar->Duncan

This is a genuinely unique take. I think might be the first top 10 list I’ve ever seen that has Bird #2 and definitely the first I’ve seen that has Wilt but NOT Russell

Are you just really high on Russell’s teammates?

Magic is top 5 all time for me and the only thing keeping him from the GOAT debate was longevity.

Timmy D is top 10. A full tier behind. And no amount of RealGM glazing will change that.

It's close but I'd go with Magic.

Magic is my man, but I would take Duncan.

Magic

I'm go with Magic, he has the highest win percentage in nba history, man went to 9 nba finals in 12 seasons. He brought freaking vlade divac to the finals vs MJ. I don't think Jordan would have a perfect finals record if he had to face those celtics, lakers, sixers, piston teams in the 80s, oh wait, jordan did play most of the 80s as well haha.

Duncan and I don't think it's as close as most people are making it seem tbh. Infinitely better defender/two-way player who also peaked slightly higher imo, although it's close:

Duncan's best season: 26 Pts / 13 Rbs/ 4 Asts / 3 Blks / 1 Stl / 51% FG% / 58% TS% / 27 PER / 8.0 VORP
Magic's best season: 24 Pts / 6 Rbs / 12 Asts / 1 Blk / 2 Stls / 52% FG% / 60% TS% / 27 PER / 8.0 VORP

Aside from his elite Defense though, Duncan's longevity is the major deal-breaker. He was the backbone of the greatest 20-year dynasty in modern NBA history. Never missed the Playoffs once in his career and never won less than 50 games once (except the lockout-shortened season). Top-5 all-time in Blocks, #1 all-time in Playoff Blocks, 3rd all-time in Career Playoff Wins, 4th all-time in Career Wins, 3rd all-time in Career Playoff Rebounds, 6th all-time in Playoff Points, etc.

He also won the same amount of Championships despite playing in a more competitive era (literally the greatest era of big men ever) and despite never playing with anyone near the same caliber player as Kareem. And Magic never had anything close to a Championship carry job like Duncan did in 2003.

Duncan also has a higher Career PER and higher Career VORP, as well as more career All-NBA First Teams to go along with his NBA record 15 All-NBA Defensive Teams.


*If you only count Duncan's first 13 seasons (same number as Magic), then his career averages jump to:

21 Pts / 12 Rb / 3 Asts / 2 Blks / 1 Stl on 51% FG and 55% TS% and a 25.0 PER

Duncan, i didnt see magic play in his prime

Close but I take Duncan.
Mote impact on defense and better about carrying ok but not special rosters.
Magic played his entire career on stacked teams.

Duncan of course. Magic sorry he overrated.