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In order please.

Good and tough thread at the same time. Duncan's best seasons for me are:

2003
2002
2007
2005
2001
2004
1999

Hakeem:

1993
1994
1995
1989
1990
1987
1986

Overall:

1993 Hakeem
1994 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2002 Duncan
2007 Duncan
1995 Hakeem
2005 Duncan
2001 Duncan
2004 Duncan
1989 Hakeem

2002-03 Duncan and 1993-94 Hakeem are basically on the same level for me, I ranked Hakeem higher today but tomorrow I may change my opinion. The rest of my top 10 is more clear.

1. 2002-03 Timmy
2. 1993-94 Hakeem
3. 2001-02 Timmy
4. 1992-93 Hakeem
5. 2006-07 Timmy
6. 1994-95 Hakeem
7. 2004-05 Timmy
8. 2000-01 Timmy
9. 1998-99 Timmy
10. 1989-90 Hakeem

Something like this I guess. The top 4 are pretty set and stone and interchangable among themselves.

It was an interesting thing to see, comparing 2006-07 Duncan to 1994-95 Olajuwon. Duncan simply dominated the league. Yes, Hakeem had an all-time great playoff run. Especially he defeated his direct matchups/opponents in the playoffs. We all know Hakeem's case for the season.
I'll make Duncan's case;
Duncan led his team to the best SRS in the league, the Spurs were top 5 on both ends of the floor. Then he proceeded to dominate the playoffs. The final 2 games of the NBA Finals hurt his averages, but his highest efforts weren't needed at that point.
Duncan dominated the entire season, while Olajuwon dominated playoffs. Also, I'd argue 2007 Duncan was considerably better on the defensive end compared to 1995 Olajuwon. Hakeem was so focused on scoring, his rebounding and defensive efforts weren't that high any more. (I'm not saying this as capability, consistency matters.)

Two of my favorite players of all time.

Some quick thoughts before I give my list. I rank Hakeem's peak a little lower than the average PC board rank as far as I saw it. That is mostly because I think his offensive impact gets a little exaggerated by his boxscore numbers and 2nd while I have him in my top5 all time defenders, I think in this absolute top group he appears to be the lowest IQ guy (you have to keep in mind that when you are in the top5 all time your defensive IQ still is pretty high even if it is lower compared to your peers).
Offensively he always was a meh passer before Houston invented the 4-out offense and while I think him improving in that aspect of the game had something to do with it too, I see the system change as the bigger factor for his assist numbers climbing. His huge scoring also is a byproduct of a system that perfectly fitted him and I think while it definitely led to his offensive impact getting higher, his balanced team had more to do with it than most people are aware.

Overall in that peak stretch Olajuwon did an amazing carrying job of both sides of the ball, but I have the feeling his offensive impact gets a little overrated from some around here.

Compared to Duncan I have Duncan as the slightly better offensive player despite lower volume. Watching both it appears to me Duncan was the better passer and playmaker, both were great post scorers with an edge to Hakeem and all the little stuff on and off the ball also goes to Duncan.

Defensively it is as close as it gets with Hakeem having the physical advantage while Duncan just seemed to be better in the 'smarts'-aspects of the game.

For the best 10 years I would go:
1. Duncan 2003
2. Duncan 2002
3. Hakeem 1994
4. Hakeem 1993
5. Duncan 2007
6. Duncan 2001
7. Hakeem 1995
8. Duncan 2005
9. Duncan 2004
10. Hakeem 1989 or 1987

1. 03 Duncan
2. 94 Hakeem
3. 93 Hakeem
4. 02 Duncan

5. 07 Duncan
6. 01 Duncan
7. 95 Hakeem
8. 04 Duncan
9. 90 Hakeem
10. 05 Duncan

Duncan 99 through 08

none for hakeem

03 Duncan
02 Duncan
94 Hakeem
99 Duncan
01 Duncan
04 Duncan
95 Hakeem
93 Hakeem
05 Duncan
88 Hakeem

Interestingly, many people question Duncan's prime but in this thread he's clearly ahead of another top 10 player ever.

Prokorov wrote:Duncan 99 through 08

none for hakeem

Stop trolling.

Off the cuff.

Hakeem 93
Duncan 02
Duncan 03
Hakeem 94
Hakeem 90
Hakeem 89
Duncan 07
Duncan 00
Hakeem 95

70sFan wrote:Interestingly, many people question Duncan's prime but in this thread he's clearly ahead of another top 10 player ever.

A majority of those people either have the 90s as the best decade of basketball or have Kobe over Duncan.

People are overrating the hell out of Duncans 07 season. Not even close to a top 5 Duncan season, heck I would argue his rookie season was equal if not better

KobesScarf wrote:People are overrating the hell out of Duncans 07 season. Not even close to a top 5 Duncan season, heck I would argue his rookie season was equal if not better

Duncan was better offensive and defensive player in 2007 than in his rookie season. It's not even close in fact. It is one of his best defensive seasons and his offensive numbers are smaller only because of different role. He was still a monster in playoffs.

70sFan wrote:

KobesScarf wrote:People are overrating the hell out of Duncans 07 season. Not even close to a top 5 Duncan season, heck I would argue his rookie season was equal if not better

Duncan was better offensive and defensive player in 2007 than in his rookie season. It's not even close in fact. It is one of his best defensive seasons and his offensive numbers are smaller only because of different role. He was still a monster in playoffs.

He was slightly better offensively in 98 and slightly better defensively in 07 and slightly better rebounder in 98. He was better in the playoffs in 07. He had a much bigger burden offensively in 98 than he had in 07.

KobesScarf wrote:

70sFan wrote:

KobesScarf wrote:People are overrating the hell out of Duncans 07 season. Not even close to a top 5 Duncan season, heck I would argue his rookie season was equal if not better

Duncan was better offensive and defensive player in 2007 than in his rookie season. It's not even close in fact. It is one of his best defensive seasons and his offensive numbers are smaller only because of different role. He was still a monster in playoffs.

He was slightly better offensively in 98 and slightly better defensively in 07 and slightly better rebounder in 98. He was better in the playoffs in 07. He had a much bigger burden offensively in 98 than he had in 07.

Here's why I personally value 2007 more than 98.

He was a different level as a passer. So even if you think he could carry a bigger scoring load in 98, he had improved greatly as a team offensive piece by 07.

Also, per Usage % or Elgee's "Offensive Load" stat, it's not true that he has a bigger burden on offense in 98. His usage in 07 was 27.9% vs 26% in 98. His offensive load was 38 vs 35 in 1998.

KobesScarf wrote:

70sFan wrote:

KobesScarf wrote:People are overrating the hell out of Duncans 07 season. Not even close to a top 5 Duncan season, heck I would argue his rookie season was equal if not better

Duncan was better offensive and defensive player in 2007 than in his rookie season. It's not even close in fact. It is one of his best defensive seasons and his offensive numbers are smaller only because of different role. He was still a monster in playoffs.

He was slightly better offensively in 98 and slightly better defensively in 07 and slightly better rebounder in 98. He was better in the playoffs in 07. He had a much bigger burden offensively in 98 than he had in 07.

He was better rebounder based on stats, though I'd say he was the same given that he shared the court with Admiral in his rookie season (Duncan was pretty much all-time great rebounder in his all seasons).

He averaged less shots, less FTs, less shots and FTs PER100, less assists and had less USG% in 1998. Moreover, he had prime David Robinson in his team and was clear 2nd option to him. In 2007 he was the main guy with good enough help, so he didn't need scoring as much as in 2001-04. He was also much better passer at this stage of his career (rookie Duncan was underwhelming passer, 2007 version was refined post playmaker).

I don't see any reason to believe that rookie Duncan was better than 2007 Duncan. I wouldn't put any pre-2001 Duncan even to conversation with 2007 Timmy.

70sFan wrote:Good and tough thread at the same time. Duncan's best seasons for me are:

2003
2002
2007
2005
2001
2004
1999

Hakeem:

1993
1994
1995
1989
1990
1987
1986

Overall:

1993 Hakeem
1994 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2002 Duncan
2007 Duncan
1995 Hakeem
2005 Duncan
2001 Duncan
2004 Duncan
1989 Hakeem

2002-03 Duncan and 1993-94 Hakeem are basically on the same level for me, I ranked Hakeem higher today but tomorrow I may change my opinion. The rest of my top 10 is more clear.

I think I agree with this. Hakeem peaked higher, but Duncan had the better prime. Hakeem always carried a higher offensive load, but I don’t see that as an advantage other than for a few years. I have Duncan as the better offensive player outside of those few years, and not too far behind Hakeem on defense.

Hakeem learning to truly punish double teams with his passing put him his offense a slight nudge above peak Duncan’s, and combined with his slightly better defense, I think he peaked a bit higher.

Prokorov wrote:Duncan 99 through 08

none for hakeem

He had an incredible peak despite never having HOF players in their prime as teammates like Duncan/Shaq.