marshmallow wrote:I don't understand these arguments about who the best player in the NBA is because it always seems to center around a media backed perimeter player like Kobe vs. someone (used to be McGrady before he fell off, then Wade when he did his thing in '06, now LBJ has been ESPN's favorite for sometime). Tim Duncan didn't die in a car crash, did he? I saw him play a couple nights ago. Kobe and LBJ can be out chilling at the three point line while Duncan is commanding the paint and running an offense from the double teams he gets on the post.
Another oddity, in the same vein, is that Duncan always seems to crop up into people's top ten lists of all time. Disagree, agree, whatever -- I never see Kobe or LBJ or anyone playing now except Shaq ahead of him on people's lists, and Shaq is clearly not what he used to be. But it's not like Tim is declining or something. Duncan is still a 20/10 paint patroller guy. He did a fine job of carrying the Spurs without Manu or Parker. He's had plenty of 30+ point games this year. Against Denver he had a 21/12/7/5 game. I just want to see some consistency in people's opinions is all.
QFT
Tim Duncan is above everyone else until... well, maybe until he retires. I'm not exactly sure. I'd put LeBron and Kobe #2 and #3 though. KG, despite the victories, has fallen off a bit.