Miami Heat

[GoldKnightRises]

Why did Kobe dominate Spurs in Duncan's prime ? unsolved mystery...

This is kind of revisionist history.

Duncan was busy guarding Peak Shaq in 2001 (who outplayed him and Robinson) while Kobe was beating up on one of the worst ever perimeter defenses on mostly single coverage thanks to Shaq.

In 2002 Kobe had a mediocre series VS the Spurs even though he brought the clutchness.

In 2004 Shaq was the MVP against the Spurs.

In 2008 Duncan was clearly past his Prime while Kobe was at his absolute Peak.
Plus Duncan had to go up against Peak Gasol while Kobe had to go up against an injured/hobbled Ginobili.

Give me more excuses why don't you

[Wooderson]

Take a look at the Kobe haters, remember their username, check the posts around the forum. Then check how the go default mode to Duncan because of how they feel towards Kobe. Its simple really.

Kobe has 5 rings & defended his titles, Duncan has 4 & never won back to back.

Kobe also has the milestones, far more than Duncan, you name it Kobe's got it.

There is just not a player as successful or great as Kobe in this league & if the Lakers didn't surround him with scrubs during his high peak of prime, who knows what would have happened.

Ducan is great, very great. I would still take Shaq over him, but I have Kobe as my #1 he has truly done it all.

Wait, this is meant to be a serious argument? Put Shaq/Duncan together in the early/mid 2000's and they win the title every single year.

[RayBan-Sematra]

Again did you watch that series. If you did, you know it was Kobe. Look it up, if need be.

Kobe put up slightly better stats then Shaq in that 2001 series but Shaq was the one facing the brunt of the Spurs defense.
Shaq was facing double teams by Peak Duncan and a very potent Robinson.

Kobe was being single covered by Antonio Daniels (undersized PG) and a 6 foot tall 38 year old Porter.

Despite Kobe having better stats (not by that much) I'd say that Shaq was still clearly the most important and valuable player for the Lakers.

[GoldKnightRises]

Take a look at the Kobe haters, remember their username, check the posts around the forum. Then check how the go default mode to Duncan because of how they feel towards Kobe. Its simple really.

Kobe has 5 rings & defended his titles, Duncan has 4 & never won back to back.

Kobe also has the milestones, far more than Duncan, you name it Kobe's got it.

There is just not a player as successful or great as Kobe in this league & if the Lakers didn't surround him with scrubs during his high peak of prime, who knows what would have happened.

Ducan is great, very great. I would still take Shaq over him, but I have Kobe as my #1 he has truly done it all.

You can't have a discussion without posting witty gifs can you? Realgm...

[BeasleyTheBeast]

meh

I'd take Duncan career wise, or Shaq peak/prime over Kobe any-day of the week

[boogie-reke]

The whole Kobe or Duncan discussion is irrelevant to me anyways, cause the answer to the "Who is the face of the 2000's" question is Shaquille O'neal

[Chocobanana]

Take a look at the Kobe haters, remember their username, check the posts around the forum. Then check how the go default mode to Duncan because of how they feel towards Kobe. Its simple really.

Kobe has 5 rings & defended his titles, Duncan has 4 & never won back to back.

Kobe also has the milestones, far more than Duncan, you name it Kobe's got it.

There is just not a player as successful or great as Kobe in this league & if the Lakers didn't surround him with scrubs during his high peak of prime, who knows what would have happened.

Ducan is great, very great. I would still take Shaq over him, but I have Kobe as my #1 he has truly done it all.

You can't have a discussion without posting witty gifs can you? Realgm...

protip: he's agreeing with you

[BeasleyTheBeast]

Disagree with Wade here. For me it's Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, KG, Dirk - in that order.

so were just going to forget Lebron James?

[harold lewis]

Another what if scenario: Had Duncan come out of Wake when he was clearly the first pick, say 1995, he would have had another 2 seasons of solid play.

In fact to keep it on par with Bryant, coming out in 1994 I think he could have landed on a good team after his freshman year, say the 22nd spot with San Antonio in lieu of Bill Curley.

[TheChosen618]

Kobe is the greatest player of the 2000s decade, but it is because of timing more than anything.

Kobe's prime pretty much started at the beginning of the decade and ended at the end of it. Tim Duncan's prime had already started before the 2000s decade started and then ended a couple of years (2007) before the decade ended.

Then again this is RealGM where everyone does whatever they can to their power to discredit Kobe.

[Beardman]

Of course people will move goal posts and give Duncan cop out excuses but they would never do that for Kobe if the roles were reversed

Can't even give Kobe credit in a series were the whole country recognized he was the best player in, there is really point to arguing further.

[Wooderson]

You can't have a discussion without posting witty gifs can you? Realgm...

protip: he's agreeing with you

[GoldKnightRises]

Its funny to me how NBA players, analysts who have played & studied the game & played against these players all have agreed with Kobe dominating this era, yet here come the realgm posters attempting to spit their knowledge & prove them wrong LOL...

Keep em coming & let it sting.

[imchillin]

Disagree with Wade here. For me it's Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, KG, Dirk - in that order.

so were just going to forget Lebron James?

lmao, KG and Dirk....ridiculous

[Beardman]

The whole Kobe or Duncan discussion is irrelevant to me anyways, cause the answer to the "Who is the face of the 2000's" question is Shaquille O'neal

Shaq's era was 2000 to 2004...that's literally it, he was dominant but you can't just give him the whole 2000's based off 3 title runs. But i'm forgetting where i am right now...

[Chocobanana]

Of course people will move goal posts and give Duncan cop out excuses but they would never do that for Kobe if the roles were reversed

Can't even give Kobe credit in a series were the whole country recognized he was the best player in, there is really point to arguing further.

No one is saying that he didn't play great in those series. We're saying that he played so well because Shaq was the main focus of the defense.

[TwentyOne920]

Why did Kobe dominate Spurs in Duncan's prime ? unsolved mystery...

Because they didn't have a perimeter defender until Bowen arrived?

The Spurs could contain Shaq but they couldn't contain Kobe, while the Lakers could let Duncan go off and watch as Kobe feasted on Antonio Daniels/Derek Anderson.

[boogie-reke]

Of course people will move goal posts and give Duncan cop out excuses but they would never do that for Kobe if the roles were reversed

Can't even give Kobe credit in a series were the whole country recognized he was the best player in, there is really point to arguing further.

Shaq was the focal point of the opponents defense. What's hard to understand here?

Life is alot easier when you got the most dominating player of our time allowing you to play off him leaving you with 1v1 matchups against mediocre defenders.

[karkinos]

pretty surprised it's not shaq
shaq >>> duncan

[RayBan-Sematra]

Kobe is the greatest player of the 2000s decade.

I dunno.
Personally I'd take 00-06 Shaq over 00-09 Kobe if I was a GM.

Shaq was so dominant in the early 00's... Kobe never approached that level.

I mean what is Kobe's argument over Shaq?

Rings won as the man (00-09)
Shaq : 3
Kobe : 1

Yeah Kobe's worst 2-3 years are probably better then Shaq's who was a shell of himself from 07-09 but considering Kobe was injured in 05 and hobbled in the 03 playoffs that is not as significant.

I think both Duncan and Shaq have strong cases over Kobe for best player of the 00 decade and anyone who thinks Kobe was so far ahead he deserves the title all to himself like Jordan for the 90's is an idiot.