One_and_Done wrote:I hear scoring more points more efficiently is helpful. I posted some stats on the top of the previous page. Dirk doesn't stand out versus either Mailman or KD.
You did and outside of points scored and TS%, you also included rebounding (which paints KD as clearly last) and assists (without taking into account turnovers). Your numbers show that Durant scores and assists the most per possession, but it doesn't mean he's the best player out there. Besides, the difference in these stats are not significant, which suggests that all three are in similar tier.
I also don't understand how you made these samples. You wanted to filter out Nash from Dirk, but you are fine with using GSW Durant. You include 1988 for Malone, but not 1999... Can you explain it to me?
If we use your criteria but for the best 8 seasons, the difference in these stats is very minor:
2012-19 KD RS: 38.0pp100 10.3rp100, 6.8ap100, 121 Ortg/104 Drtg, 635 TS%
1991-98 Karl RS: 36.5pp100, 14.6rp100, 5.1ap100, 117 Ortg/102 Drtg, 590 TS%
2004-11 Dirk RS: 35.0pp100, 12.1rp100, 4.1ap100, 118 Ortg/104 Drtg, 583 TS%
2012-19 KD PS: 37.2pp100, 9.7rp100, 5.4ap100, 116 Ortg/106 Drtg, 604 TS%
1991-98 Karl PS: 35.7pp100, 15.1rp100, 4.3ap100, 109 Ortg/102 Drtg, 533 TS%
2004-11 Dirk PS: 34.1pp100, 13.3rp100, 3.7ap100, 120 Ortg/107 Drtg, 585 TS%
Durant has an advantage of 2-3 points per100 in RS and 1.5 points per100 in postseason. He's clearly last in rebounding department. He's clearly the most efficient in the RS and only slightly more efficient in PS than Dirk (not when you adjust for era difference). As I said before, you also miss turnover economy where KD is distant last in this comparison.
I just don't understand how you can look at these numbers and say that Durant is clearly superior than the rest.
Mailman isn't as good on O, but makes up for it on the defensive end where Dirk is a negative probably (remember also Dirk is guarding the worst player, Mailman is often guarding the best).
You ignored RAPM studies provided in previous posts, no impact metrics show Dirk as a negative and although I am not high on Dirk defense, he had some very clear strengths on that end (boxing out, limiting transitions, great TOV economy, decent size). I wouldn't be so sure about KD being a better defender than Dirk over the course of the their careers.
Dirk comes out as the guy with the best PS Ortg, but if I made KDs sample as small as the one I used for Dirk's then KD would likely exceed him there too.
I made the sample bigger for you and Dirk still is superior - mostly because of turnover economy where Dirk crushes KD.
When one looks through their careers and how their teams did thanks to them, I'm more impressed by what it looks like KD did than either Dirk or Malone. Alot of Jazz and Mavs shortcomings in the playoffs.
Do you think that Durant teams didn't underperform outside of Golden State? I mean, he went to the finals once but other than that, I don't find his postseason career that impressive. Unless you want to give him huge boost for GSW years, but I don't think it's fair to compare team results in this case considering that Malone and Dirk never played with such a stacked teams.
As for the eye test/theoretical player analysis; KD is basically an ideal modern player. Uber long, hyper efficient on offense, lets you play big while going small, capable of being a good defender (even offering limited rim protection), and able to thrive on or off ball. Dirk's defensive limitations hurt him, as does Mailman's lack of 3pt shooting. KD gas no such weaknesses.
I think an "ideal modern player" should be able to handle the ball better than Durant who can't do much in the playoffs without elite ball-handler. Dirk, despite being limited in that area as well, actually had a lot of success with mediocre PGs.
