Duncan vs. Garnett
Posted on: May 8, 2008
It is a storyline that, while noticed, has fallen under the radar to some degree. While NBA fans clamor for Lakers-Celtics, LeBron-Kobe, and Spurs-Pistons, a potential NBA Finals match-up of San Antonio against Boston doesn’t seem all that appealing.
Except for, you know, the whole Big Three against Big Three thing.
And the “Maybe the Best Power Forward Ever” against “Maybe the Best Power Forward Ever” thing.
Yes, it is conceivable and largely possible that Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan could meet up in the NBA Finals this year. This has never been close to a reality before, and this truth has thrown a wrench in the Duncan-Garnett argument for years. While you can support either without much criticism from the other side, there has never been any sure fire way to tell who the superior power forward is.
You can’t just look at championships, because the question is then posed: what if Garnett went to a good team and Duncan to a bad team? You’ll recall that Duncan was gift-wrapped for a Spurs team that had lost David Robinson to injury the year before, making them perform much worse than their actual talent (see: 2008 Miami Heat). Garnett was drafted to a mid-level Wolves team with apparently inept management.
But the debate starts even earlier than that. Some would posit that the debate can be framed as traditionalist against new age basketball fan. That is, it’s a four-year college player or a high school player, a fundamentals-first player against an intense and unique player, a quiet leader and an intense commander. The players differ so much in terms of career path and personality that it’s astounding that no clear victor emerges, with the hiccup always being “what if fortunes were reversed?” Yes, what if Garnett goes a little earlier in the draft to be the new face of Nellieball? What if he had joined the 76ers? What if the Spurs had decided they needed a point guard and took Chauncey Billups first overall? Heck, what if Robinson doesn’t go down in 1996-97? And the big one, what if KG attends college for a year or two?
There are too many questions to just say “Tim Duncan won four championships and is therefore better than Kevin Garnett.”
And the career numbers don’t help clear things up, either. In 998 career games, Garnett has averaged 20.4-11.2-4.4-1.4-1.6, putting up numbers nearly the same in 55 playoff games. In 824 career games, Duncan has averaged 21.6-11.8-3.1-0.8-2.4, maintaining these numbers over 114 playoff games. Both have had nine 20-and-10 seasons, and the numbers are razor-close if you only count the time both players were in the NBA (a fair move given KG’s early inexperience).
This season’s playoffs could give us a glimpse of what could have been. Garnett is now finally equipped with a good team behind him, one that is actually very comparable to Duncan’s Spurs in terms of star power, depth and defense. Both are nearing the end of their prime production years, so this is the ultimate season to find out, given as equal circumstances as possible in the NBA, who takes over a one-on-one seven-game showdown?
The one thing that stands out, obviously, is the 114-to-55 margin of career playoff games and 4-0 in championship rings, but everyone’s beaten that part of the argument into the ground. But a case can be made for both players regardless. For example…
Kevin Garnett is a better leader. His intensity and passion are contagious and he is one of the hardest workers in the NBA. Duncan is a good-but-not-great player blessed by circumstance, Garnett would have won four or more rings on San Antonio. KG led several bad teams to the playoffs, after all.
Or…
Tim Duncan has won four championships for a reason. He does everything well and doesn’t take anything off the table, making him easier to build around. Garnett doesn’t want the crunch time shot and his leadership style isn’t suitable for all teams. Duncan is the greatest power forward ever.
You can see where both sides are coming from, for sure. Personally, I think the rings speak loudly, even if they were brought on more by management, coaching and teammates than an individual player himself.
In a game of basketball with my life riding on the outcome, I’m taking Garnett on my team. But if it’s a whole season I think I’m taking Duncan, and that’s really what makes this debate so difficult and interesting. There is hard evidence that these players are as close to equal as players can be, yet they are polar opposites in terms of career path and personality.
In a few weeks, we may have an answer to this question. While it doesn’t look likely right now, it’s something that we as fans can hold out hope for this year or maybe even next. It would be difficult to find closure when both of these men retire and enter the Hall of Fame as two of the best players at their position ever if we can’t answer the question “all else equal, who is better?”
Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media
This article was written by:
Blake Murphy - who has written 26 posts on Hoops Addict.
Blake Murphy is a Queen's University Business graduate and broadcast journalism hopeful. He uses his business background often to analyze basketball from a management perspective more so than a fan perspective. As he pursues further education, Blake hopes to shape his love for sports into a career.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Chris Paul is ruining my dream of seeing these two in the finals. I think that would be a basketball fans’ dream to see garnett and duncan go back and forth.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:06 am
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May 8th, 2008 at 11:13 am
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May 8th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
If they did meet up (looking unlikely now because of CP3), and if the Celts did win, I’m not sure it settles anything. It would certainly provide more fodder to the argument, and those on KG’s side of things would have a much more definitive leg to stand on, but until KG gets even one ring, there is really no debate to be had. KG is a top 25/30 player ever. TD is a top 10, and if he retired today would be the best PF ever. (For someone who hates the Spurs, that was very difficult to write by the way)
May 8th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
That all said, sick article bud
May 8th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Agreed with Trev–Garnett belongs in the discussion, but there’s no question–today–that Duncan’s been the better player, from stats to titles. Take ESPN’s rankings of the “best power forwards of all-time”: TD was #1 and KG was #6. (True, these rankings were done at the end of the 2005 season–so before KG added to his legacy by turning around Boston–but Duncan’s added another title since, too.)
However, you hit on a related debate–which is ultimately more effective, Duncan’s traditional style vs. KG’s revolutionary game?–that’s a great question and still very much undecided.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
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May 9th, 2008 at 2:06 am
1) Tim Duncan is a Center, not a Power Forward.
2) Despite my affection for Kevin Garnett’s intensity and relentlessness, his in-game chest-thumping, profanity-laced mutterings & verbal explosions directed towards the opposition’s players is a sure-fire sign of his personal mental/emotional insecurity … which Tim Duncan does not share and … which has cared over to his team’s performances in the few big games he’s been apart of over the years, most of which have also ended with a poor Minnesota play coming the stretch of a close ballgame.
3) With 1 game to play with my life on the line … I am ttaking Tim Duncan over Kevin Garnett … every day of the week, and twice on Sundays, if you please. And, it’s NO CONTEST.
4) Other than that … a solid article, on your part.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Duncan is clearly the best power forward of all time, regardless of what happens this postseason. And the Spurs are getting outplayed by the Hornets right now, so they probably won’t make it to the finals. As a Pistons fan, I don’t think Boston will make it to the finals either. Cheers.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:09 am
I think Garnett is the better player. He makes players around him better. He had wally as an all star, while he scores 10 points a game with lebron. He brought a team with Nesterovic, Gary trent and troy hudson to the playoffs for many years. The one year he did have help (spree and sammy) he nearly made it to the finals, missing it thanks to kobe playing out of his mind. Now if you watch the spurs they have parker get hurt and they are horrible - Duncan is a great player, but he is a great player because he has always had great players around him.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
great article. As a spurs and tim duncan fan, I’m biased in every way, but isn’t that the beauty of being a fan? Anyway, I must say that I think Duncan’s leadership skills are totally underrated and invaluable. His style makes the team feel like a unit, and he leads through example and does not deflect blame, and doesn’t need shouting or chest pumping to tell folks that he’s a leader. The two star’s post game comments tell the story. Duncan takes the blame, doesn’t make excuses, and says “I” after losses. KG says “we”.
Duncan is not known for many late game heroics, but doesn’t shy away from those shots at all.
The other thing that sways my vote is that KG has too often settled for the jumper, as opposed to resorting to it only when open after a pick & roll. His athletic ability is wasted when he doesn’t go to the post first.
September 14th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Duncan is the greatest powerforward of all time…its all about the championship thats why they play in the nba
January 28th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
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