David Robinson or Tim Duncan

[moe94]

Who was the better individual player at their respective peaks? Not careers as that answer is hardly anything but subjective, but their peaks.

I got Robinson, without hesitation.

[longhornfan1234]

Admiral.

[Micku]

I always hear ppl say David Robinson in the regular season at his peak. But you take Tim Duncan at his peak in the playoffs.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Timmy not even close. Rob was just a statpadder and when he play playoff defenses he shrunk

[miles berg]

Tim Duncan by a large margin.

[longhornfan1234]

Tim Duncan by a large margin.
How so?

Peak admiral was better offensively and defensively. Did anyone see peak Admiral?

[moe94]

How so?

Peak admiral was better offensively and defensively. Did anyone see peak Admiral?

He's going with the "playoffs" argument, which is hilarious.

[Myth]

Robinson was fools gold. The answer is clearly Duncan because he stepped up on the biggest stage while Robinson was known for disappearing in the playoffs.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Robinson was fools gold. The answer is clearly Duncan because he stepped up on the biggest stage while Robinson was known for disappearing in the playoffs.
This. Although a bit harsh on Robinson. Still a first ballot HOFer.

[inclinerator]

robinson before he got injured

[moe94]

Robinson was fools gold. The answer is clearly Duncan because he stepped up on the biggest stage while Robinson was known for disappearing in the playoffs.
Clearly?

Does that really take away from the fact that Robinson had years that made 03 Duncan look pedestrian, in comparison?

[Myth]

Clearly?

Does that really take away from the fact that Robinson had years that made 03 Duncan look pedestrian, in comparison?

Show me a playoff run of Robinson's that makes Duncan's 03 playoff run look pedestrian.

[get these NETS]

always bothered me that a military officer was so mentally weak in sPORTs

brilliant guy, superior athlete,but NO heart

Robinson had the basketball IQ, talent, and physical skills to be one of the top players ever at his position


never came together for him after Dream "sank his battleship"

===========================================

TD at his peak was an unguardable player.....clutch... who led his team in all categories on the way to a ring..

the years that the Lakers beat Spurs in playoffs, was generally because Admiral didn't show up




robinson is by all accounts a great guy and that's why people are cutting him slack but answer is TD...

[Myth]

He's going with the "playoffs" argument, which is hilarious.

The goal is to be on your best game when it matters. The best players show up ready to be at their best.

[LAZERUSS]

In terms of pure size, physical talent, and athleticism, ... D-Rob without question. Hell, he was a better shooter, too.

But in terms of maximizing ability... Duncan.

[Round Mound]

Robinson was a Better Post Defender, Shot Blocker, 1 on 1 Missmatch, Better at Running the Floor and Finishing. More Athletic.

Duncan was Stronger, A Better Rebounder, Better Passer, Better Post Player and Clutcher.

Very Close in Their Primes.

[Horatio33]

Robinson was a Better Post Defender, Shot Blocker, 1 on 1 Missmatch, Better at Running the Floor and Finishing. More Athletic.

Duncan was Stronger, A Better Rebounder, Better Passer, Better Post Player and Clutcher.

Very Close in Their Primes.

Duncan was better at running the floor. Barkley even said that Duncan is the best big man runner ever.

[inclinerator]

duncan is not stronger than d rob

[TheMilkyBarKid]

duncan is not stronger than d rob
Yeh no joke, I wasn't sure if that guy was serious, Robinson went up against real centers his whole career

[Leftimage]

the Admiral was stronger, faster, better shooter, more athletic but...

- post moves
- body control
- touch around the basket
- craftiness

Duncan.

Verdict: Duncan by a decent amount.

ps:. to all those saying playoffs... slippery slope there; Duncan has had his share of failures. A few episodes of mental weakness as well. (closing moments of last year's game 7 come to mind)

[Myth]

ps:. to all those saying playoffs... slippery slope there; Duncan has had his share of failures. A few episodes of mental weakness as well. (closing moments of last year's game 7 come to mind)

OP asked for peak, right? Duncan's peak playoffs > Robinson's peak playoffs.

[moe94]

Duncan was better at running the floor. .
Are you absolutely insane?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKVqpXl3M18

Show anything Duncan ever did that even remotely matches this.

[Odinn]

There is absolutely no-one that would choose DRob over TD in a draft while knowing what's coming. If you say you would, you're a total joke.

[SacJB Shady]

Robinson was fools gold. The answer is clearly Duncan because he stepped up on the biggest stage while Robinson was known for disappearing in the playoffs.


How about that 2 footer that went in and out over Battier for the tie?

[aj1987]

How about that 2 footer that went in and out over Battier for the tie?
Bad luck?

[Artillery]

Robinson was a Better Post Defender, Shot Blocker, 1 on 1 Missmatch, Better at Running the Floor and Finishing. More Athletic.

Duncan was Stronger, A Better Rebounder, Better Passer, Better Post Player and Clutcher.

Very Close in Their Primes.

Good points but Duncan's the better option since his post offense is more reliable come playoff time compared to DRob's face up game. Robinson also scored a lot in transition which didn't help him come playoff time when the game slowed down. It's probably why he has such high regular season numbers and considerably lower post-season totals.


ps:. to all those saying playoffs... slippery slope there; Duncan has had his share of failures. A few episodes of mental weakness as well. (closing moments of last year's game 7 come to mind)

:oldlol: at penalizing someone for something they did at age 37. Robinson was out of the league at that age while Duncan was first team all-NBA. Only other players to be as effective as TD at that age were Kareem and Malone. If there's anybody on the Spurs that deserves blame for the Finals it's Popovich and Ginobili. Parker mostly sucked too outside of a few clutch shots. Everybody called him the Spurs MVP in the reg season and he averaged 15 ppg on low efficiency in the Finals.

[Teanett]

scottie pippen or michael jordan?

:confusedshrug:

[Jlamb47]

Tim Duncan > David Robinson

[Duderonomy]

Give me the one who never lost in the finals.

[FatComputerNerd]

D-Rob was obviously the better athlete.

Duncan was the better basketball player though, and I think that is an inarguable fact.

[Round Mound]

Duncan was better at running the floor. Barkley even said that Duncan is the best big man runner ever.

[B]Nope David Was Faster, More Athletic, More Agil, Had More Speed, Had More Hops etc.

If You Actually Saw David Robinson in His Prime Before 1997 Injuries Like I Did, You

[fpliii]

I'd prefer the Admiral since he's the better defender, and I wouldn't prefer to rely on a big as my primary scoring option. If I don't have a choice though and he has to be my offensive anchor, give me Duncan. As a couple of posters have said, his back to the basket game is more reliable in the playoffs than what Robinson gives you.

[KevinNYC]

D-Rob was obviously the better athlete.

Duncan was the better basketball player though, and I think that is an inarguable fact.

Duncan is a really special basketball player. I don't see how anyone would choose Robinson over him. Perhaps if they were the draft together you can make arguments, but not having seen their NBA careers or their peaks.

The first NBA game I ever went to was Robinson's first game against the Knicks. There was a lot of hype around this game to see Robinson vs Ewing and at the Scalped two separate tickets to get in. We decided to try the seat that further away in hope of getting two extra seats....that work for about half of the first quarter until a whole group of several rows came in together. So we tried the other ticket. It was fifth row courtside and there were two seats, and as soon as we got to them Robinson caught a pass on the break at the foul line and lifted up and just about bent halfway backwards. Ewing was in the lane and just turned and walked away. Robinson rocketed forward and just hammered dunk home and my friend damn nearly lost his mind. Madison Square Garden was buzzing for like five minutes afterwards.

[Bigsmoke]

Duncan in the top 5-10 range and Robinson is in the 30-35 range.

So.... Just remember that and you'll know the better player between the two

[Myth]

How about that 2 footer that went in and out over Battier for the tie?

Messing up for 2 seconds is not the same as regressing for whole games or series.

[moe94]

Duncan in the top 5-10 range and Robinson is in the 30-35 range.

So.... Just remember that and you'll know the better player between the two
Name 10 players better than peak Robinson. Name 30 players with a better career.:oldlol:

[aj1987]

Name 10 players better than peak Robinson.
Shaq, MJ, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Lebron, Kobe, Hakeem, Russell, Oscar, Moses, and Dr. J.

Robinson is definitely in the 17-22 range.

[Myth]

Shaq, MJ, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Lebron, Duncan, Kobe, Hakeem, Russell, Oscar, Moses, and Dr. J.

Robinson is definitely in the 17-22 range.

Fixed.

[BoutPractice]

2003 Duncan played basketball better than almost any player in history. It's not about 'ability', stats, or even the fact that he led a team without another All-Star to the title. It's about the overall picture of how you play the game - it's the same reason peak Walton is so highly regarded by fans. Peak Duncan is perfection in basketball form, the ideal example of how you should play the game if you want your team to win. Offense, defense, efficiency, playing within the team concept yet taking over when needed... he had it all.

Robinson was a basketball titan and is quite underrated (I personally feel he's much higher than the "35-40 range", couldn't give an exact number though), but to compare his peak to the basketball masterpiece that were Duncan's best seasons is unfair.

[rmt]

One would be hard pressed to find a better athlete than DRob - speed, athleticism, strength but a basketball player involves a lot more than just the physical. The difference between them is in the intangibles - mental, psychological.

For DRob, basketball was not the end-all, be-all. God/his charity work came before basketball. He had a lot of other interests - the drive, competitiveness, hunger that TD has for basketball is not as visible.

For Duncan, besides his video games and family, he doesn't seem involved in much else like DRob (plays musical instrument, very bright, etc.). I am surprised at TD's hunger though - 16 years and counting and he still comes out fit and ready for another season. He just does whatever the team needs. I can't ever imagine him scoring (or trying to score) 71 points in a game. His post game is also more suited for the playoffs than DRob's face up game.

[imdaman99]

Honestly, David Robinson got dominated by Olajuwon in the playoffs. But do you think Hakeem does the same to Duncan? It was something along the lines of averaging 40 points for a series? That was a career defining low for the Admiral.

[Bigsmoke]

Honestly, David Robinson got dominated by Olajuwon in the playoffs. But do you think Hakeem does the same to Duncan? It was something along the lines of averaging 40 points for a series? That was a career defining low for the Admiral.

Hakeem was a bad boy. :no:

[aj1987]

Fixed.
Arguable though. That's why I didn't include Timmy.

[Fresh Kid]

Patrick Ewing was better.

[KungFuJoe]

Damn...I know Duncan is the more accomplished player...and mentally stronger...but it is DAMN hard to have watched Robinson play, in his prime, and seen the stuff he did and not want to rate him the best center ever. I mean...I know he's not...but when played well...this guy dominated on both ends of the court like no other center. He just seemed to lack something upstairs.

I still think that he just didn't have the pieces around him that Duncan had and going up against prime Hakeem and later on Shaq did some damage to his confidence. But man, he had the most physical talent and tools of any center I've ever seen.

[SamuraiSWISH]

People exposing themselves having never seen D-Rob with statements saying such nonsense like Tim Duncan ran the floor better? My god, completely inaccurate. Tim Duncan isn't near the athletic specimen David Robinson was. Like it's not even close.

David Robinson is one of the most freak athletes to hit the NBA this side of Wilt, LeBron, Shaq, etc. The combination package of size, strength, speed, quickness. Virtually un-matched. Had a physique chiseled by god out of stone.

I think David Robinson easily has the higher peak play, particularly in the regular season. Tim Duncan was probably a better playoff performer. But Tim was blessed with in most likelihood a superior supporting cast, and easily a better coach than D-Rob had to work with through much of his career.

[ILLsmak]

Robinson was fools gold. The answer is clearly Duncan because he stepped up on the biggest stage while Robinson was known for disappearing in the playoffs.

Yeah.......

I mean I've heard people say Drob as a top player of all time, but he really wasn't. He was good, no doubt. I mean, someone in the Pippen thread said Drob was better than Pippen. **** that.

It's not even that DRob did or didn't disappear in the playoffs, he was just not that good. He got outplayed by better players. And faced more in the playoffs.

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

People exposing themselves having never seen D-Rob with statements saying such nonsense like Tim Duncan ran the floor better? My god, completely inaccurate. Tim Duncan isn't near the athletic specimen David Robinson was. Like it's not even close.

David Robinson is one of the most freak athletes to hit the NBA this side of Wilt, LeBron, Shaq, etc. The combination package of size, strength, speed, quickness. Virtually un-matched. Had a physique chiseled by god out of stone.

I think David Robinson easily has the higher peak play, particularly in the regular season. Tim Duncan was probably a better playoff performer. But Tim was blessed with in most likelihood a superior supporting cast, and easily a better coach than D-Rob had to work with through much of his career.

I have no problem with people putting Duncan on their top 10 list. DRob was a beast athlete, for sure, and he had a J, and he could block shots. But he just wasn't that good. He was like the best case 7'1 Amare. Beast player, but he didn't really have the mentality to be an all time great.

-Smak

[SamuraiSWISH]

He was like the best case 7'1 Amare.
What? David Robinson had some of the most impact on defense of any of the all-time great centers. And you just compared him to Amare? David Robinson was a more impressive player than Tim Duncan. Timmy was obviously more successful. I think some of that comes down to context, and circumstances. In this case, I don't think it's strictly a matter of intangible differences between the two players.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Robinson was like an extremely rich man's Toronto chris bosh. That's the best comparison i can think of. I don't see the amare parallels.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Robinson was like an extremely rich man's Toronto chris bosh. That's the best comparison i can think of. I don't see the amare parallels.
That's actually a really solid comparison, I initially thought you made it because of both being black lefties. But there was times that even though D-Rob's physique was crazy, he definitely shied away from contact. Much like Bosh. But yes, a Bill Gates, X to the Z pimped out version of Chris Bosh if you want to go there.

[scm5]

It's not even a question. Tim Duncan.

While Robinson consistently performed worse in the playoffs, Duncan performed at a much higher level year after year.

[moe94]

I have no problem with people putting Duncan on their top 10 list. DRob was a beast athlete, for sure, and he had a J, and he could block shots. But he just wasn't that good. He was like the best case 7'1 Amare. Beast player, but he didn't really have the mentality to be an all time great.

-Smak

You must be retarded if you think Robinson wasn't an all time great. If you think Pippen was better, you heave no credibility whatsoever. :oldlol:

[ArbitraryWater]

Shaq, MJ, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Lebron, Kobe, Hakeem, Russell, Oscar, Moses, and Dr. J.

Robinson is definitely in the 17-22 range.

Kobe :rolleyes: :facepalm

Take Moses and Dr. J out there too. Robinson had goat regular season peak.