Top 10 Peaks of All-Time

[DFish24]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Hakeem
6. Bird
7. Magic
8. Kobe
9. Duncan
10. Lebron

Thoughts?

[dubeta]

Switch 10 with 3, and replace 8 on the list.

[Rocketswin2013]

Too vague.

[DFish24]

Switch 10 with 3, and replace 8 on the list.

:no: #10 at his peak couldn't even beat a Dwight Howard led team as favorites with HCA. He's lucky to even be there.

[dubeta]

:no: #10 at his peak couldn't even beat a Dwight Howard led team as favorites with HCA. He's lucky to even be there.

7 at his peak didnt even make the playoffs

[SpecialQue]

http://www.automaticwasher.info/TD/AWJPEG/SHP/2013/twintubdexter++8-16-2013-13-47-42.jpg

[rmt]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Hakeem
6. Bird
7. Magic
8. Kobe
9. Duncan
10. Lebron

Thoughts?

2003 Duncan > any Kobe

[DFish24]

7 at his peak didnt even make the playoffs

'87 Magic didn't make the playoffs? Also in about 6-7 years D'Angelo Russell will be on the list as well probably kicking Bran out.

[Prime_Shaq]

1. Shaq
2. Jordan
3. Wilt
4. LeBron
5. Kareem
6. Bird
7. Hakeem
8. Kobe
9. Magic
10. Duncan

[Cold soul]

2003 Duncan > any Kobe

Meh maybe it's close I feel Duncan and Kobe are in same tier as peaks go while Shaq and Lebron are notch above.

[dubeta]

'87 Magic didn't make the playoffs? Also in about 6-7 years D'Angelo Russell will be on the list as well probably kicking Bran out.

Sorry meant 8 (2005)

[Wade's Rings]

What do you guys consider Kobe's Peak? '03? '06? '08?

[LAZERUSS]

Using a 3 year run as considered "peak."

1. Wilt
2. KAJ
3. MJ
4. Shaq
5. Bird
6. Magic
7. Duncan
8. Dr. J (ABA-first year NBA)
9. Moses
10. Lebron
11. Hakeem
12. McAdoo

[TheCorporation]

LeBron's Championship run in 2012 was an epic run.

He is the only player in NBA history to win a title putting up:

30-10-5 on 50%

That's an epic peak run for a title.

LBJ is definitely top 5 in terms of peaks.

[rmt]

Meh maybe it's close I feel Duncan and Kobe are in same tier as peaks go while Shaq and Lebron are notch above.

Okay, you tell me a year where Kobe won MVP, FMVP and led a cast of young 'uns like that to a championship (leading the team in points, rebounds, assists and blocks for the whole playoffs)?

[Ne 1]

Peak Kareem:

31/16/4/4 on 54% over the first decade of his career in the playoffs, At his peak he was at 35/17/5/5 on 57% and 35/18/4/4 in playoffs. Some of his season:

35/17/5/5
32/16/4/4
30/16/5/4
28/17/5/4

All of them around 55% shooting too (some 57+%). The first three statlines being from seasons his team won 55-65 wins (one year winning a ring). Didn't need to clear out his own teammates for rebounds or yell at them to shoot to collect assists either. In his prime, over 10 years (the entire 70s) he averaged 31 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 4.0 apg and around 4-5 bpg (3.5 in the games on record, but his best shot blocking seasons, '69-'73, aren't on record) in the playoffs. All this with the benefits of big man efficiency with no traditional liabilities of poor FT shooting, inconsistent defense, poor passing, or really any weakness in area of his game. Is anyone else rivaling that statline in the playoffs over 10 year stretch?

[Rocketswin2013]

Peak Kareem:

31/16/4/4 on 54% over the first decade of his career in the playoffs, At his peak he was at 35/17/5/5 on 57% and 35/18/4/4 in playoffs. Some of his season:

35/17/5/5
32/16/4/4
30/16/5/4
28/17/5/4

All of them around 55% shooting too (some 57+%). The first three statlines being from seasons his team won 55-65 wins (one year winning a ring). Didn't need to clear out his own teammates for rebounds or yell at them to shoot to collect assists either. In his prime, over 10 years (the entire 70s) he averaged 31 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 4.0 apg and around 4-5 bpg (3.5 in the games on record, but his best shot blocking seasons, '69-'73, aren't on record) in the playoffs. All this with the benefits of big man efficiency with no traditional liabilities of poor FT shooting, inconsistent defense, poor passing, or really any weakness in area of his game. Is anyone else rivaling that statline in the playoffs over 10 year stretch?
1973-1980 was literally the WOAT era.

[Ne 1]

led a cast of young 'uns like that to a championship (leading the team in points, rebounds, assists and blocks for the whole playoffs)?

You know that team isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. This just shows that people don't have a proper understanding of how teams are built and how people have this fascination with using stats to prop up their favorite players. The '03 Spurs are pretty complete team to me.

Sure, Duncan dominated, no doubt. However when you actually sit down and watch the 2003 Spurs, you don't feel like they were a "weaker team". They won 60 games and I didn't feel that they were a weak team back then, and I don't feel that way now after revisiting some of those games. All playoff long, everyone was commending the Spurs for building a perfect team around Duncan. And if you watch them play, you never felt like the team had any weakness. They could flat out lock you down, could stifle guards on the perimeter with Bruce Bowen, throw bangers who were good post defenders like Malik Rose and give you excellent interior defense with Duncan/Robinson. If you look at the team as a whole, or watch them play, they weren't as weak as people are making them out to be after looking at just raw data. They could have been even more dominating if they had a 15-20 ppg secondary scorer, but the team wasn't really lacking anything.

Interior defense: Tim Duncan, David Robinson
Rebounding: Tim Duncan, Malik Rose, David Robinson
Perimeter defense: Bruce Bowen (Do you think if Antonio Daniels and Terry Porter were defending Kobe again that the Spurs are beating the Lakers in '03?)
Outside shooting: Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson, Bruce Bowen
Playmaking off the dribble: Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker
Perimeter scoring: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson (inconsistent but two out of the three would usually step up in basically every game to give you 30-40 pts combined)
Bench: Manu Ginobili, Malik Rose, Speedy Claxton
Coaching: Gregg Popovich

Add in some lucky breaks like Robert Horry going something like 0/20 on three pointers in the WCSF and missing a buzzer beating 3 that would have shifted the series in the Lakers favor,a really weak Finals matchup against a Nets team that didn't even win 50 games, avoiding a series with Kings (who matched up better against Spurs) because Chris Webber tore his knee against the Mavs (Dallas had awful interior defense), Dirk getting injured midway through in the WCF and teammates stepping up at right moments like Tony Parker in last two wins against the Lakers, Stephen Jackson against the Mavs, Bruce Bowen hitting 7 threes and shutting down Kobe in one of the wins against the Lakers etc. etc., and it's not this groundbreaking accomplishment people are making it out to be. Duncan should rightly get a ton of credit, he played amazing, but just because there wasn't a strong "#2 scoring threat" doesn't mean the team sucked. Even so, with that said, I still give Duncan a ton of credit. He stepped up at all the right moments, closed out Lakers with a 37/16/4 game and won back home court against Mavs with a 34/24/6/6 game. That title is a big accomplishment, but I don't give it added meaning b because of his supporting cast.

[tpols]

2003 Duncan > any Kobe

playing a run down, tired LA team that consistently beat your team when fresh, a team without their best player in the WCF's, and the kidd led nets who had no more talent outside kidd than the spurs had outside Duncan isn't anything to brag about peak wise. Its pretty overrated.

[Cold soul]

What do you guys consider Kobe's Peak? '03? '06? '08?

I would say his individual dominance the height of his powers was in (2006). Kobe MVP season as a player playing the right way and raising the level play of his teammates (2008) he played perfect all around great balance that season Phil Jackson even said he reached his apex as a player and teammate.

[Ne 1]

1973-1980 was literally the WOAT era.

Yeah, the '70s were a cakewalk, it's not like there were 9 different champions in 10 years (and ABA talent came over in the mid 70s anyways), or upsets galore because how tightly the teams were from top to bottom. It is the only era in history where there weren't just one or two teams who were far talented than the rest (with the core being kept together), that sleepwalked their way to the finals. In the '70s the competition was on from the first round onwards. Those 1972 Lakers and 1971 Bucks or Havlichek led Celtics (all before the merger) were such weak teams right?

[SHAQisGOAT]

Top5: Shaq, Jordan, Kareem, Wilt and Bird.

Rest of the top10: Hakeem, Duncan, Magic, LeBron and probably Walton.

Completing the top15: Russell, Kobe, Big O, Moses and Dr J.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

91 MJ
00 Shaq
86 Bird
77 KAJ
93 Hakeem
04 KG
02 Duncan
11 Dirk
09 Kobe
77 Walton

[Rocketswin2013]

Yeah, the '70s were a cakewalk, it's not like there were 9 different champions in 10 years (and ABA talent came over in the mid 70s anyways), or upsets galore because how tightly the teams were from top to bottom. It is the only era in history where there weren't just one or two teams who were far talented than the rest (with the core being kept together), that sleepwalked their way to the finals. In the '70s the competition was on from the first round onwards. Those 1972 Lakers and 1971 Bucks or Havlichek led Celtics (all before the merger) were such weak teams right?
Talent was so shit no one could just take the era by force and dominate it. 9/10 isn't surprising. BTW, I said 73-80.

[LAZERUSS]

Yeah, the '70s were a cakewalk, it's not like there were 9 different champions in 10 years (and ABA talent came over in the mid 70s anyways), or upsets galore because how tightly the teams were from top to bottom. It is the only era in history where there weren't just one or two teams who were far talented than the rest (with the core being kept together), that sleepwalked their way to the finals. In the '70s the competition was on from the first round onwards. Those 1972 Lakers and 1971 Bucks or Havlichek led Celtics (all before the merger) were such weak teams right?

From 73-74 thru 78-79....the weakest era for champions from the 60's to current. Not even close.

Teams with records of 48-34, 49-33, 44-38, and 52-30 were winning titles.

Not only that, but even the loser in the Finals had poor records. The '76 Suns went 40-42, and made it to the Finals.

Kareem's Bucks beat a 42-40 team in the Finals in his only title run in that decade (after beating a 41-41 Warrior team, and then a 48-34 Laker team without both West and Baylor...and in a series in which an aging Wilt outplayed a peak Kareem.)

[Pointguard]

Using a 3 year run as considered "peak."

1. Wilt
2. KAJ
3. MJ
4. Shaq
5. Bird
6. Magic
7. Duncan
8. Dr. J (ABA-first year NBA)
9. Moses
10. Lebron
11. Hakeem
12. McAdoo
No arguments there.

But I have MJ second on a flip with Kareem. And Hakeem flipped with Moses.

[LAZERUSS]

Talent was so shit no one could just take the era by force and dominate it. 9/10 isn't surprising. BTW, I said 73-80.

Actually, 73-74 thru 78-79. The '73 season had a 56-26 Knicks team win the title with SIX HOFers (and in a league with the 60-22 Lakers and 60-22 Bucks.)

[dubeta]

Top5: Shaq, Jordan, Kareem, Wilt and Bird.

Rest of the top10: Hakeem, Duncan, Magic, LeBron and probably Walton.

Completing the top15: Russell, Kobe, Big O, Moses and Dr J.

LOL Bird might have the worst peak of all-time, and i'm not just talking about amongst the greats, Bird over LeBron peak?? :oldlol:

[Westbrook0]

Switch 10 with 3, and replace 8 on the list.

This.

[1987_Lakers]

Bill Walton should be on there, especially over guys like McAdoo.:oldlol:

Best defensive rebounder & the best passing big man this league has seen, he was also the best defender in the league during his peak.

[rmt]

playing a run down, tired LA team that consistently beat your team when fresh, a team without their best player in the WCF's, and the kidd led nets who had no more talent outside kidd than the spurs had outside Duncan isn't anything to brag about peak wise. Its pretty overrated.

If it's not one Kobe stan criticizing the competition, it's another (Ne1) saying how balanced/without weakness Duncan's team mates were. Yet neither will give proper credit to MDE and $90+million payrolls when Kobe wins. When it comes to Kobe, that same Nets team with one less year and one less playoff experience the previous Finals wasn't bad competition either.

[LAZERUSS]

No arguments there.

But I have MJ second on a flip with Kareem. And Hakeem flipped with Moses.

Hard to argue with you either. I downplay Hakeem's two titles more than Moses' one though. Moses won a title in a season with Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics. Hakeem won a title in a year in which MJ took the year off (and his team still went 55-27 without him); and then he won a title in '95, in a series in which a young Shaq outplayed him.

And Moses dragged a 40-42 team to the Finals in '81, losing to Bird's Celtics, but after beating Magic's Lakers in a series in which Moses' just pounded Kareem.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Bill Walton should be on there, especially over guys like McAdoo.:oldlol:

Best defensive rebounder & the best passing big man this league has seen, he was also the best defender in the league during his peak.
KG was the GOAT passing big (and he was a better defender and scorer)
McAdoo at 12 is jokes doe

[Cold soul]

Top three peaks: Jordan, Shaq, Wilt.

2nd Tier: Kareem, Magic, Hakeem, Lebron.

3rd Tier: Duncan, Kobe, Bird, Russell, Oscar.

[LAZERUSS]

Bill Walton should be on there, especially over guys like McAdoo.:oldlol:

Best defensive rebounder & the best passing big man this league has seen, he was also the best defender in the league during his peak.

For what? One season in which he played 65 games, and in another in which he played 58 games, and was worthless in the post-season?

McAdoo's three year run included a 2nd, a 1st, and a 2nd in the MVP voting, and the reality was, he was robbed by Kareem in '76.

And he OVERWHELMED the league in scoring in those three seasons, and was just as dominant in the post-season.

[Round Mound]

Prime Barkley should be mentioned.

[1987_Lakers]

LOL Bird might have the worst peak of all-time, and i'm not just talking about amongst the greats, Bird over LeBron peak?? :oldlol:

You don't know jack shit. Bird at his peak was incredible, I'd take his peak over Magic's peak any day.

Top 10 as far as peak...

1. MJ
2. Kareem
3. Shaq
4. LeBron
5. Wilt
6. Bird
7. Duncan
8. Kobe
9. Magic
10. Walton

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Prime Barkley should be mentioned.
Ye if we only talkin bout offense and ignore D:lol :lol

[1987_Lakers]

KG was the GOAT passing big (and he was a better defender and scorer)
McAdoo at 12 is jokes doe

Trust me, as far as passing goes no big man touches Walton, only Sabonis is comparable. It's hard to tell who was the better defender, KG was more versatile while Walton has him beat on rim protection. Take a look at the 1977 NBA Finals, Walton was all over the place defensively, he had the Sixers shook.

[1987_Lakers]

For what? One season in which he played 65 games, and in another in which he played 58 games, and was worthless in the post-season?

McAdoo's three year run included a 2nd, a 1st, and a 2nd in the MVP voting, and the reality was, he was robbed by Kareem in '76.

And he OVERWHELMED the league in scoring in those three seasons, and was just as dominant in the post-season.

Walton won a title without any hall of fame teammates and beat a talented Sixers team led by Dr. J in the Finals.

In McAdoo's 3 year peak run he lost in the 1st round twice and the other time he lost in the 2nd round.:oldlol:

[LAZERUSS]

KG was the GOAT passing big (and he was a better defender and scorer)
McAdoo at 12 is jokes doe

Sorry, KG wasn't even CLOSE to Wilt in passing. How many seasons did KG lead the in assists? How many seasons did KG average 7.8 and 8.3 apg? How many post-seasons did KG average 9.0 apg?

As for McAdoo...

'74 regular season: 30.6 ppg, 15.1 rpg, .547 FG%., .793 FT%
'74 post-season: 31.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg, .478 FG%, .809 FT%.

'75 regular season: 34.5 ppg, 14.1 rpg, .512 FG%, .805 FT%
'75 Post-season: 37.4 ppg, 13.4 rpg, .481 FG%, .740 FT%

'76 regular season: 31.1 ppg, 12.4 rpg, .487 FG%, .762 FT%
'76 post-season: 28.0 ppg, 14.2 rpg, .451 FG%, .707 FT%.


BTW, before some idiot claims that McAdoo's scoring was "inflated"...

In his '75 season, he averaged 34.5 ppg, on a .512 FG%, (and an .805 FT%), in a league that averaged 102.6 ppg on a .457 eFG%. And he did so in 43.2 mpg.

Compare that with Durant's 13-14 season: Playing 38.5 mpg, he averaged 32.0 ppg on a .503 FG% (.873 FT%), in an NBA that averaged 101.0 ppg in a league that shot an eFG% of .501.

[Round Mound]

Ye if we only talkin bout offense and ignore D:lol :lol

Barkley posted a top 7 defensive rating in the league when he played with a decent center in 85-86 in his prime, i mean, he never played with a good defensive and rebonding center untill he was broken down in Houston as a 3rd option (and Hakeem or Drexler where no longer in their primes). His defensive rating is similar to Kobe and Barkley was a far better shot blocker than Kobe. Kobe never stopped anyone either, neither did Magic for example (but he had everyone on his team offensively and defensively).

What about rebounding? Barkley was the Best Rebounder in the league for a top 25 PPG scorer with thee highest 2-Point FG% of all interior and frontline players including all centers. Barkley scored the same amount of PPG "if you round up 21.6 ppg (season) and 22.5 ppg (play-offs) and take way his 3-pointers still to 22 ppg and 23 ppg respectively just on 2-Pointers!" AND for his WHOLE CAREER he shot 58% FG (season) and 55% FG (play-offs).

Barkley was the the best combination of efficient scoring, passing and rebounding at the pf spot ever.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Trust me, as far as passing goes no big man touches Walton, only Sabonis is comparable. It's hard to tell who was the better defender, KG was more versatile while Walton has him beat on rim protection. Take a look at the 1977 NBA Finals, Walton was all over the place defensively, he had the Sixers shook.
I've seen Walton. Ppl underrate his teammates and how ahead of their time the blazers offensive structure was. Their ball movement was elite, ans they had good to great paasers all around. Hollins, gross. Lucas was one of the better passing bigs, twardiz for his size etc. Ramsay is one of the alltime underrated coaches. Walton initiated most of the sets but he had plenty of help....KG could handle the rock much better run the ball into their sets, createed better from the perimeter and high post. KG played point forward and point center alot even. Look at his roster in Minny he was able to anchor top 5 offended with his playmaking/passing mostly

Walton is a top 5 defensive player ever at his peak. But KG was better, more versatile, had an extremely high motor and defensive usage. KG is prolly the GOAT pickandroll defender too. I think it's close overall both top 10 peaks but KG was better. Even if u give Walton passing KG was much better handler and way better shooter one of the greatest midrange shots. He was a better scorer clearly too

[LAZERUSS]

Walton won a title without any hall of fame teammates and beat a talented Sixers team led by Dr. J in the Finals.

In McAdoo's 3 year peak run he lost in the 1st round twice and the other time he lost in the 2nd round.:oldlol:

:roll: :roll: :roll:

Walton was SLAUGHTERED by Kareem in the '77 WCF's. It was a crushing beatdown.

KAJ, with ZERO help, and with no PF, so that Portland's Maurice Lucas dominated his helpless front-line mates (and was easily the Blazers best player in the '77 WCF's.)...

30.3 ppg, 16.0 rpg, and on a .608 FG% and a .644 TS%.

And for those who are interested...here is footage of one of those games, and in which Walton had a TON of help on Kareem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coHMKlx7Was&playnext=1&videos=YqP06ya0k4w

Just a carpet-bombing of Walton.

[1987_Lakers]

:roll: :roll: :roll:

Walton was SLAUGHTERED by Kareem in the '77 WCF's. It was a crushing beatdown.

KAJ, with ZERO help, and with no PF, so that Portland's Maurice Lucas dominated his helpless front-line mates (and was easily the Blazers best player in the '77 WCF's.)...

30.3 ppg, 16.0 rpg, and on a .608 FG% and a .644 TS%.

And for those who are interested...here is footage of one of those games, and in which Walton had a TON of help on Kareem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coHMKlx7Was&playnext=1&videos=YqP06ya0k4w

Just a carpet-bombing of Walton.

Kind of sounds like Russell vs Chamberlain, Wilt puts up the crazy stats, but always comes out losing.:oldlol:

[Kvnzhangyay]

Top 4 should definitely be MJ, Shaq, Lebron, Hakeem, in no particular order (although the ones I listed them out in is a pretty decent order)

[FKAri]

You don't know jack shit. Bird at his peak was incredible, I'd take his peak over Magic's peak any day.

Top 10 as far as peak...

1. MJ
2. Kareem
3. Shaq
4. LeBron
5. Wilt
6. Bird
7. Duncan
8. Kobe
9. Magic
10. Walton


Solid list but no Hakeem? I have to admit I'm having a hard time deciding who I'd bump for him.

[1987_Lakers]

Solid list but no Hakeem? I have to admit I'm having a hard time deciding who I'd bump for him.

Trust me, it was hard leaving Hakeem off there.

[Magic 32]

Switch 10 with 3, and replace 8 on the list.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WblKAwbYL._PIsitb-sticker-arrow-big,TopRight,35,-73_OU01_AC_UL320_SR200,320_.jpg

[Odinn]

Tier 1;
1990-91 Michael Jordan / 1985-86 Larry Bird / 1976-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar / 1999-00 Shaquille O'Neal / 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon / 1966-67 Wilt Chamberlain

Tier 2;
2002-03 Tim Duncan / 2011-12 LeBron James

Tier 3;
1986-87 Magic / 2005-06 Kobe Bryant / 1981-82 Moses Malone / 1992-93 Charles Barkley

That's how it looks for me.

[ArbitraryWater]

Yeah, the '70s were a cakewalk, it's not like there were 9 different champions in 10 years (and ABA talent came over in the mid 70s anyways), or upsets galore because how tightly the teams were from top to bottom. It is the only era in history where there weren't just one or two teams who were far talented than the rest (with the core being kept together), that sleepwalked their way to the finals. In the '70s the competition was on from the first round onwards. Those 1972 Lakers and 1971 Bucks or Havlichek led Celtics (all before the merger) were such weak teams right?

dude, didnt someone go over this with you? :wtf: Why cant you adapt to the truth?

If MJ doesnt play in the 90's, we would also have about 6+ different champions... does that make it a better/stronger era? No dude... get it in your head.

Also, you do some insane twisting to downplay Duncan's casts and then when Kobe plays with stars "but but they werent all that good" lol.

You write alot but dont say alot.


You don't know jack shit. Bird at his peak was incredible, I'd take his peak over Magic's peak any day.

Top 10 as far as peak...

1. MJ
2. Kareem
3. Shaq
4. LeBron
5. Wilt
6. Bird
7. Duncan
8. Kobe
9. Magic
10. Walton

I know you try to hate on Hakeem by always saying he's overrated, saying people ignore his career outside 1993-1995.... but now to dismiss him as far as peak play? Thats ridiculous, taking it way too far buddy...

[ArbitraryWater]

Tier 1;
1990-91 Michael Jordan / 1985-86 Larry Bird / 1976-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar / 1999-00 Shaquille O'Neal / 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon / 1966-67 Wilt Chamberlain

Tier 2;
2002-03 Tim Duncan / 2011-12 LeBron James

Tier 3;
1986-87 Magic / 2005-06 Kobe Bryant / 1981-82 Moses Malone / 1992-93 Charles Barkley

That's how it looks for me.

How the **** does '06 Kobe get in that tier, when literally the same year, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James played around that SAME LEVEL, and ALL outplayed him in the playoffs? Just funny to mw.

[Smoke117]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Hakeem
6. Bird
7. Magic
8. Kobe
9. Duncan
10. Lebron

Thoughts?

How the hell is Duncan top 10 as far as peak? If anything he generally has a weak peak and prime when talking about various great big men. His own teammate for instance, David Robinson, has a much more dominant peak.

[ArbitraryWater]

How the hell is Duncan top 10 as far as peak? If anything he generally has a weak peak and prime when talking about various great big men. His own teammate for instance, David Robinson, has a much more dominant peak.

I would actually agree, I like to look at peak as 2-3 years (sustaining that level for that span), but many really just look at a single season, and then 2003 Duncan qualifies.

[Quickening]

Lebron peak between 2011-15... in the playoffs he averaged 29 ppg, 6 assists, 9 rebounds on 50 percent from the field with elite defence, winning 2 fmvps.

[LAZERUSS]

Wilt from his 65-66 season thru his 67-68 season won three straight MVPs, led his team to the best record in the league all three seasons, one in which they went 69-13 and won a dominating title.

In his 65-66 season, he led the NBA in a TON of categories, including PPG (33.5 ppg), RPG (24.6 rpg), and FG% (.540 in a league that shot .433 overall.) He also averaged 5.2 apg. He had NBA highs of 65 and 62 points, as well.

In his 66-67 season, he again led the NBA in a TON of categories, including RPG (24.2 rpg), and FG% (.683, which just shattered his previous record...in a league that shot .441 overall.) He also averaged 24.1 ppg, and came in third in APG at 7.8. He also had the NBA high scoring game of 58 points, as well as the three highest "perfect games from the field" with 15-15, 16-16, and 18-18.

In his 67-68 season, he once again the NBA in numerous categories, including his usual RPG (23.8 rpg), and FG% (.595), but he also led the NBA in assists and averaged 8.3 apg (no other center has come with 2.5 apg of approaching that mark BTW.) Furthermore, he still averaged 24.3 ppg. Included were the four highest scoring games of the season (52, 53, 53, and 68 points.)

Furthermore, he also SLAUGHTERED his other HOF centers in that period (Walt Bellamy, Nate Thurmond, and Bill Russell) by just huge margins in their H2H's, including destroying Russell in all three of their playoff H2H's. Not even a peak Kareem can make the claim that he dominated all of his HOF centers (in fact, he was outplayed by Thurmond in their '71-72 playoffs.)

[Wade's Rings]

I would actually agree, I like to look at peak as 2-3 years (sustaining that level for that span), but many really just look at a single season, and then 2003 Duncan qualifies.

Peak is associated with that player's Best Season...1 Season.

[riseagainst]

top 4:

1. MJ
2. Shaq
3. Lebron
4. Wilt

[bizil]

Perimeter (no particular order):

MJ
Big O
Lebron
Magic
Bird
Baylor
Kobe
West
Dr. J
Wade

Bigs (no particular order):

Wilt
Kareem
Shaq
Hakeem
Barkley
Moses
Duncan
Mailman
KG
Walton

[funnystuff]

Kobe is not top 10 peak

[KendrickPerkins]

Perimeter (no particular order):

MJ
Big O
Lebron
Magic
Bird
Baylor
Kobe
West
Dr. J
Wade

Bigs (no particular order):

Wilt
Kareem
Shaq
Hakeem
Barkley
Moses
Duncan
Mailman
KG
Walton
durant > dr. gay, kobeta, big zero, wade, west, and baylor, and maybe even aids boy

[T_L_P]

Peak is associated with that player's Best Season...1 Season.

This. And therefore Duncan's peak is unquestionably top 10 (it's a top five title run).

[HurricaneKid]

Kobe has had an AMAZING career. I have no problem with people putting him in the top 10. But his best season doesn't sniff the top 20 seasons of all time. And anyone that lists him as top 10 is interpreting the question in some weird way. What was Kobe's best season? Is that seriously a top 10 season?? NO, ITS NOT.