Explain why Duncan is not a center?

[tamaraw08]

http://basketball.isport.com/basketball-guides/basketball-position-roles-explained


[QUOTE]The center is usually the tallest man on the floor and the player closest to the basket. For these reasons, he

[TonyMontana]

because when Duncan was at his best, he played PF. He played center when he got older.

the best Duncan years I remember David Robinson next to him, and Rasho Nesterovic(lol)

[G-train]

Feels like 2006 again, when this was heavily debated :)

They call him a center, because he was drafted next to Robinson, and often played with another center.

But basically, he still played exactly like a center making it more of a twin towers 2 center lineup, which Duncan homers couldn't comprehend.

I liken the principle of it to saying Melo is a power forward when they play small ball.
Well no he is obviously a small forward.

[iamgine]

Duncan was both. He was equally effective as both. Both positions are pretty similar anyways.

It depends on the matchup and Spurs personnel. It just happens in his prime they had Robinson and Shaq and Hakeem was still around so Duncan became more of a power forward. He'd be a beastly center today.

[inclinerator]

he doesnt weigh enough

[Prime_Shaq]

Duncan was both. He was equally effective as both. Both positions are pretty similar anyways.

It depends on the matchup and Spurs personnel. It just happens in his prime they had Robinson and Shaq and Hakeem was still around so Duncan became more of a power forward. He'd be a beastly center today.
Agreed, he also entered the league at the the time where the 2 positions were not so different.

[tamaraw08]

because when Duncan was at his best, he played PF. He played center when he got older.

the best Duncan years I remember David Robinson next to him, and Rasho Nesterovic(lol)
Again D-Rob took more perimeter shots than Duncan. Again, D-Rob retired after winning his 2nd ring, so after that, Duncan still played his peak years, who played center then?:confusedshrug:

[Real Men Wear Green]

He will go down in history as a four because that's what they felt like calling him. There is no other reason. In a way it's good for him, better to be called the greatest power forward of all time than the 5th (or whatever) best center.

[TommyGriffin]

It's because of his skill set. He can handle the ball, pass, and shoot at mid range fairly well. Centers are usually the big garbage men with no skills. PF's are required to step out of the paint and make plays and shots on occasions where Centers are usually not.

Tim Duncan had Center size but Power Forward skills. That is what made him one of the best players of all time.

[feyki]

Duncan was clearly a center when playing on defensive side . There was no debate over this .

But he had mid range game as well as other PF's . I don't disagree with anyone seeing him as PF for his offensive weapons .

[Smoke117]

He is...playing with Big Dave is the only reason he was ever labeled a PF...once Robinson was gone he always played the Center role regardless of what position he was marked in at.

[T_L_P]

He was a PF/C who spent pretty much his entire prime at the 4. He even played some SF in 98/99 before his knee injury (with Robinson at the 4 and Perdue at the 5), which tells you he's clearly not just a Center.

[Old Man River]

Yeah he was only a pf when he played with David Robinson

[T_L_P]

Yeah he was only a pf when he played with David Robinson

C with Robinson, Rasho, Splitter, Oberto, Thomas, Nazr. PF with Blair, Horry, Diaw, Aldridge.

McDyess is a tricky one.

[SCdac]

If we're just talking size, Rasho was bigger than Duncan, Splitter too was the same height and a more natural center ... and offensively, Duncan utilized his range and shooting out of the mid/high post much like Kevin Garnett and Karl Malone did. He played like a traditional PF in other words... POWER forwards typically operated out of the block but would also face-up, unlike the "stretch 4" PF's fans have come to know the last 15 years (Kevin Love, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki, Draymond Green, etc).

http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2003/11/07/Lakersspurs_t440.jpg

[Bosnian Sajo]

Again D-Rob took more perimeter shots than Duncan. Again, D-Rob retired after winning his 2nd ring, so after that, Duncan still played his peak years, who played center then?:confusedshrug:

Rasho, can't you read?

[G-train]

Just because there is another center on the court, doesn't mean Duncan wasn't a center.

If Duncan is a 4, Ewing is a 4.

He played primarily around the basket on both ends and was around 7 foot tall (when he doesn't slouch).

[G-train]

He was a PF/C who spent pretty much his entire prime at the 4. He even played some SF in 98/99 before his knee injury (with Robinson at the 4 and Perdue at the 5), which tells you he's clearly not just a Center.

That was a 3 center lineup.

Is Lebron and Melo and George power forwards?
They are second biggest on the court often in a small ball lineup.

[j3lademaster]

I think Jalen Rose said it best, that positions are just there so novices can follow the game.

[SCdac]

Here's a video of Karl Malone shooting only jump shots & facing-up opponents. He did it often, despite his reputation as just a power dunker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKedq1udBZ8

Here in this compilation Tim Duncan faces up Dirk and Garnett like he did so much through out his career. He operated out of the mid and low post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeA8euE3Fgw

Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol are 4's who shot a bunch of jumpers too but also had great post moves. Tim was never purely a back-to-the-basket player like say Dwight Howard, who's more of a "pure center".

Having said that, positions are not rigid. Many players can play both Power Forward and Center (Patrick Ewing, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, etc.). Some players can play 4-5 positions like Boris Diaw. And lots of centers have been able to hit jumpers regularly, like say Yao Ming or Alonzo Mourning, but they didn't have the playmaking skills and court vision Duncan had. At one point in the mid 2000s, the Spurs wanted to put Alonzo at C next to Tim Duncan. Would have been nice

[Pointguard]

Powerforwards have traditionally been the least skilled player on the floor. Before Duncan it was a hustle and tough guy position. Definitely not as skilled as centers.

[feyki]

Just because there is another center on the court, doesn't mean Duncan wasn't a center.

If Duncan is a 4, Ewing is a 4.

He played primarily around the basket on both ends and was around 7 foot tall (when he doesn't slouch).

Yes , i agree with that . If Duncan was 4 , Ewing was too .


Powerforwards have traditionally been the least skilled player on the floor. Before Duncan it was a hustle and tough guy position. Definitely not as skilled as centers.

:milton

[Smoke117]

Powerforwards have traditionally been the least skilled player on the floor. Before Duncan it was a hustle and tough guy position. Definitely not as skilled as centers.

Kevin Mchale. In general I'd say big men just got more mobile and a lot of guys who would have been centers ended up PF's now.

[Pointguard]

Kevin Mchale. In general I'd say big men just got more mobile and a lot of guys who would have been centers ended up PF's now.
He and Barkley. But Kareem had Rambis. Hakeem had Thorpe. Walton had Lucas, Ewing had Oakley, Shaq had Samaki... But all of those guys were prototypical. Barkley was the best passer and perhaps the only one I can think of outside of Garnett to precede Duncan as PF passers. Both Duncan and Garnett got a lot of steals too for big men. Where as centers were usually better passers.

[thefatmiral]

Similar with Robinson and ewing. Guarded the opponents c, protected rim and stepped out to hit jumpers.