Prime Walton vs Prime Duncan

[La Frescobaldi]

During those fleeting moments of Walton's prime he was the face of the league.

I always thought Jabbar felt challenged by Walton in those couple of years, and went way beyond to get the MVP. He has always had insecurity issues IMO, never more evident than his really lame attacks on Chamberlain.

But Walton was definitely the Man at the end of the 70s, while Duncan was never more than a top 5 guy of his era. Many people were saying he was the best center ever, at least in the level of Wilt & Russell.

Hes a strange character, that Walton. He was the arch rebel hippie but he was the most conservative guy you ever saw on the court. He never lost control of a game even when guys like Issel and Gervin and Dr. J were trying to throw the frantic switch.

[oolalaa]

During those fleeting moments of Walton's prime he was the face of the league.

I always thought Jabbar felt challenged by Walton in those couple of years, and went way beyond to get the MVP. He has always had insecurity issues IMO, never more evident than his really lame attacks on Chamberlain.

But Walton was definitely the Man at the end of the 70s, while Duncan was never more than a top 5 guy of his era. Many people were saying he was the best center ever, at least in the level of Wilt & Russell.

Hes a strange character, that Walton. He was the arch rebel hippie but he was the most conservative guy you ever saw on the court. He never lost control of a game even when guys like Issel and Gervin and Dr. J were trying to throw the frantic switch.

Duncan was the best player in the league for at the very least least a couple of seasons - 02/03 & 04/05. You could certainly make a good case for 98/99 & 01/02 as well and maybe 03/04, although Garnett was a beast that year.

But regardless, between '99 and '05 he was never not a top 3 player, in a league that had prime Shaq, young Kobe, prime Garnett, prime Iverson & Prime tmac.

I love Walton but let's not underrate Duncan please. This comparison is VERY close....

[Lebron23]

Prime Tim Duncan

1999 Finals

27.4 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.20 bpg, .537 FG% 5 games W

2003 Finals

24.2 ppg, 17.0 rpg, 5.3 apg, 5.33 bpg, .495 FG% 6 games W

[La Frescobaldi]

Duncan was the best player in the league for at the very least least a couple of seasons - 02/03 & 04/05. You could certainly make a good case for 98/99 & 01/02 as well and maybe 03/04, although Garnett was a beast that year.

But regardless, between '99 and '05 he was never not a top 3 player, in a league that had prime Shaq, young Kobe, prime Garnett, prime Iverson & Prime tmac.

I love Walton but let's not underrate Duncan please. This comparison is VERY close....

*********************
well I didn't know top 5 meant underrated.... But not sure he can go higher in that league, why would you say #1? Nash, Kobe, lebron, shaq, dirk were all right there at the top the first half of the decade

[oolalaa]

*********************
well I didn't know top 5 meant underrated.... But not sure he can go higher in that league, why would you say #1? Nash, Kobe, lebron, shaq, dirk were all right there at the top the first half of the decade

1. Nash and Lebron were "right at the top" the first half of that decade? ummmmm.....no. I think you mean the second half of that decade.

2. Let's go through the years then.....

98/99 - With Jordan retiring, the chance to be the NBAs best player was now wide open.
- Shaq was dominant but this was probably his worst season since his rookie year. He still wasn't completely dedicated to winning at this point and the Lakers got swept by Duncan's Spurs in the 2nd round.
- Iverson. A slashing point guard who was shooting 41% from the floor What more can I say? He also got swept in the 2nd round.
- Who else? Malone was poor, Garnett wasn't quite Garnett yet, neither was Kobe.
- Duncan upped his play in the playoffs (as he always did) and led the Spurs to their first ever championship. He was the best of a mediocre bunch in a mediocre year but, none the less, he was still the best.

99/00 & 00/01 - Shaq was Shaq Duncan was the 2nd best player in '00 and 3rd best in '01.

01/02 - Although Shaq was getting fat at this point, he did carry a sub par kobe to a 3rd title in a row (even if it was under fishy circumstances). And he beat Duncan's Spurs in the 2nd round despite Duncan putting up 34/25/4/2 in the deciding game 5 loss. To be honest, it's a coin flop between Shaq & Duncan to me.

02/03 - Both Kobe and Dirk were phenomenol (Tmac was pretty good as well) but Duncan was even better. This was Duncan at his absolute peak - Top 3 defensive big man and rebounder in the league along with Garnett & Ben Wallace, very good scorer, great passer out of the post and, as always, a great leader and teammate.

He beat Shaqobe's Lakers in the WCSF, closing them out with a 37/16/4/2 in game 6.
He beat Nowitzkis Mavericks in the WCF (To be fair, Dirk did go down in game 3 & never returned. We missed out on a potential all time great series Duncan wasn't losing it though )
He demolished Kidd's Nets in the finals, averaging a 24/17/5/5 and closing them out with an absurd 21/20/10/8 in game 6

03/04 - This was Garnett's MVP year and he let us know the award was no fluke come playoff time. He was superb, and had a better series against the Lakers in the WCF than Duncan did in the previous round. That was the only thing that separated Garnett from Duncan in my mind

There was no one else either - Shaq was morbidly obese, Kobe was complaining the whole year that Shaq was morbidly obese, Dirk had a far from stellar regular season & got bounced out of the 1st round by the Kings and.....ummmmmmm.....yeh. It was a pretty crappy year

04/05 - Again, who else? Garnett and Kobe missed the playoffs, Shaq wasn't Shaq anymore, Lebron was just a kid. I guess Nash was Duncan's biggest competition

Duncan meanwhile led the Spurs to a 3rd championship in 7 years. Need i say more?


So to sum up,

Best player = '99, '02 (tie), '03, '05
2nd best player = '00, '04
3rd best player = '01

Don't underrate Timmy!

[Duncan21formvp]

Better Question is Duncan vs Hakeem not Walton.

[La Frescobaldi]

1. Nash and Lebron were "right at the top" the first half of that decade? ummmmm.....no. I think you mean the second half of that decade.

2. Let's go through the years then.....

98/99 - With Jordan retiring, the chance to be the NBAs best player was now wide open.
- Shaq was dominant but this was probably his worst season since his rookie year. He still wasn't completely dedicated to winning at this point and the Lakers got swept by Duncan's Spurs in the 2nd round.
- Iverson. A slashing point guard who was shooting 41% from the floor What more can I say? He also got swept in the 2nd round.
- Who else? Malone was poor, Garnett wasn't quite Garnett yet, neither was Kobe.
- Duncan upped his play in the playoffs (as he always did) and led the Spurs to their first ever championship. He was the best of a mediocre bunch in a mediocre year but, none the less, he was still the best.

99/00 & 00/01 - Shaq was Shaq Duncan was the 2nd best player in '00 and 3rd best in '01.

01/02 - Although Shaq was getting fat at this point, he did carry a sub par kobe to a 3rd title in a row (even if it was under fishy circumstances). And he beat Duncan's Spurs in the 2nd round despite Duncan putting up 34/25/4/2 in the deciding game 5 loss. To be honest, it's a coin flop between Shaq & Duncan to me.

02/03 - Both Kobe and Dirk were phenomenol (Tmac was pretty good as well) but Duncan was even better. This was Duncan at his absolute peak - Top 3 defensive big man and rebounder in the league along with Garnett & Ben Wallace, very good scorer, great passer out of the post and, as always, a great leader and teammate.

He beat Shaqobe's Lakers in the WCSF, closing them out with a 37/16/4/2 in game 6.
He beat Nowitzkis Mavericks in the WCF (To be fair, Dirk did go down in game 3 & never returned. We missed out on a potential all time great series Duncan wasn't losing it though )
He demolished Kidd's Nets in the finals, averaging a 24/17/5/5 and closing them out with an absurd 21/20/10/8 in game 6

03/04 - This was Garnett's MVP year and he let us know the award was no fluke come playoff time. He was superb, and had a better series against the Lakers in the WCF than Duncan did in the previous round. That was the only thing that separated Garnett from Duncan in my mind

There was no one else either - Shaq was morbidly obese, Kobe was complaining the whole year that Shaq was morbidly obese, Dirk had a far from stellar regular season & got bounced out of the 1st round by the Kings and.....ummmmmmm.....yeh. It was a pretty crappy year

04/05 - Again, who else? Garnett and Kobe missed the playoffs, Shaq wasn't Shaq anymore, Lebron was just a kid. I guess Nash was Duncan's biggest competition

Duncan meanwhile led the Spurs to a 3rd championship in 7 years. Need i say more?


So to sum up,

Best player = '99, '02 (tie), '03, '05
2nd best player = '00, '04
3rd best player = '01

Don't underrate Timmy!

Well we can disagree.

Shaq was the #1 player in the early 00s. It may be a coin toss to you, but not to me. Shaq was completely unguardable, great at rebounding, real strong on defense. That he blew up mentally later doesn't change what he did.

Steve Nash on the Mavs was a force. Kobe8 was incredible. Jason Kidd took the Nets (!!!??!!) to the Finals. KG was rockin the freaking planet.

I don't agree with sportswriters deciding the MVP but it's been 30 years since the players decided it themselves, and I doubt that will change.

Duncan has been an awesome, elite player, & I hear you, he should not be underrated. I just don't think he's been what Walton was in the late 70s. Walton was above the rest of the elite in the league. Duncan was part of the elite. He never separated himself from his competition like that.

But, Walton was injured from first to last. It was huge news in basketball when Walton was finally injury free, and everybody was watching in amazement. How could he even play at all? But if you were to ask me which I'd rather have on an all-time team that would be easy. I'd take Duncan, because Walton was going to be in the hospital the whole time.

[oolalaa]

Well we can disagree.

Shaq was the #1 player in the early 00s. It may be a coin toss to you, but not to me. Shaq was completely unguardable, great at rebounding, real strong on defense. That he blew up mentally later doesn't change what he did.

Steve Nash on the Mavs was a force. Kobe8 was incredible. Jason Kidd took the Nets (!!!??!!) to the Finals. KG was rockin the freaking planet.

I don't agree with sportswriters deciding the MVP but it's been 30 years since the players decided it themselves, and I doubt that will change.

Duncan has been an awesome, elite player, & I hear you, he should not be underrated. I just don't think he's been what Walton was in the late 70s. Walton was above the rest of the elite in the league. Duncan was part of the elite. He never separated himself from his competition like that.

But, Walton was injured from first to last. It was huge news in basketball when Walton was finally injury free, and everybody was watching in amazement. How could he even play at all? But if you were to ask me which I'd rather have on an all-time team that would be easy. I'd take Duncan, because Walton was going to be in the hospital the whole time.

Kareem was at his peak in '77 and Dr J still had his hops. Walton was incredible but I disagree that he was "above the rest of the elite in the league".

And yes Jason Kidd took the Nets to the finals but don't forget, the eastern conference was incredibly weak at the time.

[La Frescobaldi]

Kareem was at his peak in '77 and Dr J still had his hops. Walton was incredible but I disagree that he was "above the rest of the elite in the league".

And yes Jason Kidd took the Nets to the finals but don't forget, the eastern conference was incredibly weak at the time.

lolol
so my friend ...........

IMPASSE

[La Frescobaldi]

hey oolalaa you know what?

This last few days I went back and looked at some of Duncan's early 2000s games, and some of Walton's too........ Duncan has been for real

I'm wrong, you're right.

Chump.

[UtahJazzFan88]

Prime Luke >>> Prime Duncan any day of the week.

[linZoMourning]

Prime Luke >>> Prime Duncan any day of the week.

troll much?

[KevinNYC]

Everything I read about Walton is exaggerated. He was a good player, but best center ever? Not a chance in hell. To say something like he's a Duncan light with better passing is fair.

Now you're going in the opposite direction. A Healthy Walton is not a good player. A healthy Walton is better than 99% of NBA players ever.

This is a guy who shot went 21 for 22 in the NCAA Finals-at a time when dunks were illegal.

His 1977 and 78 Seasons are crazy good. His Defensive Rating for 58 games in 78 is 89.5. That's ridiculous. There have been 9 better seasons since 1973. The record is
Ben Wallace 87.48 2003-04

The 1986 Celtics are considered the best team ever by many and it's not mere coincidence that Walton was their backup center. At 33 he had the number 1 Defensive Rating in the NBA that year. He came into the game and, Boom! The best team in league got better defensively and their ball movement opened up. They had a lethal bench that year.

Bill Walton is the All Time NBA leader in Defensive Rebounding %. His Defensive Rating is 8th All Time in the NBA.
(Probably Wilt and Rusell would be higher if they kept the stats back then.)

[KevinNYC]

Now you're going in the opposite direction. A Healthy Walton is not a good player. A healthy Walton is better than 99% of NBA players ever.

This is a guy who shot went 21 for 22 in the NCAA Finals-at a time when dunks were illegal.

His 1977 and 78 Seasons are crazy good. His Defensive Rating for 58 games in 78 is 89.5. That's ridiculous. There have been 9 better seasons since 1973. The record is
Ben Wallace 87.48 2003-04

The 1986 Celtics are considered the best team ever by many and it's not mere coincidence that Walton was their backup center. At 33 he had the number 1 Defensive Rating in the NBA that year. He came into the game and, Boom! The best team in league got better defensively and their ball movement opened up. They had a lethal bench that year.

Bill Walton is the All Time NBA leader in Defensive Rebounding %. His Defensive Rating is 8th All Time in the NBA.
(Probably Wilt and Rusell would be higher if they kept the stats back then.)

Should have checked the date on this first post.

[RonySeikalyFTL]

I saw some articles from Bill's era where people were calling him the best center ever.

I saw some articles in 2007 calling Baron Davis the best athlete in the world.

People tend to exaggerate things in the heat of the moment. They also like being original.