Best one-year PF Peaks compared

[Im Still Ballin]

Peak is defined as one regular season and one playoff run occurring within a one-year period. Post-merger.

Kevin McHale ('86 playoffs + '87 regular season)
- 95 games (77 rs; 18 ps)
- 25.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.5 spg, 2.3 bpg, 2.6 topg
- 60.0% FG, 82.7% FT, 65.2% TS

Charles Barkley ('90 regular season + '90 playoffs)
- 89 games (79 rs; 10 ps)
- 25.1 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 3.1 topg
- 59.3% FG, 73.0% FT, 65.2% TS

Karl Malone ('92 playoffs + '93 regular season)
- 98 games (82 rs; 16 ps)
- 27.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.1 bpg, 2.9 topg
- 54.7% FG, 75.3% FT, 61.3% TS

Tim Duncan ('03 regular season + '03 playoffs)
- 105 games (81 rs; 24 ps)
- 23.6 ppg 13.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 0.7 spg, 3.0 bpg, 3.1 topg
- 51.7% FG, 70.1% FT, 56.7% TS

Kevin Garnett ('04 regular season + '04 playoffs)
- 100 games (82 rs; 18 ps)
- 24.3 ppg 14.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.9 topg
- 49.0% FG, 78.8% FT, 54.1% TS

Dirk Nowitzki ('06 regular season + '06 playoffs)
- 104 games (81 rs; 23 ps)
- 26.6 ppg 9.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.0 topg
- 47.8% FG, 39.3% 3PT, 90.0% FT, 59.0% TS

Anthony Davis ('18 regular season + '18 playoffs)
- 84 games (75 rs; 9 ps)
- 28.3 ppg 11.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 2.5 bpg, 2.2 topg
- 53.2% FG, 33.2% 3PT, 82.8% FT, 60.8% TS

Giannis Antetokounmpo ('21 playoffs + '22 regular season)
- 88 games (67 rs; 21 ps)
- 30.0 ppg 11.9 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.3 bpg, 3.2 topg
- 55.8% FG, 69.3% FT, 62.4% TS

[Jasper]

Giannis Antetokounmpo ('21 playoffs + '22 regular season)
- 88 games (67 rs; 21 ps)
- 30.0 ppg 11.9 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.3 bpg, 3.2 topg
- 55.8% FG, 69.3% FT, 62.4% TS

I take this guy day in day out

[highwhey]

im sorry but giannis shouldn't be in the convo, the amount of egregious fouling and ref-assisted scoring is simply too much to ignore.

for reference, tim duncan averaged 6 fta

gianna has FIVE 10 fta seasons, and THREE 9.5 FTA season...one of those seasons is 12 FTA...absolutely ridiculous

[Jasper]

im sorry but giannis shouldn't be in the convo, the amount of egregious fouling and ref-assisted scoring is simply too much to ignore.

for reference, tim duncan averaged 6 fta

gianna has FIVE 10 fta seasons, and THREE 9.5 FTA season...one of those seasons is 12 FTA...absolutely ridiculous

highwhey double post man.
that makes him elite (.)

[highwhey]

that makes him elite (.)

an elite bitch

[Jasper]

highwhey elite bitch

fixed

[ImKobe]

im sorry but giannis shouldn't be in the convo, the amount of egregious fouling and ref-assisted scoring is simply too much to ignore.

for reference, tim duncan averaged 6 fta

gianna has FIVE 10 fta seasons, and THREE 9.5 FTA season...one of those seasons is 12 FTA...absolutely ridiculous

It's different play styles and eras.. Giannis attacks multiple defenders, they foul him on purpose because he's a below-average FT shooter.

[highwhey]

It's different play styles and eras.. Giannis attacks multiple defenders, they foul him on purpose because he's a below-average FT shooter.

whatevs. just don't try telling me he's better than duncan or kg. he isn't and never will.

[ImKobe]

whatevs. just don't try telling me he's better than duncan or kg. he isn't and never will.

Well, his 2021 run is on par with Duncan's '03 one, you have to give him at least that.

Duncan from '99 - '07 had a FTr (Free Throw Rate) of 46.9, Giannis from '19-'25 has a FTr of 56, so it's not like there's a huge gap between the two. Timmy got to the line quite a bit despite being more of a jump shooter in a slow-paced era.

His motor as a big man is second to none so I don't know what your problem is with him, other than he beat the f*ck out of your Suns in the 2021 Finals while playing on a sprained knee.

[highwhey]

Well, his 2021 run is on par with Duncan's '03 one, you have to give him at least that.

Duncan from '99 - '07 had a FTr (Free Throw Rate) of 46.9, Giannis from '19-'25 has a FTr of 56, so it's not like there's a huge gap between the two. Timmy got to the line quite a bit despite being more of a jump shooter in a slow-paced era.

His motor as a big man is second to none so I don't know what your problem is with him, other than he beat the f*ck out of your Suns in the 2021 Finals while playing on a sprained knee.

he has zero skill. it's like comparing harden to kobe. it's ridiculous. yeah, defensively he's great and his motor is 2nd to none, but offensively has zero skill and certainly cannot be compared to duncan, ever.

and congrats to beating a young suns team that overachieved lol. he got mega lucky, both teams didn't really deserve to be there and his competition was beating a 22 year old deandre ayton LMAO. that's not greatness, sorry not sorry. fun fact, ayton averaged his lowest ppg that season.

[ImKobe]

he has zero skill. it's like comparing harden to kobe. it's ridiculous. yeah, defensively he's great and his motor is 2nd to none, but offensively has zero skill and certainly cannot be compared to duncan, ever.

and congrats to beating a young suns team that overachieved lol. he got mega lucky, both teams didn't really deserve to be there and his competition was beating a 22 year old deandre ayton LMAO. that's not greatness, sorry not sorry. fun fact, ayton averaged his lowest ppg that season.

He's tried to develop his game over the years, has definitely improved as a playmaker, tried to become a 3PT shooter but it wasn't really there for him. Did develop into a good mid-range shooter this season with better splits from 10-16 ft and on long 2s than Tatum ever did with similar volume.

[SouBeachTalents]

C'mon bro, nobody has ever used a playoff run then the following season to constitute a one year peak, 3ball like cherry picked parameters, but we all know why you did it

I'd probably rank them

2003 Duncan
2021 Giannis
2004 KG
1990 Barkley
2006 Dirk
2020 AD
1992 Malone
1987 McHale

[Im Still Ballin]

C'mon bro, nobody has ever used a playoff run then the following season to constitute a one year peak, 3ball like cherry picked parameters, but we all know why you did it

I'd probably rank them

2003 Duncan
2021 Giannis
2004 KG
1990 Barkley
2006 Dirk
2020 AD
1992 Malone
1987 McHale

It's a fairer, more flexible qualifier; it gives wiggle room for players who were injured, experienced early playoff exits, or didn't make the postseason altogether. I'm not going to mark down a guy because his team sucked, a small playoff sample, or he decided to play injured.

[Im Still Ballin]

I recently rewatched the 1986 NBA Finals and was surprised at how many times McHale blocked Hakeem. Kevin was a very good defender; don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

His 1986 Playoffs were quite remarkable, on both ends. He locked down Woolridge in the first round, blocking him about a million times. Held him to 40.3% FG (-9.2) and 45.9% TS (-10.1). He then shut down Dominique better than I've ever seen anyone in the ECSF.—39.8% FG (-7.0) and 49.4% TS (-4.2). After that, it was Terry Cummings in the ECF; Kevin held him to 40.3% FG (-7.1) and 43.9% TS (-6.4).

And to finish off, he made life hell for Ralph while helping out in spurts on Hakeem. Sampson shot 43.8% FG (-5.4) and 48.7% TS (-2.9) while Olajuwon did 47.9% FG (-4.7) and 52.6% TS (-3.4).

Numbers in brackets indicate how much below their 1985-86 RS average.

Here are some GIFs of good defensive plays he had on Olajuwon:

[Im Still Ballin]