Prime Kevin Garnett = Best PF of all Time?

[GS1905]

In 2002 Garnett had the following teammates...

A 24-year old All-Star wing
A 25-year old PG who would win Finals MVP in two years
A 26-year old former #1 overall pick at PF who averaged 15 and 8 for his career to that point
A 25-year old center who would later win a title alongside Duncan
Four solid rotation guys in Anthony Peeler, Marc Jackson, Gary Trent and Sam Mitchell.

That's plenty enough talent to contend.

They struggled in close games though 9-10 for the season in games decided by four points or less or in overtime. Then they got swept in the playoffs and ended the season losing 16 of their last 25 games.

Plenty enough talent to contend?

It doesn't matter what those players accomplished after. What counts is how they played at that time. They only had 2 good players. Szczerbiak and Billups. Same Billups who averaged around 10 points. Yes, Billups ended up being a great player but he wasn't that good when he was playing for Minnesota. He got really better in 03-04.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Parker was a second year PG with deer in the headlights syndrome in the playoffs.

Inconsistent, yes, but he had his fair share of big games that run. 29 points in game 3 vs Phoenix, 21 in game 5 vs the Lakers and 27 in game 6 vs the Lakers, back to back games of 29 points and 25 points vs Dallas and back to back games of 21 and 26 points vs the Nets.

Manu a rookie who came off the bench and did very little.

Not true, he had a 21 point game off the bench that run and 13 double digit scoring games off the bench during the playoffs.

The Spurs, upgraded defensively and athletically around Tim Duncan, who scored 28 points tonight, got an especially strong performance from Manu Ginobili, the versatile shooting guard from Argentina. His long-range shooting and slashing drives were worth 15 points, but the play that might affect the series most occurred early in the fourth quarter, when Ginobili stripped Brian Shaw and accelerated upcourt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/06/sp...the-spurs.html

[QUOTE]Ignited by the Frenchman Parker and Argentina's Manu Ginobili, Monsieur Speed and Se

[GS1905]

I don't think its enough talent to realistically contend, but its definitely enough to at least win a game in the first round or challenge to get out of the first round.

Again, if people are going to start acting like Duncan's run is something common....then they better turn around and criticize KG for underachieving big time compared to Duncan in 02 with a worse, but not terribly worse supporting cast around him.

This thread is not about Duncan. I'm not here trying to bash him. I feel like Garnett at his best was the best PF of all time in terms of individual performance. I just wanted to know what others think about that but all of a sudden some people turned this thread into Duncan vs Garnett thread.

[DMAVS41]

This thread is not about Duncan. I'm not here trying to bash him. I feel like Garnett at his best was the best PF of all time in terms of individual performance. I just wanted to know what others think about that but all of a sudden some people turned this thread into Duncan vs Garnett thread.

Well its of course going to become a Duncan vs KG thread because Duncan is really the only other PF that should be ranked over KG in my opinion.

I like KG, but I do think he's a bit over-rated as a player if he's getting compared to Duncan. I don't see it. Duncan was just the better player in my opinion. Prime vs prime or otherwise.

[GS1905]

Inconsistent, yes, but he had his fair share of big games that run. 29 points in game 3 vs Phoenix, 21 in game 5 vs the Lakers and 27 in game 6 vs the Lakers, back to back games of 29 points and 25 points vs Dallas and back to back games of 21 and 26 points vs the Nets.



Not true, he had a 21 point game off the bench that run and 13 double digit scoring games off the bench during the playoffs.



http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/06/sp...the-spurs.html



http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/09/sp...rget-kidd.html



You say this as if he was a scrub. In the 13 games that he started that year, he averaged 16.5 ppg and 9.2 rpg on 51.3% shooting.

In the Phoenix series, he had 5 consecutive double digit scoring games including games of 15/7 in 26 minutes, 10/14 in 29 minutes and 27/13 in 29 minutes. He also had a 25 point game in 27 minutes in game 2 vs Dallas and a double double in the closeout game 6.



That "nobody" opened up the playoffs with 3 consecutive 20 point games vs Phoenix and a 21 point game in the closeout game 6 and he also had back to back 20+ point games in the final 2 games of the Dallas series.

And then there's Robinson who was a good defender and rebounder, especially for a limited minutes guy. And Bruce Bowen, who was essential to the Spurs beating the Lakers.



http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday...0&pqatl=google



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...lakers-2_x.htm

It's funny how much worse that team is considered now compared to 2003.

Great post man. This pretty much explains everything. Smh @ people who act like Duncan played all by himself. He had no star players playing with him but he had lots of good role players who played decent on both ends of the floor.

[DMAVS41]

Great post man. This pretty much explains everything. Smh @ people who act like Duncan played all by himself. He had no star players playing with him but he had lots of good role players who played decent on both ends of the floor.

Nobody actually thinks anyone wins alone. It just happens to be one of the worst supporting casts around a star player to ever win a NBA title. Simple as that.

[Bigsmoke]

Plenty enough talent to contend?

It doesn't matter what those players accomplished after. What counts is how they played at that time. They only had 2 good players. Szczerbiak and Billups. Same Billups who averaged around 10 points. Yes, Billups ended up being a great player but he wasn't that good when he was playing for Minnesota. He got really better in 03-04.

Billups started getting good in the playoffs that year in 02.

[Odinn]

In the 2002 playoffs, Nowitzki destroyed Prime KG.
33.3 ppg
15.7 rpg
0.7 apg
3.0 spg
1.3 bpg
2.0 tpg
0.526 fg
0.727 3pt.
0.889 ft
41.67 efficiency
0.962 efficiency per min.

[LBJDWADE63]

In the 2002 playoffs, Nowitzki destroyed Prime KG.
33.3 ppg
15.7 rpg
0.7 apg
3.0 spg
1.3 bpg
2.0 tpg
0.526 fg
0.727 3pt.
0.889 ft
41.67 efficiency
0.962 efficiency per min.

Ulan odin ne zaman bir duncan konusu gorsem o konuda seni gorcegimi biliyorum bundan sonra sana ulasmak istedigim zaman duncan konusu acacam.

[Odinn]

Ulan odin ne zaman bir duncan konusu gorsem o konuda seni gorcegimi biliyorum bundan sonra sana ulasmak istedigim zaman duncan konusu acacam.

Hoca sen Forum DH

[chazzy]

Top 10 Minny dunks

[Big#50]

The reason Bowen, Manu, Jackson were hitting threes was because of the doubles on Tim. He passed the ball so well that post season. Never seen anyone pass off the double that well. KG rarely got doubled.

[KGMN]

Top 10 Minny dunks

I've watched that video like 20 times!
<---- is awesome

[KGMN]

Billups started getting good in the playoffs that year in 02.

He "started getting good", but wasn't ever thought (by anyone) to be a potential HOF'er as he is right now. Chauncey was thought of as a pretty good player, but not even near an all-star.

[Pointguard]

In 2002 Garnett had the following teammates...

A 24-year old All-Star wing
A 25-year old PG who would win Finals MVP in two years
A 26-year old former #1 overall pick at PF who averaged 15 and 8 for his career to that point
A 25-year old center who would later win a title alongside Duncan
Four solid rotation guys in Anthony Peeler, Marc Jackson, Gary Trent and Sam Mitchell.

That's plenty enough talent to contend.

They struggled in close games though 9-10 for the season in games decided by four points or less or in overtime. Then they got swept in the playoffs and ended the season losing 16 of their last 25 games.

This post is rather deceptive.
A 24-year old All-Star wing-Scerbiak had a weak career - Allstar by default, had no defense. KG usually had to guard his man. Was anti clutch.

A 25-year old PG who would win Finals MVP in two years
Billups was journeyman and this was the first time he was starter. He didn't start the year as a starter. After 5 years its hard to adapt to playing against starters. He wasn't ready to run a team and KG was a better set up man at this point.

A 26-year old former #1 overall pick at PF who averaged 15 and 8 for his career to that point
Definitely one of the biggest bust at the time as well. Generally is considered the reason why Minny couldn't contend for years - McHale was greatly criticized for incredibly dumb move in getting him. McHale ruined the franchise in attaining him. A player without a strong point.

A 25-year old center who would later win a title alongside Duncan
Nestrovic averaged 8.4 and 6.5 had little experience.

Four solid rotation guys in Anthony Peeler, Marc Jackson, Gary Trent and Sam Mitchell.

That's plenty enough talent to contend.

Anthony Peeler was the only solid bench player at that time. Do you remember '02 at all??? You are saying that Minny had the talent of LA, Sacramento, Portland or SA you are totally crazy. Minny was a poorly constructed team without a strength outside of KG and weaknesses all over and at every position.