Ladies and gentlemen of the jury what we will attempt to discover here today is a question that has been debated on bar stools and around water coolers since the beginning of sport, who is the greatest? Over the years the burden of the greatest has shifted from one man to another throughout the sports world, some even making their names by declaring, without hesitation, that it is indeed they who hold that mantle. Many candidates exist but only a few of them are able to logically be considered in contention for the top spot, and differences in sports and eras only further complicate the situation. Therefore we will take a very narrow approach to this latest edition of Who’s on Top and look at one position in one sport and go from there. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if you will, follow me down a road of championships and post up baby hooks as we attempt to decide once more, who is the best power forward currently playing in the National Basketball Association.
What we first must decide is what qualifications an individual must have to be considered the best. Is it statistics, leadership, championships, or a combination of all the above and possibly even more? The basis of the argument must begin at statistics, because ladies and gentlemen, we all know that numbers do not lie. I follow in the footsteps of others who also searched for this answer, one in particular is ESPN numbers geek John Hollinger. Hollinger considers Dallas star Dirk
Is Duncan number one?
Nowitzki the most efficient power forward of the league according to his statistics. However, Hollinger doesn’t even have San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan on his list since according to Hollinger, Duncan is a center. What Hollinger fails to mention is that as a power forward Duncan has won four NBA Titles, winning the Finals MVP in three out of four, and twice winning the NBA MVP for the regular season. Second on Hollinger’s list is Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol whom he has slightly ahead of Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors. Now does this mean that Nowitzki, Gasol, and Bosh are the top three power forwards in the league? Not likely.
Let us now step beyond the overwhelming realm of numbers and mathematics and look into something that statistics alone cannot measure, and that is that certain something that there is no statistic for, however we all know what it is. Some call it desire, others call it instinct or will, but whatever it is, it’s important. The unmeasured ability that results in championship rings and turns average role players into All-Stars is something few players possess, and something that truly determines greatness.
When people try to determine the best of one position ultimately the battle comes down to one thing and one thing only, rings. The ability to win a title is what separates the great from the legendary. When it comes down to it most sports fans follow a team, as opposed to an individual player. This means that they cherish team accomplishments much more than individual accolades. A perfect example of this is NBA guard Kobe Bryant and what he went through after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal in 2004. Bryant broke all kinds of scoring records and put up video game like numbers for three seasons but barely kept his team above water, averaging just under forty wins a season and never out of the first round of the postseason. The ability to win is something that numbers never measure, but coaches and fans do. It is this reason alone that players such as Bosh, Nowitzki, and Amare Stoudemire can be immediately eliminated from this competition. Ultimately in the discussion of the best power forward in the league today there are really only three men that have a chance, Tim Duncan of the Spurs, Pau Gasol of Los Angeles, and the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett.
So since we have looked into numbers and intangibles what else is there to separate the final three men and choose one? All three have been to the top, all three have put up impressive numbers, and most importantly all three are essential to their teams. So how do we decide between three great candidates? Easy, we eliminate one. Sorry Lakers fans but Gasol is a very distant third place in this race. Even if we were speaking of today and not mentioning the past Gasol would still finish behind
Gasol is good, but not the best
Garnett and Duncan. Consider this, while Gasol is a great compliment to the Lakers team, they certainly would not have been NBA Champions without him, he was only an above average player before coming to Los Angeles. We must also not forget that he plays with that guy Bryant who isn’t exactly detrimental to the team. However Gasol still put up very impressive numbers, 18.9 PPG while pulling in 9.6 rebounds en route to 67 wins for the Lakers. There is no denying that Gasol has developed into a great player in the league and is able to be mentioned among the stars, but he is still a distant third to the two who are truly in a league of their own.
So ladies and gentlemen we come to it at last, the final decision and the ultimate declaration of who is the best is finally here. We have two men left who easily stand above the rest of the league, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. Now although Garnett spent the end of the 2009 season injured and Duncan couldn’t lead the Spurs out of the first round these two men are still the best, and while both are future Hall of Famers choosing between them is about as easy as a Jordan Crawford slam over LeBron James (sorry King but sometimes I simply cannot help myself). The winner ladies and gentlemen, with no doubt in a thinking mans mind, is Duncan. Duncan averaged 19 and 10 whereas Garnett put up 15 and 8 this past season. Duncan also has the all important tradition of winning on his side. In pure, raw talent Garnett runs away with this contest but that is why statistics and physical tenacity alone do not determine greatness. Duncan has won three more rings than Garnett, four total, and the Boston team that Garnett won with in 2008 was about as loaded as a Dick Cheney rifle. Also remember that SG Paul Pierce won the Finals MVP trophy in 08 and Ray Allen was arguably more damaging to the Lakers than Garnett was in the series. When Duncan wins he does it like a surgeon from Nip/Tuck, meticulous and precise, while taking a knife and beautifully sculpting a set of moves and skills unlike any other power forward we have ever seen before. Some call him plain, he is even referred to as boring, but the wise men and women around the league know him as something else, the best.
So ladies and gentlemen we have reached our verdict. While not everyone will agree with what has been decided here today there is something we can all revel in, and that is that tomorrow we can have the same discussion again and come back with a completely different answer. For in the realm of personal interpretation there is never a right and wrong, which is what makes it so damn fun.
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Ok, so, is this deciding who the best present PF is by last seasons stats, or best PF currently playing. Because, if we are speaking of the later, i might go ahead and add that T Dunc. has 3 more NBA championships than KG, and i thnik that is a huge decision in how you decide the best PF in the game today.
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Ok, so, are we talking about best player of the game today based on last seasons stats, or the best currently playing player of the game based on carreer stats? Because, if we are talking about the later, may i remind you that T Dunc does have 3 more NBA Championships than KG, or pretty much any other current PF in the league.
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Daniel Buerge Reply:
July 28th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I completely agree with you, which is why that was the main point in my argument =).
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didn’t mean to post that twice.
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You mention Hollinger’s categorization of Tim Duncan, but you dismiss it without reason. Tim Duncan IS a center. He plays in the deep post as the main post option. He defends the opponents center, and plays defense like a center. The only reason that Duncan isn’t considered a center by his team is that he doesn’t want to be categorized as a center because of all the great centers who have played whom he would be compared against. He wants to be the best power forward ever, not the 5th or 6th best center of all time.
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Daniel Buerge Reply:
July 29th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Tim Duncan is a power forward. He plays in the post because he is the best forward in the game, and arguably of all time. His size leads to defensive match ups but very frequently he will not guard the opposing center. In his career with San Antonio he has played center at times but the majority of his minutes were spent at power forward. Remember he played alongside David Robinson for the first half of his career then Fabricio Oberto played center up until 2009. Defensive match ups depend more on the players than the positions listed in the team program. Duncan is a power forward, always has been and will most likely continue to be.
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Don (with malice) Reply:
August 1st, 2009 at 1:53 am
Merely pointing to the existence of Oberto as a reason why Tim Duncan should be considered a ‘Power Forward’ is somewhat incorrect. Who is playing there at crunch time?
Duncan’s the anchor and heart of the Spurs defense. He’s a center. Simply putting a ‘PF’ beside his name for All-star voting (to avoid competition with Shaq then Yao) doesn’t make it a truth.
His style of play, the fact that during crucial times in games make him a center. Unlike Gasol, who has played at the 5 out of necessity. Gasol’s natural game is that of a power forward… but he’s versatile enough to play center.
Thanks Jeff, you made me laugh with your oh-so-tongue-in-cheek suggestion that an ol’ hasbeen should be in the conversation! That was funny indeed!
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This article is very well written, but you forgot about THE best power forward in the league, RASHEED WALLACE. What hasn’t he done to amaze us all. From scoring, blocking shots, rebound, technical fouls, trash talking, ball don’t lie, being the most entertaining player ever to play the sport, Rasheed is simple the best. So you better rewrite this article… ball don’t lie.
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Thomas Reply:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Wallace? The most entertaining player to ever play basketball? This statement immediately discredits anything you have to say.
What’s more, you emphasize your pure and utter stupidity by writing possibly my least favorite grammatically inaccurate basketball phrase, “ball don’t lie.” Twice.
I shudder at the thought of your toothless muck, glazed over with the blankness fetal alcohol syndrome as you mouth-breathe the linguistic pinnacle of basketball/crack-den inbreeding, “ball don’t lie.”
As for you other retards who can’t distinguish positions listed on a roster, well, lets just say you should stick to your finger painting.
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Duncan is a center. Oberto or Bonner are PFs not Centers.
Duncan anchors the defense like a Center, blocks shots, and he guards the other team’s Center.
Duncan was a PF next to Robinson but so was Olajuwon next to Sampson….so then I guess Duncan isn’t actually the Greatest PF of all time, Hakeem is?
Duncan is 7 ft 265 and plays Center, only reason he isn’t listed as one is because of Yao killing the votes every time.
Stop listening to the ESPN and TNT hocuspocus and realize that Duncan has played C more in his career than PF.
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Daniel Buerge Reply:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Bill,
If Duncan is considered a center than you have to throw Gasol in the same category. In fact, Gasol played more games as a center than Duncan has the past two seasons. Garnett has played center frequently as well throughout his career. Almost all big men are going to play center and forward, it’s part of the way the game is played today. LeBron is considered a SF but handles the guard as much as any guard in the league. The listed positions on a players trading card are not necessarily what they are limited to, but what they are most commonly referred to as.
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Let’s give Tim Duncan his due. Gasol is very good but can not and will never be able to be compared to Tim Duncan in a serious discussion. Duncan is a force and might be the best PF in NBA history. Pau wasn’t the 1st option on the lakeshow so it has been easier for him to get his. I like Pau and have followed him since Memphis but to put Pau in this conversation by removing Tim Duncan on a technicality is just silly semantics.
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Look… just because a player has *PLAYED* at a position doesn’t make that “his position”. To declare Gasol a true center is laughable. The times he’s played there, he’s played there out of necessity. Both when at Memphis, and within his time at LA. All things as desired, then Pau Gasol’s a power forward. There is no contesting this.
Likewise, just because Tim Duncan is LISTED as a 4, doesn’t make it so. Merely ascribing a position due to reading a piece of paper is inane.
WATCH THE GAMES: Tim Duncan’s a center.
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