ItsTheBlog™

Tim Duncan just won his 4th NBA Championship in what has been a relatively boring career. The Big Fundamental just doesn't excite--but he gets the job done. With titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, and just 2 weeks ago in 2007, Duncan has to be included among the greats in NBA history--right?

Named MVP of the Finals during those first 3 championships, Duncan took a secondary role this time around to 2007 Finals' MVP Tony Parker. Keep in mind that he still averaged over 18 points, 11.5 boards and more than 3 blocks per game during the series. Parker may have been MVP, but there's no question who the Spurs' leader is.

So here's my question: where does Duncan rank in terms of the best players in NBA history? To be more specific, is Tim Duncan one of the top 10 players in the history of the league?

We know that the number of championships is certainly a factor in determining this ranking, which is why we can't include players like Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, and more in this list. But it definitely isn't the only factor, thus eliminating one of my personal favorites: Robert Horry and his 7 NBA championships.

So does Duncan make my top 10? Not quite. Could he? Sure, in time. Perhaps when we look back in NBA history, we may see Duncan and his 4 (+?) championships and call him one of the top 10 best players ever. But not yet. Part of the reason for this, unfortunately, is that he (and the teams he has played for) have been so boring to watch. Wonder why no one tuned into the Finals this season? The Spurs were playing...again! Even with Lebron there in the series, it just isn't all that exciting to watch Duncan and the Spurs pound away slowly. Fans typically prefer the run and gun style of the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, etc., and the Spurs just don't cut it there.

It's a shame that this hurts my idea of Duncan and his successes, because he's had several. But I can name about a dozen players that I'd put ahead of Duncan on a list of the NBA's All-Time greats. West, Bird, Russell, Johnson, Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain, O'neal, Robertson, Cousy, Mikan, and Bryant (yes--that Bryant), to name a few, would all be on my list (in no particular order) ahead of Timmy.

You've had many successes, Mr. Duncan. 2 MVP's, 3 Final's MVP's, 4 Championships, and you're one of the best players in NBA history. But you don't quite crack my top 10.

Labels: Bryant, Duncan, Kevdog, MVP, NBA, O'neal, Tim