Saturday, October 25th, 2008 at 11:42 am  |  203 responses

SLAMonline Top 50: Tim Duncan, no. 3

The definitive ranking of the best players in the NBA today…

by Russ Bengtson

Tim Duncan is a better basketball player than you think he is.

Go ahead. Read that again.

Tim Duncan is a better basketball player than you think he is.

SLAMonline Top 50: Tim Duncan, no. 3I offer that statement with no qualifiers. No matter how good you think Tim Duncan is, he’s better. Even if you think he’s the best basketball player who ever lived—well, OK, maybe he’s not better than that. So there’s one qualifier. Happy now? Sheesh.

Here’s the thing—it’s not what Tim Duncan does do as much as what he doesn’t do. And what he doesn’t do is make mistakes. He’s not a guy who’ll produce highlights for Sportscenter (unless you like 15-foot bank shots), he won’t be appearing in SLAMadamonth anytime soon. Yet, at 32, you can count his lifetime’s worth of mistakes on one hand.

OK, two.

Three?

April 25, 1976: Tim Duncan is born 14 minutes late.

August 15, 1988: Waits half a stroke too long before the turn in the 100-meter freestyle.

January 3, 1989: Takes up Dungeons and Dragons.

June 24, 1991: Picks up his pivot foot. Twice.

November 25, 1993: Doesn’t take shot in college debut against Alaska-Anchorage. Finishes scoreless.

April 3, 1995: Gets skeleton jester tattoo.

June 28, 1995: Isn’t drafted first overall because he doesn’t enter draft.

June 26, 1996: Isn’t drafted first overall because he doesn’t enter draft.

April 4, 1998: Fouls Erick Dampier.

May 27, 2003: Fails to set alarm.

March 14, 2005: Takes gaming magazine from Lang Whitaker.

January 31, 2007: Travels.

April 15, 2007: Laughs at Joey Crawford.

February 13, 2008: Fails to pick up screen-and-roll.

Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive.

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  • Daniel Posted: Oct.25 at 11:43 am
    first!

  • Daniel Posted: Oct.25 at 11:43 am
    u no wat that leaves, lebron #2 and kobe #1

  • JA Posted: Oct.25 at 11:49 am
    I’m glad with Duncan here. With his accomplishments and championships he deserves to be in the top 3.

  • Majic Posted: Oct.25 at 11:50 am
    kobe 2 lebron 1

  • Daniel Posted: Oct.25 at 11:53 am
    nah man, kobe was mvp

  • Simon S.Y Lawy Posted: Oct.25 at 11:53 am
    he’s better than you thought…well, he is

  • Simon S.Y Lawy Posted: Oct.25 at 11:53 am
    LEBOOM 2, KOBE24 1…

  • Nguni Posted: Oct.25 at 11:54 am
    oh, duncan…how this is nt so bad bt i still wud have liked to see KG b4 him. He is nice though, against the suns!

  • neaorin Posted: Oct.25 at 12:02 pm
    I can’t agree more. I always thought it was a little funny that the best (at least for me) Tim Duncan individual highlight came in a playoff loss. You can hate the guy as much as you want but he plays winning basketball.

  • Jose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:07 pm
    duncan is set at 3. he deserves no more no less

  • cmsen Posted: Oct.25 at 12:09 pm
    I’m surprised at seeing Duncan is ranked this high by this site. Don’t get me wrong. Duncan is currently #1 NBA player in my book because he is a total package (defense, offense, unselfishness, intangibles, etc.). But I’m just used to seeing the players (who look for their own offensive stats or flash plays) get ranked a lot of higher than they deserve (isn’t the small ballhog Arenas who hardly played last season is still ranked somewhere on top 50?)

  • RV Posted: Oct.25 at 12:10 pm
    i like the idea Russ, i can’t believe you didn’t poke fun at his clothes at least once though

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:11 pm
    Moose in da house . . .

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:13 pm
    Thanks for his mistakes, Russ. Haven’t seen many of those out of Duncan.

  • mat smith Posted: Oct.25 at 12:13 pm
    anyone who doesnt respect RoboTim™ doesnt enjoy basketball at its purest, ok, he doesnt do LBJ type slams and all that, but old dudes like him best, and old dudes know more than young dudes, or something, nice write up Russ.

  • underdog Posted: Oct.25 at 12:14 pm
    Laughs at Joey Crawford. Haha, classic NBA moment.

  • ninja cool Posted: Oct.25 at 12:15 pm
    Finally! This article mirrors Big Fun. Straight as an arrow. No dazzle whatsoever.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:16 pm
    But I would like to challenge on of your “mistakes”, Russ. You said “Doesn’t enter draft . . .” twice. Is it bad to stay in school and enter the NBA without a college education? I certainly don’t think so.

  • Jordan Posted: Oct.25 at 12:18 pm
    LEBRON IS 1

  • Bruno Posted: Oct.25 at 12:24 pm
    huhauhauhau
    that was great! simple and GREAT!
    congrats Russ… i wish TD was #2, but i do understand the pressure to see a lebronha x kobe debate.
    i don’t think he is the greatest to ever ball, but he is DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMN GOOD.
    TEAM Duncan is a whole team just by himself… you put that together with one of the better ball coaches, Manu, a guy that, if the list wasn’t make by americans would be top15 FOR SURE. plus TP and some guys to do all the “small” things…
    there you have, one of the most hated teams in the NBA.
    a superstar that doesn’t want to be one. a dominant player that doesn’t live the american “bit(h” way of life…
    he is there with only one goal, win… and that is not enough for our “celebrities” world.
    .
    too bad.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:47 pm
    Bruno, don’t go stereotyping Americans like that. Don’t start any debates involving things like that on here, please. I’m not sensitive, but let’s just keep the hoop talk on the hoop website.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:48 pm
    I know that Duncan is great, but he’s just so BORING. I can’t watch the Spurs. They can ball, but it isn’t fun to watch at all.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:49 pm
    Because I’m bored, I decided to write some Duncan haikus. Here they are.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:49 pm
    Tim Duncan shooting
    It goes off of the back board
    The fifteen footer

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:50 pm
    Leading his hoops team
    To four great championships
    San Antonio

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:51 pm
    Playing alongside stars
    Like Parker and Ginobili
    A great team player

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 12:52 pm
    And with that I finish my 5-7-5 syllable pattern. I’m all poetry’d out, now.

  • Greg Posted: Oct.25 at 12:53 pm
    In terms of accomplishments, sure. But right now, in this league, I don’t know there’s a single GM who would take him over CP3.

  • EC Posted: Oct.25 at 1:11 pm
    I still think if this list is for where players are ranked RIGHT NOW, CPS and KG deserve to be 3 & 4. CP3 had a historic season and came in 2nd in mvp voting and KG won a ‘Chip. Thats more impressive than the year Duncan had but every player seems to be ranked differently to justify biased opinions.

  • Bruno Posted: Oct.25 at 1:11 pm
    Moose, it wasn’t supposed to be an insult or any kind of stereotyping anyone…
    thats why i included “for our “celebrities” world.”
    OUR world is like that today…
    what i meant by “american bit(h way of life” is… well, its easy to see… somebody like rasheed wallace, damon jones, lebron james, gil, and so on…
    not that i don’t like some of those guys and what they do with their life, is their own problem, but i DO have a problem with people bit(ching a guy like TD for years and years…
    guy is a freak of nature. and coming with the entire package that he has, is a NO-EGO player that fits perfectly in ay team you want.
    choose any team you want… if ou put TD there, instantanious contender.
    by the way… i love to watch Spurs games… they play real ball, not that 1 on 1 mini games we usually watch through nba.

  • EC Posted: Oct.25 at 1:19 pm
    Bruno U named Lebron in that list of players????? DO u watch him play and see how unselfish he is and how unbeleivable he his? Hes doing things only THE BIG O has done and is light years ahead with his maturity, physique and leadership for a 23 year old. If you was European he’d be your favorite player hands down as well as Maria Callas’. Plain and simple stick to Euro ball and leave the NBA to the real ballers cuz thats where the best Euro ballers go cuz they know its the best league in the world, im out

  • KA Posted: Oct.25 at 1:21 pm
    lazy writeup. effective, but lazy.
    russ writes about tim,
    hmm, what angle will he take,
    think he’ll mail it in.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 1:26 pm
    KA, I’m sorry dude, but that haiku can NOT touch any of my above ones.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 1:27 pm
    I understand, Bruno. But Bron doesn’t belong in that list.

  • jaywhy Posted: Oct.25 at 1:39 pm
    haha love this article… although i dont agree Timmy is no.3… he cant take over the game anymore…

  • Yknot Posted: Oct.25 at 1:39 pm
    Lebron#2, Rafer Alston #1?

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 1:40 pm
    Yknot, why not?

  • Bruno Posted: Oct.25 at 1:57 pm
    how old was lebron when he started on SLAM?
    since when he is in EVERY sportscenter?
    since when he is signed with nike and advertised as great as jordan?
    to me, he belongs in my list.
    out.
    by the way… EC, i’m not european and the only chance to lebron be my favourite player would be if i was blind… than i would listen to everything the media talks about and i would believe lebron is the greatest player this planet ever had.
    i’m not blind. i’ve watched plenty of basketball. and i’m not 13-19 to be caught by the media hype.
    lebron has to grow a LOT as a player to be in the same sentence as “Big O”.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 2:04 pm
    Watch him grow, then, Bruno. It will happen.

  • Josh D Posted: Oct.25 at 2:11 pm
    Its a Miracle! A single atricle involving the Spurs without any comments saying “I hate the Spurs” Theres usually about 10-15. People should just accept that (with one or two exceptions) the Spurs are probably better than the person wrote the words I hate da Spurs team. I don’t see the Steve Nash and team with one ring let alone four. Tim Duncan is a great player, the best PF of all time, top 10 ever to play. When Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have 30-40 point games and get on form for a month or two, TD just gives you 20, 10 and 3 every night. To two must be 1. Kobe 2.Lebron

  • Trevor Posted: Oct.25 at 2:22 pm
    No way in hell is Duncan better than KG right now.

  • Kamran Posted: Oct.25 at 2:27 pm
    ahhhhhh serious??????????!?!?!? this is not right i hate kg but hes wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than tim

  • Fredd Posted: Oct.25 at 2:33 pm
    My post won’t say a lot, just I wanted to show my respect for Dream Tim … I love that player and human-being … just a clever player who knows the game … in the Top 3 … well deserved

  • Allenp Posted: Oct.25 at 2:33 pm
    Russ
    This was a banging article. You shocked me with what you did with it.
    That was a real treat. Seriously, that was completely unexpected and extremely creative.

  • Allenp Posted: Oct.25 at 2:35 pm
    And that tattoo was a massive mistake. Not only for what he go on his body, but for the fact that he got a random tattoo on his back!
    Completely not gangsta.

  • airs Posted: Oct.25 at 2:38 pm
    i think the number of comments that this ranking has received by 1:35, as well as the boring write up, is a good reflection on tim duncan’s game.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 2:58 pm
    Sick Russ, Sick. I really like it. Im Glad Tim is here. Don’t understand last year being 5 and this year being 3 but the only NBA game i got to see EVER was the first game of the first round of the playoffs in San Antonio. I went down with the Canadaian Team for the military world championships. Everyone was cheering for the suns (steve nash). I was cheering Duncan on for pure spite. And after that game, i realized how great Tim really is. Double OT, he dropped 42 i believe, with a sick 3. Amare and Shaq couldnt handle him. It was beautiful too see. Gtreat player, great spot!! Thanks Russ, excellent Write Up!!!

  • Rudy Posted: Oct.25 at 2:59 pm
    if he was better than i thought, wouldn’t he be #1?

  • dma Posted: Oct.25 at 3:04 pm
    you forgot one more mistake, not practicing his free throws better. that is the ONLY knock on him. tim duncan is a great player and would no doubt be picked #1 by most true hoop fans to start a team with, if selling tickets isn’t your #1 priority.

  • Kadavour Posted: Oct.25 at 3:12 pm
    Garnett is better

  • John D Posted: Oct.25 at 3:16 pm
    They are who we THOUGHT they were.

  • Quail Posted: Oct.25 at 3:18 pm
    without question, the best big in the L.

  • Anton Posted: Oct.25 at 3:55 pm
    Garnett is better

  • justin Posted: Oct.25 at 4:03 pm
    I don’t understand how they did this ranking. Is it from a historical perspective or current. Because the only way Duncan is number 3 is if your looking at his career. Right now, Paul is clearly better than Duncan. I just can’t see Wade out of the top 4. He’s got a finals MVP and arguably had the greatest finals performance ever.

  • John D Posted: Oct.25 at 4:16 pm
    ^ First of all, it’s current, not career. Second of all, Wade’s Finals performance wasn’t even close to the greatest ever.

  • j-smoov 5 Posted: Oct.25 at 4:16 pm
    I never thought of him that low hahaha but it does make sense.

  • HOWDY Posted: Oct.25 at 4:23 pm
    slam should do a mock #1, just throw any random old guy up, it would be funny. oh, and tim duncan robot knows whats best for you.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 4:39 pm
    @ cmsem: You don’t think Arenas deserves to be in the top 50? … I think this dude is Nikos Galis’s brother..

  • LISTEN LISTEN Posted: Oct.25 at 4:45 pm
    Kobe for NUMBERRR1

  • RV Posted: Oct.25 at 4:46 pm
    John D, although it says best players “today”, they are still taking their careers and future into consideration,

  • whooo! Posted: Oct.25 at 4:56 pm
    if it was based on the player’s careers, shaq and tim are 1&2, in whichever order, end of discussion, no chance duncan’s at 3. this year was the first time since jordan retired that neither were in the finals. duncan over kg anyday, but that’s also why i wanted to see spurs-celtics for the big one, to dead any false claims that kg is better. though w/ a gimpy ginobili, san an woulda probably lost handedly.

  • Wendy Posted: Oct.25 at 5:18 pm
    I’m disappointed by the write up. I’ve expected more about TD, he deserves it. I like the Spurs actually, problem is they are rivals of my Rockets. But they are my 2nd fave-team if that makes sense for a Rocketsfan.

  • LordKratos08 Posted: Oct.25 at 5:31 pm
    The Robot over KG and Chris Paul? Heck he can’t even take over a game anymore without any help from TP and Manu. The Spurs will get maybe in the second round but their rule is over. Sorry Robot!

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 5:43 pm
    Nikos Galis > James the balla

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 5:44 pm
    Bahaha chill jk.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 5:45 pm
    Actually…

  • Caleb Posted: Oct.25 at 6:12 pm
    I really don’t understand the “Tim Duncan is boring” and “The Spurs are boring” stuff… like Moose above. If you like basketball, then what’s not to like? They play well-executed ball… I find that entertaining, and even if you find Duncan boring, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli can both rip out the highlight reel moves. Granted, I like to watch run-and-gun, flash and finesse as much as anybody… but any style of basketball is entertaining to me.

  • davidR Posted: Oct.25 at 6:35 pm
    kg over duncan? duncan over kg? it’s always been tough to decide. personally i would’ve liked kg over duncan for this list based on him winning the chip and his arrival transforming the c’s, but you can’t argue with their placements.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 6:54 pm
    Caleb, the Spurs are good to watch in the basketball sense. They play beautiful basketball. But, if you’re looking for entertainment and basketball that’s fun to watch, stay away from the San Antonio.

  • earljack Posted: Oct.25 at 7:16 pm
    i think we should look at timmys all nba for 11 str8t years(first team every year but the year he was injured)Garnett didnt make it his first or second year.All defense 8 str8t years,3 finals mvp to Garnetts 0,4 chips to Garnetts 1,2 MVPs to Garnetts 1 and he faces double teams errnite(you cant double team KG shooting 20 footers)and still avgs the same or more as KG plus he plays less minutes pg.

  • Chukaz Posted: Oct.25 at 7:18 pm
    DWade should’ve been number 3. Obama for #1, Kobe for president!

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:21 pm
    I usually go straight up reading comments(i find them amusing-strange-stupid-clever but in any case interesting) and rarely read the articles on players. I believe that this is bad and i felt guilty in a way towards all those who gave me the opportunity to enjoy myself by writing all my stupid ideas on bball and NBA players for the last month. That’s the truth: i am plain and simple lazy (i’ve always been). Anyway, i promise to read some more articles(up until now i’ve read only those written by RYNE since he has the terrible task of moderating my comments) cause i don’t want to be left with this “taste” on top-50 articles…it is easy to say that Russ just wasn’t really into writing today but the result was ….let’s say “mediocre”…i think Moose could have done it better….i think TD deserved some more effort..

  • earljack Posted: Oct.25 at 7:28 pm
    out of all the players with at least 4 chips that avweraged 20 or more ppgs(only 6;george miken,john havlicek,kareem,michael,shaq and timmy) timmys the only one to not have another 20ppg scorer on his team.jerry sloan said “tim is the greatest pf to evar play” after the spurs dissmanteled utah in 07.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:29 pm
    @Bruno…..:you are waiting from Lebron what i was waiting from A.I from 1994 to 2002…i tell you this: Lebron is in many ways the next A.I. (good and bad). So don’t hold your breath on waiting for him to grow as a player .After all this doesn’t seem necessary in order for him to achieve his goals.I mean,for his aspirations,it is propably more usefull to practise his Mandarin chinese than his jumper….

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:30 pm
    Moose in the house . . .

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:31 pm
    Hey y’all, new preview coming in on Hibachi tonite! On the Cleveland Cavaliers . . .

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:31 pm
    It ain’t up yet, I’m writing it now.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:32 pm
    I was hoping to see TD at number 2. He ain’t better than Manu(but this is no problem since Manu cannot be no2 here) but he is definitelly better than Lebron…anyway, there are lot of things to consider and i understand….

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:34 pm
    Whats up moose @teddy
    bar of soap>> Teddy the Bear
    Sponge bob>> Teddy the Bear
    Me+your sister= Betty the Balla

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:36 pm
    Nuthin much, James . . . writin the Cleveland preview for Bachi.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:38 pm
    on TD now…what to say about Duncan…i agree with whatever positive i see written about him in this forum(except that he is top-10 all-time. although it is logical for great players still playing and that YOU ACTUALLY FOLLOWED to be considered somewhat higher. see SHAQ…)…i am jut happy that i saw him play but most of all for his part on the best NBA team of the past decade….

  • Sarah Posted: Oct.25 at 7:39 pm
    I can get on board with this.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:42 pm
    Dope, how is it coming? To everyone who hasnt seen Tim play in person. He plays basketball to the fullest of anyones capabilities. he is very very impressive!!

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:42 pm
    Moooosee in da house!!!!!!!!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:44 pm
    Going sick, James. Should be done in the next hour. Hey Maria/everything else you are.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:44 pm
    James the Balla> Nikos Galis (i asked Nikos…)

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:46 pm
    @ Maria … thanks, teddy doesnt undertsnad greatness!! :D

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:46 pm
    @Moose … what are you predicting them for this year?

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:47 pm
    James, if you don’t know, Maria=Nikos. I think you do, but just in case . . . so what do y’all wanna talk about? I’m here for a while cause i gotta get the preview done.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:48 pm
    @ James: You’ll have to see, huh? Nah, kidding. I gotta say a 3 or 4 seed.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:48 pm
    With 52-58 wins. Cavs are gonna be good. But you’ll have to read the preview for the full story.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:49 pm
    @moose … lol i seen the posts yesterday. i get it a little bit, but i understood for the most part that it was the same person. Whats the purpose for that again? Well im at work … lets talk on my boy Tyronn Lue! One of the hardest working men in the biz!!

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 7:49 pm
    @James…..:Teddy maybe doesn’t understand that much but THIS IS EXACTLY the beaty of it….imagine this forum without his “diamonds” (along with Hursty’s,Jukai’s,TADOne’s and all the other kids’)

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:50 pm
    52??????? 58???????????????????? Thats crazyness. Im’a remember this and see if it happens. But i would say 10 games less!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:50 pm
    James, if you wanna talk about hardest working, then we’ll have to talk about my guy David Lee. Or Leon Powe. Get ready for the daily Leon Powe line this season! You at work . . . what you work for and stuff?

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:51 pm
    Jukai … common now do we really needs his DIAMONDS?? I mean, its bad enough his JEWELS one day may produce another Jukai!!

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:51 pm
    Man im in the Canadaian Military!! Shift work. But i get to play ball for Canada so its dope!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:52 pm
    James, with Bron getting better and adding Mo Williams, they should improve on last year’s 47 wins by at least three. I’ll say 50-58. Best case scenario. Just lemme finish the preview and you can read it.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:52 pm
    @ moose ….Man im in the Canadaian Military!! Shift work. But i get to play ball for Canada so its dope!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:52 pm
    Canadian military . . . what do you do?

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:52 pm
    ight ight

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:52 pm
    Cant say on this computer lol … seriously!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:54 pm
    Wow. I can’t say what i work for over here . . . top secret here, too.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:55 pm
    lol well thats cool. We both have interesting yet boring jobs than!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:57 pm
    Well, can’t say that, James. I can tell you what my job is if you really wanna know . . .

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 7:58 pm
    I got nothing better to read .. so shoot my son!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 7:59 pm
    Actually, I don’t have a job. Too young. But hopefully when I get older I’ll write for this mag/site.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:01 pm
    well thats some good sh1t. Nice to have goals. i would liek to play ball in Europe once i get my new ACL!! Man there are alot of young people on this site, You, BET … i think thats about it.

  • Caleb Posted: Oct.25 at 8:01 pm
    Moose.. I disagree.. the Spurs are entertaining. All NBA ball is entertaining to me… whether its small ball and run-and-gun or slow-paced, lock-down defense or somewhere in the middle, it’s all good to me. Two of the most exciting series last year included the Spurs, the first round against the Suns and the 2nd rnd against the Hornets. Now, you could say that’s because of the competition, but still… how can you not entertained by Manu and Parker?

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:02 pm
    Yeah, I’m younger than BET. But I hope that my age isn’t stopping anybody from taking my hoops opinion seriously.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:04 pm
    Caleb says:
    “All NBA ball is entertaining to me.” Therefore, Caleb, you can’t say if something is boring or not because everything is entertaining to you.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:05 pm
    Naw man, when i was like 15/16 … i knew alot of sh1t. i was a STATMONGER!!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:06 pm
    Yeah, James? Sounds like me, except I’m 13.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:06 pm
    And i still know a lot f sh1t.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:06 pm
    or at least i like to think that i do.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:09 pm
    13 is young. i was just starting out. but if you doing BLOG’s and sh1t now than your off to a good start!! Keep it up little man!! Yeah you seem to have a grasp for the sport. More than teddy or Jukai!!

  • EC Posted: Oct.25 at 8:10 pm
    what exactly did you expect from AI besides the best little man and toughtest to play the game. gives 110% all game every game. 3rd in ppg in nba history and 1st ballot HOF? I think thats damn good but according to you every euro player that achieves half that is better? Why do you post again?

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:10 pm
    Thanks, James. Again, my dream is to write for SLAM/slamonline. My dream used to be for me to play in the NBA, but I don’t think that’s happening . . .

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:11 pm
    EC, was the Iverson post random?

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:13 pm
    @Moose … man i couldnt even ball at 13 and i worked my way up … anything is possible if you train and work hard enough at it!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:16 pm
    Thanks for the advice, James. Well, I’m pretty good right now, on the HS team . . . because they suck. But I think that height might get in the way of it in the future. Now it ain’t a problem.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:21 pm
    lol IM 5″9′. i averaged 37 points last season. I can dunk, I can take over cames, play strong D!! believe me man, height doesn’t mean anything. I went to the worlds in San Antonio, and i was the smallest guy int he tournament at 5″9′… ever to SOUTH KOREA, which is crazy. It doesnt mean anything. Your heart has to be stronger!!

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.25 at 8:21 pm
    @EC….:cause i love you babe….

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:23 pm
    Thanks, James, you have put the fire back in my desire. Tee hee, I made a smart. But really, thanks. I’m almost as tall as you, and I play the 4 and 5 right now for the teams I play on, and I’m really good. I just need to work on my handles because I ain’t gonna be 6-10 to 7-0.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:25 pm
    lol yeah work handles brother!!! AND LEFT HAND. 3 things i tell my little brother, well use to when i was training him. For point/shooting guard. Handles, left hand, and D!!!! DEFENSE over offense!!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:27 pm
    Thanks again, James. I assure you that I will work very hard at all that stuff.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:31 pm
    thats good BRA!! Stop thanking me lol … anyone on this site who loves ball and plays ball and has tattoos of the sport on them would tell you the same. Its a game you fall in love with .. anybody on this damn site would tell you to work hard and do your thing. i think thats why we are all on this site. Even though Jukai and teddy have small brains and penises, i still respect them because they love basketball. Basketball makes the world go round … plus money!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:34 pm
    Ha ha, yeah, James. Sorry for thanking you, just thought you deserved the gratitude. I have fallen in love with hoops as well, and I agree with your respect comment.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:36 pm
    Yip yip. If you seen the basketball tattoos on me … i love the sport. Its my life!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:37 pm
    As it is mine as well, James. Just without the tats. And I need to have time for school in there, too. Where I also incorporate hoops.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:39 pm
    yeah i have work, and volunteer, and all the other junk like parades and such!! O and HALO lol … gotta’ play me some HALO!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:41 pm
    Yeah, I prefer Madden on the video games. If I have time to do it. I prefer to spend my time sitting in front of a screen on this site.

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 8:44 pm
    lol same i assume … but ill be backl work is calling peace out little homie!!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 8:46 pm
    See ya. The Cavaliers preview will be on Hibachi in about 20 minutes be sure to check it man!

  • Bostwik Posted: Oct.25 at 8:56 pm
    he’s a great player but he’s just so boring

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 9:07 pm
    Cleveland Cavaliers preview is up on Hibachi! Happy reading!

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 9:11 pm
    Retarded @ss jokes from a f*ckin immature grown @ss man = James the balls@ck a.k.a. James

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 9:12 pm
    PS: suck = James

  • Matt Posted: Oct.25 at 9:15 pm
    I’m the biggest Garnett fan in the world and tim duncan deserves to be one spot higher than KG. And if Kobe is number 1 this is whole countdown was a waste of time. Lebron is on a far worse team than Kobe and his team is still challenging for a championship appearance year after year. Lebron took Boston to 7 games by himself, which was the best single performance on the losing side that i’ve ever seen. Kobe and the lakers lost in six and he had Pau and Lamar on his side. Plus vujachic???? was playing very well at the time. Plus if you take kobe and lebron and switch teams lebron wins or goes to seven games in the championship last year and kobe loses to celtics in 5 or 6. Kobe would try to average 40 points per game on a team like the cavs, which would ruin the team like the first few years after shaq left.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 9:17 pm
    Actually, poo > James

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 9:25 pm
    Teddy, read the Cavs preview on Hibachi 2.0!

  • RV Posted: Oct.25 at 9:28 pm
    so its Lebron tomorrow, right?

  • James The Balla Posted: Oct.25 at 9:33 pm
    lol thanks Teddy, much love my poo brother!

  • aotearaw Posted: Oct.25 at 9:33 pm
    TD is a guy who I love to hate, yet still have the utmost respect for. I still think KG/CP3/D-Wade are all better….but can’t argue too much with this.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.25 at 9:46 pm
    RV, most likely there won’t be one on Sunday, usually there aren’t many posts on Sundays. I’m out for good, y’all. Check the new Cavs preview on Hibachi 2.0!

  • Harry Posted: Oct.25 at 10:30 pm
    that leaves us with Lebron and Kobe. Both are exceptional scorers, rebounders for their position, passers, and defenders. We always knew Kobe was one of the best defenders, but Lebron proved to be very impressive on the defensive end also in the olympics. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, i just can’t see Kobe at #2 after his performance in the playoffs. He absolutely ravaged the Nuggets, Jazz, and Spurs, even though the whole Laker squad including Kobe underperformed in the Finals. Coming off an MVP award, Kobe shouldn’t be #2. YET.

  • John D Posted: Oct.25 at 10:36 pm
    Moose and James the Balla…you guys really need AIM.

  • BETCATS Posted: Oct.25 at 10:46 pm
    Mr.IRobot got the ranking he deserved. TD is a winner winner chicken dinner and thats all that counts. Kobe can drop off on him, Lebron can dunk on him, shaq can talk smack about him, but at the end of the season, nobody acts suprised when TD is raising the Larry OBrien over his head.

  • James the balla Posted: Oct.25 at 10:50 pm
    Sup BET… im home ya’ll. Opening night tuesday!!!!!!!!! This season is going to be off the hook!!

  • BETCATS Posted: Oct.25 at 11:03 pm
    i am going to sleep. its my b-day 2morrow so i wont be here. I got real sh!t to handle. Peace up A-Town Down.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.25 at 11:13 pm
    James the balla needs to shut the f*ck up. So in other words, I sort of agree, John D.

  • Dark Posted: Oct.25 at 11:26 pm
    Sorry, after one ring KG > Duncan? I love KG, but at least Duncan isn’t playing hot potato with the ball in the 4th quarter. That said, I think the Spurs would still have at least a ring or two if KG was there instead of Duncan; but it’s too hard to say one’s definitively better than the other.

  • niQ Posted: Oct.25 at 11:30 pm
    Stealth Assassin

  • Tommy Vercetti Posted: Oct.25 at 11:53 pm
    I got no problem with this one Russ. T-Robot has consistently been a good player his whole career. He puts up 20 & 10 every year in the same fashion with his bank shots and post moves and no one can stop him.

  • RV Posted: Oct.25 at 11:58 pm
    I think they might post it tomorrow, i remember Russ (i think) saying they adjusted them so they’d countdown all the way to opening night, which is Tuesday. Sunday #2, Monday #1, and Tuesday will probably be all about matchups, previews, and opening night hoopla.

  • Darksaber Posted: Oct.26 at 12:31 am
    Obvious choice right. And sadly one of the lazier right ups on the list. This one was meant for Lang. But Cookie, cookie, cookie, what a consistently great career. He’d be near the top of this ranking the last 10 years. That is greatness. Best technique amongst all bigs in the league, maybe ever. Maybe en par with *gasp* Akeem. Fantastic player, legend even.

  • Darksaber Posted: Oct.26 at 12:32 am
    correction “write up”. Scusa.

  • cubs Posted: Oct.26 at 12:54 am
    Who do you think has been the best player in the league in the last 12-15 years Duncan or Shaq? I’d take Shaq

  • KA Posted: Oct.26 at 1:34 am
    tim Duncan is not ripped enough. he needs to look a lot more cut. also if he had started balling earlier instead of mid teens, he’d be GOAT.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.26 at 1:41 am
    I would take Paul in the top 3 ! But yeah, I can’t really complain much about the order of the top 5 at all, except unless of course, Lebron appears at number 1 instead of Kobe.

  • CHIEF Posted: Oct.26 at 2:48 am
    never felt complete before this time

  • karan Posted: Oct.26 at 3:34 am
    Kevin Garnett is a better basketball player than you think Tim Duncan is.
    Go ahead. Read that again.
    Kevin Garnett is a better basketball player than you think Tim Duncan is.

  • einstein Posted: Oct.26 at 3:54 am
    and then there were two…

  • Jay Posted: Oct.26 at 4:02 am
    lebron james is a better player than kobe bryant thinks he is.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:14 am
    @karan…..:karan deserves to be on the Lebron list.
    Go ahead.Read again.
    karan deserv….ok,you don’t need to read again,you knew already…..

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:17 am
    Jay deserves to be on the Lebron list.
    Go ahead.Read again.
    Jay deserv….ok,you don’t need to read again,the kid just signed up officially…

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:22 am
    By the way…:TD is top-5 in the WORLD for the last decade along with SHAQ,MANU,KOBE,DIRK.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:29 am
    Elmer Bennnett called it a career…..a steady PG for over 10 years in Spain and Euroleague…

  • EC Posted: Oct.26 at 4:39 am
    Maria, MANU and DIRK? u said they were 2 of best 4 players of the last decade? Forget to take your meds?

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:55 am
    @EC…..:do you know who MANU and DIRK is..?i BET you got no idea.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:58 am
    and i said “the WORLD” not in the NBA…top-5 NBA is Garnett in the place of MANU.

  • Guest Of Slam (lol) Posted: Oct.26 at 5:29 am
    So it leaves:
    2. Kobe
    1. LeBron
    : haha.

  • kevin Posted: Oct.26 at 6:25 am
    in his mistakes, you forgot to say that he went to the olympics in ’04

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 6:43 am
    @kevin…..:TD had the best performance of any player in the US team in 2004 and lead them to the bronze medal. It is bizarre to hear you saying for someone that he made a mistake to help hiS country to achive the best possible result in the most important athletic stage in the WORLD…

  • Redrum Posted: Oct.26 at 8:40 am
    I know people are going to jump on me, but at this point I think he is no1… think about. LBJ is amazing, but he has no rings to show, and below average presence in the defense. Kobe won his rings only with the presence of the big guy. TD lead his team to 4 rings with less talent than other teams. He has gone through Shaq to get rings, and pretty much had a chance to win rings every year he played in this league. Had it not been for a couple of injuries, bad calls and team mates mistakes (that Ginobili foul…)he should have 2-3 more rings by now. I personally think he is up there with MJ and Magic, yeap, higher than Bird….

  • BETCATS Posted: Oct.26 at 9:39 am
    i am in, but only for a brief second. Happy Birthday to me! Check my site! Now i am ouuuuuuuuuut!

  • Moose Posted: Oct.26 at 9:42 am
    Happy 16th, BETCATS.

  • Moose Posted: Oct.26 at 9:43 am
    Everyone check Hibachi 2.0! Click my name! MORE previews!

  • B.I.G. Posted: Oct.26 at 11:22 am
    TD is great. My favorite PF. Kobe is obviously 1.
    Come on, he works with 2 players who are ranked in the 30′s and 40s in this list. And he makes it to the finals, and best record in WC. Kobe is better than Bron, TD, KG or the rest by a LONG SHOT. He is not just ahead of them, he is BEYONd all of them. True Lebron doesn’t have much help, but that’s how kobe was a year ago. True Lebron made it to the finals without any help, but it was the East, and he got BURNED!! in the finals, to prove how powerful West really is. Kobe made it in the 04 finals, and lost to Pistons, and Lebron beat pistons in East Finals, but 04 Pistons were much better, younger and more dominant than now.
    If a person who didn’t know what happen in the 07/08 season, he’d see, Tim Duncan(#3), Manu Ginobili(#14), Tony Parker (#21) on the same team. Kevin Garnett(#4), Paul Pierce (#7), Ray Allen (#35), on the same team. Kobe (#1), Pau Gasol(#36 i think) Lamar Odom (in the 40s) all on the same team. Lebron (#2) only one from his team on the list. Obviously it looks like Spurs and Celtics in the finals, Spurs best from the West, Celtics best from the East. Would they ever realize Kobe made it to the finals. Lakers defeated Spurs 4-1. Lakers were the best in the West, with a record of 57-25. They could have been 59-23 if they hadn’t lost those 2 games late in the season. Kobe deserves number 1.
    How come its the 26th and #2 isn’t out yet?

  • RV Posted: Oct.26 at 12:12 pm
    Kobe is 1, lebron 2…

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 12:25 pm
    @Redrum…..:TD is definitelly over Lebron(his defence is his only problem..?i mean,his shooting stroke is ok for a perimeter guy…..?)and closer to Kobe than many people think….BUT….he is slightly worse athletically than what he used to be(Kobe has a smaller decline from his peak…)and i think that in the last few years Manu had equal importance to the Spurs championships(he should have been finals MVP in 2005)…i won’t compare him to Magic or Bird for the same reasons i won’t compare him to Russell or Bob Petit:we are talking about players that their impact on the game is what is valued most in an all-time discussion and not what they would have done in todays competition(although i trully believe that Bird would have no problem at all,not the same for Petit …). Since i am sure that you have seen Hakeem at his peak(i have no personal preference on “the Dream”,its just that he seems to me that he is the player easily forgotten by everybody just because he didn’t have the style of a SHAQ or an A.I.)you think that TD is better than him…? I think that they are pretty similar in their mastery of fundamentals only that Hakeem was just a little bit more athletic and stronger. Anyway Hakeem has the nod of his peers over guys like SHAQ so having in mind his character i am sure he doesn’t bother much on the opinion of kids like me and my SLAM friends but it remains an injustice….TD is one of the all-time greats but to put him in the same breath like M.J, Hakeem,Bird and Magic i think its too much…he is more like in the company of people in the second dozen of greats(no11-no)20)together with Thomas, Moses, Kobe ,Shaq, Dr.J and others….people in the media in a way feel guilty all those years for not giving him the spotlight(they couldn’t cause they would have lost the whole important target market of “A.I-SHAQ-CARTER-kOBE LOVERS”, basically the young population of readers that makes the biggest consumption )and this is partially why they promote him to the all-time top-10 so easily since there is no marketing conflicts there…this in no way means that TD is not rightly considered the best of his generation…it’s just that i think that he had some trully great players by his side (Hakeem for example had Otis Thorpe, a young Robert Horry, and an old Drexler..).Ti allo na pw….auta!!!

  • Jake Posted: Oct.26 at 1:20 pm
    I swear on all that is holy,if Lebron is number 1 I forfeit my rights as a basketball fan,coach and player and will turn all attention to curling.

  • Nickthaquick Posted: Oct.26 at 1:47 pm
    Funny how there’s leagues of people who hate the Spurs with a passion, hate their ridiculous flopping, hate Manu, hate TP, hate Pop’s Hack-a-shaq when THEY are up, hate that they are plain and boring…..but not a single one of them hates Tim Duncan. They all respect that he is the real deal.

  • starbury&stevey Posted: Oct.26 at 3:01 pm
    @maria callas,stop lickin´ a$$esss…

  • Terrell Posted: Oct.26 at 4:07 pm
    Tim Duncan is a great player,arguably the best to ever play his position, but guys like Duncan, Nash, and various others I tend to resent because they are made out to be flawless and it irks me. I get upset with so call ‘experts’ and guys like Nikos, Maria r whatever who seem not to understand that you can only be as good as the organization you play for allows you to be and S.A. is a first class organization that has done a great job of surronding him with the parts that it takes to win…..unlike AI in Philly or KG when he was in Minny. So now Timmy is looked at as the ultimate winner while guys like AI are made out to be losers because of Organizations that failed to put togther a wiinning program. Duncan is above critism because of his work together with a organization that has been commited to winning….I wonder what his career wouldve been like if he was drafted by the clippers.

  • Kieran Posted: Oct.26 at 4:33 pm
    Good point terrel

  • bitches please Posted: Oct.26 at 4:33 pm
    Tim Duncon Number 3…..no F****** way… this list is complete bullshi*

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:35 pm
    @Terell….:the organization of S.A and especially the great MANU with a very good Parker definitely played their part to TD’S success along with a weak competition after the Lakers fall..and that is why i don’t put him at the same level with Hakeem for example.
    Now, to a previous comment of yours: NBA players are the best in the world(I never said something else)but since they are not the only players in the world a world ranking includes also others(although most of the top spots are for NBA players).At the same time,since i consider the kind of game played at the biggest world stages(WORLD’s, OLYMPICS) as the most typical-important,some players are ranked higher in the NBA(runners,,etc..)and lower globally.

  • Maria Callas Posted: Oct.26 at 4:57 pm
    @Terrell..(to your A.I. “Q” on the coaches influence):I really don’t know the reason why those 2 coaches weren’t able to put A.I’s game in a more efficient-team oriented mold. I think that the respective needs of those teams definitelly have an impact to those coaches aproach towards A.I. Thompson didn’t have the quality big men that he had before A.I. to ask for a balaced inside-outside game. At the same time he never had a guard with the talents of A.I. so maybe he didn’t knew exactly how to handle him. It was a complete change to his style. Don’t forget that A.I. was way above the competition in the NCAA physically..he used to go straight against the best inside defenders at the time(Joe Smith & M.Camby) and dunk on them like it was nothing. Nobody told him back then that you cannot do that easy such a thing against Shaq, Mutombo ,Zo and the packed with huge bodies NBA paints…In Philadelphia i think that the general situation of the team was the one that had the worst influence and not coach Brown. Philadelphia had an imediate need of a star and the “Iverson package” gave the team an identity that was long searching since Barkley left the city…Iverson received so much praise in his first few years there that propably made him think that he was doing everything ok so he wasn’t willing to change his ways with the arrival of Brown(“i am making crazy money,the kids and the hood love me why bother practising new tricks with Larry..?”)…i think the Sixers organization was ok with the revenue A.I. brought and didn’t really pressed him to change his ways so Brown finally had to put up a team that was going to work completely and exclusively about him…..the results? they made it to the finals just once (in the weakest period of the Eastern conference) only to be crashed by the Lakers(their only 4-1 win in the finals that propably would have been 4-0 if they weren’t coming from an 11-0 cruise in the mighty west).

  • Moose Posted: Oct.26 at 5:02 pm
    Read all of the new previews on Hibachi 2.0, y’all! They’re a little bit rushed, because of lack of time, but read them anyways!

  • aleon Posted: Oct.26 at 6:58 pm
    this was horible i is tim duncan better than chris paul deron williams and melo come on now

  • NBA-JERSEY-KING Posted: Oct.26 at 8:42 pm
    Lebron will be number 1 for sure!!!

  • Terrell Posted: Oct.26 at 9:12 pm
    @Nikos…to one point i think Duncans complete body of work is right up there with the ‘Dream’…even though he never has been quite as dominant as Hakeem was from 93-95…as for AI I make no bones in defending him as a fan because hell thats what sports fans are supposed to do and I have always gotten peeved at certain critism he gets, and maybe im biased, but even as one who knows basketball its easy to see certain contradictions in peoples arguments against him(like AI being ranked 18th because of certain drawbacks in his game, then ranking 2 lesser players with the same drawbacks right in front of him) I watched as Larry Brown was called a genious for overachieving with a team that had 10th 11th and 12th men starting and cba players on the bench while ‘experts’ said AI didnt make anyone better. thats contradiction..Ive watched people critisize his shot selection and fg per as if he was playing with anyone else who could crete a shot or post up or even hit a open jumper for that matter….as if there where any other 6ft 165lbs 2gaurds with the type of offensive responsibility he had to compare him to….Now he is still being critisized becuse he had the misfortune of being traded to an organiation that didnt have a plan in place…like who the hell thought AI who was averaging 31ppg at the time of the traded was going to go to denver and be andre miller…if he was why was that not the plan if he was supposed to be an additional scorer and playmaker with Melo why wasnt a real pg brought in to devee up the touches……why is the guy the scapegoat for clueless coaches and Gm’s…….ok im done ranting.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Oct.27 at 1:01 am
    Hmmm, since there are two people left, with only one day before opening night, anybody else have a slight feeling that they’ll put a tie of Kobe and Lebron at number 1? Its very improbable, but the back of my mind predicts that there is a chance of a tie, for some reason. I know, crazy talk right?

  • kb8to24 Posted: Oct.27 at 1:15 am
    i am obviously a big kobe fan but no way does bron and kobe go above tim. it’s all about the rings. knowing slam as big time bron jockers, bron will be ranked 1 and kobe 2. still both do not deserve to be above timmy with the 4 rings

  • Jay Posted: Oct.27 at 2:29 am
    @ Maria Callas…maria callas officially signed up for TD’s list.
    Read that again.
    Maria Callas def..ah forget it.

  • Froggiestyle Posted: Oct.27 at 3:47 am
    holy batsh it comments robin!

  • rikson Posted: Oct.27 at 6:17 am
    grat spot for TD -> could even be higher…

  • Ice Posted: Oct.27 at 11:11 am
    Thanks for giving Duncan his props!!

  • albie1kenobi Posted: Oct.27 at 12:49 pm
    possibly the greatest write-up ever.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Oct.28 at 11:18 am
    Wow. RESPECT.

  • Amanda Posted: Nov.11 at 1:16 pm
    Tim is right where he should be. greatest writing, i love you witty SLAM writers!
    i will join you one day.

  • Momo Posted: Feb.23 at 8:21 pm
    Tim deserves #3….

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