Quote:
Originally Posted by PauloCatarino
This is an interesting post. I have thought many times that Duncan resembles Bill Russell: great defense, not-so-dominant-stats, a winner and clutch player with multiple championships who is easy to build a championship team around.
When we think about the all-time great players, only 2 come to mind that weren't dominant offensive players: Russell and Duncan.
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Russell HAD dominant stats, just not scoring stats. He averaged 22.5 rpg over his career, the highest (non-Wilt) player other than Russell was Pettit with 16. If Duncan was averaging 19-20 rebounds a game that would be the equivalent (though Duncan IS an excellent scorer too, unlike Russell)
Duncan is easily top 10 all-time. Comparing him to Magic and Bird because of rings isn't quite as interesting to me as comparing him to Shaq, Hakeem, and Moses where they are all pivotmen and comprise the second tier of great pivots behind Russell, Wilt, and Kareem. Those 7 big men plus Jordan, Magic, and Bird are probably the top 10 players all time (though Dr. J, Oscar and Jerry West might argue)