Tim Duncan?

Question

Why is he such an important player?

Is he better, worse or just as good as Michael Jordan or Magic or Larry Bird is he on their level?

Answer 1

he's a good player because he's unselfish...he racks up assists in the game...he's one of the more professional players as well. he's PIVOTAL in the execution of pick n roll's with tony parker and manu ginobili, and even the give n go's.....tim duncan is modest...role model like material...and he's the big man or a big team

he's in a different category than jordan and bird are...both of those were the stars of their team w/ not too much else on there...duncan is a star...yes...and he's a FRANCHISE player...but he's got a great supporting cast and they work the best as a team....so i'd argue that duncan won't be able to take either on at 1-1 basketball..but i'd say he's a better team player than jordan magic and bird...and may even get more championships....or well on the way...

GO SPURS

Answer 2

"Why is he such an important player?"

He is currently the best power forward in the league. He pulls down 12 boards a game, puts up over 24 points per game, has a decent fg%, and he's the Spurs star player. He's quite possibly the most underrated player in the league considering his achievements.

"Is he better, worse or just as good as Michael Jordan or Magic or Larry Bird is he on their level?"

He's no where near their level. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were amazing all-around players while Duncan is strictly a post player. So, you can't compare them. Magic Johnson for example, could play point guard and center. He could shoot the ball, post up, pass, whatever. Duncan simply doesn't have those abilities. Same applies for Larry Bird. And Michael Jordan speaks for himself.

Answer 3

He is regarded as the best PF who has ever played the game. He is also something of a " geek"; very smart academically. Duncan is a low profiler and does not seek the camera. He's not a flash player and doesn't talk trash, and doesn't " bling".So he comes across as boring. He is committed to charities in SA and St, Croix. Like Jordan, he has the ability to see every inch of the court and can step up very quickly for a 7 ft. guy. Last night, if you look at the reruns, when he stole the ball from James, Duncan was so fast and so quick that there for a split second James didn't even know he was behind him. This man is a coach's dream.
What does James say about him ( after game two)???....
" He's what every NBA player would like to be". He is a future Hall of Famer, and that pretty much says it all.

Answer 4

I wouldnt necessarily put him in that category yet, but he has a strong case. Some has to do with popularity not everybody is racing to get his jersey but with Duncan you have a center piece for a championship team. Ever since he came into the league you can rest assured he was goin to give you a double double every night at least 23pts and 12 rbds. Nice passer, can hit the jumper. Only thing suspect is his free throw shooting he's between a 65-70% Defense is good, it was killer back when David Robinson were together. Will he be on the level as MJ, Bird and Magic......I feel he will if he keeps winning those rings. I feel he deserves it

Answer 5

Tim Duncan is the best PF ever (and I am not even a Duncan fan). He just has way too big of impact and way too many credentials to argue against him. He is NOT however as good as Jordan, Magic and Bird, who dominated the game far more in a much tougher era (more competition). I consider him to definitly be a top 15 player, maybe a top 10 player but definitly not a top 5. Players I consider definitly better than him: Jordan, Kareem, Magic, Hakeem, Shaq, Bird, Wilt, Russell.

Answer 6

Duncan is not on the level of Bird Magic or MJ but he is a great power forward none the less. He is important becasue he gives the spurs that rare talent in a big man that can sometimes take over a game, but will almost always give you a double double. He creates mismatches because if you don't double team him he will kill you and if you do double him he can pass the ball. He is one of the greatest power forwards in the history of the game. Without him the Spurs would have 0 Rings.

Answer 7

Well, my levels would be like top tier:

Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, and Tim Duncan (as they can carry an entire team in their own completely different way)

Bill Russell is argueably the most successful player in basketball history with two NCAA titles, one Gold Medal, and 11 NBA rings as a player in a 14 year period - not bad 14 major titles in 14 years.

Michael Jordan is argueably the most spectacular and unstoppable player in NBA history.

Tim Duncan is Tim Duncan, "Big Fundamental", who carries the team without noticeable flash except to 30 NBA head coaches (like the NBA head coaches just last month named Tim Duncan the #2 defensive player in the NBA behind Duncan's teammate Bruce Bowen who was named #1 by the NBA head coaches)

Next tier would be:

Magic (but most likely the best all around basketball player in every area in NBA history)

The next tier would be:

Larry Bird (great, but could not single handedly carry a team like a Russell, Jordan, or a Duncan; but, Bird was not the all around player like Magic)

Any NBA team would do almost anything to have a player like Russell, Jordan, Duncan, Magic, or Bird, but out of all of those only Duncan is still actively playing.

To answer your question which is a very difficult question, Jordan, Magic, and Bird might all be considered better than Duncan, but of the four only Jordan and Duncan can carry a team and Jordan could not win a NBA ring until he was 28 and Scottie Pippen, a future Hall of Famer came along while Duncan, almost an extension of Coach Popovich's personality and desire to win, has won at all stages of his 10 year career. Duncan's first 10 years in the NBA have led to the most successful sports franchise winning percentage in any major sport in America over the last ten years including baseball, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL. Duncan did play his first five years with a future NBA Hall of Famer who played those five years on one leg, and upon the retirement of David Robinson in 2003, Tim Duncan continued to carry the Spurs to new heights never achieved by any Spurs player in Spurs history.

So, actually, Duncan separates himself from Jordan, Magic, and Bird by the fact that Duncan does not need the All Star Hall of Fame cast to support him as did Jordan, Magic, and Bird.

Duncan's success do not come out so much in personal statistics, rather his success comes out in wins.

Why is Duncan such an important player? Because say for example this past year, the Spurs would have been 20-62 without Duncan but were 58-24 with Duncan in the regular season and 16-4 in the playoffs with Duncan (actually 16-3 with Duncan and 0-1 without Duncan as Duncan spent most of one game on the bench in foul problems in a game in which the Spurs were blown out because Duncan was on the bench).

Answer 8

Those three have very different games than that of Duncan. It would be pretty much like comparing Gordie Howe to Bobby Orr in Hockey. You can't really compare, since one was a forward and one was a defenseman. Besides, if you're gonna compare him to someone, I would think he's more of a Bill Russell type player, only with better offense and a bit worse defense.

Answer 9

he's not that important.. he has just been on the Spurs alittle longer then the other players. they look up to him because of it. HELL!! no, he is not on the level as MJ, or Bird or even Magic!! those 3 players are in the top 10 all time players ever, Duncan is a hall of famer but, just not in the top 10.

Answer 10

I don't think you can compare... they have all been amazing players in their time. They all play very different none the less they are all incredibly AMAZING and honorable player

As for Timmy, the guy is well grounded a great asset for the Spurs to have a guy such as him leading them.