Tim Duncan

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Lol Blair is 6'7" and Diaw is not a center regardless of how they try to spin it. Duncan is a center and has been since Robinson retired. They kept insisting he was a power forward because of one reason, Yao Ming. They realized that he would never be an all star starter as long as Ming was playing. But he guards centers, is guarded by centers and the offense is run through him as a center.

I believe your reasoning makes sense but I'd add another reason; Shaquille O'Neal.

[Calzone Lord]

Shows how little I know about basketball -- but wasn't Yao Ming an overhyped bust?

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Shows how little I know about basketball -- but wasn't Yao Ming an overhyped bust?

Not really...he was very, very good, just too many injury problems.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Not really...he was very, very good, just too many injury problems.

Well you look like a sage now. I should have realized that Stern was going to fix the lottery in favor of the team he was selling...

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Well you look like a sage now. I should have realized that Stern was going to fix the lottery in favor of the team he was selling...

Yeah, but in any case going 30-36 this year if the trade was allowed to go through wasn't going to help anything.

[cmorioles]

The Spurs are up 2-1, but it isn't because of Duncan. He hasn't been very good at all in this series.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

The Spurs are up 2-1, but it isn't because of Duncan. He hasn't been very good at all in this series.

I don't think this is entirely accurate. Some impacts aren't as easily seen as others. Duncan’s presence on the court opens things up for everyone. You have to guard him down there and stay home. He's the main reason guys get open shots all game. He's also really good at passing out of the post and getting the defense moving. On defense, he allows guys to play tighter on their man and also play more in the passing lanes because he is an excellent help defender. Being strong on the boards means they don't have to commit the other guys as much to rebounding, which means they are getting out faster on the break. I think he's a much bigger factor than the numbers would suggest.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Well you look like a sage now. I should have realized that Stern was going to fix the lottery in favor of the team he was selling...

Are there any sports fans at all out there that don't know that the NBA is the most corrupt and fixed sport in this country?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Are there any sports fans at all out there that don't know that the NBA is the most corrupt and fixed sport in this country?

Other than horse racing?

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Other than horse racing?

NBA is worse.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I believe your reasoning makes sense but I'd add another reason; Shaquille O'Neal.

Yao Ming was voted starting Center for the West every year he was on the ballot including 2011 when he played 5 games. When they started having internet voting Yao was almost always going to win.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Yao Ming was voted starting Center for the West every year he was on the ballot including 2011 when he played 5 games. When they started having internet voting Yao was almost always going to win.

That is true. But for the first five years of Duncan's career, it was Shaq that was the leading vote getter at the center spot for the West and it was Shaq that was the first team all-NBA center each of those years (even up until 2006) with the sxception of 1999, when he was second team. That's why I say it was first cause of Shaq then Ming kept it going.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

That is true. But for the first five years of Duncan's career, it was Shaq that was the leading vote getter at the center spot for the West and it was Shaq that was the first team all-NBA center each of those years (even up until 2006) with the sxception of 1999, when he was second team. That's why I say it was first cause of Shaq then Ming kept it going.

However with Robinson on the team Duncan was more of a power forward. When he left he became the center but they kept his designation as PF. I mean it doesnt really matter because he has been a great player regardless