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Authored by Brandon Hoffman - 25th April, 2008 - 8:32 pm
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Merry Christmas, Raptors Fans
The Raptors might not be playing good basketball right now, but there are plenty of things for Toronto fans to be thankful for this holiday season.
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As the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns slug it out in the 1st round, I?ve begun to speculate on the historical significance of Tim Duncan and Shaquille O?Neal?s careers and where they will rank among the greatest frontcourt players of all-time.
Duncan won the battle Tuesday in posting 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 assists as his Spurs defeated Shaq?s Suns 102-96.
But who has won the war throughout their careers, and which player will be will be regarded as the greater player when all is said and done?
Offense
Shaq has averaged 25 points per game over the course of his career and shot 58% from the field.
Tim has averaged 22 points per game over the course of his career and shot 51% from the field.
Both have struggled from the foul line. Shaq has shot 52% from the line. Duncan is 68% for his career.
Duncan has averaged 3 offensive rebounds. Shaq has averaged 4.
Both have averaged 3 assists per game.
Advantage: O?Neal
Shaquille has averaged 25 or more points per game in 10 of his 16 NBA seasons and led the league in field goal percentage 9 times.
Duncan has only averaged 25 or more points per game in one NBA season and has never led the league in field goal percentage.
Defense
Tim has averaged 9 defensive rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal over the course of his career.
Shaq has averaged 8 defensive rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal over the course of his career.
Shaq has been named to an All-NBA defensive team 3 times. O?Neal was named to the All-NBA defensive second team in 2000, 2001, and 2003.
Duncan has been named to an All-NBA defensive team in each of his 10 NBA seasons and will surely be named to a defensive team this year. Tim was named to the second team in 1998 (rookie season), 2004, and 2006. He was a first team selection in his seven other seasons.
Advantage: Duncan
It?s not even close.
Duncan has been the better helpside and on-ball defender..
Postseason Success
Both players have won four NBA championships.
Duncan won rings in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007.
Tim was named Finals MVP in three of those championship seasons and went through Shaq?s Lakers in 1999 and 2003 to capture the title.
O'Neal won rings in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006.
Shaq was named Finals MVP in three of those championship seasons and defeated Duncan?s Spurs in 2001, 2002, and 2004.
Duncan has averaged 24 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and shot 51% from the field and 69% from the foul line during the playoffs.
Shaq has averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and shot 57% from the field and 50% from the foul during the playoffs.
Advantage: Even
Head-to-Head
Shaq and Duncan have met one another 27 times in the regular season and 25 times in the playoffs.
Regular season
O?Neal owns a 16-11 advantage in regular season play.
Tim has averaged 22.0 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 44% from the field, 65% from the free throw line in his 27 regular season games versus Shaquille.
Shaquille has averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 55% from the field, 55% in his regular season meetings with Duncan.
Shaq owns a 5 game regular season advantage and a slight advantage in field goal percentage and blocks.
Advantage: Shaq
Playoffs
Duncan owns a 13-12 advantage in postseason play.
1999
Duncan?s Spurs won the NBA Western Conference Semifinals (4-0) over Shaq?s Lakers.
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Avery Johnson
SG Mario Elie
SF Sean Elliot
PF Tim Duncan
C David Robinson
Lakers Starting Five:
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Glen Rice
PF J.R. Reid
C Shaquille O?Neal
Duncan?s #?s: 29 points per game, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 53% from the field, 80% from the free throw line for the series.
Shaq?s #?s: 24 points per game, 13 rebounds, .5 assists per game, 2 blocks, 51% from the field, 45% from the free throw line for the series.
San Antonio?s Key Contributor: David Robinson
Los Angeles Key Contributor: Kobe Bryant
2001
Shaq?s Lakers won the NBA Western Conference Finals (4-0) over Duncan?s Spurs.
Lakers Starting Five:
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Rick Fox
PF Horace Grant
C Shaquille O?Neal
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Terry Porter
SG Antonio Daniels
SF Derek Anderson/Danny Ferry
PF Tim Duncan
C David Robinson
Shaq?s #?s: 27 points per game, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 54% from the field, 52% from the free throw line in that series.
Duncan?s #?s: 23 points per game, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 48% from the field, 68% from the free throw line in that series.
Lakers Key Contributor Kobe Bryant: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 51% from the field, 77% from the free throw line.
Spurs Key Contributor Antonio Daniels: 19 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 41% from the field, 96% from the free throw line.
2002
Shaq?s Lakers won the NBA Western Conference Semifinals (4-1) over Duncan?s Spurs.
Lakers Starting Five:
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Rick Fox
PF Samaki Walker/Robert Horry
C Shaquille O?Neal
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Tony Parker
SG Steve Smith
SF Bruce Bowen
PF Tim Duncan
C David Robinson/Mark Bryant
Shaq?s #?s: 21 points per game, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 45% from the field, 64% from the line for the series.
Duncan?s #?s: 29 points per game, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 43% from the field, 77% from the line for the series.
Lakers Key Contributor Kobe Bryant: 26 points per game, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 46% from the field, 58% from the line.
Spurs Key Contributor Tony Parker (rookie season): 14 points per game, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 41% from the field, 87% from the free throw line.
2003
Duncan?s Spurs won the NBA Western Conference Semifinals (4-2) over Shaq?s Lakers.
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Tony Parker
SG Stephen Jackson
SF Bruce Bowen
PF Tim Duncan
C David Robinson
Lakers Starting Five:
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Devean George/Brian Shaw
PF Robert Horry
C Shaquille O?Neal
Duncan?s #?s: 28 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 53% from the field, 70% from the free throw line in the series.
Shaq?s #?s: 25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 56% from the field, 63% from the line in the series.
Lakers Key Contributor Kobe Bryant: 32 points per game, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 43% from the field, 79% from the line.
Spurs Key Contributors Tony Parker: 15 points per game, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 41% from the field, 76% from the line.
Manu Ginobili: 12 points per game, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 51% from the field, 71% from the line.
2004
Shaq?s Lakers won the NBA Western Conference Semifinals (4-2) over Duncan?s Spurs
Lakers Starting Five:
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Devean George
PF Karl Malone
C Shaquille O?Neal
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Tony Parker
SG Hedo Turkoglu
SF Bruce Bowen
PF Tim Duncan
C Rasho Nesterovic
Shaq?s #?s: 23 points per game, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks, 64% from the field, 44% from the free throw line in the series.
Duncan?s #?s: 21 points per game, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 47% from the field, 67% from the free throw line in the series.
Lakers Key Contributor Kobe Bryant: 26 points per game, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 46% from the field, 76% from the line.
Spurs Key Contributors Tony Parker: 17 points per game, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 38% from the field, 62% from the line.
2008
Duncan?s Spurs own a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western First Round series over Shaq?s Suns
Spurs Starting Five:
PG Tony Parker
SG Michael Finley
SF Bruce Bowen
PF Tim Duncan
C Fabricio Oberto
Suns Starting Five:
PG Steve Nash
SG Raja Bell
SF Grant Hill
PF Amare Stoudemire
C Shaquille O?Neal
Duncan?s #?s: 29 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 55% from the field, 50% from the free throw line for the series.
Shaq?s #?s: 15 points, 10 rebounds, .5 assists, 4 blocks per game, 52% from the field, 47% from the free throw line for the series.
Spurs Key Contributors Tony Parker: 29 points per game, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 53% from the field, 75% from the line.
Suns Key Contributor Amare Stoudemire: 33 points per game, 7 rebounds, .5 assists, 51% from the field, 72% from the line.
Advantage: Duncan
Tim owns a 13-12 advantage and has defeated Shaquille twice with an inferior supporting cast.
Shaq was the undisputed leader on the Lakers teams that defeated Duncan?s Spurs three times but Kobe Bryant, not Shaquille O?Neal, was the leader scorer for the Lakers in four of the five matchups.
In fact, if not for the O?Neal-Bryant duo (the second greatest tandem ever in my estimation), Tim Duncan could very well have two more NBA championship on his resume.
Even still, Duncan outplayed O?Neal in 3 of their previous 5 playoff matchups and is outplaying Shaq again this season.
Pre-2008 NBA Playoff Averages Against Each Other:
Shaq: 24 points per game, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 54% from the field, 54% from the free throw line.
Duncan: 26 points per game, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 49% from the field, 65% from the line.
Making the comparison
This year?s playoffs have been the exception as Duncan and O?Neal rarely defended one another in years past. But then again, neither did Magic and Bird and that rivalry went down as one of the greatest in NBA history.
Duncan and O?Neal have been the two most dominant NBA player over the past decade. One or the other has held the NBA championship trophy in 8 of the last 9 NBA seasons.
Shaquille O?Neal was more physically talented and was blessed with more dominant teams but Tim Duncan has been and will be considered the greater player when all is said and done.
While Shaq dominated opponents with a soft touch and a combination of size and speed never seen before and not likely to be seen again, Duncan did so and continues to do so with an endless offensive repertoire. From the bankshot to the baby hook from both blocks, his footwork and fundamentals are unmatched.
Shaq was named to the All-NBA team in thirteen of his fifteen NBA seasons and the All-NBA defensive team three times.
Tim is the first player in NBA history to be named to an All-NBA and All-NBA defensive team in his first nine seasons. He added to that total last season and barring injury, will continue to add to that total over the next few seasons.
Shaq was always concerned about getting his touches and left three of the four NBA teams he?s played for on bad terms.
Duncan is content with either Ginobili or Parker in the spotlight and has played his entire NBA career with one team.
Each owns 4 NBA championships.
Duncan has excelled on both ends of the floor. Shaq has not.
Shaquille O?Neal is in Tim Duncan?s rearview mirror.
The only frontcourt player in NBA history left in his path is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Duncan?s NBA journey is far from finished.
Visit Brandon Hoffman's NBA Blog site BallerBlogger.com
Feel free to contact Brandon Hoffman via e-mail (ballerblogger@yahoo.com) with comments or questions |
