Wilt was the winner yesterday, and who will be today's grand prize winner, Johnny? I like Karl Malone, but I bet Duncy wins.
Duncan definitely has been dominant and has the four rings to add to the argument. I think we've all seen what he can do and just how sound his basketball skills are. Very refined. Very effective. However, you have to marvel a bit at just what Charles Barkley was able to do at just 6'6". The guy was an absolute beast and averaged at least 10 boards almost every single season he was playing, that includes his final year when he was playing well into his thirties. At one point the guy averaged 28 and 10 while playing for the Sixers and then later developed some range while with the Suns. Remember him taking the ball from coast to coast for a dunk or layup? How many power forwards could just lower their heads and bulldoze their way 94 feet down the court for a scoring opportunity like that? I know he's not the sexiest pick for GOAT PF, but I'd like to throw his name into the mix.
Barkley. The guy was 6'5 and could do everything. I don't like him off the court, but on it, he was unstoppable.
I think a few names could be removed from the list and replaced with Bob McAdoo and Nate Thurmond. My vote was between Timmy D and Malone (better scorer). But, Timmy plays better defense and has the rings to show.
Wasn't Nate Thurmond a center? I'm way too young to know first hand but as a Warriors fan everything I've seen/read about him made me think he played C (at least he did for the W's). I voted for Tim Duncan.
Duncan. Barkley and Malone were better offensively, but he's been such a dominant defender. It's like comparing MJ to Dominique Wilkins. They all put up an insane number of points, but the titles went to the guy who was arguably the best defender ever at his position. Such a shame that Garnett and Barkley squandered the best years of their careers on such bad teams. If you put Garnett on the Spurs in 1999, it's pretty easy to imagine we'd be talking about him as the greatest PF ever. Barkley would never be considered the greatest at his position ever. When you look at the guys who are the very best at their positions, they were also good to great defenders. Sir Charles was never above ordinary.
I'm surprised the poll is so lopsided in favor of Duncan. Seems like just a few years ago Malone would be winning this by about 60%. But then it's pretty hard to argue with all those rings.
Not true. He has been listed as a PF for all of his career. He is an all-star PF, not C. He is voted in every year as a PF. One year the NBA tried to put his ballot in as a C and he freaked out and said "no, I am a PF!" He has made 11 All-NBA teams, as a PF. Not a center. Anyhow, I voted Duncan.
Barkley was not a good defender. Malone was not a good defender. Tim Duncan is a championship caliber anchor defender.
It's between Barkley and Malone for me. For the same reason as you, Barkley was so impressive because he got so much out of seemingly so little. Had Malone won a ring, or two, he would be the easy choice for me. I just flat out am not a huge fan of Duncan's. Malone in his prime vs Duncan in his prime? Tough, IMO. I'm going with Malone.
Tim Duncan is the best power forward of all time. He isn't all that flashy and he doesn't talk a good game, so he is under appreciated to some degree. Both Barkley and C-Webb have said he was the best ever. I would agree.
I would probably put Kevin McHale 2nd over Barkley and Malone anyhow. It's been a long time, but folks either don't remember how good he was, or they weren't alive to see it.
