[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

If you had to choose between the two, right now, who would you go with?

Duncan, 36, just came off a 15.4 PPG, 9 RPG, 1.5 BPG, and 2.3 APG season in only 28 MPG while being the defensive anchor on the Spurs.

Garnett, 35 (36 in three days), came off a 15.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.0 BPG, and 2.9 APG season in 31.1 MPG while being the defensive anchor and heart of this team.

If you had to choose one RIGHT NOW, who would you go with?

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I was probably the only user on this site to pick them BOTH on my All-NBA Third Team.

IF I had to choose right now, I’d still go with Duncan. Here’s why…

Not only can he catch and shoot like Garnett is doing, he’s still a factor in isolation post ups. He’s still the "Great Fundamental" on the low block and can command a double team. Defensively, he’s still a very good defender both on the ball and being a presence around the basket.

Both are playing great though.

 

[Wavy BagelsParticipant]

Duncan. The numbers are fairly identical, but the fact that Garnett plays 3 more minutes and produces at the same amount that Timmy does would want me to roll with him.

[Wavy BagelsParticipant]

Although you cannot go wrong with either player.

[SpacegrassParticipant]

Timmay of course , he has actually been the anchor of multiple title teams.  Garnett has not been that guy hence why he came to Boston.

[TheBigEasyParticipant]

I would choose Duncan. At this moment in his career he´s a more steady perfomer than Garnett in my opinion, but this could also be because of the situation in San Antonio. Besides that I find it a most admirable performances of both guys with so much mileage on their bodies.

And to imagine that we have to watch overweight, spoiled Dutch football millionaires here in The Netherlands, who don´t really live for their sport compared to those guys *sigh*. They could learn a lot about professionalism from those guys!

[The Scare Crow RisesParticipant]

 I would say Garnett is slighty better today because of his quickness over Tim Duncan, don’t get me wrong Timmy does everything so well and I could pick him over KG and not feel wrong either way

In the beggining of round 2, I would say it’s KG, but by the time Sixers run KG ragged it’ll be Tim Duncan by a yard

[NYK2010Participant]

I agree Garnett because of the quickness factor and I think his defense is better.

Also he’s a much better free throw shooter and he’s getting it done in the clutch against better competition for the most part.

Duncan will face better defending big men in the next round against OKC.

[GlenTaylorSucksParticipant]

Right now…I would choose KG simply because he’s quicker, more athletic, and still a monster on D. Though, Duncan is still surprisingly very good, he’s just easy to overlook because he’s old and has a quietly effective game.

As for all time…I wonder how we would see these two today if their roles were switched? What I mean by that is, what if Duncan were asked to carry otherwise terrible Wolves teams (terrible supporting casts, with the exception of the 03-04 season (or was it 04-05?)), while Garnett got to play with Robinson (for a couple or three years), and have much better supporting players (with Parker and Ginobili)? I honestly think they’d be comparable. I don’t think you could go wrong either way.

[Raef LaFrentzParticipant]

Gimme’ The Big Ticket, hands down. Duncan seems ageless, I know, but KG is looking younger and younger out there. The playoffs have allowed him to turn back the clock. Teams have to gameplan for him not only basketball-wise, but they also have to mantally prepare to be verbally abused each and every night. And the thing is, all these guys say that it doesn’t bother them at all… Well then why in the heck are they always complaining about it? He obviously gets under their skin in a way Duncan doesn’t. Also, he has the atheleticism over Timmy D too.

Both are playing phenomenal.

[CameronParticipant]

I will take Duncan over Garnett today and every day of their respective careers.  First of all, the notion that Garnett never had a supporting cast in Minnesota is ridiculous.  He played with Wally Szczerbiak who was an all-star and a 50-40-90 guy while playing for the Timberwolves (prior to the ankle injuries), Troy Hudson who was a 6th man candidate, Sam Cassel, Latrell Spreewell as well as other solid players like Joe Smith.  The fact that he never got out of the first round more than once wasn’t due to his supporting cast, it was due to the fact that he just wasn’t the player TD is or was.  Garnett, although very tall and with a great wingspan, has always had a maddening tendecy to float around the perimiter on offense, jack up mid-range J’s and not play to his strengths that are his due to his unique physical abilities. 

By contrast, although he has always had a green-light to shoot 3’s, Duncan played to his strengths, put in the work in the low-post and carried his team with his offense, defense, passing and rebounding.  Duncan never cared that he could make 3’s, he had shorter teammates who could make them as well, but those shorter teammates could never score in the post, rebound or battle down-low the way TD did, and that most important fact is what separates Duncan (an all-time top10 player) and Garnett (an all time top 60 player).  Not to mention, Garnett has butted heads with teammates in the past while Duncan has been a consumate pro, teammate and champion. 

Both are great players but I’ll take Duncan 10 times out of 10.

Also, as far as supporting casts go – Duncan lead the Spurs to their second title with an aging David Robinson (Averaged about 8 and 8) a rookie starting PG tony parker and a collection of other role players.  Garnett had better rosters than the Spurs that year that he did a lot less with.  Furthermore, I firmly believe Duncan played a paramount role in the amazing development of Parker, Ginobili, Hill and many of the other outstanding players that the Spurs have produced, because of his defensive and facilitating abilities.

[aamir543Participant]

 For me it’s a coin flip, their production level is so identical at this point, it’s crazy, so I’ll go with who I like more, which is Timmy, but I love KG as well, both have a knock down consistent midrange jumper, the only difference is that the rest of KG’s points come from basket cuts and explosive finishes, the few he has left, or Rondo setting him up, Timmy still has an amazing post game, and if you made him the center of an offense and played him 34 minutes a game, he’d average 22 and 10.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

More athletic and much better and versatile on D. Duncan had better teams by far. Forget Sprewell and Wally be serious. Despite that I would take Duncan in his prime, but KG easily now.

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