Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett. Both legendary power forwards with very different personalities, but both with Hall of Fame careers. During the 2000s, a heated debate was always on who was better? Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett? Garnett may have the stats, but Duncan has the rings and other accomplishments. With all of this being said, it makes sense for our next battle in our “versus,” series to be the battle between these two Hall of Fame power forwards. Without further adieu, let’s get started.
Battle of the Power Forwards: Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett
Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett: The Case for KG
Kevin Garnett made his mark on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coming straight out of high school, Garnett left his blueprint on the Timberwolves instantly. He had two different stints in Minnesota and would retire a Timberwolves player. Throughout his Minnesota tenure, Garnett averaged 19.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Of course, he would win his one ring with the Boston Celtics. Anyone who watched Garnett throughout his career knows he was a monster on more than just with the Timberwolves. His resume speaks volumes.
Garnett is a one-time champion as said already, 15-time All-Star, four-time rebounding champion, nine-time All-NBA Team member, 12-time All-Defensive Team member, one-time MVP, and former Defensive Player of the Year. On top of this, he also tallied 17.8 points, 1.4 blocks, and 10.0 total rebounds per game for his whole career. Garnett also has two seasons under his belt where he averaged a defensive rating of 94 which is absolutely insane. Given all of this information, it is understandable why some NBA peers would put him in the conversation for the greatest power forward of all time, but is he better than Duncan?
Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett: The Case for The Big Fundamental
To say Tim Duncan had an amazing career would be an understatement. He formed one of the best star player/head coach duos in NBA history with Gregg Popovich. Duncan also was the main focal point of their star trio consisting of him, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. For his career, Duncan would remain a Spur and tally totals of 19.0 points, 2.2 blocks, and 10.8 total rebounds per game. Not to mention, he would average a defensive rating under 100 for all but three seasons of his career!
Tim Duncan also has one of the most impressive NBA resumes ever. He is a 15-time All-Star, a five-time champion, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, a 15-time All-Defensive Team member, Rookie of the Year, a three-time Finals MVP, and two-time league MVP. Simply put, the man is a legend. There is a reason Duncan is the general consensus pick for the greatest power forward of all time.
Verdict
For this battle, I am giving the slight edge to Tim Duncan. Do not get me wrong, Kevin Garnett is still a legend in his own right. What gives Duncan the edge is that he did not start showing signs of age as soon as KG did. It was not until Duncan’s last season in the league when it was abundantly clear he was not as offensively capable as he once was in his career. Garnett started to flame out during his Brooklyn Nets tenure where he averaged only 6.6 points and 0.6 blocks per game. Certainly a far cry from his totals in his Minnesota and Boston days. All in all, Duncan was more consistent for a longer period of time and of course, has the fundamentals that always work. As a result, the Big Fundamental gets the slight edge in this Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett debate.
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