ESPN Got Shaq In His Feelings...Throws Shots at DunGawd After Being Ranked Below Him

[murksiderock]

1992-1998.

You acting like young Shaq wasn't a beast.

I would take rookie Shaq over any version of Duncan. That is how much of a disparity I believe there is between them as basketball players.

Shaq was the better player until his last year with the Lakers. So I'll give him the first six years of Duncan's career, he was greater. I think you missed where I already said peak for peak Shaq is better, but Shaq ain't better when reviewing their entire bodies of work. Peak level wasn't there but Duncan was more consistently dominant in the playoffs and did more with less than Shaq...

 

[Swagnificent]

When we are discussing all time lists and comparing guys from different eras you have to bring up stats and accolades because its the only way to make a logical argument to people who haven't seen these players play.

Well how about stop debating players you never saw play?

There's a reason I never try to debate that much about guys I never saw play. Its like debating about a book you never read. A summary on Sparknotes of what happens in a book (which is what stats and accolades are when it comes to sports) is never the same as actually reading the entire novel and absorbing everything that happens in context.

I know on paper Duncan looks like he's Shaq's equal. I just don't care cause I watched them both play in their primes and witnessed the difference in their dominance.

 

[mitter]

Duncan was a better defensive player, Shaq was a more dominant offensive player

Duncan's consistency, reliability, and staying in shape is what gives him the edge over Shaq

 

[mr. smoke weed]

Cats couldn't wait to turn this into a Kobe thread lmao...

On topic, it's hard to defend Shaq as being better than Duncan. They used to give it to each other, but I think Duncan gave it to Shaq a little bit more. Kobe wasn't the better player during the 3peat but he was the tipping factor more often than not because the Spurs couldn't really check him. They had someone who could check Shaq...

Shaq was probably a little more dominant in his prime but has more underwhelming moments in the playoffs than Duncan. Duncan at his peak was more consistently dominant in the playoffs and has a better conference finals and Finals record as a #1 than Shaq had as a #1. Markedly better defense from protecting the rim to help D, markedly better offensive skillset...

Honestly Shaq may be a little overrated. I've heard brothers on here say Hakeem was better, I wasn't around to see. Timmy was better and is the #3 GOAT center to me, after Cap and Wilt. If Dream is better that means Shaq is fighting for that #5 spot with overrated ass Russell, which is fitting. Two overrated guys, do you prefer the one who is overrated for dominating a 7-team league of mostly unathletic stiffs, or the one overrated for the 3peat in a 19-year career, getting bagged in his prime by Dream and Timmy and not doing much of substance outside of it?

Shaq is a GOAT. But BSPN got this one right, putting Duncan over him...

Anyone who calls Shaq overrated grew up on the internet. Nothing about Shaq was overrated.

 

[mr. smoke weed]

You cats come in 20 years after the fact and try and remix things or change things after the fact it's hilarious.

Also yall need to get off kobe and LeBron. Its embarassing.

 

[MikelArteta]

Shaq's so unlikable, damn.

he hides behind this big ol oaf funny personality while running off slick things

 

[Lord-Yosh]

nikkas still don't have respect for my guy Tim

 

[murksiderock]

Anyone who calls Shaq overrated grew up on the internet. Nothing about Shaq was overrated.

You contactless dudes say this anytime anybody disagrees with you, and its rarely true. I started watching the game postseason '99, the summer I turned 10 years old. Definitely didn't grow up on the internet, I'm from the same era they gave computer classes in school to teach us how to use the muhfukkas because they were too expensive for most people to have at home...

So maybe you meant to quote someone else...

You guys gotta keep in mind that Shaq was 5 years older than Tim in basketball years. During the ~9 or so years that their primes overlapped, Shaq was greater the majority of the years. Shaq was the consensus greatest player for about 5 years immediately following Mike's retirement, and was still in the conversation for about two years after that...

So Year 6 Shaq was better than rookie Tim, Year 7 Shaq was better than Year 2 Tim, etc. This isn't really explaining anything and needs context, because most Year 8 superstars are greater than Year 3 players, and Shaq's 3peat dominance coincided with Duncan's 3rd/4th/5th years in The League. Most guys are in their physical/athletic peaks from Years 6-10, is it any surprise a Year 8-10 Shaq was a greater player than a guy 5 years younger than him?

Yall the same nikkas who call KD a "baby" in comparison to LeBron, when talking about OKC KD, yet there's a shorter age gap and a more overlapping prime between those two than these two...

In Duncan's second year he eliminated Shaq H2H, that's already been mentioned here. During the rest of the Kobe/Shaq run, there are two other occasions Duncan gave it to the Lakers and Kobe was the x-factor that won those series for LA. Shaq gave it to him too, and won 3-2 in the playoff series they faced, but the H2H Shaq/Duncan matchup didn't reveal there to be this seismic gap between the two...

Its easy to say Shaq was better than Duncan peak for peak, I don't disagree with that. Duncan more consistently imposed his will in the postseason. Duncan had the greater all around skillset. H2H in their primes, Shaq won 3 series to 2, but competitively speaking Tim was with him in lockstep, Shaq didn't just have his way with Tim the way he had it with other centers, Tim fought him to a draw at worst...

Both dominated different stretches of a great conference, Tim did it with the inferior team, as in, Tim's best teams weren't as good as Shaq's best teams...

Anybody saying its Shaq in a runaway is in denial. I prefer Duncan and it's hard for me to see how the overall body of work favors Shaq, but I see the argument for him. I just think Duncan's comprehensive body of work is stronger and in their peak, Shaq was greater than everybody but unfortunately for him, Shaq's career actually was longer than 1999-2003...

 

[eXodus]

Anyone who calls Shaq overrated grew up on the internet. Nothing about Shaq was overrated.

nikkas be fronting on Shaq so hard. He truly don’t get the respect he deserves

I was only 12 when MJ retired the first time so I can’t really speak on watching him play like that but Shaq was the most dominant player I’ve ever watched in my lifetime

 

[mr. smoke weed]

You contactless dudes say this anytime anybody disagrees with you, and its rarely true. I started watching the game postseason '99, the summer I turned 10 years old. Definitely didn't grow up on the internet, I'm from the same era they gave computer classes in school to teach us how to use the muhfukkas because they were too expensive for most people to have at home...

So maybe you meant to quote someone else...

You guys gotta keep in mind that Shaq was 5 years older than Tim in basketball years. During the ~9 or so years that their primes overlapped, Shaq was greater the majority of the years. Shaq was the consensus greatest player for about 5 years immediately following Mike's retirement, and was still in the conversation for about two years after that...

So Year 6 Shaq was better than rookie Tim, Year 7 Shaq was better than Year 2 Tim, etc. This isn't really explaining anything and needs context, because most Year 8 superstars are greater than Year 3 players, and Shaq's 3peat dominance coincided with Duncan's 3rd/4th/5th years in The League. Most guys are in their physical/athletic peaks from Years 6-10, is it any surprise a Year 8-10 Shaq was a greater player than a guy 5 years younger than him?

Yall the same nikkas who call KD a "baby" in comparison to LeBron, when talking about OKC KD, yet there's a shorter age gap and a more overlapping prime between those two than these two...

In Duncan's second year he eliminated Shaq H2H, that's already been mentioned here. During the rest of the Kobe/Shaq run, there are two other occasions Duncan gave it to the Lakers and Kobe was the x-factor that won those series for LA. Shaq gave it to him too, and won 3-2 in the playoff series they faced, but the H2H Shaq/Duncan matchup didn't reveal there to be this seismic gap between the two...

Its easy to say Shaq was better than Duncan peak for peak, I don't disagree with that. Duncan more consistently imposed his will in the postseason. Duncan had the greater all around skillset. H2H in their primes, Shaq won 3 series to 2, but competitively speaking Tim was with him in lockstep, Shaq didn't just have his way with Tim the way he had it with other centers, Tim fought him to a draw at worst...

Both dominated different stretches of a great conference, Tim did it with the inferior team, as in, Tim's best teams weren't as good as Shaq's best teams...

Anybody saying its Shaq in a runaway is in denial. I prefer Duncan and it's hard for me to see how the overall body of work favors Shaq, but I see the argument for him. I just think Duncan's comprehensive body of work is stronger and in their peak, Shaq was greater than everybody but unfortunately for him, Shaq's career actually was longer than 1999-2003...

Breh the tim Duncan shaq stuff is a push. It always has been since message boards started popping. Its preference.

You said shaq was over rated. Which isn't possible if you watched him play from 99-05? Shaq and Duncan are two of the most accurately rated NBA players. Both top 15 all time, no question. Neither had anything to prove when they retired and don't now.

 

[mr. smoke weed]

nikkas be fronting on Shaq so hard. He truly don’t get the respect he deserves

Cats on here (not you @murksiderock ) call Shaq fat and lazy. But he was 7 foot 340lbs doing spin moves then dunking on other 7ft cats going baseline....from 92 til like 05. Shaq gets hate on here for his off the court personality, and his beef with Kobe.

 

[CP3.]

Well I do rank T-Mac higher than Wade and Vince on a similar level cause I value ability over accolades.

Accolades are largely products of circumstance. We saw how little playoff success Wade had after Shaq and before LeBron. Imagine if T-Mac never got hurt and got to play with Shaq or LeBron. You telling me he ain't sitting on 3 rings as well? How about giving KG guys like Tony Parker, Manu, and Kawhi? You don't think he wins more rings?

Counting up accomplishments isn't a very smart way of ranking who is the best. If you want to rank who had a better career then sure. But to me when you say Player A is better than Player B then you are talking about their ability to play the game. And when it comes to playing the game Tim Duncan doesn't compare to Shaq.

"The Big Fundamental" doesn't compare when it comes to playing the game huh?

 

[Dilltastic VolWon(derful)]

Duncan wasn't really that skilled. KG was significantly more skilled. Duncan is very much the Tom Brady of basketball. He's the beneficiary of a great coach and supporting cast his entire career which has allowed him to coast to lots of rings and accolades. Now that's not to say Duncan and Brady aren't great players. Its just that you could put a lot of other players in their place who people don't think are as good and they would have just as much success if not more. For example, put KG in Duncan's spot on the Spurs and he's sitting at 5 rings while Duncan at Minnesota/Boston maybe gets the 1 ring KG got.

I watched Duncan's entire career and there was never a moment I thought he was the best player in the game. There was never a moment I thought he was as good as Shaq. There were many moments I thought KG was better. Duncan is a great player but he's not as great as his accolades.

His nickname is Mr. Fundamental and he made the bank shot a go to move in the 2000s. How can you say he wasn’t skilled? He played in the NBA for 19 seasons. Nobody can last in professional sports that long without being skilled.

Also, your KG argument can be used against Shaq too. He played with 2 of the top 3 goat SG of all time and needed them to win the title. Nobody does it on their own. No teammate of Duncan’s was as good as the Wade or Kobe, Shaq played with.

 

[Rekkapryde]

Shaq calling Duncan's 1999 ring is disrespectful. Especially when Shaq got swept. He even asked to guard Duncan in Game 4 and couldn't stop him!

Nobody takes Shaq seriously on that shyt. If we won that year it wouldn't have been no asterisk in his book then I'm quite sure. The fact he got us swept on the way to the Spurs title that year made what he said insecure and bytchmade


He lucky Bean the Spurs killer emerged.

 

[Remote]

His nickname is Mr. Fundamental and he made the bank shot a go to move in the 2000s. How can you say he wasn’t skilled? He played in the NBA for 19 seasons. Nobody can last in professional sports that long without being skilled.

Also, your KG argument can be used against Shaq too. He played with 2 of the top 3 goat SG of all time and needed them to win the title. Nobody does it on their own. No teammate of Duncan’s was as good as the Wade or Kobe, Shaq played with.

He's part of that group that thinks "flashy" = "skilled"....like somehow his chef at Benihana is better than Bobby Flay.