Tim Duncan and the Spurs could not get past the Heat and win a 5th championship. But their presence there alone was enough to spark a debate over whose legacy was greater: the Big Fundamental or Kobe Bean Bryant.
I look at Duncan with a great sense of reverence. How could you not? But I can’t help but be biased in this debate – Kobe has been too a integral part of my basketball viewing and thus, by an almost sad, obsessive extension, my life.
So perhaps it is best to remove myself from the discussion.
Jan 9, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (right) during the first half at the AT
Here it goes, Duncan and Bryant; by the numbers:
Teams:
Kobe: 1
Duncan: 1
Age:
Kobe: 34
Duncan: 37
Years in the league:
Kobe: 16
Duncan: 15
Years in college:
Kobe: 0
Duncan: 4
PPG:
Kobe: 25.3
Duncan: 20.2
APG:
Kobe: 4.8
Duncan: 3.1
RPG:
Kobe: 5.3
Duncan: 11.2
Blocks per Game:
Kobe: 0.5
Duncan: 2.2
FG%:
Kobe: 45%
Duncan: 51%
FT%:
Kobe: 84%
Duncan: 69%
3FG%:
Kobe: 34%
Duncan: Who cares? (18%)
PER:
Kobe: 23.4
Duncan: 24.7
True Shooting %:
Kobe: 55%
Duncan: 55%
Effective Field Goal %
Kobe: 48%
Duncan: 50%
Win Shares per 48:
Kobe: 0.183
Duncan: 0.213
Career High Points:
Kobe: 81
Duncan: 53
First Team All Defense:
Kobe: 8
Duncan: 8
First Team All NBA:
Kobe: 11
Duncan: 10
All Star Appearances:
Kobe: 15
Duncan: 14
Scoring Titles:
Kobe: 2
Duncan: 0
MVPs:
Kobe: 1
Duncan: 2
Finals Appearances:
Kobe: 7
Duncan: 5
Finals MVPs:
Kobe: 2
Duncan: 3
Championships:
Kobe: 5
Duncan: 4
Good luck parsing those numbers to find the more accomplished player. Who do you think the more accomplished? What numbers did we miss? Let us know who you think will leave with the greatest legacy and why.
Numbers courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com, ESPN and NBA.com