Since Duncan is the GOAT — Who’s the Second-Greatest Power Forward in NBA history?
Tim Duncan is, without a doubt, the greatest power forward of all time. You could even say this label almost does him a disservice, given that his resume stands with nearly any of the great big men of all time (centers included), if not right up there with the GOAT himself (MJ). That being said, the second-best-power-forward-ever debate is a crapshoot; You could build an argument for each one of these four guys: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki.
Let’s see who makes the strongest case…
Highest Ceiling
For as good as Dirk’s offensive skill-set was, you knew his peak-potential was reserved for getting buckets; Malone would consistently give you 30 points and 15 rebounds a night, with the rare 50-point outburst; Garnett was greatest at filling the stat-sheet, capable of dropping 30-plus points and grabbing 15-plus rebounds, to go along with a few blocks and steals; Barkley is the only guy with ceilingless potential. On any given night, he could go off for 40 points and 20 rebounds, but what makes him special is the variety of ways he could do it — catching fire from three, getting to the line, or dominating inside the paint.
Edge: Barkley (1)
Ultimate Table-Setter
Malone mastered the screener’s roll in the high screen better than anyone ever, could carry the scoring and rebounding load, and was a great defender; His biggest weakness, routinely under-performing during crunch-time in pivotal Finals’ games. Barkley was arguably the best offensive rebounder of all-time, he could hang with the greatest scorers in the league, and was a better passer than people remember; his atrocious low-post defense and a lack of focus were his undoing. Dirk is the greatest scorer of his era; his offensive arsenal was among the best we’ve ever seen, not to mention the most-efficient; yet, along with having absolutely no defensive prowess, he was a sub-par passer, couldn’t protect the rim for a player of his size, and struggled to get steals and blocks. KG could protect the rim, control the boards, drop 30 points on any given night, and rise his team’s play with his unmatched intensity. His game’s biggest hole? There wasn’t one.
Edge: KG (1)
Peak Year
Malone peaked in 1989–90, averaging 31 PPG, 11 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.5 SPG. In a First Round loss to the Suns, he failed to match his regular season production, averaging 25.2/10.2/2.2/2.2 over five games. Barkley peaked in 1992–93, winning the league MVP while averaging 25.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.6 SPG; He performed even better during the postseason, averaging 26.6/13.6/4.3/1.6 while carrying Phoenix to the NBA Finals. KG won his first and only MVP in 2004, averaging 24.2 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, and 2.0 BPG; Despite Minnesota’s putrid supporting cast, Garnett was able to lead the T-Wolves to within two wins of the NBA Finals, putting up 24.3/14.6/5.1/2.3 during the playoffs. Dirk peaked in 2006–07, and was named the league MVP with averages of 24.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 0.8 BPG; Unfortunately, the season is remembered for the Mavs’ First Round loss to 8th-seeded Golden State, a series in which Dirk looked nothing like the best-player-alive.
Edge: Barkley (2)
Longevity
- KG: 21 seasons, 12-year prime, 5-year Apex
- Barkley: 16 seasons, 12-year prime, 8-year Apex
- Dirk: 20 seasons, 12-year prime, 9-year Apex
- Malone: 19 seasons, 17-year prime, 11-year Apex
Edge: Malone (1)
Individual Accolades
- KG: 2004 MVP, 4x First Team All-NBA, 3x Second Team, 2x Third Team, 2008 Defensive POY, 9x All-Defense, 2003 All-Star Game MVP, 15x All-Star
- Barkley: 1993 MVP, 5x First Team All-NBA, 5x Second Team, 1991 All-Star Game MVP, 11x All-Star
- Dirk: NBA Finals MVP, 2007 MVP, 4x First Team All-NBA, 5x Second Team, 3x Third Team, 13x All-Star
- Malone: 2x MVP, 11x First Team All-NBA, 2x Second Team, 3x All-Defense, 2x All-Star Game MVP, 14x All-Star
Edge: Malone (2)
Best Performance in the NBA Finals
KG performed well in the 2008 Finals, averaging 18 PPG and 13 RPG, but it was far from memorable; Same goes for Malone in the 1998 Finals, where he averaged 25/10 but failed to come up in big spots consistently. Dirk’s play in the 2011 Finals is remembered for his clutch shots in Game 2, but he didn’t play at his peak for the entire series. This leaves us with Barkley. In the 1993 Finals, matched-up against the GOAT (who was at his absolute Apex, no less), Sir Charles held his own. While his performance pales in comparison to Jordan’s stat-line, remember that this series serves as the best of Jordan’s career. Barkley averaged 27 PPG, 13 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.2 BPG, highlighted by his 42-point, 13-rebound Game 2; a 24/19 performance in Game 3; and a triple-double (32/10/11) in Game 4.
Edge: Barkley (3)
Team Success
Dirk and KG win in regards to rings, with each guy having one championship to Barkley and Malone’s zero; Malone’s overall body of work is unmatched, as he led Utah to 20-straight playoff appearances, as the team averaged 52.5 wins over that stretch. When it comes to quality, Barkley made three Conference Finals and one NBA Finals; Malone, five Conference Finals and two NBA Finals; Dirk, three Conference Finals, two NBA finals, and one championship; KG, four Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and one championship. Perhaps the most important question, then, is — who accomplished the most with the least? Forget Malone, who played alongside one of the three-best point guards of all-time. Barkley’s best-shot at a title was with running-mate Kevin Johnson (a top-ten player at the time). And so, we’re back to rings. KG undoubtedly had the inferior supporting cast in Minnesota, but he only escaped the first round once during his time there. With Boston, he was paired with two future hall-of-famers. Meanwhile, Dirk won the 2011 championship by taking the court with a washed-up Jason Kidd, a past-his-prime Shawn Marion, and a glorified role-player in Tyson Chandler.
Edge: Dirk (1)
Head to Head
Barkley and Malone met twice in the playoffs: 1997 and 1998 (with Utah winning both times). Malone got the better of him in both series, averaging 23/11 to Barkley’s 16/11 in ’97; In ’98, 26/12 to Barkley’s 21/9. Dirk and KG met once in the playoffs, when Dallas swept Minnesota in the 2002 First Round. The series was an opportunity for each guy to display his superiority over the other. KG dropped 19 points and snagged 21 boards in Game 1, while Dirk answered with 30/15. KG came out on top the next game with 31/18 (Dirk had 31/15), before Dirk ended the debate with 39 points and 17 rebounds in Game 3.
Edge: Dirk (2), Malone (3)
Most Unstoppable Weapon
KG’s 18-footer was the most-dependable; The sequence when Barkley grabbed a rebound and took off coast-to-coast, barreling into the lane like a Mack Truck, was the most breath-taking; Dirk’s one-legged, high-arcing fallaway was the most-unguardable; Yet, none were deadlier than how Malone executed the high screen, in the greatest pick-and-roll the league has ever seen, no less, to perfection.
Edge: Malone (4)
Top Alpha-Dog
A true alpha-dog possesses three qualities: swagger/charisma, a killer intensity, and crunch-time chops. Malone lacks all three; Barkley, while arguably the most-charismatic player in league history, never displayed much of a competitive fire; and Dirk, despite an ability to come through in big moments, did so without being brash. Then there’s KG. He carried himself like a heavy-weight fighter, playing every game with an unmatched intensity that bordered on unhealthy. During his first season with Boston, he created a somewhat psychotic pregame ritual in which he would mutter a few things to himself, before head-butting the basket support as hard as he could. Need I say more?
Edge: KG (2)
Killer Instinct
Malone’s lack of crunch-time chops was cemented during Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals. With 9.2 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 82, the 1997 league MVP went to the charity stripe with a chance to give Utah the lead. Before Malone toed the line, Pippen approached The Mailman and got into his head, saying, “The mailman doesn’t deliver on Sunday.” Malone proceeded to miss both free throws, and he never regained an ability to come up through in the clutch. Barkley lost any ‘killer instinct’ quality by jacking up dumb threes in many playoff contests; and KG, while known to perform exceptionally in big games, never had a defining moment. Dirk, though, submitted an entire career’s worth during the 2011 playoffs. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, he scored eleven-straight points in the final three minutes to help Dallas erase a ten-point deficit (including a pair of game-tying free throws with seconds left); the next game, his three-pointer with one minute remaining sent the Mavs to the NBA Finals; Then in Game 2 against Miami, he submitted his magnum opus. In the final minute, Dirk tied the game with a jumper, hit a three-pointer to give Dallas the lead, then made a driving lay-up with three seconds left to send the Mavs home with the series tied at one game apiece.
Edge: Dirk (3)
Defining Game
For Dirk, it’s Game 7 of the 2006 West Semis against San Antonio. He finished with 37 points and 15 rebounds, highlighted by a game-tying, season-saving three-point-play with 20 seconds remaining. Malone’s has to be Game 5 of the 1998 NBA Finals; Facing elimination, on the road, against one of the greatest teams of all time, while being guarded by world-class defender Dennis Rodman, he finished with 39 points on 17-of-27 shooting, added nine rebounds and five assists. KG’s moment came in Game 7 of the 2004 West Semis. Playing an experienced Kings team, Garnett earned his team a trip to the WCF by scoring 32 points and grabbing 21 rebounds, along with collecting two assists, four steals, and five blocks. And yet, Barkley’s masterpiece is on another level. In Game 7 of the 1993 West Semis, he scored 44 points (on 60 percent shooting) and corralled 24 rebounds (including 10 offensive boards) in the Suns’ decisive 123–110 series-clinching win.
Edge: Barkley (4)