Whose legacy has the most to gain with a title this year, Lebron or Duncan?

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For Lebron if he wins a title this would be his third title overall tying him with Bird. This would also put him in exclusive company as he would have three-peated something Shaq and Jordan did as alpha's.

For Duncan this would be his fifth title which is the most for a big since Kareem. This would also give him a title in three separate decades showing how far his dominance has stretched. Kareem won Finals MVP in 1971 and again in 1985 which is the record for longest gap. If Duncan wins Finals MVP he would have that beat by a year going from 1999-2014.

I think ultimately Lebron has the most to gain. If the Spurs win the title and let's say Parker is MVP that wouldn't mean as much as Lebron joining only Shaq/MJ as the only guys to ever 3-peat as Finals MVP.

Also historically speaking this is to date the rubber match in the finals between these two greats as they are 1-1 in the Finals against each other.
 
Joey Crawford.
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His legacy as the most corrupt official in sports is still secure.

Yes he's more corrupt than his high school classmate Tim Donaghy.
 
Duncan for sure. The Big Fundamental would basically assert himself as the greatest PF of all time. Getting that 5th ring, over the time he's done it, would make it impossible for people to ignore.

If Bron doesn't get the 3 peat this year, he'll still have a chance at another one or two. Lebron's build and durability makes me think this is a guy who is going to play at a high level into his 40s. A loss in this finals won't mean much if he dominates for the next ten years.

They've been saying it for years, but Duncan's clock has run out. It's too hard to get into this position with the emerging young talent. He needs to cash in this opportunity because it most likely will be his last.
 
LeBron. Another championship helps LeBron keep moving up the ladder of all time greats. LeBron needs every championship he can get to catch Magic and Jordan on the all time lists. Not to mention, he's already lost two times in the Finals, although the one with Cleveland doesn't really count. 3 losses before 30 might end up hurting, especially considering he will most likely lose another at some point before his career is over.

A championship for Duncan won't do as much. He will still be ranked behind Russell, Kareem, and Wilt for big guys. I think as time goes on, Duncan will become even more underappreciated than he already is. He wasn't flashy, didn't put up outrageous scoring numbers (averaged 25.5 once, next highest was 23.3), played in San Antonio, and was part of a consistently outstanding basketball team, but they weren't necessarily a dynasty considering they never won back to back titles. He's already cemented himself as the greatest PF of all time (even though he's always been the crunch time C except for a few years with David Robinson).
 
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I'm with RoadDawg, Lebron has by far the most to gain because he's the furthest from his historical ceiling. Another ring certainly makes it harder to catch Duncan for greatest PF, but I'm not sure it even pushes Duncan up one spot in the overall GOAT rankings.

For Lebron OTOH it's the first real step towards having a real argument for GOAT. A three-peat puts him one title away from longest consecutive streak since Russsell - if he hits four straight he's solidly in the conversation with Jordan and Russell. But lost this year and he'll need at least five total to get there, IMO.
 
Duncan for sure. The Big Fundamental would basically assert himself as the greatest PF of all time. Getting that 5th ring, over the time he's done it, would make it impossible for people to ignore.

If Bron doesn't get the 3 peat this year, he'll still have a chance at another one or two. Lebron's build and durability makes me think this is a guy who is going to play at a high level into his 40s. A loss in this finals won't mean much if he dominates for the next ten years.

They've been saying it for years, but Duncan's clock has run out. It's too hard to get into this position with the emerging young talent. He needs to cash in this opportunity because it most likely will be his last.
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Duncan already is the greatest power forward ever win or lose. And Bron, Bron will be retired a couple years before he hits 40. He came into the league as a grown man in his teens. Those types of guys tend to fall off severely once they hit their mid to late 30's. Look at Kobe and MJ's build when they came into the league. Pipe cleaner arms both of them. While ironically Duncan looks more like He was a rookie given his dedication to being quicker by losing the 25 lbs.

It means more to Bron Bron and Wade as they would 3peat and could say Hi to Jordan/Pippen and to Kobe/Shaq.

Duncan, while wanting this so bad he can taste it, already has 4 rings. He's not chasing anybody.
 
Gotta agree with you guys so far too. Duncan winning a fifth ring with winning at least one in three different era's would be pretty cool. However, historically speaking I think his place is safe. He's already considered the greatest PF and probably in the top 10.

What hurts Duncan and for that matter Shaq/Kobe is none of them have a memorable finals. Due to the east being so fucking awful the teams they went up against were fucking garbage. The only finals that we remember from Duncan is the Detroit one which happened to be his personal worst one. For Kobe it's 2010 Boston where he was horrible in game 7. For Shaq in 2006 with Miami which is remembered with Wade flopping to the FT line.

While what helps Lebron just like MJ is fair or not they were always in marquee finals match ups. Lebron vs Durant was a memorable one, then against the Spurs we remember that series. Just like MJ when he went up against Magic, then Drexler, then the MVP Barkley, then DPOY Payton, then MVP Malone, then Malone again.

I think Lebron can gain a lot from winning his third straight title. I think a loss won't kill his legacy like if he had lost either of the last two. Remember Magic Johnson who we all have in our top 5 all-time was 5-4 in the finals with two of those being swept(actually has a career losing finals overall record). If Lebron ends up like 2-4 or 2-5 in Finals then yea that will hurt his legacy.

Spurs have home court but does anyone else find it weird that the Spurs are a -130 while the Heat are a +110? With Wade playing well I actually like Miami in this series but I know this will be a dog fight.

Also does Wade have anything to gain by possibly winning 4 titles? Or is his legacy pretty much secure as a top 5 SG of all-time but no way he ever sniffs top 15 status?
 
Gotta agree with you guys so far too. Duncan winning a fifth ring with winning at least one in three different era's would be pretty cool. However, historically speaking I think his place is safe. He's already considered the greatest PF and probably in the top 10.

What hurts Duncan and for that matter Shaq/Kobe is none of them have a memorable finals. Due to the east being so fucking awful the teams they went up against were fucking garbage. The only finals that we remember from Duncan is the Detroit one which happened to be his personal worst one. For Kobe it's 2010 Boston where he was horrible in game 7. For Shaq in 2006 with Miami which is remembered with Wade flopping to the FT line.

While what helps Lebron just like MJ is fair or not they were always in marquee finals match ups. Lebron vs Durant was a memorable one, then against the Spurs we remember that series. Just like MJ when he went up against Magic, then Drexler, then the MVP Barkley, then DPOY Payton, then MVP Malone, then Malone again.

I think Lebron can gain a lot from winning his third straight title. I think a loss won't kill his legacy like if he had lost either of the last two. Remember Magic Johnson who we all have in our top 5 all-time was 5-4 in the finals with two of those being swept(actually has a career losing finals overall record). If Lebron ends up like 2-4 or 2-5 in Finals then yea that will hurt his legacy.

Spurs have home court but does anyone else find it weird that the Spurs are a -130 while the Heat are a +110? With Wade playing well I actually like Miami in this series but I know this will be a dog fight.

Also does Wade have anything to gain by possibly winning 4 titles? Or is his legacy pretty much secure as a top 5 SG of all-time but no way he ever sniffs top 15 status?
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That's how I see it. Only so much he can move up by being Robin, as you put it.

 
I think Wade has a big series myself. Spoelstra plan to punt home court and rest Wade so far looks like a genius move.

I think that 27 game winning streak last year damn near cost them in the playoffs last season.

Is there any scenario at all where the Heat win the title and Lebron ISN'T MVP? In 2011 had they won the title I think Wade would have been finals MVP.

Probably a dumb question because if Lebron isn't MVP mode I doubt they win the series.
 
I think Wade has a big series myself. Spoelstra plan to punt home court and rest Wade so far looks like a genius move.

I think that 27 game winning streak last year damn near cost them in the playoffs last season.

Is there any scenario at all where the Heat win the title and Lebron ISN'T MVP? In 2011 had they won the title I think Wade would have been finals MVP.

Probably a dumb question because if Lebron isn't MVP mode I doubt they win the series.
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The only way LeBron wouldn't win MVP in a Heat win would be if Wade or Bosh hit 2 or 3 game winners during the series. You can pencil LeBron in for at least 25, 5, 5. It will probably be more like 28, 7, and 7. Nobody on the Heat can touch those numbers. I would put the chances at around 5% (only if the Heat win) that Wade or Bosh win MVP.
 
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If Heat go on to lose this series this will be a black eye on the Lebron resume for greatest ever. Asking out like he did. Cramps is a serious thing, I understand at his size in that heat nobody is asked to do for their team what he is. However, his critics will point to MJ's flu game and Lebron checking out.

I'm a big Lebron guy but was a little disappointed in him I gotta say.
 
I thought Duncan pretty much cemented his legacy last year. I thought the Duncan/Kobe era was an argument but Duncan put space between them. This run makes more space even with a loss. He's a top 10 player all time but is can't pass the guys above him. And although he never had great regular season scoring averages I suggest everyone look up some of his Finals stats. He had some crazy numbers.

Lebron can move to number 2 all time. I don't think he can ever pass Jordan. Maybe with 7 titles but he'll never win the tie breakers with MJ. He has more at stake. He gets a pass for the Cleveland Finals but that Dallas series kills him. He can't lost another. Especially this one. If Miami loses that title last year will forever have an asterisk. Yeah Miami won but it was a really weird series of events. If SA wins this year I think everyone comes away thinking that they were the better team twice, just got really unlucky one year. It takes away from that championship. Doesn't take it away but lessens it. That's 2-3 in the Finals and everyone discounts 1 of the 2. That hurts.
 
Brief summary of LeBron's career:

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So we are discounting his loss to the spurs in 2007 but also his win in 2013? Shit Steve Sarkisian is impressed with your dealing with hypotheticals there.
 
Duncan for sure. The Big Fundamental would basically assert himself as the greatest PF of all time. Getting that 5th ring, over the time he's done it, would make it impossible for people to ignore.

If Bron doesn't get the 3 peat this year, he'll still have a chance at another one or two. Lebron's build and durability makes me think this is a guy who is going to play at a high level into his 40s. A loss in this finals won't mean much if he dominates for the next ten years.

They've been saying it for years, but Duncan's clock has run out. It's too hard to get into this position with the emerging young talent. He needs to cash in this opportunity because it most likely will be his last.
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The only players to play well into his 40s were centers (like Kareem) and MJ. Kareem slowed down tremendously heading into his 40s and MJ took off multiple years before his 40s.

The odds that LBJ plays into his 40s is very low and even if he does, the odds of him playing at a high level goes way down.
 
MJ was 39 most of his final season so he didn't play until he was 40.

40 is a long time though. I mean Ray Allen is the second oldest player in the NBA and he just turned 39. He's also still effective and last I saw not a center.
 
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