Was the greatest PF of all-time actually a SF or C?
Bird vs. Duncan

According to BB Ref, Duncan played 10 of 19 yrs (and 63% of MP) at C.

Bird played most of his career (8 of 13 years) at SF.

1/7
@WestFanClubCEO
@MikanFanClubCEO
@HunidLikeWilt
@LeaguePasshole
@datafox21

Bird played PF for his first 5 years. But he wasn't a full-time SF until after Maxwell left. So let's give Bird 6 yrs at PF.

Duncan played mostly PF with Robinson. Robinson retired in 2003, after Duncan's 6th year.

So let's compare Bird's and Duncan's first 6 years as PF.

2/7

MP TS% REB AST PTS Player
38.2 .555 10.6 5.8 23.6 Bird (Regular Season)
39.3 .559 12.3 3.2 22.9 Tim (Regular Season)

PER WS W/48 BPM VORP Player
23.0 77.7 .204 6.6 39.5 Bird (RS)
24.9 82.1 .222 5.9 35.2 Tim (RS)

3/7

MP TS% REB AST PTS Player
41.7 .541 11.5 5.8 23.6 Bird (PO)
42.1 .561 13.4 4.0 24.2 Tim (PO)

PER WS W/48 BPM VORP Player
21.8 13.7 .182 7.3 8.5 Bird (PO)
26.5 14.7 .234 8.1 7.8 Tim (PO)

4/7

Bird (only games that he played in):
61-21, 5-4 (PO)
62-20, 12-5
58-19, 7-5
55-24, 2-4
59-20, 15-8
63-17, 13-7
358-121 (.747), 54-33 (.621)

ROY
2 MVPs
6 1st-team All-NBA
3 2nd-team All-Defense
2 rings
1 FMVP

5/7

Duncan (only games that he played in):
56-26, 4-5
37-13, 15-2
48-26, 0-0 (injured)
58-24, 7-6
58-24, 4-5
60-21, 16-8
317-134 (.702), 46-26 (.638)

ROY
2 MVPs
6 1st-team All-NBA
6 All-Defense (5 1st-team, 1 2nd-team)
2 rings
2 FMVPs

6/7

So who was the better PF over their first 6 years?

Larry Legend or the Big Fundamental?

@WestFanClubCEO
@MikanFanClubCEO
@HunidLikeWilt
@LeaguePasshole
@datafox21

7/7

What do you think, @GreekGodofStats ?

Gotta go, fellas! Thanks for responding to my tweet thread! Keep it going if you want, and I'll reply tomorrow.

This thread reminds me I have some good data on Bird as a winner and shot distances of players. I'll try to post those soon.