re: Who's the 3rd best player in the NBA?

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and also I'd say it's the general consensus in the basketball landscape.

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No chance. He wasn't even one of the 2 best PGs this year.

Someone is using PER as a be-all end-all.

Didn't Mike Conley outplay Paul in the playoffs this year? And yet we're saying Paul is a top 3 player in the league? Great players play great when they need to, and Paul's team was up 2-0 and floundered.

And for the record, I don't think Mike Conley is a top 10 player in the NBA

I'd prob say Duncan; he averaged 18/10 in 30 minutes a game. Not many 20/10 guys exist these days and Duncan did it in like 2 1/2 quarters a game

Melo averaged 28.7 points and 6.9 rebounds and has the ability to drop 40+ on almost any night. I still think it's hard to believe that most people here aren't putting him in their top 5. He's one of the elite players in the league. I'm not arguing that CP3 isn't a good or even a better choice at #3 (as I really like am and generally love true PGs), just don't know why Melo isn't getting more love. I will admit that I watched a lot less NBA this season than I normally do though, so maybe I'm just missing something.

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I'd prob say Duncan; he averaged 18/10 in 30 minutes a game. Not many 20/10 guys exist these days and Duncan did it in like 2 1/2 quarters a game

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When talking about efficiency yes Duncan had an outstanding year. However I have come to the account the minutes played matters when ranking the players. If you are putting in 36-40 minutes a game, as a star you are leading your team for longer stretches. Especially if you are running the offense or defense. If an older, yet uber-talented player like Duncan can't do that on a nightly basis at his accustomed to HOF-level, then you have to conclude that he isn't at the very top of the best players.

*I'm saying this as a huge admirer of Duncan and CP3 is kind of a bitch.

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leading your team for longer stretches

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CP3 hasn't led a team to anything special.

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Carmelo Anthony

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This is the correct answer.

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No chance. He wasn't even one of the 2 best PGs this year.

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yikes

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CP3 hasn't led a team to anything special.

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that's fine replace the word "lead" with the word run. That guy stays on the court for longer periods of time at an elite level than Duncan is physically capable of doing at his advanced age. That is why Duncan can not be a top 3 player when you look at the whole picture.

Now IF we are talking historically or in the sense of crunch time in the Space Jame scenario, I'd want Duncan on the court over anyone save LeBron James in the league. In his prime it's just about a toss-up.

He absolutely is.