12 reasons Tim Duncan can be considered as the greatest basketball player of all time

8) Offensive efficiency personified

Yes, Duncan did dunk a lot

Duncan played one of the most cerebral games of any legend to grace the hardwood. He knew he couldn't rely on his explosive athleticism for long, so he adapted his game with a litany of multi-layered moves with the technical nuances of a surgeon. No other power forward had his blend of subtle shimmies and shoulder fakes.

After the age of 25, he didn't average over 25 points per game. After turning 30, he never averaged over 20 points per game. What he did do was anchor the middle with remarkable efficiency.

For his career, Duncan averaged 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 50% from the field. Those are all-star numbers, but when you stretch them across 19 seasons it seems like a nigh impossibility to maintain such a high standard.

In the 2010-11 season, Duncan's numbers per game fell to 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. But two years later in 2012-13 season, Duncan raised his game and averaged 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds at the age of 36.

I love Blake Griffin, but watching him bulldoze his way into trouble makes me wish he would take up some shimmy shakes from the master. Dirk's fadeaway is unstoppable, McHale would lure players in his torture chamber down low, but we need to give due deference to the inevitable manner in which Duncan picked his man apart on offence.