NBA: 2000s All-Decade first team

Nov 21, 2012; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward/center Kevin Garnett (5) and San Antonio Spurs forward/center Tim Duncan (21) push against one another during the fourth quarter at TD Banknorth Garden. The San Antonio Spurs won 112-100. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 18, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) celebrates against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

First Team: F – Kevin Garnett:

2000s Resume: 10 seasons, two NBA Finals appearances, one NBA title, one regular season MVP award, four-time All-NBA First Team, three-time All-NBA Second Team, one-time All-NBA Third Team, one NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, eight-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team, four-time NBA leader in rebounding, 10-time NBA All-Star, 21.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 4.6 APG and 1.6 BPG, 25.2 average PER

Want to know a fun game? Ask any knowledgeable NBA fan “Prime Tim Duncan or Prime Kevin Garnett?” and watch as they begin to sweat out one of the greater mental dilemmas or their lifetime. Luckily, this piece isn’t concerned with stacking the two legendary power forward/centers up against each other, and we can simply appreciate the singularly unique personality of KG, while also mourning how a series of poor management decisions by the Minnesota Timberwolves front office wasted his prime.

At his peak, Garnett was an absolute monster in every aspect of the game. He played all three frontcourt positions in Minnesota, he was a beast on the boards, a nasty interior defender, a merciless shot-blocker and when he rose up to the rim, you got the @#$* out of his way. In the event you were able to contain him with a double-team, his impressive passing skills found open teammates for easy shots. His loyalty to the franchise was the downfall of his early best years, however, since KG was only ever able to carry his team to one Western Conference Finals appearance.

When Kevin McHale finally put him out of his misery and traded him to the Boston Celtics, he was able to win his first and only NBA championship alongside Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. As one of the league’s most intense, borderline psychotic personalities, The Big Ticket was certainly worth the price of admission for his heart, hustle and skill. His time as Zombie KG with the Brooklyn Nets recently hasn’t been pleasant, but he’s one of the all-time Boston Celtics greats and undoubtedly the best player in Minnesota Timberwolves franchise history.

Next: Tim Duncan

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