No. 17 - Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett was everything you’d expect from a winning basketball player.

He was a defensive demon and reliable scorer who played with endless energy – and constant trash talk. Yet until Danny Ainge put together a Big Three in Boston, Garnett appeared to be headed toward a career similar to Tracy McGrady, a statistical marvel with no playoff accomplishments.

From 1995-1996 – when the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him straight out of high school – through the 2006-2007 season, Garnett had made the playoffs in eight out of 12 seasons and gotten out of the first round just once. And instead of building on that little bit of success in 2003-2004, Minnesota missed the postseason the next three years even though KG was 28, 29 and 30. Can you imagine another player of Garnett’s talent not being able to will his team into the playoffs three years in a row?

Then Ainge rescued Garnett from oblivion and matched him with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. After going 17-31 in the playoffs his first seven trips, Garnett went 53-43 in his final six, winning one NBA championship and making it to the finals in another season. It’s that late career surge that helped Garnett nail down a spot in the Top 20.

It’s not as if he isn’t deserving. Garnett played in 15 all-star games, made the playoffs 14 times, led the league in rebounding four times and was named to 12 all-defensive teams. His advanced stats were even better. He led the league in PER twice, Win Shares twice, Box +/- twice and VORP three times. That 2003-2004 season – the one where the T-Wolves did some actual damage in the playoffs – was one for the ages. Garnett swept the major advanced stats, leading the NBA in PER, win shares, Box +/- and VORP in the regular season. He was the overwhelming NBA MVP winner. His playoff numbers weren’t as good, but he still had a 25.0 PER and 6.2 Box +/- in 18 playoff games.

That all added up to a 422.92 for the year, making him one of just 18 players to accomplish a 400+ season in my system.

Garnett was going to be in the Top 50 of my system with or without the years in Boston contending for titles against LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. But ask yourself this, without the Boston years, would Garnett be considered a winner?

Kevin Garnett bio info
Career	1995-2016
Games	1,462
Points	17.8
Rebounds	10.0
Assists	3.7
FG Pct.	49.7%
All-Star games	15
NBA MVPs	1
NBA titles	1
Playoff seasons	14
Playoff games	143
Points	18.2
Rebounds	10.7
Assists	3.3
FG Pct.	47.8%
Hall of Fame

Top 100 rankings
	Points	Top 100 ranking
1-year	422.92	14th
5-year	1,652.19	23rd
10-year	2,861.99	28th
Career	4,361.39	14th

               

Kevin Garnett at his peak
2003-2004	Garnett	Top 5	Points
PER	29.4	25.97
Win Shares	18.3	13.71
Box +/-	9.9	7.40
VORP	9.8	6.79
Total Advanced Stats	67.4	53.87	125.12
Playoff PER	25.0	24.72
Win Shares	2.7	3.50
Box +/-	6.2	6.59
VORP	1.6	1.72
Total Advanced Stats	35.5	36.53	97.19
Reg. Season Win %	70.73		70.73
Playoff Win %	55.56		55.56
MVP Voting (75 points)	1,219/1,230		74.33
Playoff MVP (25 points)	0		0
Total Score			422.92

               

Garnett’s 10 greatest seasons
2003-2004	422.92
2007-2008	358.18
2002-2003	329.58
2000-2001	273.07
1999-2000	268.44
2011-2012	248.33
2010-2011	247.79
2009-2010	240.42
1998-1999	236.94
2001-2002	236.32

Career winning percentage
	W	L	Pct.
Regular Season	825	637	56.43%
Playoffs	70	74	48.61%