The problem with the Kobe v Duncan argument is that you can't be considered a better player than the 1 who has put your team out of the playoffs CONSISTENTLY!
'99 Spurs swept the Lakers
'01 versus the Spurs
Gm 1: 45 pts 10 rebs 3 assts on 54% shooting
Gm 2: 28 pts 7 rebs 6 assts on 46% shooting
Gm 3: 36 pts 9 rebs 8 assts on 52% shooting
Gm 4: 24 pts 2 rebs 11 assts on 53% shooting
SWEEP!
'02 versus Spurs
Gm 1: 20 pts 2 rebs 4 assts on 44% shooting
Gm 2: 26 pts 4 rebs 6 assts on 48% shooting
Gm 3: 31 pts 6 rebs 6 assts on 48% shooting
Gm 4: 28 pts 7 rebs 3 assts on 37% shooting
Gm 5: 26 pts 8 rebs 5 assts on 50% shooting
Lakers win 4 - 1
The Spurs won in 6 in '03
'04 versus the Spurs
Gm 1: 31 pts 10 rebs 4 assts on 39% shooting
Gm 2: 15 pts 5 rebs 8 assts on 41% shooting
Gm 3: 22 pts 6 rebs 6 assts on 54% shooting
Gm 4: 42 pts 6 rebs 5 assts on 56% shooting
Gm 5: 22 pts 4 rebs 5 assts on 41% shooting
Gm 6: 26 pts 7 rebs 7 assts on 50% shooting
Lakers win 4 - 2, backdoor sweep
'08 versus Spurs
Gm 1: 27 pts 5 rebs 9 assts on 52% shooting
Gm 2: 22 pts 5 rebs 5 assts on 59% shooting
Gm 3: 30 pts 5 rebs 1 asst on 57% shooting
Gm 4: 28 pts 10 rebs 1 asst on 48% shooting
Gm 5: 39 pts 3 rebs 3 assts on 53% shooting
Lakers win 4 - 1
Kobe is 4 -1 against Duncan in the playoffs. And he was THE DOMINANT factor in at least 2 of those series, maybe 3. So if two players are equal in greatness, but player A has prevented player B's team from getting to a championship 4 out of the 6 times they met, how can player B possibly be better?

Anderson, Mario Elie, Hedo, Jaren Jackson, Sean Elliot, Steven Jackson, Manu, Avery Johnson, and younger far more inconsistent to the point he got benched in the Finals Tony Parker. Pau is closer to Duncan than any of those nikkas are to Kobe. Give Duncan a player anywhere near Kobe and he has 7 or 8 rings right now.



You just gonna ignore the Lakers constantly doubling and tripling Tim, and his teammates failing to make them pay consistently?
I remember one game where Tim's starting 2 and 3 both went scoreless. How many times Kobe's 4 and 5 go scoreless? Kobe beasted against the Spurs no doubt but you are acting like it was him vs. Timothy. Tim was down there banging with Shaq while Kobe was cooking the likes of Derek "the answer for Kobe" 