Many moons ago, the landscape of the basketball world was covered in the shadow of the giants. Monstrous bullies stomped up and down the hardwood, spreading fear throughout the league. They acted as both the bludgeoning sledgehammer that led their franchises offenses, and the immovable anchor of their defenses. These larger-than-life forces of nature shattered statistical records and NBA backboards with violent displays of athleticism and brilliant fundamentals.
The NBA grew on the back of mighty giants. Bill Russell. Wilt Chamberlain. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s a parade of big-men featured prominently in NBA Finals battles that didn’t feature a certain Chicago Bulls guard - Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and of course Tim Duncan.