The All-Decade Team

TNT has announced it will reveal its "All-Decade Team" during All-Star Saturday night on February 13.  In addition, a "Player of the Decade" will be named prior to the All-Star game, after TNT announcers present the nominees and fans vote.  I know it's not even December yet, but I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to let you know my selections.  Here they are, the 12 best players of the decade (minimum 400 games played) and their numbers during that period.

Center

Shaquille O'Neal:  23.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 59% shooting.  MVP (2000).  Four titles in five Finals appearances.  Three Finals MVP awards (2000, 2001, 2002).  All-NBA First Team seven times.  Scoring title (2000).  The most unstoppable force in basketball history.

Dwight Howard:  17.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 57%.  One Finals appearance.  All-NBA First Team twice.  All-Defense First Team once.  Defensive Player of the Year (2009).  The most dominant center since Shaq; it's only a matter of time before the MVPs and titles start to roll in.

Power Forward 

Tim Duncan:  21.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 50% shooting.  Most blocks in decade.  Two-time MVP (2002, 2003).  Three titles in three Finals appearances.  Two-time Finals MVP (2003, 2005).  All-NBA First team six times.  All-Defense First Team six times.  The best all-around post player since Hakeem Olajuwon.  My vote for the decade's best player.

Kevin Garnett:  21.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.6 blocks, 50% shooting.  Most rebounds in decade.  MVP (2004).  One title in one Finals appearance.  All-NBA First team four times.  All-Defense First Team eight times.  Defensive Player of the Year (2008).  Talented yet overrated player best recognized for giving 100% in every game he played.  While he couldn't elevate his teammates in Minnesota, his defense and locker room leadership helped the Celtics win a title.

Dirk Nowitzki:  23.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 47% shooting.  Third-most points scored in decade.  MVP (2007).  One Finals appearance.  All-NBA First Team four times.  Incredible scorer and match-up nightmare who gets a bad rap for his team's first round loss to Golden State in 2007.  People forget he dominated the 2006 playoffs (averaged 27 and 12 over 23 games) and almost won a title in what was a highly controversial Finals (Heat won three games by a combined six points).

Small Forward 

LeBron James:  27.5 points, 7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals, 47% shooting.  MVP (2009).  One Finals appearance.  All-NBA First Team three times.  All-Defense First Team once.  Scoring title (2008).  The best player today.

Paul Pierce:  23.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.5 steals, 44% shooting. Fourth-most points scored in decade.  One title in one Finals appearance. Finals MVP (2008). In the greatest two-month period of his life, Pierce outplayed both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, carried his team to a title, claimed to be the league's best player, and guaranteed himself a spot in the rafters amongst the all-time Celtics greats.

Shooting Guard

Kobe Bryant:  28.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 46% shooting.  Most points scored in decade.  MVP (2008).  Three titles in five Finals appearances.  Finals MVP (2009).  All-NBA First team seven times.  All-Defense First Team six times.  Two scoring titles (2006, 2007).  The decade's top scorer went from Wilt Chamberlain to Bill Russell overnight by "getting it" at just the right time in his career.  Hate him or love him, he is the decade's best guard.

Allen Iverson:  28.1 points, 6.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 42% shooting.  MVP (2001).  Second-most points scored in decade.  One Finals appearance.  All-NBA First Team three times.  Three scoring titles (2001, 2002, 2005).  Many argue "The Answer" was more like "The Cancer" for most of his career.  But there's no disputing his incredible talent and colorful personality entertained us immensely.  When he was "on," you would actually stop and think for a moment, "this guy is the best ever."  Few people have had that effect. 

Dwyane Wade:  25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals, 48% shooting.  Finals MVP (2006).  All-NBA First Team once.  Scoring title (2009).  Wade barely qualifies for my list because he has missed so many games to injury, but he's without a doubt worthy.  Tracy McGrady is in the same boat but I gave Wade the nod for three reasons:  (1) he makes those around him better; (2) he's a strong defender; (3) he steps up in the playoffs (he practically won that 2006 title by himself).

Point Guard 

Jason Kidd:  14 points, 7 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 2 steals, 40% shooting.  Two Finals appearances.  All-NBA First Team four times.  All-Defense First Time three times.  Decade ranks: Assists (1), steals (2), defensive rebounds (10).  The numbers and accolades fall way short of describing Kidd's greatness.  Only Bill Russell, Magic Johnson and Hakeem Olajuwon could do more with less.  It's no surprise he's been in the playoffs 13 of the past 15 seasons and holds one of the highest win percentages in NBA history. 

Steve Nash:  16.2 points, 9.1 assists, 49% shooting.  Two-time MVP (2005, 2006).  All-NBA First Team three times.  Nash was virtually a nobody until he started playing Mike D'Antoni ball with the Phoenix Suns at the age of 30.  Yes, he didn't deserve the MVP Awards.  Yes, he doesn't play defense.  Yes, he never sniffed the Finals.  But he is one of the game's greatest shooters ever, and the league's best point guard from 2005 on.  He averaged 17 points, 11 assists and 50/90/45 shooting averages from 2005-2009. 

Honorable mention:  McGrady, Chris Webber, Amare Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker, Ben Wallace, Yao Ming, Vince Carter, Chris Paul, Ray Allen.