3 reasons why Duncan, not Kobe, is his generation's best

Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant will face off for the final time Friday evening, in a matchup between two of the greatest players of the post-Jordan era.

With 10 titles between them, the argument for who is the pre-eminent player has gone back and forth throughout their illustrious careers.

While there's no questioning Bryant's greatness, Duncan tops out at the end of the day, having put together the best resume over the last 20 years. Here are three reasons why he has the edge.

He's the better winner

Duncan and Bryant may be even at five championships, but Bryant won his first three as the Robin to Shaquille O'Neal's Batman.

Like Bryant, Duncan didn't pick up a Finals MVP in every appearance, but you could make the argument he was still the best player during the San Antonio Spurs' 2007 and 2014 title runs - picking up All-NBA honors in both seasons.

The Spurs have yet to miss the playoffs since Duncan was drafted in 1998, while Bryant's Lakers have gone through several droughts - with 2015-16 likely the fourth time Kobe will miss the postseason.

Duncan owns the record for the most wins with one team, has the most double-doubles and minutes in playoff history, and has more Finals MVPs than Bryant, making him the better player on the better team.

He's been more adaptable

As Duncan's age continues to creep up on him, the Wake Forest product has adjusted his game accordingly.

With LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard carrying the scoring load for the Spurs these days, Duncan has shifted his focus to anchoring the defense, leading the NBA in ESPN's defensive plus-minus (6.78) despite only playing in 39 games.

The 2016 Bryant is essentially a less efficient version of the 2006 Bryant, with the shooting guard jacking up more than 20 shots per game, and ranking dead last in the league in field-goal percentage.

Bryant has also been cited throughout his career for being difficult to play with, while Duncan should go down as one of the greatest teammates ever.

He's superior statistically

Duncan tops "the Black Mamba" by almost any advanced metric, including win shares (204.7 versus 172.6), value over replacement player (VORP) (88.6 vs. 72.2), and box plus-minus (5.5 vs. 4.0).

While Bryant is the better scorer, and a more complete offensive player, Duncan has been historically great on the other side of the ball, ranking second all time in defensive win shares (105.27), behind only the great Bill Russell.

Bryant may have the flashy counting stats, but Duncan's team-oriented style of play has translated into more wins, making him the more valuable player.

Kawhi Leonard has recently passed Duncan as the Spurs' best player, but the 39-year-old held that title for a decade-and-a-half. Bryant carried that honor with the Lakers only after Shaq was traded away in 2004.

As a better winner and more complete overall player, Duncan trumps Kobe any day of the week.