duncan228
11-04-2008, 12:30 AM
Duncan fills void left by Ginobili (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Duncan_fills_void_left_by_Ginobili.html)
By Jeff McDonald
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/duncan1108.jpg
Two games of an 82-game season don't provide a large enough sample size to draw many conclusions about anything.
But if Tim Duncan keeps this up, he could wind up enjoying the top-scoring season of his career.
With last year's scoring leader, Manu Ginobili, out until mid-December, Duncan has been called upon to carry more of the scoring duties. He has responded by averaging 29.5 points in the Spurs' first two games.
“I'm getting more shots,” Duncan said. “With Manu down, that's going to come with the territory. I'm going to have to score a little bit more to fill that void, and shots are just going down.”
Duncan averaged 19.3 points last season, the second-lowest scoring output of his career.
Before the new season began, coach Gregg Popovich implored Duncan to be more aggressive in looking for his own shots. Duncan seems to be taking that to heart so far.
Through two games, he's attempted 40 field goals, connecting on 25 of them. His scoring average — and remember, it's still early — ranks second in the NBA.
If he were to somehow continue this clip for 80 more games, it would stand as the best season of Duncan's career, eclipsing a 2000-01 campaign in which he averaged 25.5 points.
New coaches, old hat: For the second time in three games, the Spurs will be facing a familiar rival with a new head coach tonight.
Just as it was with the Phoenix Suns and Terry Porter, the Spurs really don't know what to expect out of the Dallas Mavericks under new boss Rick Carlisle.
Studying Carlisle's previous work with Indiana and Detroit might not help. His Dallas club is playing at a higher tempo than those earlier Carlisle teams.
“The philosophy can be a little different, but it will still probably have the same feel,” Spurs forward Ime Udoka said. “Stuff that works for them, they're still going to do.”
As proof, Udoka cites the Suns, a 103-98 winner in the AT&T Center last Wednesday.
“Phoenix is going to run pick-and-rolls with Steve Nash, regardless of who the coach is,” Udoka said. “Same with Dallas.”
Still no Tolliver: Anthony Tolliver remained on leave Monday following the death of his mother last week. He is not expected to play tonight.
By Jeff McDonald
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/duncan1108.jpg
Two games of an 82-game season don't provide a large enough sample size to draw many conclusions about anything.
But if Tim Duncan keeps this up, he could wind up enjoying the top-scoring season of his career.
With last year's scoring leader, Manu Ginobili, out until mid-December, Duncan has been called upon to carry more of the scoring duties. He has responded by averaging 29.5 points in the Spurs' first two games.
“I'm getting more shots,” Duncan said. “With Manu down, that's going to come with the territory. I'm going to have to score a little bit more to fill that void, and shots are just going down.”
Duncan averaged 19.3 points last season, the second-lowest scoring output of his career.
Before the new season began, coach Gregg Popovich implored Duncan to be more aggressive in looking for his own shots. Duncan seems to be taking that to heart so far.
Through two games, he's attempted 40 field goals, connecting on 25 of them. His scoring average — and remember, it's still early — ranks second in the NBA.
If he were to somehow continue this clip for 80 more games, it would stand as the best season of Duncan's career, eclipsing a 2000-01 campaign in which he averaged 25.5 points.
New coaches, old hat: For the second time in three games, the Spurs will be facing a familiar rival with a new head coach tonight.
Just as it was with the Phoenix Suns and Terry Porter, the Spurs really don't know what to expect out of the Dallas Mavericks under new boss Rick Carlisle.
Studying Carlisle's previous work with Indiana and Detroit might not help. His Dallas club is playing at a higher tempo than those earlier Carlisle teams.
“The philosophy can be a little different, but it will still probably have the same feel,” Spurs forward Ime Udoka said. “Stuff that works for them, they're still going to do.”
As proof, Udoka cites the Suns, a 103-98 winner in the AT&T Center last Wednesday.
“Phoenix is going to run pick-and-rolls with Steve Nash, regardless of who the coach is,” Udoka said. “Same with Dallas.”
Still no Tolliver: Anthony Tolliver remained on leave Monday following the death of his mother last week. He is not expected to play tonight.