duncan228
04-11-2009, 12:11 AM
Duncan's knee feels better against Jazz (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Duncans_knee_feels_better_in_win_over_Jazz.html)
Mike Monroe
Tim Duncan showed up at the Spurs' morning shootaround at the team's practice facility with his hair cropped closely against his head, a nearly bald look that always signals meaning to anyone who has been around him long enough to know his mindset.
“I saw that this morning, and I knew,” said Spurs forward Ime Udoka after Duncan rebounded nicely Friday from one of his worst performances of the season, a four-point, five-rebound game in a Wednesday loss to Portland. “When he has a down game, he usually bounces back with a strong one.”
Duncan scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 31 minutes and 23 seconds of Friday's 105-99 victory over the playoff-bound Utah Jazz. He also did his typical yeoman defensive work against Jazz scoring stars Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer.
Perhaps more vital than the fact Duncan's hair was mostly missing Friday was the fact the right knee brace he has worn in recent games was altogether gone. Duncan asserted that pain from right quadriceps tendonosis that has limited him over the past few weeks was gone, a good sign for the Spurs as the playoffs approach.
“I felt good today,” he said. “I'm getting my right leg back. (The pain's) basically gone, so it was good to be out there without a brace on and kind of play well.”
Udoka and the rest of the Spurs were happy to see some bounce back in Duncan's step.
“We all know what he's capable of, regardless of how he's feeling,” said Udoka, who contributed 13 points, five rebounds and some stout defense of his own. “Heading into the playoffs, he's going to bring it. We all know that.”
Duncan looked for his shot early, and when he made his first three shots, the Jazz had little choice but to double-team him. He responded to the extra attention as he always does, quarterbacking the offense and looking for open shooters.
An avid Chicago Bears fan thrilled about his team's recent acquisition of strong-armed quarterback Jay Cutler, Duncan admitted to throwing too many passes like some of the quarterbacks the Bears have jettisoned in recent years. He committed six turnovers.
“A little too excited, I guess,” he said of his errant throws. “I don't know what it was. They were jumping in passing lanes, and after they got a couple of deflections, a couple of my later passes were high and outside. But at least they were doubling me, and we were finding shooters and moving the ball. I'll get a little bit better and we can get back to playing basketball with double teams and getting open shots for shooters.”
Duncan's teammates tolerated his mistakes, thrilled to see their team captain looking more like an 11-time All-Star and two-time MVP.
“Clearly, that's a difference for us,” said Roger Mason Jr. “If he's not healthy, we're in trouble. He played great early, and I wanted to keep feeding him the ball when Tony (Parker) went out, and he kept producing.”
Mike Monroe
Tim Duncan showed up at the Spurs' morning shootaround at the team's practice facility with his hair cropped closely against his head, a nearly bald look that always signals meaning to anyone who has been around him long enough to know his mindset.
“I saw that this morning, and I knew,” said Spurs forward Ime Udoka after Duncan rebounded nicely Friday from one of his worst performances of the season, a four-point, five-rebound game in a Wednesday loss to Portland. “When he has a down game, he usually bounces back with a strong one.”
Duncan scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 31 minutes and 23 seconds of Friday's 105-99 victory over the playoff-bound Utah Jazz. He also did his typical yeoman defensive work against Jazz scoring stars Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer.
Perhaps more vital than the fact Duncan's hair was mostly missing Friday was the fact the right knee brace he has worn in recent games was altogether gone. Duncan asserted that pain from right quadriceps tendonosis that has limited him over the past few weeks was gone, a good sign for the Spurs as the playoffs approach.
“I felt good today,” he said. “I'm getting my right leg back. (The pain's) basically gone, so it was good to be out there without a brace on and kind of play well.”
Udoka and the rest of the Spurs were happy to see some bounce back in Duncan's step.
“We all know what he's capable of, regardless of how he's feeling,” said Udoka, who contributed 13 points, five rebounds and some stout defense of his own. “Heading into the playoffs, he's going to bring it. We all know that.”
Duncan looked for his shot early, and when he made his first three shots, the Jazz had little choice but to double-team him. He responded to the extra attention as he always does, quarterbacking the offense and looking for open shooters.
An avid Chicago Bears fan thrilled about his team's recent acquisition of strong-armed quarterback Jay Cutler, Duncan admitted to throwing too many passes like some of the quarterbacks the Bears have jettisoned in recent years. He committed six turnovers.
“A little too excited, I guess,” he said of his errant throws. “I don't know what it was. They were jumping in passing lanes, and after they got a couple of deflections, a couple of my later passes were high and outside. But at least they were doubling me, and we were finding shooters and moving the ball. I'll get a little bit better and we can get back to playing basketball with double teams and getting open shots for shooters.”
Duncan's teammates tolerated his mistakes, thrilled to see their team captain looking more like an 11-time All-Star and two-time MVP.
“Clearly, that's a difference for us,” said Roger Mason Jr. “If he's not healthy, we're in trouble. He played great early, and I wanted to keep feeding him the ball when Tony (Parker) went out, and he kept producing.”