duncan228
11-29-2010, 04:34 PM
Even with numbers on decline, Tim Duncan a force for Spurs (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/2010-11-29-tim-duncan_N.htm)
By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/lead/lead656.jpg
Spurs center Tim Duncan is averaging 14 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season, his 14th in the NBA.
NEW ORLEANS — This has been the worst season for Tim Duncan, but it could shape up to be one of his best with the San Antonio Spurs.
Duncan, a 13-time All-Star power forward, is posting career lows of 14 points, 9.2 rebounds and 29.4 minutes per game, but the Spurs (14-2) are rising to the top of the Western Conference again after a three-year hiatus. They're the league's only undefeated team on the road after seven games.
"I haven't had a great year so far but we've had a great start as a team. That's all that matters," Duncan says. "We're going to find a rhythm with my minutes and the rotation as we go through the year.
"It's going to pay dividends down the stretch. … Hopefully I can keep my legs underneath me and continue to feel healthy, and keeping those minutes down will be a part of it."
Even with Duncan playing a limited role, the Spurs have shifted their identity from a defensive juggernaut that won four NBA championships from 1999-2007 to an offensive force. The Spurs are the league's third-highest scoring team (107.1 points per game) and first in three-point shooting (42.1%).
Point guard Tony Parker, 28, and shooting guard Manu Ginobili, 33, finally are in good health, too. They're having markedly better seasons than last year, with Parker's 17.9 points and 7.4 assists per game and Ginobili's career-highs of 21.6 points, 5.1 assists and 47.6% shooting.
After having Duncan limited because of various nagging leg injuries, San Antonio has subtly rebuilt.
Instead of lockdown defenders such as Bruce Bowen and Keith Bogans, the Spurs have complementary scorers such as Gary Neal (5.8 points) and George Hill (9.9). Starting small forward Richard Jefferson is in his second season with the Spurs and hitting his stride with 15.2 points per game on a career-high 50.6% shooting after a challenging 2009-10.
Similar to a decade ago when Duncan helped an aging David Robinson win his first championship, in 1999, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter and Antonio McDyess are doing it by committee. The low-post trio adds a combined 16.7 points and 15.3 rebounds per game to support Duncan in his quest for a fifth title.
"He's thrilled to have other people take on that load so he doesn't have to do that every night," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says. "Whether it's Tony or Manu or guys off the bench or Richard, that's always welcomed. If the superstar has any character at all it's welcomed."
Duncan sees the glass as half full that his numbers are down while others' are up.
"We're moving the ball a lot more. It's harder to focus on just one guy," he says, having led the Spurs in scoring from 1998-2007 and in rebounding every year since his rookie '97 season. "I want to play better. I want to play more consistently, but when it comes down to it we're a better team because of it."
In Sunday's comeback from a 17-point halftime deficit to beat the New Orleans Hornets, Duncan's presence held the Spurs steady in the third quarter en route to a 14-point victory.
With San Antonio pulling away in the fourth quarter, Duncan dropped in a jump hook over Hornets center Emeka Okafor, spiked a shot attempt at the rim by Chris Paul with both hands to start a fast break that led to Jefferson's three-point play and scored himself at the rim to make it 103-88 with less than three minutes left.
That's the Duncan the Spurs expect to emerge on a consistent basis in the second half of the season.
"It's important for us to have this kind of record without using him as much. That's unusual," Ginobili says. "There's been a few games we didn't need him to play 35 minutes. That's great. That's money in the bank for us later."
Popovich is a realist about just how much he'll get out of Duncan, who he acknowledges is not as good as he used to be but still is the "rock." With the way the Spurs are playing, having the young Duncan of old, however, might not be necessary.
"He's taken really good care of his body. He's lighter than he's ever been which helps him move on the court. That's something he could always do," Popovich says.
"He may not score what he used to score or quite have the agility to score in all the ways he used to score, but rebounding is an art, it's a knack, it's a desire. It's about timing and spatial relationships. He's a master at that."
Counters Duncan: "I've never been that quick actually, so I'm not worried about slowing down much. This is the healthiest I've felt in a couple years. … Physically, I feel great."
And the Spurs are a more confident team with Duncan on the floor.
"He's still the same Tim to me," Hill says. "He's still going to give you everything he has. … He's still a threat on the offensive end. It's a lot easier with him out there."
*********************
Hit the link.
AUDIO: SPURS SPEAK OUT
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/lead/lead657.jpg
What Tim Duncan and his Spurs teammates are saying about their star center's game:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/2010-11-29-tim-duncan_N.htm
*********************
POWER RANKINGS: Spurs tie Lakers for top spot (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2010-11-nba-power-rankings.htm)
HOME PAGE: Inside the Spurs (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Sports+Leagues/NBA/San+Antonio+Spurs)
By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/lead/lead656.jpg
Spurs center Tim Duncan is averaging 14 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season, his 14th in the NBA.
NEW ORLEANS — This has been the worst season for Tim Duncan, but it could shape up to be one of his best with the San Antonio Spurs.
Duncan, a 13-time All-Star power forward, is posting career lows of 14 points, 9.2 rebounds and 29.4 minutes per game, but the Spurs (14-2) are rising to the top of the Western Conference again after a three-year hiatus. They're the league's only undefeated team on the road after seven games.
"I haven't had a great year so far but we've had a great start as a team. That's all that matters," Duncan says. "We're going to find a rhythm with my minutes and the rotation as we go through the year.
"It's going to pay dividends down the stretch. … Hopefully I can keep my legs underneath me and continue to feel healthy, and keeping those minutes down will be a part of it."
Even with Duncan playing a limited role, the Spurs have shifted their identity from a defensive juggernaut that won four NBA championships from 1999-2007 to an offensive force. The Spurs are the league's third-highest scoring team (107.1 points per game) and first in three-point shooting (42.1%).
Point guard Tony Parker, 28, and shooting guard Manu Ginobili, 33, finally are in good health, too. They're having markedly better seasons than last year, with Parker's 17.9 points and 7.4 assists per game and Ginobili's career-highs of 21.6 points, 5.1 assists and 47.6% shooting.
After having Duncan limited because of various nagging leg injuries, San Antonio has subtly rebuilt.
Instead of lockdown defenders such as Bruce Bowen and Keith Bogans, the Spurs have complementary scorers such as Gary Neal (5.8 points) and George Hill (9.9). Starting small forward Richard Jefferson is in his second season with the Spurs and hitting his stride with 15.2 points per game on a career-high 50.6% shooting after a challenging 2009-10.
Similar to a decade ago when Duncan helped an aging David Robinson win his first championship, in 1999, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter and Antonio McDyess are doing it by committee. The low-post trio adds a combined 16.7 points and 15.3 rebounds per game to support Duncan in his quest for a fifth title.
"He's thrilled to have other people take on that load so he doesn't have to do that every night," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says. "Whether it's Tony or Manu or guys off the bench or Richard, that's always welcomed. If the superstar has any character at all it's welcomed."
Duncan sees the glass as half full that his numbers are down while others' are up.
"We're moving the ball a lot more. It's harder to focus on just one guy," he says, having led the Spurs in scoring from 1998-2007 and in rebounding every year since his rookie '97 season. "I want to play better. I want to play more consistently, but when it comes down to it we're a better team because of it."
In Sunday's comeback from a 17-point halftime deficit to beat the New Orleans Hornets, Duncan's presence held the Spurs steady in the third quarter en route to a 14-point victory.
With San Antonio pulling away in the fourth quarter, Duncan dropped in a jump hook over Hornets center Emeka Okafor, spiked a shot attempt at the rim by Chris Paul with both hands to start a fast break that led to Jefferson's three-point play and scored himself at the rim to make it 103-88 with less than three minutes left.
That's the Duncan the Spurs expect to emerge on a consistent basis in the second half of the season.
"It's important for us to have this kind of record without using him as much. That's unusual," Ginobili says. "There's been a few games we didn't need him to play 35 minutes. That's great. That's money in the bank for us later."
Popovich is a realist about just how much he'll get out of Duncan, who he acknowledges is not as good as he used to be but still is the "rock." With the way the Spurs are playing, having the young Duncan of old, however, might not be necessary.
"He's taken really good care of his body. He's lighter than he's ever been which helps him move on the court. That's something he could always do," Popovich says.
"He may not score what he used to score or quite have the agility to score in all the ways he used to score, but rebounding is an art, it's a knack, it's a desire. It's about timing and spatial relationships. He's a master at that."
Counters Duncan: "I've never been that quick actually, so I'm not worried about slowing down much. This is the healthiest I've felt in a couple years. … Physically, I feel great."
And the Spurs are a more confident team with Duncan on the floor.
"He's still the same Tim to me," Hill says. "He's still going to give you everything he has. … He's still a threat on the offensive end. It's a lot easier with him out there."
*********************
Hit the link.
AUDIO: SPURS SPEAK OUT
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/lead/lead657.jpg
What Tim Duncan and his Spurs teammates are saying about their star center's game:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/2010-11-29-tim-duncan_N.htm
*********************
POWER RANKINGS: Spurs tie Lakers for top spot (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2010-11-nba-power-rankings.htm)
HOME PAGE: Inside the Spurs (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Sports+Leagues/NBA/San+Antonio+Spurs)