Kori Ellis
05-29-2005, 01:23 AM
Buck Harvey: Duncan claims his own award? Perfect polling
Web Posted: 05/29/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA052905.1S.COL.BKNharvey.2be205057.html
They should have chanted "100 percent! 100 percent!" when Tim Duncan stood at the free-throw line.
It would have been accurate and, besides, it's a chant Duncan has rarely heard. Duncan hasn't often shot 15 for 15 from the line with his video games.
Instead, late in the game, the crowd went with "MVP! MVP!"
And that makes sense, too, because he has officially won that trophy twice.
Still, the MVP chant could also be taken as a swipe at Steve Nash, and Nash doesn't deserve that. He earned his MVP award in the regular season, and Duncan wasn't even close. Considering Nash's year — as well as Duncan's injuries — there's no reason to question the voting.
But the best player? The one who 30 out of 30 NBA general managers would take if they had to choose between the two?
The voting for Duncan, up 3-0 and a game away from his third NBA Finals, would have been 100 percent on Saturday.
It wasn't the best night to judge Nash. He sat when the Suns rallied in the fourth quarter, and he finished with the fewest assists he's had all season when he hasn't left a game with an injury.
And when Tony Parker blazed by the newly installed and newly masked Joe Johnson? An argument could be made for Parker over Nash at point guard.
But the best-player argument is about more than a night. It's about Duncan being first-team All-NBA every season he's been in the league, and Nash reaching that status only this season.
It's about history, too. When Duncan's Spurs beat Nash's Mavericks two years ago in the Western Conference finals, no one compared the two.
As sensational as Nash was this season, he doesn't change games at both ends of the floor as a healthy Duncan does. Saturday night offered another example. Then Duncan scored eight-straight points when the Suns pressured at the end.
A windmill slam, a jumphook and — as was the theme of the night — free throws.
What did he change from the line?
"They go in now," he said, smiling.
He's shooting 78 percent for the playoffs, and coach Gregg Popovich knows who deserves the credit. "That's totally due to Timmy's work with himself," Popovich said. "He's gone through this problem in the past, and he's worked himself out of it, literally."
He's also worked himself back into slumps. Somehow this man with a solid shooting stroke often alternates the worst with the best.
How many players have ever started a career shooting 66 percent, raised the average a few seasons later to 80 percent, then fallen back to under 60?
Then there's this: The same shooter who has been hacked intentionally in the past now holds the Spurs' records for free throws in a playoff game (15 of 15) and a regular-season game (17 of 17).
But that's just part of the Duncan package. When he's not blocking shots, he's rebounding, finding open teammates and winning games.
Nash has felt the effect of that as much as anyone. He's changed uniforms, divisions and states, and he is still back to where he was in Dallas.
Earlier this season, after a Phoenix loss in San Antonio, Nash talked about that. Asked if playing against the Spurs had changed after trading a Mavericks uniform for a Suns uniform, Nash said, "Neither team has a Tim Duncan. He's not only great himself, he makes everyone better."
And then he said of the Spurs: "They have the best player in the game, probably."
Nash repeated that Saturday night.
"We really have a tough time stopping them," he said of the Spurs. "Tim just puts so much pressure on our defense in every situation; just by being on the court, everyone is leaning toward him. The other guys are too good for that, but if you don't lean towards him, he can destroy a team."
Duncan did just that Saturday, and the last three off days were a reason. Whereas Johnson used the extra time to get accustomed to his mask, Duncan used the time to rest his ankles. If the Spurs end the series Monday, Duncan could get another week.
Meaning? Either the Heat or the Pistons will face a Duncan that no one has seen since March.
Then he will be 100 percent.
Web Posted: 05/29/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA052905.1S.COL.BKNharvey.2be205057.html
They should have chanted "100 percent! 100 percent!" when Tim Duncan stood at the free-throw line.
It would have been accurate and, besides, it's a chant Duncan has rarely heard. Duncan hasn't often shot 15 for 15 from the line with his video games.
Instead, late in the game, the crowd went with "MVP! MVP!"
And that makes sense, too, because he has officially won that trophy twice.
Still, the MVP chant could also be taken as a swipe at Steve Nash, and Nash doesn't deserve that. He earned his MVP award in the regular season, and Duncan wasn't even close. Considering Nash's year — as well as Duncan's injuries — there's no reason to question the voting.
But the best player? The one who 30 out of 30 NBA general managers would take if they had to choose between the two?
The voting for Duncan, up 3-0 and a game away from his third NBA Finals, would have been 100 percent on Saturday.
It wasn't the best night to judge Nash. He sat when the Suns rallied in the fourth quarter, and he finished with the fewest assists he's had all season when he hasn't left a game with an injury.
And when Tony Parker blazed by the newly installed and newly masked Joe Johnson? An argument could be made for Parker over Nash at point guard.
But the best-player argument is about more than a night. It's about Duncan being first-team All-NBA every season he's been in the league, and Nash reaching that status only this season.
It's about history, too. When Duncan's Spurs beat Nash's Mavericks two years ago in the Western Conference finals, no one compared the two.
As sensational as Nash was this season, he doesn't change games at both ends of the floor as a healthy Duncan does. Saturday night offered another example. Then Duncan scored eight-straight points when the Suns pressured at the end.
A windmill slam, a jumphook and — as was the theme of the night — free throws.
What did he change from the line?
"They go in now," he said, smiling.
He's shooting 78 percent for the playoffs, and coach Gregg Popovich knows who deserves the credit. "That's totally due to Timmy's work with himself," Popovich said. "He's gone through this problem in the past, and he's worked himself out of it, literally."
He's also worked himself back into slumps. Somehow this man with a solid shooting stroke often alternates the worst with the best.
How many players have ever started a career shooting 66 percent, raised the average a few seasons later to 80 percent, then fallen back to under 60?
Then there's this: The same shooter who has been hacked intentionally in the past now holds the Spurs' records for free throws in a playoff game (15 of 15) and a regular-season game (17 of 17).
But that's just part of the Duncan package. When he's not blocking shots, he's rebounding, finding open teammates and winning games.
Nash has felt the effect of that as much as anyone. He's changed uniforms, divisions and states, and he is still back to where he was in Dallas.
Earlier this season, after a Phoenix loss in San Antonio, Nash talked about that. Asked if playing against the Spurs had changed after trading a Mavericks uniform for a Suns uniform, Nash said, "Neither team has a Tim Duncan. He's not only great himself, he makes everyone better."
And then he said of the Spurs: "They have the best player in the game, probably."
Nash repeated that Saturday night.
"We really have a tough time stopping them," he said of the Spurs. "Tim just puts so much pressure on our defense in every situation; just by being on the court, everyone is leaning toward him. The other guys are too good for that, but if you don't lean towards him, he can destroy a team."
Duncan did just that Saturday, and the last three off days were a reason. Whereas Johnson used the extra time to get accustomed to his mask, Duncan used the time to rest his ankles. If the Spurs end the series Monday, Duncan could get another week.
Meaning? Either the Heat or the Pistons will face a Duncan that no one has seen since March.
Then he will be 100 percent.