Kori Ellis
06-09-2005, 04:41 AM
By Greg Beacham
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - On a fundamentally flawless summer day in 1997, Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich reclined on the white sands of St. Croix to discuss life, basketball and their future together. Neither the inexperienced coach nor his new No. 1 draft pick dared to imagine their next eight years in San Antonio would include MVP awards for Duncan, widespread acclaim for Popovich - and two championships with an imminent chance for a third in this season's NBA Finals, beginning with Game 1 on Thursday night. Duncan - with his once-in-a-generation combination of skill, athleticism, work ethic and genuine decency - immediately turned the Spurs into contenders and, in 1999, champions. The Detroit Pistons are the only remaining obstacle to The Big Fundamental's latest addition to a resume that could someday distinguish him as the greatest power forward in NBA history.
But such heights were far from his mind during his meeting with Popovich, who had gone 17-47 after replacing Bob Hill midway through the 1996-97 season. Popovich and the Spurs desperately needed Duncan to be their savior, and the genial Wake Forest star didn't plan to disappoint.
"I honestly didn't know what to expect," Duncan said Wednesday. "I knew I had a great opportunity to learn with David (Robinson). I had no idea that at this point in my career I would have an opportunity to try for a third championship. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that.
"That's why I appreciate and I love being in this situation now, because I know it's not always going to be here."
Popovich recalled flying to see Duncan on his home Caribbean island "just to see if we got along or see if we clicked at all."
"He really hasn't changed much since then," Popovich added. "He's basically an introverted, quite humorous, highly intelligent, easygoing guy who has gotten over himself. He's not that impressed with himself. He just likes playing ball, and he goes home and does whatever he does. That's him."
These finals are a critical point in Duncan's career for another reason: He is trying for his first championship without Robinson by his side. Duncan was the MVP of his two previous finals appearances, but Robinson's dependable veteran leadership were keys to the Spurs' consistent excellence.
These days, just four Spurs remain on the roster from their 2003 title season, also Robinson's last. Though the players praise Popovich for his evenhanded leadership and structured environment, San Antonio still needs the locker room leadership Duncan quietly provides.
"Every year, he's taken on more responsibility - talking to people, letting people know what he's feeling and what we need to do, just steadily," Popovich said. "It's been a couple of years since David's been gone, and he's gotten really good at it."
When the Spurs traded Malik Rose, Duncan's close friend, earlier in the season, new arrival Nazr Mohammed wondered how he would be treated. He didn't wonder for long.
"When I got here, he embraced me as a teammate, and it wasn't superficial," Mohammed said. "It was genuine. He knew the business of it, and he wanted to see what type of guy I was. We have a good relationship."
The finals could turn on Duncan's success against the Pistons' defense, which will do everything possible to force the other Spurs to beat them. Fouling Duncan seems to be a good idea, given his periodic problems at the line - but coach Larry Brown's Pistons, with champions' supreme confidence, believe they can come up with something better.
"If we work together, we think we can guard anybody," said Ben Wallace, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. "Tim is still going to score, but you try to make him do it uncomfortably. Pop does a good job of getting the ball to him in places where he can control their offense and get his own shots."
Even after eight years together, Popovich still is experimenting with ways to use Duncan. Last season, the Spurs slightly cut Duncan's minutes and ran different offensive sets to keep their star fresh - but that strategy was aborted this season, with Duncan getting big minutes and touching the ball on more possessions than ever.
Duncan has risen to that challenge with more of the quiet ferocity that has defined his career and his postseason efforts. Spurs forward Robert Horry, who knows a few things about playoff pressure, believes Duncan matches up with the most successful big men of his era - even with the next chapter still in progress.
"All great players, all the great big men - Hakeem (Olajuwon), Shaq, Patrick (Ewing) - they all step up in the playoffs," Horry said. "He's been stepping up like that for years. I know years I went against him, he always did the same thing, and I think his focus is better now."
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - On a fundamentally flawless summer day in 1997, Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich reclined on the white sands of St. Croix to discuss life, basketball and their future together. Neither the inexperienced coach nor his new No. 1 draft pick dared to imagine their next eight years in San Antonio would include MVP awards for Duncan, widespread acclaim for Popovich - and two championships with an imminent chance for a third in this season's NBA Finals, beginning with Game 1 on Thursday night. Duncan - with his once-in-a-generation combination of skill, athleticism, work ethic and genuine decency - immediately turned the Spurs into contenders and, in 1999, champions. The Detroit Pistons are the only remaining obstacle to The Big Fundamental's latest addition to a resume that could someday distinguish him as the greatest power forward in NBA history.
But such heights were far from his mind during his meeting with Popovich, who had gone 17-47 after replacing Bob Hill midway through the 1996-97 season. Popovich and the Spurs desperately needed Duncan to be their savior, and the genial Wake Forest star didn't plan to disappoint.
"I honestly didn't know what to expect," Duncan said Wednesday. "I knew I had a great opportunity to learn with David (Robinson). I had no idea that at this point in my career I would have an opportunity to try for a third championship. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that.
"That's why I appreciate and I love being in this situation now, because I know it's not always going to be here."
Popovich recalled flying to see Duncan on his home Caribbean island "just to see if we got along or see if we clicked at all."
"He really hasn't changed much since then," Popovich added. "He's basically an introverted, quite humorous, highly intelligent, easygoing guy who has gotten over himself. He's not that impressed with himself. He just likes playing ball, and he goes home and does whatever he does. That's him."
These finals are a critical point in Duncan's career for another reason: He is trying for his first championship without Robinson by his side. Duncan was the MVP of his two previous finals appearances, but Robinson's dependable veteran leadership were keys to the Spurs' consistent excellence.
These days, just four Spurs remain on the roster from their 2003 title season, also Robinson's last. Though the players praise Popovich for his evenhanded leadership and structured environment, San Antonio still needs the locker room leadership Duncan quietly provides.
"Every year, he's taken on more responsibility - talking to people, letting people know what he's feeling and what we need to do, just steadily," Popovich said. "It's been a couple of years since David's been gone, and he's gotten really good at it."
When the Spurs traded Malik Rose, Duncan's close friend, earlier in the season, new arrival Nazr Mohammed wondered how he would be treated. He didn't wonder for long.
"When I got here, he embraced me as a teammate, and it wasn't superficial," Mohammed said. "It was genuine. He knew the business of it, and he wanted to see what type of guy I was. We have a good relationship."
The finals could turn on Duncan's success against the Pistons' defense, which will do everything possible to force the other Spurs to beat them. Fouling Duncan seems to be a good idea, given his periodic problems at the line - but coach Larry Brown's Pistons, with champions' supreme confidence, believe they can come up with something better.
"If we work together, we think we can guard anybody," said Ben Wallace, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. "Tim is still going to score, but you try to make him do it uncomfortably. Pop does a good job of getting the ball to him in places where he can control their offense and get his own shots."
Even after eight years together, Popovich still is experimenting with ways to use Duncan. Last season, the Spurs slightly cut Duncan's minutes and ran different offensive sets to keep their star fresh - but that strategy was aborted this season, with Duncan getting big minutes and touching the ball on more possessions than ever.
Duncan has risen to that challenge with more of the quiet ferocity that has defined his career and his postseason efforts. Spurs forward Robert Horry, who knows a few things about playoff pressure, believes Duncan matches up with the most successful big men of his era - even with the next chapter still in progress.
"All great players, all the great big men - Hakeem (Olajuwon), Shaq, Patrick (Ewing) - they all step up in the playoffs," Horry said. "He's been stepping up like that for years. I know years I went against him, he always did the same thing, and I think his focus is better now."