Marcus Bryant
06-24-2005, 02:42 PM
http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/Duncan-Celebration_300_0506.jpg
June 23, 2005
San Antonio 81, Detroit 74
Spurs Dethrone Pistons To Take Third NBA Title
SAN ANTONIO, June 23 (Ticker) -- In his first Game 7, Tim Duncan was second to none and gave the San Antonio Spurs their third NBA title.
Reaffirming his status as the best player on the planet, Duncan came up big in the biggest game of his career as the Spurs found the resolve to dethrone the Detroit Pistons, 81-74, and win the championship.
With his unique multidimensional talent, Duncan depleted and dissected the Pistons, collecting 25 points and 11 rebounds. He was the fulcrum of virtually every key play down the stretch.
"His complete game is so sound, so fundamnetal, so unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people think, 'Well, he didn't do anything,'" Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "But he was incredible and he was the force that got it done for us."
Shaky showings in Games 5 and 6 had many questioning Duncan's determination. Playing an all-or-nothing game for the first time, he did it all, rescuing the Spurs in the third quarter and controlling the game in the final period.
"It wasn't the greatest of games but there was a stretch where I felt really good and I just wanted to be assertive at that point," Duncan said.
"You follow your leader," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Timmy is the leader of the team, and he just carried us tonight."
Duncan scored when the Spurs needed it, then turned his teammates into stars. He even dove for a pair of loose balls, showing the Pistons he wanted the championship as badly as they did.
"They just kept coming to me and kept giving me the opportunities and I got one to fall in and two to fall in and things started happening," said Duncan, who made 10-of-27 shots. "Then I was able to draw some double-teams and got some guys some open shots."
"He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "That's what the great players do."
Thriving off Duncan were Manu Ginobili, who scored 11 of his 23 points in the last 10 minutes, and wily veteran Robert Horry, who scored 15 points off the bench and collected his sixth championship.
Averaging 20 points and 14 rebounds in the series, Duncan captured his third Finals MVP award. He also powered the Spurs to titles in 1999 and 2003 and has put down the roots of possibly the league's next dynasty.
June 23, 2005
San Antonio 81, Detroit 74
Spurs Dethrone Pistons To Take Third NBA Title
SAN ANTONIO, June 23 (Ticker) -- In his first Game 7, Tim Duncan was second to none and gave the San Antonio Spurs their third NBA title.
Reaffirming his status as the best player on the planet, Duncan came up big in the biggest game of his career as the Spurs found the resolve to dethrone the Detroit Pistons, 81-74, and win the championship.
With his unique multidimensional talent, Duncan depleted and dissected the Pistons, collecting 25 points and 11 rebounds. He was the fulcrum of virtually every key play down the stretch.
"His complete game is so sound, so fundamnetal, so unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people think, 'Well, he didn't do anything,'" Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "But he was incredible and he was the force that got it done for us."
Shaky showings in Games 5 and 6 had many questioning Duncan's determination. Playing an all-or-nothing game for the first time, he did it all, rescuing the Spurs in the third quarter and controlling the game in the final period.
"It wasn't the greatest of games but there was a stretch where I felt really good and I just wanted to be assertive at that point," Duncan said.
"You follow your leader," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Timmy is the leader of the team, and he just carried us tonight."
Duncan scored when the Spurs needed it, then turned his teammates into stars. He even dove for a pair of loose balls, showing the Pistons he wanted the championship as badly as they did.
"They just kept coming to me and kept giving me the opportunities and I got one to fall in and two to fall in and things started happening," said Duncan, who made 10-of-27 shots. "Then I was able to draw some double-teams and got some guys some open shots."
"He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "That's what the great players do."
Thriving off Duncan were Manu Ginobili, who scored 11 of his 23 points in the last 10 minutes, and wily veteran Robert Horry, who scored 15 points off the bench and collected his sixth championship.
Averaging 20 points and 14 rebounds in the series, Duncan captured his third Finals MVP award. He also powered the Spurs to titles in 1999 and 2003 and has put down the roots of possibly the league's next dynasty.