think about this stat for a minute

[playblair]

Tommy Beer ‏@TommyBeer (https://twitter.com/TommyBeer) Tim Duncan has apparently found the fountain of youth. 3 straight games w/ 20+ points & 14+ rebs. His longest such streak since 2004.



MVP

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/2228/timduncanokthatsenuf.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/607/timduncanokthatsenuf.png/)


http://i54.tinypic.com/2s1xd6v.jpg

[boutons_deux]

ya haf to wonder what's got into Tim. where has this Tim been the past few seasons (excluding the injuries).

[Juggity]

Maybe he finally worked himself down to an optimum weight. He's spent the last few offseasons shedding pounds to take stress off his knees, and now that he weighs less, he feels more comfortable being aggressive.

[Andthentherewas21]

Maybe he finally worked himself down to an optimum weight. He's spent the last few offseasons shedding pounds to take stress off his knees, and now that he weighs less, he feels more comfortable being aggressive.

Plus the fact he is back to being a more integral part of the offense this year as opposed guard-focused previous couple of seasons.

[Bruno]

Tim Duncan MacLeod :tu

[swaggerjackson]

19 pts 11 reb 2.5 blocks a game on one of the top teams in the league record wise. We are a Lebron injury away from a legit MVP campaign!

[z0sa]

19 pts 11 reb 2.5 blocks a game on one of the top teams in the league record wise. We are a Lebron injury away from a legit MVP campaign!

And a title

[silverblackfan]

19 pts 11 reb 2.5 blocks a game on one of the top teams in the league record wise. We are a Lebron injury away from a legit MVP campaign!
Unless Lebron loses his head, he will still win the award. The masses love LJ and ignore the great TD.

[Juggity]

Unless Lebron loses his head, he will still win the award. The masses love LJ and ignore the great TD.

Lebron is still really damn good and would absolutely deserve MVP regardless of what the masses think.

Duncan's numbers so far this season have put him in the conversation, though, for sure.

[TD 21]

19 pts 11 reb 2.5 blocks a game on one of the top teams in the league record wise. We are a Lebron injury away from a legit MVP campaign!

No, we're not. The stat geeks, such as Hollinger, Lowe, etc., would recognize his greatness and mention that he should be an All-Star starter, first team All-NBA/All-Defense and top two MVP candidate. But the vast majority of idiots, who haven't thought of him as an MVP caliber player for the past 4 seasons, would look at his raw numbers and think that, while very good, they're not MVP caliber.

[Kidd K]

^ Yeah, I was just gonna mention that. Duncan won't get MVP because his PPG and APG aren't high enough (it's always been more of an offensive award tbh), but he deserves to be an all star, and All NBA player on both teams. He may not be first team, but if he isn't at least on the defensive 2nd team and makes an all nba team, something is seriously wrong with the voting process. There aren't very many forwards who are better defensively, and there aren't many who are better overall either.

Dunno about all start starter though, but he deserves to be on the team.

[TD 21]

^ Yeah, I was just gonna mention that. Duncan won't get MVP because his PPG and APG aren't high enough (it's always been more of an offensive award tbh), but he deserves to be an all star, and All NBA player on both teams. He may not be first team, but if he isn't at least on the defensive 2nd team and makes an all nba team, something is seriously wrong with the voting process. There aren't very many forwards who are better defensively, and there aren't many who are better overall either.

Dunno about all start starter though, but he deserves to be on the team.

No one cares about APG when it comes to big men. It's his PPG, MPG and the perception that he's no longer that caliber of player (because he wasn't the last four seasons), that will do him in.

He definitely won't be a starter (Howard, Durant and Griffin, got that on lock), or make the first team (James, Durant and Howard, got that on lock) and he more than likely won't make the defensive team period. Since these things are largely based on perception and are therefore largely predetermined, he's for sure behind Howard, Chandler, Ibaka, Garnett and Noah, probably behind Hibbert and M. Gasol and with Jordan's much publicized improvement, there's a good chance him, too.

Forward . . . seriously?

[Poolboy5623]

19 & 11 doesn't typically put you in the mvp talks..at least not like it's being discussed in here. The nba would be in a pretty rough state if that were the case...

[024]

melo is next in line for MVP. it has already been decided.

[lefty]

MIP

[Johnny RIngo]

19 & 11 doesn't typically put you in the mvp talks..at least not like it's being discussed in here. The nba would be in a pretty rough state if that were the case...

If he ups his PPG to 20+ and remains the top scorer on the Spurs while playing 70+ games this year, I don't see why he wouldn't be in the conversation. Of course, Spurs would need to finish with the top record in the league for there to be an argument for TD.

[therealtruth]

I just want to see Duncan do it when it counts in the playoffs. If he can sustain that level in the playoffs it gives us a really good chance.

[slick'81]

exactly duncan has had strong regular season stretches before if he can hold up come postseason the better

[swaggerjackson]

I don't care what any one say I still have hope that Lebron gets seriously injur...I mean Duncan wins MVP. For serious tho, I just want Duncan to win atleast one more ring he deserves it

[Poolboy5623]

Yeah, honestly, it's really about one thing for Timmy...not winning mvps, but getting that 5th ring. He's won everything else and I realize he has 4 rings already but a 5th puts him in front of shaq and would tie him with Kobe as the most dominant player since mj...imo that's all there is to shoot for. Its just a shame with as close as the team has been a few other times....he could be ahead of mj if they had a Lil more luck.

[Thomas82]

ya haf to wonder what's got into Tim. where has this Tim been the past few seasons (excluding the injuries).

I would say that he's pissed about last year, and how they let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers, and that he's even more determined this year because of it.

[Thomas82]

Plus the fact he is back to being a more integral part of the offense this year as opposed guard-focused previous couple of seasons.

IMO, it looks like he took the keys to the team back from Tony.

[TDMVPDPOY]

tim duncans longevity his skills translates better than guys who rely on athleticism...

imo he also benefited from a shitty run down league with no legit big man to give any challenge

this applies to other TOSB still playin in the league and able to maintain their production against the watered down league

[Juggity]

Yeah, honestly, it's really about one thing for Timmy...not winning mvps, but getting that 5th ring. He's won everything else and I realize he has 4 rings already but a 5th puts him in front of shaq and would tie him with Kobe as the most dominant player since mj...imo that's all there is to shoot for. Its just a shame with as close as the team has been a few other times....he could be ahead of mj if they had a Lil more luck.

Getting a 5th ring quite honestly won't have that strong an impact on Tim's career rivalry with Kobe. Duncan's already got Kobe beat for Finals MVPs, league MVPs, defensive reputation, undisputed team-leader status for all rings, assured spot in the top-10 players of all time, lack of cancerous teamkilling attitude, making the playoffs every year of his career (especially in his prime), playing team basketball.

There's little that Kobe can do at this stage of his career to catch up with Duncan. If Kobe won another ring that would put him in the conversation in one or two categories, but overall, the race is close to over. Duncan came out ahead. A fifth ring for Duncan is immaterial to that debate.

[Juventini]

I really thought he looks more determined(especially with his weight control) since the series against Memphis in the playoffs two years ago. He was regularly destroyed on both ends of the floor during the season by different scrubs and looked awful in the playoffs, it must have hurt his pride a lot.

[SpursRock20]

Anyone remember when Pekovic out played Tim last year? I'm sure that helped to give Duncan extra motivation this season.

[Ice009]

Anyone remember when Pekovic out played Tim last year? I'm sure that helped to give Duncan extra motivation this season.

I really don't think Tim gives a fuck about Pekovic.

[mathbzh]

Maybe this is just and acknowledgement that the "save yourself for the playoffs" strategy failed.

[Kidd K]

No one cares about APG when it comes to big men. It's his PPG, MPG and the perception that he's no longer that caliber of player (because he wasn't the last four seasons), that will do him in.

He definitely won't be a starter (Howard, Durant and Griffin, got that on lock), or make the first team (James, Durant and Howard, got that on lock) and he more than likely won't make the defensive team period. Since these things are largely based on perception and are therefore largely predetermined, he's for sure behind Howard, Chandler, Ibaka, Garnett and Noah, probably behind Hibbert and M. Gasol and with Jordan's much publicized improvement, there's a good chance him, too.

Forward . . . seriously?

I was talking about the stats the NBA usually looks for to determine the MVP. MVPs are almost always just dudes with high PPG, exceptions being guys with both high PPG and APG (Nash, Johnson), then has to be on a winning team, usually a top 2 seed in a conference. Not that they'd only give it to big men with high assist totals. Point being, due to what will be a fairly low PPG stats (by MVP standards), his assists aren't high enough to wow whoever votes into giving him the award anyway (like they did with Nash and Magic).

When Duncan won his MVPs, his PPG stats were very high. The two highest PPG seasons of his career. Due to his stats, MVP history, etc, there's pretty much no chance he'll win the MVP even if he keeps up his current level of performance. It's always been more of an award for "guy with best stats who plays for one of the best teams).

In the end, I'd rather not even concern myself with him possibly getting the MVP Award, because really, there's pretty much no chance of it happening. I'd rather hope for something realistic like All NBA team placements.

Hibbert, Gasol, and Noah aren't locks either. Stop it. Really reaching there. Garnett isn't either, though he's in the consideration.

[therealtruth]

IMO, it looks like he took the keys to the team back from Tony.

I would much rather him have the keys than Tony.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I would much rather him have the keys than Tony.

shouldnt be given to that clown in the first place....

[ChuckD]

Maybe this is just and acknowledgement that the "save yourself for the playoffs" strategy failed.

I was actually thinking that Tim went to Pop and told him "You know, when you went to me for heavy minutes against OKC, I wasn't ready because I only averaged 28 in the regular season and didn't have the wind to go 38. " .

[Raven]

Maybe he finally worked himself down to an optimum weight. He's spent the last few offseasons shedding pounds to take stress off his knees, and now that he weighs less, he feels more comfortable being aggressive.

that's pretty much it... also pop doesn't play him 20min a game

[michaelwcho]

Isn't it interesting that no one thinks of steroids in this case? With Timmy's personality, it just doesn't seem possible, but if it weren't him, it would be a fairly inevitable thought.

[ChuckD]

Isn't it interesting that no one thinks of steroids in this case? With Timmy's personality, it just doesn't seem possible, but if it weren't him, it would be a fairly inevitable thought.

His per 36 are up a bit, but most of it is more minutes. He isn't jumping any higher or running any faster.

[dunkman]

Duncan would have to be around 25 ppg to win the award, and the Spurs would have to be top 2 or 3 team during the RS. Basically, Tim would have to play extra 6-7 mpg. Right now, Tim is the best bigman in the NBA, with Howard from the Lakers. The Spurs should focus on the 5th championship anyways. The west is more open this year since OKC traded Harden and the Lakers have D'Antoni as their coach.

[mathbzh]

His per 36 are up a bit, but most of it is more minutes. He isn't jumping any higher or running any faster.

Not true. Of course the sample size is small and it should be expected that this level of production does not last much longer.
But, per 36 minutes, Duncan is having:
- Career best in rebonds (12.8) and steals (1.1)
- 4th best in points (21.7)
- 2nd best in blocks (2.7)
- Career low in turnover (1.7)
Only his assists are a bit low (2.8 is still more than respectable).

Compared to last year, per 36 min that is + 2 points, +1.3 rebound, +0.8 block, +0.3 steal, -0.1 assist and -0.4 turnover.
That is no small improvement!

And as a consequence a career high in PER (27.4).

[Thomas82]

I would much rather him have the keys than Tony.

+1

[JRHernandez88]

melo is next in line for MVP. it has already been decided.

[Obstructed_View]

I was actually thinking that Tim went to Pop and told him "You know, when you went to me for heavy minutes against OKC, I wasn't ready because I only averaged 28 in the regular season and didn't have the wind to go 38. " .

Good observation. He's run out of gas in the playoffs the last few years.

[SpursRock20]

I really don't think Tim gives a fuck about Pekovic.

I'd figured that it had gotten to him. Duncan is a world-class NBA pro and he was throughly outplayed by Pekovic. I suspect that Tim wanted to show he can still be the real deal (not just because of Pekovic, but because of his slow disappearance from stardom). Maybe being left off of the all-star team added some motivation? One can never know with Duncan, he's a closed book.

[TD 21]

Hibbert, Gasol, and Noah aren't locks either. Stop it. Really reaching there. Garnett isn't either, though he's in the consideration.

I didn't say Hibbert and Gasol were "locks" (Noah is, though), nor did I say they should be. I said, since these things are largely based on perception and are therefore largely predetermined, they probably will be.