Tim Duncan's Prime

[Thomas82]

What years would you consider Tim Duncan's prime years? I would say 2001-08.....2009 was also a good year for him IMO, even with the left knee starting to bother him.

[Ice009]

'99 to 2008, IMO. I'd even say 1998, but I won't since he was a rookie. I think he was the best player in the NBA for most of those seasons.

[sananspursfan21]

99-07 if we're talking prime, prime. I'd say 02-05 he plateaud and declined out of "prime" years in 08. That's when we started seeing Tony step up and become the man of the team for a few years. Tim has been incredible every year he's played in some form or fashion but from the first finals to the cavs series, no other version of himself could have beat him in 1 on 1 game....if that analogy makes sense

[MaNu4Tres]

From 99-03' he was in his athletic prime. He was quicker, lighter and a better scorer those years. I think those were his best prime years. He was an absolute monster during that time and carried 57 yr old Terry Porter, Antonio Daniels, 58 yr old Danny Ferry and old, no back David to the WCF.

Tim from 05'-09' was much heavier, but it was good weight put on and it was on purpose. I think that's why he got plantar fasciitis in 06' tbh..

From 05-09' he wasn't the same monster he was in 99-03 -- still a monster nonetheless.

[Thomas82]

From 99-03' he was in his athletic prime. He was quicker, lighter and a better scorer those years. I think those were his best prime years. He was an absolute monster during that time and carried 57 yr old Terry Porter, Antonio Daniels, 58 yr old Danny Ferry and old, no back David to the WCF.

Tim from 05'-09' was much heavier, but it was good weight put on and it was on purpose. I think that's why he got plantar fasciitis in 06' tbh..

From 05-09' he wasn't the same monster he was in 99-03 -- still a monster nonetheless.

Just think of how much better he would have been if he didn't have that knee injury in 2000.

[poop]

His prime began from his very first games in 1998. People forget how quick and athletic he was his first few years...he was already the best player and def best 2 way player in the nba. Prime was 98-2004

[UNT Eagles 2016]

2002-2004 inner prime

1999-2006 outer prime

He was past prime in 2007, no longer the best player on his own team though could still be great at times. Just no longer dominant in the iso's/4 down.

[coachmac87]

99-05' was his true offensive dominance era.

I believe things started to change once he injured his ankle in Seattle in the PO. Manu emerged and Parker soon then followed.

[DMC]

50% prime Duncan is > Lee/Gasol combined.

[Play Boban]

99-07 if we're talking prime, prime. I'd say 02-05 he plateaud and declined out of "prime" years in 08. That's when we started seeing Tony step up and become the man of the team for a few years. Tim has been incredible every year he's played in some form or fashion but from the first finals to the cavs series, no other version of himself could have beat him in 1 on 1 game....if that analogy makes sense
Lavar Ball would trash Duncan one on one. He's undefeated.

[tmtcsc]

Lavar Ball would trash Duncan one on one. He's undefeated.

Was thinking the same thing. The only one-on-one game Lavar Ball lost was to Donald Trump. Donald Trump was GREAT. He was FANTASTIC. He was......really...really GREAT, and everybody knows it. Believe me.

[Thomas82]

99-05' was his true offensive dominance era.

I believe things started to change once he injured his ankle in Seattle in the PO. Manu emerged and Parker soon then followed.

Then he played the entire following season with plantar fasciitis.

[MaNu4Tres]

He hurt his ankle against Detroit late in the season, then nicked it again at Seattle in the playoffs.

I still say Duncan from 99-03' was a competely different animal than he was from 05-09'. He gained 20 lbs and was less mobile in 2005.

[gambit1990]

td was a monster.

i wonder who the spurs draft if they had the #2 pick. nick van horn? :lol

[coachmac87]

He hurt his ankle against Detroit late in the season, then nicked it again at Seattle in the playoffs.

I still say Duncan from 99-03' was a competely different animal than he was from 05-09'. He gained 20 lbs and was less mobile in 2005.

Totally agree

[TD 21]

'97-'99 was incline, '99-'07 was prime ('01-'05 was peak), '08-'10 was beginning of decline, '10-'15 was past prime ('13 was back to beginning of decline), '16 was end of decline.

The torn meniscus in '00 and insane mileage/workload from '97-'05 (particularly '01-'05) began to take it's toll by '06, with the plantar fasciitis, followed by the tendonosis beginning in earnest in '09 and the custom/highly restrictive knee brace in '12.

Had he had the health luck of James and came up in an era where so much more is known, he could have been even greater than he was.

[Joseph Kony]

Duncan was in his prime as soon as he stepped on the court, as he may have been the most NBA ready rookie in league history tbh. So 97/98 - 2007/2008 would be his prime with his peak being from 01-05, with 2003 being the highest of the peak, imo

[r0drig0lac]

prime 99-08
peak 00-05

[Barfunk]

Yea, his absolute peak was definitely up until that finals in 2003. Even as early as 2004, he just didn't look as athletic anymore, even though he was only like what, 27 or 28.

[Down Under]

The thing that always stood out, was that when he was just about done (after 2011 playoffs) cause his tendonosis was just wearing him down throughout the season and he just couldn't pivot off his left leg anymore in the post by the playoffs, he stripped all this weight off and transformed himself from a low post beast into a faceup player that was so damn good, he was all NBA 1st team in 2013 with a completely different game. He would've been finals MVP if they had won that game 6 against Miami, he dominated that game so much. To transform yourself and your game as you're approaching 40, back to a top 5 player in the league is just unbelievable.

[Budkin]

He hurt his ankle against Detroit late in the season, then nicked it again at Seattle in the playoffs.

I still say Duncan from 99-03' was a competely different animal than he was from 05-09'. He gained 20 lbs and was less mobile in 2005.

I still say that game is the reason why there is a team called the Thunder in OKC now. When Duncan went down, Key Arena ERUPTED into cheers. Timmy finished their asses off at the buzzer, then motherfucking Karma took over.

[Arcadian]

From 99-03' he was in his athletic prime. He was quicker, lighter and a better scorer those years. I think those were his best prime years. He was an absolute monster during that time and carried 57 yr old Terry Porter, Antonio Daniels, 58 yr old Danny Ferry and old, no back David to the WCF.

Tim from 05'-09' was much heavier, but it was good weight put on and it was on purpose. I think that's why he got plantar fasciitis in 06' tbh..

From 05-09' he wasn't the same monster he was in 99-03 -- still a monster nonetheless.

In the playoffs he was. See '06 vs Dallas and '08 vs Phoenix.

[MaNu4Tres]

In the playoffs he was. See '06 vs Dallas and '08 vs Phoenix.

Lol I've watched 99% of Spurs games since I was 10 years old. I said Duncan was still a monster from 05-09'. Just not the same athletic monster he was from 99-03'.

[Arcadian]

Lol I've watched 99% of Spurs games since I was 10 years old. I said Duncan was still a monster from 05-09'. Just not the same athletic monster he was from 99-03'.

Same here. I loved how Tim always took his game to another level in the playoffs. He was truly one of the most clutch players of all time.

[Down Under]

'04 to '06 he was the best player in the league, despite losing some mobility as some said above. Still drawing so much attention in the post and as dominant as any player in the league defensively.

[spurraider21]

duncan wasn't even at his athletic peak in 2003... his athletic peak was in his earlier youth before his big knee injury in 2000

his basketball prime was from 2001-2007 or 08, with the peak being 2003 and surrounding years. 08 is tough to judge because the supporting cast of bowen/oberto/kurt thomas were beyond their last legs and they got waxed in the WCF, but duncan still thoroughly outplayed pau in the series. still remember the playoff opener in 08 though, the 40 point game against shaq and the suns

[Thomas82]

The thing that always stood out, was that when he was just about done (after 2011 playoffs) cause his tendonosis was just wearing him down throughout the season and he just couldn't pivot off his left leg anymore in the post by the playoffs, he stripped all this weight off and transformed himself from a low post beast into a faceup player that was so damn good, he was all NBA 1st team in 2013 with a completely different game. He would've been finals MVP if they had won that game 6 against Miami, he dominated that game so much. To transform yourself and your game as you're approaching 40, back to a top 5 player in the league is just unbelievable.

Excellent points!! The fact that he was able to make that kind of transformation so late in his career speaks volumes of his greatness.

[barbacoataco]

The 2002-3-4 seasons were his best. He was awesome in 1999 but then he hurt his knee in 2000. Of course he was still a great player for years and years but right around 2003 he was on a different level.

[SPURt]

Not sure if this is thread worthy but the Ringer is comparing Kawhi to MVP Kobe:
https://theringer.com/2017-nba-playoffs-kawhi-leonard-kobe-bryant-san-antonio-spurs-347adceee0

[elemento]

Prime : 99-08

He slowed down a bit in 07 after the plantar fascists problems, but he was still pretty good.

Peak - 02-03 - 02 was his best RS and 03 was just one of the best runs of all-time. (greatest VORP of all-time beating any season of MJ, Lebron, Shaq or Hakeem).

[TampaDude]

Dat 2003 Finals, yo...Timmy was a monster!

[Thomas82]

Dat 2003 Finals, yo...Timmy was a monster!

Yes he was!!