Duncan's Run Coming To An End?

[timvp]

Tim Duncan has been named as an All-NBA First Team member his first eight seasons in the league. He's in elite company:

Elgin Baylor -- 10
Bob Pettit -- 10
Larry Bird -- 9
Oscar Robertson -- 9
Tim Duncan -- 8

I can't imagine Duncan can make it nine in a row. However, Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News failed to put Duncan on any of the first three teams.


There are plenty of tough forward choices, too, but it wasn't difficult making Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James the first-teamers. Narrowing the field for second-team and third-team, though, meant slighting someone. Elton Brand (24.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game) and Shawn Marion (21.6 and 11.9) are solid second-teamers. But putting Carmelo Anthony, a great clutch shooter who is averaging 26.7 points, and Pau Gasol on the third team meant omitting Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace.

Duncan has had an off year but how is he not a top six forward in the league? Tim Duncan on one leg deserves a spot over a player like Pau Gasol. A three-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time NBA MVP should get the nod over a guy who hasn't won a playoff game.

[T Park]

Give Duncan that Mike Monroe piece.

Dude will average 40 a game in the first round.

Kenny Thomas be damned.

[Kori Ellis]

I can't really argue with Monroe's choices though. Won't some people make Gasol a center though? Wasn't he a center on the All-Star ballot?

[timvp]

Tim Duncan
18.5 Points
11.1 Rebounds
3.2 Assists
2.04 Blocks
35.2 Minutes

Pau Gasol
20.4 Points
8.9 Rebounds
4.6 Assists
1.91 Blocks
39.2 Minutes

Numbers look the same to me. Duncan's team has the better record and he's proven his talent over time.

I don't see how a case can be made for Gasol over Duncan unless Gasol gets bonus points for being seven-foot-one and averaging under nine rebounds per game on the worst rebounding team in the league.

[Warlord23]

Are the All-NBA teams decided based upon regular season alone? Or do the playoffs count? If it is the latter, Duncan will at least be 2nd team when all is said and done. If only the regular season is counted, he'd be 3rd team IMO.

[timvp]

Regular season.

[timvp]

While I'm at it, Carmelo is a hell of a talent but as it stands he doesn't do anything other than score. The only thing he has on Duncan is he scores four more baskets a game. In ever other facet of the game, Duncan dominates him.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

While I'm at it, Carmelo is a hell of a talent but as it stands he doesn't do anything other than score. The only thing he has on Duncan is he scores four more baskets a game. In ever other facet of the game, Duncan dominates him.

not even being the most clutch player this season? Come on he missed out on an all star berth coz of the bearded Jew and now noone wants to recognise him on an all-nba team?

its the curse of the Lebron and Wade jock strap love again

[xcoriate]

Duncan may make it at center by default theres just no one else there to put.

Duncan at C probably nets him first team all-nba

[xcoriate]

to qualify...

Even though Yao and Shaq have been as good Duncan has played way more games

[polandprzem]

Well I was saying that in the february I think.

If Timmy won't be considered as center he will be in the 2nd team. But hmm I'm reading those bozos from the press and they are all balbling about Tony in his best and Timmy in his worst. They are repeting it like mantra :rolleyes

Unfortunately it is over for Tim.

[Kori Ellis]

Duncan may make it at center by default theres just no one else there to put.

Duncan at C probably nets him first team all-nba

Likely Shaq, Yao and Ben Wallace will get on 1st, 2nd and 3rd team at center (not necessarily in that order). I thought that they'd count Gasol as center too though since they counted him as center for the AllStar game.

[xcoriate]

Is Duncan listed as a C choice?

Or is he most definately a F?

[ShoogarBear]

Come on he missed out on an all star berth coz of the bearded Jew
:wtf :flipoff

[ShoogarBear]

Tim should make third-team, no higher. Dirk, LeBron, Brand, Marion, Pierce (if he's really a forward) are all reasonable choices. Carmelo gets consideration because of the clutch shot factor.

Nobody can reasonably leave Tim off the ballot. I think Monroe's trying to get suck-up points with his media brethren for not being a homer.

Hopefully Tony sneaks in at third-team guard, too.

Like the MVP vote, the number of choices for the All-NBA squads is unparalled.

[polandprzem]

Shoog what are you doing up so early?


I thought Timmy would make some history :depressed
I remember when malone was going for 12 consecutive selections. I alwayes wanted Timmy to surpass that

[ShoogarBear]

Shoog what are you doing up so early?I was up at 5 a.m. because I had to go in to work.



I thought Timmy would make some history :depressed
I remember when malone was going for 12 consecutive selections. I alwayes wanted Timmy to surpass that
Malone was also going for 19 straight years without a ring. I prefer Timmy's record. :smokin

Believe me, if Tims wins another ring this year, he has cemented the title of Greatest Forward of All Time.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this is what i think look at the spurs record, and if not one of those guyz make it to one of those teams than its just wrong, imo duncan better be all first team, cose without him the spurs wouldnt even be playoff contenders let alone lead team stats in the defensive catorgory.

[polandprzem]

And I was 2 the churck at 7am

man I sleep not much lately
----------------------

ShoogarBeer ocourse I will take Tim's achivenments as well. But you know it's another argument (the idywidual achivenments) to have on your side.

[CubanMustGo]

Dallas Morning News' David Moore also omits TD from any all-NBA team, though he does put TP on the third team:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/dmoore/stories/041606dnspomoor3e.251dfd9.html


FIRST TEAM

Forwards: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; LeBron James, Cleveland
Center: Yao Ming, Houston
Guards: Steve Nash, Phoenix; Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers

SECOND TEAM

Forwards: Shawn Marion, Phoenix; Paul Pierce, Boston
Center: Shaquille O'Neal, Miami
Guards: Chauncey Billups, Detroit; Dwyane Wade, Miami

THIRD TEAM

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony, Denver; Elton Brand, LA Clippers
Center: Ben Wallace, Detroit
Guards: Tony Parker, San Antonio; Vince Carter, New Jersey

He also names Bruce as the DPoY. :king


San Antonio's lock-down defender is tough enough without any implements at his disposal. Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson calls him Edward Scissorhands. Seattle's Ray Allen and others call him dirty.

Isn't that what you want? I doubt if a nice, respectful defender will ever win this award.

Bowen is effective against everyone from Philadelphia's Allen Iverson to the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki. At a time when the rules are tilted in favor of perimeter offense, Bowen has found a way to make an impact.

Sacramento's Ron Artest, one of only two perimeter defenders to win the award in the last 17 years, believes he should win the award again. I'd be tempted to vote for him if he hadn't already destroyed one team this season and played in less than 40 games for the other.

[WalterBenitez]

Won't be easy not seeing TD in that list

[boutons_]

Camelo's a tatooed, braided balla who has difficulty with Standard English.
Tim's chances don't look good.

Tim's been a lemon all season. Let's watch him come back next season and make lemonaid.

[samikeyp]

1st team, no. 2nd or 3rd, yes.

[Frenchise player]

Tim Duncan
18.5 Points
11.1 Rebounds
3.2 Assists
2.04 Blocks
35.2 Minutes

Pau Gasol
20.4 Points
8.9 Rebounds
4.6 Assists
1.91 Blocks
39.2 Minutes

Numbers look the same to me. Duncan's team has the better record and he's proven his talent over time.

I don't see how a case can be made for Gasol over Duncan unless Gasol gets bonus points for being seven-foot-one and averaging under nine rebounds per game on the worst rebounding team in the league.
I would vote for Gasol. His stats are not that great but you have to consider that Memphis is the best defensive team in the league along with the Spurs.
You should consider that the Grizzlies are overachieving (the other starters are Atkins, Eddie Jones, Battier and Tsakalidis) and could be number 5 in the west.
Also, you don't say that Gasol shoots .503 FG% against .484 for Duncan and .689FT% against .627%.
Gasol is having a carreer year and carrying the Grizz to the playoffs, I think he deserves a third team spot more than Duncan who played injured during all the season. There is just too many great forwards out there.

[picnroll]

Let Duncan get another finals MVP to assuage his disappointment.

[TDMVPDPOY]

tim duncan will shutup all those doubters wrong by liftin up that championship again and another finals mvp :D:D

[SAGambler]

Tim Duncan has been named as an All-NBA First Team member his first eight seasons in the league. He's in elite company:

Elgin Baylor -- 10
Bob Pettit -- 10
Larry Bird -- 9
Oscar Robertson -- 9
Tim Duncan -- 8

I wonder how many times Duncan would have made it had he played in the era of all those other guys on the list.

Making it 8 times in this era of more big men and much more athletic players, speaks volumns of his ability.

[Brutalis]

Does he deserve it? Yes or No.

Will he get it? Yes or No.

[Leetonidas]

Yes.

No.

[zeleni]

No, well PF-wise maybe he even does.

Yes!

[SAGambler]

Does he deserve it? Yes or No.

Will he get it? Yes or No.

Not this year.

And No, he won't.

[adidas11]

No and No.

[kris]

No and No. It's a regular season award and it's about this season. I don't think the past should help Duncan. He hasn't been very good this season.

[Jimcs50]

Writers are creatures of habit.
TD will be 1st team again...no doubt about it.

I

[ShoogarBear]

TD will be 1st team again...no doubt about it.

Well, I guess we all know that that means it's settled.

And in which way, too.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Writers are creatures of habit.
TD will be 1st team again...no doubt about it.

I

Poor Tim, the run is over :depressed

[Jimcs50]

Poor Tim, the run is over :depressed

:flipoff

[cs100]

The Spurs have the second best record in the NBA. That alone should warrant Tim's placement in either 1st, 2nd or 3rd team. Sure, Tony has won us many games with his points, but Tim's mere presence on the floor changes the game, regardless of how many points he scores.

Mike Monroe did not do his research. Poor form on his part.

FYI - Elton Brand's numbers are about the same as last year. The difference is that he has Cassell in there this year.
Same goes for Gasol.

[spurofthemoment]

Are the All-NBA teams decided based upon regular season alone? Or do the playoffs count? If it is the latter, Duncan will at least be 2nd team when all is said and done. If only the regular season is counted, he'd be 3rd team IMO.
it makes me upset when people on Espn talk about Duncan as if he is struggling, he maybe but the rest of the Spurs are picking up the slack their record attests to that

[Tek_XX]

Well let's hang another banner, this will make him feel better.

[J.T.]

In my opinion Tim has just as good a shot as anyone at getting picked to the 1st team. His scoring is down from last season about a point and a half, his FG% is down only 1%, FT% down 5% (although not his all time lowest by far), assists up .5%, rebounds the same. And what I think is most important is, unless we clinch against Utah tomorrow and Pop rests everyone in the Houston game, Tim will only have missed one game this season (compared to 16 DNPs last season). His numbers have been on the decline about the last four seasons, but all anyone seems to care about is Tim having an "off year." The only stat TD had more of last season was blocks, but hey, if he averages 15bpg in the next two then he'll top that! And if you ask me guys, I wouldn't really say Tim had a bad year. We don't need TD to get 30 and 15 every night to win. Some nights we do, but most of the time we can get four of five guys in double figs real easy, and some solid games off the bench and some clutch shots by Barry/Fin/Horry and take home the W no prob. Tim makes everyone on the team better.

There are a lot of contenders this season, but I can see TD and Dirk in the 1st team. His numbers have been going down for about four seasons, like I said, and he still made 1st team all those years. He's got a legit shot at doing it again, and IMO probably will because he's Duncan. I mean, he has the rings to silence his critics. Dirk, Lebron, Brand...they ain't got nothin to show for it.

[whottt]

I don't think Duncan deserves first team from what I have seen of his play this year...2nd or 3rd team? Probably. Besides, it can mean nothing but good things(for the Spurs) to piss Duncan off as we head into the post season. He'll make his point...just like he always does.


I definitely think Parker deserves All NBA consideration...

Todays trivia:

A. When was the last time the Spurs placed 2 players on All NBA Teams(1st, 2nd, or 3rd)?

B. When was the last time a guard made it for the Spurs?

C. How many other guards have made all NBA teams for the Spurs?

Hint: Just skip right over the years spanning Drob's career when researching the last 2 questions.

[Melmart1]

Do you think that not making the 1st team will piss Timmy off? By all accounts, he doesn't care about individual accolades. Personally, I would figure it does matter, at least a little.

[whottt]

Do you think that not making the 1st team will piss Timmy off? By all accounts, he doesn't care about individual accolades. Personally, I would figure it does matter, at least a little.


I don't think he's going to be emotionally devastated and go off on a big media tirade about how stupid the voters were, or anything like that...He probably won't say a word about it. And the only one he is likely to be pissed at is himself...but that's still going to = a pissed off Duncan.

But ya...I think it'll sting just a bit. I think it'll get his attention, and IMO, it will probably re-affirm and remind that he had the worst regular season of his career...something IMO, he will feel he can still correct in the playoffs.

Duncan may not be into public accolades or be all about Duncan...but he is extremely competitive and he's going to want to put an ass kicking on any unforutnate forward he goes up against that beat him out on the All NBA teams...I think Duncan will do that.

Ya thew team winning is the most important thing to him...but he genuinely wants to be the best player on the court...if he didn't he wouldn't be.

You don't work as hard as he does, play as consistently as he does, without having a tremendous amount of pride and competitiveness...I don't care what he says in the media. He's used to getting the hardware.


Even Drob was like that...Drob earned a rep for being an extremenly unselfish team player, he was so controlled in his demeanor that many people, including a lot of Spursfans, questioned his desire to win, and at times if he even cared about basketball...

But when the Spurs won the title in 99...and Duncan was handed the Finals MVP...Drob admitted it stung for just a second...just a little. He was used to being the guy getting the hardware. I think Duncan will feel similarly. He's used to being on that first team...and he's going to have ample opprtunity to prove he still belongs there.

[Melmart1]

Good analysis. I tend to agree, it has to matter, at least a little.

There seems to be a lot of layers to Timmy. Even Amy said in an interview a few years back that she doesn't always know what he is thinking. I believe it was the SI interview for the Sportsman of the Year award that he and Robinson shared. She said she didn't think he would want to say something like 'it's my team'. Then he goes and says 'of course its my team'. I am paraphrasing of course, but it was a good interview that showed just how little we really know about the real Tim Duncan.

[whottt]

Good analysis. I tend to agree, it has to matter, at least a little.

There seems to be a lot of layers to Timmy. Even Amy said in an interview a few years back that she doesn't always know what he is thinking. I believe it was the SI interview for the Sportsman of the Year award that he and Robinson shared. She said she didn't think he would want to say something like 'it's my team'. Then he goes and says 'of course its my team'. I am paraphrasing of course, but it was a good interview that showed just how little we really know about the real Tim Duncan.


Well...I remember at Elliott's jersey retirement, he told a story about being on his virtual deathbed and Duncan came in to whup his ass on some video game that Elliott used to beat him at all the time...Something about wanting to beat Elliott before he died :fro

Just kidding about the death part but it was funny listening to that story...especially since Elliott allegedly whipped him severely that night.

I think Elliott also talked about how once you show Duncan something he eventually learns to be better at it than you...

Duncan is very competitive, beyond all doubt.

Bump Duncan to second or third team All NBA and all you do is give him something to prove...And he really hasn't had anything to prove this season...he pretty much proved everything last season...at least until he gets bumped.

I hope they do bump him off for Dirk...that'll come in handy in the second round. :smokin

[leemajors]

merlin will avenge any slight.

[spurster]

My choices:

FIRST TEAM

Forwards: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; LeBron James, Cleveland
Center: Yao Ming, Houston
Guards: Chauncey Billups, Detroit; Dwyane Wade, Miami

SECOND TEAM

Forwards: Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Shawn Marion, Pheonix
Center: Pau Gasol, Memphis
Guards: Steve Nash, Phoenix; Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers

THIRD TEAM

Forwards: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota; Elton Brand, LA Clippers
Center: Ben Wallace, Detroit
Guards: Allen Iverson, Philadelphia; Jason Kidd, New Jersey

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dont think he cares if he gets it, cose his lookin at the bigger picture, championship and finals mvp

[SpurYank]

None other than Steve Nash said the other day that no one can deny what TD means to the Spurs and what his being on the floor does for the other Spur players. HE KNOWS, as do most other basketball know-it-alls. Monroe is looking at personal bests. These same know-it-alls know, as do the Lakers, the Lakers would be a much better team if Kobe traded a few spectaular points for some assists, blocks, and a little defense.

Let's see, heard last night (again) what the Spurs record is since TD joined them. Yankees? Celtics? Others? NO, it's the Spurs. Credit TD for that, as does Pop, in a second.

Leave him off the All-Pro team. Give as the NBNA title.

[SpurYank]

NBA, that is.

[rascy13]

His reign is ending. =(

[Vingianx]

Give Duncan that Mike Monroe piece.

Dude will average 40 a game in the first round.

Kenny Thomas be damned.

dude must be on crack to not name Tim #1

[phyzik]

i dont think he cares if he gets it, cose his lookin at the bigger picture, championship and finals mvp

I dont think he cares either, even for finals MVP.... but I definately dont think he gets that this year.

[Guru of Nothing]

not even being the most clutch player this season? Come on he (Carmelo) missed out on an all star berth coz of the bearded Jew and now noone wants to recognise him on an all-nba team?

its the curse of the Lebron and Wade jock strap love again

Dan ???

Issel???

[TDfan2007]

Is Tim's run of All-NBA 1st team selections done? Without a doubt

Is his run of being the best player in the league done (Kobe can suck it)? Hell no

[Russ]

Finals MVP > 1st Team All NBA

[ponky]

Camelo's a tatooed, braided balla who has difficulty with Standard English.
Tim's chances don't look good.



Looks like Carmelo isn't the only one who has difficulty with Standard English. I believe the word is spelled "tattooed." In any case Dirk has neither tattoos nor cornrows and he will make either 1st or 2nd team so what's your point?

[cs100]

Tim should get 1st, 2nd or 3rd team All NBA. You don't get to be the 2nd best team in the league without at least one dominant player being All NBA. We shall see how smart the voting media are.

Tim won't care if he gets it or not, though. It may sting us as fans, but not Timmy. Let the other teams underestimate the Spurs like they do every year. Timmy will be holding up that championship trophy this June, just like he's done 3 other times. :smokin:

[milkyway21]

Tim Duncan
18.5 Points
11.1 Rebounds
3.2 Assists
2.04 Blocks
35.2 Minutes

Pau Gasol
20.4 Points
8.9 Rebounds
4.6 Assists
1.91 Blocks
39.2 Minutes

Numbers look the same to me. Duncan's team has the better record and he's proven his talent over time.

I don't see how a case can be made for Gasol over Duncan unless Gasol gets bonus points for being seven-foot-one and averaging under nine rebounds per game on the worst rebounding team in the league.how do we really value a player's contribution to his team? by his presence or his stats?

i think Duncan's 80(so far), game season with S.A. is more valuable than that 3-4 lesser pt FG this yr.

His team is #1 in the Western Conference.

he deserves a spot on that 3-All-NBA team. Being out of it is just ridiculous.