Kori Ellis
10-06-2006, 11:36 PM
Q&A with Spurs' Tim Duncan
Web Posted: 10/06/2006 09:11 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA100706.01C.BKNspurs.duncan.2b7de26.html
After enduring the most frustrating season of his career, Tim Duncan is healthy again and optimistic he can help the Spurs make another run at a championship. Staff writer Johnny Ludden spoke with him during the team's training camp in France.
This is going to be your 10th season in the NBA. Does that sound weird? Has it gone by fast?
It's gone by incredibly fast. Too fast. Every time before the season, I talk to Malik (Rose) and Antonio (Daniels) and they both said the same thing: Can you imagine it's 10 years? For Malik, it's 11 years. We're the old guys now.
This is somewhat of an older team. Robert (Horry) has talked about how this might be his last season. Bruce (Bowen) is 35. Brent (Barry) and Michael (Finley) aren't far behind. Do you guys have a small window to contend for another championship?
I think we've got another couple years where we'll be good. Tony (Parker) is on his upswing. Manu (Ginobili) is on his upswing and has another couple good, solid years in him. Hopefully, I have a couple good, solid years in me. With the addition of Francisco (Elson) and, of course, Bruce is always going to be solid. So we've got another couple good years in us.
It was fairly early in the preseason last year when your right foot started hurting you. Now that you've gone through six, seven solid practices, are you having any problems?
Nope. Nope. It's always in the back of my mind, but no pain, so I'm good.
You mentioned, I think, late last season that even you wondered whether your best days were behind you. Did the way you played in the playoffs help your confidence?
Yeah. It helped a lot at the right time, right situation to play well. I hope the carryover will be there.
You really struggled with your bank shot last year. Was that a point of emphasis this summer?
Working on my shot was a point of emphasis in general. Whether that translates to the bank shot or whatever else, I just need to be able to rely on it a little more.
A lot of guys have complained about the new ball. Some have said it's too slick. Some people have complained it sort of sticks to the backboard on bank shots and comes off the rim differently. How do you like it?
I like it when you're shooting by yourself. But once you're involved in any kind of situation then when it gets wet, it gets slippery. It's definitely different.
I think you called last year's (Western Conference semifinals) series against Dallas one of the greatest series you've played in. Was it also your most painful loss? More painful than the .4 series against L.A. (in 2004)?
About as bad. It has more to do with the way we lost. I think we got beat badly. We had a bad beat. We had pocket aces and we ran into some (bleep) on the river. :lol
Web Posted: 10/06/2006 09:11 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA100706.01C.BKNspurs.duncan.2b7de26.html
After enduring the most frustrating season of his career, Tim Duncan is healthy again and optimistic he can help the Spurs make another run at a championship. Staff writer Johnny Ludden spoke with him during the team's training camp in France.
This is going to be your 10th season in the NBA. Does that sound weird? Has it gone by fast?
It's gone by incredibly fast. Too fast. Every time before the season, I talk to Malik (Rose) and Antonio (Daniels) and they both said the same thing: Can you imagine it's 10 years? For Malik, it's 11 years. We're the old guys now.
This is somewhat of an older team. Robert (Horry) has talked about how this might be his last season. Bruce (Bowen) is 35. Brent (Barry) and Michael (Finley) aren't far behind. Do you guys have a small window to contend for another championship?
I think we've got another couple years where we'll be good. Tony (Parker) is on his upswing. Manu (Ginobili) is on his upswing and has another couple good, solid years in him. Hopefully, I have a couple good, solid years in me. With the addition of Francisco (Elson) and, of course, Bruce is always going to be solid. So we've got another couple good years in us.
It was fairly early in the preseason last year when your right foot started hurting you. Now that you've gone through six, seven solid practices, are you having any problems?
Nope. Nope. It's always in the back of my mind, but no pain, so I'm good.
You mentioned, I think, late last season that even you wondered whether your best days were behind you. Did the way you played in the playoffs help your confidence?
Yeah. It helped a lot at the right time, right situation to play well. I hope the carryover will be there.
You really struggled with your bank shot last year. Was that a point of emphasis this summer?
Working on my shot was a point of emphasis in general. Whether that translates to the bank shot or whatever else, I just need to be able to rely on it a little more.
A lot of guys have complained about the new ball. Some have said it's too slick. Some people have complained it sort of sticks to the backboard on bank shots and comes off the rim differently. How do you like it?
I like it when you're shooting by yourself. But once you're involved in any kind of situation then when it gets wet, it gets slippery. It's definitely different.
I think you called last year's (Western Conference semifinals) series against Dallas one of the greatest series you've played in. Was it also your most painful loss? More painful than the .4 series against L.A. (in 2004)?
About as bad. It has more to do with the way we lost. I think we got beat badly. We had a bad beat. We had pocket aces and we ran into some (bleep) on the river. :lol