duncan228
07-05-2007, 02:46 PM
Another Duncan love article. It really is nice to see him get this kind of press.
http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/63/20070702/dynastic_mr._duncan/
Dynastic Mr. Duncan
Authored by Matthew Gordon
Ever since Portland got lucky on ping-pong ball night, everyone’s been talking about the draft. Greg Oden’s the new enormous legend, Kevin Durant’s a mega-star in the making, the Florida crew of Noah, Horford and Brewer are all smart team players with good defensive games and Yi Jianlian is the best player out of China since Yao Ming.
Throughout the season, various young stars already in the league have been discussed and otherwise salivated over to the point of grisly demise.
Count Gilbert Arenas, thought of by many (albeit not yours truly) as a top-five player before his vomit-inducing 14-for-65 stretch, as well as the strongly emerging Carlos Boozer in this group. The former are merely what can be though, and the latter are talented but haven’t shown that special ability to dominate both ends of the court at once. There’s a lot that’s attractive about a 19-year old with out-of-this-world athleticism or a trendy 25-point scorer but they’re all limited in their own ways. Even Kevin Garnett missed the playoffs, Kobe Bryant bowed out in the first round and LeBron felt the sting of a Finals rout.
One man stands above them all.
Tim Duncan, still a somewhat spry 31, has had a couple weeks to deliberate over his fourth title in the past nine seasons. He’s played ten so far, spanning a decade that’s seen the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Shaq. Duncan’s seen a lot of things in his career but most prominently among them are three cornerstones that have defined his progression toward being one of the greatest players in league history: an all-around game, a winning mentality and consistency in both. These and so much more have made him the best player in the league.
More Than Just a Scorer
Most star players make their names putting the ball in the bucket. It’s to be expected; since the team that scores the most points wins the game, the player who scores the most points automatically gives his team some kind of an advantage. What’s common, though, is that the scorer neglects other parts of his game, a phenomenon exacerbated by the rearing of players who were stars at lower levels and always want to take the big shots. The result, in many cases, is a league filled with point guards who don’t pass enough, forwards who don’t rebound enough (this one’s to you, Tim Thomas) and offensive sets that turn stagnant. The number of players who are sub-par defenders (the infamous Curry line being a prime example) is too large to name.
Tim Duncan is the antithesis of this. While being a gifted scorer (20.0PPG, .546FG%) both in the low post and within fifteen, he’s a great passer who is the basis for the Spurs’ innovative wheel offense. His ability to hit either a cutter or a spot-up shooter while standing with his back to the basket or at the free-throw line is unparalleled, and has been at least partially responsible for Tony Parker turning into such a good scorer. The assists on the Spurs often come directly from the middle.
For all his offensive skills, whether scoring or passing, Duncan’s probably even better on defense. He’s a dominant shot-blocker (2.4BPG), capable of rotating on help defense or blocking his man; he’s a great defensive rebounder (7.9DRPG), consistently among the league leaders; and he’s notorious for getting stops. How he hasn’t won a single Defensive Player of the Year award by now is mind-boggling. :madrun
He gets even better in the playoffs. It’s as though he morphs into different legends based on his opposition :smokin ; he was Larry Bird against the Nuggets (20.2PPG, 10.6RPG, 5.4APG), Hakeem against the Suns (26.8PPG, 13.7RPG, 4.2BPG including nine blocks in one game), Patrick Ewing against the Jazz (21.8PPG, 2.8BPG, .576FG%) and, well, Hakeem again against the Cavs (11.5RPG, 1.2SPG, 2.2BPG). Reigning DPOY Marcus Camby, bullish post-scorer Amare Stoudemire, rebounding monster Carlos Boozer and Lithuanian giant Zydrunas Ilgauskas (of the not even double figures in the Finals) are united in that when it comes to who the world’s top dog is, they’re in no position to disagree.
The Mind of a Champion
Tim Duncan has traveled a long and illustrious path to becoming the dominant player we see today. He took over the league upon his being drafted back in ’97 and he’s slain every foe with unstoppable post moves and fundamentals that make textbooks look like tabloids. For all the muscle and all the wear on his chiselled seven-foot frame though, there’s even more working inside his head.
Having learned the pro game from the future Hall of Fame Admiral and having spent his whole career under the expert tutelage of future Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, he’s been around the best. Along with a massive body of heart and skills, the San Antonio environment has provided Duncan with first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to have high expectations and the confidence (maybe brashness?) to meet them. The effect is noticeable in the Spurs’ team success.
While the Mavericks and Suns coasted to huge regular season-performances that didn’t count for much come playoff time, the Spurs did what they’ve been doing all along. They eased up on Duncan’s minutes but still won fifty-eight games, playing the game in the same controlled way they always have, and then hunting down each team they’ve found. With the possible exception of the Suns series, no playoff series this season were even close. (As to the Suns apologists who cited the suspensions, they can remember that in game six, the Spurs were still missing Robert Horry while the Suns were at full strength. That’s already been discussed too many times for good sanity though.)
What we’re left with is a winning culture that’s seen many great people. The presence of David Robinson, courage of Sean Elliott and the feistiness of Avery Johnson have preceded the stickiness of Bruce Bowen, the intensity of Manu Ginobili and the relentlessness of Tony Parker but the man who’s epitomized the Spurs dynasty is number twenty-one.
(Lack of) Change Over Time
There have been many players who have had good seasons, even great ones. It wasn’t too long ago that Jerry Stackhouse, a nice player in his own right, averaged almost thirty points per game. Danny Fortson, for one, averaged more than a few double-doubles, including a sadly injury-shortened campaign that had him on pace for a whopping sixteen rebounds per game. What separates Duncan from the lesser All-Stars, the media-pushed stars and the complement guys is that what he does, he does better than anyone else and he does it all the time.
Let’s take a look at Duncan’s career stats:
PPG: 21.8
RPG: 11.9 (3.2 offensive)
APG: 3.2
SPG: 0.8
BPG: 2.5
FG%: .509
I’d go into some in-depth analysis of just how many points, rebounds and everything else Duncan has amassed but it would honestly be a waste of time. A quick, naked-eye comparison to Olajuwon (21.8PPG, 11.1RPG, 2.5APG, 1.7SPG, 3.1BPG career), Ewing (21.0PPG, 9.8RPG, 1.9APG, 1.0SPG, 2.4BPG), Robinson (21.1PPG, 10.6RPG, 2.5APG, 1.4SPG, 3.0BPG) and Alonzo Mourning (21.0PPG, 10.1RPG, 1.6APG, 0.7SPG, 3.1BPG in his first eight seasons) yields some very interesting findings:
Duncan is tied for first in points.
He is first in rebounds.
He is first in assists.
He’s not at the top in steals or blocked shots but part of that can be attributed to his tendency not to gamble on defence coupled with his lack of a superior post-defending teammate since Robinson’s retirement. Whereas Ewing had Charles Oakley and Mourning had PJ Brown, Duncan’s had Rasho Nesterovic and Francisco Elson.
It’s not like Duncan has done this in spurts either. Duncan has only averaged less than twenty points per game once and less than eleven rebounds per game once, both coming during seasons where Popovich has been forced to limit his minutes due to injury concerns. Even with a slew of medical problems, Duncan is still the man.
What’s even more impressive is the Spurs’ success. Many a player has put up enormous stats on a mediocre (or even horrid) team only to flounder in more opportune circumstances, but Duncan gets every point, rebound, assist, steal and block in an effort toward a winning team. Over the past ten years, the Spurs have never won less than fifty games except for a 37-13 lockout season (which means a .740 winning percentage, translating to a 61-21 record in eighty-two games). Also, aside from a brief hiccup against a 2000 Suns team led by Clifford Robinson and Jason Kidd, Duncan has never failed to see the second round. Even when the roster around him has changed, he’s remained that rock upon which the Spurs’ impervious fortress is built.
Next time you ask yourself who the best player in the world is, remember the criteria. Is it the best player on the best team? The player who’s won the most? The player who has the highest degree of skill? The answer to every one of those questions is the same. :spin
The NBA is a vast enterprise virtually spanning the globe and while David Stern might be the big boss in the New York offices, Tim Duncan is the emperor on the hardwood. :toast
http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/63/20070702/dynastic_mr._duncan/
Dynastic Mr. Duncan
Authored by Matthew Gordon
Ever since Portland got lucky on ping-pong ball night, everyone’s been talking about the draft. Greg Oden’s the new enormous legend, Kevin Durant’s a mega-star in the making, the Florida crew of Noah, Horford and Brewer are all smart team players with good defensive games and Yi Jianlian is the best player out of China since Yao Ming.
Throughout the season, various young stars already in the league have been discussed and otherwise salivated over to the point of grisly demise.
Count Gilbert Arenas, thought of by many (albeit not yours truly) as a top-five player before his vomit-inducing 14-for-65 stretch, as well as the strongly emerging Carlos Boozer in this group. The former are merely what can be though, and the latter are talented but haven’t shown that special ability to dominate both ends of the court at once. There’s a lot that’s attractive about a 19-year old with out-of-this-world athleticism or a trendy 25-point scorer but they’re all limited in their own ways. Even Kevin Garnett missed the playoffs, Kobe Bryant bowed out in the first round and LeBron felt the sting of a Finals rout.
One man stands above them all.
Tim Duncan, still a somewhat spry 31, has had a couple weeks to deliberate over his fourth title in the past nine seasons. He’s played ten so far, spanning a decade that’s seen the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Shaq. Duncan’s seen a lot of things in his career but most prominently among them are three cornerstones that have defined his progression toward being one of the greatest players in league history: an all-around game, a winning mentality and consistency in both. These and so much more have made him the best player in the league.
More Than Just a Scorer
Most star players make their names putting the ball in the bucket. It’s to be expected; since the team that scores the most points wins the game, the player who scores the most points automatically gives his team some kind of an advantage. What’s common, though, is that the scorer neglects other parts of his game, a phenomenon exacerbated by the rearing of players who were stars at lower levels and always want to take the big shots. The result, in many cases, is a league filled with point guards who don’t pass enough, forwards who don’t rebound enough (this one’s to you, Tim Thomas) and offensive sets that turn stagnant. The number of players who are sub-par defenders (the infamous Curry line being a prime example) is too large to name.
Tim Duncan is the antithesis of this. While being a gifted scorer (20.0PPG, .546FG%) both in the low post and within fifteen, he’s a great passer who is the basis for the Spurs’ innovative wheel offense. His ability to hit either a cutter or a spot-up shooter while standing with his back to the basket or at the free-throw line is unparalleled, and has been at least partially responsible for Tony Parker turning into such a good scorer. The assists on the Spurs often come directly from the middle.
For all his offensive skills, whether scoring or passing, Duncan’s probably even better on defense. He’s a dominant shot-blocker (2.4BPG), capable of rotating on help defense or blocking his man; he’s a great defensive rebounder (7.9DRPG), consistently among the league leaders; and he’s notorious for getting stops. How he hasn’t won a single Defensive Player of the Year award by now is mind-boggling. :madrun
He gets even better in the playoffs. It’s as though he morphs into different legends based on his opposition :smokin ; he was Larry Bird against the Nuggets (20.2PPG, 10.6RPG, 5.4APG), Hakeem against the Suns (26.8PPG, 13.7RPG, 4.2BPG including nine blocks in one game), Patrick Ewing against the Jazz (21.8PPG, 2.8BPG, .576FG%) and, well, Hakeem again against the Cavs (11.5RPG, 1.2SPG, 2.2BPG). Reigning DPOY Marcus Camby, bullish post-scorer Amare Stoudemire, rebounding monster Carlos Boozer and Lithuanian giant Zydrunas Ilgauskas (of the not even double figures in the Finals) are united in that when it comes to who the world’s top dog is, they’re in no position to disagree.
The Mind of a Champion
Tim Duncan has traveled a long and illustrious path to becoming the dominant player we see today. He took over the league upon his being drafted back in ’97 and he’s slain every foe with unstoppable post moves and fundamentals that make textbooks look like tabloids. For all the muscle and all the wear on his chiselled seven-foot frame though, there’s even more working inside his head.
Having learned the pro game from the future Hall of Fame Admiral and having spent his whole career under the expert tutelage of future Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, he’s been around the best. Along with a massive body of heart and skills, the San Antonio environment has provided Duncan with first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to have high expectations and the confidence (maybe brashness?) to meet them. The effect is noticeable in the Spurs’ team success.
While the Mavericks and Suns coasted to huge regular season-performances that didn’t count for much come playoff time, the Spurs did what they’ve been doing all along. They eased up on Duncan’s minutes but still won fifty-eight games, playing the game in the same controlled way they always have, and then hunting down each team they’ve found. With the possible exception of the Suns series, no playoff series this season were even close. (As to the Suns apologists who cited the suspensions, they can remember that in game six, the Spurs were still missing Robert Horry while the Suns were at full strength. That’s already been discussed too many times for good sanity though.)
What we’re left with is a winning culture that’s seen many great people. The presence of David Robinson, courage of Sean Elliott and the feistiness of Avery Johnson have preceded the stickiness of Bruce Bowen, the intensity of Manu Ginobili and the relentlessness of Tony Parker but the man who’s epitomized the Spurs dynasty is number twenty-one.
(Lack of) Change Over Time
There have been many players who have had good seasons, even great ones. It wasn’t too long ago that Jerry Stackhouse, a nice player in his own right, averaged almost thirty points per game. Danny Fortson, for one, averaged more than a few double-doubles, including a sadly injury-shortened campaign that had him on pace for a whopping sixteen rebounds per game. What separates Duncan from the lesser All-Stars, the media-pushed stars and the complement guys is that what he does, he does better than anyone else and he does it all the time.
Let’s take a look at Duncan’s career stats:
PPG: 21.8
RPG: 11.9 (3.2 offensive)
APG: 3.2
SPG: 0.8
BPG: 2.5
FG%: .509
I’d go into some in-depth analysis of just how many points, rebounds and everything else Duncan has amassed but it would honestly be a waste of time. A quick, naked-eye comparison to Olajuwon (21.8PPG, 11.1RPG, 2.5APG, 1.7SPG, 3.1BPG career), Ewing (21.0PPG, 9.8RPG, 1.9APG, 1.0SPG, 2.4BPG), Robinson (21.1PPG, 10.6RPG, 2.5APG, 1.4SPG, 3.0BPG) and Alonzo Mourning (21.0PPG, 10.1RPG, 1.6APG, 0.7SPG, 3.1BPG in his first eight seasons) yields some very interesting findings:
Duncan is tied for first in points.
He is first in rebounds.
He is first in assists.
He’s not at the top in steals or blocked shots but part of that can be attributed to his tendency not to gamble on defence coupled with his lack of a superior post-defending teammate since Robinson’s retirement. Whereas Ewing had Charles Oakley and Mourning had PJ Brown, Duncan’s had Rasho Nesterovic and Francisco Elson.
It’s not like Duncan has done this in spurts either. Duncan has only averaged less than twenty points per game once and less than eleven rebounds per game once, both coming during seasons where Popovich has been forced to limit his minutes due to injury concerns. Even with a slew of medical problems, Duncan is still the man.
What’s even more impressive is the Spurs’ success. Many a player has put up enormous stats on a mediocre (or even horrid) team only to flounder in more opportune circumstances, but Duncan gets every point, rebound, assist, steal and block in an effort toward a winning team. Over the past ten years, the Spurs have never won less than fifty games except for a 37-13 lockout season (which means a .740 winning percentage, translating to a 61-21 record in eighty-two games). Also, aside from a brief hiccup against a 2000 Suns team led by Clifford Robinson and Jason Kidd, Duncan has never failed to see the second round. Even when the roster around him has changed, he’s remained that rock upon which the Spurs’ impervious fortress is built.
Next time you ask yourself who the best player in the world is, remember the criteria. Is it the best player on the best team? The player who’s won the most? The player who has the highest degree of skill? The answer to every one of those questions is the same. :spin
The NBA is a vast enterprise virtually spanning the globe and while David Stern might be the big boss in the New York offices, Tim Duncan is the emperor on the hardwood. :toast