Tim doesn't have Kobe in his 5...

[Strike]

Taken from some random website, after it was taken from some Tim Duncan interview.


http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1007/851054873_163c875412.jpg
Things have been awkward ever since
Kobe found out he's not in Tim's five...


I've been sitting on this one for a while. It's from the 10 Sense with...Tim Duncan interview that appeared in the February issue of Dime Magazine. Duncan was asked which starting five, out of anybody in the NBA, he'd choose to go to war with. His answer is pretty interesting:

"My ideal starting five? Honestly, the five that Adidas put together, you can't argue with that at all. KG, T-Mac, Gilbert, Chauncy and myself. You can't argue with that five compared to anyone else. As a sixth man, I might add Kobe. Or, shit, even put Manu in there with us."

Now, Tim Duncan is the greatest winner of the last decade and the co-most dominant player alongside Shaq (although it could be argued that Shaq hasn't been truly dominant since 2004-05). And it's not just the winning, but how he's won: Four titles in nine years, while his team has changed drastically around him. The fact is, he plays "team basketball" better than probably anyone in the league (which I think is why he's so dominant without really looking dominant).

And he wouldn't want Kobe Bryant, the so-called "best player" in the league, in his starting five.

I don't know. Maybe it's not that big of an insult. After all, he left out a lot of other really good players, guys like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Shaq, etc. And he was also plugging for Adidas, the company that pays him a lot of money to endorse their products.

But the fact that he relegated Kobe to the sixth man role, then casually replaced him with Manu Ginobili was like a backhanded insult. I mean, think about it: "I don't want you starting, but you can be sixth man. Oh, wait, no you can't...I'll take this other guy instead." Why would Tim say that? Well, maybe it has to do with one of his follow-up statements:

"I'd say 60-70 percent don't 'get it' -- players who play for the wrong reasons or teams playing the wrong way. It's those few teams that 'get it' that elevate themselves."

Maybe that's it. Maybe he, like many other people, thinks Kobe just doesn't "get it." Whatever the reason, I still got a good laugh out of it. Thanks, Tim.[/B]

[Medvedenko]

Geez....he's pumping up his Addidas teammates.....big deal, much a do about nothing.

[Strike]

Obviously.

[SouthernFried]

I'd take Manu over Kobe too.

For reasons that the "60-70% who don't get it" wouldn't understand.

But, TMAC over MANU? That's just dumb Timmy. :p:

[pawe]

That is the perfect answer. A quick one without further explanation and all the while endorsing your product. It's also a safe way to answer so you wont be hurting anyone in terms of skills and quality (well, Bryant is a dramatic pussy so whatever you say that mentions his name will affect him).

[bdictjames]

Well, they were having a campaign for Adidas, Duncan really wouldn't put that as his five, you know, just because to boost the whole Adidas campaign thing.

Just stating the obvious lol.

[nkdlunch]

his answer should have been Spurs starting 4 plus manu

he actually disrespected his teammates what a disgrace!!! :sleep

[spursfan09]

:lol Can't go wrong with the adidas starting 5. And can't go wrong with Manu either. Who knows that better than someone who goes to court wars with him?

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I remember Tim was one of the few who players when asked, who's the best/most talented player in the league...

and most NBA players said Kobe, but Tim chose KG. Maybe he's reluctant to concede to Kobe...skirts the issue around Kobe's baggage...:lol


and then that same article, none (or not many) said they wanted "to play with" Kobe. But that was around 2006 or something. I think most said they wanted to play with Tim Duncan. I'm just going off memory.


he actually disrespected his teammates what a disgrace!!!
Well, it was kinda like a political question. Manu should feel honored he got mentioned off the cuff. :lol

[ATX Spur]

This article is made up, right?

[Jimcs50]

Kobe>>>>>Arenas

He would be in my starting five, no doubt about it.

If I had to have a last second basket to win a game or a championship, I would give Kobe the ball over anyone, that is a given.

[duncan228]

This article is made up, right?

Hard to tell.

There's no link, it says it's from Dime Magazine.
I searched Dime pretty thoroughly but I'm not finding it.
I usually don't miss much on Duncan, I don't recall reading or hearing about it when it says it came out.

Strike says "Taken from some random website, after it was taken from some Tim Duncan interview." Without a link or being able to find the source you just never know.

What Duncan "said" doesn't seem off base, it seems believable that he would play up his adidas connection when asked about a starting five.

[Mixability]

"Or, shit, even put Manu in there with us"

The fact that he cussed makes me think it's bogus.

[ancestron]

"Or, shit, even put Manu in there with us"

The fact that he cussed makes me think it's bogus.
well he did call joey crawford a piece of shit...
and I'm sure I've heard him say "thats bullshit!" a time or two...

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

"Or, shit, even put Manu in there with us"

The fact that he cussed makes me think it's bogus.
Does Duncan not use swear words?

But yeah, a [shoot] would have seemed more legit for an "article/interview"

but I don't get the agenda of making something up just to say Duncan slighted Kobe...what would be the point of making it a fake article?

...so, whatever.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

well he did call joey crawford a piece of shit...
and I'm sure I've heard him say "thats bullshit!" a time or two...
He said "What the fuck is your problem"

to Mark Madsen two weeks ago. :lol

[ancestron]

He said "What the fuck is your problem"

to Mark Madsen two weeks ago. :lol

Yeah that was awesome. Didn't Duncan get "Mad Dog" fouled out in the following minute or so?

[DazedAndConfused]

Manu over KB? Haha, that is hilarious. I guess nobody here watched Team USA over the summer, KB24 was the leader of that team.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

his answer should have been Spurs starting 4 plus manu

he actually disrespected his teammates what a disgrace!!! :sleep

Agreed. This is ridiculous.

BtW, Pistons GOT it - they are one of the few teams that know what they need to do and how to do it. Main reason they ran over the Lakers in 2004.

Lakers don't GET it
Utah for the most part GET it
Nuggets don't GET it

etc etc etc

[DazedAndConfused]

Agreed. This is ridiculous.

BtW, Pistons GOT it - they are one of the few teams that know what they need to do and how to do it. Main reason they ran over the Lakers in 2004.

Lakers don't GET it
Utah for the most part GET it
Nuggets don't GET it

etc etc etc

The Lakers won 3 championships in a row with very questionable team chemistry. You don't have to like the players you're with to win. You don't even have to be moral or ethical. All that matters is that you play well together as a team. It would have been 4 in a row had Malone never gotten injured.

I don't buy Timmy's BS.

[Strike]

Here's the link. Scroll down until you find it. (http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html)


Dime Magazine (http://www.dimemag.com/)

[SpurOutofTownFan]

The Lakers won 3 championships in a row with very questionable team chemistry. You don't have to like the players you're with to win. You don't even have to be moral or ethical. All that matters is that you play well together as a team. It would have been 4 in a row had Malone never gotten injured.

I don't buy Timmy's BS.

I give you Malone's injury had some impact in the overall outcome but Pistons were just too good for them and seemed to know how to counter their game plan every game.

[polandprzem]

Someone took Timmay seriously?

[duncan228]

Here's the link. Scroll down until you find it. (http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html)


Dime Magazine (http://www.dimemag.com/)

Thanks for the links Strike.

I still can't seem to find it in Dime, but I'm not the greatest searcher.

The basketbawlful blog site is fun. I'd never been there.

[DazedAndConfused]

I give you Malone's injury had some impact in the overall outcome but Pistons were just too good for them and seemed to know how to counter their game plan every game.

Possibly, but at the end of the day the Pistons took care of business and deserved to win that championship.

To be honest I don't know if Shaq and Kobe could have kept it going much longer. We probably would have had 1-2 more chances at a ring, but beyond that we would be done. No cap room, Malone and GP gone, no young talent. We'd be in hell if we had ever extended Shaq for the money he wanted. It was a good run while it lasted and I'm grateful as a fan for those amazing 4 years. And FTW, we owned the Spurs during that time. 0.4 seconds!

[batboy]

Whoah Duncan said "shit" in an interview...


BTW Kobe has only ever had very respectful things to say about Duncan oddly enough, supposedly loves to watch tape of him. I don't see how that is supposed to help a guard but hey...