Some Duncan love for those of us who can never get enough...
http://stories.dailytimes.com/story....69b0d237bcffe4
Duncan an all-star in every way
By Bill Begley
The Daily Times
It’s a lot like the cedar, without the sniffles.
It’s January, midway through the NBA season, and Tim Duncan is going to the all-star game. Again.
The last time the Spurs’ power forward didn’t play in the mid-season exhibition was 1997.
There’s a reason for that. Duncan was still a college All-American that 1996-97 season.
That minor technicality was remedied quickly with his arrival in San Antonio
Every year since, like clockwork — or, like the arrival of itchy eyes and runny noses all around this part of the world — fans look around, try to figure out if there is anyone else to pick, shrug their shoulders and mark the box.
Which makes him the FDR of the NBA, and he is that because he is a pillar of consistency, both in ability and character.
In a world when most superstars have entourages larger than the number of players on team rosters, Duncan’s no-frills, down-to-earth sensibility is refreshing — almost to the point that his desire not to stand out from the crowd succeeds in achieving just that.
Most postgames, Duncan’s “people” generally consist of his wife and two children, unless it’s too late for the kids to be out.
He’s a video game junkie who admits to being afraid of heights (and, since he’s 6-foot-11, things have to be pretty tall to qualify), and he radiates an “everyman” quality until he begins to speak. Then, the sheer volume of his intelligence — he graduated from Wake Forest with a degree in psychology — radiates like an aura.
“I always talk about being the most fortunate guy in the league,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said earlier this season. “I have the easiest job because my superstar wants to practice every day.
“He expects other people to bring it every day. He complains about nothing. He trusts what I do, for some strange reason. And, on top of that, I can get on him, tell him when he’s playing bad, really get into him if he’s not rebounding or if I think there’s something he’s not doing, and he accepts criticism. And if that person accepts criticism, the rest of the job is a breeze.”
Duncan has been making things breezy for a long time in San Antonio, and he’s doing so this season in a number of ways, including one subtle and perceptive twist.
His numbers are not eye-popping — the typical 19 or so points, 11 or so rebounds — and more and more the Spurs look to two other players, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, when points are needed in critical situations.
Whispers of a changing of the guard, a shift in focus in the team’s pecking order, float out there, and Popovich nips them in the bud quickly.
“His role that the ball goes through him,” Popovich said. “He’s our filter, and that role hasn’t changed a lick. He’s our best shot-blocker, our best rebounder. His role’s exactly the same as it’s always been. He doesn’t have the burden of scoring as much as he used to because of those two guys.”
Any question about Duncan’s ability to step up in key games was erased again Wednesday, when he poured in 28 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead San Antonio back from a nine-point halftime deficit to a 103-91 win over the Lakers.
What is happening in San Antonio is not a changing of the guard, but an expanding of the focus, and Duncan’s egoless acceptance is a tribute to his focus and character, as well as an homage to the player who did the same for him.
“I think it depends on a player’s intelligence and character, and I think he did for them what David (Robinson) did for him,” Popovich said. “David realized (Duncan) was a heck of a player, and (Duncan) realized those two guys are players. People who are selfless and intelligent and care more about the team than anything else welcome that sort of situation, so he didn’t have any problem with that.”
And that means fewer problems for the Spurs.
It's always nice to read something about Duncan.
That's the main reason I admire Duncan, aside from his great basketball skills.
After re-watching the Heat game, it hit me how special of a game that was for Tim Duncan. I mean, the guy has already done everything possible in the game of basketball. He could retire tomorrow and go down as an all-time great.
But there he was, outworking everyone on the Spurs. A day after playing 40 minutes against the Lakers in a late game and taking a red-eye to play an early game in Miami, Duncan plays 39 minutes and carries the Spurs to victory. He could have easily slept thru the game like everyone else on the team did. Instead he led the charge for the win.
And while there have been other highly motivated stars in NBA history, I don't know of a player as team motivated as Duncan. Duncan doesn't care about anything other than winning. Does anyone think Duncan loses a wink of sleep because he's not leading the team in scoring or because his stats aren't as impressive as they used to be? Of course not. Duncan doesn't care about numbers or awards or recognition or anything other than winning.
Duncan is now the unquestioned leader of this team. He'll do whatever it takes for the team to win. If Manu and Tony both averaged 25 and made the All-Star team ahead of him, he wouldn't care. As long as he got that ring at the end of the season.
It's true that Duncan landed in the perfect situation next to a big man he could grow up next to in David Robinson. He also arrived with the perfect coach in Pop. But Duncan has taken full advantage of everything and has grown into the arguably the best teammate in the history of sport.
The Spurs might win the championship or they might not. But as a Spurs fan I like our chances with #21 on our side. I know that at the very least he'll make sure this team will go down swinging.
he is the luckiest coach in the league and we are the luckiest fans in the league for having a guy like Duncan as our superstar.
Nice stuff timvp. I don't know if I've ever read you say so much about Duncan at once. (I'll have to search your zillions of posts to see what I don't remember.)
Obviously I agree with everything you said and I appreciate you putting it in words so beautifully for the rest of us.
Duncan is a special player, a special man. We've all been lucky to watch him so closely.
There's never been another one quite like him and I doubt there ever will be. Regardless of where he ends up in the record books I will cherish every second I get to watch him play.
We Spurs fans get to watch Tim night after night, game after game - and I think we sometimes take for granted how good he is. But when someone writes an article like this - we sit up and smile really big - because he's "our" Timmy!
It still stuns me that here's a guy that has 4 les and 10 All-Star appearances with the same team by age 31 and he's not widely regarded as a top 5 player of all time.
Seriously... Duncan is in the same class as Bird and Magic in my book. Only maybe Michael Jordan and Bill Russell have done more, no?
I agree completely. There's no doubt in my mind that history will remember him as an equal to those greats you mentioned. However, people won't/don't choose to realize it until he's retired.
Who knows... maybe he's got enough left to win a couple more chips... If that's the case there's no limit to where he will rank among the all timers.
He's got more Championships in him.
And he will go down as one of the all time greatest to ever play.
He already is.
i think there is definitively lot more basketball to be played by Tim... his will is everything... just stunning to see how much he grows making his teammates grow... he is a role model and one of the all time leaders in any team sport in history
Thanks, duncan228 for finding another great article about Tim. It's always good to read things like these because they only confirm what many of us think of Duncan. As many have already said, we are truly blessed to have such a tremendous person on our team. How can you not appreciate what he had done for the Spurs? How can you not realize the special player that he is? People get caught up in the media and who has the best commercials and the most endorsements, but the bottom line is what a guy does on the court. Duncan is in a class by himself and when all is said and done, we will be telling our grandchildren about how we watched one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Duncan makes me proud to be a Spurs fan.
No problem. I try to be picky, if I posted everything I have on him Kori would need a Duncan only forum.
I would add to this that one of the things I like about Duncan is he's true to himself off the court as well. He lets his game speak for him, but off the court he has his charities and his quiet family life. No headlines, no bs. What you see is what you get with Duncan.
I said it earlier today, Duncan is class personified.
Great post timvp
Why doesn't Duncan get props?
I think it is because the general sports fan is "down" on the NBA in the new millennium.
Maybe because he doesn't capture the imagination like Jordan or represent a coast or a bitter rivalry like Bird or Magic.
Maybe because he's not vociferous like Shaq or controversial like Kobe.
Or overhyped like LeBron.
But again, how many players have 4 rings and 10 All-Star appearances and regular season MVP and Finals MVP with the same team?
Question.
People should embrace and celebrate this consummate professional.
Haven't I already read this article before?
Thanks for sharing and what a nice read, duncan228!
Not here on ST. It came out on the 25th.
I post a lot of Duncan stuff, I check that I'm not double posting. I'm sure I've messed up before but not on this one.
Gulf Coast > West Coast > East Coast.
Not here on ST. It came out on the 25th.
I post a lot of Duncan stuff, I check that I'm not double posting. I'm sure I've messed up before but not on this one.
I was trying to be being glib. I meant that TD has had dozens of articles written about how wonderful he is.
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