I'm sick and tired of how many people overrate the "flukiness" of Duncan's 3 ball...

[NoMoneyDown]

I get it, it was a crazy shot, and one that you don't expect to happen in a game.


However, seeing that TD can hit the 18 footer fairly consistently, is it so hard to believe that a wide open 3 isn't out of the question?

Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing amazing amazing shot, but some of the critics are making it sound like Duncan had a 1/1000 chance of making it, and he got lucky and it went in.

I thought his shot over Shaq in '04 was way "flukier" than this.

sorry, just had to vent.

I think if he would have banked it in people wouldn't have questioned it so much.

[WildcardManu]

Because it was a FLUKE!

How many times he does that on a regular basis?

The Suns could have and should have covered Timmy, and because of that, you have to live with the fluke shot that went in.

[CosmicCowboy]

Fluke? LOL

That was a called play out of a timeout with Tim as the second option...Why do you think he was hiding out above the three point line instead of cutting for the basket? Pop totally blew the Suns mind (and their defense) with that play.

You can't take Tims game stats as an accurate indicator of his ability to hit a three. Tim shooting threes is not a normal part of the Spurs game plan so he rarely takes threes in rhythm on called plays...Many of those misses were baseball style shots from the other end of the court after taking the inbounds pass with quarters expiring (which still count as missed threes) or off balance throw ups to beat the shot clock when better options weren't available...

Suns fans need to get over the fact that just because Duncan doesn't play like Dirk and chunk up shot after shot from the perimeter he clearly can square up and shoot threes in rhythm when the situation calls for it.

[WildcardManu]

Fluke? LOL

That was a called play out of a timeout with Tim as the second option...Why do you think he was hiding out above the three point line instead of cutting for the basket? Pop totally blew the Suns mind (and their defense) with that play.

You can't take Tims game stats as an accurate indicator of his ability to hit a three. Tim shooting threes is not a normal part of the Spurs game plan so he rarely takes threes in rhythm on called plays...Many of those misses were baseball style shots from the other end of the court after taking the inbounds pass with quarters expiring (which still count as missed threes) or off balance throw ups to beat the shot clock when better options weren't available...

Suns fans need to get over the fact that just because Duncan doesn't play like Dirk and chunk up shot after shot from the perimeter he clearly can square up and shoot threes in rhythm when the situation calls for it.

If any, blame the Suns for letting Timmy getting comfortable with his shot during the game, the man was making his jump shots, why can't he make a three if he sets himself up when wide open? His confidence was high for shooting during that game, so why not jack up the three

[Jdspur20]

For his career in 3 point shots:

24-126

All-Star 1-3

Playoffs: 4-24

I'm not surprised that he hit it, it was a clutch shot and he's a clutch player. But the stats aren't with him, so other people being surprised isn't shocking.

exactly. he's a clutch player. he knows when to turn it on. as a spurs fan, i wasnt shocked at all. he had a good look at it and plenty of time to shoot. (i'm sure he plays around at the 3 point line in practice accasionally.)

[duncan228]

That was a called play out of a timeout with Tim as the second option...

The play has been described differently from the time it happened. In the post game press conference Pop said Duncan was his third option and "imagine my horror when it went in his direction." I think Manu said something about trusting Duncan when he passed it to him.

And Duncan says something else on his site:

"Still, instead of responding to all the e-mails I've gotten about it, let me answer some of the things that people most seem to want to know about that shot. First, the play was not drawn up that way. I couldn't remember when the last three-pointer I shot took place prior to that one (except the one in the shootout at the All Star game), but I can assure you that we have guys on the team that can hit that with better accuracy. What happened was that Shaquille O'Neal left me to try to block Manu Ginobili's drive to the basket. I pulled back beyond the arc at that moment and somehow Manu saw me standing wide open. I don't have to tell you that he has amazing court vision. The fact that he hit me with an incredibly fast and accurate pass at that moment is incredible. He was flying to the basket, yet he swung that ball through the air, past the reach of our opponents and squarely into my hands. Still, the game was not over at that point. As I said earlier, winning in the playoffs is all about teamwork. Many of us have played together for some time and we spend all year getting ready for these types of moments in the playoffs."

http://www.slamduncan.com/diary.php

I think it's par for the course with this team. Everyone is giving everyone else the credit.

[spursfor5]

It was an amazing shot, no doubt about it. But I don't know why people are so surprised. He did hit the 3 point shots in the Shooting Stars Compe ion during the All Star Break.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I0JDOq64ahI

I think its even funnier all the comments the commentators made about Tim's 3-pt shooting. If they only knew then what they know now.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

LOL

speaking of "flukiness"

Dan (Chicago, Il): Is game 5 a career defining game for Nash, D'antoni, et al.? Seems to me a win could make a season (career?) savagable for the Suns while a loss would change quite a bit.

SportsNation Bill Simmons: (12:29 PM ET ) Depends on how the game plays out - if they quit in the second half like Dallas did on Sunday night (how humiliating was that?), then yes, I'd agree. But this was a pretty flukey series. Phoenix choked away Game 1 three different times. They were right there in game 2, and then in Game 3, SA played the single best playoff game that anyone will play in this entire playoffs. If they played this series 10 times, I still think each team would win 4 times, then the other 2 times would come down to luck-breaks-bounces etc.

SportsNation Bill Simmons: (12:29 PM ET ) Anyway, if Phoenix just gives up tonight, I'd say that Mike D needs to go and they need to re-invent the team. Regardless, he should be coaching Toronto, that's the perfect team for him.

[michaelwcho]

For his career in 3 point shots:

24-126

All-Star 1-3

Playoffs: 4-24

I'm not surprised that he hit it, it was a clutch shot and he's a clutch player. But the stats aren't with him, so other people being surprised isn't shocking.

True, but I wonder how many of those were desperation heaves as opposed to well-set up shots. I have a feeling TD would be tough in "Around the World".

[duncan228]

True, but I wonder how many of those were desperation heaves as opposed to well-set up shots. I have a feeling TD would be tough in "Around the World".

Most that I remember were end of the shot clock have to put it up.

[Galileo]

For his career in 3 point shots:

24-126

All-Star 1-3

Playoffs: 4-24

I'm not surprised that he hit it, it was a clutch shot and he's a clutch player. But the stats aren't with him, so other people being surprised isn't shocking.

good find duncan228.

Also remember that many of these threes are desperation shots at the end of a quarter and with a low shot clock. Duncan shoots much better than 19% when he has an uncontested open look at a three.

[twincam]

Tim Duncan squared himself up for the shot. It was a legitament 3-pointer that went in. It was not luck. It's just something that people don't see from Duncan on a normal/frequency basis. It's not like if he'd never make another 3-pointer in his career. He was at the right place at, the right time. It was a pure clutch shot. If it was a premier 3-point shooter who actually missed the shot, he'd be criticized, no matter what. So basically, you have a 50% chance of making a big wide open shot (on that one attempt), no matter who you are. The best 3-point shooter in the NBA is shooting about 47%, so that speaks volumes when it comes to chances of making a big 3 or missing a big 3. Feel better now? Numbers don't lie.

So in short, "you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't" when it comes to making/missing a big shot. It's life. All haters MUST get over it and blame D'Antoni for not fouling the Spurs when they should have. They (Suns) failed to do so TWICE and in the same game. Live and learn the "first time", not the "second".

The San Antonio Spurs...."Hated by many, envied by all" -My personal motto

[Tacker]

Any professional basketball player can hit an uncontested thre

[LavaLamp]

I like how Duncan says it: "I have great confidence in that shot. It's just that no one else does." (not verbatim)

[lrrr]

Any professional basketball player can hit an uncontested thre

Except Shaq.

But how many can do it with a game on the line? A playoff game?

Anyone who calls this a "lucky" shot sounds just like Vlade Divac after Horry stuck them with the 3 ball at the buzzer in game 4. That is LOOOOOOSER talk.