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Duncan Era dim?
I think they polish the trophies.
Spurs after 5th le as Duncan era begins to dim
By Paul J. Weber
Unlike nearly half of the San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan came back this season. That meant coach Gregg Popovich did, too.
But when Duncan leaves?
“It’s just a freak of nature that our contracts coincide perfectly,” quipped Popovich, dusting off a wisecrack he’s recycled for years.
Sooner rather than later, Pop’s punch line will be no joke.
Duncan enters his 13th season with the end of his brilliant career squarely in sight. On paper, there are three years left on his contact. On the court, the signs are in the con uous brace guarding his vulnerable left knee and in his starring role getting smaller.
The Big Fundamental is staring down the big inevitable.
“It’s very logical, it’s very real. I’ve got a couple years left on my career, and hopefully I can end it strong,” Duncan said after arriving at training camp. “I know the window for me is closing.”
At 23, Duncan was a prodigious talent making home movies of his first NBA le celebration because he said there was no guarantee he’d get the chance again. Now 33, Duncan is a four-time champion and perhaps the greatest power forward in NBA history, a guy Shaquille O’Neal considers his rival for claim to the greatest big man of their generation.
But Duncan is also a guy who auditioned six knee braces this summer. He’s coming off just the second time in his career that the Spurs didn’t advance past the first round of the playoffs. In March, he was diagnosed with tendonosis in his right quad and began skipping games to save his legs.
By April, the banged-up Spurs were done, and Duncan was off on his earliest vacation in nine years after Dallas manhandled San Antonio in five games. The Spurs, entrenched in a win-now mode as much as ever, hope the rest did him good.
Their chances of winning a fifth championship in 11 years depend on it.
“At 32, 33, 34, the age we have, you’re never going to be what you were at 25. That’s natural and we all go through that,” said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who is 32. “But he’s going to be an All-Star and give us 20 and 10. If it’s not 20 and 10, it’s going to be 19 and 9 1/2 .”
That may be enough, considering the pieces the Spurs added this summer.
Not wanting to squander whatever’s left in the Duncan era, the Spurs embarked on the biggest roster overhaul in the NBA this offseason.
They dumped six players and brought eight new faces to training camp, the most substantial between-seasons makeover of a Spurs team since Duncan arrived in 1997.
They eagerly took on the $29.2 million owed over the next two years to swingman Richard Jefferson, signed a much-needed rebounder in Antonio McDyess and picked up Pitt All-America forward DeJuan Blair in the draft.
The urgency for San Antonio is best conveyed in its bottom line: typically mocked as one of the more frugal teams in the league, the Spurs went over the luxury tax threshold for what general manager R.C. Buford said has happened just two or three times before.
In tough economic times, Buford and Popovich praised Spurs owner Peter Holt for spending the money on the moves to make a run. Ginobili’s contact is up after this season and guard Tony Parker, entering the prime of his career, has two years left.
The overhaul also got the approval of another important stakeholder.
“I don’t think there’s been many things that have gone on since Tim joined this program—I mean, since when we joined Tim’s program—that Tim hasn’t had significant input on,” Buford said.
Duncan shed 15 pounds over the summer and gave himself an extra month off to save his strength for the spring. Parker may have seized the role of the chief offensive weapon—Ginobili called Parker the team’s new “natural” leading scorer—but San Antonio’s success still hinges on Duncan staying healthy.
Duncan is one of only three active players with four championships, along with O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher.
“He’s the same. He’s fundamental, one of the smartest players I’ve ever played against,” O’Neal said. “For me and him, it’s the first to five (championships). That’s it.”
If Duncan wins that race, he says it won’t be because of him.
“I’m not carrying any weight. I’m just riding those guys,” Duncan said of his new-look team. “I’m just along for the ride.”
Duncan Era dim?
I think they polish the trophies.
What a bittersweet quote. Funny, yet sad.
For better or for worse, enjoy these times, Spurs fans.
How many times do we have to read this recycled trash of Tim Duncan's twilight years? That quote about his window closing and being along for the ride has been used from the Express News to Yahoo to ESPN and all others in between.
How about the Boston Celtics? Now those are some old dudes over there whose window seems to be closing.
Classic response from a classic player. The mentallity is phenominal, unselfish and team oriented.“I’m not carrying any weight. I’m just riding those guys,” Duncan said of his new-look team. “I’m just along for the ride.”
That's what wins championships and come June...if healthy...Duncan will seal the quest with his 5th ring and trophy and... if not already established...secure his place as the greatest PF to ever play the game.
I really don't understand why a player like Duncan should quit at 35/36 years...if not for the reason that he lost passion for the game.
He's never been a player that based his game on power or athleticism or jumping...but instead he based his game on fondamentals, intelligence, positioning in the right way!
So is easy to see him in the "limited" role till he will be over 40 years old...always givin a big contribution to the team (a la jabbar, that played till 42 years old).
Hey, Shaq has the some playoff games, carries a lot more weight on his knees and is still playing at 37...
Is Hollinger this guy's math instructor?Duncan is one of only three active players with four championships, along with O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher.
Duncan has said it more than once, he's done at the end of this contract.
Duncan's game can and probably will hold up, but the grind of the schedule on his knees is taking its toll. His family is young, he wants time with them. He's going to go out while his game is still strong.“It’s very logical, it’s very real. I’ve got a couple years left on my career, and hopefully I can end it strong,” Duncan said after arriving at training camp. “I know the window for me is closing.”
I hope to see him raise another trophy before he's done, but his resume is cemented no matter what these last years bring.
I've thought he'd be done at the end of this contract since he signed it. I hope I'm wrong and he plays longer but I respect his wish to go out on his terms.
I cant imagine the Spurs with no Duncan..
I second this. I want Timmy to keep playing as long as he still loves the game, even in a limited role, backing Blair and Tiago.
I wouldn't be upset if he went out on top. Seeing guys like DRob with back pain and Ewing with 2 huge knee braces helplessly chasing the action end to end made me sad. You just knew it wasn't their era anymore.
Reality check.......
All good things must come to an end, so make it a good end.
Dang, SB beat me to it. Duncan has said repeatedly he only has a couple of years left, but I saw a quote somewhere (I think from Stein) that mentioned he might go a year or so more than that.
Why in the bloody does yahoo carry this perfectly mediocre article when they have Ludden on staff???
What else do you expect from Tim? Remember how he said every Spurs player was an MVP when he received his 3rd FMVP in 05. He is pure class.
How many times can the same story be re-written and published in a different publication? Get a new angle already!!!
When the time comes it will be hard to quit unless his game has really sufferred (possible but unlikely) or the Spurs team isn't remotely a contender (fairly unlikely.) I remember reading a report about how he stayed for his senior year at Wake Forest just because he knew that once he was out of college, he was done. He could never have that part of his life again. Well, once he's out of the NBA he'll be done, so it would not surprise me if he played into his late 30's.
On the other hand, he's got a young family, and he may take the path of DRob and retire while he still has it.
I do think all these "The time is near for Duncan" articles is just a way for these writers to spin training camp news. The time is no nearer for TD than it is for Garnett, Shaq, AI and maybe even Kobe, but the press has locked onto this angle in Duncan's case.
It would not surprise me, honestly, if Manu's career ends before Duncan's. (Though I hope to see them both playing and playing together for years)
You see, what this Celtics do really doesn't matter, as they will be forgot decade later.
On the other hand, for the greatest PF in history, for the best franchise in this decade, how they end up with will be the focus of history.
duncan era is not over blair will lengthen duncan era
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