Ageless Tim Duncan Just Won't Go Away, and Here's Why

[bklynspursfan]

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich actually joked in front of reporters a month ago about Duncan asking for another three-year contract. But jokes are all you can hope to get regarding how much longer Duncan expects to play—in-house, that is.

The San Antonio mantra to block out any distractions from the here and now has only intensified since a momentary loss of focus 25 seconds too early cost them a fifth le last summer. That's why you'll see Popovich haranguing his players this season more than ever for a slip in execution, even with a double-digit lead—and why his players are willing to take it.

"He also went through a nasty divorce that leaves him driving Sydney, 9, and Draven, 7, to school at 7:30 a.m. and catching naps in the Spurs' training facility before practice. He makes a point of having them on the bench as he warms up for games and getting them set up in the family room before tipoff. They wait for him in the tunnel to the locker room for a quick hug or high five at halftime. He has, at least once, sat down in the hallway outside the Spurs locker room to adjudicate a tiff between them before joining his teammates in the locker room."


"As far as basketball and his love for the game, that hasn't changed in the 17 years I've known him," says Stephen Jackson, who played parts of four seasons with Duncan, first in 2003 and again eight years later. "As soon as the season is over, I guarantee you there aren't three guys in the league who will be in the gym before him.""He's a different one because it's this internal fire," says Spurs assistant coach Sean Marks, whose 11 playing seasons included two with Duncan. "He'd never say it, but I think he wants to be remembered as one of the best ever—best power forward, top five all time. You'll never hear that come from his mouth, but somewhere it's deep down in there."



More in the link below. Figured we got a few days before game 1, might as well read some great stuff on TD.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-until-he-does

[Chomag]

We are so blessed to have gotten those ping-pong-balls to drop for us to land him! What a special player, I dont believe there will be ANYONE like him coming through that door let alone into the NBA for a very long time.

[Sean Cagney]

We are so blessed to have gotten those ping-pong-balls to drop for us to land him! What a special player, I dont believe there will be ANYONE like him coming through that door let alone into the NBA for a very long time.

Changed the history of the team BIGTIME, without him there is no banners up there IMO.

I just wished we tanked one of the years they did bad in the playoffs to get another superstar

[FromWayDowntown]

Changed the history of the team BIGTIME, without him there is no banners up there IMO.

Without him, they're likely the New Orleans Spurs or the St. Louis Spurs or the Anaheim Spurs.

[spurs10]

Man, we are lucky! Sure have been loving seeing him play this year with his quiet DETERMINATION.....

[Sybok]

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich actually joked in front of reporters a month ago about Duncan asking for another three-year contract. But jokes are all you can hope to get regarding how much longer Duncan expects to play—in-house, that is.

The San Antonio mantra to block out any distractions from the here and now has only intensified since a momentary loss of focus 25 seconds too early cost them a fifth le last summer. That's why you'll see Popovich haranguing his players this season more than ever for a slip in execution, even with a double-digit lead—and why his players are willing to take it.

"He also went through a nasty divorce that leaves him driving Sydney, 9, and Draven, 7, to school at 7:30 a.m. and catching naps in the Spurs' training facility before practice. He makes a point of having them on the bench as he warms up for games and getting them set up in the family room before tipoff. They wait for him in the tunnel to the locker room for a quick hug or high five at halftime. He has, at least once, sat down in the hallway outside the Spurs locker room to adjudicate a tiff between them before joining his teammates in the locker room."


"As far as basketball and his love for the game, that hasn't changed in the 17 years I've known him," says Stephen Jackson, who played parts of four seasons with Duncan, first in 2003 and again eight years later. "As soon as the season is over, I guarantee you there aren't three guys in the league who will be in the gym before him.""He's a different one because it's this internal fire," says Spurs assistant coach Sean Marks, whose 11 playing seasons included two with Duncan. "He'd never say it, but I think he wants to be remembered as one of the best ever—best power forward, top five all time. You'll never hear that come from his mouth, but somewhere it's deep down in there."



More in the link below. Figured we got a few days before game 1, might as well read some great stuff on TD.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-until-he-does

That's great. Pop needs to harass himself about keeping rebounders in the game when you need a stop and a rebound. Then he needs to kick Danny Green in the nuts and talk about leaking back on offense when the rebound isn't even secured, when all you needed was a stop.

[poeticism707]

That's great. Pop needs to harass himself about keeping rebounders in the game when you need a stop and a rebound. Then he needs to kick Danny Green in the nuts and talk about leaking back on offense when the rebound isn't even secured, when all you needed was a stop.

This, this, and more this.

[Sean Cagney]

Without him, they're likely the New Orleans Spurs or the St. Louis Spurs or the Anaheim Spurs.

Sad but possibly true.

[spurraider21]

i would love the anaheim spurs. i'd actually go to a bunch of games a year

[spurspokesman]

Dont think the spurs are still here without him. Big ups to timmy

[james evans]

That's great. Pop needs to harass himself about keeping rebounders in the game when you need a stop and a rebound. Then he needs to kick Danny Green in the nuts and talk about leaking back on offense when the rebound isn't even secured, when all you needed was a stop.

also, someone needs to remind popovich that 3 is more than 2. givng up wide open 3s to stop the middle against teams with no inside threats is borderline stupid if not outright insane.