Yes, but not really.... He missed a couple of games in 1 year.
So no, not in a row, yes..for a couple of years.
Tim should still watch his minutes, and experiment with them aswell...see if his game steps up.
I do not think anything is wrong with him.
He does not have to be the be all ened all any longer...he finally has a lot of other guys that can carry the team when they have to.
So they lost a back to back game on the road to a surging Houston team, so what......look at the record.....nuff said.
"not have to be the be all ened all any longer"
Pop hasn't got that message. Even when he's doing badly all game, Tim's ALWAYS the goto man in crunch minutes, 2bl teams, 3bl teams, sagging defense, fronting, whatever, EVERYbody waste seconds and possessions trying to throw it to Tim, then stand around while Tim gets beat to . It's really, really stupid, losing basketball, over and over and over.
"surging Houston team"
Come on, Rockets are nowhere near the Spurs ... when Spurs play their average game. HOU loss was another giveway to an inferior team by a non-hustling Spurs:
1. getting beat -11 on RBs (Spurs avg +4) and
2. shooting 12%age pts under their avg (35% vs 47%).
3. defense collapsing and giving up 25 4th qtr points
4. Spurs missing 10 FTs
If the only Spurs (defense) would just show up at Toyota Center, and only in the 4th quarter (the way the defense had played for 1st and 3rd qtrs), forget about the cold shooting and the crappy rebounding, then the Spurs win by playing their strongest hand.
Pop is often talking about "being tested", and nobody can be sure of what these Spurs have until they are tested. The Spurs blowouts, +12 PPG, don't test anything. The giveaway losses are tests that the Spurs are failing, those difficult situations where they have to find a way to win, even when they are their own worst enemy.
4-3 in January is NOT Spurs basketball, ... or is it??
Well, it depends on the strength of schedule but last January the Spurs went 9-7
"last January the Spurs went 9-7"
... because the Spurs sucked in Januaary, not because of the schedule (losing to lottery PHI was a schedule difficulty?). Maybe January just isn't the Spurs month.
Oh, well, I guess we'll blow off all these Jan road games against 3 top teams, schedule diffiulties. Anyway, they'll be "just one loss" 3 more times:
Jan
17 Washington
19 L.A. Clippers
21 @ Phoenix
23 @ Sacramento
24 @ Portland
27 Sacramento
29 New Orleans
31 @ Seattle (starts the comparatively easy rodeo road trip)
Instead of the subjective "Duncan is sucking" lets put this in the objective context of Tims 2003-2004 per game numbers...which include him dominating the games after the all-star break compared to his current 2004-2005 numbers...you can rebut by saying that he was injured in the early part of the 2004-2005 season but these numbers are not included in the game averages and he didn't come back till he was 100%....
minutes played: down 1.6 minutes per game this year (down 4.4%)
points scored per game: down only .4 per game (-)
blocks per game: .2 more per game (+)
assists per game: down .6 per game (-)
rebounds per game: down only .8 per game (-)
turnover per game: down .5 per game (+)
free throw percentage: up by 5% (+)
in this case, is perception really reality?...I am not going to take the time to run Tims numbers to this point of the 2003-2004 season but suspect that it would make his 2004-2005 performance to date look even better...
all in all there doesn't appear to be anything to worry about...
I think he's fine, a little off lately but no serious problems. I think he's also adjusting to some of the new players we have, and playing less minutes since Pop is trying out different rotations. After the all-star break, the rotations will be more set and TD will begin his drive towards the playoffs, this guy knows when to the set the tone for this team and that tends to be second half of the season as they put themselves in position for the post-season.
I think he is just tired, as is Manu. The Spurs have played a very tough first half schedule. Anyone who plays BB knows that playing defense is a lot more exhausting than playing offense. So minutes to TD and Manu are not the same as Dirk minutes or TMac minutes...and all the other guys who rest on defense. Watch Manu play defense closely and watch how TD runs the floor (defensively) compared to other big men. And back to backs to the Spurs are not the same as other teams. He may not regain top form until after the AS break when the team has some decent time off. If TD's play is our biggest concern this year, the Spurs are in good shape.
Another reason why Duncan's numbers are down is because Manu, and Tonys are up. Timmy doesnt care about stats, hes not rebounding crazy like KG, but when playoffs come, whose going to be the big man who takes his team all the way?
also we really should be thankful even though he is in a slump. look at minnesota for example. they are 19-17 and garnett is having a very good season. I bet theyre saying "man i wish we had a good record like sa even if garnett goes in a slump." even though he is in a slump, which he i think he will get out of soon, we shouldnt complain.
In today's game he started out with a lot of energy as he and Rasho just dominated the Wizards but by the 2nd qtr, he looked tired and slow, he made moves to get himself open and then just stayed there, instead of getting to the basket, something he has done with regularity before this past two months. I don't think he is injured, he just looked tired out there. I know I've had flu like symptons for up to 2 months in the past sometimes that bug is just hard to shake, still maybe he needs to rest and get some medication for whatever is draining him right now. But there is a difference in his play from even last month.
That's true, I do see that pattern of fatigue with him lately. You might be right about the flu thing persisting, especially when you have to recover during a grueling NBA schedule. I hope that's all it is.
uh, the Olympics maybe had something to do with the fatigue maybe?!?!?!?!
He said at the beginning of the season that he felt really rested, same as Manu, and they both started incredibly well.
Duncan's forcing his game, esp tonight, rather than "letting the game come to him". When they're really pressuring him, he's trying to create a shot, very un-finessing it, that ain't there. His 9th year in the NBA, he still has some stuff to learn.
We didn't need Duncan tonight, so no big deal. But we're going to need him to get his a lot more together than it is now.
I think it must be about the Olympics. In Europe, this thing happens often with football players. They play in the world cup or in the euro cup and then during the season they fell tired and begin to play with less energy. I think it is the real reason because Manu too seems to be tired as he got injured for the second time in few weeks (first time he missed Portland's game).
If it is the case, the way POP is coaching them is really great as they can rest and they can keep energy for the last 3 month of compe ion.
Meanwhile Spurs are 31-9 with Tony Parker playing like an All-Star since December.
I wonder what would have happen if tp was in the Olympics too.
The flu makes you sluggish, fatigued, unfocused, no stamina, etc.You might be right about the flu thing persisting, especially when you have to recover during a grueling NBA schedule. I hope that's all it is.
Devin tonight mentioned that he (Devin) has had the flu for the last three weeks. So it might just be something going around the team. Lucky for the Spurs, they are deep enough that they can withstand a few of their players being "out of it" with the flu for a few weeks.
I had the flu a few times, and it really tires you out. I play compe ive tennis, and when I got the flu, my stamina was never the same for a couple of months.
Playing time is down And even though POP thinks Tim BENEFITS from it. I think playing him more will get him in that "groove" .........sometimes he gets yanked outta the first quarter with 5 min left.....
I'd say play him more!! Let him get HIS GROOVE BACK.
Tim is just illin along as its a long season. Tim will start playing by late February... if need be. If the team is still rolling as it is, however, and hopefully, then I'm sure he'll show some swift asskicking moments in the playoffs when play typically slows down somewhat.
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