Why does Tim hug the ball like that?

[LilMissSPURfect]

isn't a tribute to his mom?

[FromWayDowntown]

isn't a tribute to his mom?

Could be. I know that in 2002, Malik Rose did the same thing in tribute to Timmy before Game 4 of the Spurs/Sonics series in Seattle. Tim missed that game to attend his father's funeral; the Spurs played with immense heart -- Malik particularly, but were severely undermanned (no Tim Duncan, no David Robinson, no Danny Ferry; Mark Bryant got ejected and Charles Smith suffered a severe injury too) and lost the game forcing a Game 5 (the first "ultimate" game in Tim's career). The following morning, the Express-News ran a poignant picture of Malik holding the ball ala Timmy under a headline that read something like "Night of Pain."

[duncan228]

AND he and robert hang on the rim right before the game starts.

Yes he does.

[SnakeBoy]

It's just a habit from his days as an island boy. They "hug" coconuts to see if they are ripe. So he just started doing it with the basketball.

Is it me or is this day just going by tooooo ing slow. The waiting is driving me nuts.

[DarrinS]

He's just letting everyone know who the owner of that ball is.

[Brutalis]

Yes he does.

Got any more pics of Tim hanging on the rim before tip off?

[duncan228]

Same shot, but with his feet.
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