sportsillustrated.cnn.com...01/29/nba/
It's Tim's Time
David Robinson's slump has prompted Tim Duncan to grab the reins for the Spurs
By Ian Thomsen
For his first four seasons Tim Duncan was the Spurs' quiet man. He was an All-Star who hid his emotions and deferred to his celebrated elder teammate, David Robinson. Now it is clear Duncan will defer no more. Although he will never be mistaken for a chatterbox, the 25-year-old Duncan has been speaking up in the huddle, directing teammates on the court and demanding a high level of play from everyone, including Robinson, who is in the worst slump of his 13-year career.
Robinson's numbers (11.0 points per game, 7.8 rebounds and 1.88 blocks at week's end) are all down from last season. In a five-game stretch last month coach Gregg Popovich benched him three times for the entire fourth quarter, including during a 98-81 home loss to the Lakers in which Shaquille O'Neal didn't play and Robinson was outscored and outhustled by Mark Madsen. Rather than ducking the issue, Duncan backs Robinson's critics both inside and outside the locker room. "If the heat David has been getting changes his play for the better, it's a good thing," Duncan says. "Hearing it from other people -- the media, his teammates -- can light a fire, and that's the best way to get somebody rolling."
With Avery Johnson's off-season move to Denver and Sean Elliott's retirement to the Spurs' TV booth, leadership is at a premium in San Antonio. Popovich is glad to see Duncan asserting himself. "David always led by example," Popovich says. "We're pushing Tim to be a leader harder than David was pushed, and he's responding very well."
Duncan resolved to sharpen his focus after last season, when the Spurs won a league-high 58 games only to be swept by the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. "I set goals to have the best season of my career," says Duncan, who is putting up MVP-caliber numbers. Through Sunday he was No. 1 in the league in rebounds, (12.7 per game), No. 3 in blocked shots (2.79) and No. 6 in scoring (25.3) -- all career highs. He was even hitting 82.2% of his free throws, up from 61.8% a year ago. A newfound intensity is apparent in the way he snaps up a rebound or in the anger he shows at his own mistakes.
Behind Duncan -- and despite adding nine new players -- the Spurs jumped to a 20-4 start. They lost nine of their next 18 because of a tough schedule, injuries and Robinson's struggles, the last of which has drawn the most attention. Popovich says he has been replacing Robinson with 6'7" Malik Rose in the fourth quarter mainly because opponents have been going with smaller lineups. There may be more to it than that. According to a friend of Robinson's, the Admiral's relationship with Popovich has been strained since last summer, when Popovich tried to re-sign him for about half of his 2000-01 salary of $14.7 million, to reduce payroll enough to acquire significant free-agent help. When Robinson balked, San Antonio courted free agent Chris Webber, who ultimately stayed with the Kings.
"I just don't think you can play anymore," Robinson says that Popovich told him. Popovich won't confirm or deny that he made that remark, but he did re-sign Robinson for $20 million over two years and granted him a no-trade clause.
Many believe that Popovich benched Robinson to inspire him, knowing the Spurs will have no chance at the le unless he's at his best. Opponents believe Robinson's age and aching back are catching up with him. "The Twin Towers aren't scary anymore," says Webber, "even though Duncan is." Says a Western Conference coach of Robinson, "He's certainly sliding, and pretty fast. Defensively he can still change a game, but the ferocity isn't there anymore. On offense he's become an afterthought. It's Tim's show now, and he's a one-man show."
The day after the home loss to L.A., Robinson told the San Antonio media that it was his responsibility to earn more minutes. In a private meeting with his coach, however, Robinson used different words. "I told Pop that whatever the situation is, I've got to be on the floor," Robinson says. "I feel as good as I have in a long time. I just have to figure out how I can be more effective for Tim and this team."
Robinson played better last week, including a 16-point, seven-rebound, three-block performance in a loss to the Nets. At week's end Duncan and Robinson were together producing 36.3 points per game, 20.5 rebounds and 4.66 blocks -- not far from their average production over the preceding four years (39.2 points, 21.7 boards and 4.79 blocks). Nonetheless, the gap between Robinson and Duncan has never been larger.
"As long as David's mind is in the game, he's going to be a force," Duncan says. "When we forget that we need to help each other and push each other, that's when we don't do very well."
Issue date: February 4, 2002
sportsillustrated.cnn.com...01/22/nba/
Fit for the Throne
Finally committed to the Kings, Chris Webber has them shooting for a crown
By Ian Thomsen
Sacramento's fans are known as the best in the league, but they expressed mixed feelings for Chris Webber when the Kings jumped to a surprising 15-5 start while he recovered from a sprained left ankle suffered in preseason. "I could hear a few boos and murmurs that the team was maybe better off without me," says Webber. "I remember saying to myself, My ankle is hurting at this exact moment that you're booing me."
It’s hard to imagine how the Kings could be better without the unselfish Webber, who at week's end was leading his team with 24.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, while averaging 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals. It's no coincidence that the Kings went on an 11-game winning streak when his ankle felt strong enough for him to play under the basket without fear. "I talked to Chris earlier this season about how expectations were so unrealistic that there was nothing he could ever do to meet them," says team president Geoff Petrie. "But I look at our record [a league-best 30-9] and the way he's been playing, and he may be exceeding them."
Still, it's hard for some fans to forget Webber's threat to leave Sacramento as a free agent before he agreed last summer to a seven-year, $122.7 million contract (second in total dollars only to Kevin Garnett's six-year, $126 million deal). Webber, 28, acknowledges he came close to moving to Indiana or San Antonio -- the latter in an intriguing deal that would have paired him with Tim Duncan. Webber was convinced that San Antonio wanted him to replace free-agent center David Robinson. When Webber didn't respond to the Spurs' calls, they re-signed the 36-year-old Robinson for $20 million over two years. "Coach [Gregg] Popovich kept calling, saying 'Just tell me yes,'" Webber says. "I love Tim Duncan's game. I would not have minded playing in a situation like that, even though people would have said, 'Chris had to go there to win a championship.'"
Indiana was attractive to Webber because it's close to his home in Detroit and he relished playing for Isiah Thomas. Even more appealing, however, was that he and center Jermaine O'Neal could have combined on a front line that would have ruled the Eastern Conference. Speculation at the time was that the Pacers would have to trade O'Neal to Sacramento to acquire Webber. Indiana had other plans, says Webber: "They were looking to sign [free-agent] Antonio Davis and then do a sign-and-trade for me." Ultimately Webber realized he could sign a rich contract and contend for the league le with Sacramento, which has progressed each year since he arrived by trade before the 1998-99 lockout season.
Much of the Kings' improvement this season is attributable to the arrival of point guard Mike Bibby in a draft-night trade for Jason Williams and swingman Nick Anderson, which signaled a new focus for the franchise. Beginning in his 1998-99 rookie season, Williams helped turn the eternally passive Kings into a bold, exciting playoff team. Sacramento, however, tired of his tendency to hoist quick three-pointers and make clever, dangerous passes when simple ones would do. The 23-year-old Bibby's balanced approach has helped seven Kings average in double figures, as opposed to four last season, and Sacramento is no longer the kind of topsy-turvy club that falls behind by 15 points before fighting back.
"Now it's time to get serious about trying to beat the Lakers or San Antonio," says Joe Maloof, who owns the Kings with his brother Gavin. "We'll know if [the trade] was a good decision at the end of the year. If we get to the Western Conference finals, we'll know we're making strides. If we get knocked out in the first round, then we have to reevaluate."
Webber believes no such reevaluation will be necessary. He and center Vlade Divac preside over a locker room that is not obsessed with individual statistics. Webber is averaging 2.7 fewer points than last year, but the scoring ability of his teammates -- led by fourth-year pro Peja Stojakovic, who is having an All-Star caliber year -- and Webber's knack for passing out of the double team often force opponents to play single coverage against him. As a result he gets as many open looks at the basket as any superstar in the league.
With a big smile Webber recalls how he "hated" Petrie after the lockout, when he says the Kings refused to trade Webber to the Lakers for Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones. How many championships could he have won with Shaq? "I didn't want to be here," Webber says. "But I can honestly say I'm glad I'm not a Laker. I believe we're going to win a championship, maybe not this year, but sometime. If I'm right, it will mean we did it together, as a team, without having to ride anyone's back."
Issue date: January 28, 2002
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