Duncan sizzles as Spurs thump wounded Warriors
Jeff McDonald
OAKLAND, Calif. — Tim Duncan has no idea why he's been able to score so readily this season. He just hopes to keep his hot streak going for as long as possible.
Duncan logged 27 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks Wednesday night as the Spurs followed their leader to a 103-91 victory over Golden State at Oracle Arena.
“I'm feeling healthy right now, and my shot's feeling good,” said Duncan, who came into the game averaging a team-best 19.8 points. “I just have to use it while I'm here, and hopefully it will spark something else to happen.”
Twenty-four hours after scoring a season-high 34 in a loss at Phoenix, his highest total in two seasons, Duncan carried the Spurs again in Oakland. He has now scored at least 20 points in 12 of his past 16 games.
Wednesday, Duncan sparked a sigh-of-relief victory for the Spurs, who were coming off a disappointing 116-104 loss in Phoenix. With it, they are able to return from their three-game road trip at 13-10, one more game over .500 than they were when they left.
Richard Jefferson rebounded from a four-point night against Phoenix to score 17 against the Warriors. He had 14 in the second half, including an emphatic dunk that punctuated the win in the fourth quarter.
The victory marked the 699th career win for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who needs one more to join Jerry Sloan and Red Auerbach as the only NBA coaches to record 700 wins with one team.
Popovich has often credited the lottery ball that gave the Spurs the right to draft Duncan in 1997 as the secret to his success. Duncan was certainly responsible moving Popovich closer to a milestone Wednesday.
Duncan has typically thrived against the undersized Warriors, who got a tad more undersized with Mikki Moore out indefinitely while set to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in his heel.
That left Golden State (7-18) without each of its top three centers and left Vladimir Radmanovic, a 6-foot-10, perimeter-oriented big man, to grapple with Duncan.
“We've got a small team and eight guys that are available,” said Golden State coach Don Nelson, who returned to the bench after his second five-game absence while battling pneumonia. “There's not a lot you can do.”
Duncan started slow, with only seven points in the first half, but began to make the most of his size advantage in the second.
He had 14 points and three blocks in the third quarter alone, sparking an 18-6 run that allowed the Spurs to put some distance between themselves and the Warriors.
Golden State guard Monta Ellis, who scored 42 against the Spurs on Nov. 25, had 35 in the rematch — but managed just one basket during the decisive third quarter.
The Spurs tightened up their defense somewhat in the second half, holding Golden State to nearly 16 points below its season average.
It was the Spurs' ninth win in the past 13 games, although only one of them has come against a team with a winning record. The Warriors, who lost 118-104 in San Antonio earlier this season, refused to provide an easy foil.
As it has been for most of the season, when the going got tough, the Spurs turned to Duncan.
“He's probably been our most consistent player,” Popovich said.
His team trailing 49-47 at half, Duncan produced four baskets on Radmanovic in the first 41/2 minutes of the third quarter to help the Spurs regain the lead and then some. Jefferson's three-point play with 4:38 left in the quarter put the Spurs up by double digits, 69-59, for the first time. Their lead would balloon to 13 before the dawn of the fourth quarter.
When the Warriors carved the lead to seven late in the fourth, Duncan rebuffed them again, spinning past Anthony Randolph for two straight baskets — including an emphatic dunk.
Duncan NEVER ceases to amaze me. even though Jordan will be my all-time favorite player, i can say without doubt that it has been a great pleasure watching Duncan throughout his entire career, and i wouldn't change watching Jordan for Duncan in a heartbeat.
(i am glad to say that Duncan came in while Jordan was leaving...because it would have sucked to have seen Jordan beat Duncan..)
Timmy, RJ, Bogans .. the guy stepped up.
PROBABLY?? Somehow, i don't think there is much doubt about that Pop...
Tim Duncan is still a ing beast! I am glad players stepped up and we didn't let Timmy's efforts go to waste like last night. RJ and Bogans played well. Glad to see we can still stay compe ive if Tony and Manu have a bit of a quiet night.
Fake ass Spurs fan Exhibit A.Duncan NEVER ceases to amaze me. even though Jordan will be my all-time favorite player, i can say without doubt that it has been a great pleasure watching Duncan throughout his entire career, and i wouldn't change watching Jordan for Duncan in a heartbeat.
(i am glad to say that Duncan came in while Jordan was leaving...because it would have sucked to have seen Jordan beat Duncan..
I remember you cats coming into the dome and cheering for jordan IN SAN ANTONIO back in the day. Against your own team. Go be a laker fan or something man you ain't real.
You have to give it up for Duncan.
He's just been awesome, despite our mediocre record.
When your starting point is actively trying to set a record for most turnovers committed in NBA history and your prized offseason acquisitions (Jefferson, McDyess) have laid eggs, Duncan is the only reason why we're north of .500
Again this is why Duncan should be the All-star center INSTEAD of Amare. AT PF I would give a light edge to Dirk ...at center Duncan is the All-star and to me ALL NBA center but the media and fans love of Howard may make him ALL NBA 2nd team at center but at PF he has to deal with Dirk and KG my guess is he would be 3rd ... but yet and still many here insist he is a PF ... Ah well.
Anyway you cut it since MJ Only kobe is in Duncan's company for for CONSISTENT greatness. Hakeem and SHAQ were truly dominant (amaybe even more so) but could not maintain it ...
Right after this, Pop made the following comments:
"The sun will probably come up tomorrow."
"The ocean is probably salty."
"My wine is probably delicious."
"Tiger's wife will probably need to get screened for STDs."
Duncan is showing that he STILL has the goods to quietly and surgicially "carve up" opponents, in that understated fashion that he does. Dude has been money so far.
Not bad huh.
duncan is still da man
Duncan is a guy who could lead the league in scoring or get close to it IMO, even now.. all he would need is the shot attempts and minutes - yet year after year he sacrifices personal stats in the name of the 'TEAM'. You could almost say he sacrifices respect from the refs as well. They give him less and less the more he relies on the team over his personal abilities (though I thought last night Crawford actually made some good calls for Tim.)
Duncan is still the leader of this team. Especially now that Parker is having problems scoring the ball and Rj is still trying to fit in...
One of the bright spots of yesterday's game was how well it was officiated. People give to the refs for when they mess up, but it has to go the other way too. Yesterday was phenomenally called.
Now if only every game could be like that.
I agree 100%. If the refs could only ref like that every other game we would be good.
I agree. I think the main area Tim doesn't get respect is the body contact - how often have we seen him bumped, especially on driving moves, for a nocall. Meanwhile he'll have a few fingertips on a back and come up with a clean block and yet get called for it down on the other end. It's dreadfully inconsistent at times. And I've seen the most clean ball-swipes called fouls this season. It's such a hard job, I understand, but a lot of times it feels like they're guessing on easy calls and others you are questioning their eyesight and even minds.
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