Tim Duncan plays better on the road than at home

[Uriel]

It makes sense. At home, the Spurs are usually too busy blowing out their opponents for Duncan's services to even be required in the 4th quarter. On the road, the games tend to be closer, so Pop tends to rely more heavily on Timmy.

Then there are the players who elevate on the road because their teams need the lift. These tend to be veteran players, and there aren't many of them capable of pulling off the trick, but I'll give you one big example: Tim Duncan.Duncan is having one of the better late-career campaigns in recent memory. At home, Duncan is 16th in raw efficiency. That's amazing for a 36-year-old power forward who was supposed to be shuffling into role-player status. But on the road, Duncan climbs all the way to fifth.

The differences in the averages are subtler, but they're there. Duncan scores two points more per game on the road (18.0 versus 16.0 at home). But his field goal percentage is only marginally higher (51 percent on the road, 49 percent at home).

He averages less than a rebound per more, and the other volume-based numbers are nearly identical. The difference maker is Duncan's aggressiveness on the road.

I know the words "Tim Duncan" and "aggressiveness" have proven to be strange historical bedfellows, but the evidence is there in his free throws. Duncan averages 1.5 more free throws attempts per game on the road, and converts at a higher rate (82 percent versus 80 percent).

He also records more personal fouls on the road, which is probably part increased aggression, and part home cooking (and part him being Tim Duncan.) It's sort of Deron Williams' production in reverse, with Duncan elevating his game for team-based needs.

http://espn.go.com/fantasy/basketbal...can-shine-road

[Mel_13]

It makes sense. At home, the Spurs are usually too busy blowing out their opponents for Duncan's services to even be required in the 4th quarter. On the road, the games tend to be closer, so Pop tends to rely more heavily on Timmy.

Yep.

Tim always provides what the team needs.

[rmt]

Hopefully that bodes well for the Spurs as they seem destined for the 3rd seed and only 1 series with home court advantage.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Hopefully that bodes well for the Spurs as they seem destined for the 3rd seed and only 1 series with home court advantage.

With the favorable upcoming schedule, especially in March, the Spurs could easily climb to 2nd and even 1st, save for an unexpected slump.