Buck Harvey: No pebble in his shoe, Duncan's free
Web Posted: 05/13/2007 11:17 PM CDT
Express-News
Tim Duncan looks happier. He talks to the media with more daring. And he spills out into the hallways of the AT&T Center as he plays on the arena floor.
Saturday, an hour after pushing around the Suns, he smiled broadly as he got physical with his young daughter.
Family can have that effect, as can winning while drawing a decent paycheck. But something else makes Duncan's life freer now. Not only is the plantar fasciitis gone, so is the pebble in his shoe.
This pebble should never have been there at all. After all, winning an MVP trophy is supposed to be a career achievement.
But there's nothing quite like the backlash that comes with this award. It's a regular-season honor and nothing more, yet there's a price to pay for the MVP who doesn't star in the postseason as he did in the regular one.
David Robinson learned that. He said he put his 1995 trophy in a closet and didn't take it out for a long time because of its bad memories.
Then there's Charles Barkley, once noted as the first MVP never to win a le. Karl Malone followed, and he was ridiculed for flinching at the foul line in the Finals against the people's choice, Michael Jordan. And Kevin Garnett faces everything but a recount, with his Timberwolves no longer even in the playoffs.
Steve Nash has been less affected, since he led the league's most fun team to the conference finals in his two MVP years. But even he had doubters, such as a Miami columnist who wondered if race had something to do with Nash edging Shaquille O'Neal in the 2005 voting.
Shaq added to that, too. Asked this April how "ridiculous" it would be if Nash won his third MVP to his one, Shaq answered: "I don't really focus on that award anymore. I don't know what you guys look for. Is it stats? Moves?"
One thing they look for: Players who don't waddle during the regular season while trying to get in shape. Another MVP attribute is to be the best player on the best regular-season team, and Dirk Nowitzki will win the MVP for that reason.
But Nowitzki's career highlight will also be his low. He will be the first Euro winner, a remarkable story, yet his reputation has never been worse. That's why, on Tuesday in Dallas, David Stern will present Nowitzki with his own pebble.
Nowitzki has said he understands today's hyper-reactionary sports world, and the Spurs aren't immune to this. If they allow the Suns to tie the series tonight, they will be as scolded for being slow, old and careless.
Duncan has gone through these dips a thousand times, and he did in 2002, when he won his first MVP. Jason Kidd had a similarly brilliant season then, but Duncan's Spurs won more games in the tougher Western Conference. Duncan also did this with a teenager from France at point guard and an assortment of aging, pre-Manu, role players.
That didn't stop Byron Scott, the Nets' coach, from announcing Kidd had been slighted. And when the Lakers eliminated the Spurs in five games, it was as if Duncan had done something wrong.
All he did in that series against the Lakers: lead the Spurs in scoring and rebounding in every game, including a finale of 34 and 25.
That didn't stop criticism, nor did it stop Shaq. With the le in hand, having swept the Nets, Shaq told an appreciative New Jersey crowd that Kidd was "the real MVP." Duncan ended all debate the next season with another MVP season, eliminating Shaq and winning his second le.
Now Duncan is in an even better place. With the Suns choosing to single him, he's soaring from under the Nash-Nowitzki radar and forcing everyone to reconsider everything.
It's as if he's being rediscovered. Is he the best power forward ever or simply one of the best dozen players ever? Steve Kerr, for example, calls himself a "moron" for not considering Duncan for MVP.
Duncan is playing loose, with pain and pebbles gone from his feet, as if he's the underdog. The home crowd chants "MVP, MVP," and Duncan looks happier, all right.
He's past that.
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[QUOTE]That didn't stop criticism, nor did it stop Shaq. With the le in hand, having swept the Nets, Shaq told an appreciative New Jersey crowd that Kidd was "the real MVP." Duncan ended all debate the next season with another MVP season, eliminating Shaq and winning his second le.
Does that just piss you off all over again!? Snaq could never just shut the up
Yeah, Shaq used to get under my skin back in the day. But when he retires I'm gonna miss his off the wall quotes. He's pretty damn funny at times.
[QUOTE=MaNuMaNiAc]Yea it did alittle, I had forgotten about that... Still, I've got alot of love for Shaq, no ... San Antonio's own Cole HS allum and one of the best personalities if not the best in all of sports.
Does that just piss you off all over again!? Snaq could never just shut the up
Plus... You gotta love a guy who talks about the MVP award after the NBA disgraced it by putting Steve Nash's name on it. Twice!
well he is on TNT tonight during the spurs game so it will be interesting to see what he has to say about the spurs and the Big Fundemental.
Ohhhh I remember that remark by shaq clearly. I actually thought about that the other day. It ing pissed me off then. But events in the next few years after that have made me less bitter.
[QUOTE=MaNuMaNiAc]
Does that just piss you off all over again!? Snaq could never just shut the up
In 2003 he said KG deserved the MVP
I don't view TD as ever having a "pebble" in his shoe. Even in 2002, it was more sour grapes from other folks. Timmy already had a Finals MVP under his belt. He had proven himself and his legacy, I felt, was already secure.
DRob's MVP season was much more devastating. I remember the Spurs dominating the regular season that year and I also remember all the championship bracket stuff hung on the walls of the stadium. I thought that jinxed the team's playoff chances.
That was one of the toughest post season exits ever, from a fan's perspective. I remember feeling really bad for DRob.
Not as bad as Dallas' exit these last couple years, right Mav's fans?
Sorry, had to throw that out there.
It's true though that winning just one Championship erases a whole lot of heartache.
Winning 3 is even better...
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