Tim Duncan has lost 15 pounds, as well as Jack Nies. The longtime NBA ref who has gave duncan problems in the past has retired. Duncan has also lost pain in his knees. This summer, he returned to his first sport, swimming, when he hasn't been on an anti-gravity treadmill that was recently added to the Spurs' practice facility. He didn't play five-man basketball until this month, and then for a handful of days. Still, as he reports this week for his 12th season, additions mean more. Their names are Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson, Theo Ratliff and DeJuan Blair. They can save Duncan as he enters the next stage of his career. It's likely the final stage, too. The stages are blurred, beginning with the first one. How long was he a rookie? It seems as if he never was one. He went to the full-blown MVP stage about a month into his career, and that didn't recede because of age. Twisted ankles slowed him in 2005, and plantar fasciitis was an aggravation in 2006. Even then, the injuries made the Spurs optimistic. He was never much of a leaper. So if Duncan could hobble and still be effective, then that suggested his intelligence and fundamentals would serve him well as he aged. Gregg Popovich has always tried to slow the aging. As long ago as the 2005 season, Duncan was averaging only 34 minutes a game, and that stunned Rick Carlisle, the Mavericks coach who ran the Pistons at the time. “That's unheard of for a great player!” Carlisle said then. He explained it's the cumulative that wears down players. “Every minute beyond 34 or 35 are the ones that matter,” Carlisle said. But then came last year. Duncan had spent the summer flipping tractor tires; the only anti-gravity aspect was the possibility the tires had some air in them. Popovich admired how hard Duncan had worked. And when the Spurs started the season without Manu Ginobili, and after Tony Parker fell early, Duncan averaged 37 minutes a game in the first 30 games. “I don't think I would have done it differently,” Popovich said recently. “I would have liked to have done it differently, but you can't start in a big hole. We had to keep our head above water.” Drowning was possible. In November, with both Parker and Ginobili out, Duncan sat down during a game against the Heat. Jeff Van Gundy, announcing the game for ESPN, said the Spurs on the floor represented the least talent of any group in the league. Popovich figured he would cut Duncan's playing time as the season went along, and he did. Duncan's average minutes ended up being lower than any of the four previous seasons. Still, he played fewer minutes mostly because his knees were hurting. Until he broke down, Duncan looked lively and young, as fit as his MVP years. Until he broke down, the Spurs had treated Duncan as they no longer will. There can be other stages past this one. But Duncan likely won't stick around as a role player, or put up with pain that stops him from playing well. That's why this level is probably his final one. It can go on for a few years, and it can be productive. After all, in the series finale last season against the Mavericks, he ended with 30 points. To maintain that, Popovich will ration him, and he says he would like Duncan to average 32 minutes. Because of McDyess, Jefferson, Ratliff and Blair, that is possible. Because of them, there might be nights when Popovich tries to win without Duncan at all. So Duncan lost some things this summer. But this week, as the new Spurs come together for the first time, on display will be what he has gained. Namely, another chance to win.
Am I the only one to wonder where the hell did those Adidas wifebeaters that Dwight Howard and now Tim Duncan wears came from?
Tim Duncan........what a PF. He's pretty much the total package (minus the amazing athleticism). He has a sweet post game, the mid-range is excellent, his handle is great for a big man. The court vision is superior to most......and he just plain knows how to win. Another thing I like about Tim is the way that he just lets his play talk for him. They say those who are about it don't need to talk about it. Duncan exemplifies that statement. He's the kind of player who will dominate you on both ends of the court and never say a word. Duncan won't let you inside of his head, but he'll be in yours the entire game with that silent, steely, resolve. Def. one of the best players the NBA has ever seen.
