Is Duncan really on decline?

I don't think so. If anything i think the guy's just bored. He is still one of the best Power Forwards in the league. Probably right behind KG IMO. He's looking more and more like Shaq in his attitude towards the regular season, i expect a strong second half showing from him and as usual, his name will be thrown around by some NBA conservatives for MVP consideration.

 

not even close.

 

Not in decline, and not getting bored.

Anyone who's ever had plantar fasciitis here will know what I'm talking about, and what Tim is going through -- it's like stepping on a butcher's knife every time you step down -- much less try to plant on a foot to jump, or run down the floor.

About as painful as it gets, and no amount of treatment (ice, wraps, those electroshock treatments to encourage blood movement) helps. Just a frustrating, painful injury.

 

i don't know if i had plantar fasciitis but there was about a year period early in college where every once in a while i would take a step and it would feel like the nerves in the bottom of the arch of my foot were being torn apart. if i kinda stretched my foot out and took a step it would almost always do it so i started walking a little off the side of my foot (probably not even noticeable to anyone watching) to keep it from happening. i almost got too used to doing that but i was worried i'd hurt the foot again before it healed if i didn't. anyways, if that's what plantar fasciitis is, but happening all the time, i don't know how anyone plays basketball on it (although i never had it happen when i played basketball so maybe it's somewhat random and possible to play through).


as for duncan, he's too young to start his real decline. it's possible, even probable, that his absolute prime is in the rearview mirror but he should still have 3-4 high caliber seasons left barring more injuries.

i would say his performance and the spurs record should keep him from mvp consideration this season though. he's only putting up 19.9 pts (can't believe he's actually technically below 20) and only 2.0 blocks and the spurs are still absolutely rolling at 37-10. that just shows how good the rest of the team is.

 

TD's turning 30 this year. I think he still has two to three good years left. Tim has never been a stats player. On offense he's taking a back seat to Parker this year, but he's still the Spurs' anchor on denfense and among league leaders in rebounding and shot blocking. No matter what Tim Duncan's going down in history as the best power forward ever to play the game.

 

Duncan is becoming more injury-prone and he seems to be a bit fragile lately, which is more of a problem if you're a big man and you need to play physical down low.

Hwoever, I think he's taking a page out of Shaq's book as far as his approach to the regular season for the past 2 years now: cruise as long as you can afford to, and step it up to get in rhythem the last few games of the season so you can go into the playoffs with a momentum.

 

You can sprain your arch, feels like your foot is being torn in two, hurts like hell. People with an inflamed plantar feel like the foot is being torn in two on every step. Good times.

 

right behind kg? timmy will never be second to kg or any other four in this league (well until dwight howard takes over).

 

So true. How can anyone think KG is better then Duncan is beyond me.

 

i disagree. if you put garnett i would think they would win just as much. and if you put duncan on the wolves it would be about the same. i think there pretty dang equal.

 

Duncan puts up similar numbers in 35 minutes to what KG puts up in about 40 minutes. The guy has refined his game to the point where he now just does enough to win. I have no doubt that the Spurs can challenge for a title again this year, and Duncan is the engine that drives that team. Parker, Ginobili, Bowen, Mohammed, Nesterovich, etc would not seem nearly as good if Duncan was not there to anchor the defense and be the go to option on offense. If I were told to assemble a team to win this season, Duncan would still be my first overall pick.

 

But he does that with a much better team around him. Having better team mates makes the game much easier. We see that all of the time when either T-Mac or Yao is out. As far as I'm concerned, Garnett has only had one season in which he had a good supporting cast - the first year Cassell and Sprewell were on the T-Wolves.

 

I predicted before the season the Spurs would be much more perimeter oriented this year, as Parket and Ginobilli continued improving and new additions Finley and Van Exel contributed. Duncan is older and seems a bit more frail, but don't judge him until the playoffs start. I hope he fully recovers from the foot injury.

The people who put KG above Duncan are looking at skillset only. I agree KG has more skills and raw talent than Duncan, but TD is the better player. I know KG hasn't had the players around him like Duncan but 3 championships vs. 0 speaks too loudly.

 

kg showed what he's all about against portland when he made like 12 straight shots and decided he wasn't going to shoot the last 6 minutes of a close game.

and timmy doesn't shy a way from banging in the post.

 

Duncan is starting to decline.
He's getting injured more often and that's how it usually starts.
Obviously, he's still one of the game's best players but his game is not what it was.

Also, KG and Duncan are comparable. Of course Duncan has the titles, but KG has not had the supporting cast that Duncan has (two all-stars). I think KG is a a better defender and passer. I know people say KG disappears in the playoffs, but Duncan has disappeared and missed a good number of crucial shots in the playoffs that people conveniently forget since the Spurs have won titles.

 

Well, Already a champion and MVP numerous times. No where else but to go down? Obviously he's already peaked. I really doubt seeing him as a regular season mvp again. however, He's still one of the best in the game.