Tim Duncan is a four-time NBA champion and has been MVP of three of those finals. He's gone to 13 All-Star games and he's been All-NBA 12 times. At 36 years old, it would be easy to say that Duncan has achieved all there is to achieve but he is a man of pride and determination and would never take the easy route.
In fact, Duncan is primed for a vintage playoff performance dating back to his glory days in the mid-2000s. He could earn his fifth championship and also enhance his own legacy by preventing Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) and Derek Fisher (Oklahoma City Thunder) from getting their sixth ring.
He's Well Rested and Healthy
Duncan averaged the least amount of minutes per game of his career in 2011-12 with just 28.2 minutes per game. In April, he averaged just 26.4 per game and sat out five games. Through the first two games of the playoffs he's played 29 minutes per game.
He's been pretty healthy all year and doesn't currently have any injuries to report. This is a big deal because his production suffered last year as a result of the nagging ankle injury from last March.
Where Will The Spurs' Season End?
Where Will The Spurs' Season End?
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Western Conference First-Round
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Western Conference Semi-Finals
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Western Conference Finals
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NBA Finals Loss
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Winners of NBA Finals
The Spurs Are a Deep Team
The pressure of having to be the man is a lot for any athlete to endure. As a young man, he was able to shoulder the load, and not only did he succeed, he dominated in historic fashion. He doesn't have to do that this year because the Spurs are so deep.
How does this translate into a vintage performance? He doesn't have to conserve energy at either end of the court and he doesn't have to play to avoid foul trouble. Duncan can trust his teammates and believe that they can take care of business. Because of that he's able to play open and free, which results in a much better performance.
It's More About The Team Than Individual Goals
This is about respect. San Antonio fans feel disrespected every time they read a power ranking column that puts them anything less than the favorites. The players go about their business quietly because that's how Gregg Popovich wants it, and not necessarily because they don't feel that disrespect.
Duncan doesn't have much more to gain as an individual. He will always be discussed as one of the best power forwards of all-time and will always be one of the most successful players in NBA history. He's going to do everything he can to win for his teammates and he'll use the respect issue as a chip on his shoulder.
Joe Mitchell/Getty Images
The bottom line is that Duncan is healthy and rested with as good of a surrounding cast as he's ever had. The Spurs dominated their way through the end of the season and are peaking at the right time. After destroying the Utah Jazz, 114-83, to go up 2-0 in their series, the Spurs and Duncan are crushing the competition and look to continue the trend.
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