![]() He is 11th all time in rebounds, 7 th in blocks, he has made over $200 million dollars and it could have been more had he been in a larger market and had he demanded more. He has been an 8 time, first team NBA All-Defensive selection. He has been a 10 time, first team All-NBA selection. In 17 years he has missed two All Star games. He won 2 MVP Awards, 3 Finals MVP Awards. He will be in the rare air of champions if he earns his fifth title tonight. But if he wins tonight the question is what is he playing for? He’s achieved everything there is to achieve. Yesterday Tim admitted that as long as he feels like he can contribute he will keep playing. He has never averaged less than 15 points a game. ![]() He has had one season out of 17 where he averaged less than 7 rebounds per game (2010-11). He has had two seasons out of 17 where he averaged less than 2 offensive rebounds per game (2011-13). He has had one season out of 17 where he shot less than 48% (2005-06). He has had one season out of 17 where he took less than 12 shots a game (2010-11). You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time.” Vince Lombardi could have been speaking of Tim Duncan, of his career, of his consistency. “Winning is not a sometime thing it’s an all time thing. He is no longer the Spurs best player but he is their most important player. That moment of futility has led him back to this year and this place, playing spectacularly in the playoffs at the age of 38, still able to produce even as the offense no longer centers around him. He hung his head burying it in his hands, pounding on the floor. Except this time he missed them, one a running jump hook, one a put back. In game 7 last year Tim Duncan had two chances at the basket to tie the score in the final minute, two shots he could make blindfolded, shots he has made so many times before there was nothing really special about them. What appears to be the finished line is not a line at all but a cesspool of regret and sorrow and self blame. That is the cruelty of sports, its greatest illusion. Of course he was at this point last year too. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Miami, FL, USA San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and forward Tim Duncan (21) react during the second quarter of game four of the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Despite the presence of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan has played in six times the number of games of the greatest champions to get to this point. Kareem Abdul- Jabaar played in 189 games between titles #4 and #5. Magic Johnson played 96 games between titles #4 and #5. Michael Jordan played 101 games between titles #4 and #5. Kobe Bryant played 96 games between titles # 4 and #5. It is the longest drought of a 4 time champion trying to become a 5 time champion. Since that Finals sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007, Tim Duncan has played in 603 games without winning a title. So here Duncan is, on the verge of his first title in 7 years. And of course last year’s disaster, losing in 7 games when they should have won in 6. In 2012, the Spurs won the first two games against Oklahoma City and then lost the next four in the Western Conference Finals. The next year, in 2011, the Spurs had the best record in the Western Conference but lost in the first round to the Memphis Grizzlies in 6 games, this without Rudy Gay playing for the Grizzlies. In 2010, he lost in the first round to the Suns in a sweep. In 2009, he lost in the first round to the Mavericks in 5 games. The year after he won the title in 2007, Tim Duncan lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Lakers in 5 games. It has been a particularly long drought considering Tim Duncan’s skills, teammates, coach and past history of excellence. The years (and disappointments) have piled high. He has been as close as you can get to winning, within seconds, but he has not won. The last time Tim Duncan won a NBA championship Blake Griffin was graduating high school, Kobe Bryant was the scoring champion and Sam Mitchell was Coach of the Year.
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