Tim Duncan is not just the greatest power forward of all time, he is also one of the most vital players in NBA history. Anyone who truly knows the game of basketball knows his game was anything but boring to watch. Duncan made fundamentals “cool,” again and it translated over well for his legacy. How well you ask? How do five rings, 15 All-Star appearances, and two MVP’s sound? Let’s dive deeper and get to know the Big Fundamental.
An Ode to the Great Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan: The Early Years
Duncan followed a trajectory that is almost unheard of in pro sports. He had a great mentor in David Robinson and together they formed one of the deadliest duos in NBA history. It seems as if overnight, Duncan was handed the keys to the metaphorical Spurs car from Robinson himself. As the number one option, Duncan helped head coach, Gregg Popovich, and the Spurs find a ton of success. During his second year in the league, Tim Duncan was already an NBA champion and a Finals MVP. The duo of he and Robinson would continue to find a lot of success up until Robinson finally retired in 2003. However, Duncan was far from finished.
Tim Duncan: The Quiet Superstar
Every NBA fan knows of the major success of guys such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. However, Duncan’s accomplishments tend to get overlooked due to his quiet demeanor. It worked for him though. After the Admiral left the league, the Big Fundamental would go on to win three more titles (one in 2005, one in 2007, and the other in 2014) along with a myriad of other accolades.
Here are just a few insane numbers Duncan posted during that period. In the 2004-05 season, he tallied 20.3 points per game to go along with 11.1 rebounds per game and an insane 2.7 blocks per game. In the 2007-08 campaign, he would post 19.3 points per game, 11.3 rebounds per game, and 1.9 blocks per game. Not to mention, his player efficiency rating would never go below 20 until his last year in the league when he was on his last leg. Duncan truly showed he is one of the greats throughout his career.
Duncan’s Place in the Pantheon of Greats
Though sometimes it may not seem like it, Duncan does have a place somewhere in the top 10 players of NBA history. We just went over his numbers, but also take a look at the accolades, (though if you want to keep looking at numbers, then direct your attention to his similarity scores for win shares.) Five titles, two MVPs, 15 All-Star appearances, 15 All-NBA Team appearances, 15 All-Defensive Team appearances, an All-Star Game MVP, three Finals MVPs, Rookie of the Year, and an All-Rookie Team appearance is truly remarkable. So, even though I am a Denver Nuggets fan, I still want to say thank you, Tim Duncan. You truly are one of the great pioneers of the game.
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