Tim Duncan fizzle is becomming common place

[WayOutWest]

Why is it that TD seems to choke alot in big games?  He's probably the most effective weapon down the stretch unless he has these type of games.  Same thing happened in game 4 of the conf finals.  Seem him disappear several times vs the Lakers.

Spurs need to thank their lucky lone star for Big Shot ROB, NOT BOB!

How stupid is Detriot?  Leaving Horry wide open for a 3!  IMO the Spurs deserved to lose but the Pistons out idiot'd them in the final seconds in OT.

Is it just me or are the refs trying to make this a series by totally screwing the Spurs?

[SPURSX3]

Tim gets hammared heavier towards the end of the games, if he is having a good game, I think his last fourth quarter shot was a hook after having to take the ball away from two or three pistons under the net.  

[jn]

He still does a nice job on D and rebound at all times but man, those were some ugly free throws at the end and one atrocious turnover.


WOW I could not agree more about Detroit's defense on the inbounds play.  My jaw literally dropped.  Losing track of the inbounding player is bad enough but when it's ROBERT HORRY? That is a serious black mark on Brown's coaching resume.  

As for the refs, well, I though there might be some public obscenity charges as I'm pretty sure I saw Billups and Sheed giving Parker and Duncan several reacharounds.  

Rip absolutely pushed off twice on his last shot attempt.   I realize it would take the gutsiest ref in the history of sports to make that call but man, Hamilton just swung his elbow into Parker's face.  

[Reality]

How stupid is Detriot?  Leaving Horry wide open for a 3!  IMO the Spurs deserved to lose but the Pistons out idiot'd them in the final seconds in OT.

Besides that highly visible retard play, just prior....

Det up 95-93 40 ticks.  They work the clock down, miss the shot but get the lucky offensive rebound.  Billups again works the clock down, drives, misses.  Duncan gets the O rebound with 12 seconds left.  He has to scramble for it tho and all the while Prince is 6 inches from him.  Prince a full second or two to make it look like he is *going for the ball* while fouling Duncan.  Instead he stands with both arms stright up 6 inches from Duncan.  Actually Billups came down from his shot way before the ball caroomed off and now has his feet solidly under himself, also has plenty of room and time to foul Duncan.  Think that would have been a good move? :nod:  Instead they stand and watch as Duncan calls timeout.

I know a lot of NBA coaches say with 9.4 seconds left you have to rely on your defense in that situation.  I say Bullstink, Duncan at that time is an excellent bet to clank up two more missed FTs.  Det only needed him to miss one.

Worst case Det scenario he shocks and hits both for 95-95 tie.  Now you Det have the ball with 9.4 to work a play.  (Well okay absolute worst case scenario would be he makes 1st FT, misses second, Spurs rebound and score   :rolleyes:  B)
As a coach i would take my chances that Det would get the missed FT rebound.   :nod:

jn besides the Rip pushoff(s) he does an obvious travel.  Tape shows a full-on airborne bunny hop followed by two steps.

[SPURSX3]

you know Sheed could have lost the game for them before OT when he tried to call a time out with no times outs left, he could have gotten a tech for that but didn't....nice to see he didnt dissappoint in OT by leaving Horry open.

[Reality]

you know Sheed could have lost the game for them before OT when he tried to call a time out with no times outs left, he could have gotten a tech for that but didn't....nice to see he didnt dissappoint in OT by leaving Horry open.

 :nod:

yep.  this game had everything.
It looks super close as to whether or not 'Sheed is making the timeout signal before or after 0:00.  How classic would that have been, to have had GNob sink the technical shot for the win.  'Sheed would be imortalized. :rofl:  

[WayOutWest]

you know Sheed could have lost the game for them before OT when he tried to call a time out with no times outs left, he could have gotten a tech for that but didn't....nice to see he didnt dissappoint in OT by leaving Horry open.

:nod:

yep.  this game had everything.
It looks super close as to whether or not 'Sheed is making the timeout signal before or after 0:00.  How classic would that have been, to have had GNob sink the technical shot for the win.  'Sheed would be imortalized. :rofl:

Oh, that's what happened, I was wondering why they were making such a big deal about Sheed calling the TO.

I was in shock at how bad Timmy was playing, he was totally phyc'd out of the game.  I'm sure TD will have a good game NOW that the pressure is off, he's that kinda player at this point in his career.  He's no Magic, Bird, or MJ, heck he's not even a Kevin McHale at this point.  I don't know if TD has the mental toughness to overcome his weak heart.

[spursfan101]

At times, Timmy reminds me alot of David Robinson. The only difference is that Timmy dosen't always choke, he can be uber clutch (remember 15 of 15 free throws?) He's just inconsistent at times, and he probably would be considered a softie like D-Rob if he didn't have the supporting cast that he does. In all fairness, D-Rob never had a strong supporing cast, he was always the only go to guy. :unsure:  

[Reality]

<Oh, that's what happened, I was wondering why they were making such a big deal about Sheed calling the TO.

I was in shock at how bad Timmy was playing, he was totally phyc'd out of the game.  I'm sure TD will have a good game NOW that the pressure is off, he's that kinda player at this point in his career.  He's no Magic, Bird, or MJ, heck he's not even a Kevin McHale at this point.  I don't know if TD has the mental toughness to overcome his weak heart. [/QUOTE]>


As Xs3 was noticiting, Duncan (as all NBA players) could learn a lot from Big Shot Rob.   Robs post game comments about how there are much more important things then basketball.  That being the case, when he plays he just has fun.  He says once its no longer fun then why bother, if you miss some shots then....whatever.

Relating this to Duncan, rather then becoming tougher, perhaps he needs to lighten up on himself for missed shots, esp FTs.  

Now as to becoming more assertive, yes he can do that and i think did last night at times.  When his shot was blocked and went right back up strong around about 76-76, that was a good assertive putback.  Since the refs were letting Kobe Billups drive the lane vs Parker, knowing any contact real or imaginary would recieve the Pamper Call, also many of the *blocks* vs TD by BenWa and 'Sheed, yes he needed to get more assertive.  But i think he did for a good part of the game.  Other times he was indeed soft serve ice cream.  His repeatedly glaring at the refs is also beginning to look Kobelike and needs to be stopped ASAP.

[SPURSX3]

you know Sheed could have lost the game for them before OT when he tried to call a time out with no times outs left, he could have gotten a tech for that but didn't....nice to see he didnt dissappoint in OT by leaving Horry open.

:nod:

yep.  this game had everything.
It looks super close as to whether or not 'Sheed is making the timeout signal before or after 0:00.  How classic would that have been, to have had GNob sink the technical shot for the win.  'Sheed would be imortalized. :rofl:

Oh, that's what happened, I was wondering why they were making such a big deal about Sheed calling the TO.

I was in shock at how bad Timmy was playing, he was totally phyc'd out of the game.  I'm sure TD will have a good game NOW that the pressure is off, he's that kinda player at this point in his career.  He's no Magic, Bird, or MJ, heck he's not even a Kevin McHale at this point.  I don't know if TD has the mental toughness to overcome his weak heart.

I think I heard one of the announcers say, "Youn know, Chris Webber is IN the house..." about Sheeds close TO tech.  Ma if that had happenned you would have heard CWEBB scream "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!" :crazy:

I cont explain why Tim is so BLAH in the crunch this season - or actually  this series, prior to this series Tims Numbers were climbing and he was having monster games.  All of that is out the window right now though because of four blow outs, Manu out shining him in games 1 and 2, and Detroits stomping the snot out of us in games 3 and 4.  he was on track to make up for all of that until the free throw gremlin bit him on the arse.

[westkoast]

you know Sheed could have lost the game for them before OT when he tried to call a time out with no times outs left, he could have gotten a tech for that but didn't....nice to see he didnt dissappoint in OT by leaving Horry open.

:nod:

yep.  this game had everything.
It looks super close as to whether or not 'Sheed is making the timeout signal before or after 0:00.  How classic would that have been, to have had GNob sink the technical shot for the win.  'Sheed would be imortalized. :rofl:

Oh, that's what happened, I was wondering why they were making such a big deal about Sheed calling the TO.

I was in shock at how bad Timmy was playing, he was totally phyc'd out of the game.  I'm sure TD will have a good game NOW that the pressure is off, he's that kinda player at this point in his career.  He's no Magic, Bird, or MJ, heck he's not even a Kevin McHale at this point.  I don't know if TD has the mental toughness to overcome his weak heart.

Chris Webber was in the building too.  10 bucks says he was praying they would call it.  He so badly wants to be dethroned.

You know if Rob's shot to beat the Spurs 2 years ago stayed down instead of popping back up he may never have made it to the Spurs.

[Derek Bodner]

The Pistons were probably betting Horry's injury would make him a non-factor shooting from distance.


Oops.

[rickortreat]

There's no excuse to NOT cover Robert Horry on that last play.  Everyone knows the most dangerous player on an in-bounds play is the man who passes the ball in.  I mean that's High School coaching 101 and Mr. Larry Brown, superb-ball genius leaves Horry free after he's been shooting lights out all game!?

 

[WayOutWest]

My opinion of Duncan is doing a 180 AGAIN.

I always thought he was soft until game 6 of the 2003 finals when he took it to the Lakers like a madman.  Since then he's really show to have no guts, his lack of heart is really a shame considering what he's capable of on the court.

He's still at the top of the list of current NBA players but no way he should be mentioned in the same breath as Magic, Bird, MJ, West or even Horry.

[Joe Vancil]

Calling Duncan gutless because guards aren't putting the ball in his hands at the end of a game is no different that calling Shaq gutless for the same thing in last year's Finals against Detroit.  Shaq was absolutely *GUTLESS*, because he didn't have the ball in his hands at the end of the game.  Same thing this year in Miami.  

It's easier to apply the label to Duncan because he doesn't blast his teammates in the paper afterward.

Ball distribution is the job of the guards.  It's easier to call a Ginobilli or a Parker (or a Bryant, etc.) a player with "heart" because they've got the ball in their hands.  It's not Duncan's fault for getting limited looks.  It's the fault of the guards.

No one was calling Duncan gutless when he hit what looked to be a game-winner, leaving .4 seconds on the clock against the Lakers in Game 5 last year.  At that point, they called him "clutch."

To say Duncan shouldn't be mentioned in the same breat as Magic, Bird, Jordan, or West - I can call that reasonable.  HORRY?  NO.  Horry makes plays here and there, and does a lot of the little things, I admit - but Duncan does even more of those things - as evidenced by his stat line over and over and over and over again.  HORRY can't be mentioned in the same breath as DUNCAN.

Unless, of course, you're willing to say things like "Duncan can't be mentioned in the same breath as Avery Johnson, Jaren Jackson, Steve Kerr, Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher, Sean Elliott, and Nick Van Exel."