Tim Duncan: ‘We Don’t Get That Respect’

The San Antonio Express-News has a terrific Q&A with the Spurs’ Big Three, and while covering a number of topics, they discuss the reasons why their group seems to lack the proper respect (and historical ranking) among the greatest teams of all-time: “Where do you think the three of you should be regarded among the great trios in NBA history? TP: ‘Yeah, that’s a GREAT question, because I’m watching the game last night (Miami’s Big Three had played its preseason opener the night before) and it shows all the best Big Threes — Chicago, Boston, the Lakers. After that, there’s a hole and it goes straight to Miami. I don’t know why they never put us on that list. It’s not like it’s gonna bother me, because I have the rings and I’ll sleep well at night. But they just don’t want to put us up there.’ TD: ‘That’s how it always is. Even in the midst of us winning championships every other year, every year we started we’d be like the No. 5 team on the list to win it. That’s the way it is in San Antonio, for whatever reason. We don’t get that respect.’ TP: ‘I always say if we did what we did in New York, we’d be gods right now.’ TD: ‘It would be crazy.’ TP: ‘I think the fact that me and Manu are international players, I don’t think we get the same respect. Because we’re not from America, I think that’s why we’re not considered up there with the Bostons, or the Lakers or Chicago.’ TD: ‘It’s a conspiracy theory.'”