Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 9:00 am  |  28 responses

Tim Duncan and His Knee Problems

by Marcel Mutoni

As if the San Antonio Spurs – currently holding down the fifth Playoff spot in the Western Conference – didn’t already have enough issues to deal with. Now, there’s talk (largely from his teammates) that Tim Duncan’s knees have practically turned to dust with the postseason right around the corner.

The San Antonio News-Express reports on the Spurs’ big worry:

Roger Mason Jr. does not want Gregg Popovich’s job. He wouldn’t want the responsibility. He wouldn’t want the nightly pressure of balancing the immediate need to win basketball games against the long-term health of the Spurs’ most important player. In short, Mason wouldn’t know what to do with Tim Duncan, either.

“I stay out of that,” Mason said. “If I see him out there, I’m just happy he’s there.”

Before Ginobili went down with a stress fracture in his right fibula, Spurs insiders had privately expressed more concern for Duncan’s health than Ginobili’s. “He’s been like that for a while,” Tony Parker said. “People don’t realize Timmy’s been playing on one leg for like a month and a half now.”

As the article points out, this won’t be the first time that a banged-up Duncan will lead his squad into the postseason (he did it valiantly three seasons ago); it’s going to be the ultimate test for his 33-year old body should his Spurs end up facing a young, healthy and hungry team like the Blazers in the opening round.

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  • Cheryl Posted: Apr.10 at 9:06 am
    I love the Spurs and would like to see them do well in the playoffs, but if Timmy is hurting, they should shut him down. They won’t win the chip this year, so they shouldn’t risk him doing more damage. Play the thing out with the other guys, give Gooden a shot a showing he can be a viable back up to Timmy next year and let the younger guys get a taste of playoff basketball as starters. Just my opinion.

  • Ken Posted: Apr.10 at 9:20 am
    As a Suns fan, it was hard to see us miss the playoffs this year. Like most Suns fans, one bit of consolation will be watching the Spurs lose in the first round.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Apr.10 at 9:39 am
    One last hurrah, big cat.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Apr.10 at 9:40 am
    Also, the Spurs won’t lose in the first round. Too bad for the CP3 lovers out there.

  • Jukai Posted: Apr.10 at 9:42 am
    Co-sign Ken

  • Hursty Posted: Apr.10 at 9:43 am
    Robot dismantled?
    hopefully the Spurs just beat up on someone real bad this year. I feel real sorry for Timmy though. Seems like such a quiet, gentle soul.

  • Fred34 Posted: Apr.10 at 9:44 am
    Pop and Sloan should form a grief group or sumpin

  • TADOne Posted: Apr.10 at 10:35 am
    Just give him a damn upgrade already.

  • Coach Master Posted: Apr.10 at 11:01 am
    Duncan and KG knees over 30…coincidence?

  • Geoff Posted: Apr.10 at 11:04 am
    Too bad SA doesn’t have former palyers as GM’s on other teams like the Lakers, who practically got Gasol for nothing or the Celtics getting KG (tho I know Al Jefferson will be a stud). Maybe they should call Danny Ferry for a favor and get LBJ for Roger Mason and Ginobili!!!!! Here’s wishful thinking

  • ciolkstar Posted: Apr.10 at 11:28 am
    God, this is depressing. I tried to avoid even commenting on this piece. I still think we could get out the first round.But, even that will be a struggle. This really sucks because this year’s Spurs team really had something special going with the additions of Roger Mason and young George Hill. I think Tim has a couple years left but knee injuries (especially for a big guy this late in his career) are such a slippery slope…

  • Sarah Posted: Apr.10 at 12:19 pm
    That’s the weird thing is that they were talking about shutting him down for the rest of the regular season right before we got news that Manu was done. Now that that happened, poor Timmy’s kind of been put on the back burner.

  • JoeMaMa Posted: Apr.10 at 12:50 pm
    Shut down Duncan.
    And sign Horry. Because he makes the hurt feel good.

  • Anton Posted: Apr.10 at 1:41 pm
    He should get some recovery tips from The Machine.

  • overtime Posted: Apr.10 at 2:17 pm
    Is it going to become like the T-Mac situation? where the players not knowing if the main guy is going to be on the floor or not is gunna screw with chemistry?
    And like Joe said, sign Horry

  • Josh D Posted: Apr.10 at 2:18 pm
    Duncan isn’t that badly hurt if he can score 25 points and grab 15 rebounds if he is playing on one leg and can do that that’s just scary i still think the spurs can get past round 1 and if they play good D i think that Homecourt advantage is well within their grasp

  • albie1kenobi Posted: Apr.10 at 2:48 pm
    if they have to play (and lose) to anybody in the 1st round, i rather it be Blazers. great young talents with a more-than-legit closer in Roy. it’ll be a much better series if the blazers (rather than spurs) play the lakers. as brilliant as Pop is, there’s no way he can make up the talent gap without TD and manu.

  • Clark Kent Posted: Apr.10 at 2:58 pm
    Sign Horry? He shot 19% in the postseason last year, I don’t think he’d be a help. I say the Spurs need to go all out with what they have and try to build some momentum for the 2009-2010 season.

  • JoeMaMa Posted: Apr.10 at 3:37 pm
    Yes, sign Horry.
    Because he’ll win at least one game by doing something d*ckhead-ish.
    And we all love drama.

  • a_whiteman Posted: Apr.10 at 4:28 pm
    As much as I hate the spurs, I’d rather see them lose with their guys in then on the sidelines. How can you legitimately say you beat the spurs if ginobili AND duncan aren’t healthy/dont play?

  • vtrobot Posted: Apr.10 at 4:43 pm
    I thought TD was closer to 43. God, I hope the Lakeshow and the Blazers meet up (and the Blazers move on).

  • nate the great Posted: Apr.10 at 5:21 pm
    living in canby oregon, im very glad to here this. although we did lose to a duncan-less team.
    But this makes it better.
    although i liked the suns a lot last year cause of nash and mikey D.
    and hated the spurs. Tim Duncan is probably top 5 nicest players in the nba.

  • Jacob Posted: Apr.10 at 5:41 pm
    if duncan is hurt and cant go 100% in the playoffs the spurs are going to get bounced in the first round

  • UNNAMED Posted: Apr.10 at 6:47 pm
    I hope LeBron James gets shot in the knee and can never play again.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Apr.10 at 9:28 pm
    REST HIM UNTIL THE PLAYOFFS SAN ANTONE!

  • nastierthanyou Posted: Apr.11 at 2:44 pm
    @ UNNAMED Sentiments like that are flat out uncalled for. TD will be fine. He has a swimming backround and that is the best therapy.

  • I am the walrus Posted: Apr.13 at 8:30 pm
    C’mon Bruce Bowen, STEP UP!!!

  • WTKE 98.1 THE TICKET » It’s playoff tiiiime…. Posted: Apr.17 at 8:37 am
    [...] Spurs have had issues with Tim Duncan being slowed down by his knees while Dallas has not been the most spectacular team in the playoffs over the last few years. But, [...]

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