Tim Duncan: I’m Still the Man

Duncan is amused by anyone who thinks he’s begun to fall off, and that includes his own coach: “Before the Spurs won their fourth straight road game on Saturday in Washington , coach Gregg Popovich spent a few moments marveling at the resurgence of his hottest player. At age 33, Tim Duncan leads Popovich’s team in scoring (20.0 points per game), rebounding (10.2) and blocked shots (1.8). Admitting he’d had occasional off-season doubt about Duncan ‘s ability to return to the sort of nightly dominance that twice made him the Most Valuable Player, Popovich sounded relieved. ‘I hoped I would (see him back at that level),’ he said, ‘and I have. He’s just been fantastic. He was really wise this summer and took care of himself and was careful with his workouts and didn’t overdo it. He’s reaping the benefits and has been our most consistent player and continues to be the foundation of what we do.’ Duncan chuckled at Popovich’s doubts that he could get back to MVP level. ‘I didn’t know I left this level,’ he said. ‘Did I?”’