We’ve seen him beat down opposing big men on the defensive end.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors meet Monday night for game one of the Western Conference Finals at the Oracle Arena.
Suddenly, though, Duncan looks his age. Then Duncan ran out of gas.
Spurs guard Danny Green struggled, going 3 of 8 from the floor.
San Antonio won 67 games during the regular season, but there may be a message in the Western Conference finals’ pairing. Not after this series. Despite the premature end to the season, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has no regrets and is quite proud of how his team played all year.
“How do you know?”. I know for both teams, it was a grind all series. Popovich wouldn’t reveal what that conversation was about, and Duncan answered coyly-“We had a conversation”. Duncan has won five titles overall.
Portland can also blame referee Steve Foster for throwing Curry’s replacement, Shaun Livingston, out of the game in the second quarter for questioning an obvious blown foul call on his lay-up.
Duncan has made the All-Star team 15 times during his 19-year career. But it just wasn’t enough.
“They are loaded, and they’re tough, and they’re playing really well”. “He really did a good job”. “It’s basketball. Once we play the right way and get the shots we take and play hard, that’s all we could do”. It may be it after all.
“They run off Westbrook and Durant…” Duncan may want in, or maybe his time is up.
This is the first year, where the dynamics of the Spur’s team changed. That’s how good the Warriors have been all season long: if everyone’s healthy, even if their superstars are off night, you can not do much against them.
After getting through the Spurs, the Thunder will once again be the underdog in Round 3.
San Antonio, behind a rested Duncan, chipped away at that lead in the second half. It happened in this series.
Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 for the Spurs.
Off the bench, they get help from Manu Ginobili, 38, David West, 35 and Boris Diaw, 34.
But even if Duncan does come back, it won’t be the same.
The Savannah Bananas – an amateur baseball team in Georgia – may have found a new mascot, as if they need one with a name like the Bananas. The Warriors aren’t going anywhere.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. But this part would be fitting: he would have done it with little fanfare, and without a farewell tour. They’re a good team. He never sought the spotlight and never wanted the credit for the Spurs’ success.
The Spurs have made the playoffs each of the last 19 season since Duncan was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 draft.
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To add to that, his teammate Klay Thompson sank 276 three-pointers this season, which is the third-most ever in one season, behind only Curry’s last two seasons.
