On Thursday night, 38-year-old Tim Duncan looked like the same Tim Duncan that has led the San Antonio Spurs to four NBA championships since 1999. He scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a Game 1 win over the Miami Heat. That stat line is similar to the one Duncan averaged while winning four rings from 1999-2007.
Simply put, Duncan’s level of play at his age is remarkable. Most players with his physical stature and body of work would have been long retired by now. Blake Griffin summed all that up with a perfect tweet.
They say Father Time is undefeated but Tim Duncan is going toe to toe. Amazing to watch. Much respect.
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) June 6, 2014
In many instances, Duncan is playing against opponents that could easily be his children. His overall numbers have dropped a bit since the Spurs won their last championship in 2007, but Duncan’s play in the postseason this year has reminded us that he is far from finished.
Only 25 players in NBA history have won five or more championships. Many of them are role players that were lucky enough to play alongside legends like Michael Jordan, Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant. Should the Spurs go on to beat the Heat, Duncan has every right to be remembered as a legend himself.
