San Antonio Spurs: How Is Tim Duncan Still So Effective?

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan is still effective at age 36. (Photo: Flickr user Killbucky).

Tim Duncan has been the cornerstone of the San Antonio Spurs since he was drafted in 1997.

“The Big Fundamental,” as he has been called, has won four NBA championships, has been a two-time NBA MVP and a three-time NBA Finals MVP. He has done it all in his 16-year NBA career. He is a sure fire Hall of Famer and could be considered the best power forward in NBA history.

This season Duncan has showed he is still one of the best in the business. After 16 years in the league, Duncan is still performing at a very high level. He averaged 17.8 points a game this season, which is his highest since 2009. His rebounding has always been steady as again he averaged just less than 10 a game. He also shot a career high from the foul-line this season at 81 percent.

The veteran power forward does everything by the book and that is what makes him–even at the age of 36–a great player in the league.

Duncan is not flashy or about showmanship. He is about being in the right spot, setting a good pick or making the right cut to the basket. He is constantly improving; defenses would once let him take a 17-footer, but now Duncan knocks them down with ease.

Another key to all of Duncan’s success has been his workload during the season. Although the Spurs go deep into the NBA playoffs almost every year, coach Gregg Popovich finds time to rest the veteran during the regular season to make sure the former Wake Forest standout is fresh in the postseason.

Even on a team with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, Duncan is still the star of the Spurs. Defenses still have to key on him as his offensive game has not gone away. He is having one of his best years on defense as well. He averaged 2.6 blocks a game, which is his highest since 2006-07 season. Parker and Ginobili have been part of three of Duncan’s four titles.

If you looked up savvy vet in the dictionary a picture of Duncan would be shown. He knows all the veteran moves. He stays out of foul trouble despite playing in the paint most of the game, even though some may debate that he should be called for more fouls. He seems to find more easy baskets than most players as well.

Duncan was his normal steady self in the Spurs’ Game 1 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, April 21. He still scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while going against Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard of the Lakers in the paint.

Duncan makes things looks easy. And as long as he keeps doing everything so fundamentally sound, the Spurs are always a threat to win the title.

Follow me on Twitter: @ChrisSchmaedeke