25 Greatest Performances In NBA Finals History
By Bill Speros
19. Tim Duncan, San Antonio vs. New Jersey, Game 1 (2003)
Tim Duncan was taken with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. He’s rewarded the Spurs by being a part of five championship teams. The only other No. 1 overall pick who has won as many championships in the past 45 years is Magic Johnson.
Like Magic, Tim Duncan was at his best at the biggest moments. To wit: Game 1 of the 2003 NBA Finals. This championship series lacked the hype and glitz of Celtics-Lakers, the presence of a superstar like LeBron James or the dynastic potential of Michael Jordan going for another ring.
None of that mattered to the Spurs. The series was billed as a defensive matchup between the likes of Duncan and New Jersey centers Jason Collins and NBA Lottery psychic Dikembe Mutombo.
Duncan smashed that narrative by scoring 24 of his 32 points in the second half of Game 1, ripping down 20 rebounds, mounting seven blocks, while adding six assists and three steals. He even shot 10-for-14 from the free throw line and he had only one turnover.
He was two steals away from producing the only “five-by-five” in NBA Finals history. Duncan averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the 2003 Finals.
Duncan dominated throughout the series and iced the title in Game 6 with a triple-double (21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists to go with eight blocks).
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