One Final Game: The last great performance for NBA legends

One Final Game: Tim Duncan

Date: May 12, 2016

Tim Duncan demonstrated to the world how a superstar player can age gracefully in a way that helps his team win. He began taking a backseat offensively to allow his younger teammates to drive scoring, while continuing to clean the glass, move the ball and anchor an elite defense. It’s how Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs won titles 15 years apart.

In Duncan’s final season, the reality of 1,582 career games (regular season and playoffs) after a full four years in college meant Duncan was a reliable but no-longer-prolific player for the Spurs. He filled his role as a low usage player and important leader and culture-setter, and the Spurs set a franchise record with 67 wins.

After sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoffs, they found themselves in a tough battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Kevin Durant, and ultimately went six games as they struggled with the Thunder’s length and athleticism. The Thunder won Game 6, going on to famously lose a 3-1 series to the Golden State Warriors in the next round.

The Spurs may have lost the game, Duncan’s last one as a player, but it wasn’t because of Duncan’s play. After averaging 4.5 points per game through nine playoff games he exploded for 19 points. He played 34.5 minutes and the Spurs were a +12 when he was on the court; they lost the other 13.5 points by a whopping 26 points.

Duncan defined his game by more than scoring, but he showed he still could bank that basketball off the backboard a few more times in the final game of his career.