The sight of Tim Duncan sitting on the bench during deciding moments of the Spurs-Warriors game Thursday sent me scrambling to the computer. The situation had to be unprecedented. When in playoff history has a player of Duncan’s stature sat down with the game on the line? Did that happen to Michael, Magic or Larry? What about Wilt or Russell? Kareem? Shaq? Kobe?
I didn’t even make it halfway when I stopped and started giggling. Michael Jordan sitting for the last 4:28? Magic Johnson? Those two insanely competitive players? Right. Such a thing is why the phrase “when pigs fly” was invented.
Hell, in 1961-62, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 48.5 minutes per game during the season. He sat on the bench for only eight minutes all year. So the chances of sitting four straight minutes in a playoff game are about the same as Lil Wayne singing opera.
But over the last few years, as intellect-based system of Gregg Popovich has continued to succeed, several sayings have developed in the NBA:
“Only in San Antonio.”
“Only Pop could do that.”
“Typical Spurs.”
Perhaps the greatest indicator of LeBron James’ current dominance of the NBA is that the only controversy in Most Valuable Player voting is who deserves to be second.
