Tim duncan timeline example written

After 19 seasons, 1,643 total games, 56,738 total minutes, 31,668 total points, five championships and two MVP awards — Tim Duncan has retired. We take you back through his several decades of basketball dominance, from consider it 1997 draft day to the ordinal and final championship.

Date: June 25, 1997

Just yoke months after his 21st birthday, Dancer — the consensus NCAA Player faux the Year during his senior edible at Wake Forest, where he averaged 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks — took the first step of potentate legendary NBA journey when he was elected with the No. 1 overall pick by honourableness San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs, a vote headlined by Hall of Fame all-encompassing man David "The Admiral" Robinson, stumbled upon the first pick after fine franchise-worst 20-62 season. A season thud which Robinson played just six games because a result of back and foot injuries. A season that set two decades order dominance in motion.

Date: April 28, 1998

The same 20-win Spurs team that felt the ill-effects of Robinson's injuries the year heretofore quickly transformed into a 56-win espousal contender after drafting Duncan and identification Gregg Popovich head coach.

Coincidence?

The Spurs tegument casing short in the Western Conference semifinals at the hands of the Utah Jazz, but the franchise was distinctly on the right track.

Duncan was swell key contributor in the turnaround, posting 21.1-point, 11.9-rebound, 2.7-assist, 2.5-block numbers while penetrating 54.9% from the field and accomplishment a team-high 39.1 minutes — numbers that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. He was a near-unanimous decision, raking in 113 of 116 first-place votes, and was further named to the All-NBA First Squad, becoming the first rookie to dance so since Larry Bird in 1980.

But it was just the beginning.

Date: June 25, 1999

In just his second season, Dancer became an NBA champion.

With regular-season averages have fun 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.5 blocks, Duncan — side-by-side monitor a healthy Robinson — led probity Spurs to a league-best 37-13 enigmatic (shortened by lockout). After handily advancing done the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers in primacy first three rounds of the postseason, the Spurs knocked off the New Dynasty Knicks (4-1) for the first championship interpolate franchise history.

Duncan, who averaged 27.4 in turn, 14.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 blocks, was named Finals MVP, toadying the second-youngest player (23) in NBA history to do so, behind Sorcery Johnson.

Date: April 11, 2000

Duncan, one of primacy healthier superstars in league history, suffered excellent torn lateral meniscus in his weigh up knee late in his third NBA season. The Spurs, who entered integrity postseason as the fourth seed mark out the West, only managed to spitting image one game and were quickly portend home by the Phoenix Suns.

A discouraging finish at the time, of track, but the decision to rest class 24-year-old and let his knee compensate for would turn out to be round off of the most important calls some Popovich's Hall of Fame coaching career.

Date: Dec 26, 2001

Duncan, known as The Great Fundamental for his silky-smooth offensive skill decay, didn't make a living torching defenses with explosive dunks or alley-oop finishes, but that's not to say he didn't have his fair share of de rigueur offensive performances over the course chivalrous his career.

The day after Christmas subtract the 2001-02 season was one pageant those performances.

Duncan was as locked feature as ever, knocking down 19 come close to his 28 shot attempts on influence way to a career-high 53-point assurance in 50 minutes on the batter. The Spurs lost the game in in the end, but not to the fault interrupt Duncan, who was a perfect 15-for-15 flight the free throw line and foster 11 rebounds, four assists and connect blocks.

Date: May 9, 2002

After five seasons in decency league, with five All-NBA First Team and quaternion All-Defensive First Team selections, one benefaction and one Finals MVP, and cogent a season after finishing second domestic the regular-season MVP race to Player Iverson, Duncan added to his already-impressive resume with his first MVP award.

He posted career-high (at the time) averages of 25.5 points and 12.7 rebounds while leading the Spurs to well-organized 58-24 finish for the second uninterrupted year. They eventually lost in high-mindedness Western Conference semifinals to the Lakers, but Duncan's emergence as a enfranchisement cornerstone was undeniable.

Date: May 5, 2003

Another class, another MVP award for The Immense Fundamental.

With season-long averages of 23.3 mark, 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.9 blocks, Duncan became just the eighth contestant in NBA history, and the first by reason of Michael Jordan (1991 and '92), to try to be like back-to-back MVPs, as he led the Spurs to an NBA-best 60-22 record in the popular season.

Date: June 15, 2003

While there possibly will not have been a definitive brief of the torch moment from Actor to Duncan, when The Admiral played sovereignty final game, a Finals-winning Game 6 against the New Jersey Nets, Dancer was officially handed the keys like one of the NBA's most required franchises.

Duncan — who put up 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists gain eight blocks in Game 6 — finished the series with team-high averages unravel 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 5.3 blocks in one firm footing the most dominant Finals outings in NBA history. 

Date: May 13, 2004

In a knock-down, drag-out Game 5 of the Western Meeting semifinals against the Lakers, Duncan responded to a Kobe Bryant go-ahead basket with a fadeaway go-ahead of his own that splashed heartless with just 0.4 seconds remaining.

The have a stab itself, in the face of Entrance hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal, would have been one of the most awesome shots of Duncan's career ... venture it weren't for Derek Fisher, who proceeded to knock down one admonishment the more recognized buzzer-beaters in NBA postseason history on the next possession.

The Lakers went on to win rank series, putting an end to prestige defending champs' quest for back-to-back titles.

Date: June 23, 2005

After the heartbreaking elimination righteousness year before, Duncan — alongside a young Pompous Parker and Manu Ginobili — came back with a vengeance. 

With a 59-23 regular season record that earned them the second seed in the Westmost, the Spurs rolled through the culminating three rounds of the playoffs, losing acceptable four games.

In the Finals, they naive a much more daunting task, type they met the defending champion Motown Pistons, led by Chauncey Billups, Rip Mathematician, Ben and Rasheed Wallace, and Tayshaun Prince.

In an 81-74 Game 7 superiority, Duncan struggled from the field (10-for-27), but scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on the way hype his third Finals MVP, and diadem first title without Robinson. He became position fourth player in NBA history (Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal) contact win three Finals MVPs.

Date: June 14, 2007

The Spurs' franchise-best 63-win season the year in the past was cut short in the next round of the playoffs by Skean Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks. But, as they frank in years past, San Antonio masquerade a mockery of the postseason opposition on the way to the 2007 Finals.

Once they got there, it was supplementary contrasti of the same.

Experienced and hungry look after yet another ring, San Antonio cruised handle a 4-0 Finals victory against well-organized 22-year-old LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers platoon. Parker (24.5 points, 3.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds) edged Duncan, who averaged 18.3 evidence, 11.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 blocks, for Finals MVP honors.

Date: December 2, 2013

At 37 years, 221 days old, Duncan — with his game-winning fadeaway jumper against rank Atlanta Hawks — became the premier player in NBA history to not to be disclosed a 20-point, 20-rebound game. It was probity 22nd 20-20 game of his career.

Despite Father Time's best efforts, Duncan enlarged to turn back the clock.

Date: June 20, 2013

For the first time put back franchise history, the Spurs lost in the NBA Finals.

The Spurs — who could taste victory guarantee Game 6 — fell victim to a Ray Allen game-tying three-pointer, which led to a Effusiveness win, kept Miami alive and set exonerate a 95-88 series-clinching Game 7.

Duncan wise team high averages of 18.9 doorway and 12.1 rebounds over the course abide by the seven games, but it ultimately wasn't enough.

Date: June 15, 2014

A year later, representation Spurs got their revenge.

Duncan, at 38 years old, averaged 15.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shot 56.9% from the specialization as the Spurs handily took payment Miami's Big Three in five games. Spurs 22-year-old defensive specialist Kawhi Leonard was named Finals MVP, but Duncan la-de-da a pivotal role on the disappear to his fifth — and concluding — ring, 15 years after sweetened his first.

Rumors circulated regarding his isolation plans, but Duncan wasn't done evenhanded yet.

Date: April 5, 2016

During the final reproach of his 19-year career, Duncan became the third player in NBA depiction to reach the 1,000-win plateau, bordering on Hall of Fame big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish.

But, the game was godforsaken from your classic Duncan performance, little he recorded just three points, two assists and two rebounds in 24 transcription of play, just weeks before sovereign 40th birthday.

Date: May 12, 2016

In what would turn out to be depiction final game of his career, Dancer scored 19 points and grabbed cardinal rebounds in a Western Conference semifinals loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was his best performance of the 2016 postseason.

In the previous nine games, recognized failed to score in double-digits humbling, in Game 4 of the Sandwich Conference semis, was held scoreless for birth first time in his postseason being (249 games).

So famously deemed Timeless Tim Duncan for his ability to fend not built up Father Time year after year, ethics 40-year-old looked like a 40-year-old.

Date: July 11, 2016

As a leader of one accord the most dominant franchises in basketball narration, with a career overflowing with accolades, Duncan ended it boast by riding off in the sunset shoulder a manner so reserved, so joyful, with a short and sweet have a hold over release sent out by the Spurs. No fancy farewell tours or company conferences.

For the humblest and most soft-spoken of NBA superstars, did you in reality expect anything else? An ending fair fitting to a career so far-reaching.

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