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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKENDFebruary 18, 2011Tim DuncanLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Q. For kids who are not familiar with the game, what life lessons has the game of basketball shown you? TIM DUNCAN: A lot of things. Teamwork is probably number one. Just determination and work ethic more than anything. You want to get to be a professional basketball player or any level of basketball, it's about working hard and pushing yourself and just trying to find a way to get it done. Q. What's the single-biggest personal obstacle you have had to getting where you are today? TIM DUNCAN: You know what I've had a great road to where I am. I think just starting from where I was growing up in the islands, not really around a basketball culture, and still finding a way kind of learn to play and getting lucky enough to get into a great college and on from there. Q. Your thoughts on potential MVP? TIM DUNCAN: I think he's been a candidate for a couple of years now. He does so much for that team, he's the backbone of the team offensively and defensively and that's what you look for. Q. What are your thoughts on him -- TIM DUNCAN: He's a big kid and he's fun to be around, fun to listen to, and looks like he's always having fun with whatever he does. Q. You'll be back in the starting lineup again; is it a meaningful thing for you? TIM DUNCAN: It's great. It's great. It's unbelievable. It's got a lot more to do with what we have done as a team than anything I've done individually this year. I'm out there representing all of the work that our guys have done this year to get the record that we have and to be playing the way we have. Q. Is it true you were going to sit out rest of the season if Pop didn't start you? TIM DUNCAN: If I got out? Q. You were going to boycott if Pop didn't start you? TIM DUNCAN: That got out? That was a personal conversation between me and Pop. That wasn't supposed to get out. Q. Most teams don't get better when they get older. TIM DUNCAN: A lot of the better teams in the league right now have an older core. We talked about early in the year about if we are healthy enough and we are able to stay healthy, I think we have a good chance of being a contender and we have been blessed enough to be healthy with our starting lineup, with most of our guys through the bench, the core of our team and it's shown. Q. Was it health or -- TIM DUNCAN: It's health and experience. We went through a bit of a rougher one last year, but we had a lot of the core guys that we have right now and I think that experience is paying off a whole bunch right now. I think the addition of some of the younger guys who are coming around greatly, Gary Neal coming out of nowhere, and continued great play of Antonio McDyess. Q. If I told you would have the best record in the game at this point season would you be surprised? TIM DUNCAN: Yeah, very surprised. Didn't expect that. We didn't expect to just be ten losses in at this point in the season, but as I said, we have played pretty well this year so far, so not a great one last night, but all in all, we are excited with what we have done and we are excited with where we are. Q. Are you going to go to the negotiating session, the show of support to the Players Association? TIM DUNCAN: I have not decided yet, but I'm thinking about it. Q. Have you thought about the fact that your contract is coming up, last season next year, on your extension? TIM DUNCAN: Is it really? Q. Or is it the year after? You know, that a lockout could affect that. TIM DUNCAN: I haven't thought about that. I'm not worried about that. Obviously we went through the lockout when I was in my second year in the league, and a lot of the older guys kind of stepped up and knew what it was about. I want to make sure that I can do that for the future generation of NBA players, kind of step in and do my part in that respect. I'm not worried about what I've got going on with my contract. It will work itself out. End of FastScripts |
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