There were still a full six days until the Finals began!
During that long wait, Goodwin and the coaching staff threw themselves into intense, demanding work—carefully studying replay after replay from the San Antonio Spurs' first three playoff series.
Throughout the process, one familiar and formidable figure drew everyone's particular attention. Yes, it was Tim Duncan.
This basketball legend seemed scarcely touched by time, still maintaining an astonishing level of play.
Especially in the Western Conference Finals, Tim Duncan displayed unparalleled dominance.
In just 30.3 minutes per game, he efficiently put up 17.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
Both his scoring and rebounding numbers firmly ranked first on the team.
It had to be said that Gregg Popovich was truly fortunate to have such an exceptionally capable and loyal player.
Tim Duncan had spent his entire career quietly toiling away in the relatively small city of San Antonio.
Had he chosen to join a bustling metropolis like New York or Los Angeles, his extraordinary charisma and superb basketball skills would certainly have multiplied his influence exponentially. Even his historical standing in the NBA might have risen another level.
Yet even in a small city, Tim Duncan had never stopped pursuing victory. So far, he had brought three championships to the San Antonio Spurs.
They were also the only three championships in Spurs history. Even in later years, after Tim Duncan retired, the San Antonio Spurs never returned to the Finals and eventually had to struggle just to make the playoffs.
Many fans in later years compared the newly risen star Victor Wembanyama to Tim Duncan, but honestly, the two were not comparable at all.
Back then, Tim Duncan had led his team to a championship in only his second season after entering the league.
And Victor Wembanyama now? He