Tim Duncan Quotes

It's a war of wills out there on the court. You have to have a stronger will than your opponent, and every guy on your team has to feel that same way against the guy he's guarding.

If we don't start playing better on defense, it's going to be hard. We can't just sit there and win shootouts.

When I go on the basketball court, I don't think about who's guarding me.

There's two facets of this game. You know, if I'm not making shots, OK, then I have to do something on defense. So if I'm missing shots or making shots, it doesn't affect my overall game.

It's difficult losing, but it's even more difficult when you didn't make a shot. I could see the ball just didn't go your way on an out-of-bounds play or something like that, but when you're just not making them, it's frustrating.

To go against the Miami Heat is just a blessing. I'm going to go out there and have fun.

After a great save or a mistake by a defender, I prefer not to shout on him; I prefer to wait and say it inside of the dressing room. I was always like that. I am relaxed, I try to be normal after a mistake, and when I make a mistake, I don't want people coming to me on the pitch shouting at me.

I get upset when people score on us, especially when it's an easy basket. Everybody's super talented in this league, but you want to make it tough for guys.

LeBron's probably the best player in the world, so you just have to make it tough for him, make him take tough jump shots and things like that.

Most teams won't really focus on one player because they've got multiple players to defend and that will open up a lot of things for me.

I just feel like when I come up against another team, I'll always look at their best players and I'll think, if I can stop these doing what they are doing, then I'll get noticed and I'll help the team as well.

It's how I've been playing my whole life, guarding the best player on the other team.

You have to defend the perimeter guys otherwise you're going to struggle getting playing time or staying on the court.

I'm upset when we lose. It doesn't matter if I make 10 60-yarders in one game if we lose.

I hate when the other team has the ball.

Defense all starts with the ball and the rim-protector is the last resort, the last line of defense. I take pride in that.

Ever since third grade - I never even noticed it until after the game - people were telling me how crazy my dad is. I think I'm so locked in when I'm playing on the floor, I only hear him maybe during timeouts or when we're up 20 or 30 and I'm on the bench. But when I'm in the game, I don't hear him.

There's no crying in basketball!

Most of the time, it's easy for us basketball players to adjust to our situation.

Once you get out there and start playing basketball, whether the NBA or college or whatever arena you are playing in or who you are playing in front of, the juices start going, and you want to just go out there and play to the best of your abilities.

I've had some difficulties, but I've also done some good things on defense. So it's just all about effort... You've got to take it personal and work as hard as you can on that end of the floor.

That's sometimes the hardest thing to do as a professional athlete, because when you get lit up, you wear it, especially as a starting pitcher.

I want to guard the best wings and big on every team. I want to make their night tough to gain that respect defensively around the league.

You can't just sit back and think you're gonna pack the paint in and win games. You've gotta guard that three-point line.

Having your competitiveness and your desire as an athlete called into question is, for sure, frustrating.