Despite handing the reigning Western Conference champions a 129-100 loss on Tuesday's season-opener, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker admits it was a weird game at Oracle Arena.
The Tim Duncan effect didn't take long to kick in as Parker has played all 15 of his seasons with “The Big Fundamental” at his side, and last night's game was the first he wasn't anywhere within reach.
“It's weird, but we have to get used to it,” Parker told Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
The sentiment was echoed by two people who are just as close with Duncan.
“Losing Tim, he was like a security blanket for everybody,” head coach Gregg Popovich said. “Even if things went awry, he was like the center of the universe and everybody knew how to act around that. With that pivotal guy gone, we'll have to wait and see who accepts that role.”
“I think we’re going to start noticing his absence more and more as the season goes, when we struggle,” said Manu Ginobili. “Everything’s too new now. I think further into the season we’re going to start missing him even more.”
The Spurs are in a good track so far, as they faced their first big test early in the season and showed their depth as much as how this franchise has turned over a new leaf and now relies in their young(er) guys to get the job done.
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