Tim Duncan proves he still pays attention to Spurs with latest text message

If you're a diehard Spurs fan, you often think about the days when Tim Duncan and the gang dominated the NBA. It was such a fun time to be a fan because we were penciled in for 50-win seasons every year, making watching games an amazing experience you could rely on. Now that the Big Fundamental is retired, you have to wonder how engaged he is with the team.

Sure, he shows up to the occasional practice, but it's cooler to know that he's locked into San Antonio's games on a late night in early December against one of the worst teams in the league like the rest of us. Sean Elliott gave us that revelation after last night's win over Portland.

"Timmy Duncan texted me after the game; he said, 'That was a rollercoaster.'" - Sean Elliott

That's quite the understatement, Tim. It was more like a near-death experience, but we survived, and more importantly, the Spurs won. Okay, maybe that's not more important, but it's a close second.

Spurs basketball is exciting again

The last few seasons didn't offer as many exhilarating moments at such a rapid pace as San Antonio has given us this year. They have wins over Houston, Golden State, and Oklahoma City. They're performing like an elite team in the clutch and winning games you wouldn't have seen them pull out during Wembanyama's rookie campaign, and even he knows that.

"I think tonight we went through a stretch that we wouldn't have survived one year ago" - Victor Wembanyama

The Silver and Black went down by 17 points with 8:18 left in the fourth quarter. It looked like disappointment was on the horizon. The guys had lost Chris Paul to two quick techs and ejection in the first quarter, so it felt like an uphill battle anyway since they entered the game shorthanded. But instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they battened the hatches and gritted their way to a victory.

Victor went 10-10 from the charity line—including the game-sealing free throws—on his way to 28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks. Julian Champagnie went for 19, shooting 50% from deep and grabbing five boards. Jeremy Sochan went 6-9 from the field, and his defense in the fourth quarter was a major catalyst for the Spurs' win.

Devin Vassell was a star when he needed to be. He poured in 23 points on ridiculously efficient shooting (57.1 3PT% and 56.3 FG%). It was another team effort, and no player can be shortchanged. All of their contributions were important to the result. Doing it with Chris Paul in the locker room shows the growth Spurs fans were begging for during the offseason.

This team is discovering how to win games when things aren't going their way. They took a Portland team that had just hit a season-high for points in one quarter, with 46 in the third, and flipped the script by winning the fourth quarter 38-28. It's a performance that deserves a commendation and an exhale. The Big Fundamental's text to Sean Elliott is basically the ladder. Same, Tim. Same.