If someone says that Duncan and Nowitzki are actually similar, no one will recognize it.
But they do have a great similarity, that is, they are obviously the biggest "background emperor", but they still succeed.
As "background emperors", we are serious
Dirknowitzki, until he won the championship in 2011, his evaluation was inseparable from one word - soft egg.
The NBA has only had 6 black 8s in total, and Nowitzki has been hacked 8 times 1 time, and he is the first to be hacked 8 times in a best-of-7 system.
There have been 6 black 7s in the NBA, and Nowitzki has also been hacked 7 more than 1 time.
There have only been two NBA Finals 2-0 leads that have been reversed, and Nowitzki has contributed one.
And the reversal of the 2006 finals was also full of "fantasy", including two free throws in the final minute of Nowitzki's third game, and the "non-existent" timeout of the young general Johnson.
Tim Duncan, perhaps the best power forward in NBA history, but he is also a background emperor.
Of the 6 black 8s, Duncan also contributed 1 black 8.
There was also a 0.4-second kill, Ginobili's "fatal foul", Ray Allen's magical three-point shot in 2013 and Duncan's layup...
Pure than miserable, Duncan is not necessarily weaker than Nowitzki.
Success is the highlight moment
For Nowitzki, a lifetime of thorns, in exchange for success in 2011, is enough.
That year, the calves have not been optimistic -
The first round was seen as the "most likely to be on the next gram" before defeating the Blazers 4-2.
In the second round, facing "cattle slaughter professional" Kobe, the Mavericks even swept 4-0, and it was not until the moment of the sweep that most people accepted this fact.
The West Duel defeated the young Thunder again.
The finals against the Heat Big Three, one side supported the Heat.
But the fourth quarter of the second game was the turning point, when the Mavericks reversed the 15-point deficit and Nowitzki completed the quasi-victory. Then they went on top of the game and eventually won the championship 4-2.
In the final moments of the sixth game, Nowitzki ran straight back to the dressing room, saying that he didn't want others to see him cry because he would definitely cry.
Change to anyone, will cry, after so many ups and downs, finally see the rainbow.
In fact, Nowitzki still "failed" because he was already crying in the players' tunnel and was still seen. It's just that this time no one laughed at him for being soft, some just admired and moved.
As for Duncan, he was really much luckier.
Before experiencing the aforementioned thorns, Duncan was actually "young and determined".
In 1999, the sophomore Duncan won the championship and FMVP, which many people dreamed of, not only that, Duncan also personally ended multiple dynasties -
In 2003, he defeated the Lakers, ending the Lakers' three-game winning streak.
He defeated the Heat in 2014 to end the Heat's two-game winning streak.
5 championships, 3 FMVP, this is the biggest background of the achievements of Emperor Duncan.
I can't believe what heights Duncan's achievements will reach if luck takes care of Duncan a little.
A crown of gods, willing to become an adult
Nowitzki's 2011 title is regarded as one of the most valuable titles in history, and he himself can be said to be a god. As for Duncan, he's the best power forward of all time.
However, they are equally low-key, the so-called grudges, the so-called rankings, they don't care, and their fans are the same.
Duncan never even got involved with GOAT, no hype, no bragging. So much so that many new fans even question "Is Duncan a superstar"?
Duncan and Duncan's fans won't respond to these remarks, but you may not know Duncan's greatness, but your idols certainly do, because they may have been defeated by Duncan.