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The San Antonio Spurs odds to win the 2017 NBA Championship have more than doubled from 6-1 to 12-1, courtesy of Tim Duncan announcing his retirement Monday (July 11).
Duncan has played for 19 rewarding NBA seasons that included five NBA titles, two NBA MVP awards, 15 All-Star appearances.
Duncan's final game ended up being a 113-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 12.
"Timmy's never been a very outspoken or emoting sort of individual on the court," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said earlier this year. "Everybody does it differently."
"Man, he's meant a lot, a great amount," said Spurs small forward Kyle Anderson, one of Duncan's 140 teammates over the years. "When you have Timmy on the floor and you're out there, it's so easy to give all your effort because you know he's just out there talking, he's out there making sure everybody's playing hard.
"He's like, I don't want to say a father figure out there, but he's like a big brother out there. I love Timmy. He's been a great teammate."
The retirement also brings an end to the Duncan-Tony Parker-Manu Ginobili Big Three that ranked as one of the most prolific trios in NBA history.
No group won more regular-season or playoff games than those three.
This is still a talented squad and, for that reason, the Spurs still had the third shortest odds to win the 2017 title after the Warriors and Cavs.
- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com
