pping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year.ALAMEDA, C

Tim Duncan never wanted the spotlight, only the trophies. He never wanted the endorsements, only the camaraderie. He never wanted the accolades, only the collective achievement.So when one of the most understated superstars in sports decided to finally call it a career after nearly two decades of excellence, he made the announcement with a 15-foot bank shot and not a boisterous slam dunk.No big news conference. No victory lap. Not even a canned quote in the press release. Just a simple goodbye on Monday from the quiet anchor at the foundation of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty.Just as he has for so much of his 19 seasons, the 40-year-old Duncan let others do the talking for him.Congrats to Tim Duncan. Probably a top 5 all time player and undoubtedly a top 5 all time teammate, tweeted Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who played with Duncan in San Antonio. Wow, what a career.Fifteen All-Star appearances, five championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, two NBA MVPs, one coach, one team. Forever.The Spurs made the playoffs in all 19 of his seasons and won 71 percent of their regular season games with No. 21 in the middle.The best (power forward) ever! Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge tweeted. Thanks for the memories old man. A great player and teammate.Few would dare argue.Duncan was the No. 1 overall pick in 1997 and teamed with coach Gregg Popovich, point guard Tony Parker and shooting guard Manu Ginobili to turn the Spurs from a solid franchise that could never quite get over the hump into the model for American sports.The constant staple of their franchise, Clevelands LeBron James said earlier this year.The unassuming Duncan was the only player to start and win a title in three different decades. Nicknamed The Big Fundamental for his clinical approach that favored bank shots over dunks, he was a member of the All-NBA first team 10 times and is one of only three players -- joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parrish -- to win at least 1,000 games in his career. He is fifth on the NBAs career list in blocks, sixth in rebounds and 14th in scoring.He joined Larry Bird and Michael Jordan as the only players to be named college basketballs player of the year, the NBA rookie of the year, and the MVP of the All-Star game and the NBA Finals.Even tho I knew it was coming, Im still moved by the news, Ginobili tweeted. What a HUGE honor to have played with him for 14 seasons! (hash)ThankYouTD.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Duncan one of the most dominant players in NBA history and lauded him for an understated selflessness (that) made him the ultimate teammate.For two decades Tim represented the Spurs, the city of San Antonio and the league with passion and class, Silver said. All of us in the NBA family thank him for his profound impact on the game.The reluctant star was often overshadowed in the public eye by more outsized personalities like James and Kobe Bryant, who also retired this year after 20 seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he leaves this game as one of the leagues true giants, perhaps the best power forward to ever play and one who left as indelible a mark on his franchise as any player to come before him.This will always be Timmys franchise. Always, Parker said during the 2013 NBA Finals. Should do a statue for him outside the AT&T Center.The last time Duncan spoke to reporters was on May 12, when the Spurs had just been eliminated by the Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.There were hints in that game of Duncans plans, even though he later exercised a contract option to clear the way for his return. He had always said that he would walk away when he felt he could no longer have a significant impact on the game, and for most of the series the younger Thunder big men had their way with him and the Spurs on the glass.With the Spurs getting blown out and the fourth quarter set to begin, Popovich and his veteran star had a brief conversation on the bench. Duncan then played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter without coming out for a rest, finishing with 19 points and soaking up every second he could in the last game he would ever play. And when the game was over, Duncan waved to the visiting crowd and pointed a finger toward the roof as he headed to the locker room.Timmys never been a very outspoken or emoting sort of individual on the court, Popovich said earlier this year. Everybody does it differently.And Duncan was truly one of a kind.In 1997, after an injury to star David Robinson, the Spurs plunged in the standings and ended up with a chance at the No. 1 overall pick. They won the lottery, and it was a no-brainer to choose Duncan, the polished, two-way big man who had spent four years at Wake Forest.The Spurs won 36 more games in Duncans rookie year than they had the previous season and were NBA champions in his sophomore campaign. They also won titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, the last one a dominant run to redemption over James and the Miami Heat after losing to them in seven games the previous season.He was a 38-year-old All-Star in 2014-15 and even as his minutes were reduced to save the wear and tear on his body for the playoffs, he remained a force on the defensive end and on the glass.He had 140 different teammates in his career and he handled taking the baton from Robinson in 1998 just as gracefully as he did passing it to Kawhi Leonard in 2014.The Spurs added Pau Gasol and Dewayne Dedmon to beef up their front-court depth in anticipation of Duncans decision. But even though Duncans production has been in decline, they will never be able to replace the backbone of the organization.I think it goes way beyond the championships and the winning, said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer, a longtime Spurs assistant. I think the culture that really, hes kind of the pillar its been built around. It is almost impossible to quantify.And now he steps away, not stomping out the door like Bryant did with his 60-point finale, but tip-toeing away with no fanfare.The modesty with which he handles himself is so refreshing, said Timberwolves GM Scott Layden, who spent the previous four years in the front office in San Antonio. Hes a great example for everyone.---Freelance writer Willie Ramirez in Las Vegas contributed to this report.Eddie George Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Jurrell Casey Titans Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. http://www.titansstoreonline.com/Black-99-Jurrell-Casey-Womens-Jersey/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Ryan Tannehill Youth Jersey . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. Kevin Byard Titans Jersey . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year.ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Deciding to go for a game-winning two-point conversion in the final minute might not have been the boldest move Raiders coach Jack Del Rio made in Sundays season-opening win over the New Orleans Saints.Benching $38 million cornerback Sean Smith midway through the third quarter and sitting him for the remainder of the afternoon clearly stood out and raised eyebrows in Oaklands locker room as well as around the NFL.Smith was one of the marquee offseason additions made by general manager Reggie McKenzie yet Del Rio didnt hesitate to pull Smith after he failed to get a hand on Saints wideout Brandin Cooks and was beaten for a 98-yard touchdown.Its a move Smith agreed with, even if it came at his expense, and he said he was not surprised when it happened.Not at all, Smith said Tuesday. I was getting killed, Im not going to lie to you. It was getting bad out there. I was costing our team points. Coach did what he had to do. Obviously I would have loved to stay in and fight that thing out but coach made a decision on whats best for the team so Im going to ride with it.The Raiders expected Smith to bring stability to their secondary after nearly a half-decade of constant changes. They inked him to a four-year contract that included a $20 million signing bonus to lure Smith away from Kansas City.Smith got off to a decent enough start in New Orleans but struggled as the game went on, allowing a 49-yard completion before thee Saints franchise-record 98-yarder from quarterback Drew Brees to Cooks.ddddddddddddThats when Del Rio made the decision to bench Smith in favor of former first-round draft pick DJ Hayden. Hayden was flagged for two pass interference penalties that helped sustain touchdown drives by the Saints after Smith was pulled from the game.I have to make those kinds of calls and guys have to trust my judgement, Del Rio said. Im going to always do what I think is best for the football team and thats what it was.Smith, who had 41 pass breakups and five interceptions during his three years in Kansas City, had no qualms with the decision.Just a bad day overall, bad technique, Smith said. Thats pretty much what it was, bad technique. You want to go out there with a game plan and execute and thats something that I didnt do.An eight-year veteran, Smith said he had never been benched in the middle of a game before Sunday.But if you play long enough youre going to have days like that, Smith said. You just have to move on, have a short-term memory and be ready to roll. Its over. Its just like any other job. I had a bad day at work. Its one game. Its not going to define myself, my career or this season. It was a bad day and Im ready to roll into Week 2.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '