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MIAMI - Tim Duncan offered a rare acknowledgement: Hes thinking about the end of his career. No, the San Antonio star didnt announce retirement plans during an off day at the NBA Finals on Wednesday. But a player who has almost always declined the chance to discuss his own legacy after 17 seasons in the NBA — all with the Spurs — Duncan provided a glimpse of whats going through his mind as his career is clearly much closer to the end than the beginning. "I think in the last couple years Ive really kind of taken a step back and stopped and enjoyed what the journey means," Duncan said on the eve of Game 4 of these NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, a series that the Spurs lead 2-1. "I think, as it comes to a close on my career — and I know it is — I appreciate it more." The 38-year-old Duncan has been superb so far in this series, averaging 17.7 points on nearly 65 per cent shooting from the floor. If the Spurs win the championship, it would be Duncans fifth crown. Only 13 players in NBA history have ever been part of more championship series than that. And if Spurs coach Gregg Popovich knows Duncans exit plans — this year, next year, or otherwise — hes not tipping his hand. "It will probably be the third quarter of some game on the road some year, and hell feel like hes not as significant and hell walk into the locker room," Popovich said earlier in this series. Before the start of this rematch finals against Miami, Duncan — who has an option for next season at just over $10 million, an absolute bargain by NBA standards for someone at his level of production — said hes not thinking about retirement and doesnt even "care about any of that stuff." On Wednesday, he acknowledged that hes savoring these finals, since nothing about the future is ever guaranteed. "I appreciate every game more," Duncan said. "I appreciate every accomplishment, and everything that we get to go through and every experience, knowing that it might be the last time I do it." Cheap Vapormax . Granada defender Diego Mainz barged into the back of Villa to send the Spain striker to the ground inside the area and Costa stepped up to the spot to score his 12th league goal in the 38th minute. Costa showed no effects of the news that his Brazilian citizenship may be revoked after he elected to play for Spains national team, as the forward was a constant threat for Atletico and forced several saves from goalkeeper Roberto. Mens Fake Vapormax . The win puts Arsenal four points clear of Everton in fourth place with two games to play in the Premier League, a position which would qualify the club for Europes top competition for the 17th straight year. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-v...learance.html.D. Martinezs ninth-inning sacrifice fly scored Torii Hunter with the winning run and the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 Sunday. Cheap Off White Vapormax .com) - Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar and New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo were named the NHLs players of the week on Monday. Cheap Vapormax Plus China . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.Michael Carricks return to the Manchester United team for the win over Swansea has been hailed as the catalyst behind their improved performance. But what is it about the midfielder that makes him so important? Adam Bate examines the evidence... Its one thing to be 25-years-old, another thing to be 35-years-old. Thats the logic of things. But the only thing I can say is hes phenomenal. No doubts about it … I would love to play him every game but thats not possible … He started at Swansea and played very, very well.Jose Mourinhos explanation for Michael Carricks belated inclusion in his Premier League starting line-up for the 3-1 win at Swansea last time out was a little disingenuous. There had been multiple opportunities for the Manchester United manager to turn to Carrick earlier. Swansea 1-3 Manchester Utd Although United have won all six matches in which he has featured this season, the veteran midfielder struggled to make the squad in the early weeks of the season and was an unused substitute for the back-to-back defeats against Feyenoord and Watford in September.This was not because of careful game management. It was Mourinho searching for a longer-term solution to his midfield conundrum. But it seems there are still qualities that Carrick possesses that are absent elsewhere in the United squad. Qualities that help the team.Rio Ferdinand calls him the best passer at the club while Gary Neville, another old team-mate, once compared Carrick to a piano. Hes peaceful, hes calm, he brings composure to everyone else around him, said Neville. Thats important for young players. Carrick scored in the EFL Cup win over Northampton Town in September Only last year Wayne Rooney was enthusing about how Carrick turned around Englands friendly against Italy after coming on as a substitute by dictating the game and bringing control to the teams work. Mourinho has spoken of the balance that he provides.These are difficult qualities to measure and that makes them easy to dismiss. Carrick didnt score or assist a goal at Swansea, after all. He didnt make a tackle either. But even from such a small sample size this season, Carricks statistics do hint at what he brings to a team.He has made 112 passes in only 102 minutes of Premier League football this season with a completion rate of more than 96 per cent. In short, when Carricks on the pitch he passes the ball to a team-mate more regularly and with greater accuracy than anyone else. Man Utd midfielders 2016/17 Player Passes / 90 Player Passing accuracy Michael Carrick 98.8 Michael Carrick 96.55% Ander Herrera 69.9 Juan Mata 90.84% Paul Pogba 62.7 Marouane Fellaini 89.35% Juan Mata 56.3 Ander Herrera 87.45% Marouane Fellaini 55.dddddddddddd7 Paul Pogba 86.11% But its about more than keeping calm and keeping hold of the ball. Its not just that hes circulating possession but the direction in which hes circulating it. Thats whats helping those around him. In particular, it could be crucial for record signing Paul Pogba.Mourinho knew he needed Pogbas dynamism - the second midfield player is how he describes that role of the runner rather than the passer in the middle of the park. But on the evidence of the early part of the season, getting him on the ball in the right areas is an issue.Carrick could be the man to change that. Mourinho has highlighted his big understanding of the game so perhaps its not merely a coincidence that he found Pogba eight times in his first Premier League appearance of the campaign as a late substitute against Leicester. Carrick and Pogba Michael Carrick has passed to Paul Pogba 25 times in only 102 minutes of Premier League action. By way of comparison, that meant that Carrick passed the ball to Pogba more times in a quarter of an hour than either Juan Mata or Ander Herrera did in the entire game. The Swansea game saw a continuation of this fledgling relationship.Carrick passed to Pogba 17 times at the Liberty Stadium, more than anyone else. As a result, hes averaging a pass to the Frenchman every four minutes so far this season - more than three times as often as Rooney, for example, has succeeded in getting the ball to him.Much has been made of how Pogba found his feet at Juventus alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio. Their intelligent use of the ball helped him flourish. Thats been missing. Alarmingly, in the defeat to Manchester City, the man who supplied Pogba most often was David de Gea. Is it time for Jose Mourinho to turn to Carrick to help Uniteds midfield? With Carrick in the team, thats unlikely to happen again. As Mourinho puts it, hes a player who adds stability in our game and provides mental freedom for the other guys to be more offensive in their work as well. For United fans, this isnt a new realisation.It even worked briefly for Louis van Gaal. Carrick won the first seven matches he started last season, extending his total winning run to 11 when the wins over Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and City were included from the previous 2014/15 campaign.That sequence of results in the spring of 2015 marked Uniteds best period under the Dutchman, one that only came to an end once Carrick picked up an injury just prior to the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea in the April. Winning without him is not a problem unique to Mourinho. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. The closest Van Gaal ever got to fluidity at Old Trafford was with that triumvirate of Carrick, Herrera and Marouane Fellaini. Perhaps that could yet be the template for the new manager with the not insignificant upgrade of subbing in Pogba for the burly Belgian.Mourinho knows it is not the answer he envisaged but nor can he afford to look too far ahead. Arsenal are the visitors on Saturday and picking the best team to win the match should surely be the only thing in his thoughts. That will mean Carrick.Its a pity you sometimes cannot stop the clock, said Mourinho earlier this month. Michael is such an important player and very difficult to replace. But the issue of finding a replacement is now a task for January at the earliest and, more likely, well beyond that. Man Utd vs Arsenal November 19, 2016, 11:30am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass By then, the hope will be that Pogba is fully settled and this United side are playing with some confidence again. Carrick can help with that. He knows exactly what I can do, my strengths, he told Sky Sports earlier this season. I am not going to change my game now.Theres no need for that. The events of this season have only added to the suspicion that Carrick doing what Carrick does might be exactly what United had been missing. 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