Ater Washington Wizards guard Martell Webster rolled into the back of his legs in a game at the AT&T Center on Feb. 2, it left San Antonio Spurs All-Star forward Tim Duncan sprawling onto the floor in pain. Clutching the left knee that has been an occasional bother since surgery was required to repair torn cartilage late in the 1999-2000 season, Duncan wasn’t thinking about the significance of being selected for his 14th All-Star Game a year after being left off the Western Conference roster, a first for his career.

“I was in a lot of pain and had no concept of time frame,” Duncan said. “I didn’t know how long I’d be out or how I’d feel the next day. I got lucky, so I’m here.”

Luck was a byproduct of informed caution. Duncan has been wearing a brace on his left knee for the past two seasons and says he would not be in Houston this weekend had he been without it when Webster hit him.

“From what I hear,” he said Friday, “it saved my (anterior cruciate ligament). Overall, it’s saved my career the last couple of years.”

via Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation