Spurs fans will get a chance to see both Tim Duncan and Emanuel Ginobili compete during the offseason in international competition. That's great news for fans of every other team in the league, because, if recent history is any indication, it means they will not be nearly as good at their regular jobs.

Duncan has volunteered to help Team USA qualify and compete in the 2004 Olympics in Athens after it finished a disappointing sixth in last summer's World Championships in Indianapolis. He does so despite being well aware of the punishment his body took while making a two-summer commitment to the 2000 squad. That team finished first in qualifying in Puerto Rico and then won gold in Sydney, Australia, but it came at a mighty price to Duncan and the Spurs.

	Playing for Team USA added extra wear and tear to Tim Duncan's knees.

Competing year-round the first time left him needing knee surgery by the end of the 2000 season, forcing him to miss the playoffs. Rushing the rehab process to play in Sydney had both knees aching the following season, which translated into a concentration problem that was most evident in his career-low 62 free-throw percentage.

Ginobili, of course, has been unable to show the Spurs what he can really do since spraining his right ankle in the Worlds semifinals in Indy and has decided to retire from international competition after the trip to Greece. Reggie Miller, Pau Gasol and Antonio Davis also have had this season disrupted by injuries incurred or complicated by competing in Indy.

"It's a tough thing to put your body through," Duncan says, "but it's time to represent. I have no doubt that the rest of the world is catching up. But we've got a lot of pride in the belief that we play the best basketball in the world and it's time to show that."

The Argentines sensed that pride in Indy as well, only it came off as arrogance. They don't question that the NBA's best still comprise the world's best. They simply didn't feel a squad that didn't include a single first- or second-team All-Pro should be strutting around that way.

"You could tell they didn't respect us," Ginobili said. "We knew they thought they could just come out and beat us. And because of that, we worked hard five, six hours a day, because we saw we had the chance to do something special."

Which they did, ending the U.S. streak of 58 wins when using the best available NBA players. As you know by now, the next U.S. squad could be back to Dream Team status with Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady and Jason Kidd committed and Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Steve Francis and Kevin Garnett expressing interest.

	“	I think you need to get some of the elite and then some guys who play team ball. We need time to play together, too. That is essential. ”
		— Tim Duncan

Duncan cautions, though, that the selection committee shouldn't merely take the biggest stars it can find but blend in several effective role players.

"I think you need to get some of the elite and then some guys who play team ball," Duncan said. "We need time to play together, too. That is essential."

All that said, the NBA stars' motivation probably won't extend to making the same commitment to the 2006 World Championships.

"Everybody thinks about the Worlds being above or equal to the Olympics and I don't see it that way," Duncan said. "I know a lot of guys don't. It just doesn't carry the same prestige for us."

It can, however, carry the same price.

And Ones
Paul Pierce doesn't have to worry about playing for a George-Karl-coached U.S. team again -- or any other U.S. team, for that matter. Pierce didn't win any friends among teammates or coaches during last summer's tournament and his recent criticism of Karl's coaching only did more damage in the eyes of the selection committee. ... All is apparently well between former NBA ref Dee Kantner and the league. Kantner complained about being unfairly dumped from the league's corps of officials after last season, but she has been re-hired as director of development for WNBA officials. ... One of the great mysteries of this young NBA season is how a team as desperate for point-guard help as the Warriors could not sign their second-round pick, Steve Logan. The mystery is soon to be resolved. Logan has finally recovered from a nagging instep injury sustained during his last season at the University of Cincinnati and the Warriors plan to meet with him some time in the next week. ... The Pistons have moved Cliff Robinson back into the starting lineup to combat their slow starts. Ben Wallace is making a strong bid for a second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award, but the feeling in Detroit is that he's not nearly as effective along side Zeljko Rebraca. Uncle Cliffy has a bad rep, mostly for poor playoff shooting performances, but name another second-round pick who has gone to the playoffs 13 times as an integral part of three different teams. Take your time.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.