Warriors don’t have to worry about Tim Duncan

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Kevon Looney was 16 months old when San Antonio selected a big man from Wake Forest with the top pick of the 1997 NBA draft.

Tim Duncan developed into perhaps the greatest power forward of all time, leaving innumerable hours of fundamentally-sound video for aspiring players to study. Looney, based off the recommendation of his father, Doug, analyzed the subtleties of the two-time MVP’s game: footwork in the low post, mastery of utilizing the backboard, crisp outlet passes.

“He was someone I always watched,” said Looney, a second-year forward for the Warriors. “Every big man should watch film of him.”

Golden State’s season opener Tuesday night at Oracle Arena marks the first time in 20 years the Spurs will play a game that counts without Duncan on their roster. Though the future Hall of Famer’s production dwindled in recent seasons, the Warriors are curious about what the post-Duncan era holds for their biggest Western-Conference threat.

Duncan partnered with Gregg Popovich to post 1,001 victories, the most by a player and coach in NBA history. San Antonio’s 71-percent winning clip since drafting “The Big Fundamental” is the best stretch over the past 19 years of any team in the four major U.S. sports. In Duncan’s nearly two decades patrolling the paint, the Spurs never missed the playoffs and won five NBA titles.

The July retirement of the longtime face of its franchise signaled retooling for San Antonio. Gone are Duncan, Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, Andre Miller and Kevin Miller. In their place, the Spurs added six-time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and a few younger, athletic players.

No full-blown rebuild is necessary with Popovich, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and LaMarcus Aldridge still in place. After its franchise-record 67-win regular season ended with a loss to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals, San Antonio has the best shot at derailing Golden State’s bid for a third straight NBA Finals appearance.

The Westgate SportsBook in Las Vegas put the Spurs third in the league in over/under lines for wins (56.5) and NBA title odds (6-1). The two teams ahead of them in both categories? The pair that reached the past two Finals, the Warriors and Cavaliers.

With 15-time All-Star Tim Duncan (21) having retired, San Antonio will have a new look up front this season. With 15-time All-Star Tim Duncan (21) having retired, San Antonio will have a new look up front this season. Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Warriors don’t have to worry about Tim Duncan 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

“I think everybody, ideally, they want that consistency San Antonio has,” said Golden State power forward David West, who opted out of a $12.6 million deal with the Pacers to join the Spurs on a veteran-minimum contract last season. “Whether or not they’re willing to do it is a whole different ball game.”

The Warriors are 140-24 over the past two regular seasons, but just 4-3 against San Antonio in that span. West credited the success to Popovich’s defensive schemes. Unlike other teams that try to outscore Golden State, the Spurs slow the tempo and force the Warriors to play a grind-it-out style.

Of course, they have yet to face a group with the firepower of the 2016-17 Warriors. The league’s most efficient offense just added four-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant.

“It’s always fun to play them,” said Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who played with Duncan in San Antonio for four seasons (1999-2001, 2002-03). “They’re such a great team year to year, and Pop is one of my closest friends.”

Still, facing a Duncan-less Spurs team will require adjustments. This is a man whose NBA career spanned some of the Warriors players’ entire lives.

“That’ll be extremely weird,” forward Draymond Green said. “If you can leave half the legacy behind that Tim Duncan left, you did a pretty good job.”

Briefly: Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala have again been named the Warriors’ captains, a team spokesman confirmed Monday. … As a tribute to Craig Sager, who is battling leukemia, Golden State will give out T-shirts with the TNT sideline reporter’s image to all fans at the season opener Tuesday.

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron

Warriors on the radio

In addition to 95.7 The Game, the following stations will air games as part of the Warriors Radio Network this season:

Station Coverage Area 95.3 FM South Bay 95.3 FM Far East Bay 1350 AM / 103.5 FMSonoma County 1440 AM Napa County 970 AM Modesto 1460 AM / 101.1 FM Santa Cruz 92.7 FM Mendocino 106.3 FM Eureka 1490 AM / 104.9 FMMonterey, Salinas 1400 AM / 106.5 FMSan Luis Obispo

Tuesday’s game

Who: Spurs (0-0) at Warriors (0-0)

Where: Oracle Arena

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: TNT/95.7