He wouldn't mind seeing Chicago take a wide receiver in next week's NFL draft, but groused, "Won't happen. They always take a defensive player."

That's OK, though, because he was positively gushing about the trade for Jay Cutler and was beaming that Da Bears landed Da Franchise Quarterback that's been lacking almost since Sid Luckman in the 1940s.

Finally, said the apparent 6-foot-11 tight end wannabe, his Bears have themselves a quarterback.

Duncan's already got his.

Tony Parker didn't decide to play le football am?ricain growing up in France, but he knows all about leading his team and calling the shots at crunch time.

In Parker, Duncan's got one of the most sensational point guards in the NBA, one who is quicker than monthly bills and who has carried these Spurs to a Southwest Division title and a first-round home-court advantage in the upcoming playoffs.

"He's been consistently great," Duncan said after Parker's team-high 29 points in almost 43 rugged minutes of San Antonio's overtime win over New Orleans on Wednesday night.

His coach has marveled at Parker's improvement in his eighth season even though he's not yet 27.

"I don't take Tony for granted," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It's been his best year, and he's carried us a lot. He's a constant threat on both ends of the floor, and thank heavens he's young as we start the playoffs."

If anything, Parker has been a legitimate MVP candidate disguised as an also-ran contender who has played lights out all season for a team so old it turns out the lights and hits the sack about 10 p.m.

He won't win this year's MVP award or even finish among the top three.

If Manu Ginobili's right ankle had been healthy, Parker might have stood a reasonable chance of winning the award as the league's best player instead of settling for a career season in nearly every category.

In fact, he won't even make the All-NBA first team, not with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade hogging the limelight as its top two guards.

More likely, Parker will settle for second team alongside Chris Paul, the otherworldly point guard for the Hornets whom Parker battled all night long before San Antonio prevailed 105-98 to clinch a first-round home series with Dallas.

"They're the two quickest men on the planet," Parker's teammate Matt Bonner said. "What I'm amazed by is how healthy Tony's stayed, having to put this team on his shoulders. He's been unbelievable."

Parker and Paul are the only two players in the league to average at least 20 points and five assists while still shooting above 50 percent from the field. Of Parker's 30 games of 30-plus points in his career, almost half (13) have come this season. That includes his career-high 55 points against Minnesota.

Parker will take more satisfaction in that recognition rather than needing validation from outsiders over his career-high numbers of 21.9 points a game and almost seven assists a game.

"I don't care," he said of any MVP snub. "I've got my rings. Nobody cares about that in San Antonio."

No, this city has higher standards, ones that Parker shares.

Just how far the Spurs go in the upcoming NBA post-season is subject for debate.

This isn't your grandfather's Spurs team, but they might be playing like grandfathers at times, given Duncan's creaky knees and the senior citizen status of players like Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen. It's nice to have a leader who's already scored 10,000 career points.

And besides that offensive firepower, Parker brings an incredible ability to drive and finish against nearly anyone .

For sure, the Mavericks' ancient Jason Kidd stands no chance of staying in front of Parker. He'll need tons of help keeping Parker out of the lane.

"He's the layup guru," Spurs rookie guard George Hill said. "He's one of the better ones I've ever seen at challenging big guys at the basket because he doesn't care if he gets busted in the mouth or dropped on his head. That's one thing I never knew. I hope his toughness brushes off on me."

Tough, Tony Parker is. Just don't ask him to play running back.