Duncan Looking to Pass Alex English for 16th on All-Time Scoring List

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan needs 16 points in Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers to pass Alex English for sole possession of 16th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Averaging 14.5 points per game this season, Duncan is far from a sure thing to pass English on Thursday, having scored 16 or more points in just three of his 19 games in 2015.

Duncan's minutes have often been limited to the 20-to-25 range, and with teammates Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker finally all healthy at the same time, the legendary power forward hasn't needed to shoulder much of the scoring burden.

Of course, Duncan is still one of the better players at his position, with impressive averages of 9.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 blocks and a steal per game to accompany his 14.5 points in 30 minutes per game this season.

Sitting at 25,598 career points at the All-Star break, Duncan ranks fifth among active players, trailing Kobe Bryant (32,482), Dirk Nowitzki (27,718), Kevin Garnett (25,911) and Paul Pierce (25,670).

After he passes English in the next game or two, Duncan will likely have to wait until next season to climb further up the all-time list, as Garnett and Pierce occupy 14th place and 15th place, respectively.

Duncan seems to have a bit more left in the tank than his fellow future Hall of Famers, so he could conceivably pass both of the former Celtics at some point next season.

Garnett, in particular, seems to be nearing the end of his spectacular NBA journey.

With Duncan, the question is more about how long he'll want to play than how long he'll be able to.

If the 38-year-old forward decides to stick around for a few more seasons, he could potentially earn a spot in the top 10 of the all-time scoring list, which will likely require about 27,000 points, depending on what happens with Pierce's career.