duncan228
08-13-2008, 06:17 PM
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/46963-tim-duncan-and-david-robinson-anchor-the-san-antonio-spurs-all-time-squad
Tim Duncan and David Robinson Anchor the San Antonio Spurs All-Time Squad
Robert Kleeman delivers his all-time San Antonio Spurs team. His bizarre terrific 12, er 13, is littered with the players that drive his obsessive fandom. You can't disagree if you don't read it.
by Robert Kleeman
Those who know the history of San Antonio's only pro sports franchise can appreciate that it still exists there.
Few picked the small market Spurs to succeed in all the ways they have.
When people referred to San Antonio as a "dust bowl" in 1972, there were far less rebuttals available. San Antonio now boasts the ninth-largest population in the United States, and has headquartered some of its most successful corporations, including Clear Channel Communications and AT&T—which recently skipped town.
The Spurs embody San Antonio—not everyone likes to look at them, but no one can deny their presence or greatness.
A group of 36 investors, including Central Texas legend Red McCombs, for whom UT-Austin's business school and a string of car dealerships are named, purchased the Dallas Chaparrals in 1972 and moved them to San Antonio.
Some things about that '72 team stuck—the silver and black motif and the noisy and obnoxious fans—and others didn't. Imagine Bruce Bowen in a red, white and blue "Gunslingers" jersey. Fitting, no? Even Spurs fans can laugh at popular conceptions of the team's players.
The contrast between a 1970s team that belonged to James Silas and George Gervin and the 2000s team that Tim Duncan has manned is stark.
McCombs fired coach Tom Nissalke after a decent 17-10 start because he detested the team's slow, defense-first approach.
New hire Bob Bass transformed the team into an offensive juggernaut. The Spurs' ABA record of holding opponents below 100 points 49 times turned to the squad heaving up record numbers of shots. "You shoot it 100 times, we'll shoot it 107 times," Gervin once said.
The Spurs amassed a string of 50-win seasons and five division titles, but failed to advance in the playoffs against better defensive teams. The Spurs are one of eight teams to blow a 3-1 series lead. They did it in 1979, against the Washington Bullets in the conference finals.
That contrast is also ironic.
The Spurs now have the second-longest tenured coach in the NBA, are led by an owner who dismisses 17-10 starts as "usual rough patches" and have spent most of the decade sending a spitting image of that 1970s team home in the playoffs.
Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire need a time travel device. The Phoenix Suns want to play Bass's Spurs, not the four-time champion that has defined excellence and consistency under Head Coach Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs should have folded when Gervin was traded to the Chicago Bulls after the 1984-1985 season. They became little more than relocation fodder as the fans lost interest in a team that would compile a four-year record of 115-215.
An unexpected gift in 1987 saved the Spurs in every way possible. The Bob Weiss-coached Spurs selected U.S. Naval Academy Product David Robinson with the first pick in that year's draft. Robinson's two-year Navy commitment kept him away, and many speculated that he would enter free agency and ditch San Antonio in the 1989 season.
A sinking franchise and a desperate owner offered the coveted center little incentive to don silver and black. He opted to head for San Antonio to test the gig. He knows why he did it now, but then?
With Robinson at the helm, you could argue that the 1990s Spurs squads did not outperform those led by Gervin. Those years were marked by regular season excellence and postseason futility. Yet, while the Spurs lost key postseason contests to a packed house in the Alamodome—the most bird-brained, useless arena constructed in recent history—there was a new attitude.
The Spurs had made it. San Antonio surpassed its fanatical support of the '70s squads by marrying the Spurs in the '90s.
As with any marriage, there were fights, periods of apparent disinterest, and poor decisions. There is also undeniably a city-team kinship, comparable to New York's Yankees matrimony.
Robinson won an MVP trophy in the 1994-1995 season—the Spurs' 62-20 mark was then a franchise best—but lost to rival center Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in the conference finals in six games.
Friction between Dennis Rodman, Robinson, and other players had injured the squad's chemistry, so management traded the rebounding specialist to the Chicago Bulls, where he would help Michael Jordan win three more titles.
Injuries to most of the starting lineup caused the Spurs to lose a miserable 62 games the following year and land in the lottery. San Antonio's enormous ping pong ball luck in 1997 signaled a new era in NBA history. Almost as remarkable as the Spurs continued success in Central Texas is the laundry list of trends Tim Duncan has reversed or intensified.
The Boston Celtics planned on acquiring Duncan. Fate changed a much predicted course—just as it did when Robinson mulled going elsewhere after the Navy.
Robinson kept the Spurs relevant in San Antonio, then teamed with Duncan to begin the oddest dynasty in pro sports history. Few perennial contenders have evoked more hatred or yawns than the Duncan-era Spurs.
Those who appreciate defensive commitment, ball movement, off-the-court class and teamwork will never consider the Spurs a "boring" or "typical" team. In an era marked by increasing athlete egotism, post-game whining and excuses, the Spurs have been excitingly different.
Popovich works the refs as well as any coach during a game and Duncan's face will always tell you what he thinks of a foul call. Duncan and Popovich also instill and enforce a culture of respect that rivals any in history.
Popovich knows that underestimation and cockiness lead to fast and reliable playoff exits. He demands accountability from his players, and treats excuses like convicted felons. He gives annual lessons in how to manage veterans nearing retirement. He yells mercilessly at some players (see Parker, Tony) because he believes greatness emanates from hard work and tough love.
The Spurs have been great with Duncan or Robinson, but never perfect. No one would accuse the Spurs of producing choir boys, but, no one who watches them can argue the professionalism and class with which the organization operates.
There are too many Spur memories for me to expound upon—Sean Elliott's "Memorial Day Miracle," Robinson's 72-point performance, Avery Johnson's locker-room feud with Terry Porter, watching the Spurs defeat the Detroit Pistons in Game Seven live, watching the Mavericks overthrow the Spurs the next season in a Game Seven live, ".4," The Steve Kerr-led comeback against the Mavs, Johnson's classic championship celebration speech, rife with trash talk ("Did the Utah Jazz win the NBA championship? Hell no!"), and Manu Ginobili's series of 40-point games last season—so I will spare anxious readers.
Just know that I never had to support both the Rockets and Spurs. I choose to fanatically follow two division rivals because the Spurs continue assembling teams I can proudly watch.
What will happen to this team and me supporting it when Duncan leaves is anyone's guess. Who cares? With the Spurs positioned to contend for at least three more years, I give you my all-time San Antonio team.
You will note there are few players from 1970s and early 80s. I have not watched hardwood classics from the Gervin era as much as I have with the Rockets, so my knowledge is less sound. Tim Duncan remains my favorite athlete in any sport, so it should not surprise anyone that most of these players wore Spurs uniforms during some part of his ongoing tenure.
Starting Lineup
PG: Avery Johnson (1991; 1992-1993; 1994-2001)
That thick, Cajun accent dominated every Spur timeout—and his attitude was always louder than his talent. Avery was the face of the Spurs before Duncan—a team that needed to remind people that it was good. Manu Ginobili can afford humility, as his performances do the talking. Avery did not enjoy the same luxury.
The same team that retired his jersey in December cut him twice, and once told him he was a terrible player. Avery's insecurity-inspired antics were strange and compelling—but they marked the kind of guy he was. What he lacked in the human-relations department, he made up for with his heart and drive.
The Spurs could have won the 1999 championship with another point guard, but it wouldn't have been the same Spurs. He traveled a rough road in a rough vehicle, then poured his tribulations into a shot against the New York Knicks that he once told David Letterman contained his entire career.
SG: George "the Iceman" Gervin (1974-1985)
He won an epic scoring title race with a 63-point performance, negating a 73-point one by David Thompson. He morphed an infant franchise from questionable ABA afterthought to a playoff team, and spent all of his formidable years in silver and black as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
Gervin owns second place in the all-time blocked shots for guards. He also stays active in the San Antonio community and remains loyal to the Spurs.
SF: Sean Elliott (1989-93; 1994-2001)
One of six players with a retired jersey in the AT&T Center rafters, Elliott is the only one of them to crack the top ten in six statistical categories: games played (third, 669), points (fourth, 9,659), rebounds (sixth, 2,941), assists (seventh, 1,700), steals (eighth, 522), and blocks (ninth, 257).
The defensive-minded "Ninja" spent one season with the Detroit Pistons, but his spirit never left San Antonio. He returned for a brief stint in 2000 after a kidney transplant.
Unlike Clyde Drexler, Elliott's commentary is insightful, well-researched and comedic. I would describe this small forward with a phrase he uses during Spurs telecasts—he had some junk in his game.
PF: Tim "Groundhog Day" Duncan (1997-?)
The greatest power forward ever? I believe it now. His imperfection convinced me that no one else could best him in an all-time list. He sometimes allows layups, misses easy shots, has always struggled from the charity stripe, and has whined to the refs about obvious calls. I think Michael Jordan said it best: "I missed 3,000 shots..."
Duncan may rarely complete an alley-oop and seldom blocks a shot into the first row, but his game has always excited me. There are many reasons why Duncan is my favorite athlete, the one who pushed my basketball spectator-ship from interested to fanatical. I could cite his flawless jump hook, his passing, his career numbers in big games or his deserved reputation as the best help defender of this era.
Instead, I look at every Spurs team since Robinson retired, and see Duncan has imprinted himself in them all.
I have to say, though, that Mike Breen should quit calling him an "underrated star." With four championships, two MVPs, three Finals MVPs, yearly All-NBA and All-Defense selections and 10 All-Star appearances to his credit, I would say no one who knows the game underrates him.
Some may remember the sweltering summer of 2000, when the Orlando Magic tried to lure Duncan to play alongside Grant Hill. Popovich and GM R.C. Buford, according to the San Antonio Express-News, answered Orlando's money dangle with a mess of impressive pie charts convincing Duncan that the team was poised to win if he stayed on board.
In the end, the charts and graphs were meaningless. He decided to stay in San Antonio when the Magic let Duncan know that his wife Amy would not be welcome on team trips.
C: David Robinson (1989-2003)
Robinson, like Gervin and Silas, remains entrenched in the San Antonio community. He bought about 15 percent of the Spurs and attends games now as a part owner. Many franchise stars retire and leave for plusher landscapes or multi-million dollar homes in the hills. Robinson lives a low-key life with his family in a suburban San Antonio neighborhood.
As a Rockets fan during the heat of the I-10 rivalry, I could never bring myself to root against Robinson. My Houston roots kept me a Rockets fan first. The Spurs stole the rest of me thanks to this guy.
I met him briefly at a Spurs game two years ago and his benevolence confirmed everything I thought I saw in him as a player. Thank you, David. Thank you.
The Reserves
PG: Tony Parker (2001-?)
No one who remembers a timid kid who trudged into an abrasive 2001 training camp predicted Parker would become Popovich's "stallion" point guard.
Maybe you saw Pop bench Parker and chew him out in the final two contests of the 2003 NBA Finals. Maybe you saw Speedy Claxton complete the job Parker botched and thought that was harsh. That was nothing.
The die-hard Spurs aficionados saw the worst of it—repeated screaming sessions from Popovich, declarations from the coach that Parker would never win a starting spot on a championship roster, and about everything else you can imagine that might destroy a player's confidence.
But Parker didn't fold, like Beno Udrih. He took Popovich's lofty expectations as a challenge he could conquer and has spent each summer bettering himself. The ESPN crew asked Avery Johnson which point guard was tougher to keep out of the paint, Chris Paul or Parker—and Johnson answered "Tony Parker" without hesitation.
How's this for two opposites—Popovich once remarked to Buford after watching a video of Parker that "this kid cannot finish a layup to save his life." In Game Three of the New Orleans series, he ducked under two defenders for a spectacular finish that kissed the glass and seduced the net.
Or another—in a 2001 contest, I think against the Atlanta Hawks, Parker threw the ball into the stands and Popovich punished him with bench relegation. The coach glared at him constantly and walked over a few times to cuss him out.
In Game Two of the New Orleans series, Parker threw a similarly awful pass at the popcorn vendor. Popovich called Parker over, chatted for a minute, then patted him on the back and said, "it's your game baby."
SG: Manu Ginobili (1999-?)
Ginobili lost the ball at the end of a tight playoff contest against the Sacramento Kings in 2006, and cost the Spurs a chance at a commanding series lead. He then locked his hotel room door the next day so he could berate himself for the mistake.
After the Spurs bowed to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in May, he blamed his team's shortcomings on himself.
That is why I love Manu. Losing and underperforming destroy him. Winning completes him.
Jon Barry describes Ginobili best—"a daredevil with a little bit of Pistol Pete."
Few other players in today's game have earned such respect from their coach. He may put jet fuel on an errant pass, commit a silly foul or shoot prematurely. Popovich always responds by putting the ball back in his hands. That's because Ginobili's one-speed freneticism has produced mind-boggling results to offset the blunders.
When Ginobili locks and loads, he is second only to Kobe Bryant in the list of explosive shooting guards. Like Parker, he has risen from a low draft spot to craft a Hall of Fame resume.
Olympic gold medalist, European champion, three-time NBA champion and the most talented player coming off the pine each season? That is Manu Ginobili. En las palabras de mis amigos en Argentina, 'es un idolo.'
SF: Bruce Bowen (2001-?)
Bowen is a rare defensive star. When he guards a marquee player, that matchup usually dominates the pregame discussion (see Nash, Steve).
Bowen journeyed between seven teams before the Spurs offered him a shot at a championship. He entered the NBA as an undrafted, semi-tall guy with a flavorless game.
With hard work and dedication, he has parlayed a once-minimal contract with the Spurs into a more than seven-year tenure that should earn his jersey a spot in the rafters.
Call him what you will and bemoan his sometimes-questionable defensive tactics, but bookmark his story as a lesson. He started more than 350 consecutive games, and helped the Spurs win three championships with his defense and ONE signature shot (at 36, he is a physical freak).
San Antonio's hardwood has hosted many veterans who play every night just to keep a roster spot, and Bowen heads the table.
PF: Fabricio Oberto (2005-?)
Many role players have no idea what 'supporting cast' means. Watching Luke Walton and Vlade "Space Cadet" Radmanovic heave moronic shots instead of moving the ball in the NBA Finals reminded me of this epidemic.
Even if Oberto has averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game, frequently lands in foul trouble, and sports only three NBA seasons on his international resume, he does what a role player should.
Instead of trying to heroically win games with plays uncharacteristic of his talent, he embraces his role as the team's garbage man. He taps missed shots out to teammates as well as anyone in the NBA, and craftily finds open spots to score his points.
Sure, he plays with Argentine teammate Ginobili and the greatest power forward of all time—but he plays with them.
The best role players do not always win you games. They never lose you games. Oberto may grab 11 rebounds one night and two rebounds the next. His effort cannot be faulted.
Oberto earns a spot on my all-time list because epitomizes the definition of a role player—do what team management pays you to do, with hustle and intelligence.
PF: Robert Horry (2003-?)
Does Horry deserve a spot in Springfield?
It saddens me that fans in Phoenix and New Orleans will remember two plays that were commonplace in the '90s as a summary of Horry's career.
I condemned Horry after hip-checking Nash for a stupid decision, then called his pick on David West unnecessary. But if fairness is your objective, Nash also delivered an Oscar-worthy performance, and West should never have been on the floor that late in a blowout.
Everyone on the team jokes that Horry disappears until the playoffs, which is true. Would you rather have him show up only for the first five games of the regular season?
With apologies to Lakers and Rockets fans, Horry's finest moments happened in the 2005 and 2007 playoffs in silver and black. It was in these title runs that Horry cemented his post-season legacy.
He will likely retire, as the Spurs do not want him back after his age bested him in a fouled up repeat run. He picked his teams and teammates well en route to seven rings.
However, none of the championship locker rooms in which he showered and dressed—most of all the Spurs—would look or feel the same without him.
SG: Steve Kerr (1998–2001; 2002–2003)
Kerr should feel luckier than Horry. He followed up a multi-title run with Michael Jordan by joining Tim Duncan and David Robinson. He won two titles in San Antonio, but his former teammates would say he was much more than a three-point ace.
He was the Spurs' comedian and proved humor at every opportunity, including a memorable night emceeing the 2003 championship celebration. I wish I could find audio of that priceless night. Brent Barry assumed this important role in later years.
Kerr was a dependable role player, too.
SG: James Silas (1972-1981)
Since I am sick of writing this piece, I will let his career numbers do the talking.
· Games Played: 685
· Points: 11,038
· Rebounds: 2,069
· Assists: 2,628
· Steals: 608
He was the first player to have his jersey retired by the Spurs. He attends far less Spurs games than Gervin or Robinson, but you can spot him there on occasion.
PG: Johnny Moore (1980-88; 1989-90)
OK, so this list includes 13 players. Sue me. I will let you do your own Johnny Moore research. He is a point guard worth knowing.
Tim Duncan and David Robinson Anchor the San Antonio Spurs All-Time Squad
Robert Kleeman delivers his all-time San Antonio Spurs team. His bizarre terrific 12, er 13, is littered with the players that drive his obsessive fandom. You can't disagree if you don't read it.
by Robert Kleeman
Those who know the history of San Antonio's only pro sports franchise can appreciate that it still exists there.
Few picked the small market Spurs to succeed in all the ways they have.
When people referred to San Antonio as a "dust bowl" in 1972, there were far less rebuttals available. San Antonio now boasts the ninth-largest population in the United States, and has headquartered some of its most successful corporations, including Clear Channel Communications and AT&T—which recently skipped town.
The Spurs embody San Antonio—not everyone likes to look at them, but no one can deny their presence or greatness.
A group of 36 investors, including Central Texas legend Red McCombs, for whom UT-Austin's business school and a string of car dealerships are named, purchased the Dallas Chaparrals in 1972 and moved them to San Antonio.
Some things about that '72 team stuck—the silver and black motif and the noisy and obnoxious fans—and others didn't. Imagine Bruce Bowen in a red, white and blue "Gunslingers" jersey. Fitting, no? Even Spurs fans can laugh at popular conceptions of the team's players.
The contrast between a 1970s team that belonged to James Silas and George Gervin and the 2000s team that Tim Duncan has manned is stark.
McCombs fired coach Tom Nissalke after a decent 17-10 start because he detested the team's slow, defense-first approach.
New hire Bob Bass transformed the team into an offensive juggernaut. The Spurs' ABA record of holding opponents below 100 points 49 times turned to the squad heaving up record numbers of shots. "You shoot it 100 times, we'll shoot it 107 times," Gervin once said.
The Spurs amassed a string of 50-win seasons and five division titles, but failed to advance in the playoffs against better defensive teams. The Spurs are one of eight teams to blow a 3-1 series lead. They did it in 1979, against the Washington Bullets in the conference finals.
That contrast is also ironic.
The Spurs now have the second-longest tenured coach in the NBA, are led by an owner who dismisses 17-10 starts as "usual rough patches" and have spent most of the decade sending a spitting image of that 1970s team home in the playoffs.
Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire need a time travel device. The Phoenix Suns want to play Bass's Spurs, not the four-time champion that has defined excellence and consistency under Head Coach Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs should have folded when Gervin was traded to the Chicago Bulls after the 1984-1985 season. They became little more than relocation fodder as the fans lost interest in a team that would compile a four-year record of 115-215.
An unexpected gift in 1987 saved the Spurs in every way possible. The Bob Weiss-coached Spurs selected U.S. Naval Academy Product David Robinson with the first pick in that year's draft. Robinson's two-year Navy commitment kept him away, and many speculated that he would enter free agency and ditch San Antonio in the 1989 season.
A sinking franchise and a desperate owner offered the coveted center little incentive to don silver and black. He opted to head for San Antonio to test the gig. He knows why he did it now, but then?
With Robinson at the helm, you could argue that the 1990s Spurs squads did not outperform those led by Gervin. Those years were marked by regular season excellence and postseason futility. Yet, while the Spurs lost key postseason contests to a packed house in the Alamodome—the most bird-brained, useless arena constructed in recent history—there was a new attitude.
The Spurs had made it. San Antonio surpassed its fanatical support of the '70s squads by marrying the Spurs in the '90s.
As with any marriage, there were fights, periods of apparent disinterest, and poor decisions. There is also undeniably a city-team kinship, comparable to New York's Yankees matrimony.
Robinson won an MVP trophy in the 1994-1995 season—the Spurs' 62-20 mark was then a franchise best—but lost to rival center Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in the conference finals in six games.
Friction between Dennis Rodman, Robinson, and other players had injured the squad's chemistry, so management traded the rebounding specialist to the Chicago Bulls, where he would help Michael Jordan win three more titles.
Injuries to most of the starting lineup caused the Spurs to lose a miserable 62 games the following year and land in the lottery. San Antonio's enormous ping pong ball luck in 1997 signaled a new era in NBA history. Almost as remarkable as the Spurs continued success in Central Texas is the laundry list of trends Tim Duncan has reversed or intensified.
The Boston Celtics planned on acquiring Duncan. Fate changed a much predicted course—just as it did when Robinson mulled going elsewhere after the Navy.
Robinson kept the Spurs relevant in San Antonio, then teamed with Duncan to begin the oddest dynasty in pro sports history. Few perennial contenders have evoked more hatred or yawns than the Duncan-era Spurs.
Those who appreciate defensive commitment, ball movement, off-the-court class and teamwork will never consider the Spurs a "boring" or "typical" team. In an era marked by increasing athlete egotism, post-game whining and excuses, the Spurs have been excitingly different.
Popovich works the refs as well as any coach during a game and Duncan's face will always tell you what he thinks of a foul call. Duncan and Popovich also instill and enforce a culture of respect that rivals any in history.
Popovich knows that underestimation and cockiness lead to fast and reliable playoff exits. He demands accountability from his players, and treats excuses like convicted felons. He gives annual lessons in how to manage veterans nearing retirement. He yells mercilessly at some players (see Parker, Tony) because he believes greatness emanates from hard work and tough love.
The Spurs have been great with Duncan or Robinson, but never perfect. No one would accuse the Spurs of producing choir boys, but, no one who watches them can argue the professionalism and class with which the organization operates.
There are too many Spur memories for me to expound upon—Sean Elliott's "Memorial Day Miracle," Robinson's 72-point performance, Avery Johnson's locker-room feud with Terry Porter, watching the Spurs defeat the Detroit Pistons in Game Seven live, watching the Mavericks overthrow the Spurs the next season in a Game Seven live, ".4," The Steve Kerr-led comeback against the Mavs, Johnson's classic championship celebration speech, rife with trash talk ("Did the Utah Jazz win the NBA championship? Hell no!"), and Manu Ginobili's series of 40-point games last season—so I will spare anxious readers.
Just know that I never had to support both the Rockets and Spurs. I choose to fanatically follow two division rivals because the Spurs continue assembling teams I can proudly watch.
What will happen to this team and me supporting it when Duncan leaves is anyone's guess. Who cares? With the Spurs positioned to contend for at least three more years, I give you my all-time San Antonio team.
You will note there are few players from 1970s and early 80s. I have not watched hardwood classics from the Gervin era as much as I have with the Rockets, so my knowledge is less sound. Tim Duncan remains my favorite athlete in any sport, so it should not surprise anyone that most of these players wore Spurs uniforms during some part of his ongoing tenure.
Starting Lineup
PG: Avery Johnson (1991; 1992-1993; 1994-2001)
That thick, Cajun accent dominated every Spur timeout—and his attitude was always louder than his talent. Avery was the face of the Spurs before Duncan—a team that needed to remind people that it was good. Manu Ginobili can afford humility, as his performances do the talking. Avery did not enjoy the same luxury.
The same team that retired his jersey in December cut him twice, and once told him he was a terrible player. Avery's insecurity-inspired antics were strange and compelling—but they marked the kind of guy he was. What he lacked in the human-relations department, he made up for with his heart and drive.
The Spurs could have won the 1999 championship with another point guard, but it wouldn't have been the same Spurs. He traveled a rough road in a rough vehicle, then poured his tribulations into a shot against the New York Knicks that he once told David Letterman contained his entire career.
SG: George "the Iceman" Gervin (1974-1985)
He won an epic scoring title race with a 63-point performance, negating a 73-point one by David Thompson. He morphed an infant franchise from questionable ABA afterthought to a playoff team, and spent all of his formidable years in silver and black as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
Gervin owns second place in the all-time blocked shots for guards. He also stays active in the San Antonio community and remains loyal to the Spurs.
SF: Sean Elliott (1989-93; 1994-2001)
One of six players with a retired jersey in the AT&T Center rafters, Elliott is the only one of them to crack the top ten in six statistical categories: games played (third, 669), points (fourth, 9,659), rebounds (sixth, 2,941), assists (seventh, 1,700), steals (eighth, 522), and blocks (ninth, 257).
The defensive-minded "Ninja" spent one season with the Detroit Pistons, but his spirit never left San Antonio. He returned for a brief stint in 2000 after a kidney transplant.
Unlike Clyde Drexler, Elliott's commentary is insightful, well-researched and comedic. I would describe this small forward with a phrase he uses during Spurs telecasts—he had some junk in his game.
PF: Tim "Groundhog Day" Duncan (1997-?)
The greatest power forward ever? I believe it now. His imperfection convinced me that no one else could best him in an all-time list. He sometimes allows layups, misses easy shots, has always struggled from the charity stripe, and has whined to the refs about obvious calls. I think Michael Jordan said it best: "I missed 3,000 shots..."
Duncan may rarely complete an alley-oop and seldom blocks a shot into the first row, but his game has always excited me. There are many reasons why Duncan is my favorite athlete, the one who pushed my basketball spectator-ship from interested to fanatical. I could cite his flawless jump hook, his passing, his career numbers in big games or his deserved reputation as the best help defender of this era.
Instead, I look at every Spurs team since Robinson retired, and see Duncan has imprinted himself in them all.
I have to say, though, that Mike Breen should quit calling him an "underrated star." With four championships, two MVPs, three Finals MVPs, yearly All-NBA and All-Defense selections and 10 All-Star appearances to his credit, I would say no one who knows the game underrates him.
Some may remember the sweltering summer of 2000, when the Orlando Magic tried to lure Duncan to play alongside Grant Hill. Popovich and GM R.C. Buford, according to the San Antonio Express-News, answered Orlando's money dangle with a mess of impressive pie charts convincing Duncan that the team was poised to win if he stayed on board.
In the end, the charts and graphs were meaningless. He decided to stay in San Antonio when the Magic let Duncan know that his wife Amy would not be welcome on team trips.
C: David Robinson (1989-2003)
Robinson, like Gervin and Silas, remains entrenched in the San Antonio community. He bought about 15 percent of the Spurs and attends games now as a part owner. Many franchise stars retire and leave for plusher landscapes or multi-million dollar homes in the hills. Robinson lives a low-key life with his family in a suburban San Antonio neighborhood.
As a Rockets fan during the heat of the I-10 rivalry, I could never bring myself to root against Robinson. My Houston roots kept me a Rockets fan first. The Spurs stole the rest of me thanks to this guy.
I met him briefly at a Spurs game two years ago and his benevolence confirmed everything I thought I saw in him as a player. Thank you, David. Thank you.
The Reserves
PG: Tony Parker (2001-?)
No one who remembers a timid kid who trudged into an abrasive 2001 training camp predicted Parker would become Popovich's "stallion" point guard.
Maybe you saw Pop bench Parker and chew him out in the final two contests of the 2003 NBA Finals. Maybe you saw Speedy Claxton complete the job Parker botched and thought that was harsh. That was nothing.
The die-hard Spurs aficionados saw the worst of it—repeated screaming sessions from Popovich, declarations from the coach that Parker would never win a starting spot on a championship roster, and about everything else you can imagine that might destroy a player's confidence.
But Parker didn't fold, like Beno Udrih. He took Popovich's lofty expectations as a challenge he could conquer and has spent each summer bettering himself. The ESPN crew asked Avery Johnson which point guard was tougher to keep out of the paint, Chris Paul or Parker—and Johnson answered "Tony Parker" without hesitation.
How's this for two opposites—Popovich once remarked to Buford after watching a video of Parker that "this kid cannot finish a layup to save his life." In Game Three of the New Orleans series, he ducked under two defenders for a spectacular finish that kissed the glass and seduced the net.
Or another—in a 2001 contest, I think against the Atlanta Hawks, Parker threw the ball into the stands and Popovich punished him with bench relegation. The coach glared at him constantly and walked over a few times to cuss him out.
In Game Two of the New Orleans series, Parker threw a similarly awful pass at the popcorn vendor. Popovich called Parker over, chatted for a minute, then patted him on the back and said, "it's your game baby."
SG: Manu Ginobili (1999-?)
Ginobili lost the ball at the end of a tight playoff contest against the Sacramento Kings in 2006, and cost the Spurs a chance at a commanding series lead. He then locked his hotel room door the next day so he could berate himself for the mistake.
After the Spurs bowed to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in May, he blamed his team's shortcomings on himself.
That is why I love Manu. Losing and underperforming destroy him. Winning completes him.
Jon Barry describes Ginobili best—"a daredevil with a little bit of Pistol Pete."
Few other players in today's game have earned such respect from their coach. He may put jet fuel on an errant pass, commit a silly foul or shoot prematurely. Popovich always responds by putting the ball back in his hands. That's because Ginobili's one-speed freneticism has produced mind-boggling results to offset the blunders.
When Ginobili locks and loads, he is second only to Kobe Bryant in the list of explosive shooting guards. Like Parker, he has risen from a low draft spot to craft a Hall of Fame resume.
Olympic gold medalist, European champion, three-time NBA champion and the most talented player coming off the pine each season? That is Manu Ginobili. En las palabras de mis amigos en Argentina, 'es un idolo.'
SF: Bruce Bowen (2001-?)
Bowen is a rare defensive star. When he guards a marquee player, that matchup usually dominates the pregame discussion (see Nash, Steve).
Bowen journeyed between seven teams before the Spurs offered him a shot at a championship. He entered the NBA as an undrafted, semi-tall guy with a flavorless game.
With hard work and dedication, he has parlayed a once-minimal contract with the Spurs into a more than seven-year tenure that should earn his jersey a spot in the rafters.
Call him what you will and bemoan his sometimes-questionable defensive tactics, but bookmark his story as a lesson. He started more than 350 consecutive games, and helped the Spurs win three championships with his defense and ONE signature shot (at 36, he is a physical freak).
San Antonio's hardwood has hosted many veterans who play every night just to keep a roster spot, and Bowen heads the table.
PF: Fabricio Oberto (2005-?)
Many role players have no idea what 'supporting cast' means. Watching Luke Walton and Vlade "Space Cadet" Radmanovic heave moronic shots instead of moving the ball in the NBA Finals reminded me of this epidemic.
Even if Oberto has averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game, frequently lands in foul trouble, and sports only three NBA seasons on his international resume, he does what a role player should.
Instead of trying to heroically win games with plays uncharacteristic of his talent, he embraces his role as the team's garbage man. He taps missed shots out to teammates as well as anyone in the NBA, and craftily finds open spots to score his points.
Sure, he plays with Argentine teammate Ginobili and the greatest power forward of all time—but he plays with them.
The best role players do not always win you games. They never lose you games. Oberto may grab 11 rebounds one night and two rebounds the next. His effort cannot be faulted.
Oberto earns a spot on my all-time list because epitomizes the definition of a role player—do what team management pays you to do, with hustle and intelligence.
PF: Robert Horry (2003-?)
Does Horry deserve a spot in Springfield?
It saddens me that fans in Phoenix and New Orleans will remember two plays that were commonplace in the '90s as a summary of Horry's career.
I condemned Horry after hip-checking Nash for a stupid decision, then called his pick on David West unnecessary. But if fairness is your objective, Nash also delivered an Oscar-worthy performance, and West should never have been on the floor that late in a blowout.
Everyone on the team jokes that Horry disappears until the playoffs, which is true. Would you rather have him show up only for the first five games of the regular season?
With apologies to Lakers and Rockets fans, Horry's finest moments happened in the 2005 and 2007 playoffs in silver and black. It was in these title runs that Horry cemented his post-season legacy.
He will likely retire, as the Spurs do not want him back after his age bested him in a fouled up repeat run. He picked his teams and teammates well en route to seven rings.
However, none of the championship locker rooms in which he showered and dressed—most of all the Spurs—would look or feel the same without him.
SG: Steve Kerr (1998–2001; 2002–2003)
Kerr should feel luckier than Horry. He followed up a multi-title run with Michael Jordan by joining Tim Duncan and David Robinson. He won two titles in San Antonio, but his former teammates would say he was much more than a three-point ace.
He was the Spurs' comedian and proved humor at every opportunity, including a memorable night emceeing the 2003 championship celebration. I wish I could find audio of that priceless night. Brent Barry assumed this important role in later years.
Kerr was a dependable role player, too.
SG: James Silas (1972-1981)
Since I am sick of writing this piece, I will let his career numbers do the talking.
· Games Played: 685
· Points: 11,038
· Rebounds: 2,069
· Assists: 2,628
· Steals: 608
He was the first player to have his jersey retired by the Spurs. He attends far less Spurs games than Gervin or Robinson, but you can spot him there on occasion.
PG: Johnny Moore (1980-88; 1989-90)
OK, so this list includes 13 players. Sue me. I will let you do your own Johnny Moore research. He is a point guard worth knowing.