duncan228
12-27-2009, 12:27 AM
Spurs' decade in review (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_decade_in_review.html)
Express-News
Sorting through the highlights of the Spurs’ decade, soon ending, presents difficult choices.
Can one championship really be ranked above another?
Who was the real Mr. Clutch?
Does anyone want to remember the worst moment?
Let the debate begin as the decade ends:
Spur of the decade - Tim Duncan: This was not one of the difficult choices. See accompanying column, but in case you need more convincing, please recall his 10 straight All-Star starts, 10 straight All-NBA selections and 10 straight All-Defensive selections. Enough said.
Fan favorite - Manu Ginobili: The fans weren’t booing when they greeted 3-point makes by the Spurs’ defensive ace with chants of “Bruuuuuce,” but for true adoration, we’ll take “Ole, ole, ole ... Manu, Manu!” In the largest U.S. city with a majority Hispanic populace, the Argentine who always plays with “juice and focus” and a winning smile owns the hearts of Spurs fans of any origin. And don’t forget: He’s a Time Warner customer, too.
Mr. Clutch - Robert Horry: “Big Shot Rob” gets the nod over Ginobili, but just barely. When the Spurs needed a play made in the most critical of moments, the ball always was in Ginobili’s hands to initiate. But when momentum in the 2005 Finals was about to be lost in The Palace of Auburn Hills, even Ginobili knew which Spur had to take the shot. Horry’s 3-pointer saved a game and a title.
Best draft pick - Tony Parker: Another no-brainer. The Spurs had to sweat out the first 27 picks of the 2001 draft, hoping the teams selecting ahead of them bought into the conventional wisdom that a teenager from Paris could not possibly be a starting point guard in the NBA. From spot No. 28, the Spurs got an All-NBA player who was MVP of the 2007 Finals.
Best free agent - Bruce Bowen: Another tough choice, but Bowen edges Horry. Signed on July 13, 2001, he would forge a spot in the starting lineup and the hearts of Spurs fans as the best perimeter defender of the decade, both for the Spurs and the NBA. He annoyed the best scorers in the league to the point that some accused him of dirty play. His ability to hit the corner 3-pointer fit perfectly with the offensive scheme, too.
Best trade - Rasho Nesterovic for Matt Bonner: With Horry nearing the end of his Mr. Clutch career, the Spurs swapped centers with the Raptors and got another big man capable of spreading defenses with his 3-point shooting stroke. The Red Rocket is a determined rebounder, a floor-diver and a tireless worker. You have to like a guy whose favorite food is any sort of sandwich.
Best NBA title - 2003: Only the Lakers can join in this decade debate since they’re the only other group with more than one in the decade. The choice here is 2003, in part because the run-up to The Finals included a memorable Western finals triumph over the Mavericks. Mostly, it is because it sent David Robinson into the sunset of his great career in fitting manner and because of the contributions of veterans such as Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry and Kevin Willis. Plus, it included Duncan’s best-ever playoff performance, in the title-clincher.
Worst moment - 0.4 seconds: Duncan made arguably the best shot of his career, a 22-footer over Shaquille O’Neal that gave the Spurs a two-point lead over the Lakers with four-tenths of a second left in Game 5 of the 2004 Western semifinals. A win would have given the Spurs a 3-2 series lead, with a potential Game 7 to be played on their home court. Dreams of a successful title defense ended when Lakers guard Derek Fisher nailed a catch-and-shoot that nobody believed possible.
Express-News
Sorting through the highlights of the Spurs’ decade, soon ending, presents difficult choices.
Can one championship really be ranked above another?
Who was the real Mr. Clutch?
Does anyone want to remember the worst moment?
Let the debate begin as the decade ends:
Spur of the decade - Tim Duncan: This was not one of the difficult choices. See accompanying column, but in case you need more convincing, please recall his 10 straight All-Star starts, 10 straight All-NBA selections and 10 straight All-Defensive selections. Enough said.
Fan favorite - Manu Ginobili: The fans weren’t booing when they greeted 3-point makes by the Spurs’ defensive ace with chants of “Bruuuuuce,” but for true adoration, we’ll take “Ole, ole, ole ... Manu, Manu!” In the largest U.S. city with a majority Hispanic populace, the Argentine who always plays with “juice and focus” and a winning smile owns the hearts of Spurs fans of any origin. And don’t forget: He’s a Time Warner customer, too.
Mr. Clutch - Robert Horry: “Big Shot Rob” gets the nod over Ginobili, but just barely. When the Spurs needed a play made in the most critical of moments, the ball always was in Ginobili’s hands to initiate. But when momentum in the 2005 Finals was about to be lost in The Palace of Auburn Hills, even Ginobili knew which Spur had to take the shot. Horry’s 3-pointer saved a game and a title.
Best draft pick - Tony Parker: Another no-brainer. The Spurs had to sweat out the first 27 picks of the 2001 draft, hoping the teams selecting ahead of them bought into the conventional wisdom that a teenager from Paris could not possibly be a starting point guard in the NBA. From spot No. 28, the Spurs got an All-NBA player who was MVP of the 2007 Finals.
Best free agent - Bruce Bowen: Another tough choice, but Bowen edges Horry. Signed on July 13, 2001, he would forge a spot in the starting lineup and the hearts of Spurs fans as the best perimeter defender of the decade, both for the Spurs and the NBA. He annoyed the best scorers in the league to the point that some accused him of dirty play. His ability to hit the corner 3-pointer fit perfectly with the offensive scheme, too.
Best trade - Rasho Nesterovic for Matt Bonner: With Horry nearing the end of his Mr. Clutch career, the Spurs swapped centers with the Raptors and got another big man capable of spreading defenses with his 3-point shooting stroke. The Red Rocket is a determined rebounder, a floor-diver and a tireless worker. You have to like a guy whose favorite food is any sort of sandwich.
Best NBA title - 2003: Only the Lakers can join in this decade debate since they’re the only other group with more than one in the decade. The choice here is 2003, in part because the run-up to The Finals included a memorable Western finals triumph over the Mavericks. Mostly, it is because it sent David Robinson into the sunset of his great career in fitting manner and because of the contributions of veterans such as Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry and Kevin Willis. Plus, it included Duncan’s best-ever playoff performance, in the title-clincher.
Worst moment - 0.4 seconds: Duncan made arguably the best shot of his career, a 22-footer over Shaquille O’Neal that gave the Spurs a two-point lead over the Lakers with four-tenths of a second left in Game 5 of the 2004 Western semifinals. A win would have given the Spurs a 3-2 series lead, with a potential Game 7 to be played on their home court. Dreams of a successful title defense ended when Lakers guard Derek Fisher nailed a catch-and-shoot that nobody believed possible.