2003....Not many teams have had better years than that

[Blake]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0906/si.cover.history.june7/images/tim-duncan.jpg

NBA Finals MVP
NBA Regular Season MVP
All-NBA First team
All-Defensive First team

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Spurs_White_House.jpg/220px-Spurs_White_House.jpg

Best record
NBA Champs

http://www.ticketloot.com/blog/uploads/Images/popovich.jpg

Coach of the Year

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/files/uploads/BruceBowenBlocksDirk.jpg

3 pt FG% leader
All Defensive *2nd team

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/ManuSpurs.jpg

all rookie 2nd team

http://fourhorsementattoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/kobe-crying.jpg

Cried.


Damn good year to look back and reflect on....

:whine :lobt2:

[beachwood]

Hell yeah.

[Russ]

Ended the Lakers' NBA championship three-peat (four-peat try) at the Staples Center in the "Crying Game" . . . (see my sig)

First team ever to beat the Lakers in a playoff series at the Staples Center . . .

Ended the Lakers' streak of 12 playoff series victories in a row . . .

Ended Phil Jackson's personal coaching streak of 24 playoff series victories in a row . . .

Ended Phil Jackson's personal coaching streak of six NBA championships in a row . . .:lobt2:

[edgar]

Also don't forget that 2003 marked the start of on-court prayers by certain players who sought ways to finally destroy the Spurs. For some this became a "hands-on" reality.


http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/img/nba_a_jefferson_260.jpg


:lmao

[spizzle_tronk]

cool

[BadOdor]

spur fan = new rocket fan?

[bdictjames]

2 years of becoming my Spur fan too. I was rooting for the Spurs; the rest of my family was rooting against. Lol. Nice to prove them wrong, good times, good times.

[edgar]

2 years of becoming my Spur fan too. I was rooting for the Spurs; the rest of my family was rooting against. Lol. Nice to prove them wrong, good times, good times.

wow dude I just saw your videos on your youtube page and um.. :lmao you suck at singing. Don't quit your day job.

[SpursTillTheEnd]

man fuck george bush timmy d should have slapped him

[Blackjack]

(Turned out to be a bit of an impromptu column. :lol)


As crazy as it sounds, I think we were robbed of seeing some of Tim's best basketball after that year. He had absolutely hit the peak of his career -- physically and mentally -- and would've followed up that season with a comparable and, imo, better year than '03 in '04 (had he not played for USA the Summer immediately following the Finals).

He reached a place, by the end of that '03 Finals, where he and everyone else new he was the best of the best. His confidence was through the roof. But going down to Puerto Rico and leading that team to a first-place finish wore on him -- he wasn't able to pick up where he left off because of fatigue and it would later catch up to him when the hinge between his quad and knee gave out (causing him to miss a good chunk of games and never truly regain his form -- Karl Malone, who he absolutely owned prior, was now able to check him well because Tim lacked the confidence, explosion and rhythm to do what he had done to him so many times before: abuse him).

Then -- even after all that -- he kept his commitment to Team USA and headed to Athens. And even after finding out that just about everyone who participated in the prior year's tournament in Puerto Rico had pulled out (with a bunch of lame excuses), leaving him with an obviously ill-fitted roster lacking cohesion or experience, he went anyway -- forget the disappointment and heat he took for that team's performance for a second, Duncan had just played a 102-game season, followed immediately by International play in Puerto Rico -- where he led the team with something like 15 points and 9 rebounds --, then played a 92-game season, followed by the Athens' Olympics.

By the time the '05 season came around, Tim looked a little less crisp and a little bit slower to start. He looked fatigued (and maybe mentally as much as physically). He'd sprain his ankle, then again ... and again -- missing a good chunk of time to end the season. He never got back to one-hundred percent but he'd gut his way through -- even after tweaking the ankle again against Seattle -- and find a way to put on one of the ballsiest performances I've ever had the privilege of watching against Detroit -- Tim took so much criticism throughout that series, yet he never made an excuse. He had every right to be honest and let people in a bit, but the subject of his health was something he wouldn't really speak to. Not to the full extent, at least. And since he wouldn't, it didn't get the play it should've -- I'm not sure most comprehended then, or even now, how athletically heroic that performance was. That should be a signature performance. It should be looked upon how scribes talk about Reed, Jordan, Thomas, Bird or any of the other greats that played through some unreal pain, injuries or sickness.

He'd finally get a Summer off after playing a 105-game season on his way to his third championship, but he wouldn't get a break; plantar fasciitis instead. We all know how it hampered Tim in '06 and the problems it gave him throughout the regular season and playoffs. One more season where Tim just wasn't fortunate enough to have his health where he wanted it, and because of it, the player to end '03 was never able to reemerge.

It's pretty comical to say it, but it's true: the best power forward in the game over that span wasn't even playing at full capacity. He could've been even better and probably won even more team and individual awards. Scary and unfortunate; but we're (Spurs fans) extremely fortunate to have Tim's version of unfortunate.

Still, I'll always wonder what could've been; even if I'm eternally grateful for all that was.

[Blake]

(Turned out to be a bit of an impromptu column. :lol)


As crazy as it sounds, I think we were robbed of seeing some of Tim's best basketball after that year. He had absolutely hit the peak of his career -- physically and mentally -- and would've followed up that season with a comparable and, imo, better year than '03 in '04 (had he not played for USA the Summer immediately following the Finals).

He reached a place, by the end of that '03 Finals, where he and everyone else new he was the best of the best. His confidence was through the roof. But going down to Puerto Rico and leading that team to a first-place finish wore on him -- he wasn't able to pick up where he left off because of fatigue and it would later catch up to him when the hinge between his quad and knee gave out (causing him to miss a good chunk of games and never truly regain his form -- Karl Malone, who he absolutely owned prior, was now able to check him well because Tim lacked the confidence, explosion and rhythm to do what he had done to him so many times before: abuse him).

Then -- even after all that -- he kept his commitment to Team USA and headed to Athens. And even after finding out that just about everyone who participated in the prior year's tournament in Puerto Rico had pulled out (with a bunch of lame excuses), leaving him with an obviously ill-fitted roster lacking cohesion or experience, he went anyway -- forget the disappointment and heat he took for that team's performance for a second, Duncan had just played a 102-game season, followed immediately by International play in Puerto Rico -- where he led the team with something like 15 points and 9 rebounds --, then played a 92-game season, followed by the Athens' Olympics.

By the time the '05 season came around, Tim looked a little less crisp and a little bit slower to start. He looked fatigued (and maybe mentally as much as physically). He'd sprain his ankle, then again ... and again -- missing a good chunk of time to end the season. He never got back to one-hundred percent but he'd gut his way through -- even after tweaking the ankle again against Seattle -- and find a way to put on one of the ballsiest performances I've ever had the privilege of watching against Detroit -- Tim took so much criticism throughout that series, yet he never made an excuse. He had every right to be honest and let people in a bit, but the subject of his health was something he wouldn't really speak to. Not to the full extent, at least. And since he wouldn't, it didn't get the play it should've -- I'm not sure most comprehended then, or even now, how athletically heroic that performance was. That should be a signature performance. It should be looked upon how scribes talk about Reed, Jordan, Thomas, Bird or any of the other greats that played through some unreal pain, injuries or sickness.

He'd finally get a Summer off after playing a 105-game season on his way to his third championship, but he wouldn't get a break; plantar fasciitis instead. We all know how it hampered Tim in '06 and the problems it gave him throughout the regular season and playoffs. One more season where Tim just wasn't fortunate enough to have his health where he wanted it, and because of it, the player to end '03 was never able to reemerge.

It's pretty comical to say it, but it's true: the best power forward in the game over that span wasn't even playing at full capacity. He could've been even better and probably won even more team and individual awards. Scary and unfortunate; but we're (Spurs fans) extremely fortunate to have Tim's version of unfortunate.

Still, I'll always wonder what could've been; even if I'm eternally grateful for all that was.

good 'what if' points....you also left out the great 'what if' of 2000....

of course, even then, the Spurs were most likely .4 away from playing Detroit in 2004 and a Dirk hack away from playing and most likely beating the Heat in 2006......in my opinion, of course........

[Cane]

Great trip down memory lane.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

I had forgotten how much hair Manu had back then.

Where the hell is Speedy these days? He was so great in that playoff run. He totally bailed out Tony in that Dallas series IIRC.

[Blackjack]

good 'what if' points....you also left out the great 'what if' of 2000....

of course, even then, the Spurs were most likely .4 away from playing Detroit in 2004 and a Dirk hack away from playing and most likely beating the Heat in 2006......in my opinion, of course........

It was more a commentary on Tim as an individual than the "what if" as it pertains to championships. Although, you can say "what if" that surgery never took place that robbed him of some of his athleticism from that point on ... but injuries, and unfortunately, surgeries, pretty much come with the territory in the NBA.

What I was trying to get at were the circumstances that are often overlooked or never taken into consideration (whether it's just not known or isn't compelling enough to reflect upon) when looking back on Tim's career. He was what, 27, when he won in '03 (when he played his best, most dominant ball and the confidence and belief in his basketball abilities was at a all-time high)? The "what if" is how much more of that player to end '03 did we miss and was '03 really his peak, or was it just the peak of his individual career?

Most players usually take the confidence and belief gained from finishing a season like that and become even better the next year. They use it as a springboard. But Tim wasn't fortunate to have the health needed to parlay that success into something greater. He was still great, and just about as good that's ever come over that stretch, but I don't think he was who he could've been; which is a testament to his greatness.

It took Tim three seasons after winning that '03 title before Tim would come into camp fresh-legged and with a clean bill of health. And even though they won the championship and Tim was still their best player, he was now 31 by the end of that title run and not quite the same dominant player he was prior to the bad stretch of health. That's three years of his prime that were watered down -- to a degree -- and that I'll always wonder: "What if?"

I just truly believe Tim's peak would've and could've extended longer had he been a little more fortunate (health-wise) and decided against Summer basketball (with Team USA).

But, like I said before, I'm grateful for all that was.

[TD 21]

I agree, Blackjack, but you forgot one thing and that is this: Would Ginobili and Parker have become the players they became if Duncan were playing at his '03 level in '05 and '07? He's obviously as unselfish (if not outright the most) superstar there's even been, so I'm not saying he'd have intentionally tried to stunt their growth, but I do wonder if their growth would have been at least somewhat stunted nonetheless. If Duncan were at or close to full strength after '03, would the offense have slowly but surely from '05 on (particularly '07 on) moved more away from him in the post and more to pick-and-roll with either one of them?

I've never seen a player play at a higher all around level than Duncan in '03. I caught the tail end of Jordan's prime, saw O'Neal when he was a dominant force and am now seeing James, but none of them were as dominant defensively and on the boards as Duncan was then. And the attention he drew offensively was something only O'Neal could compare to. He was also a horse, able to play almost full games regularly despite carrying such a heavy all around work load.

The guy averaged 24/17/5/5 in the finals against an elite defensive team and 25/15/5 throughout the playoffs. According to basketball-reference, he accounted for more win shares during that run than any player during any playoffs in the history of the game (granted, Nowitzki's '06 run was second, so maybe that's an indictment of the the stat). Duncan was like O'Neal and Garnett combined into one, in terms of the perfect blend between power and finesse.

[manu the best]

.. hopefully we can have another season like 2003 in 2010-2011 ..

[sananspursfan21]

05 championship still my favorite though. timmy busted through that "TD will never win without DRob" BS. I still have the banner!

[TMTTRIO]

Would Ginobili and Parker have become the players they became if Duncan were playing at his '03 level in '05 and '07? He's obviously as unselfish (if not outright the most) superstar there's even been, so I'm not saying he'd have intentionally tried to stunt their growth, but I do wonder if their growth would have been at least somewhat stunted nonetheless.

Well with Manu a lot of it had to deal more with Pop allowing him room to play and make mistakes. Besides you saw his real growth and what he could do with his NT in the Olympics without Tim.

[Blackjack]

I agree, Blackjack, but you forgot one thing and that is this: Would Ginobili and Parker have become the players they became if Duncan were playing at his '03 level in '05 and '07?

I was speaking solely towards Duncan and to an opinion I've held that we may have never really seen Tim's peak or at least it didn't extend as long as it could have and should have. Had circumstance dictated otherwise in the three years following the '03 title ... I just can't believe there would've been much of a debate for player of the decade (which he still was, IMO).

But to your question, I don't think there's any downside to having a Tim in his prime and at the top of his game when it comes to Tony and Manu. Tony and Manu weren't Tony and Manu in '04 (although they were coming and there were some real flashes of brilliance -- Manu showing us a glimpse of the future taking on the Lakers with a full compliment when Tim and Tony sat out and Tony's performance in the playoffs up until Game 3 of the Lakers series) but the offense's dynamic hadn't changed all that much from the prior year. The personnel completely changed -- as only the now Big Three and Bowen were all that remained from the prior year -- but the attack and scheme had only begun to shift.

I'd say '05 is when it really started to become a more balanced attack with the Big Three. Manu became an All-Star and Tony was ever-improving. The offense really started to shift to that heavy screen-role game we see today, and some of that can probably be attributed to Tim's health and not just some concerted effort on the coaching staff's behalf -- Maybe if Tim's completely healthy they don't go away from Tim quite as much, but I think it was inevitable the shift would occur in the end.

But in the end, Manu and Tony were going to be Manu and Tony. Tim's greatness has never been about his need to dominate the ball at the expense of his teammates or to be a high volume shooter/scorer -- efficiency, unselfishness and probably the best defensive power forward to play the game aren't exactly traits that stifle growth of teammates or make it harder on them. It may have been different ... but in the end I believe better.

So, yeah, maybe Tim being unhampered physically those three years not only allows us to see him hit his true peak or extend what we look at now as his peak, but it nets more team success and a little different road for Tony and Manu. Different; not worse and likely better.