How does this team compare?

[midgetonadonkey]

To the 1999 and 2003 championship teams? I think this team was better than 2003 but I don't know about 1999. The season was cut short so you never really know how good this team would have been in a full season. I'm not taking anything away from the 99 team but I think this is the best team so far. Any thoughts?

[Spursdaone]

Spurs 2005 is far off from that dominating 1999 team but is about equal to the 2003 team.

[Dre_7]

Its hard to say. That 99 team was special!!

[Horry For 3!]

Yeah the First Championship is always the best. But I also liked 2003 because David went out with a ring but now he has his 3rd ring as a part of the Spurs management.

[Mr. Body]

1999 played against a lot of unprepared competition. Players around the league were happy to get paid after the lock-out and were working their way into shape. Not to take anything away from the championship, but that team wasn't as strong and mighty as some on this message board would purport. We all love that team for being the first, but they weren't nearly as good as this year's team and I don't think as good as 2003.

As far as 2005 goes, at the end of the WCF, I thought they were easily the best Spurs team ever. They might still be, but they lost a lot of mettle during the Finals and had lapses of concentration and scoring droughts on par with 2003. If they played each other, the question would be... can 2003 Bowen cover 2005 Ginobili? Very interesting question.

To dodge the question, however, my final answer would be... I think 2006 will be the best Spurs team we've had.

[2centsworth]

that '99 team would have kicked the crap out of both '03 and '05, but I think the '99 team was one of the all time great teams. David, Tim in their primes with Sean Elliott who was every bit as good on d as bruce but with better o, clutch shooters all over the place and a very deep bench.

[Dre_7]

As far as 2005 goes, at the end of the WCF, I thought they were easily the best Spurs team ever. They might still be, but they lost a lot of mettle during the Finals and had lapses of concentration and scoring droughts on par with 2003. If they played each other, the question would be... can 2003 Bowen cover 2005 Ginobili? Very interesting question.

Dude, dont forget we played the defending champs, who had the best defenseive frontline, and the #2 Defense in the league. I knew it wouldnt be easy. I am proud of the Spurs for beating a tough team like Detroit in 7 games!

[spurster]

The 1999 team was an amazing 15-2 in the playoffs. The 2003 and 2005 teams have had a more difficult playoffs (16-8 and 16-7 respectively). I would rank the 2003 higher because (like the 1999 team) they beat the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, which included Phil Jackson in 2003. So 2005 ranks third, but it's still sweet.

[beirmeistr]

IMHO, the current Spurs team is the best one. I really think they have great depth.

[Solid D]

The '99 team was better defensively (record low .401 Opp. FG% and 84 ppg). They defended the interior and out on the perimeter equally well. They were also a more physical team on the perimeter with Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Jaren Jackson, & Antonio Daniels. They only allowed 30% 3-pt shooting from their opponents.

This 2005 team was the best passing Spurs team I've seen. Their assist/TO ratio was the best of the three championship teams, even though the Pistons series didn't seem to show that.

It's a close call but I think the 2004-05 team was the best of them all.

[baseline bum]

If we're talking the 2005 team before Duncan went down in Detroit they win in a landslide. If we're talking how the team's looked in the playoffs 99 is obviously the best. If you have a 100% Duncan this year's team is far superior to any other in the franchise's history though. This team's only real weakness was three bad ankles.

[Nikos]

2005 team was the best factoring both ends of the court. The most balanced.

1999 was close, but Duncan's injury made this years team a little worse statistically then they should have been. Spurs were as good as ever on D, and the best offensive team they have had in a long time, maybe ever with exception to a healthy 2000-01 team (but on D 2005 was superior anyway, and didn't give up in the playoffs like 2001 + injuries).

2005 was the best, 1999 was close, and 2003 was weaker then both.

[Spursdaone]

How can a team who lost 2 games in the playoffs not be the best of the 3 years?

[Nikos]

How can a team who lost 2 games in the playoffs not be the best of the 3 years?

I think this year the Spurs opponents were better than in 1999.

[T Park]

I think 03 was better than this year in that there was alot better shooters and defenders.

I think it goes

99
o3
05

[Spursdaone]

Lakers and Blazers aren't good teams? They embarrassed everyone who were supposed to be good that year. That team had a killer instinct that has been missing in the recent spurs teams.

[Nikos]

Lakers and Blazers aren't good teams? They embarrassed everyone who were supposed to be good that year. That team had a killer instinct that has been missing in the recent spurs teams.

They were good but not that good. Kobe wasn't nearly the Kobe of 2000 and on....

The Blazers had Isiah 'take 30 shots to get 20pts' Rider, and no Scottie Pippen.

Those teams were solid, but not as good as Detroit or Phoenix of 2005.

[Spursdaone]

They were good but not that good. Kobe wasn't nearly the Kobe of 2000 and on....

The Blazers had Isiah 'take 30 shots to get 20pts' Rider, and no Scottie Pippen.

Those teams were solid, but not as good as Detroit or Phoenix of 2005.
Spurs in 1999 might be the greatest defensive team ever. They only gave up 84.7 ppg that year while scoring 92.8.

[Nikos]

Nope. 2004 and 2005 were both as good or better on D. You forget that the league offense and defense was basically at an all time low that year. Teams simply weren't scoring efficiently as a whole (not just against the Spurs).

http://basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/2005.html

Check the league efficiency vs def eficiency for each Spurs team and their differentials. They were higher in 0304 and 0405 I beleive than in 1998-99. The offense was also better this season than in 1998-99. Defense was about even.

[silverandblackattack]

'03 and '04 teams are definitely better than the '99 team. '99 was only special because it was the first time we had experienced winning the championship. These last two times the Spurs dethroned the defending champs (Lakers in '03 and Pistons in '05), there's just no comparison. You have to remember (especially this year) that the Spurs beat some pretty damn good teams in the Sonics and the Suns before winning it all against an even better Detroit Pistons team. The only real competition we had in 99 was the Minnesota T-Wolves (if you even want to call it that). The Lakers and the Blazers got swept and New York was fortunate to even get one from us in the Finals because they really sucked ass..

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The nice thing about this team is that the key pieces are in place for the future. After '99 and 2003 there was more uncertainty about the future. The '99 team was mostly a veteran group and the '03 team was losing its HOF center and had some major roster work to do.

The '05 squad will merely require some tinkering to stay at the top for awhile. It's a good feeling.

[Timoha]

I think that the '1999 team is one of the greatest of all time. With Tim and David in their primes, what can one say. I think that this team (esp if Tim was 100%) is better then the 03 team and faced tougher competition and still came through.

[timvp]

1999 is still the best. I'd take that team to battle anyday.

2003 was a very clutch team, but Pop did the best coaching job in NBA history in getting that team to the title. On paper, Robinson, Kerr and Ferry were too old while Parker and Ginobili were too young. But they did it with heart and a great Tim Duncan.

2005 is hard to rank. Tim Duncan wasn't as good as the previous too championship runs because of injury. There was no David Robinson and the bench turned out to be kinda thin after the first two players. But then again, Manu and Parker have gotten a lot better and you have the Horry factor.

I think if those three teams had a tournament, it would end up:

1) 1999
2) 2005
3) 2003

[Dre_7]

I think that the '1999 team is one of the greatest of all time. With Tim and David in their primes, what can one say. I think that this team (esp if Tim was 100%) is better then the 03 team and faced tougher competition and still came through.

Tim was no where near his prime in 99. That was what, his 2nd year in the league?

Tim is in his prime now, but not then.

[timvp]

Tim was no where near his prime in 99. That was what, his 2nd year in the league?

Tim is in his prime now, but not then.

Tim was better in '99 than he was this postseason. He was more injured this year than people realize.

Luckily Duncan has a lot of heart and fought through it all.

[T Park]

if Duncan had been 100%

the Spurs would've maybe gotten through the playoffs alot easier.

Especially the Finals.

[MissAllThat]

This team is much better at bouncing back under pressure than the previous two, and this team definately had to deal with more stress than those. Keeping that in mind though, I'm not sure which is better overall.

[GoSpurs21]

05 was the easiest team to watch cause we had great O and great D and Manu's breakout year
99 was the hardest to watch due to pathetic offense (and as someone else pointed out the rest of the league was not in shape)
03 was funnest to watch cause the Spurs werent supposed to win it all; it was Davids last season; and especially cause we made the dynasty lakers go home crying (nothing beats that feeling except being at home game when the championships has been won 03 & 05)

[rwb]

Watching the 2005 team and seeing how they battled it out through seven games with such a tough opponent, then knowing the core of the team will be still be here for next season...I think they're only going to be better for the experience, as well as having the shared experience of winning the trophy. If everyone can stay healthy, I think the 2006 team will be the most awesome yet.