Heat: Biggest challenge of the Duncan era?

[TD 21]

When you factor in where Duncan and Ginobili are at in their careers, plus them going against a guy who's in the midst of becoming arguably the 2nd greatest player ever, I think it has to be.

[Kidd K]

No. The Kobe/Shaq Lakers was. . .

The Heat might be #2 though, and are #1 for Finals opponents depending on how highly you respect that great Pistons team in 2005.

[MannyIsGod]

Remains to be seen. I'd go with some of the Laker teams or the 05 Pistons. Probably the Pistons, honestly. That 05 team was ridiculously good.

[ShoogarBear]

They had TD in his prime and Manu in his youth when they were up against Shaq/Kobe.

Given how the LeBrons have played this year, and given that the overall skill level of the Big Three is less than it was 10 years ago, yes 2013 is a bigger challenge.

[timvp]

Yes, obviously.

[Darius McCrary]

Yes, and it's not even close.

[SpursRock20]

Yes, and it is not even close. This is the first superteam that Duncan has faced. Mavs were able to beat the Heat because Lebron and crew weren't quite clicking together. Now, they have a few years under their belts and have a much more solid bench (Allen and Anderson).

[tesseractive]

No. The Kobe/Shaq Lakers was. . .

The Heat might be #2 though, and are #1 for Finals opponents depending on how highly you respect that great Pistons team in 2005.
Lakers #1
Heat #2
Pistons #3
Mavs #4

This is a tougher Finals opponent than even the Pistons.

[TampaDude]

Yes, by far. The Heat are a fucking juggernaut, and they will have HCA in the Finals.

[313]

Dan McCarney ‏@danmccarneysaen (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen) 32s (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen/status/339260353714196480) Not to look too far ahead, but Memphis was No. 17 defending P/R ballhandlers. Miami? No. 1. Against roll man, too. Huge part of Spurs O.

[TE]

Dan McCarney ‏@danmccarneysaen (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen) 32s (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen/status/339260353714196480) Not to look too far ahead, but Memphis was No. 17 defending P/R ballhandlers. Miami? No. 1. Against roll man, too. Huge part of Spurs O.
Scary ...

[2centsworth]

Scary ...

Remember they play in the East. P/R offenses suck in that league and so do the teams.

[Richie]

If you factor in the decline of the big 3, then of course. As a team though, I think Shaq/Kobe and the 05 Pistons would both beat this Heat team.

[3 Legged Dog]

When you factor in where Duncan and Ginobili are at in their careers, plus them going against a guy who's in the midst of becoming arguably the 2nd greatest player ever, I think it has to be.

I know that this will be the biggest test that this blown by league/media darling Miami team has faced.

[phyzik]

bigger challenge than Detroit was. So, yes.

[TheyCallMePro]

No way. The Lakers were the biggest challenge of the Duncan era.

Just think how many more championships we would have won if they hadn't been standing in our way over the past 15 years!

[Sean Cagney]

Remains to be seen. I'd go with some of the Laker teams or the 05 Pistons. Probably the Pistons, honestly. That 05 team was ridiculously good.
That 05 PISTONS TEAM was a bunch of WARRIORS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kidd K]

Lakers #1
Heat #2
Pistons #3
Mavs #4

This is a tougher Finals opponent than even the Pistons.

Solid list imo, that's exactly how I have it ranked. I would throw in the Suns at #5 even though we never lost to them except during our worst season in the Duncan era where we already overachieved getting to the 2nd round.

I don't firmly have Miami over Detroit though, we can't really say for sure until that series concludes. But how we've matched up, who they have, and on paper, they do look really good.

[HarlemHeat37]

Remember they play in the East. P/R offenses suck in that league and so do the teams.

Miami had a dominant record against the West this year, tbh..

[Sean Cagney]

No way. The Lakers were the biggest challenge of the Duncan era.

Just think how many more championships we would have won if they hadn't been standing in our way over the past 15 years!

Maybe one more, we might have lost to Detroit though in 04 and Boston in 08 so who knows? I think we win though easily in 01 without LA there! We would have beaten the Sixers in 5 or 6.

[tim_duncan_fan]

Who says we're playing the Heat though?

[z0sa]

Providing the Heat win, I think that's a safe presumption... that said, until then, the 05 Pistons currently hold that record...

[ezau]

The biggest challenge was the early 2000s Laker teams.

[baseline bum]

This is a really amazing Heat team the Spurs are looking at right now. This isn't the three man team Dallas embarrassed in 2011. We basically need Tim to turn the clock back to 2007, Tony to keep it right where it is, the role players have to be on fire from the three, and Manu is going to have to give a legendary performance or two this series. I don't think this Heat team is as good as the 2001 Lakers by any means, but they're one of the better teams of the last 20 years. This is a hell of a wall to climb; can't wait to see how they approach it.

[Richie]

Dan McCarney ‏@danmccarneysaen (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen) 32s (https://twitter.com/danmccarneysaen/status/339260353714196480) Not to look too far ahead, but Memphis was No. 17 defending P/R ballhandlers. Miami? No. 1. Against roll man, too. Huge part of Spurs O.

Regular season stats are overrated. Miami is a good defensive team because they rely on their athleticism more than defensive fundamentals. That's fine against most teams, but most teams don't move the ball like the Spurs do. Not to mention in the playoffs the coaches have time to gameplan for the other team.

A horrible offensive team like the Bulls put 90+ on them 3 times out of 5. The Pacers are equally bad offensively and scored 96+ in 3 straight games. The Spurs will score on this Heat team no problem, it's the defensive end where we will struggle.

[SupremeGuy]

Stern's Lakers = Stern's Heat, tbh

We not only have to play better than them, but play better decidedly; or the refs will fuck us.

[mercos]

It would be the biggest Finals challenge, but I think the early 2000s Lakers teams were a much tougher out. Lebron is a beast, and may go down as the best ever, but stopping him is a lot easier than stopping prime Shaq.

[BillMc]

Shaq/Kobe Lakers are clearly #1, then the Heat, then the Pistons, then the Mavs.

[thunderup]

Stern's Lakers = Stern's Heat, tbh

We not only have to play better than them, but play better decidedly; or the refs will fuck us.
The cHeat are a carefully manufactured team a la the Lakers.

You'll see when the game is played. Miami is notorious for playing extra physical on the perimeter and being allowed to hack, grab, hit those who get into the paint. They're also loaded with floppers and fake tough guys. After this series, most of yall will despise the Heat for all that and rightfully so.

[spurraider21]

Shaq Kobe Lakers were a different animal, but based on where Tim and Manu are in their career, its probably the most daunting challenge

[baseline bum]

Everyone remembers how amazing OKC looked last year and Miami just went in and mopped the floor with them in 5. And now they have Ray Allen instead of James Jones and Birdman instead of Joel Anthony. I mean this will easily go down as the greatest team the Spurs have ever beat if they somehow find a way to pull off the upset.

[BatManu20]

Yes, obviously.

[slick'81]

More then the 05 pistons yes

I might even go as far to say upset, miracle whatever if spurs pull this off

[SouthernFried]

Picking all teams in their primes, including Spurs...Miami would be probably third, behind Lakers and Detroit.

If Spurs were in their prime, I don't think this series would be that close. The only thing making this series so tuff for Spurs, is we are definetly not in our prime. Ginobli was a Playoffs Monster back then.

This could be our toughest Playoffs just for that reason.

[tesseractive]

this will easily go down as the greatest team the Spurs have ever beat if they somehow find a way to pull off the upset.

[Darius McCrary]

This thread alone made me want to lower my Spurs Win Percentage Prediction. Ugh

[Darius McCrary]

Everyone remembers how amazing OKC looked last year and Miami just went in and mopped the floor with them in 5. And now they have Ray Allen instead of James Jones and Birdman instead of Joel Anthony. I mean this will easily go down as the greatest team the Spurs have ever beat if they somehow find a way to pull off the upset.

That was partly matchups, but your point remains valid.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

Yes, and it's not even close.

This puzzles me. The Spurs halted a Lakers team that had won 3 straight championships with Kobe and Shaq in their primes.

[stephen jackson]

that detroit team was so good though .

[TD 21]

I know that this will be the biggest test that this blown by league/media darling Miami team has faced.

Agreed.

[UZER]

The cHeat are a carefully manufactured team a la the Lakers.

You'll see when the game is played. Miami is notorious for playing extra physical on the perimeter and being allowed to hack, grab, hit those who get into the paint. They're also loaded with floppers and fake tough guys. After this series, most of yall will despise the Heat for all that and rightfully so.

I already despise them because of this. When the game gets tight in the fourth, the heat get away with a lot more on defense.

[hater]

by biggest you mean most difficult? um, yeah probably. Duncan is old and decrepit, he hardly can keep up with opposing superstars.

But if you mean, biggest as most important? no. This is Duncan's career twilight, no way you can have your most important challenge when you are about to retire.

The pistons, and lakers and shaq were most definitely Duncan's most important challenges in his career.

[Phenomanul]

Stern's Lakers = Stern's Heat, tbh

We not only have to play better than them, but play better decidedly; or the refs will fuck us.

I had a dream where Stern had to force a fake smile as he handed Duncan and Popovich their 5th Larry O'Brien Trophy... Pop then said in front of the entire NBA-world... "resting my guys over the course of the season sure paid off dividends... you can't really place a price tag on something like that... 250K, 500K, 1MM? It's priceless TBH..."

The dialogue went something like that... (recollection of the sequencing of dream is no easy matter... LOL)...

[Phenomanul]

To answer the poll OP question... yes, only because it would be Duncan's first Finals series without HCA.

[Phenomanul]

And the obvious age factor...

[look_at_g_shred]

I had a dream where Stern had to force a fake smile as he handed Duncan and Popovich their 5th Larry O'Brien Trophy... Pop then said in front of the entire NBA-world... "resting my guys over the course of the season sure paid off dividends... you can't really place a price tag on something like that... 250K, 500K, 1MM? It's priceless TBH..."

The dialogue went something like that... (recollection of the sequencing of dream is no easy matter... LOL)...

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao the tbh though... :lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

If the Spurs had gotten past the Lakers in 2001 and 2002, I'm quite sure they would have crushed the 76ers and Nets in the Finals.

[Sec24Row7]

00-01 lakers were the biggest challenge and it's not really even close.

[Seventyniner]

Maybe the poll should read "If the Spurs beat the Heat, will it be the best team they've ever beaten?"

[ShoogarBear]

Who says we're playing the Heat though?

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2008/david_stern/david_stern_01.jpg

[ShoogarBear]

This is a really amazing Heat team the Spurs are looking at right now. This isn't the three man team Dallas embarrassed in 2011. We basically need Tim to turn the clock back to 2007, Tony to keep it right where it is, the role players have to be on fire from the three, and Manu is going to have to give a legendary performance or two this series. I don't think this Heat team is as good as the 2001 Lakers by any means, but they're one of the better teams of the last 20 years. This is a hell of a wall to climb; can't wait to see how they approach it.

The Heat really only have two weaknesses: the lack of traditional post play on either end, and a tendency to fart around with cat-and-mouse games before turning it on. The Spurs are going to have to take maximum advantage of both weaknesses, the Big Three will have to be at the top of their games, and Pop will probably have to come up with some stuff that Spoelstra's not prepared for. There's little room for error.

That's why a Spurs win would be the most satisfying (not necessarily the most favorite) championship ever.

[team-work]

We're the undisputed underdogs.

[tim_duncan_fan]

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2008/david_stern/david_stern_01.jpg

Touche, my good man.

[aal04]

This Miami team and LBJ are severely overrated.

Are they the best team in the NBA? yep. But that doesnt mean much.

This old spurs team is a shadow of its former self in its prime (2004-2009). Yet it is still has a serious shot at the title.

We bring back a Spurs team from that era and we would be heavy favourites.

Having said that. With our current state of players being near retirement and well past their prime. This will be the most difficult matchup for us the same way a 40 year old MJ would have trouble leading the wizards to the playoffs.

[dbreiden83080]

Yes but this idea that the Spurs can't win is hilarious.. The Pacers have been down to the wire here in every game but game 3 and it is 2-2.. Fans need to stop being so scared of the Heat..

[TampaDude]

Yes but this idea that the Spurs can't win is hilarious.. The Pacers have been down to the wire here in every game but game 3 and it is 2-2.. Fans need to stop being so scared of the Heat..

^ this

Going into the playoffs, I thought a Heat repeat was, barring LeBron going down, a foregone conclusion. Not any more. The Spurs can beat Miami.

[thunderup]

I already despise them because of this. When the game gets tight in the fourth, the heat get away with a lot more on defense.
:lol Looks like the officials actually called it fairly tonight with 5 mins to go. Now Heatfan cries foul. http://fans.heat.nba.com/community/index.php?/topic/19691-larry-bird-paid-off-david-stern/


Heatfans are some of the most self-entitled of fan-bases.

[Legacy]

Yes but this idea that the Spurs can't win is hilarious.. The Pacers have been down to the wire here in every game but game 3 and it is 2-2.. Fans need to stop being so scared of the Heat..

The goods right here. :toast


... But I still won't consider them our "official" Finals opponents until they fully complete their series with Indy. Shit can happen ... *shrug*

[Darkwaters]

No. The Kobe/Shaq Lakers was. . .

The Heat might be #2 though, and are #1 for Finals opponents depending on how highly you respect that great Pistons team in 2005.

+1

They would definitely be the strongest finals opponent we've yet faced. But if you count all the series the Spurs have played in their Championship years, the Shaq/Kobe Lakers were a bigger threat.

[Darkwaters]

:lol Looks like the officials actually called it fairly tonight with 5 mins to go. Now Heatfan cries foul. http://fans.heat.nba.com/community/index.php?/topic/19691-larry-bird-paid-off-david-stern/


Heatfans are some of the most self-entitled of fan-bases.

Yep. I went to a Heat game in Miami this year. Theres definitely a sense of entitlement.