Best Spurs team of all time

[jkid12456]

What u think?

[Horry Hipcheck]

What u think?

Quite possible. The 2005 and 2006 teams were pretty great, but I have no idea if they could stop the 2014 Spurs offense.

[Malik Hairston]

:lol the 2014 Spurs are by far the best Spurs team, tbh..

I have never seen a team this good in all my years of watching NBA ball..they won't receive the credit, though, because they're the Spurs and because they don't have the star power at the top..

However, based on any advanced metric, this is the deepest title team in NBA history..they did something that has never been done before, win by utilizing depth, rather than star power..

- 3 great passing bigs, including one of the best passing bigs in NBA history
- GOAT coach
- Parker and Ginobili to run pick&roll
- 2 great wing defenders that can shoot 3s
- 3 capable wing, ISO scorers(Leonard, Manu, TP)
- A ton of shooters
- A great all-around defensive big and a great rim protecting big
- Capable of playing both defensive grind basketball or run&gun offensive ball

[ironman2886]

No question.

[Chinook]

Many Spurs heroes of championships past wouldn't even get minutes on this team.

[Floyd Pacquiao]

They're amazing, they can play any type of game, match up with any type of team.

Truly a special team, one for the ages

[jon123spurs]

Not just the greatest Spurs team of all time. But if and when they win this series they have to be up there with the greatest team of all time. The way they played the regular season, and now the playoffs its certainly a debate worth discussing.

[Sean Cagney]

I like this team, ALOT.... Lets hope they close it out Sunday.

[Malik Hairston]

^^Absolutely..

I have a hard time believing this team wouldn't face-fuck any team from the 2000s or 90s:lol..

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

This Spurs team sweeps 2003 and 2007 Spurs. 1999 and 2005 probably go 6, maybe 7. It's strange that regardless of the complete lack of a superstar, arguably even an all-star caliber player, the 2014 team looks better than teams from Duncan's prime. Never seen such a great ball movement in my life as a basketball fan.

[Mikeanaro]

I feel this version is better than the others in the past.

[z0sa]

I still take 2005 over this one.. its close, though..

[ElNono]

I called this shit in March, peeps thought I was drunk...


What are you afraid of, a heart-break? That's what being a fan is all about. I still don't really share your concern about the Thunder. They won't be a walk in the park, but if healthy, I think we can take them.

The whole "only appreciate when they win a championship" thing is really spoiled stuff. This is a great team (one of the best Spurs teams, IMO), regardless if they lift the LOBT next June or not. Last year, they were also a great team, regardless of the ball bouncing a different way. Everybody wants to win every year, and I'm sure the Spurs aim for that every season, but it's unrealistic. I'll save the "negligent" stuff when we actually have a team that can't even sniff the playoffs.

EDIT: FWIW, it's not just the Spurs. The Heat lost in 2010, and they were a great team too, IMO.


IMO, one of the best. You could argue they were much more dominant when TD was in his prime, and it would be difficult to argue with that, but back then they also had much less options.

This is a team with great fits, likeable players, they seem to like eachother too, bought fully into the system, depth like we've not had in a long while... and yet I still think they have room to grow... I think TP can play better more often, and I think Kawhi can get better. Beli is just really only getting his feet wet out there.

They're not unbeatable or anything like that, but they really execute a great and efficient brand of basketball most of the time that can be dominant and very enjoyable (at least to me).


Winning it all would be great validation, but I don't think it removes merits from the team... I think this is a team you can look back 10 years from now and say, like WH said above, "those were the good old days"... last year's team was pretty darn good too, even with the heart-break, IMO.

[phxspurfan]

This Spurs team sweeps 2003 and 2007 Spurs. 1999 and 2005 probably go 6, maybe 7. It's strange that regardless of the complete lack of a superstar, arguably even an all-star caliber player, the 2014 team looks better than teams from Duncan's prime. Never seen such a great ball movement in my life as a basketball fan.

No way dude. 2005 Spurs would play great defense and would still have Pop as coach (less senile). And Big Shot Bob would do his thing. Manu would be Playoff Manu. Duncan of 05, 03 or 07 would dominate this team and block all the shots at the rim. And 1999 Spurs defense was best ever. Too bad they didn't have offense.

[MarioSpeedwagon]

Itd be in the top three or four ive seen. 1996 bulls team was amazingly deep when you really look at them. 2001 Lakers team that went 15-1 in the playoffs is up there too obviously. That 2009 Celtics them that started 27-2 in a bid to repeat before KG blew out his knee and was never the same player had a chance to be up there too

But this is truly one of the greatest teams I've seen since I became a die hard fan in 91

[emanueldavidginobili]

I think 2005 would win solely because of prime Duncan and Prime Manu

[gilmor]

This is prob the best quote I have read so far:

There’s even precedent against this very Heat team. Just like the Mavericks, the Spurs had been so close to beating Miami. Just like the Mavericks, the Spurs had been cast as a team on the wane. And just like the Mavericks, the Spurs look like they’re about to exorcise that which haunted them. On Thursday, with Dwyane Wade's Eurostep conjuring old men playing bocce ball, the Heat looked like a crumbling empire. With young, ubiquitous, Kawhi Leonard playing so brilliantly, the “been there” Spurs looked like a power on the rise.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

No way dude. 2005 Spurs would play great defense and would still have Pop as coach (less senile). And Big Shot Bob would do his thing. Manu would be Playoff Manu. Duncan of 05, 03 or 07 would dominate this team and block all the shots at the rim. And 1999 Spurs defense was best ever. Too bad they didn't have offense.

Less senile Pop? Pop of 2012-2014 would coach circles around his early versions.

[baseline bum]

This is prob the best quote I have read so far:

There’s even precedent against this very Heat team. Just like the Mavericks, the Spurs had been so close to beating Miami. Just like the Mavericks, the Spurs had been cast as a team on the wane. And just like the Mavericks, the Spurs look like they’re about to exorcise that which haunted them. On Thursday, with Dwyane Wade's Eurostep conjuring old men playing bocce ball, the Heat looked like a crumbling empire. With young, ubiquitous, Kawhi Leonard playing so brilliantly, the “been there” Spurs looked like a power on the rise.

I hope this doesn't mean RC lets Kawhi go in an attempt to sign Deron Williams one year later tbh

[spurraider21]

imagine if Duncan was younger and wasn't a liability out on the perimeter :wow

[Malik Hairston]

Itd be in the top three or four ive seen. 1996 bulls team was amazingly deep when you really look at them. 2001 Lakers team that went 15-1 in the playoffs is up there too obviously. That 2009 Celtics them that started 27-2 in a bid to repeat before KG blew out his knee and was never the same player had a chance to be up there too

But this is truly one of the greatest teams I've seen since I became a die hard fan in 91

Some of Jordan's Bulls could challenge them and maybe the 2009 Celtics, since they had a similar team-oriented style..

I'm not sure about the 2001 Lakers..they didn't play against any notable teams, and the 2002 Lakers were outplayed by a Kings team that utilized a similar offensive approach to these Spurs, but with less shooters and defenders(technically, Webber and Peja were stars, but they were completely unreliable in that series)..

[Floyd Pacquiao]

imagine if Duncan was younger and wasn't a liability out on the perimeter :wow

8peat, tbh...

[howbouthemspurs]

This team plays the most beautiful basketball I have ever seen! Yes they are the greatest! Game two was a fluke! This should've been a sweep!

[baseline bum]

imagine if Duncan was younger and wasn't a liability out on the perimeter :wow

If Tim was younger this team would be running a steady diet of 4-down

[baseline bum]

Still, this thread is pretty god damn premature, as it's 3-1, not 4-1.

[HI-FI]

:lol the 2014 Spurs are by far the best Spurs team, tbh..

I have never seen a team this good in all my years of watching NBA ball..they won't receive the credit, though, because they're the Spurs and because they don't have the star power at the top..

However, based on any advanced metric, this is the deepest title team in NBA history..they did something that has never been done before, win by utilizing depth, rather than star power..

- 3 great passing bigs, including one of the best passing bigs in NBA history
- GOAT coach
- Parker and Ginobili to run pick&roll
- 2 great wing defenders that can shoot 3s
- 3 capable wing, ISO scorers(Leonard, Manu, TP)
- A ton of shooters
- A great all-around defensive big and a great rim protecting big
- Capable of playing both defensive grind basketball or run&gun offensive ball

pretty much this.

this has been my favorite Spurs team, though the 2003 team meant a lot since it sent the Admiral off in the best way possible. This team though has so many stories, but the main ones to me would be Pop and Duncan earning the proper place in sports history, and seeing a star born in Kawhi.

[unleashbaynes]

Historically great team. Just has another gear and you never really worry about them.

[will_spurs]

i also wonder if this team is the best passing team ever. It looks like every player on the roster can make great passes. Diaw is a better passer than any player who isn't a All-Star PG.

[Horry Hipcheck]

Many Spurs heroes of championships past wouldn't even get minutes on this team.

Horry would. And that would be awesome.

[dg7md]

:lol the 2014 Spurs are by far the best Spurs team, tbh..

I have never seen a team this good in all my years of watching NBA ball..they won't receive the credit, though, because they're the Spurs and because they don't have the star power at the top..

However, based on any advanced metric, this is the deepest title team in NBA history..they did something that has never been done before, win by utilizing depth, rather than star power..

- 3 great passing bigs, including one of the best passing bigs in NBA history
- GOAT coach
- Parker and Ginobili to run pick&roll
- 2 great wing defenders that can shoot 3s
- 3 capable wing, ISO scorers(Leonard, Manu, TP)
- A ton of shooters
- A great all-around defensive big and a great rim protecting big
- Capable of playing both defensive grind basketball or run&gun offensive ball

[ShoogarBear]

Outstanding jinx thread tbh.

[spursmike.]

No question about it. Greetings from Poland BTW.

[heyheymymy]

No question about it. Greetings from Poland BTW.

:toast

[Brazil]

No question

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Yes. Until this, I had '03 Spurs as the best with Rose and Jackson and Manu coming off the bench.

This might not be the most talented team, but its the BEST TEAM. This team is complete from top to bottom. Spurs can matchup with anyone and still maintain a high level of play. Not one team in the league can say that and only a handful in NBA history can say that.

[313]

Outstanding jinx thread tbh.

[DarrinS]

A team with a much younger Tim, Tony, Manu with Bruce, Malik, and Horry would kill this current squad, if they both played the same offensive system.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

A team with a much younger Tim, Tony, Manu with Bruce, Malik, and Horry would kill this current squad, if they both played the same offensive system.


Tony is better today than back in '05, better shooter, better passer, better defender. He was benched by Pop.

Manu and Tim were better than they are now for obvious reasons. Kawhi is better than Bowen. Splitter is better than Rasho/Elson. Green was better than Finley at that point in time. Mills is better than Speedy. The big difference here would be Diaw. Spurs didn't have a dynamic player like him up front.

It would be close, but I would have to give the edge to the current Spurs team. That's just my humble opinioin.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Best, most versatile Spurs team I have ever had the privilege of watching.

[Prime Time]

For anyone using the 2005 argument, There's no way 2005 Manu could 'torch' Leonard. His ball-handling was too wild, luckily guys like Prince and Daniels never tried to swipe the ball away. Leonard would tap the ball out of his hands time and time again, just like he did with Westbrook/Durant/James/Wade. Not to mention the amount of pressure he would apply on every possession. Put Green on Parker, add a very mobile Splitter around the paint, all of a sudden the '05 squad doesn't have any fire-power on the perimeter.

[DarrinS]

Tony is better today than back in '05, better shooter, better passer, better defender. He was benched by Pop.

Manu and Tim were better than they are now for obvious reasons. Kawhi is better than Bowen. Splitter is better than Rasho/Elson. Green was better than Finley at that point in time. Mills is better than Speedy. The big difference here would be Diaw. Spurs didn't have a dynamic player like him up front.

It would be close, but I would have to give the edge to the current Spurs team. That's just my humble opinioin.



The irony is, the Spurs are running a very European-style offense, which relies more on skill than athleticism. So, in that regard, I see your point.

[Raven]

2014 spurs is probably a top 3 team all time, but the two past teams the spurs were way more deep. It's basically the staggering improvement of our young players that makes the difference.

[DarrinS]

I just think people forget how dominant Tim and Manu were 10 years ago.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I just think people forget how dominant Tim and Manu were 10 years ago.
LeBron is more dominant now. He's averaging 30 PPG on something ridiculous like 70% FG and 60% from three. And the Heat still get blown out.

[DarrinS]

LeBron is more dominant now. He's averaging 30 PPG on something ridiculous like 70% FG and 60% from three. And the Heat still get blown out.


I agree that a great individual player will get blown out if he has no help.

[will_spurs]

I just think people forget how dominant Tim and Manu were 10 years ago.

Tim in particular. I think Kawhi could stop (or significantly slow) prime Manu, tbh. But Tim was something else. Anything short of a double or even triple team on him meant an automatic 2 points for the spurs (bank shot baby). None of our current bigs could even hope defending prime Duncan 1 on 1, and the current Spurs being generally a small team, I don't see how they defend prime Duncan at all.

It's important to remember that current NBA bigs are extremely weak.

[hitmantb]

Let's not jinx ourselves. This has been the feel good story of team basketball and vengeance but I still think a healthy OKC team with a real coach has an excellent chance to beat this team in a best of 7. If a hobbling Ibaka scared us, imagine what prime Duncan would do.

Miami blown out has more to do with effort and ironically, the way they breezed through the East and never had a proper tune-up like Spurs did. Vengeance is a very powerful emotion and after two titles, what is there to gain for Bosh/Wade/role players? LeBron is the one getting all accolades, they weren't built like the GDP and don't have the brotherhood when things get tough.

The last championship in a three-peat is the hardest, it is impossible to fake hunger. Had Spurs won last year, this year's team simply won't be able to reach this level of intensity against the Heat and that makes all the differences in the world. This is why repeating champions usually do it off sheer talent, the desire is just not the same the second (or third) time around.

This team may be better than 2003 and 2007, but 1999/2005 versions are at least just as good.

Finish off the Heat, after 6, anything is possible and we really can not give them any breathing room.

[Vito Corleone]

The 2003 team would beat this team, it would be close but no way this team could match up to the 2003 team. This team doesn't match up well with teams with strong front lines.

MVP Tim would give current Tim fits and having David Robinson guarding the paint with him would absolutely shut the lane down. Having Bruce Bowen in his prime would be giving Leonard fits and then you have Manu in his prime and Stephan Jackson as an athletic big man who would give both manu and Green a tough matchup. Tony now is a savy vet but Tony back then would run him ragged. And that team also had killer Steve Kerr and Speedy Claxton who are better than Patty MIlls.

This team is great, might be my favorite, but the 2003 was amazing.

I'm not sure that this team could have beaten the 2003 Lakers based on match ups.

[hsxvvd]

Or the most disappointing ever if it all falls to shit from here.

1 more win.

[sook]

If the spurs win it this year, it would be the greatest title run in recent memory.

[superbigtime]

choose between 03, 05, 06, 13 and 14. This Spurs team is more complete than any Spurs team before. We don't have chumps like Mengke Bateer rotting on the bench. Every Spur can play including our "C team" guys. This has to be the best passing team in NBA history.

[Cry Havoc]

Weird how people are saying the 2003 Spurs were great. That was a terrible team and just happened to have Duncan in his prime to carry them with the best ball of his career and perhaps the most dominating playoff performance from an NBA player EVER who isn't named Michael Jordan.

I think this team would handle the 99 team in 6, 03 in 5, 05 would go 7 either way, and 07 falls in 6 to this iteration.

Good defense doesn't matter when every single person on the court can burn you if they get a of space.

[dbreiden83080]

No comment..


Yet...

[Skoobz]

Horry would. And that would be awesome.

Def this tbh......and I'd like to have DRob, ninja and Bowen on it too.

[Malik Hairston]

:lol the 2003 Spurs are by far the worst Spurs title team, tbh..it's the favorite of many Spurs fans, and rightfully so, but from a basketball perspective, it was a 1-man team with minimal competition(a terrible Nets team and the Mavs without Dirk)..

[TheGreatYacht]

Give me the 2003 squad tbh.

But this squad is easily the best offensive team the Spurs have ever had

[Cry Havoc]

:lol the 2003 Spurs are by far the worst Spurs title team, tbh..it's the favorite of many Spurs fans, and rightfully so, but from a basketball perspective, it was a 1-man team with minimal competition(a terrible Nets team and the Mavs without Dirk)..

This 14 Spurs team with 2003 Duncan on it would have won 70+ games and gone undefeated in the playoffs.

[baseline bum]

:lol the 2003 Spurs are by far the worst Spurs title team, tbh..it's the favorite of many Spurs fans, and rightfully so, but from a basketball perspective, it was a 1-man team with minimal competition(a terrible Nets team and the Mavs without Dirk)..

Dude, they beat Shaq & Kobe coming off a three-peat. The second round was the Finals and everyone knew it in that matchup.

[Cry Havoc]

Give me the 2003 squad tbh.

But this squad is easily the best offensive team the Spurs have ever had

:lol you serious? This team sweeps or wins in 5 against that group of baddies + Duncan. That was one of the worst championship teams of the decade. :lol

[Malik Hairston]

Sure, but beating Mavs without Dirk and the Ason Kidd Nets, both in 6 games and not in blowout fashion, isn't really impressive:lol..

[Cry Havoc]

Dude, they beat Shaq & Kobe coming off a three-peat. The second round was the Finals and everyone knew it in that matchup.

Eh, those Lakers teams were overrated. Beat a nobody 6ers team. Got lucky Duncan was hurt one year, and got beat by the Kings in another except for the fact that they had the Donaghys in their back pocket. The Spurs cracked them at full strength and the Lakers fell apart like weak-ass pansies they were.

[TheGreatYacht]

:lol you serious? This team sweeps or wins in 5 against that group of baddies + Duncan. That was one of the worst championship teams of the decade. :lol
Hell Na lol. Prime Big 3, ROBINSON, Bowen, Jackson, Claxton, Rose, Kerr, Shaq stopper Willis :lmao

[smeagol]

This team plays the most beautiful basketball I have ever seen! Yes they are the greatest! Game two was a fluke! This should've been a sweep!

WTF are you talking about? Game 1 was Miami's to lose up until LBJ's cramps . . .

[tlongII]

I'd say the 99 Spurs and this team are the best Spurs teams ever. You had Robinson and Duncan in elite form in 99. That was hard for anybody to deal with.

[Cry Havoc]

Hell Na lol. Prime Big 3, ROBINSON, Bowen, Jackson, Claxton, Rose, Kerr, Shaq stopper Willis :lmao

Um. Prime big 3 wasn't in 2003. Parker could pass to save his life and wilted under defensive pressure. What are you talking about? Manu was still a bit player and got like 8ppg that year. DRob in 2003 was fucking done.

Claxton, Rose, and Kerr combined would not even get off the bench for the Spurs this season. Kerr might get a few minutes here and there. That's it.

Prime big 3 when Parker's a rook. :lol

[Vito Corleone]

Don't forget there is a huge difference in the rules between 2003 and today. The rules today are designed to make offense score more points. This team wouldn't score nearly as much using 2003 rules as they do now. That defense would clamp down on this team. Not sure this defense could do the same to this team.

2003 Tim vs 2014 Tim - 03 Tim would dominate.
2003 Robinson vs 2014 Diaw - Robinson would own the paint and allow the perimeter D to stay at home. Diaw would be able to pull Robinson out of the paint but Robinson was still athletic enough to recover.
2003 Bruce Bowen vs Kawhi Leonard - Bruce was the premier defender in the NBA back in 03 he would shut Leonard down. Leonard would still do well on the boards but not in the score board.
2003 Manu vs Green - would be a pretty even match up but Manu was extremely athletic and no one had really scouted him yet and knew the crap he would pull out of his butt.
03 Parker vs 14 Parker - no doubt today's Parker is so much better than 03 Parker but 03 Parker would keep the pressure on 14 Parker with his speed and athletic ability.

Bench 03 Stephan Jackson, Milik Rose, Steve Kerr, Speedy Claxton, and Kevin Willis vs. Manu, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Tiago Splitter, Marco Belinelli.

I'd call the benches about even.

Pop today is a much better coach than Pop of 03.

The real difference is MVP Duncan who would dominate the paint. But I think the series would go 7 games.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

WTF are you talking about? Game 1 was Miami's to lose up until LBJ's cramps . . .

I wouldn't say that. The Spurs game back in such fashion against the Mav and GS recently with both of their squads being fully healthy. Like commentators said, Spurs were just hitting everything at that point and Lebron more than likely wouldn't have made a difference.

Being that the Spurs have done it before, I wouldn't pin it solely on Lebron's cramps.

[Vito Corleone]

Prime big 3 when Parker's a rook. :lol

Parker wasn't a rookie that year, Manu was a Rookie, Parker was a 2nd year guy. As a pure PG Speedy was actually better but Parker would still give 14 Parker fits. Robinson in 03 was still better than Splitter and Diaw.

[baseline bum]

Eh, those Lakers teams were overrated. Beat a nobody 6ers team. Got lucky Duncan was hurt one year, and got beat by the Kings in another except for the fact that they had the Donaghys in their back pocket. The Spurs cracked them at full strength and the Lakers fell apart like weak-ass pansies they were.

Nonsense revisionist history. They won 3 in a row and had 2 of the league's top 3 players. They had two of the great clutch players in league history in Horry and Fisher. Fox was an extremely underrated defender. They were coached by Phil Jackson. Those were fucking amazing teams. I watched almost every Laker game in the three peat even though I fucking hated them because they were so ridiculous to see.

[Cry Havoc]

Don't forget there is a huge difference in the rules between 2003 and today. The rules today are designed to make offense score more points. This team wouldn't score nearly as much using 2003 rules as they do now. That defense would clamp down on this team. Not sure this defense could do the same to this team.

2003 Tim vs 2014 Tim - 03 Tim would dominate.
2003 Robinson vs 2014 Diaw - Robinson would own the paint and allow the perimeter D to stay at home. Diaw would be able to pull Robinson out of the paint but Robinson was still athletic enough to recover.
2003 Bruce Bowen vs Kawhi Leonard - Bruce was the premier defender in the NBA back in 03 he would shut Leonard down. Leonard would still do well on the boards but not in the score board.
2003 Manu vs Green - would be a pretty even match up but Manu was extremely athletic and no one had really scouted him yet and knew the crap he would pull out of his butt.
03 Parker vs 14 Parker - no doubt today's Parker is so much better than 03 Parker but 03 Parker would keep the pressure on 14 Parker with his speed and athletic ability.

Bench 03 Stephan Jackson, Milik Rose, Steve Kerr, Speedy Claxton, and Kevin Willis vs. Manu, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Tiago Splitter, Marco Belinelli.

I'd call the benches about even.

Pop today is a much better coach than Pop of 03.

The real difference is MVP Duncan who would dominate the paint. But I think the series would go 7 games.

Gotta love the ability of basketball fans to disregard the knowledge that's in front of them for emotional ideations of how the game is played.

If on paper matchup had anything to do with how basketball is really played, we would be down 3 to 1 to the Heatles. Actually, we wouldn't, because Portland would have beat us, and the Thunder would have smashed us in 5.

You just took a team playing HISTORICALLY great and UNPRECEDENTED team basketball and broke them down into what they can do in iso situations.

Dude, that's just crazy. This team is about so much more than matchups.

[TheGreatYacht]

Um. Prime big 3 wasn't in 2003. Parker could pass to save his life and wilted under defensive pressure. What are you talking about? Manu was still a bit player and got like 8ppg that year. DRob in 2003 was fucking done.

Claxton, Rose, and Kerr combined would not even get off the bench for the Spurs this season. Kerr might get a few minutes here and there. That's it.

Prime big 3 when Parker's a rook. :lol
Parker wasn't a rookie wtf? :lmao Manu was a rookie, and he was 25...

Robinson was done, but he was still 2x the player Tiago Vagina is right now... You're a fool if you think THIS team could stop the Lakers 4peat

[Cry Havoc]

Nonsense revisionist history. They won 3 in a row and had 2 of the league's top 3 players.

Not saying that they weren't great. They were. Obviously. But they weren't historically great. Not in the pantheon of NBA Champs. I'd take this team to smash them every day all day. Kobe would be broken mentally by the 2nd game against Los Spurs.

[baseline bum]

Not saying that they weren't great. They were. Obviously. But they weren't historically great. Not in the pantheon of NBA Champs. I'd take this team to smash them every day all day. Kobe would be broken mentally by the 2nd game against Los Spurs.

That was one of the two or three best teams I have ever seen closing games in pressure situations, and I have seen them all since the 80s.

[Cry Havoc]

Parker wasn't a rookie wtf? :lmao Manu was a rookie, and he was 25...

Robinson was done, but he was still 2x the player Tiago Vagina is right now... You're a fool if you think THIS team could stop the Lakers 4peat

My mistake. He was a 21 year old 15ppg player who couldn't play and got subbed out for Speedy fucking Claxton because he couldn't run an offense in the clutch.

[Cry Havoc]

That was one of the two or three best teams I have ever seen closing games in pressure situations, and I have seen them all since the 80s.

Nice when you have a ref that hands you a series on a silver platter. They were so good at closing that they needed to play 5 on 8 to beat the Kings.

[baseline bum]

Nice when you have a ref that hands you a series on a silver platter. They were so good at closing that they needed to play 5 on 8 to beat the Kings.

While that game was garbage, how do you explain the other three that series? I watched almost every Laker game that era, and they destroyed teams in the clutch over and over and over. Off hand the only team I have ever seen that was comparable in close games was the 99 Spurs.

[Sec24Row7]

This team would have trouble against prime Duncan and Bowen rotation.

Remember... We haven't faced a dominant defensive big for a full series...

Ibaka scared the shit out of us for 2 games in OKC.

These last two beat downs are a matchup issue for the heat.

When you can get easy shots and consistently get the O rebound for another try... PLUS hold the other team to 1 and done... It's over...

A dominant rebounder makes this series MUCH tighter.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Many Spurs heroes of championships past wouldn't even get minutes on this team.
ಠ_ಠ

Everyone gets minutes on this team..

:downspin:

[DarrinS]

This 14 Spurs team with 2003 Duncan on it would have won 70+ games and gone undefeated in the playoffs.

Well, yeah

[Budkin]

I don't give a fuck. Just win another game.

[DarrinS]

Just to show how dominant Tim was in '03

http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2003.html

[Sec24Row7]

Well, yeah

Rofl... Pop would have played Him 20 minutes a game for the last 1/4 of the season.

On another note... Leonard's 1v1 game is so good right now, that if he played for anyone else... He would already be an all star...

It's amazing how good that kid is when he decides it's his turn in the system.

[rascal]

:lol the 2014 Spurs are by far the best Spurs team, tbh..

I have never seen a team this good in all my years of watching NBA ball..they won't receive the credit, though, because they're the Spurs and because they don't have the star power at the top..

However, based on any advanced metric, this is the deepest title team in NBA history..they did something that has never been done before, win by utilizing depth, rather than star power..

- 3 great passing bigs, including one of the best passing bigs in NBA history
- GOAT coach
- Parker and Ginobili to run pick&roll
- 2 great wing defenders that can shoot 3s
- 3 capable wing, ISO scorers(Leonard, Manu, TP)
- A ton of shooters
- A great all-around defensive big and a great rim protecting big
- Capable of playing both defensive grind basketball or run&gun offensive ball

Not the best team of all time. Lakers and Celtics title winners in the 1980s are better teams. The Celtics would turn the spurs into a 3 point jump shooting team and choke off any parker penetration and the Spurs offense would stagnate like the two game Ibaka played when he just came back . Celtics had too much frontcourt size and defense. The lakers fast break up and down the court break would be too athletic for the Spurs to matchup with. Magic and Abdul-Jabber would be matchup nightmares for the spurs.

[hitmanyr2k]

For anyone using the 2005 argument, There's no way 2005 Manu could 'torch' Leonard. His ball-handling was too wild, luckily guys like Prince and Daniels never tried to swipe the ball away. Leonard would tap the ball out of his hands time and time again, just like he did with Westbrook/Durant/James/Wade.

Seriously? None of those guys are as crafty and unorthodox as Prime Ginobili. His first step and change of direction was world's better than today. He torched every defender in '05 including Prime Shawn Marion.


Not to mention the amount of pressure he would apply on every possession. Put Green on Parker, add a very mobile Splitter around the paint, all of a sudden the '05 squad doesn't have any fire-power on the perimeter.

You're talking about the '05 Spurs as if all they had was a perimeter game like the '14 Spurs. 2005 Duncan erases all of this. That team could beat you inside/out. The '14 Spurs haven't played a single team in the playoffs with a legit post player. '05 Duncan would absolutely MURDER the '14 Spurs team in the paint. Who's going to stop him? Geriatric Duncan? Splitter? Prime Duncan would have a field day and command serious defensive attention which would have the '14 Spurs defense scrambling with double-teams on Duncan and then having to get back to the plethora of 3 point shooters (Ginobili, Barry, Horry, Bowen) that the '05 Spurs had.

[hitmanyr2k]

This team would have trouble against prime Duncan and Bowen rotation.

Remember... We haven't faced a dominant defensive big for a full series...

Ibaka scared the shit out of us for 2 games in OKC.

These last two beat downs are a matchup issue for the heat.

When you can get easy shots and consistently get the O rebound for another try... PLUS hold the other team to 1 and done... It's over...

A dominant rebounder makes this series MUCH tighter.

Beat me to it.

[phxspurfan]

Also, Big Shot Bob would hip check the shit outta Patty Mills. And Bowen would jump kick Leonard in the crotchile region.

[Findog]

:lol the 2014 Spurs are by far the best Spurs team, tbh..

I have never seen a team this good in all my years of watching NBA ball..they won't receive the credit, though, because they're the Spurs and because they don't have the star power at the top..

However, based on any advanced metric, this is the deepest title team in NBA history..they did something that has never been done before, win by utilizing depth, rather than star power..

- 3 great passing bigs, including one of the best passing bigs in NBA history
- GOAT coach
- Parker and Ginobili to run pick&roll
- 2 great wing defenders that can shoot 3s
- 3 capable wing, ISO scorers(Leonard, Manu, TP)
- A ton of shooters
- A great all-around defensive big and a great rim protecting big
- Capable of playing both defensive grind basketball or run&gun offensive ball

As a Mavs fan, obviously you don't want one of your biggest rivals to win another title...but as a basketball fan, the way these Spurs play is just breathtaking. What the Spurs organization has been able to accomplish with their culture is amazing. They went from being a defensive-oriented team that got by with Duncan's post game on offense in the early part of the Duncan Era...to an offensive juggernaut that plays at a much faster pace and breaks teams down with their unselfishness and continuity on offense. The way they share the ball and pass until they find the open man and defeat Miami's aggressive traps, the way they can generate these open looks when nobody on the Spurs by himself commands a double team, it's just breathtaking. Every single player on the Spurs roster 1-12 is making a contribution and making a positive impact when they see the floor...Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and Leonard are the blue chip talents on the roster...Green, Diaw, Mills, Bellnelli, all castoffs that other teams didn't want anymore.

If there's one silver lining to watching one of your major rivals win a championship, maybe what the Spurs are doing will catch on around the league, with teams and even players starting to value chemistry and team-oriented basketball over star power and one on one play. It's fun to watch the way they carve teams up with their passing and off the ball movement. How basketball is meant to be played, and it overwhelms teams that are longer, faster and more athletic (Thunder, Heat).

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

As a Mavs fan, obviously you don't want one of your biggest rivals to win another title...but as a basketball fan, the way these Spurs play is just breathtaking. What the Spurs organization has been able to accomplish with their culture is amazing. They went from being a defensive-oriented team that got by with Duncan's post game on offense in the early part of the Duncan Era...to an offensive juggernaut that plays at a much faster pace and breaks teams down with their unselfishness and continuity on offense. The way they share the ball and pass until they find the open man and defeat Miami's aggressive traps, the way they can generate these open looks when nobody on the Spurs by himself commands a double team, it's just breathtaking. Every single player on the Spurs roster 1-12 is making a contribution and making a positive impact when they see the floor.

If there's one silver lining to watching one of your major rivals win a championship, maybe what the Spurs are doing will catch on around the league, with teams and even players starting to value chemistry and team-oriented basketball over star power and one on one play. It's fun to watch the way they carve teams up with their passing and off the ball movement. How basketball is meant to be played, and it overwhelms teams that are longer, faster and more athletic (Thunder, Heat).

Mavs had this style in their run in '11, besides Terry (which I hate), I was glad to see Dirk, Kidd, Marion, etc get a ring. They played awesome team ball and were fun to watch. I though it was asinine for Cuban to break up that team for the mere aspiration to sign Howard or DWill. They could have easily repeated the following year.

[TampaDude]

Wow...y'all gonna need about 100 rolls of paper towels to clean up all the premature ejaculation in this thread.

I'm bookmarking this thread and will be back on the 21st to throw shit in all your faces after the Heat pull off the miracle of the century.

HEAT IN 7, BITCHES!!!

[Horse]

Hard to argue but I will always have a soft spot for the '99 team they just shut teams down in the 4th and it was game over.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Wow...y'all gonna need about 100 rolls of paper towels to clean up all the premature ejaculation in this thread.

I'm bookmarking this thread and will be back on the 21st to throw shit in all your faces after the Heat pull off the miracle of the century.

HEAT IN 7, BITCHES!!!

I think a Heat fan down there in FL put a mind controlling chip in TampaDude this morning, at the very least hacked his account.

[TampaDude]

I think a Heat fan down there in FL put a mind controlling chip in TampaDude this morning, at the very least hacked his account.

Just steeling myself for the inevitable heartbreak. There is a very, very miniscule chance that I'm wrong, about .00000000001%, but it's gonna be Heat in 7 unless a fucking asteroid hits the Earth.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Just steeling myself for the inevitable heartbreak. There is a very, very miniscule chance that I'm wrong, about .00000000001%, but it's gonna be Heat in 7 unless a fucking asteroid hits the Earth.

Don't blame you. Like I would tell my wife when we first got married, "The lower the expectations you have from others, the less disappointment you will have in life. And when they actually exceed those expectations, you actually are ecstatic and have something to be happy about."

[TampaDude]

Don't blame you. Like I would tell my wife when we first got married, "The lower the expectations you have from others, the less disappointment you will have in life. And when they actually exceed those expectations, you actually are ecstatic and have something to be happy about."

If this were a Finals in 2012 or earlier, I wouldn't be worried. It would just be the Spurs marching towards inevitable victory in the Finals. 6 changed all that. Frankly, I'm paranoid about this whole thing. I still expect us to blow it.

[Findog]

Mavs had this style in their run in '11, besides Terry (which I hate), I was glad to see Dirk, Kidd, Marion, etc get a ring. They played awesome team ball and were fun to watch. I though it was asinine for Cuban to break up that team for the mere aspiration to sign Howard or DWill. They could have easily repeated the following year.

The only guy I regret they didn't resign was Tyson. Everybody else I was okay with Cuban not overpaying to retain.

This Spurs team is really fun to watch, and there is so much delicious schadenfreude watching this Heat team fail. Hopefully Tim, Manu and Pop decide to go out on top and not defend their title next year.

http://espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/wade-sad-2.gif?w=694

[smeagol]

I wouldn't say that. The Spurs game back in such fashion against the Mav and GS recently with both of their squads being fully healthy. Like commentators said, Spurs were just hitting everything at that point and Lebron more than likely wouldn't have made a difference.

Being that the Spurs have done it before, I wouldn't pin it solely on Lebron's cramps.

Did you watch game 1? We were down by 7 untl Lebron left the gym. It was then when the Spurs turned it around.

[baseline bum]

Did you watch game 1? We were up by 2 when Lebron left the gym. It was then when the Spurs turned it around.

fify

[Sec24Row7]

If this were a Finals in 2012 or earlier, I wouldn't be worried. It would just be the Spurs marching towards inevitable victory in the Finals. 6 changed all that. Frankly, I'm paranoid about this whole thing. I still expect us to blow it.

I'm with you.

It's impossible for the spurs to pull off a win against a motivated Miami.

They couldn't do it in 2 tries last year. What makes people think this team could do it in 3... Especially since we destroyed them by over 30 in game 3 of the finals last year.

This is lining up perfectly for a Classic Miami win.

They have the spurs right where they want them.

[florige]

I think a Heat fan down there in FL put a mind controlling chip in TampaDude this morning, at the very least hacked his account.


I'm pretty sure this is a Heat troll that somehow hacked TD's account. He doesn't even talk that way.

[rmt]

14 spurs play beautiful basketball sometimes but i question its mental toughness. if the 14 mavs can take them to seven games, how would they do vs 06 Mavs? i also question this frontcourt going up against a prime shaq and horry. imagine splitter having to play against shaq! 14 sas is the perfect matchup for the heat but are lucky to get by aan ibaka injured okc. i still think 05 spurs are the best big 3 close to their prime hardened veteran role players deep versatile with bigs (rasho, nazr, td horry) to handle just about anyone even shaq DEFENSE three point shooting ball handling skills and mental toughness. 2014 Spurs must have a big lead dont trust in crunchtime close games since theres no superstar to throw it to to get a bucket

[Arcadian]

Consider the best opponent the Spurs faced in each of their title runs.

1999 - Lakers with Shaq/Kobe
2003 - Lakers with Kobe/Shaq
2005 - Pistons with Wallace/Wallace/Billups
2007 - Suns with Nash/Stoudemire/Marion
2013 - Heat with James/Wade/Bosh

[smeagol]

fify

The cramps started when they were up b 6 or 7. In any case, up until the Lebron cramps showed up, they were in command of the game . . .

[Chinook]

Lebron wasn't going to stop Danny from going into Green Lantern mode. At best, he would have stopped Green's dunk. The Spurs were primed to come back once Diaw found Danny for the first three.

[vander]

The cramps started when they were up b 6 or 7. In any case, up until the Lebron cramps showed up, they were in command of the game . . .

pathetic Manu worshiper is right about this one.

[baseline bum]

The cramps started when they were up b 6 or 7. In any case, up until the Lebron cramps showed up, they were in command of the game . . .

They were briefly up 7 when Bosh got the four point play. It was a four point game when he signaled Spoelstra in the fourth after missing a shot, and Duncan scored on the possession to cut the lead to two. So he is up two the first time he checks out, down two the second. Hardly in command of the game.

[smeagol]

pathetic Manu worshiper is right about this one.

Vander, old school asshole . . .

[vander]

Vander, old school asshole . . .

I apologize for that :drunk

and I was wrong about dat Manu

[smeagol]

I apologize for that :drunk

and I was wrong about dat Manu

All is forgiven . . . :lobt2: