2001 Western Conference Finals

[Thomas82]

What exactly happened in the 2001 Western Conference Finals that made the Spurs get blown out by the Lakers the way they did? I remember the loss of Derek Anderson having a big impact on them. I remember Sean Elliott also being on his last legs. From everything I have seen, it looks to me like the deck was stacked against the Spurs. I didn't get to see the series because I was in Army basic training. The last game I saw that year was Game 3 of the previous series against Mavericks. Any insight would be appreciated.

[Spurtacular]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSsHGoQm7M

Watch the opening possession; you'll see Kobe and Shaq hacking; no calls (in SA, too). This one was decided before it began.

Side note: Shaq dissing D-Rob before tip off.

[Thomas82]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSsHGoQm7M

Watch the opening possession; you'll see Kobe and Shaq hacking; no calls (in SA, too). This one was decided before it began.

Side note: Shaq dissing D-Rob before tip off.

Thanks man......this was painful to watch. I guess it's a good thing I was in basic training.

[Kawhitstorm]

The 2001 WCF was basically the 2014 Finals except imagine Bosh/Wade being replaced by 2016 Hibbert/Kirby.

[Thomas82]

The 2001 WCF was basically the 2014 Finals except imagine Bosh/Wade being replaced by 2016 Hibbert/Kirby.

Whoa!! That's bad!!

[Thomas82]

It seems like the Spurs rushed Derek Anderson back for Game 4 out of desperation when his shoulder wasn't fully healed.

[baseline bum]

What exactly happened in the 2001 Western Conference Finals that made the Spurs get blown out by the Lakers the way they did? I remember the loss of Derek Anderson having a big impact on them. I remember Sean Elliott also being on his last legs. From everything I have seen, it looks to me like the deck was stacked against the Spurs. I didn't get to see the series because I was in Army basic training. The last game I saw that year was Game 3 of the previous series against Mavericks. Any insight would be appreciated.

Antonio Daniels was way too short to guard Kobe Bryant, and the Spurs got massacred by him. Not that Derek Anderson would have been any better, I think Kobe dropped 38 a night on his ass too in the regular season (DA was about the worst defensive guard I have ever seen on the Spurs). The Spurs had no perimeter defense that year. An underrated performer that series was Rick Fox. Fox was really quick on his rotations, able to double in the post and still get out to disrupt Danny Ferry's three point shooting due to his size and quickness and how slowly Ferry was lining up that set shot. And then similar with Fisher on Porter. Ferry and Porter couldn't get good shots off and that killed the inside out game the Spurs relied so heavily on, making Duncan the only guy who could get a decent shot off the entire series. And then Fisher shot 75% from the three point line since Porter and AJ were on their last legs. Porter aged so much after the 1999-00 season. The Spurs were just too old and unathletic by 2001 and the Lakers were still pissed about the 1999 sweep.

[baseline bum]

Another huge factor was the aging of David Robinson, he couldn't play enormous minutes any more. I remember in Game 1 the Spurs got off to a great start and you thought yeah, this team can really match up with them since you can single cover Shaq. As soon as DRob went to the bench for a rest the Spurs defense went to complete shit and a 5 point lead became a 10 point deficit in no time. You also saw this in Game 2. The Spurs were killing the Lakers and then DRob got two really stupid fouls in the span of about 3 seconds of game time in the third and had to go to the bench the rest of the quarter in foul trouble. That's when the Lakers erased about a 10 point Spurs lead. And then they could just throw everything at guarding Duncan in the fourth with all the shooters cold, so the Spurs offense ground to a halt.

If that Spurs team had 1999 David Robinson they probably could have pushed that Lakers team to 6 or 7 since the Spurs had homecourt, but 2001 is when David's age really started to catch up to him.

[Thomas82]

Antonio Daniels was way too short to guard Kobe Bryant, and the Spurs got massacred by him. Not that Derek Anderson would have been any better, I think Kobe dropped 38 a night on his ass too in the regular season (DA was about the worst defensive guard I have ever seen on the Spurs). The Spurs had no perimeter defense that year. An underrated performer that series was Rick Fox. Fox was really quick on his rotations, able to double in the post and still get out to disrupt Danny Ferry's three point shooting due to his size and quickness and how slowly Ferry was lining up that set shot. And then similar with Fisher on Porter. Ferry and Porter couldn't get good shots off and that killed the inside out game the Spurs relied so heavily on, making Duncan the only guy who could get a decent shot off the entire series. And then Fisher shot 75% from the three point line since Porter and AJ were on their last legs. Porter aged so much after the 1999-00 season. The Spurs were just too old and unathletic by 2001 and the Lakers were still pissed about the 1999 sweep.

Thanks for the info man.....was DA really that bad of a defender? He did lead the team in steals that year.

[baseline bum]

Game 3 the Spurs kept it pretty close until about 3-4 minutes left in the first half. Then AJ missed an easy layup, I think Kobe ran it back for a dunk, crowd went apeshit, Shaq got a couple of easy baskets in the post the next couple of possessions, and all of a sudden it's a double digit deficit and the Spurs were never competitive again the entire series. They pretty much gave up after being crushed to end that first half they had played pretty well in until the end. The second half of Game 3 and all of Game 4 was just the Lakers running wild against a defeated team.

[baseline bum]

Thanks for the info man.....was DA really that bad of a defender? He did lead the team in steals that year.

DA is easily the worst I have ever seen in a Spurs uniform getting major minutes. It was an automatic 20-spot for whoever he was guarding every single night. DA would throw down an amazing dunk or two every night, but watching him on defense was like watching Bonner trying to guard Gasol in the 2008 WCF.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

The Lakers collapsed our twin towers, & then a few months later the other twin towers collapsed as well. Shitty year...

[baseline bum]

I still remember watching the Lakers post game show on KNBC after Game 4 and AJ had to leave in the middle of an interview with one of the LA media guys because I guess it struck him at that moment that his Spurs career was over. It was pretty funny hearing DA complain about money when they went and interviewed him next. You just got knocked out of the playoffs and you're talking to the other team's media about the contract you want in the summer? :lol

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I still remember watching the Lakers post game show on KNBC after Game 4 and AJ had to leave in the middle of an interview with one of the LA media guys because I guess it struck him at that moment that his Spurs career was over. It was pretty funny hearing DA complain about money when they went and interviewed him next. You just got knocked out of the playoffs and you're talking to the other team's media about the contract you want in the summer? :lol
Fuck those guys tbh. Glad we replaced them with TP/Manu and won the best championship in our franchise history 2 years later.

[baseline bum]

But the 01 WCF ended up being a great thing for the Spurs. It forced Pop to go after Bruce Bowen, it showed DA was a crybaby bitch not worth keeping, and it forced a youth movement leading up to giving Tony Parker the reins at point instead of going for an aging vet (The Sonics offered Gary Payton for Parker, Malik Rose, and Antonio Daniels in the summer of 2001).

[baseline bum]

Anyways, here's the 2001 WCF in one photo :lol

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06-aPFEvddM/Uh0C-ZxzjeI/AAAAAAAABcY/3Jj6X7PTxb0/s1600/shaq+ferry.jpg

[Horse]

This was the one legit title of their 3-peat shaqs best year in my opinion.

[Thomas82]

Anyways, here's the 2001 WCF in one photo :lol

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06-aPFEvddM/Uh0C-ZxzjeI/AAAAAAAABcY/3Jj6X7PTxb0/s1600/shaq+ferry.jpg

LOLOL

[lefty]

Anderson wouldn't have been a factor anyway, the way the Lakers were playing :lol


What happened?

1. the lakers were better
2. Phil Jackson was in the Spurms' heads; he took their focus out of the actual games with his asterisk comments; he did the same shit with the Blazers in 1992 when he said during the season the Blazers are bound to self-destruct. Man, Terry Porter must hate Phil :lmao

[polandprzem]

Spurs ofense was so static it was easy to shut Spurs down.

Look at out ofensive game this year ...

[daslicer]

Another huge factor was the aging of David Robinson, he couldn't play enormous minutes any more. I remember in Game 1 the Spurs got off to a great start and you thought yeah, this team can really match up with them since you can single cover Shaq. As soon as DRob went to the bench for a rest the Spurs defense went to complete shit and a 5 point lead became a 10 point deficit in no time. You also saw this in Game 2. The Spurs were killing the Lakers and then DRob got two really stupid fouls in the span of about 3 seconds of game time in the third and had to go to the bench the rest of the quarter in foul trouble. That's when the Lakers erased about a 10 point Spurs lead. And then they could just throw everything at guarding Duncan in the fourth with all the shooters cold, so the Spurs offense ground to a halt.

If that Spurs team had 1999 David Robinson they probably could have pushed that Lakers team to 6 or 7 since the Spurs had homecourt, but 2001 is when David's age really started to catch up to him.

I'll never forget the long stretches Tim would play on the floor without Dave. That series was the first time where I watched the Twin Towers not playing together for long stretches. The other damning thing like you said was in the first two games the spurs jumped to leads but couldn't maintain them. I felt in both games when the Spurs had the leads they were going to easily dispatch the Lakers like they did in '99.

[daslicer]

The Lakers collapsed our twin towers, & then a few months later the other twin towers collapsed as well. Shitty year...

Spurs got to rebuild their twin towers unlike NYC. The current Tower that has recently opened in NYC looks like shit.

[Thomas82]

I'll never forget the long stretches Tim would play on the floor without Dave. That series was the first time where I watched the Twin Towers not playing together for long stretches. The other damning thing like you said was in the first two games the spurs jumped to leads but couldn't maintain them. I felt in both games when the Spurs had the leads they were going to easily dispatch the Lakers like they did in '99.

I heard that every time The Admiral went out for a rest the Lakers went on a run.

[elbamba]

The Spurs started Danny Ferry, Terry Porter, and Antonio Daniels. Is there really a question as to why they lost?

[daslicer]

I heard that every time The Admiral went out for a rest the Lakers went on a run.

Yes it was really that bad. In the first 3 games the Spurs had the early lead or were within striking distance of the Lakers but once Dave left the floor that's when the Lakers would go gangbusters on the Spurs. Fisher,Fox,Kobe were significantly better in 'the 01 series than they were in '99 which was also huge for the Lakers. Also the addition of Horace Grant really helped the Lakers. That series was just the perfect storm for the Lakers.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Spurs got to rebuild their twin towers unlike NYC. The current Tower that has recently opened in NYC looks like shit.

Yes it does, but does LMA look any better than the sad pile of legos they built there that they now call WTC 2?


http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/p/e/y/WTC-_565.jpg


WTC 1 isn't too shabby apart from the fact there's so much wasted space in there and fewer floors even though it's a taller building than the originals. The lego building on the left, on the other hand....

[Sean Cagney]

This was the one legit title of their 3-peat shaqs best year in my opinion.

Yes, nobody was going to beat them that year. In 00 Portland choked and the Kings were robbed, but this one nobody can deny.

[Budkin]

Game 3 the Spurs kept it pretty close until about 3-4 minutes left in the first half. Then AJ missed an easy layup, I think Kobe ran it back for a dunk, crowd went apeshit, Shaq got a couple of easy baskets in the post the next couple of possessions, and all of a sudden it's a double digit deficit and the Spurs were never competitive again the entire series. They pretty much gave up after being crushed to end that first half they had played pretty well in until the end. The second half of Game 3 and all of Game 4 was just the Lakers running wild against a defeated team.

That game started a multi year trend of that shit. Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same fucking shit happened.

[Kawhitstorm]

Antonio Daniels was way too short to guard Kobe Bryant, and the Spurs got massacred by him. Not that Derek Anderson would have been any better, I think Kobe dropped 38 a night on his ass too in the regular season (DA was about the worst defensive guard I have ever seen on the Spurs). The Spurs had no perimeter defense that year. An underrated performer that series was Rick Fox. Fox was really quick on his rotations, able to double in the post and still get out to disrupt Danny Ferry's three point shooting due to his size and quickness and how slowly Ferry was lining up that set shot. And then similar with Fisher on Porter. Ferry and Porter couldn't get good shots off and that killed the inside out game the Spurs relied so heavily on, making Duncan the only guy who could get a decent shot off the entire series. And then Fisher shot 75% from the three point line since Porter and AJ were on their last legs. Porter aged so much after the 1999-00 season. The Spurs were just too old and unathletic by 2001 and the Lakers were still pissed about the 1999 sweep.

-Antonio Daniels was a GARBAGE defender himself (just watch the 2002 series when he was relieving Bowen:lol)

-Fisher by himself made more 3s than the ENTIRE Spurs team & was the equivalent of 2014 Finals Patty:lol

-Fisher/Fox didn't bother guarding Porter/Avery/Ferry on the perimeter & would just dig in every time Tim put the ball on the floor:lol

-Tim had 40/15/4 on 15-26 shooting (vs. Shaq's 19/14/4 on 8-21 shooting) & the Spurs still lost Gm 2 b/c Porter missed 3 WIDE open 3s in the final 4 minutes of the game when the Lakers were triple teaming Tim:lol

Porter/Avery were like Chalmers/Cole in the 2014 Finals, brick after brick & ****** was done just like Battier.:lol

Ferry was the equivalent of 2013 Finals Battier (Gm 1-4).

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I feel like they built the original WTCs in the early and mid 1970s for high productivity, efficiency, and practicality. There were 110 floors in each tower, only 8 mechanical = 102 usable floors, or 202 combined (since the 13th floors in each tower were not used). Each story space was about 9-10 feet tall, similar to the average height of a regular one-story building (or even a bit taller). The design was intended to maximize office space, utility, and profitability.

Unfortunately, they built the new WTC (1) strictly for aesthetic purposes it seems. With its elegant modern-art structural design (I think it's overrated) comes a sacrifice of utility and efficiency. Despite the building being over 200 feet taller, there are only 102 total floors in the new WTC 1, and 13 mechanical floors = only a paltry 89 usable floors. The average story space height is 13-14 feet high which is completely inefficient unless you're a company who plans on hiring teams of giant robots. I don't like it at all.

[daslicer]

That game started a multi year trend of that shit. Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same fucking shit happened.

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil bitching to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

[daslicer]

'04 and '08 to me is when the Lakers jumped the shark in the rivalry by adding Malone and then Gasol. The Lakers gave up on their previous championship model which was having 2 superstars and a bunch of role players to win a title. Duncan had gotten a lot better by the time '03 rolled around that you were not going to beat him without having a stacked team. Lakers pretty much had to create all-star teams after '03 to beat the Spurs. The '13 Lakers were also set up like an all-star team but failed miserably due to Kobe not having Phil their to reign his chucking.

[Kawhitstorm]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil bitching to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

After making clutch shots in the regular season ala Marco, Hedo choked when the series got tight in the 4th quarter of Gm 5 & the entire Gm 6 just like he did when he was w/ the Queens otherwise the series wouldn't have come down to a 0.4 second shot.

[daslicer]

After making clutch shots in the regular season ala Marco, Hedo choked when the series got tight in the 4th quarter of Gm 5 & the entire Gm 6 just like he did when he was w/ the Queens otherwise the series wouldn't have come down to a 0.4 second shot.

Your right I do remember Hedo's choking job it was awful. Hedo melted in that series.

[Thomas82]

'04 and '08 to me is when the Lakers jumped the shark in the rivalry by adding Malone and then Gasol. The Lakers gave up on their previous championship model which was having 2 superstars and a bunch of role players to win a title. Duncan had gotten a lot better by the time '03 rolled around that you were not going to beat him without having a stacked team. Lakers pretty much had to create all-star teams after '03 to beat the Spurs. The '13 Lakers were also set up like an all-star team but failed miserably due to Kobe not having Phil their to reign his chucking.

I still can't believe they chose Pringles over Phil. LMBO

[BillMc]

I still can't believe they chose Pringles over Phil. LMBO

I know. They wanted a return to the showtime Lakers and thought getting the man behind the seven second Suns was the key. Plus the Buss family (except for Jeanie obviously) had some issues over how much power/credit Phil should have had in the previous go-arounds with the Lakers. Jackson was definitely not loved within the organization despite his huge success.

That said 11 rings >0. :lol That offensive "genius" Pringles couldn't control Kobe, pacify Dwight, or figure out how to use a big as talented as Gasol just added to the disaster.

One wonders if Phil will eventually ditch the Knicks and come replace Jim to work for Jeanie.

Getting fired by your kid sister would be pretty embarrassing but everyone knows its in Jim Buss's future. It's only a matter of when.

[Budkin]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil bitching to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

[Thomas82]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

+1

[daslicer]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

'04 really pissed me off a lot too. I really believed in '03 the Lakers were finished and the spurs would no longer have to deal with them. I had grown tired the last few years of Phil Jackson's trash talk along with Shaq and Kobe. Then Malone and Payton signed with them and gave them an extended year of life they didn't deserve. I will always hate those 2 coattail riders for doing that.

[Thomas82]

I still feel like we should have beat them in 2002.....we had a lead in every game and couldn't close them out.

[Thomas82]

'04 really pissed me off a lot too. I really believed in '03 the Lakers were finished and the spurs would no longer have to deal with them. I had grown tired the last few years of Phil Jackson's trash talk along with Shaq and Kobe. Then Malone and Payton signed with them and gave them an extended year of life they didn't deserve. I will always hate those 2 coattail riders for doing that.

I agree with all of this. Deep down, I felt like that 3-peat should have been ours.

[Horse]

That game started a multi year trend of that shit. Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same fucking shit happened.
0.4 happened

[Thomas82]

0.4 happened

Yeah we definitely got robbed.

[Kawhitstorm]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

Would have had no chance against the Pistons b/c Pop was using Manu as just another role player & Porker was the faux wingman. Pistons also were deeper in '04: Okur/Mike James. Horry was also sorry in '04.

[houston spurs fan]

Would have had no chance against the Pistons b/c Pop was using Manu as just another role player & Porker was the faux wingman. Pistons also were deeper in '04: Okur/Mike James. Horry was also sorry in '04.
Weren't you like 10 then?

[Kawhitstorm]

Weren't you like 10 then?

I was 10 years deep in your mom's vagina

[houston spurs fan]

I was 10 years deep in your mom's vagina
That's the kind of response I was expecting. Carry on bitch.

[Kawhitstorm]

That's the kind of response I was expecting. Carry on bitch.

Someone has their panties in bunches.:lmao

[baseline bum]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil bitching to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

The refs were horrible in Game 4 of the 03 Spurs/Lakers series, but can't blame them at all for 04. Phil Jackson went with the desperation move of packing the lane with four defenders and dared Turkoglu to hit shots with no one within 10 feet of him. That series loss was 100% on Turkoglu. If the Spurs had Stephen Jackson, Brent Barry, hell even Roger Mason in that spot they destroy that Lakers team. Tex Winter said he had no idea how they ever beat the 04 Spurs. Even with Turkoglu's complete no show the Spurs probably still would have won the series if Horry had hit that wide open three in Game 5.

[Kawhitstorm]

The refs were horrible in Game 4 of the 03 Spurs/Lakers series, but can't blame them at all for 04. Phil Jackson went with the desperation move of packing the lane with four defenders and dared Turkoglu to hit shots with no one within 10 feet of him. That series loss was 100% on Turkoglu. If the Spurs had Stephen Jackson, Brent Barry, hell even Roger Mason in that spot they destroy that Lakers team. Tex Winter said he had no idea how they ever beat the 04 Spurs. Even with Turkoglu's complete no show the Spurs probably still would have won the series if Horry had hit that wide open three in Game 5.

It doesn't matter, the '04 Pistons would have crushed a Spurs team that had HeDon't/RaSoft/Damn'it Brown as major rotation players & Porker playing wingman.:lol If anything, it saved the franchise an embarrassing title defense like the 2014 Heat.:lol

[baseline bum]

It doesn't matter, the '04 Pistons would have crushed a Spurs team that had HeDon't/RaSoft/Damn'it Brown as major rotation players & Porker playing wingman.:lol If anything, it saved the franchise an embarrassing title defense like the 2014 Heat.:lol

I'd give the Pistons the edge in a hypothetical matchup, but the Spurs would have given the Pistons a far better series than LA did and would have had a decent shot at the repeat.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

The refs were horrible in Game 4 of the 03 Spurs/Lakers series, but can't blame them at all for 04. Phil Jackson went with the desperation move of packing the lane with four defenders and dared Turkoglu to hit shots with no one within 10 feet of him. That series loss was 100% on Turkoglu. If the Spurs had Stephen Jackson, Brent Barry, hell even Roger Mason in that spot they destroy that Lakers team. Tex Winter said he had no idea how they ever beat the 04 Spurs. Even with Turkoglu's complete no show the Spurs probably still would have won the series if Horry had hit that wide open three in Game 5.

Horry shot would have put us up 74-70 with under a minute to go

We were up 10 to start the second half in game 4 and then came the refs and Turkoglu bricks.

[Russ]

I still remember watching the Lakers post game show on KNBC after Game 4 and AJ had to leave in the middle of an interview with one of the LA media guys because I guess it struck him at that moment that his Spurs career was over. It was pretty funny hearing DA complain about money when they went and interviewed him next. You just got knocked out of the playoffs and you're talking to the other team's media about the contract you want in the summer? :lol

Hey, BB, weren't you one of the crowd that met at the Pantry before going to that miserable Game 4?

[Kawhitstorm]

I'd give the Pistons the edge in a hypothetical matchup, but the Spurs would have given the Pistons a far better series than LA did and would have had a decent shot at the repeat.

The '04 Pistons were better than the '05 Pistons & '04 Manu/Horry were nothing like '05 Manu/Horry. We all know what happened to Porker when he went up against Billups in the '05 Finals & we also know what happened to the Spurs offense when Porker got shutdown in the '04 Lakers series.

The '04 Pistons were so loaded upfront that Okur was getting garbage minutes after being a starter before the Sheed acquisition & Big Nasty's minutes got cut. Mike James also didn't get consistent minutes while Devin Fuckin' Brown was the backup wing.:lol

Spurs top 5-7:
-Rasho
-Horry
-Devin Brown

Piston top 8-10:
-Okur
-Campbell
-Mike James

:wakeup

[lefty]

We wouldn't have beaten Detroit in 04

[baseline bum]

Hey, BB, weren't you one of the crowd that met at the Pantry before going to that miserable Game 4?

God no, I would have never gone to Game 4 of that series. I avoided all my Laker fan friends I usually watched games with for those last two games, so no way I'd want to be around 18000 of them for that. :lol

But weren't all the LA Spurs fans drinking their sorrows away with Jack Ramsay at that hotel in Marina Del Rey after Game 4?

[baseline bum]

The '04 Pistons were better than the '05 Pistons & '04 Manu/Horry were nothing like '05 Manu/Horry. We all know what happened to Porker when he went up against Billups in the '05 Finals & we also know what happened to the Spurs offense when Porker got shutdown in the '04 Lakers series.

The '04 Pistons were so loaded upfront that Okur was getting garbage minutes after being a starter before the Sheed acquisition & Big Nasty's minutes got cut. Mike James also didn't get consistent minutes while Devin Fuckin' Brown was the backup wing.:lol

Spurs top 5-7:
-Rasho
-Horry
-Devin Brown

Piston top 8-10:
-Okur
-Campbell
-Mike James

:wakeup

Yeah no shit, that's why I said I'd give the 04 Pistons the edge against the 04 Spurs. You seem to be implying the 04 Spurs would bend over for Detroit like the Lakers did, no fucking way.

[Kawhitstorm]

Yeah no shit, that's why I said I'd give the 04 Pistons the edge against the 04 Spurs. You seem to be implying the 04 Spurs would bend over for Detroit like the Lakers did, no fucking way.

It would have been like the Pacers-Pistons series.

[Russ]

God no, I would have never gone to Game 4 of that series. I avoided all my Laker fan friends I usually watched games with for those last two games, so no way I'd want to be around 18000 of them for that. :lol

But weren't all the LA Spurs fans drinking their sorrows away with Jack Ramsay at that hotel in Marina Del Rey after Game 4?

No, that was 2002 (after Game 5 I think it was).

Second thought, maybe that was 2001 -- but it wasn't after Game 4, maybe Game 3.

I remember Charlie Parker (the local SA radio guy) saying he wanted to wear a Davy Crockett hat and pick off LA motorists with a squirel rifle. (Not that he was bitter.)

[Thomas82]

I'd give the Pistons the edge in a hypothetical matchup, but the Spurs would have given the Pistons a far better series than LA did and would have had a decent shot at the repeat.

It would have been a dogfight.

[midnightpulp]

Baseline laid out the key points, but I'll add that the 2001 Spurs arguably had the worst perimeter depth of all-time for a "contending" team. Tim basically carried that team with some help from an aging David Robinson.

[Thomas82]

Baseline laid out the key points, but I'll add that the 2001 Spurs arguably had the worst perimeter depth of all-time for a "contending" team. Tim basically carried that team with some help from an aging David Robinson.

I remember Tim getting off to a slow start for the season since he was recovering from the knee surgery.

[Thomas82]

'04 and '08 to me is when the Lakers jumped the shark in the rivalry by adding Malone and then Gasol. The Lakers gave up on their previous championship model which was having 2 superstars and a bunch of role players to win a title. Duncan had gotten a lot better by the time '03 rolled around that you were not going to beat him without having a stacked team. Lakers pretty much had to create all-star teams after '03 to beat the Spurs. The '13 Lakers were also set up like an all-star team but failed miserably due to Kobe not having Phil their to reign his chucking.

+1

[Kawhitstorm]

Baseline laid out the key points, but I'll add that the 2001 Spurs arguably had the worst perimeter depth of all-time for a "contending" team. Tim basically carried that team with some help from an aging David Robinson.

The 2007 Cavs had worst supporting cast for a team that made it to the Finals.:lol (Bron essentially beat the Pistons all by himself in Gm 5)

d1Px-jPm_TU

[dbreiden83080]

Tim Duncan playing basketball by himself. The end..

[daslicer]

I remember Tim getting off to a slow start for the season since he was recovering from the knee surgery.

I remember that year cringing every time Tim went up for a dunk thinking he would re-injure that knee.

[Thomas82]

Tim Duncan playing basketball by himself. The end..

That about sums it up.

[Thomas82]

I remember that year cringing every time Tim went up for a dunk thinking he would re-injure that knee.

Me too.........considering the slow start he had that year, it's amazing that he was able to finish 2nd in MVP voting.

[Sean Cagney]

Tim Duncan playing basketball by himself. The end..

He had, wait... Damn that team was not that good and he lead them to 58 wins and the WCF. Tim was the man in his prime pulling out miracles with bad teams around him in the early 00's. The 03 team on paper was not that great either being Tony was 20 and Manu was a rookie (Plus a journeyman in Jax), plus D Rob was on his last legs. Tim made the teams back then almost single handily and everyone rose up around him in their level of play. I will not forget how dominant Tim was in 01-03, that was his absolute peak.

[Thomas82]

He had, wait... Damn that team was not that good and he lead them to 58 wins and the WCF. Tim was the man in his prime pulling out miracles with bad teams around him in the early 00's. The 03 team on paper was not that great either being Tony was 20 and Manu was a rookie (Plus a journeyman in Jax), plus D Rob was on his last legs. Tim made the teams back then almost single handily and everyone rose up around him in their level of play. I will not forget how dominant Tim was in 01-03, that was his absolute peak.

This is the absolute truth.

[Thomas82]

Here's an interesting discovery I just made:

With the exception of the 1996-97 season, every postseason that Shaq didn't face the Spurs, he averaged 30+ points. Every year that he did face the Spurs, his averages in those series brought him under 30 points for the postseason. This just shows how good a job The Admiral did against him, even with a bad back.

*Yes, I also took into account that Shaq had Karl Malone and Gary Payton in 2004, the year after D-Rob retired.

[dbreiden83080]

He had, wait... Damn that team was not that good and he lead them to 58 wins and the WCF. Tim was the man in his prime pulling out miracles with bad teams around him in the early 00's. The 03 team on paper was not that great either being Tony was 20 and Manu was a rookie (Plus a journeyman in Jax), plus D Rob was on his last legs. Tim made the teams back then almost single handily and everyone rose up around him in their level of play. I will not forget how dominant Tim was in 01-03, that was his absolute peak.

The 03 team in particular to me is his greatest achievement. As you said, we had young players in Tony and Manu, nobody knew the longevity they would have. Back in 2003 speculation was running wild that Tony would be replaced by Jason Kidd.. Spurs had the best record in the reg season but most expected the Lakers to smash us again, and Tim was so dominant especially in game 6 we closed up their dynasty..

[Thomas82]

The 03 team in particular to me is his greatest achievement. As you said, we had young players in Tony and Manu, nobody knew the longevity they would have. Back in 2003 speculation was running wild that Tony would be replaced by Jason Kidd.. Spurs had the best record in the reg season but most expected the Lakers to smash us again, and Tim was so dominant especially in game 6 we closed up their dynasty..

That was my favorite out of all of our title runs.

[Benoit]

Kobe was unstoppable in this series, that was the main takeaway

Spurs had an answer for Shaq, but this was the series that cemented Kobe as the best player in the NBA for the next 9 years

[daslicer]

Here's an interesting discovery I just made:

With the exception of the 1996-97 season, every postseason that Shaq didn't face the Spurs, he averaged 30+ points. Every year that he did face the Spurs, his averages in those series brought him under 30 points for the postseason. This just shows how good a job The Admiral did against him, even with a bad back.

*Yes, I also took into account that Shaq had Karl Malone and Gary Payton in 2004, the year after D-Rob retired.

Granted its painful to watch but if you watch the .4 game you will be amazed by the great defense Duncan had on Shaq in that game. Duncan guarded Shaq for most of the game and held him to 11 points. While Duncan had 21 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 block.

[Thomas82]

Granted its painful to watch but if you watch the .4 game you will be amazed by the great defense Duncan had on Shaq in that game. Duncan guarded Shaq for most of the game and held him to 11 points. While Duncan had 21 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 block.

Yeah I remember that......TD is another one that gets underrated defensively.