Could The 2007 Spurs Beat The Other Great Championship Teams

[mattp2000]

I Was Wondering If The 2007 Spurs Team Be Able To Beat Magic's Lakers. How About Bill Russell's Boston Celtics Or Micheal Jordan's Bulls. I Was Just Wondering What Everyone Thought About Be I Saw It On Pti Today

[spursfaninla]

why did you capitalize every word?

In a word, no. Spurs are good, but don't have near the talent of most of the other great teams. This Spurs team was very good, but its hard to imagine beating the Magic teams loaded at every position, or the great Celtics teams.

I wonder about the Jordan teams. Some of them were not much more than role players with Pipen and Jordan. Some of those I think it would be interesting to see.

[z0sa]

Problem is, Jordan and Pippen had a habit of making every big play down the stretch, while the spurs always have their problems holding on in the fourth quarter.

[L.I.T]

http://dberri.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/a-few-thoughts-for-thursday/

Middle of the page, addresses Horry's comments.

http://www.wagesofwins.com/EffDifNBAFinals.html

Looking at his efficiency differential they might have a chance.

Personally, they would be competitive but I don't see them knocking off the Lakers in a seven game series.

[ploto]

I don't think this team could beat the 2005 Spurs, yet along those others.

[Clutch20]

I posed the same question must have been months ago, except that I wondered what the outcome would be if '03 Spurs played the '05 Spurs.

Robinson/Duncan tandem -vs- Duncan/Mohmd/Rasho/Horry,
Kerr/SJax -vs- Ginobili/Berry/Horry
Parker -vs- Parker/Longoria :spin
Bruce against himself

I would put '05 over '03, simply because of the familiarity level of knowing the "system," more smarts.

But '03 certainly would have it over '05 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters because they had more energy and were less predictable.

[coachmac87]

ok michael wilbon is a fuckin idiot!!! saw this topic on PTI and he was said that duncan is one of the best big men ever...but he cant handle mchale,kareem, and moses malone....um ok and does he think they can handle duncan???? i mean im pretty sure duncan is ten times the defender than any of those players....spurs would make it competitive just because they have arguably the best big man to ever bounce a basketball.....enough said wilbon...dont forget who tim duncan is and how damn good a player he is

[Aud21946]

Wilbon is alot better that what was coming outta of Konheiser mouth.. But Each of the other teams metion had Hall of famers at key positions .. I am a HUGH Spurs fan but the answer is no.

[mardigan]

I don't think this team could beat the 2005 Spurs, yet along those others.
Oh and whys that, Rasho would have dominated?

[Phenomanul]

http://dberri.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/a-few-thoughts-for-thursday/

Middle of the page, addresses Horry's comments.

http://www.wagesofwins.com/EffDifNBAFinals.html

Looking at his efficiency differential they might have a chance.

Personally, they would be competitive but I don't see them knocking off the Lakers in a seven game series.


I don't know if they ever faced a defensive team quite like the Spurs'....

Eras are just too difficult to compare...

[td4mvp21]

I think this team could have beaten several of the Lakers teams that knocked us out. We had no offense in those years, and now we have very good offense along with pretty good defense. The only thing is Shaq from those years would have his way with our weak C spot.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I posed the same question must have been months ago, except that I wondered what the outcome would be if '03 Spurs played the '05 Spurs.

Robinson/Duncan tandem -vs- Duncan/Mohmd/Rasho/Horry,
Kerr/SJax -vs- Ginobili/Berry/Horry
Parker -vs- Parker/Longoria :spin
Bruce against himself

I would put '05 over '03, simply because of the familiarity level of knowing the "system," more smarts.

But '03 certainly would have it over '05 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters because they had more energy and were less predictable.hmm... Manu was here in 2003 bro

[Clutch20]

hmm... Manu was here in 2003 bro
shit......can't weasel my way outta this one MaNuMaNiAc, U R rite, wasn't that the year he had an ankle injury at the beginning of the year and got all down on himself but TRex pulled him out of his funk?
Where has KWillis ended up after his brief Mavericks duty I wonder.

[L.I.T]

I don't know if they ever faced a defensive team quite like the Spurs'....

Eras are just to difficult to compare...

Nearly impossible, but that's what makes these things interesting.

I'll just select two teams for hypothetical comparison's sake: 1986-1987 Lakers compared to the 2006-2007 Spurs.

You mentioned the Spurs defense as an advantage, which is true. But, I think the Lakers would cause them some serious problems as well. The cross-matchups would have been a nightmare. Magic most definitely couldn't guard Parker, but the same holds true on the other end. Parker/Ginobili/Bowen/Finley would be unable to contain Magic if they moved him to the blocks and posted him up. The Spurs would probably have to move someone like Horry over, which would move Parker to someone like Worthy or or Byron Scott.

By the same token, the Lakers front-court couldn't hope to contain Duncan or the Spurs forays into the lane. The Lakers leaders in shot-blocking were Abdul-Jabbar (1.2), A.C. Green (1.0) and Worthy (1.0). Uhhh...yah, not exactly the most intimidating bunch. The Lakers also weren't blessed with a lot of speed in the backcourt. I think the tandem of Parker/Ginobili would wreck havoc.

The Lakers weren't a great rebounding team either; the leading rebounder was A.C Green. Duncan would have had a field day.

The difference for me is the fastbreak execution of the Lakers and the ineffectiveness of Bowen in this series. He's a fantastic perimeter defender, tailor made for this era. However, players from that era were much more comfortable playing in the blocks; an area where he is weak (relative to the rest of his game).

It would be a hard-fought series though.

[ArgSpursFan]

Problem is, Jordan and Pippen had a habit of making every big play down the stretch, while the spurs always have their problems holding on in the fourth quarter............

that depends.
when the Spurs have a 10+pts lead to start the 4rd quarter they seem to have problems on holding it on.
But,If the spurs are down starting the 4rd.They execute and make the stops to win the game.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I think we'd get schooled by Magic's Lakers.

[Sec24Row7]

We could have beaten a couple of the Showtime Laker teams...


We would have beaten EVERY Celtic team of the 60's... EVERY one...


We would have beaten some of the Lakers Teams... and Some of the 80's Celtics Teams...


I've said this before... If INDIANA can take Jordan's Bulls to 7 games... The Spurs could and would have beaten them.

People give us credit for 1 hall of famer and say there is no way we could win...

That's a pretty bogus argument in and Of itself...

HOWEVER... Don't we have at least 3 Hall of Famers on this team... and MAYBE Parker being a 4th?

Duncan is for sure....

You can't keep Robert Horry Out he has 7 rings...

You can't keep Ginobili out... he was the leader of the team that beat the first Pro US team out for Gold in the Olympics... has won 3 NBA titles... a World Championship etc...

Tony has 3 rings and a Finals MVP... on a Dynastic Team... but is 25

[td4mvp21]

HOWEVER... Don't we have at least 3 Hall of Famers on this team... and MAYBE Parker being a 4th?

Duncan is for sure....

You can't keep Robert Horry Out he has 7 rings...

You can't keep Ginobili out... he was the leader of the team that beat the first Pro US team out for Gold in the Olympics... has won 3 NBA titles... a World Championship etc...

Tony has 3 rings and a Finals MVP... on a Dynastic Team... but is 25

Duncan for sure, maybe Parker depending on what he can do the rest of his career, especially without someone like Duncan at his side. Horry has a very, very slight chance of getting in. I'm sorry, Ginobili is really good, but he's not a HOF. He lacks the consistency and overall, he's just not one of the special ones. He does indeed bring a lot of intangibles to this team and he is clutch....but he's not something rare.

[Sec24Row7]

Duncan for sure, maybe Parker depending on what he can do the rest of his career, especially without someone like Duncan at his side. Horry has a very, very slight chance of getting in. I'm sorry, Ginobili is really good, but he's not a HOF. He lacks the consistency and overall, he's just not one of the special ones. He does indeed bring a lot of intangibles to this team and he is clutch....but he's not something rare.

Umm... its not the NBA hall of fame...

It is the BASKETBALL hall of fame... Ginobili is a lock... sorry

He may get in when he is 65, but he is going to get in.

[dbreiden83080]

I don't think this team could beat the 2005 Spurs, yet along those others.

This team is better than the 05 Spurs. How much better were the Nuggets this year than in 05? A shitload better. Suns leaps and bounds better. This team is just as deep and with Tony finally being great in the playoffs they are much better than in 05.

[dbreiden83080]

I think we'd get schooled by Magic's Lakers.

Definately but so would Michaels Bulls they would get beat pretty badly too.

[Cry Havoc]

Ugh, my initial post got deleted.

This team is the best Spurs team I've ever seen. Parker is 15x the point he was in 03 and 10x what he was in 05, when he made a disappearing act in the Finals.

Manu wasn't as dominating, but I think that's in part due to the fact that he saw Parker blowing through defenses so easily. Notice how his defense ramped up? He was focusing more on that end, I think. He became more of a playmaker off the bench and less of a scorer. No need to exert energy when Parker can score so easily. Parker also played insane defense, way over what we thought possible of him. He's become one of the -- if not THE -- best two way PG in basketball. Offense and defense, just like Duncan.

Duncan is as good as he's ever been, and more efficient this year than ever. He doesn't force a single shot anymore unless the shot clock is low.

Bowen was Bowen.

Horry came up with some HUGE plays and had a better playoff run this year than he did in 05, where he only really showed up against the Pistons.

Finley was awesome, played solid defense and hit his shots until the Finals, where he didn't need to be as accurate.

Oberto was all over the place for us, getting to loose balls, making plays, grabbing boards. I mean, how was it that we stuck with Elson throughout the year? Fab had an awesome run from the 5 spot.

This team could give ANY team in NBA history a run. The 07 Spurs were one of the most efficient, quick, heady defensive teams the league has ever seen, and they'd give anyone -- even the 72 win Bulls -- major problems. No one on that Bulls team could have shut down Parker, especially off a pick. No one could have dreamed of stopping Duncan. I'd love to see the Worm try, only to be frustrated by Duncan's precise footwork, get pissed, and get a T early and be in foul trouble the whole game.

The Celtics of each era would have had no clue how to stop Parker. Of all the elites, the Lakers would probably have matched up with us best, but who's to say that Magic would have taken Bowen to school with his size? James is MUCH stronger and more built than Magic was, and Bowen shut him down completely. The defensive rotations from this squad would have taken the very elite teams in history to 7 games, and I think would be within a possession either way of winning it. That's what defense does for you, and the Spurs are playing it as well as anyone ever has. Did you notice James, great passer though he may be, completely confused at how to get the ball to his open teammates? That's the power of the quick rotation.

This team just plays smart. No one could have beaten them in less than 6. And I think they take everyone down to the wire.

[conversekid]

Duncan for sure, maybe Parker depending on what he can do the rest of his career, especially without someone like Duncan at his side. Horry has a very, very slight chance of getting in. I'm sorry, Ginobili is really good, but he's not a HOF. He lacks the consistency and overall, he's just not one of the special ones. He does indeed bring a lot of intangibles to this team and he is clutch....but he's not something rare.

You don't know basketball. Ginobolli is an automatic lock for the HOF. The Basektball HOF is not "American", like other sports, it is international. With Manu's accomplishments internationally and within the NBA, he is a lock. Book it.

[lrrr]

What makes the spurs truly remarkable is that they have constructed three championship teams in the salary cap era.

All the other dynastic teams did not have to play by the same salary rules as teams nowadays. The foundation of the threepeat lakers was laid before the new rules.

[td4mvp3]

i think we actually, for once, not giving our defense enough credit. with all the rules aimed at propping up scoring, the spurs consistently hold folks to dismal results. can you imagine what happens if you put that defense in the bad boy pistons era? showtime was about ending when i was a kid, but i don't remember them trying to be defensive stalwarts. i think we'd win more series than folks give the spurs credit.

[Tippecanoe]

tough call to make. i still like the '99 team better

[Dave McNulla]

i remember a 53 win spurs beating the lakers in two games in the western conf finals (83).

spurs: gervin, mitchell, gilmore, moore, banks...
lakers: jabbar, worthy, magic, nixon, wilkes, mcadoo...

i think the current spurs could take them. of course there would be some fights. players were allowed to fight then and they didn't like being defended.

[dbreiden83080]

tough call to make. i still like the '99 team better

Not so sure Avery can't hold a candle to Parker. He was a good leader but always a mediocre player.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

This is probably the 455th thread about this subject.

[ploto]

This team is better than the 05 Spurs. How much better were the Nuggets this year than in 05? A shitload better. Suns leaps and bounds better. This team is just as deep and with Tony finally being great in the playoffs they are much better than in 05.
Parker is better but the 2007 version of Manu comes nowhere close to the 2005 version. I think people forget just how amazing he was that year.

The Detroit team of 2005 was way better than any other team the Spurs ever beat in the play-offs any time, any year.

I also think that championships are- like Pop says- a combination of talent and luck. Other Spurs teams hit bad luck and even without an NBA Title were actually a better team than the 2007 Spurs team was.

[ArgSpursFan]

Parker is better but the 2007 version of Manu comes nowhere close to the 2005 version. I think people forget just how amazing he was that year.

The Detroit team of 2005 was way better than any other team the Spurs ever beat in the play-offs any time, any year.

I also think that championships are- like Pop says- a combination of talent and luck. Other Spurs teams hit bad luck and even without an NBA Title were actually a better team than the 2007 Spurs team was.

I agree on that without luck you can´t win championships.
Manu sure wasnt the same as 2005(and never will be again)as far as scoring,but He putted better numbers in rpg apg this year.So I would say that 05 manu and 07 manu would be a push.
them Tony wasn´t even half a player He is now in 2005,and timmy Got to these playoffs in better shape tham in 2005.
I think the 2007 is a more balanced team tham the 2005 team,but both teams are/were great.
Oh,almost forgot,the 2007 team played small ball better tham the 2005 team.