Past Championship Duos (Duncan + Parker enough?)

[024]

Since I am in an optimistic mood, looking at the past 20 NBA seasons, here are the past championship duos:

1990-93
Jordan
Pippen

1993-95
Olajuwon
Drexler

1995-98
Jordan
Pippen

1999
Duncan
Robinson

2000-03
Shaq
Kobe

2006
Wade
Shaq

2009?
Parker
Duncan
or
Duncan
Parker

In fact, the number of championships won by a "duo" outnumbers the ones won by a "big 3." The only times a big 3 won a championship in the modern NBA era were in 2003 (kind of), 2005, 2007, and 2008. In order for the Spurs to win without a big 3, either Parker needs to elevate himself or Duncan to re-elevate himself to superstar status. With Parker's emergence as an undisputed elite point guard and Duncan's earlier dominance, it may be possible. Parker needs to develop more point guard skills to take the pressure off him or Duncan needs to play at a MVP level like he did at the beginning of the season. Just pretend Ginobili's salary is going to Gooden.

[SA210]

Since I am in an optimistic mood, looking at the past 20 NBA seasons, here are the past championship duos:

1990-93
Jordan
Pippen

1993-95
Olajuwon
Drexler

1995-98
Jordan
Pippen

1999
Duncan
Robinson

2000-03
Shaq
Kobe

2006
Wade
Shaq

2009?
Parker
Duncan
or
Duncan
Parker

In fact, the number of championships won by a "duo" outnumbers the ones won by a "big 3." The only times a big 3 won a championship in the modern NBA era were in 2003 (kind of), 2005, 2007, and 2008. In order for the Spurs to win without a big 3, either Parker needs to elevate himself or Duncan to re-elevate himself to superstar status. With Parker's emergence as an undisputed elite point guard and Duncan's earlier dominance, it may be possible. Parker needs to develop more point guard skills to take the pressure off him or Duncan needs to play at a MVP level like he did at the beginning of the season. Just pretend Ginobili's salary is going to Gooden.

Now just start Bruce!

[VI_Massive]

those other teams all had key role players. and we have about half of a tim duncan right now.

[kace]

the weakness of the spurs has never been their big 3. neither their big 2. neither their franchise player. neither their 9 to 15 players.

but their 5-8 players have often been so-so these past years, behind tim, tony, manu and bruce.

with manu out and bowen no more used, you could argue our 3-8 players are average. that's our weakness.

good stars. deep bench (but not really useful in the PO where the rotation is more short). poor role players.

if Mason, KT, Gooden, and Hill plays at the best we've seen them this year, with Fin and Bruce doing their things in PO, Tim and Tony could be enough as stars to win some games.

[xtremesteven33]

thanks for the optimism

[DPG21920]

with duncan past his prime this is now TP's Team

it would be funny if we made it to finals and proved we don't need manu's crippled ass anymore. then maybe we could finally dump him.

Hi Ducks.

[timaios]

Hi Ducks.

[mexicanjunior]

Those "duo" teams had much better supporting casts than what we are trotting out on a nightly basis...

[anonoftheinternets]

then maybe we could finally dump him.

lol who is this chump?

[Slinkyman]

If Jordan had Vaughn as his back up point guard he'd have 3 less les. BTW 95-98 the bulls also had Rodman.

[SA210]

Hi Ducks.

[crc21209]

Forget FTL. It's FTW ( the World) now. That's the mindset our boys have to have now. I BELIEVE in them. EVERYONE is doubting them now. Time to shut everyone up.

[taps]

Who was the big duo in '94, dream & Otis Thorpe?

[Manufan909]

the weakness of the spurs has never been their big 3. neither their big 2. neither their franchise player. neither their 9 to 15 players.

but their 5-8 players have often been so-so these past years, behind tim, tony, manu and bruce.

with manu out and bowen no more used, you could argue our 3-8 players are average. that's our weakness.

good stars. deep bench (but not really useful in the PO where the rotation is more short). poor role players.

if Mason, KT, Gooden, and Hill plays at the best we've seen them this year, with Fin and Bruce doing their things in PO, Tim and Tony could be enough as stars to win some games.

Hope you're off about needing Hill, since he will play about 2 mns a game. But if him and Hairston get half an hour between them in the POs, I will regain my faith. But Pop has to trust the rooks first, and Bowen needs 25+minutes, with Roy, Paul/Peja, Kobe, and Lebron/Pierce in the Spurs way to #5.

[ducks]

that is not ducks
ducks has only one screen name ASK KORI