You can't gauge a roster by past and future accomplishments. You have to look at their merits during the year in question.
On the 2003 Spurs roster, there was only 1 HOF caliber player (Duncan). Robinson was very far removed from his dominance in the mid 90's, and Ginobili hadn't come close to being the player he is today.
And that's wasn't Duncan that dropped 27 points on Kobe's ass in game 2either.
You guys are ing insane...there is absolutely no way you guys watched any playoffs before 2003. Kobe destroyed us, we would not have ever beaten the Lakers without Bruce Bowen and David Robinson to defend Kobe and Shaq.
You are guys are outta your ing trees if you think we would have.
And no, there was no one that could defend Kobe like Bowen and Shaq like Drob(not even then).