2005 Finals, Spurs vs. Pistons

[ElNono]

I thought it should have been co-finals MVP thing. If I am not mistaken the count was 6 to 4 in favor of Duncan, so had one person changed their vote it would have been both Manu and Tim.

Manu played incredible games 1 and 2. It took him games 3 and 4 to adjust to the double team. I thought TD was great throughout. I still remember him being frustrated in game 4, and Pop trying to talk to him to cool him down.

[Manufan909]

Holy crap. I just finished watching Gm 1, and Manu was nuts. God, I wish I had followed the NBA in 05. I moved to SA in 04, and it took me til the 05-06 season to really start following the Spurs. Obviously from my name, it brought a tear to my eye to see the true Manu. He was great after 05, but I don't remember seeing him moving with such grace.

But enough about Ginobili, Duncan and Parker were amazing as well. Parker only hit a couple jays, played decent D, and got into the lane a bajillion times, but Duncan was superb in every aspect. But seeing him get blocked like thrice by Rasheed makes me wish that Wallace had come here. Dyess didn't impress me too much, but he might go off in the other games, and I only have the last 3 winning games to watch anyways.

Oh, and why was Rasho seemingly in the doghouse?

[polandprzem]

So shortly after finishing the 03 Nets series, I jumped to the 05 Spurs series...

Great output again

That's my favorite championship mainly beacuse spurs team was so great and fluid and could play basicly every style of basketball in 2005.
Horry was fantastic and Gino phenomenal, I wantedto go back to those finals but I'm lacking time to go back, yet surely I will start my vhs and dvd to watch it again.
As great as spurs were that year those finals were pure strategy professor type of Finals. People saying it was boring are not real basketball fans, they can go and watch some highlights or best dunks eva'.

Tim really deserved that MVP, and you can also watch manus face - he wanted the mvp as well when Tim recived it (and take a look at Manus face after Tony got it )

All in all Tim was everything - when they showed a camera from above - sometimes Timmey sucked up four defenders and then made it swing and spurs were great moving the ball

1 and 2 game was a masacre. Game three and four disaster. 5- aaa let that Horry open to hit you with that dagger.
Game six a letdown- I really got depressed. And game 7 with that Bowen block - a sweet as it gets.
Fabulous

[TMTTRIO]

There's no question that Tim deserved the Finals MVP the way he led the team in Game 7 with bad ankles. Manu though was pretty incredible during the whole playoffs even when Pop decided to make all those risky moves and with moving him back and forth from starter to bench player. I don't think we would've gotten very far without him playing like he but who knows. I think it's funny how he didn't get his reputation as a flopper until George Karl was whining and crying about it after his whole team was getting torched by Manu even though his players were trying to murder him on his way to the basket.

[Manufan909]

I just got my Spurs 16 dvd set and having worked my way through the 99' series and shedding a few tears during the 03' series.... it's time to watch this 05' series... great wrap up.

I'm a huge Manu fan, so I watched 03 first, 05 second, and I'll watch 99 third, since I saw at least half of the 07 series.


And to d228, I would argue that without Ginobili, the Spurs wouldn't have won either. But in all seriousness, I haven't seen the 3 losing games, so who of Manu/Timmy was better in them?

And holy crap, Manu was epic in Games 1, 2, and especially 7. Same with Tim, but he was horrible on the line. Iirc, some of the Ls would have been Ws if Timmy had averaged 80%+ on FTs each time. He took care of business in Game 7, so it is all good.

Oh yeah, and if Dyess was an inferior player (I think, don't flame me) compared to Ben then, why is he so superior now? Is BW a lot older?

[Manufan909]

There's no question that Tim deserved the Finals MVP the way he led the team in Game 7 with bad ankles. Manu though was pretty incredible during the whole playoffs even when Pop decided to make all those risky moves and with moving him back and forth from starter to bench player. I don't think we would've gotten very far without him playing like he but who knows. I think it's funny how he didn't get his reputation as a flopper until George Karl was whining and crying about it after his whole team was getting torched by Manu even though his players were trying to murder him on his way to the basket.

Ben flopped more in the Finals, shiiiiiiiit.

And I want to find 03 vs LAL, and maybe 05 vs. Denver, since those are some of the most talked about non-Finals series on here. Anyone have any other suggestions, from before 05-06?

[duncan228]

2004-05 NBA Preview
SLAM

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Welcome to the Division of Death, featuring four very strong teams and the Hornets. The Spurs get the early nod, simply because they have Tim Duncan, whose robotic personality complements his machine-like dominance. Factor in free-agent signee Brent Barry and the improved Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and the Spurs already have a better roster for Gregg Popovich to draw from. For the Spurs to have a real shot at a le, they’ll need consistent production from Rasho Nesterovic, which is sort of like trying to light a wet match.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

To me, the 2005 championship was the hardest earned. That spring was brutal. Do you guys remember the back to back double overtime victories on the west coast with no Tim, Manu or Rasho? That team had heart and they played through major adversity throughout the season, and the injuries nagged throughout the playoffs. Remember how rough the Denver and Seattle series were? In the finals, when the Spurs got slapped around in games 3 and 4, the bandwagoners went ape on this board. But our guys came through and game 5 has to be one of the most exciting games in NBA history. Horry's dunk. Horry's tenacious D. Manu's pinball like drives. And of course, Manu's perfect pass to Horry for the three with none other than Sheed lunging for him (just like he did at Elliott). Then game 7, with us trailing for much of the 4th quarter, the grit that team had really showed in what they did best--total shutout defense. What a season and what a series.

[z0sa]

To me, the 2005 championship was the hardest earned. That spring was brutal. Do you guys remember the back to back double overtime victories on the west coast with no Tim, Manu or Rasho? That team had heart and they played through major adversity throughout the season, and the injuries nagged throughout the playoffs. Remember how rough the Denver and Seattle series were? In the finals, when the Spurs got slapped around in games 3 and 4, the bandwagoners went ape on this board. But our guys came through and game 5 has to be one of the most exciting games in NBA history. Horry's dunk. Horry's tenacious D. Manu's pinball like drives. And of course, Manu's perfect pass to Horry for the three with none other than Sheed lunging for him (just like he did at Elliott). Then game 7, with us trailing for much of the 4th quarter, the grit that team had really showed in what they did best--total shutout defense. What a season and what a series.

Sheed left Horry wide open to double Manu on that shot, and Prince tried to contest but it was far too late

[duncan228]

Sheed left Horry wide open to double Manu on that shot, and Prince tried to contest but it was far too late

Two different shots.

[z0sa]

Two different shots.

i assumed he had to be talking about the gamewinner

[boutons_deux]

The most memorable for me was

1. Tim sitting on the sidelines with a consoling Pop in games 3,4 dazed and useless as the Pistons embarrassed the Spurs.

2. Robert's 17 POINTS in 4th qtr + OT to shift the series back to Spurs 3-2 going back to SA needing 1 of 2.

3. Tim's missing the point-bank put-back for the win, to put Game5 into OT, typifying a fairly horrible game from Tim.

4. Tony's in-your-jock defense on Rip?, forced into a horrible, hopeless shot, on the last play to preserve Game5.

5. Game7, Bruce blocking Chauncey's 3G late in the 4th, which signalled a huge shift in momentum and the beginning of the end of the Pistons.

[superjames1992]

Ambchang, where can I find a video of the 2005 Finals (also 2003)? Was it a tape that you recorded or is the video of the games available online somewhere?

I have the Spurs' Championship DVDs of the 2003, 2005, and 2007 Finals, but they only show the highlights of the games (and the full fourth quarter of the clinching game).

Thanks!

[duncan228]

The most memorable for me was

1. Tim sitting on the sidelines with a consoling Pop in games 3,4 dazed and useless as the Pistons embarrassed the Spurs.

3. Tim's missing the point-bank put-back for the win, to put Game5 into OT, typifying a fairly horrible game from Tim.

[duncan228]

Ambchang, where can I find a video of the 2005 Finals (also 2003)? Was it a tape that you recorded or is the video of the games available online somewhere?

I have the Spurs' Championship DVDs of the 2003, 2005, and 2007 Finals, but they only show the highlights of the games (and the full fourth quarter of the clinching game).

Thanks!

There's a Spurs box set that has the 16 wins from the four les.

Here's one for $71.99 and free shipping, but you might be able to find it for less. It's a great set to have.

http://www.amazon.com/San-Antonio-Sp...6522363&sr=8-1

[exstatic]

Ambchang, where can I find a video of the 2005 Finals (also 2003)? Was it a tape that you recorded or is the video of the games available online somewhere?

I have the Spurs' Championship DVDs of the 2003, 2005, and 2007 Finals, but they only show the highlights of the games (and the full fourth quarter of the clinching game).

Thanks!

Are you local to SA? If so, check at CD Exchange. They have a number of locations, and I know for a fact that the 16 game set goes for like 49.99, and one of the stores usually has it. If the store you go to doesn't have it, ask the clerk. They can do a search of all stores and direct you to one that has it.

[Mojazz]

Are you local to SA? If so, check at CD Exchange. They have a number of locations, and I know for a fact that the 16 game set goes for like 49.99, and one of the stores usually has it. If the store you go to doesn't have it, ask the clerk. They can do a search of all stores and direct you to one that has it.

Too bad i'm oceans away...

[Manu20]

[draft87]

Oh, and why was Rasho seemingly in the doghouse?

Well the obvious answer is that he had a sharp decline in productivity the whole season.

A closer look into it- his ankle injury sped the process of getting out of the rotation. I didn't get NBAtv until '07 so I rarely saw the games before the postseason but I remember him disappearing from the regular season box scores in April about the time Duncan came back. I'm guessing that since we had Nazr, Popovich wanted a more physical center on the floor to minimize the beating Timmy would take during the playoffs. Rasho pretty much went completely out of the rotation.
I think he barely played in '06 as well. The dude just lost everything except his midrange game.
Didn't it seem like Rasho and Beno both totally lost their confidence at the same time in '06? ..definitely not the types to fight harder when their minutes get cut...

[superjames1992]

Thanks, everybody. I'll have to look into purchasing that set online. I live in High Point, NC, so I'm not local to SA.

I watched the fourth quarter of game seven of the 2005 NBA Finals last night and I enjoyed it. I miss that team with guys like Barry.

[Rummpd]

The Pistons are a team that simply could have been truly great but blew it with Anthony pass over then some strange trades happened. An over-ranked organization if there ever was one.

[Silver&Black Warrior]

I came across a blog by a Piston fan not long ago.. basically bemoaning the fact that Larry Brown benched Antonio McDyess for much of the pivotal 4thQ opting to go with Rasheed who proved to be ineffective. Prior to his benching McDyess had been having a terrific game. But by the time he was inserted late in the 4th, the Spurs had a lock on the game and the championship.

I very much agree. I vividly remember Antonio making two mid-range jumpers in a row, and he had been stroking it all game. I remember thinking, "Oh no McDyess has the hot hand, they are surely going to go with him from here on out". Then all of the sudden on the next possession, a play is ran for Rasheed, and I was in disbelief and overjoyed at the same time and hoping that it would continue... and it did!!!