2005 Finals was easily the best.
Finals that go 7 games cannot be trumped by anything.
1999 finals just because of the results.
One of the most disappointing things about losing the 2006 series to the Mavs is that I would have loved to watch that series over and over if we had won. Such an epic series, but too heartbreaking in the end to watch because of the result.
My favorites have pretty much all been named. 99 Blazers, 03 Lakers, 05 Pistons, 05 Sonics... I'd also add 2008 against the Hornets.
2003 Lakers and 2005 Pistons
2005 NBA Finals
The '03 vs the Lakers, because it was difficult. The Lakers were considered impossible to beat every other team already gave up, Shaq used to make fun of Duncan after '00 ("big fundamental" was initially a joke as many commented his game was fundamentally sound), Robinson was at the end of his career and the Spurs looked hopeless, Phil had put an * on the '99 championship (he basically thought that Pop would never beat him), Kobe had hit his prime with a spree of 40 points games and Shaq was considered completely unstoppable after Robinson, Sabonis and Hakeem slowed down. A lot of ringless vets used to singn with LA for an "automatic" ring.
Duncan was dominant on offense, no one could stop him (Shaq and Horry certainly couldn't). But he was dominant also on defense, displaying incredible physical strength. When the Spurs needed some stops late in the game, they would put Duncan straight on Shaq. Duncan posterized Shaq with some blocks.
The Spurs slowed down Kobe with Bowen, in one of the games Bowen exploded for almost 30 points - his career high, with a flurry of 3's.
The game 5 was a close win, and Horry missed a 3 with seconds to go. Everyone expected that shot to go in, but Horry was exhausted. The Lakers would later cut him as he bricked a lot of 3's trough the playoffs.
When the Spurs returned for game 6 in LA, everyone thought the Lakers were to win that game. But Pop outcoached Phil in that game. Phil's teams would usually tight the defense in Q3 and Q4 to win the game, but not that time. The Spurs just continued to pound the Lakers until they conceded defeat with a +30 points differential.
The crowd in LA farewelled their team with a standing ovation, Kobe and Fish started crying. The Spurs went to win the championship, winning every series by 4:2.
No one ever mentioned the * again.
2003 Spurs v Dallas was epic. David Robinson's last hurrah. Rookie Manu and Second year Parker ushering in a new era. Then we have MVP Duncan playing out of his mind at a level nobody could compete with. I'll always remember Steve Kerr's barrage of 4th quarter 3 pointers. Was a en amazing series.
Game 1. Mavs go 49-50 from the line. Spurs miss 17 free throws. That's the game. Blown home court advantage. Duncan with an MVP 40 points 15 rebounds and 7 asissts.
Game 2. Win by 13 at home. Duncan with 32 points, 15 rebounds, 5 asissts and 3 blocks, nasty.
Game 3. After being down 8 at the half we outscore dallas 21 points in the 2nd. Duncan with 34 points, 24 rebounds, 6 asissts and 6 blocks, an amazing line from the MVP.
Game 4 Duncan with a 20-20 with 7 blocks, Parker and Manu each hitting 20, a sure sign of their impressive futures.
Game 5 at home to seal the deal. Mavs go perfect from the line. Parker and Manu show they are 1st and 2nd year players with poor outings. Once again the mavs are perfect from the line and the spurs miss 14 free throws (losing by 12) If we could have just shot free throws to dallas's insane level that woulda been it.
Game 6 on the road. Down 13 points at 3/4 time and just about out of the game with game 7 looming. Enter Steve Kerr. The man with no made shots all series. Kerr's 4 epic three pointers were insane. They were all money, never going to miss. 6 straight 3 pointers to open the 4th were insane. Manu with 1, Jackson with 2, Kerr with a trio of 3 pointers in 4 posessions. Amazing from a guy glued to the bench all series. That 3 point barrage killed dallas and we won the qurater 34-9 and the game 90-78. MVP Duncan wasn't sizzling as earlier in the series with 18 points on 40% shooting, being the team man, happy to let Jackson and Kerr wreak havoc.
One of Kerr's 3 point barrage. I cheered and jumped and fist pumped so high and hard i put a hole in the ceiling. Lost my voice.
Was a truly epic series. Duncan being the dominant MVP with monster games. Dallas with historically good free throw shooting.
Let's be clear. Manu was a Rookie. Tony was a 2nd year player. They werent that good yet. Robinson was set to sail away. Duncan did not have an awesome supporting cast. The MVP had the whole team on his back, nobody was going to stop Tim ing Duncan.
Tony was just a second year player, very up and down, 0 points and no impact on the clintching game and a few other ty games. Manu shot 33% in the clincher with little impact in some game, Robinson had 4 points in the clintcher. As Tony and Manu were just getting their feet wet in the NBA, Robinson playing his final games this team started and ended with Duncan.
MVP Duncan had to play like a monster, and that he did. Duncan's domincance summed the series up, and little used Steve Kerr pierced 4 daggers through the Mav's hearts.
It was an amazing series in a year that ended an era (Robinson) and started a new one at the same time. (Parker Manu Bruce etc)
Prime Duncan is the best basketball i could ever hope to watch. And boy did we get that this series. He was EPIC. I will never forget Steve Kerr's 3 point bombs, nor will i ever forget my reaction to every one of them.
03 Spurs V Dallas. MVP Duncan. AMAZING That's my favorite series of all time.
Surprised this series hasn't gotten a mention from any of you guys?
1999 Finals vs. Knicks - Our first.
2005 Finals vs. Pistons - Horry's heroics.
2003 vs. Lakers - Kobe and Fisher crying.
1999 vs. Lakers - Closing the Fabulous Forum.
Too bad the Lakers and Spurs play in the same conference.
We could have had 8-10 years of Lakers/Spurs Finals!
tim duncan's 3 to eliminate the suns AGAIN was one of my favorite
Had we gone on to win that championship. Duncan's three pointer would have gone down in history as one of the greatest clutch shots ever. It was amazing! But we didn't go on to win it all that year. If we did. That would for sure be number 1
Surprised nobody else has mentioned 2003 v Dallas? I thought it was EPIC
I liked the 05 sonics, 07 suns, 08 hornets.
05 sonics was good to. didnt timmy sprain his ankle a few times at the end of the regular season and in the sonic series? that was a good one.
this one!! Retribution.
speedy claxton driving in the stake with a lay-up and flexing his guns!
'95 against Rockets. That loss stung me for years. I can still feel the pain now. Fortunately now I can look at it and view it for a great Hakeem-Robinson battle. Had Robinson and the Spurs won back then imagine how different our franchise would look.
99 Knicks
Waited 23 years for that championship. I was at game 2, and I partied like it was 1999.
2005 against Pistons easily the most underrated finals & 2003 against Lakers seeing Kobe & Fisher cry is just priceless.
But in 08 against Hornets I really didn't like that series because to me it just seemed like blowouts for both home teams till game 7.
1979 when the Spurs knocked out the Philadelphia 76ers and surprised the NBA that an ex ABA team could beat the 76ers.
2007 vs. the Suns was pretty intense (mentally and physically). Plus, the winner was pretty much a lock to win it all, and so it proved.
2005 WCF vs Suns
They can beat any team at any style or pace,Ginobili at his very best.The opening minutes of game 3 was the best execution of Spurs offense I have ever seen.
Duncan's 3 tied the game. It didn't quite eliminate the Suns - it did keep the Spurs in the game, so they could subsequently win, but it's not like this was a game winner in itself. Also this was Game 1, not an elimination game.
Good post.
The 2003 series against the Lakers will always be one of my faves. After losing to the Lakers the previous two years (and in humiliating fashion in 2001) it was a long awaited win. Those two teams met three straight years in the semifinals, and every year it felt like the actual NBA Finals. All three were compelling.
Other notables were the 2005 Western Conference Finals against the Suns, which were highly entertaining. The 1999 Conference Finals against the Trailblazers always impressed me because the team was on such an incredible roll, and it featured the Memorial Day Miracle.
Gotta go with 2003 vs d Fakers, where Timmy ripped the Fakers in gm 6 and Kobe Dfish crying like a B* at d end! Classic!
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