Thinking about the Spurs franchise the other day, I came to realize that there is an incredible constant in their DNA. I used to think it was impressive that the Spurs had a 4-0 undefeated streak in the Finals and we all saw how close they came to keeping that streak alive last year. But bitterly, the streak was snapped and that constant was removed from Spurs lore.
Then, I thought of one other constant that still remains and is an incredibly resilient part of this core: They always exact revenge for their playoff losses.
Dallas - revenge.
Memphis - revenge.
Utah - revenge.
Lakers - revenge.
Thunder - revenge.
Will we see the constant continue in Miami? Damn I ing hope so.
Get Miami this year.
Still need Houston and Washington, though.
True. Houston is still a sore spot and we would have had a chance if not for a miracle shot by Lillard. It would have been nice to send The Beard packing. We got the Thunder back but not him yet...
when was the last time the same team defeated us in consecutive playoff matchups? 01/02 lakers?
edit: Dallas beat us in 06 (the manu foul) and 09 (manu was out for season). the spurs did get revenge in 2010 when george hill roasted them
Things to motivate for next year
Yeah, I was also thinking about this the other day. I'm hoping they can exact revenge against the Heat.
Maybe for the Houston part there is no way we will see Washington in the playoffs
Friend of mine and I have been talking about this. This year has really been a revenge tour in the postseason.
Hoping to serve it ice cold to those ers from south beach this year to top it all off.
If the Wiz had pulled off a miracle this year, I would have gotten to go all seven Finals games.
Let's add Fisher to the list as well.
Derek Fisher wakes up this morning a beaten, broken, s of a former man....
This makes me happy to know. Now he can care for his dead daughter
Great post!
The Spurs' constant is that they get the opportunity every year to exact "revenge". If you get to the playoffs 15 or 16 years in a row, you're probably good enough to beat any team eventually, because other teams rise and fall and most have sharper, more well defined peaks and lower valleys while the Spurs have a long, unresolved peak with smaller dips. If you were to put their results each year on an SPC chart, it would show low SD from XBB.
I still think it's pretty remarkable that Tim Duncan's teams have beaten every single West team in a playoff series other than the Rockets, since Tim's teams haven't ever played them.
Manu and Tony have beaten everyone other than Houston and Minnesota.
Of course you know if it weren't for Lillard's lucky shot, the Rockets would be playing the Heat in the Finals.
The constant are the Conference Championship, which I think are not recognized enough by Spurs fans.
I think is huge that they have won another. Incredible.
Not an easy thing to do.
The best revenge is that since 2002, no WC team that has beaten us has won the LoB.
2004 Lakers, lost the Finals
2006 Mavs, lost the Finals, ignominiously
2008 Lakers, lost the Finals
2009 Mavs, lost in WCSFs
2010 Suns, lost in WCFs
2011 Grizz, lost in WCFs
2012 OKC, lost in Finals
Just for fun, I checked which teams in the West can't say that, and came up with:
OKC (2011, 2010, 2005)
Lakers (2011, 2003)
Portland (2011)
Phoenix (2010, 2007, 2005, 2003)
Utah (2010, 2009, 2007)
Denver (2009, 2007, 2005)
Houston (2009)
Dallas (2003)
Which means no west team that has beaten the Clippers or Grizz in the playoffs since 2003 managed to win it all that year.
The Spurs were a couple of breaks away from the ultimate revenge bracket: Suns in the 1st round, Rockets in the 2nd, Thunder in the WCF.
Those are the only Western conference teams who had won their most recent playoff series with the Spurs.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
