2001 Western Conference Finals

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Spurs got to rebuild their twin towers unlike NYC. The current Tower that has recently opened in NYC looks like .

Yes it does, but does LMA look any better than the sad pile of legos they built there that they now call WTC 2?


http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/w...y/WTC-_565.jpg


WTC 1 isn't too shabby apart from the fact there's so much wasted space in there and fewer floors even though it's a taller building than the originals. The lego building on the left, on the other hand....

[Sean Cagney]

This was the one legit le of their 3-peat shaqs best year in my opinion.

Yes, nobody was going to beat them that year. In 00 Portland choked and the Kings were robbed, but this one nobody can deny.

[Budkin]

Game 3 the Spurs kept it pretty close until about 3-4 minutes left in the first half. Then AJ missed an easy layup, I think Kobe ran it back for a dunk, crowd went ape , Shaq got a couple of easy baskets in the post the next couple of possessions, and all of a sudden it's a double digit deficit and the Spurs were never compe ive again the entire series. They pretty much gave up after being crushed to end that first half they had played pretty well in until the end. The second half of Game 3 and all of Game 4 was just the Lakers running wild against a defeated team.

That game started a multi year trend of that . Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same ing happened.

[Kawhitstorm]

Antonio Daniels was way too short to guard Kobe Bryant, and the Spurs got massacred by him. Not that Derek Anderson would have been any better, I think Kobe dropped 38 a night on his ass too in the regular season (DA was about the worst defensive guard I have ever seen on the Spurs). The Spurs had no perimeter defense that year. An underrated performer that series was Rick Fox. Fox was really quick on his rotations, able to double in the post and still get out to disrupt Danny Ferry's three point shooting due to his size and quickness and how slowly Ferry was lining up that set shot. And then similar with Fisher on Porter. Ferry and Porter couldn't get good shots off and that killed the inside out game the Spurs relied so heavily on, making Duncan the only guy who could get a decent shot off the entire series. And then Fisher shot 75% from the three point line since Porter and AJ were on their last legs. Porter aged so much after the 1999-00 season. The Spurs were just too old and unathletic by 2001 and the Lakers were still pissed about the 1999 sweep.

-Antonio Daniels was a GARBAGE defender himself (just watch the 2002 series when he was relieving Bowen)

-Fisher by himself made more 3s than the ENTIRE Spurs team & was the equivalent of 2014 Finals Patty

-Fisher/Fox didn't bother guarding Porter/Avery/Ferry on the perimeter & would just dig in every time Tim put the ball on the floor

-Tim had 40/15/4 on 15-26 shooting (vs. Shaq's 19/14/4 on 8-21 shooting) & the Spurs still lost Gm 2 b/c Porter missed 3 WIDE open 3s in the final 4 minutes of the game when the Lakers were triple teaming Tim

Porter/Avery were like Chalmers/Cole in the 2014 Finals, brick after brick & ****** was done just like Battier.

Ferry was the equivalent of 2013 Finals Battier (Gm 1-4).

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I feel like they built the original WTCs in the early and mid 1970s for high productivity, efficiency, and practicality. There were 110 floors in each tower, only 8 mechanical = 102 usable floors, or 202 combined (since the 13th floors in each tower were not used). Each story space was about 9-10 feet tall, similar to the average height of a regular one-story building (or even a bit taller). The design was intended to maximize office space, utility, and profitability.

Unfortunately, they built the new WTC (1) strictly for aesthetic purposes it seems. With its elegant modern-art structural design (I think it's overrated) comes a sacrifice of utility and efficiency. Despite the building being over 200 feet taller, there are only 102 total floors in the new WTC 1, and 13 mechanical floors = only a paltry 89 usable floors. The average story space height is 13-14 feet high which is completely inefficient unless you're a company who plans on hiring teams of giant robots. I don't like it at all.

[daslicer]

That game started a multi year trend of that . Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same ing happened.

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil ing to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

[daslicer]

'04 and '08 to me is when the Lakers jumped the shark in the rivalry by adding Malone and then Gasol. The Lakers gave up on their previous championship model which was having 2 superstars and a bunch of role players to win a le. Duncan had gotten a lot better by the time '03 rolled around that you were not going to beat him without having a stacked team. Lakers pretty much had to create all-star teams after '03 to beat the Spurs. The '13 Lakers were also set up like an all-star team but failed miserably due to Kobe not having Phil their to reign his chucking.

[Kawhitstorm]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil ing to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

After making clutch shots in the regular season ala Marco, Hedo choked when the series got tight in the 4th quarter of Gm 5 & the entire Gm 6 just like he did when he was w/ the Queens otherwise the series wouldn't have come down to a 0.4 second shot.

[daslicer]

After making clutch shots in the regular season ala Marco, Hedo choked when the series got tight in the 4th quarter of Gm 5 & the entire Gm 6 just like he did when he was w/ the Queens otherwise the series wouldn't have come down to a 0.4 second shot.

Your right I do remember Hedo's choking job it was awful. Hedo melted in that series.

[Thomas82]

'04 and '08 to me is when the Lakers jumped the shark in the rivalry by adding Malone and then Gasol. The Lakers gave up on their previous championship model which was having 2 superstars and a bunch of role players to win a le. Duncan had gotten a lot better by the time '03 rolled around that you were not going to beat him without having a stacked team. Lakers pretty much had to create all-star teams after '03 to beat the Spurs. The '13 Lakers were also set up like an all-star team but failed miserably due to Kobe not having Phil their to reign his chucking.

I still can't believe they chose Pringles over Phil. LMBO

[BillMc]

I still can't believe they chose Pringles over Phil. LMBO

I know. They wanted a return to the showtime Lakers and thought getting the man behind the seven second Suns was the key. Plus the Buss family (except for Jeanie obviously) had some issues over how much power/credit Phil should have had in the previous go-arounds with the Lakers. Jackson was definitely not loved within the organization despite his huge success.

That said 11 rings >0. That offensive "genius" Pringles couldn't control Kobe, pacify Dwight, or figure out how to use a big as talented as Gasol just added to the disaster.

One wonders if Phil will eventually ditch the Knicks and come replace Jim to work for Jeanie.

Getting fired by your kid sister would be pretty embarrassing but everyone knows its in Jim Buss's future. It's only a matter of when.

[Budkin]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil ing to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

[Thomas82]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

+1

[daslicer]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

'04 really pissed me off a lot too. I really believed in '03 the Lakers were finished and the spurs would no longer have to deal with them. I had grown tired the last few years of Phil Jackson's trash talk along with Shaq and Kobe. Then Malone and Payton signed with them and gave them an extended year of life they didn't deserve. I will always hate those 2 coattail riders for doing that.

[Thomas82]

I still feel like we should have beat them in 2002.....we had a lead in every game and couldn't close them out.

[Thomas82]

'04 really pissed me off a lot too. I really believed in '03 the Lakers were finished and the spurs would no longer have to deal with them. I had grown tired the last few years of Phil Jackson's trash talk along with Shaq and Kobe. Then Malone and Payton signed with them and gave them an extended year of life they didn't deserve. I will always hate those 2 coattail riders for doing that.

I agree with all of this. Deep down, I felt like that 3-peat should have been ours.

[Horse]

That game started a multi year trend of that . Once we got down against the Lakers we folded like a cheap suit. We managed to take it to them in 2003 but then in 2004 the same ing happened.

0.4 happened

[Thomas82]

0.4 happened

Yeah we definitely got robbed.

[Kawhitstorm]

Man 2004 still really really pisses me off. We were clearly better than the Lakers and should have made it to the Finals. Don't know if anyone is stopping the Pistons that year but we would have at least been there.

Would have had no chance against the Pistons b/c Pop was using Manu as just another role player & Porker was the faux wingman. Pistons also were deeper in '04: Okur/Mike James. Horry was also sorry in '04.

[houston spurs fan]

Would have had no chance against the Pistons b/c Pop was using Manu as just another role player & Porker was the faux wingman. Pistons also were deeper in '04: Okur/Mike James. Horry was also sorry in '04.

Weren't you like 10 then?

[Kawhitstorm]

Weren't you like 10 then?

I was 10 years deep in your mom's vagina

[houston spurs fan]

I was 10 years deep in your mom's vagina

That's the kind of response I was expecting. Carry on .

[Kawhitstorm]

That's the kind of response I was expecting. Carry on .

Someone has their panties in bunches.

[baseline bum]

.4 and few other factors determined the '04 series. The '04 series started the same way as the '03 series which was the Spurs taking the first two games and then getting blown out in game 3 followed by losing a close game 4. .4 was the difference along with Phil ing to the refs after the first two games which resulted in Parker,Ginobilli, Duncan all getting mugged in the paint without getting the calls. Malone was a huge difference maker he was allowed to play dirty against Tim and get away with laying the wood on Parker and Ginobilli. Malone also got away with illegal screens in that series. Take away Malone from that Lakers team and the Spurs sweep them. He was really a huge addition.

The refs were horrible in Game 4 of the 03 Spurs/Lakers series, but can't blame them at all for 04. Phil Jackson went with the desperation move of packing the lane with four defenders and dared Turkoglu to hit shots with no one within 10 feet of him. That series loss was 100% on Turkoglu. If the Spurs had Stephen Jackson, Brent Barry, even Roger Mason in that spot they destroy that Lakers team. Tex Winter said he had no idea how they ever beat the 04 Spurs. Even with Turkoglu's complete no show the Spurs probably still would have won the series if Horry had hit that wide open three in Game 5.

[Kawhitstorm]

The refs were horrible in Game 4 of the 03 Spurs/Lakers series, but can't blame them at all for 04. Phil Jackson went with the desperation move of packing the lane with four defenders and dared Turkoglu to hit shots with no one within 10 feet of him. That series loss was 100% on Turkoglu. If the Spurs had Stephen Jackson, Brent Barry, even Roger Mason in that spot they destroy that Lakers team. Tex Winter said he had no idea how they ever beat the 04 Spurs. Even with Turkoglu's complete no show the Spurs probably still would have won the series if Horry had hit that wide open three in Game 5.

It doesn't matter, the '04 Pistons would have crushed a Spurs team that had HeDon't/RaSoft/Damn'it Brown as major rotation players & Porker playing wingman. If anything, it saved the franchise an embarrassing le defense like the 2014 Heat.