Which spurs team is the best. 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

My heart loved the '99 run because it was the first one and the Spurs were just clutch in every series and never took their foot off the gas.

The '07 team, however, reminded me of some of those old Bulls teams with Michael or Laker teams with Magic that just went out knowing they were better than the other guys and weren't going to lose 4 out of 7 to anybody. The big three could interchangeably step up whenever needed and were not going to be denied. Then there was Bruce Almighty to stop the other team's star.

My list is probably '07,'99,'03 and '05.

[urunobili]

2003/2007/2005/1999

[whottt]

Well, considering that EVERY playoff game is a big game, I don't agree with you on their consistency. They were very inconsistent, and in almost every series.

They were? They never trailed by more than 0-1 in any series. They went up 2-1 in every series. They were up 3-2 in every series. They won in 6 in every series. They also almost clinched on the road in every series...with the exception of the one with a different format.


On top of that, they opened the season with a win in LA. They knocked off LA and Sac back to back on the road at the start of the road trip. Countless other message games they won that year. They never lost a single one.

They were also the ONLY one of the four teams to drop a home Finals game before the switch of venue. Yeah, they fought back, but most of the time it was from a hole that they dug for themselves by dropping a dumb game like NJ game 2 or Dallas game 1.

Or Phoenix game 1..

I never sweat at any point in that playoff run other tham maybe game 5 VS the Lakers.

The only team that made me nervous? Phoenix...and that was because they beast us 3-1 in regular season.

That 03 team was methodical, it had no weakness, it was extremely poised, and it was extremely deep. I just don't see any of our other champion teams that would have won that year. I don't think any of others would have beaten that Laker team. The 99 Team did sweep the Shaq Kobe Lakers...but Phil wasn't there...and that team didn't have the swagger of a 3 time champ.

3 time champion...you don't face those in the post season every year. I don't see how anyone can say we faced a tougher team than that one. In any other series, in any other championship run.

[lefty]

My heart loved the '99 run because it was the first one and the Spurs were just clutch in every series and never took their foot off the gas.

The '07 team, however, reminded me of some of those old Bulls teams with Michael or Laker teams with Magic that just went out knowing they were better than the other guys and weren't going to lose 4 out of 7 to anybody. The big three could interchangeably step up whenever needed and were not going to be denied. Then there was Bruce Almighty to stop the other team's star.

My list is probably '07,'99,'03 and '05.

True.

But at the end, who cares which one was the best ?

We have 4 les, and counting !!

Yeah

[dy-nasty21]

2007- steady and dependable duncan plus the best tony has ever played.
1999- timmy and d-rob disrupted everything defensively for everyone. one of the best defensive teams ever
2003- timmy in his prime
2005- short rotation, barry is starting, tony not his best, nazr starting, questionable

[Hoy]

Just as a principle, the last championship team is the best.
Probably because I am thinking mortality of a team.
Even a great team like the current Spurs, how long can they do this?

[spursreport]

you guys really know how to overrate the 2007 team

So should we put asteriks next to this years le then? I agree this wasnt the most thrilling ride to a le, but this team wasnt exactly chop liver either. One thing that they had that they didnt have in 03 or 05 was a killer instinct.

[Spurs Dynasty 21]

2007- Manu/Duncan/Parker all in prime and playing incredible

1999- this team only lost 1 damn game in the post

2003- lots of depth on this team, plus D Rob

2005- Manu was incredible

[Supergirl]

2003 was our best roster. But 2007 comes in second, then 1999, and then 2005.

[spursjustice]

Starting Lineup:

1999 - Tim Duncan, Sean Elliott, David Robinson, Mario Elie, Avery Johnson
2003 - Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, David Robinson, Stephen Jackson, Tony Parker
2005 - Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker
2007 - Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Michael Finley, Tony Parker

Reserves:

1999 - Jaren Jackson, Malik Rose, Antonio Daniels, Steve Kerr
2003 - Manu Ginobili, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, Speedy Claxton
2005 - Brent Barry, Robert Horry, Rasho Nesterovic,
2007 - Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, Francisco Elson, Jacque Vaughn

Difficulty of path to NBA le:

1999 - Minnesota (3-1), Lakers (4-0), Trailblazers (4-0), New York Knicks (4-1)
2003 - Phoenix (4-2), Lakers (4-2), Dallas (4-2), New Jersey Nets (4-2)
2005 - Denver (4-1), Seattle (4-2), Phoenix (4-1), Detroit Pistons (4-3)
2007 - Denver (4-1), Phoenix (4-2), Utah (4-1), Cleveland Cavs (4-0)


In my opinion, 1999, 2005, 2007 and 2003.

[Supergirl]

2003: We had our best C (David), our best back up PG (Speedy), and both Jax and Manu for explosive scoring. Plus the clutch services of Steve Kerr which saved our asses in a couple games. Plus Tony and Tim.

2007: We had the best C we've had since David (Oberto), our best man to man defender (Bowen), and the clutch defensive prowess of Robert Horry. And even though he didn't score much in 2007, his long history of clutch 3 pointers makes him an asset offensively - teams HAVE to guard him. Plus Tony and Tim.

IMO, it's hard to argue these weren't our two best lineups.

1999, we had David and Tim, but the rest of the roster was a bunch of scrubs, plus Sean Elliot, who was playing on one kidney.

2005, we won despite a glaring hole at back up PG and at the C spot.

[bigFUNDAMENTAL]

05
99
07
03

[exstatic]

Well, whottt, we're probably just never going to see eye to eye on this one. You see it as going up 3-2 on Dallas. I see it as going up 3-1, and dropping a stupid home game with a chance to close out. To me, the kicker is that the 1999 team never was in jeopardy at all. The 2003 had by far the most talent, but if Horry doesn't rim out the game five ender for LA, we'd be talking about coulda, shoulda, woulda for 2003, 2004 and 2006, and we'd be sitting on 3 trophies, maybe. If he hits that shot, maybe the Lakers don't let him go, so he's not here in 2005 to torture the Pistons.

[TMTTRIO]

1999- We had David and Tim and almost swept the playoffs. Also who can forget Sean's Memorial Day Miracle.

2005- With Tim struggling from his injuries, Manu decided to step up his game and played at a ridiculous level. It was awesome seeing him take over games. Also the Detroit series was an awesome series. Who can forget Robert Horry's clutch 3 pointer in game 5.

2003-First of all it was great to get rid of the Lakers. David Robinson leaves as a Champion. Our role players played well and Steve Kerr raining those threes on Dallas to send them home.

2007- It really wasn't a challenge other than the Suns but it was great to see Tim Duncan dominate games. It was really awesome to see Tony taking over games in the playoffs and Bruce's awesome defense.

[Texas_Ranger]

2003

[barbacoataco]

It is amazing that their in no agreement about this. All 4 championship teams have supporters, and you could make any argument for any of them.

[101A]

1999.

The 1999 team swept two very good teams, the Lakers, who won three straight les after 1999, and the Blazers, who should have won their 2000 series vs. the Lakers. No other Spurs team came close to 15-2 in the playoffs.

16-4 is close, IMO.

[101A]

...2007- It really wasn't a challenge ...

And you use this as a reason to rank that team last?

[ashrafabdeljaber]

I don't think the 2007 team should be ranked as one of the top. First of all, they were down in the series against nuggets, they bypassed the Dallas mavericks who were beaten by Golden State. Who knows what would have happened if the spurs faced the Mavs. Also, game 5 of the suns/spurs series was very controversial. Who knows what could have happened if the suspensions of both Diaw and Stoudamire was different. Another thing, they swept the unexperienced Cleveland Cavaliers so that doesnt make them a great team just because they beat an unexperienced team. I think the best team was probably 2005 because it was their first le without David Robinson, or other players such as Steve Kerr and others who contributed to the ile. Also Tony Parker wasn't the same and neither was Ginoboli who both contributed greatly in the 2007 championship run. They somehow won 05 with all those obstacles.

[Tacker]

2005 > 2003 > 1999 > 2007

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

2005 was the only team that played a legit Champion in the Finals that actually played proven championship defense and championship rebounding against a loaded HOF team. We also had a great road to the championship with a deep West from end to end.

The rest of those finals series during the other 'ship years, we played bull J.V. teams.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

2003 was probably our most rawly talented, and youthful team however..

[baseline bum]

1. 99 - The 99 team was easily the most physical, got great production from its shooters, and Robinson completely shut down the paint.

2. 03 - Deepest team and toughest run out of the West. Duncan played the best ball of his career, Bowen was incredible, and they made the best opponent of any of the le runs cry like es.

3. 05 - Could have been higher if Duncan was healthy, especially with the monster runs of Manu and Rob.

4. 07 - Definitely the weakest of the le teams; their defense was nowhere close to the 99,03, and 05 teams. They might have been the best team offensively though.

[lefty]

2005 was the best overall team

2003 was the most talented

1999 had the most killer instinct of all

2007 was the oldest

[baseline bum]

The next year they had Malone and Payton, minus an off his game Horry, not exactly the same team as in 2003.

I will grant you that if we replace DRob with one of our current centers, we wouldn't have won. That kinda helps prove my point though.

Payton was worse than Fisher. Payton was an absolute turnstile on D, and was a horrible fit on that team. All the Laker fans were so glad to get rid of him after the way Billups murdered him in the Finals.