Why did the Nets take us to six games in the 03 NBA Finals?

[100%duncan]

It's at the very backend of my mind really since I was just a little kid, but I remember TD having to do everything except shooting the 3. And JKidd prime was a beast.

[Sean Cagney]

I remember sweating out a couple of playoff series that year, but not the Finals. In spite of the fact that the series went 6 I never felt like the Spurs were in any jeopardy of losing that series.

Game 6 got scary man, they were down 10 at the beginning of the 4th. That series was not easy. There was some close games as well in that series, particularly games 2, 3 and game 5 where the Spurs pulled away at the very end. The Nets hung in every game except game one.

[PublicOption]

STERN

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Game 6 got scary man, they were down 10 at the beginning of the 4th. That series was not easy. There was some close games as well in that series, particularly games 2, 3 and game 5 where the Spurs pulled away at the very end. The Nets hung in every game except game one.

Maybe it was just the opponent. When the Spurs made the Finals I was certain they had the championship won. When I went back and re-watched the series years later I realized it was much more compe ive than I had remembered.

Definitely not the Spurs strongest roster. TD in his prime, and just enough help to get them over the top.

[lefty]

[Sean Cagney]

Maybe it was just the opponent. When the Spurs made the Finals I was certain they had the championship won. When I went back and re-watched the series years later I realized it was much more compe ive than I had remembered.

Definitely not the Spurs strongest roster. TD in his prime, and just enough help to get them over the top.

Honestly Charles said after the Wcf that this would be our toughest opponent they faced and I laughed but in reality it was close. That Nets team was pretty good man in all reality. They swept Detroit in 03 ECF and they were on a mission too.

[therealtruth]

Regardless, I think the word to describe Parker in 2003 was inconsistent; he was unquestionably vital and brilliant at times during that run.

I think that word still describes TP. The constant in almost all of our playoff failures is TP not playing well. The only exception I can think of is '09 when he played out of his mind but just didn't have enough help.

[Yuixafun]

I remember this year for being 6... Before the other 6.

Man y'all have some great long term memories, having my brain going into overgrown wilderness and rediscovering dazzling ruins.

That Horry shot, I swear it was going in because he made everything back then for the Lakers in crunch time. And then... Holy he missed! Which led us to acquiring him later. I always thought La treated him rather tritely after what he did for them. They thought he was used up and were cutting dead weight. We were happy to see and rewarded, if he had some magic left.

I think I was at the Folklife festival when Sjax started burying those threes. It was evening and I was passing one of the booths with hay straw like table cloth and they had a t.v. set up.

I concur on the Marbury just overmatching Parker. Relentless force.

That three from Manu, thanks for uncovering that gem again.

Of course I remember being happy for the Admiral going out as a champ.

After this year I became more than just a casual fan. In 2005 I was recording games and doing write up, lol... I wonder if I have any of those notebooks around.

[Gervin44Silas13]

It should have been a 5 game series

they struggled in Game 2 Jaxs almost pulled a rabbit out of the hat that game

turnovers was big also closing out teams they'd be up by 20 points and almost choke away games
Game 5 of the WCFS was a example of that if Horry hits that three we could have been as good as ed...

but we got the 2nd 'Chip

[manufan10]

I've seen people talking about the '03 championship DVD and how it was the best. I re-watched it last night, and I have to say '05 is by far my favorite championship DVD.

[hater]

Coasted after beating the Lakers imo

[Spurs Brazil]

You can blast Parker for 2003 if you want, but he came up absolutely huge for the Spurs on a few occasions during that run. In particular, he was the sidekick Duncan needed in Games 3 and 4 of the Dallas series, which turned an 0-1 series deficit into a 3-1 lead. He was bad in game 6 of the WCF, but that was the creme brûlée game where there was some doubt about whether he'd even play. Speedy Claxton got a lot of TP's early minutes and came up pretty small; ironically (given the retrospective worship of Speedy around here) Steve Kerr got minutes in Game 6 largely because Parker couldn't go and Claxton was pretty ineffective.

Regardless, I think the word to describe Parker in 2003 was inconsistent; he was unquestionably vital and brilliant at times during that run.

TP was also great in game 3 at Phoenix and in the first 3 games of the Finals

[FromWayDowntown]

TP was also great in game 3 at Phoenix and in the first 3 games of the Finals

Yeah, I didn't mean for my list to be exhaustive. He had a lot of terrific moments in both 2002 and 2003. The narrative that he was helpless and just along for the ride (because of the way that Kerr played in Game 6 in Dallas and the way that Claxton played in Game 6 against New Jersey) is just simply rewriting history. In some ways, the biggest games of that playoff run were Game 3 at Phoenix, Games 3 & 4 in Dallas, and Game 3 in New Jersey -- all road games the Spurs had to have to get themselves back on top of those series after giving up HCA in the first two games -- and Parker showed up in all of them and the Spurs won all of them:

Game 3 at PNX -- 37 mins, 12-21 FG, 29 points
Game 3 at DAL -- 37 mins, 13-23 FG, 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers
Game 4 at DAL -- 44 mins, 9-22 FG, 25 points, 5 assists, 2 turnovers
Game 3 at NJ -- 43 mins, 9-21 FG (4-6 3PT), 26 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover

He played well in Games 5 & 6 of the Lakers series that year, too.

Mostly, he played like a talented 20-year-old second year player; a lot of really good and some really bad.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Great memories of the series and I remember all of what you are talking about like it was yesterday man! Those games were nail biters (A few). Game 2 had me scared to death, thought the series was over in the 4th and the Suns would win the series. That Manu three was HUGE! Even as a rookie he had that clutch gene.

Don't you love the old 2003 offense stalling droughts they would go on and blow a game they had? I remember game one against Dallas 14 pt game one lead at home, blew it. Game 5 with no business at all at home up big in the third and without Dirk, BLEW IT and lost. Game 5 against LA a huge lead and Horry's miss is the only thing that saved our season there, another huge blown lead from a drought in which the Spurs would just go on at any time. When on they were dominant and blowing you out, then the drought would come out of nowhere.
Disagree on the only memorable game being that as there were a few in those playoffs and one being the Mavs most mentioned. The Kings the Spurs matched up well with all year long and healthy or not I think SA beats them (After they beat LA nothing was going to stop them IMO). Mavs even with Dirk stole game one after a huge Spurs blown lead as they were prone to that year and the Spurs won the next 2 with him in there (One in Dallas) and had a good lead in the 3rd when he went down in game 4 at Dallas, so with him or not they were not better than the Spurs who only lost games in that series because they would be stupid and let teams back in games that year for some reason? I think they were the best team that year, regardless.

Great response; one correction, Dirk went down late in the third quarter in game 3 (where the Spurs had already just turned a 17 point Dallas lead into a 1 point Spurs lead) -- the Spurs would coast the rest of the way. The Mavs did not have Dirk for games 4, 5 or 6 and he was in grave foul trouble all game 2 (three in the first quarter, drew his 4th foul before halftime)

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Yeah, I didn't mean for my list to be exhaustive. He had a lot of terrific moments in both 2002 and 2003. The narrative that he was helpless and just along for the ride (because of the way that Kerr played in Game 6 in Dallas and the way that Claxton played in Game 6 against New Jersey) is just simply rewriting history. In some ways, the biggest games of that playoff run were Game 3 at Phoenix, Games 3 & 4 in Dallas, and Game 3 in New Jersey -- all road games the Spurs had to have to get themselves back on top of those series after giving up HCA in the first two games -- and Parker showed up in all of them and the Spurs won all of them:

Game 3 at PNX -- 37 mins, 12-21 FG, 29 points
Game 3 at DAL -- 37 mins, 13-23 FG, 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers
Game 4 at DAL -- 44 mins, 9-22 FG, 25 points, 5 assists, 2 turnovers
Game 3 at NJ -- 43 mins, 9-21 FG (4-6 3PT), 26 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover

He played well in Games 5 & 6 of the Lakers series that year, too.

Mostly, he played like a talented 20-year-old second year player; a lot of really good and some really bad.

People also forget we were down 11 late in the 3rd quarter of that game, too. Parker almost singlehandedly carried us back with two threes, a floater and an assist (remember when he could shoot threes?!) which wiped away that deficit in almost no time. Manu made the biggest shot at the end of that game, though.

[Chomper]

Very good question. I have no idea. I remember celebrating before the 03 Finals began because the Lakers had just swept the Nets in the Finals in 2002, and I thought the Nets sucked. And the Lakers had smashed the East rep for the last 3 years, and we had crushed NY in 99, and I thought we would just roll over them.

I guess Jason Kidd and RJ were really good back then? Still, even when you look back, we almost lost game 6! That's crazy. Which makes me think we must have just been lucky to be there and maybe what everyone says is true: "The Lakers were just bored in 03 after winning 3 straight and that's why we beat them."

[boutons_deux]

Tony was so hot often in the 03 championship series, there were mentions of him being Finals MVP.

[Sean Cagney]

Great response; one correction, Dirk went down late in the third quarter in game 3 (where the Spurs had already just turned a 17 point Dallas lead into a 1 point Spurs lead) -- the Spurs would coast the rest of the way. The Mavs did not have Dirk for games 4, 5 or 6 and he was in grave foul trouble all game 2 (three in the first quarter, drew his 4th foul before halftime)

Yep it was game three, but he had played 40 mins by then so it was not the third Q? Check the stats. I believe they were up by more than 1 at the time when he went down and it was the 4th Q not the third.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...305230DAL.html

Either way you are right it was game three, the Spurs were in control by then IMO and took over the series. There is no way they lose to the Mavs that year IMO, blew game one after that big lead at home and should have been up 3-0 in reality, the Mavs never even belonged in that series but the Spurs kept letting them back in. Their frontline and D was so soft and the Spurs matched up well with that. Mavs never would have been in the WCF if Webber did not get hurt. I used to laugh at Mavs fans saying well Dirk got hurt when in reality they benefitted more off an injury but conveniently forget that with their arguments (Just like 06 when the Spurs got robbed by the refs but Dallas es about the finals calls).

Tony was so hot often in the 03 championship series, there were mentions of him being Finals MVP.

No there wasn't, Tims game one basically put him in the front and he never even got close to losing that. Game 2 Tony was hot though no doubt, he lead that fierce come back late in the game they almost won. Tim though was just on another level, MVP never in doubt. Tony actually had a bad series overall sides game 2 with Speedy and Kerr closing games.

He shot 38% and 60% from the Line and averaged 14.7 PPG, Tims numbers dwarf that and then some for that series, the MVP was never questioned or in doubt. Are you thinking of another series?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...-vs-spurs.html

[ducks]

LOL AT SPEEDY BEING -17 THAT GAME TP +30

[baseline bum]

I've seen people talking about the '03 championship DVD and how it was the best. I re-watched it last night, and I have to say '05 is by far my favorite championship DVD.

I thought 99 was far and away the best, 14 far and away the worst.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Yep it was game three, but he had played 40 mins by then so it was not the third Q? Check the stats. I believe they were up by more than 1 at the time when he went down and it was the 4th Q not the third.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...305230DAL.html

Early fourth then. I do remember him playing nearly the entire game and it was pretty darn close when he went down.

<edit> You were right, we were up 12 when Dirk missed the shot, a Spur landed on him and he went down. Midway through the 4th. Idk why I remembered it to be that close. I think I remember though that Dirk was already limping by the time we had finally caught up and taken the lead, though.

[SASdynasty!]

I think that word still describes TP. The constant in almost all of our playoff failures is TP not playing well. The only exception I can think of is '09 when he played out of his mind but just didn't have enough help.

Translation: This team goes as far as MVParker takes them.

[Sean Cagney]

Early fourth then. I do remember him playing nearly the entire game and it was pretty darn close when he went down.

<edit> You were right, we were up 12 when Dirk missed the shot, a Spur landed on him and he went down. Midway through the 4th. Idk why I remembered it to be that close. I think I remember though that Dirk was already limping by the time we had finally caught up and taken the lead, though.

Spurs were always in control of that series and no way they lose to the Mavs after beating the Lakers. That was their hurdle.

[therealtruth]

Translation: This team goes as far as MVParker takes them.

I just think TP would be more highly regarded if he didn't have that history of not playing well in playoff losses. It hurts to lose but it hurts even more when you know you didn't play as well as your capable of.

[Kawhitstorm]

Very good question. I have no idea. I remember celebrating before the 03 Finals began because the Lakers had just swept the Nets in the Finals in 2002, and I thought the Nets sucked. And the Lakers had smashed the East rep for the last 3 years, and we had crushed NY in 99, and I thought we would just roll over them.

I guess Jason Kidd and RJ were really good back then? Still, even when you look back, we almost lost game 6! That's crazy. Which makes me think we must have just been lucky to be there and maybe what everyone says is true: "The Lakers were just bored in 03 after winning 3 straight and that's why we beat them."

The 2003 Nets were much better than the 2002 Nets especially b/c of the improved play of K-Mart/Jefferson along w/ the addition of Mutombo to improve their interior defense/rebounding. The 2002 Nets almost lost to the Pacers in the 1st rd meanwhile the 2003 Nets swept their way to the Finals (including sweeping Pistons w/ Rip/Billups/Ben Wallace/Prince/Big Nasty & Carlisle at the helms).

LoL @ the Lakers smashing 3 straight opponents in the Finals when 2000 was a 6 game series along w/ Gm 4 being decided in overtime & the Lakers having to comeback in the 4th quarter of the closeout game. Once Kobe sprained his ankle in Gm 2 the series was a tossup, it was Shaq's dominance that made it seem like an annihilation.

Also, in the 2000 Finals the Sixers were on the verge of a comeback victory in Gm 3 for a 2-1 series lead after Shaq fouled out in the 4th quarter before Horry ripped their heart out w/ a dagger 3 to put the Lakers up 4 w/ less than a minutes remaining. The Sixers looked defeated after going down 1-2 & got smashed in the final 2 games of the series by a Lakers team that was destroying teams when they smelled blood.