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

[Darius McCrary]

The 2003 Nets were much better than the 2002 Nets. 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).

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.

-Good memory. Totally forgot about that game 3.

-Robert Horry has to be one of the most interesting players in NBA history. I mean what a complete bad ass. Just unbelievable the way he's ripped out the hearts opposing team's fans over his entire career.

-LOLOL at Kobe Bean on the other side of the reporter, just begging for attention.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Because the Nets were a great defensive team. Kenyon Martin actually did play like an allstar player at the time. Had a top 5 defensive PG in league history let alone top 5 playmaker in league history.

The had probably the best shot blocker in NBA history on the team. They had RJ when he still athletic and could jump through the roof like Lavine. They had a pretty good SG in Harris who was playing at a high level at that point in his career. They had a great defensive backup PG in Johnson. There is a reason Parker sucked in that series as Kidd and Johnson owed him defensively in that series, which is no knock on Parker, its just that those two at the time probably were the best defensive 1-2 defensive PG tandem in the league until Billsup/Hunter replace them.

Nets were a great defensive team. They weren't no push over of a team.

[313]

Second highest win shares behind prime Tim Duncan

[Yuixafun]

Kittles and Marshall too... I played the out of Nbak 2003

[florige]

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.

I am with EHJ line of thinking. Even though we were down 10 I never at all felt threatened against them despite that being their second finals appearance. I just didn't have confidence at all that they would be able to hold up that kind of shooting for the remainder of the game. Even after Rodney Rogers drained that corner 3 to put them up ten late in the 3rd I still felt confident that we would make some kind of run. They peaked way to early in that game.

[Sean Cagney]

I am with EHJ line of thinking. Even though we were down 10 I never at all felt threatened against them despite that being their second finals appearance. I just didn't have confidence at all that they would be able to hold up that kind of shooting for the remainder of the game. Even after Rodney Rogers drained that corner 3 to put them up ten late in the 3rd I still felt confident that we would make some kind of run. They peaked way to early in that game.

Man the Spurs kept coming back and that Rogers three was a dagger IMO at the time, thought they would take the game when that happened so I am glad I was wrong. That series scared me for some odd reason, they played the Spurs extremely well and nothing in that game was going in sides Tim Duncans shots until the 4th when Jax and Speedy came on. D Rob had a of a game as well. That series was a underrated series IMO, very good.

Now you can't tell me a few years later when Detroit was up 9 or so in the third Q in game 7 you were not worried, I am sure ALL OF US were scared to death at that time TBH in a do or die game 7.

[florige]

Man the Spurs kept coming back and that Rogers three was a dagger IMO at the time, thought they would take the game when that happened so I am glad I was wrong. That series scared me for some odd reason, they played the Spurs extremely well and nothing in that game was going in sides Tim Duncans shots until the 4th when Jax and Speedy came on. D Rob had a of a game as well. That series was a underrated series IMO, very good.

Now you can't tell me a few years later when Detroit was up 9 or so in the third Q in game 7 you were not worried, I am sure ALL OF US were scared to death at that time TBH in a do or die game 7.

I remember that shot like it was yesterday and after he drained it the camera's immediately showed Kidd's wife going nuts. I just wasn't confident that the Nets were better than us at all. I just had a feeling that we had one more run in us and that once we would get the lead the game would be over. Now I am with you on Detroit. They had just destroyed a stacked Laker team the year before. Yes I was flat out scared playing against them. That was the first finals that I actually went in not really confident of our chances. And my biggest X-Factor for them was Larry Brown. I thought he would flat out coach circles around Pop.

[Sean Cagney]

I remember that shot like it was yesterday and after he drained it the camera's immediately showed Kidd's wife going nuts. I just wasn't confident that the Nets were better than us at all. I just had a feeling that we had one more run in us and that once we would get the lead the game would be over. Now I am with you on Detroit. They had just destroyed a stacked Laker team the year before. Yes I was flat out scared playing against them. That was the first finals that I actually went in not really confident of our chances. And my biggest X-Factor for them was Larry Brown. I thought he would flat out coach circles around Pop.

Agreed on Detroit there, the thing is Pop made the key adjustment later in the series that won it IMO when he put Bowen on Billups and that really threw his game off (Pop was on his game those finals). I thought the Spurs going in would beat Detroit but I didn't think it would be sound and it could go 6 or 7 and I was right on that end of things, they were a very tough bunch to defeat.

I remember the 2003 finals game 6 when before hand Robinson said I am not playing another game and it came out to be true, I liked when I heard that from him and he just knew it would be over with that night. For some reason that part still sticks out to me.

[Thomas82]

What about Kerr's game six against the Mavies (4 huge 3s with Parker on the bench due to food poisoning from a Dallas restaurant)? That was as memorable as it can get.....

If I remember right, in Game 1 of that Mavs series Tim Duncan had 19 points in the 1st quarter.

[Bonner4MVP]

The Spurs were definitely the best team in the NBA that season but for some reason I keep remembering they would blow huge leads maybe due to boredom. Pretty much all of the elite teams we played that season we blew a huge lead either to win in a nail biter or lose it all out.

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs were definitely the best team in the NBA that season but for some reason I keep remembering they would blow huge leads maybe due to boredom. Pretty much all of the elite teams we played that season we blew a huge lead either to win in a nail biter or lose it all out.

They did that all the time, but they never really learned their lesson because they could always come back. They just seemed able to turn it on whenever they wanted.