When sports fans use the phrase "end of an era", nine times out of ten, the era was either legendary or will have a lasting impact on many. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich did both and much more.
Popovich makes his case for the league's greatest coach, having the most regular season victories with 1,422 and 170 wins in the playoffs. Pop is also responsible for having his hand in developing some of the league's biggest players and coaches.
Popovich's coaching tree continues to grow, as there were eight head coaches at the start of last season who had ties with Popovich. Whether they were on his team with the Spurs or during his stint with USA Basketball, Popovich is heavily credited with where the league is today.
With that in mind, let's give Pop his flowers and take a closer look at and rank each of the Spurs' memorable championship runs in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
Ranking each of the Spurs five championship seasons
5. 2003 NBA Finals; Spurs 4 - New Jersey Nets 1
The Spurs came into the 2002-2003 season on a mission. They ended the prior season on a sour note, nearly getting swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. This tough loss would spoil Tim Duncan's first MVP season. On his way to a repeat MVP award, Duncan averaged 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game in 2003.
Duncan was becoming the face of the league alongside Kobe Bryant and would lead the Spurs to a league-best 60-22 regular season record.
Additionally, Duncan's new-age supporting cast was coming into their own. Second-year point guard Tony Parker carved out a major role and was second on the team in scoring. On the wings, Stephen Jackson, Bruce Bowen, and the unorthodox rookie Manu Ginobili were heavy contributors, while Malik Rose and David Robinson were important factors in the frontcourt.
In the postseason, the Spurs marched through the Phoenix Suns, Lakers, and the Dallas Mavericks, beating each team 4 games to 2. Next came a matchup with the Jason Kidd-led New Jersey Nets, who had lost in the Finals round the year before.
From the start of this series, Duncan proved why he was that guy. After upping his regular season stat-line in each major category, Duncan was a bully near the basket, and his coveted bank-shot was becoming lethal.
This was also Duncan's coming-out party in terms of proving his underrated athletic ability at that time. Meanwhile, Popovich (2003 Coach of the Year) emphasized team defense as the Spurs stifled the Nets' well-oiled offense all series.
After six games, the Spurs would win their second championship and send Robinson off to retirement on a high note. Ultimately, this was a great championship run for Popovich and the Spurs as they badly bruised the Lakers' Dynasty to get into the Finals, Duncan and Pop were becoming the next big coach-and-star duo, and the Twin Tower era ended in the best way possible.
4. 2007 NBA Finals; Spurs 4 - Cleveland Cavaliers 0
The 2006-2007 season saw Timmy take a slight backseat to Parker's new stardom. While Duncan was still the team's scoring leader and yet again an All-Star, Popovich would now run the team through Parker's true floor general capabilities.
Parker was an All-Star himself after averaging 18 points and 6 assists a game in the regular season. Thanks to his speed, quickness, and great ball movement, Parker was one of the league's best point guards.
Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili would meet young phenom LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. James was becoming the new face of the league after guiding his mediocre Cavs cast to the league's final round. The Spurs were too much to handle as they crushed the Cavaliers on their way to a 4-0 sweep. To make it sweeter, the Spurs would finish the series on Cleveland's home floor.
Ultimately, Popovich had molded another San Antonio superstar during this period. Parker would become the first European-born player to win a Finals MVP award. The 2007 championship would prove to be a masterful run for the team as they would bring home their third championship in eight years and further solidify Popovich as a great head coach.
3. 2005 NBA Finals; Spurs 4 - Detroit Pistons 3
In 2005, San Antonio again had something to prove. Duncan was two years removed from his last MVP season, but he still averaged over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. Parker and Ginobili were also improving, both averaging over 17 points. In particular, Ginobili showcased his European flair on the basketball court, and his impressive performances earned him his first All-Star selection.
Entering the playoffs with an impressive 59 wins, the Spurs initially dominated two young teams: the Denver Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony, and the Seattle SuperSonics, led by Ray Allen. They then faced the best team in the league that season, the Phoenix Suns.
Despite Steve Nash winning the MVP award and Amare Stoudemire’s contributions, they struggled against the experienced Spurs, who prevailed in five games. This set the stage for a championship showdown between San Antonio and the reigning champion, the Detroit Pistons.
The two teams were ranked number one and two in defensive efficiency, and each played a similar, balanced, and disciplined style of play. The Pistons' core of Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Price, and Ben Wallace was the epitome of toughness. That season saw Detroit involved in a brutal altercation nicknamed "The Malace at the Palace," which proved their togetherness as a team.
Duncan was tested more than ever before, having to produce against an outstanding defensive attack from the Pistons.
This series went back and forth, with both teams not wanting to give the other an inch. Popovich and the Spurs were given their toughest test ever, and the series would reach seven games. When the final buzzer sounded, Popovich and the Spurs would win 81-74 in a game seven that was ignited by a double-digit third quarter comeback.
Duncan would win his third Finals MVP Trophy, and the Spurs Dynasty would get a little stronger, especially after winning in the narrow fashion that they did.
2. 2014 NBA Finals; Spurs 4 - Miami Heat 1
The audio of commentator Mike Breen calling play-by-play for Ray Allen's stunning game-tying shot in the 2013 NBA Finals has been played around the world for the last ten years. After that shot and a subsequent loss in the following game, the Spurs ended a superb season in the worst possible way. With this defeat in mind, the veteran team had something to prove as they entered the 2013-2014 season.
During that season, an aging "Big Three" took players like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green under their wing, helping to develop both into key contributors. The 2014 team was incredibly balanced, with six players averaging double-digit scoring numbers that year, with Parker leading the way with over 18.
Motivated by a remarkable 19-game winning streak from late February to early April, the Spurs finished with a 60-22 record, making them the top team in the Western Conference. Throughout the playoffs, Popovich and the Spurs were heavily tested and had to make adjustments in every round.
In round one, the Spurs rolled past an aging Mavericks team before battling two young and versatile teams in the Trail Blazers and OKC Thunder in rounds two and three. To avoid matchup disadvantages, Coach Pop had to make several lineup changes.
Only a few coaches can go against the norm and reduce minutes for their "star" players, opting instead for those who better match up with the opposing teams. Popovich's adaptability is a key factor in his greatness and in what contributed to the Spurs' success that season.
In the Finals, the Spurs faced the Heat for the second consecutive year, and right from Game 1, they proved that their loss the previous year should not have happened. In a dominant 4 games to 1 series win, the Spurs achieved a 14-point per game differential from the series, which was the largest in Finals history. In a series-clinching game 5, the Spurs beat Miami by 17 in front of their hometown crowd.
During this period, Leonard was coming into his own, thanks to Popovich's guidance. For his efforts, he was named Finals MVP for the series. San Antonio's impressive victory marked one of the best runs in NBA history, considering what was at stake and what they aimed to prove.
The cherry on top was that Popovich was given his third Coach of the Year award. Additionally, this win would end James' tenure in Miami and significantly alter the direction of the league following his return to Cleveland.
1. 1999 NBA Finals; Spurs 4 - New York Knicks 1
It was September 1998, and the post-Michael Jordan era had begun. The league was set to start a season without Jordan for the first time since 1983. Now, it was time for a new team to emerge and take control of the league's future. That season, Popovich's second full season as head coach, got off to a rocky start after delaying for four months due to that season's lockout.
The lockout was fueled by contract disputes between team owners and the NBA Players Association. After the delay, the season was shortened to 50 games. Despite a slow start, the Spurs would eventually start storming through the league. Heading into the playoffs, the Spurs were 37-13 and the Western Conference's number one seed. The Admiral and Duncan were developing into the league's best big-man duo.
The duo had the help of great pieces such as Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and the slew of players that were acquired in the offseason: Steve Kerr, Antonio Daniels, Mario Ellie, and Jerome Kersey. With this group, they would easily march in the NBA Finals, losing just one game in the first three rounds in a postseason filled with memorable moments.
In the championship series against the New York Knicks, there was a significant mismatch. The Knicks barely made it through, entering the playoffs as the eighth seed. Allen Houston and Latrell Sprewell were the key players for the Knicks after Patrick Ewing was sidelined in the previous round. Houston and Sprewell did everything they could to compete against the Spurs.
Remarkably, four out of the five games in the series were closely contested, with each game decided by fewer than eight points.
In game five, the Knicks experienced a scoring surge, with their star duo each scoring over 25 points. In the last two minutes of the game, the lead changed hands multiple times until a jump shot by Johnson put the Spurs ahead by one point with 47 seconds remaining. The Knicks were unable to regain the lead, and the Spurs secured their first championship moments later.
This was the most important of the five championship runs as it propelled the Spurs into a future dynasty. Popovich's wizardry would begin to show as time went on, and Duncan would blossom into one of the NBA's best young talents. The Spurs would prove that they were the next best thing in the NBA and would reach the Conference or NBA Finals in each of the next six seasons.
It's hard to believe that the Popovich era of coaching has come to an end. However, Pop will remain a part of the Spurs family, as he has committed to a full-time role as the team's President. The Popovich story is far from over, but these last couple of chapters are going to look a bit different.