Is This Spurs Greatest Basketball Team Ever?

[pistontr]

They are flawless.

[ComboGuardCity]

96 Bulls.

[MotownMadness]

No but they might be my favorite team besides for the Pistons.

[RSCD3_]

They have the best chemistry of every team probably ever

Also they have a great combination of trust and knowing your role

Something we could learn from

[Invictus88]

No but they might be my favorite team besides for the Pistons.

Agreed. It's really hard not to respect the way they play together. Just a class organization.


But I don't think they beat some of those great Bulls teams and actually even some of the Pistons teams might give them trouble just due to balance IMO.

Not to discredit their win (because they played fantastic) but Miami didn't play particularly well in the Finals (outside of LeBron). Part of it was most assuredly due to the Spurs defense but Miami's lack of depth was really exposed. Pop did a fantastic job of rotating in players in short shifts to really tire out the Heat.

[ImHeisenberg]

Probably not the best in terms of talent depth- even though they likely have 3 hall of fame players. But, it may be the best championship team that truly won and lost as a team. The 04 Pistons were a great team like that, but I doubt they would have been able to beat this Spurs team (besides the fact that they couldn't beat the 05 team).

[The Penguin]

I'm not even sure they are better than the 2005 Spurs.


I'd be interested to see how the '04-'05 Pistons stacked up against this Spurs team. A big part of the reason they torched Miami was awful defensive rotations. The '04 Pistons team was so deep SA's rotations wouldn't matter as much and they were able to guard most any situation without needing too much help.

[HotelVitale]

My thought would be that they're not even close. They played really well on both sides of the ball during the finals, but they weren't particularly dominant in the playoffs or regular season. Heat didn't bring it either and looked much slower and less skilled this time around (aside from Lebron). And the Spurs matched up well and stayed one step ahead the whole time.

For comparison's sake, the Mavs played really well against the Heat three years ago, but that still wasn't a very good NBA championship team compared to other champions. They just played great at the right time. These Spurs are much better than that team but I don't think they would win most series against most of the great teams from the past.

[hoophabit]

They are flawless.

The Spurs are very good indeed. Rather, consider that the Heat with Wade's decline are a profoundly flawed team. Further, Ray Allen is approaching the end as well. LeBron can't do everything, even though sometimes it seems he can. Bosh is a nice complementary player, but he doesn't often carry a team. Bosh, James, and Wade represent a large proportion of their over the cap payroll. They can't afford the solid bench of the Spurs. Flawless, greatest ever? I think the great teams of the Lakers, Bulls, Celtics, or even Bad Boy Pistons were better. The Fo, Fo, Fo, 76s probably were too. However, the Spurs sure put it on the Heat this time, and I enjoyed it as well. I never liked the whole "Super Friends" thing.

[DCintheD]

I'm not even sure they are better than the 2005 Spurs.


I'd be interested to see how the '04-'05 Pistons stacked up against this Spurs team. A big part of the reason they torched Miami was awful defensive rotations. The '04 Pistons team was so deep SA's rotations wouldn't matter as much and they were able to guard most any situation without needing too much help.

I remember us only having a 7-man rotation vs the spurs in 05. Our lack of depth was actually out weakness in that series. Our starting 5 played heavy minutes in those close games. Still tho we were a Robert Horry 3 away from potentially winning back to backs. I think this Spurs team, because of their depth, strong team chemistry and the emergence of Kawhi would have the edge vs the 05 Spurs.

[Billl]

I love watching this spurs team. They play team ball on both ends. I don't think that they have quite the separation from the competition as some of the great teams though. They are the champs and they deserve it, but it wasn't the type of runaway dominance that gets into the "greatest ever" talk in terms of individual teams.

On the flip side, 5 championships in the Duncan era certainly puts you in the conversation for all-time great runs. Celtics, Lakers, Bulls. When you get to that level, it's pretty special.

[The Penguin]

I'm not even sure they are better than the 2005 Spurs.


I'd be interested to see how the '04-'05 Pistons stacked up against this Spurs team. A big part of the reason they torched Miami was awful defensive rotations. The '04 Pistons team was so deep SA's rotations wouldn't matter as much and they were able to guard most any situation without needing too much help.

I remember us only having a 7-man rotation vs the spurs in 05. Our lack of depth was actually out weakness in that series. Our starting 5 played heavy minutes in those close games. Still tho we were a Robert Horry 3 away from potentially winning back to backs. I think this Spurs team, because of their depth, strong team chemistry and the emergence of Kawhi would have the edge vs the 05 Spurs.

We were deeper in '04. Lost Okur, Corliss & Mike James and only added McDyess in 2005, though the 2005 team had the benefit of more time together.

[hoophabit]

I love watching this spurs team. They play team ball on both ends. I don't think that they have quite the separation from the competition as some of the great teams though. They are the champs and they deserve it, but it wasn't the type of runaway dominance that gets into the "greatest ever" talk in terms of individual teams.

On the flip side, 5 championships in the Duncan era certainly puts you in the conversation for all-time great runs. Celtics, Lakers, Bulls. When you get to that level, it's pretty special.

Duncan is something special. He's costing them the same money as Tiago Splitter, and if that isn't a team oriented, low ego superstar I don't know what is. Spurs are a very well run organization, and lucky to have drafted such a down to earth team anchor.

[E-Z]

Best Spurs team? Definitely.

Best team of all time? I'll have to get back to you on that one.

[MrBigShot]

Goin' to work pistons are better.

[DCintheD]

I'm not even sure they are better than the 2005 Spurs.


I'd be interested to see how the '04-'05 Pistons stacked up against this Spurs team. A big part of the reason they torched Miami was awful defensive rotations. The '04 Pistons team was so deep SA's rotations wouldn't matter as much and they were able to guard most any situation without needing too much help.

I remember us only having a 7-man rotation vs the spurs in 05. Our lack of depth was actually out weakness in that series. Our starting 5 played heavy minutes in those close games. Still tho we were a Robert Horry 3 away from potentially winning back to backs. I think this Spurs team, because of their depth, strong team chemistry and the emergence of Kawhi would have the edge vs the 05 Spurs.

We were deeper in '04. Lost Okur, Corliss & Mike James and only added McDyess in 2005, though the 2005 team had the benefit of more time together.

I thought u were referring to the 05 team being deep. yea we were much deeper the year we won it.

[Minas]

Definitely not the best of all time.

Simmons convinced me in his book that the 86 Celtics were. But you could easily convince me that the 96 Bulls were as well.

[Notanoob]

Our Pistons teams could certainly give them trouble. The only decent paint protector they faced was Ibaka, and we all saw how they struggled with him. We've got a better version of Ibaka in Sheed, who was excellent against Duncan in the 05 finals, and Big Ben is a million times the player that Perkins or Adams are. Unlike them though, we've got a point guard who plays under control and can shoot 3's, and both of our guards are offensive threats, where as the Thunder were stuck relying on Reggie Jackson. They wouldn't be able to hide Parker anywhere. And finally, Prince has the length to really mess with Kawhi. Given our length, quickness, intelligence, and that we didn't rely on helping off guys for our defense like the Heat, we'd be the best bet outside of the 08 Celtics to stop their offense. The Mavs managed to really give them a scare by basically never helping, now imagine that but with guys who could actually play defense!

Offense might be a mess, but Rip was a pretty reliable option coming off screens during the postseason, and whatever games that Sheed is motivated to post up he'll be able to take advantage of a very old Duncan.

It's been discussed on the PC board, this isn't just Pistons homerism. We'd give these Spurs a much better fight than anyone they faced in the playoffs.

[paQo the BAWSER]

I think they are the best team ever at least on the offensive side.

[Blkbrd671]

Best team no, best core 3. arguably yes