query: when did the spurs win the nba finals

pos: San Antonio Spurs and did not move to San Antonio until 1973. On October 11, 1980, the Mavs made their NBA debut by defeating the Spurs 103–92. In the playoffs the Spurs defeated the Mavericks in 2001, 2003, 2010, and 2014; while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006 and 2009. The Spurs have won five championships and six conference titles, while the Mavericks have won one championship and two conference titles. The Spurs have won 18 division titles, while the Mavericks have won 3. The Mavericks have three 60-win seasons, while the Spurs have five. The two teams met in the playoffs

pos: San Antonio Spurs until resolution on a new labor agreement was reached in January 1999. Playing a shortened 50-game season, the Spurs earned an NBA-best 37–13 record (.740 win percentage, and only season since Duncan was drafted the Spurs did not win at least 50 games in a season as of 2016). The team was just as dominant in the playoffs, rolling through the Western Conference with a record of 11–1. In the NBA Finals, they faced the New York Knicks, who had made history by becoming the first eighth seed to ever make the NBA Finals. The Spurs won the series and

pos: 2009 NBA Finals the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the 2001 NBA Finals; and Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals. This is the seventh time in NBA Finals history that a team that lost the championship the previous season has won the Finals the very next year. It is the second time in Lakers history, after the 1984 and 1985 teams. This is also the first odd season since 2001 that the San Antonio Spurs did not win the NBA Finals; they won in 2003, 2005 and 2007. This was the last

pos: 2005 NBA Finals The Mavs would go on to lose in the 2006 NBA Finals. The Spurs did win the 2007 NBA Finals (the Mavericks with 67-15 record, were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the first round) the following year, their fourth as a franchise, and won again in 2014. , this was the Pistons last appearance in the NBA Finals. Head coach Larry Brown sought and succeeded in buying out his contract as head coach after the season. He eventually ended up coaching for his hometown New York Knicks, but would only win 23 games in the 2006 season. Brown

pos: 1999 NBA Finals the 1985–86 Celtics to not win consecutive championships. They won 53 games that season, but were severely handicapped by Sean Elliott's early season kidney transplant, and Tim Duncan's late-season knee injury. The Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the 2000 NBA Playoffs by the Phoenix Suns. The Spurs would also win four more NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014 and appear in the 2013 NBA Finals, with Duncan and head coach Gregg Popovich the only members of the team to appear in all of the Spurs' Finals appearances. , the series remains the Knicks' last NBA

pos: 2003 NBA Finals promoting NHL on ABC's broadcast of game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. 2003 NBA Finals The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2002–03 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs played the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs defeated the Nets to win the series 4–2. Spurs' forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series. The series was broadcast

pos: 1999 NBA Finals 1999 NBA Finals The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs took on the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, with the first team to collect four game victories winning the series. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 4 games to 1 to win the championship. , this is the last NBA Finals where neither team scored 100 or more points in any game during the

pos: 2003 NBA Finals 2003 NBA Finals The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2002–03 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs played the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs defeated the Nets to win the series 4–2. Spurs' forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series. The series was broadcast on U.S. television on ABC, with Brad Nessler, Bill Walton, and Tom Tolbert

pos: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) which gave the Spurs a 105–96 win and a 2–0 series lead. The Utah Jazz won Game 3 and in Game 4, Ginóbili had a 22-point performance with 11 of his 15 fourth-quarter points coming from the free throw line to help the Spurs win Game 4 91–79 and take a 3–1 series lead. Aided by 21 points each from Duncan and Parker, the San Antonio Spurs dominated Game 5 with a 109–84 win to close out the series against the Jazz and advance to the 2007 NBA Finals. The Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals to

pos: Dallas Mavericks Finals. Despite much anticipation of a renewed meeting in the 2007 Western Conference finals, the Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in one of the greatest upsets in NBA history. The Spurs won the NBA finals after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0. The eighth seed Warriors, who made the playoffs on the last game of the NBA season, defeated the 67-win, first-seed Mavericks in six games. Meanwhile, the Spurs would ultimately go on to win the 2007 NBA Championship, establishing themselves as a true NBA dynasty. The season also gave longtime former Maverick Michael Finley his first championship. Many

pos: 2003–04 San Antonio Spurs season Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Memphis Grizzlies: "Spurs win series 4–0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Spurs and Grizzlies. (2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs: "Lakers win series 4–2" Last Playoff Meeting: 2003 Western Conference Semifinals (San Antonio won 4-2) 2003–04 San Antonio Spurs season The 2003-04 NBA season was the Spurs' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, the 31st in San Antonio, and 37th season as a franchise. The Spurs entered the season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the New Jersey Nets in the 2003 NBA Finals in six games

pos: 2006–07 San Antonio Spurs season their first ever NBA Finals appearance. The Spurs would go on to sweep the Cavaliers in four games, winning the their fourth NBA championship, with Tony Parker named Finals MVP, making him the first European-born player to win the award. <nowiki>*</nowiki> Statistics include only games with the Spurs (3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Denver Nuggets Last Playoff Meeting: 2005 Western Conference First Round (San Antonio won 4–1) (2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs Last Playoff Meeting: 2005 Western Conference Finals (San Antonio won 4–1) (3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (4) Utah Jazz Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western

pos: San Antonio Spurs the franchise's first NBA Championship in Game 5 at the Knicks' home arena, Madison Square Garden. Duncan was named the NBA Finals MVP. The Spurs became the first former ABA team to reach and to win the NBA Finals. They also won the 1999 McDonald's Championship in the off-season and were the last champions of that tournament as it was disbanded right after. Coming off their first NBA Championship, the Spurs were still among the best teams in the West and battling for first place in the Midwest Division during the 1999–2000 season. On March 14, the Spurs playoff spirits

pos: Lakers–Spurs rivalry losing again like 2004 to the hand of Boston Celtics. In the 2008–09 season, they did not meet in the playoffs. The Spurs were eliminated for the first time in the first round since the 1999–2000 season, while the Lakers went on to win the NBA Championship against the Orlando Magic. The 2011 Playoffs was the first time since 2006 that neither appeared in the Western Conference Finals and for only the second time since 1999, neither team made the NBA Finals. A new rivalry was formed with the arrival of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to the Lakers in

pos: Tim Duncan The Spurs made it to the finals, and defeated the New Jersey Nets 88–77 in Game 6 to win another NBA championship. Helped by an inspired Robinson, Duncan almost recorded a quadruple double in the final game, and was named the NBA Finals MVP. Duncan said of the victory: "We were all confident that something would happen, that we would turn the game to our favor, and it did", but felt sad that Robinson retired after winning his second championship ring. Following this successful Spurs campaign, Robinson and Duncan were named "Sports Illustrated"s 2003 "Sportsmen of the Year". Before the

pos: 1999 NBA Finals Finals appearance. The next season, the Knicks won fifty games but fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. After that season, the Patrick Ewing era came to an end when Ewing was traded to the SuperSonics. Over the fifteen ensuing post-Ewing seasons, the Knicks have been among the least successful NBA franchises, with only three winning seasons and one playoff series win. 1999 NBA Finals The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs took on the Eastern

pos: 2013 NBA Finals This marked the last NBA Finals played during the tenure of NBA commissioner David Stern. In addition, it also marked the last time the Finals used the 2–3–2 format, after which it reverted to the 2–2–1–1–1 format. The Spurs and Heat would both advance to the 2014 NBA Finals, where the Spurs won in five games. LeBron James and Tim Duncan previously faced off in the 2007 NBA Finals, when James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which saw the Spurs sweep the Cavaliers in four games, giving San Antonio their fourth NBA title. After the deciding game, Duncan sought out

pos: NBA Finals next six seasons. The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs combined to win nine NBA Championships during this period. The Spurs were responsible for winning four championships during this time, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs finished with a 15–2 mark, including sweeps of the Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by David Robinson and Tim Duncan, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the post-season in the last 30 years. In the Finals that year, the Spurs played against the New York

pos: 1999 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals (2) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 4-2" This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece. (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) New York Knicks: "Spurs win series 4-1" Neither team met in the regular season. This was the first playoff meeting between the Knicks and the Spurs. 1999 NBA Playoffs The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks

pos: Tony Parker Division. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Spurs met the Phoenix Suns led by two-time and reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash. After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz 4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals. Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals. In this series, Parker consistently outplayed his Cavaliers counterparts Daniel Gibson and All-Defensive Team member Larry Hughes and scored a series-high 24.5 points, accompanied by a high field goal percentage of 56.8% and of 57.1% from three-point range. For his performances,

pos: 2003–04 San Antonio Spurs season 2003–04 San Antonio Spurs season The 2003-04 NBA season was the Spurs' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, the 31st in San Antonio, and 37th season as a franchise. The Spurs entered the season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the New Jersey Nets in the 2003 NBA Finals in six games to win their second NBA championship. During the offseason, David Robinson, Danny Ferry, and Steve Kerr retired, Speedy Claxton signed with the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Jackson signed with the Atlanta Hawks, and Steve Smith signed with the New Orleans Hornets; in addition, the Spurs acquired Hedo

pos: 2005 NBA Finals the 2004–05 season, the Spurs and Pistons routinely finished in the top three in Points Allowed: in 2003, Detroit was #1 and San Antonio #3; in 2004, the teams finished in a tie for the #1 spot; in 2005, the Spurs were #1 and the Pistons were #2. The Spurs were considered more capable of playing at a faster pace, as evidenced by their convincing win against the high-scoring Phoenix Suns during the Western Conference Finals. However, both teams performed exceptionally well when scoring over 100 points (Detroit was 22-3, San Antonio was 28-2). Going into the 2005 Finals, the

pos: 2003 NBA Finals Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Despite the departures of Robinson, Jackson and Kerr, the Spurs still managed to win 57 games, aided by Tim Duncan's strong play. However, they were ousted in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighted by Derek Fisher's game winner with 0.4 seconds left in game 5 of the conference semifinals. In the years following Robinson's retirement, Duncan led the Spurs to three more NBA titles in 2005, 2007 and 2014. This NBA Finals was aired on NBA on ABC, after 30 years of absence for ESPN on ABC carrying the NBA. Until 2007, this was

pos: 2016 NBA Finals The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit to win the NBA Finals. They became the first NBA Champion to clinch all their playoff series on the road since the 1999 San Antonio Spurs, as well as the first road team to win a Finals Game 7 since the 1978 Washington Bullets. The Cavaliers won their first championship in franchise history, ending a nearly 52-year pro sports championship drought for the city of Cleveland. LeBron James was named the unanimous Finals MVP, becoming only the fifth player in NBA history to

pos: Tim Duncan the regular season, and was selected as a Western Conference starter for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, his ninth appearance in the event. In the playoffs, he led the Spurs to a 4–1 series win over the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, a 4–2 win over the Phoenix Suns in the second round, and a 4–1 win against the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. There, the Spurs swept the Cavaliers 4–0, earning Duncan his and San Antonio's fourth ever championship. Duncan

pos: 1998–99 San Antonio Spurs season as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls. (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves: "Spurs win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Spurs and Timberwolves. (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (4) Los Angeles Lakers: "Spurs win series 4-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1995 Western Conference Semifinals (San Antonio won 4-2) (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Portland Trail Blazers: "Spurs win series 4-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Western Conference First Round (San Antonio won 3-1) The 1999 NBA Finals saw some firsts for both the Spurs and the opposing New York Knicks. The

pos: Brent Barry a backup. After losing their first playoff game to the Denver Nuggets in the 2005 NBA Playoffs, San Antonio inserted Barry into the starting lineup. The Spurs' new lineup helped them beat the Nuggets in the series four games to one. Later in those same playoffs, Barry earned his first championship ring when the Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons in the 2005 NBA Finals. Brent and his father, Rick Barry, are the second father-son duo to each win an NBA Championship as a player; the first was Matt Guokas, Sr. and his son Matt Guokas, Jr.. The only other father-son

pos: Marcus Camby Achilles injury early in the series, Camby filled the void averaging doubles in the last three games of the series to lead the Knicks to a six-game upset series win over the Pacers and into the NBA Finals. The Knicks became the first (and remain the only 8th-seeded team to make it to the NBA Finals), where they matched up with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games to win the 1999 Championship. In the 1999–00 season the Knicks with Ewing back at center bounced back and won 50 games thanks to the contributions of

pos: 1998 NBA Finals him to the San Antonio Spurs, where he would win two more championships in 1999 and 2003, his last year in the NBA. Luc Longley also retired in 2001. The Jazz would continue to make the postseason until 2003, John Stockton's last season, and next made the Western Conference Finals in 2007 but lost in five games to the Spurs. The following three seasons, the Jazz made the postseason but each time were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers. Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan resigned in February 2011. Antoine Carr and Chris Morris became free agents after the Finals, signed

pos: Bruce Bowen injure, but isn't afraid to get in someone's grill". Bowen's defensive style failed to help this Spurs squad repeat in the 2004 NBA Playoffs, as the team was eventually defeated 4–2 by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. Bowen and the Spurs bounced back and won the NBA title in 2005, defeating the Detroit Pistons. The Spurs could not win back-to-back titles, however, and bowed out 4–3 in a seven-game series against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Playoffs. As a testament to his controversial style of play, Bowen picked up a $10,000 NBA fine for

pos: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) combined totals of 80 and 69 points. After losing Game 4 111–106, the "Big Three" delivered another performance;in Game 5, they scored a combined 68 points to help defeat the Suns and advance to the 2005 NBA Finals The Spurs had a strong start to the 2005 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons as Duncan and Ginóbili combined for 50 points in Game 1—26 from Ginóbili, 24 from Duncan—to win Game 1 84–69 and take a 1–0 series lead. Ginóbili was the star once again in Game 2 with 27 points to lead the Spurs to a 97–76 victory and

pos: 1991 NBA Playoffs of the Western Conference. Game 4 ended with some of the Pistons walking off the court before time expired, refusing to shake the Bulls' hands. In the 1989 NBA Finals, the Pistons themselves had swept the two-time defending champion Lakers. Detroit did not reach the conference finals again until 2003. The seventh seeded Golden State Warriors stunned the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, defeating them 3 games to 1. It would be Golden State's last playoff series win until 2007. The 76ers and the Bucks met in the first round of the playoffs where the

pos: 2006 NBA Playoffs in the 2007 playoffs, being a division winner did not guarantee a top-3 playoff seed. The Detroit Pistons clinched the best record in the NBA, earning home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. However, when the Pistons lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, home-court advantage in the NBA Finals went to the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, which had a better record than the Heat. The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East: The San Antonio Spurs clinched the best record in the Western Conference, and had home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. However, when

pos: Dallas Mavericks the Western Conference Finals. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks had 60-win seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings, respectively. Despite having the best season of their history, the Mavericks fell in six games to the Spurs. The rivalry took on a new meaning in 2005 when, near the end of the regular season, Don Nelson would resign as head coach of the Mavericks, apparently satisfied with the state of the team, and hand the coaching reins to former Spur Avery Johnson, the point guard of the 1999 NBA champion

neg: 1979 NBA Playoffs 4–3" (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Spurs win series 4–3" Conference Finals (1) Washington Bullets vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs: "Bullets win series 4-3" (1) Washington Bullets vs. (1) Seattle SuperSonics: "Sonics win series 4-1" 1979 NBA Playoffs The 1979 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 1978–79 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Eastern Conference champion Washington Bullets 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. The Sonics earned their only NBA title. Dennis Johnson was named NBA Finals MVP. The Finals was a rematch

neg: Lakers–Spurs rivalry his torn Achilles tendon suffered in a season win against the Golden State Warriors. Without their star player, the Lakers were swept by the Spurs 4-0. When the Miami Heat faced against the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals, a lot of Laker fans went for the Heat, who would eventually defeat them four games to three in the NBA Finals. In 2014, the Spurs and Heat met in the NBA Finals again, with the dominant Spurs beating the Heat in 5 games. As a result of the 2014 victory, Tim Duncan now has as many championships as Kobe Bryant.

neg: 2013–14 Miami Heat season Spoelstra. In a rematch of the previous year's Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat defeated the Indiana Pacers in six games to become the first team to win four consecutive Eastern Conference championships since the Boston Celtics did so in the 1984-1987 seasons. Miami's quest for a three-peat ended when the San Antonio Spurs, whom they met in a rematch of the 2013 NBA Finals, won the NBA Finals by a 4-1 margin. Following the season, LeBron James left the Heat in free agency to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat did not have a pick in the 2013 NBA draft.

neg: 2012 NBA Playoffs Thunder by 14 in the first quarter and holding a 15-point lead at halftime. Their largest lead of the game was 18. However the Thunder rallied in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Spurs 32–18. With a few clutch shots by Derek Fisher and James Harden, the Thunder booked a trip to the Finals with a 107–99 comeback win over the Spurs. With the win, the Thunder advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since moving from Seattle in 2008 and the franchise's first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1996, when the franchise was known as the Seattle

neg: 1983 NBA Playoffs was the Spurs' last appearance in the Conference Finals until 1995. However, for players such as George Gervin and Artis Gilmore, the 6-game loss to the Lakers was the last chance they got at reaching the NBA Finals, let alone an NBA Championship (Gilmore did return to the conference finals with the Celtics in 1988, but played sparingly). (1) Los Angeles Lakers and (2) San Antonio Spurs have first-round byes. (3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets: "Nuggets win series 2–1" This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first meeting. (4) Seattle

neg: 2013 NBA Finals to the NBA finals. The teams set up their Finals rematch in 2014, but it was the Spurs who came away victorious, ending the Heat's hopes of a three-peat in the series in five games and claiming their fifth NBA championship. During the next offseason, the Heat lost a key member of their "Big Three", when LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who made it to the Finals in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Heat did not make the 2015 NBA playoffs, while the Spurs' defense of their title ended in the 1st round when they lost a

neg: Gregg Popovich television and that's why the commissioner tossed that tantrum." On March 22, 2013, when the Spurs beat the Utah Jazz, Popovich became the second head coach in NBA history, after the Jazz's own Jerry Sloan, to win 900 regular-season games with one team. Popovich led the Spurs to the 2013 NBA Finals to face the Miami Heat. The series lasted seven games, but the Spurs had their first ever Finals loss. On April 22, 2014, Popovich was awarded the Red Auerbach Trophy as he won the NBA Coach of the Year for the third time. He also won his fifth

neg: 2006–07 Utah Jazz season five games, moving on to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1998, when they last made the NBA Finals. However, their playoff run ended with a defeat to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in five games. The Spurs would go on to win their fourth NBA Championship after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in that year's NBA Finals. Their Western Finals trip made this the most successful recent Jazz season as of 2018. (4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western Conference First Round (Utah won 3-2) (4) Utah Jazz vs. (8) Golden

neg: 2015 NBA Finals The Warriors were the first team since the 1990–91 Bulls to win a title with a roster that did not have any players with Finals experience. James and teammate James Jones made their fifth consecutive trip to the Finals, having qualified the previous four seasons with the Miami Heat, though Jones did not play in the 2011 Finals. It was the first time since 1998 that the Finals did not include the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs, or the Heat. This was also the first NBA Finals since then not to have featured Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, or

neg: San Antonio Spurs Washington Bullets despite an outstanding series from Gervin who averaged 33.2 ppg. The following season in the 1979 Conference Finals the Spurs led the series 3–1 but the Bullets came back to win the last three games and came from behind to win the 7th game 107–105 handing the Spurs a heartbreaking loss. The Spurs would have to wait another 20 years to make it to their first NBA finals. The Spurs would go on to capture five division titles in their first seven years in the NBA and became a perennial playoff participant. However, in the playoffs, the Spurs

neg: 2005 NBA Playoffs 2012 Spurs, 2016 Cavaliers, and the 2017 Warriors followed suit. No team (until 2016) has made the finals after going 8-0 in the first two rounds, let alone win 12 straight games going to the NBA Finals, though the Spurs came close in 2012 when they won their first 10 playoff games, then lost their next four to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team to go 8-0 through the first two rounds and make the NBA Finals. In 2017, the Golden State Warriors became the second team to go 8-0 through the first

neg: NBA Finals The Heat won Game 7, 95–88, to clinch the title. James was named Finals MVP for the second straight year. Looking for a three-peat, the Heat reached the 2014 NBA Finals and faced the Spurs in a rematch of the 2013 Finals. With James limited in Game 1 due to leg cramps, the Spurs ended the game on a 31–9 run, winning 110–95. The Heat bounced back in Game 2, but that was their only win of the series, as the Spurs won games 3 and 4 in Miami and game 5 at home to win the championship, their first

neg: NBA Finals and were the favorites to win the championship in 2004. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown, eliminated the Lakers in 5 games. Chauncey Billups was named the Finals MVP. Now established as one of the premier powerhouses of the East, the Pistons returned to the NBA Finals the following year, before losing to the Spurs in seven games. The 2006 NBA Finals were the only Finals during this time not to feature the Spurs or Lakers, instead featuring the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern

neg: 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season Shawn Marion in five games in the Western Conference Finals. In the Finals, the Spurs would win their third NBA Championship, defeating last year's NBA Champions, the Detroit Pistons, in a tough seven-game series. Following the season, Glenn Robinson retired. The team's season roster is featured in NBA 2K18. After their disappointing second round collapse to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Spurs looked to regain the NBA crown. They would get off to a quick start, posting a 12-3 record in November. The Spurs would stay hot through December as they established a 25-6 record entering the New Year. The

neg: 2014–15 San Antonio Spurs season 2014–15 San Antonio Spurs season The 2014–15 San Antonio Spurs season was the 48th season of the franchise, 39th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 42nd in the San Antonio area. The Spurs were the defending NBA Champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals 4 games to 1 and winning their fifth NBA championship, and made Tim Duncan the second player in NBA history to win championships in 3 different decades (The first being John Salley). On April 3, 2015 after their victory over the Denver Nuggets they clinched a 50+ win season for the

neg: 2006–07 San Antonio Spurs season the series. However, the Spurs would stage a 12–3 rally of their own to retake the lead and win the series in a 4–0 sweep. 2006–07 San Antonio Spurs season The 2006-07 NBA season was the Spurs' 40th season as a franchise, the 34th in San Antonio, and the 31st season in the NBA In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets in five games in the First Round, then defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games in the Semifinals, and finally, defeating the Utah Jazz in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals

neg: Gregg Popovich NBA championship with San Antonio that season, beating the Heat 4–1 in the Finals. On February 9, 2015, Popovich became the ninth coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games when the Spurs defeated the Indiana Pacers 95–93. He and Jerry Sloan are the only two coaches in NBA history to win 1,000 games with one franchise. On August 1, 2015, Popovich served as Team Africa's head coach at the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game. In the 2015–16 season, Popovich led the Spurs to a franchise high 67 wins, but he and the team lost in the conference semifinals against

neg: San Antonio Spurs was also the first time that they had advanced to the Finals in consecutive years. This made it the first time since 1998 NBA Finals that the same two teams faced off in the Finals in consecutive years. With a victory in the second game of the series, Duncan, Ginóbili, and Parker won more playoff games together than any other three players on the same team in NBA history. The Spurs would go on to win the 2014 NBA Championship, 4 games to 1. The Spurs blew out Miami in all of their wins, each of them by 15 or

neg: San Antonio Spurs unable to close out the series, setting up a deciding Game 7. In Game 7, Duncan had 25 points as the Spurs pulled away late to win their third NBA Title in seven years with an 81–74 win. Duncan was named Finals MVP, becoming the fourth player to win the MVP award three times (joining Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan). Coming off their third NBA Championship in seven years, there was a sense that the Spurs were the class of the NBA, and once again would be the team to beat in the NBA for the Championship. For

neg: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) the two combined for 48 points—25 from Duncan, 23 from Ginóbili—to take an 81–74 win in Game 7 to win the second NBA Championship of the "Big Three" era. The voting for the NBA Finals MVP award was very close between Duncan and Ginóbili, but Duncan ultimately won his third NBA Finals MVP award. During the 2005–06 NBA season, the "Big Three" was a part of the Spurs team that was able to make it to a franchise-best record of 63–19 and the best record in the Western Conference. Duncan averaged 18.6, Parker averaged 18.9 points and the third member

neg: Clutch City then beat the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals, to reach the Finals against the Orlando Magic, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. When Houston swept the series in four straight games, they became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed, and the first to beat four 50-win teams in a single postseason en route to the championship. Olajuwon, who had averaged 35.3 points and 12.5 rebounds against the Spurs and regular-season MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, was named the Finals MVP, becoming only the second player

neg: 1989 NBA Finals well. Following the series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement at 42, after 20 years with the NBA. Pistons' guard Joe Dumars was named MVP for the series. Prior to the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the Golden State Warriors, and the 2014 NBA Finals when the San Antonio Spurs bested the Miami Heat, the Pistons were the last Finals champion to have been runner-up to the same opponent the previous season as they did in the 1988 Finals. Before the season began, the Pistons moved from the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to the brand-new The Palace in

neg: Patty Mills for his first NBA double-double in a 107–101 win over the Warriors. Mills posted the highest single-game score by an Australian in the NBA, surpassing Andrew Bogut's 32 points in January 2010. On 13 July 2012, Mills re-signed with the Spurs. In the Spurs' second last game of the regular season on 15 April 2013, Mills scored a season-high 23 points in a 116–106 loss to Golden State. The Spurs went on to reach the 2013 NBA Finals, where they lost in seven games to the Miami Heat. Mills missed the final four games of the NBA Finals with an

neg: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) six-game series to reach the 2014 NBA Finals, giving the Spurs consecutive trips to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. They faced the Miami Heat for the second consecutive year. The "Big Three" shot a combined 62 pouts in Game 1—21 from Duncan, 19 from Parker, and 16 from Ginóbili—along with 10 rebounds from Duncan and 11 assists from Ginóbili and eight from Parker. This helped the Spurs win Game 1 110–95 in a 90 °F (32 °C) AT&T Center to take a 1–0 series lead. The Spurs ended up winning the finals in five games,

neg: Rockets–Spurs rivalry defeated the Spurs to advance to the Conference Finals and defeated the likewise 40–42 Kansas City Kings, and moved on to the 1981 NBA Finals where they were defeated by the Celtics. The Spurs waited another 18 years to see a Finals berth and Title. In 1995, the Rockets looked to win their second straight NBA championship. Despite a slow start, the 6th-seeded Rockets (47–35) managed to get through their first opponent, the 3rd-seeded Utah Jazz (60–22) 3–2, and the 2nd-seeded Phoenix Suns (59–23) 4–3. The Rockets would encounter the top seeded Spurs waiting (62–20) for them in the Conference

neg: 2013 NBA Finals James in the locker room to praise him for a great series and told James that the league would be his someday. In 2010, Spurs president of basketball and head coach Gregg Popovich made a congratulatory phone call to Heat president Pat Riley for signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play with Dwyane Wade. This was the San Antonio Spurs' fifth appearance in the NBA Finals, attempting to win their fifth NBA championship in team history. The Spurs finished the regular season with 58 wins, finishing in first place in the Southwest Division and the second overall regular season

neg: 2013 NBA Finals at the end of a long road trip in order to ensure they had enough rest for the playoffs, as the Spurs had some of the oldest players in the league. NBA commissioner David Stern was outraged when he learned of this and fined the Spurs $250,000 for not informing the Heat, the league or the media in a suitable time-frame that the four players were not making the trip to Miami. Despite the absence of their four starters, the Spurs led the game until the final minute when the Heat came back to win 105–100. The Heat responded somewhat

neg: Twin Towers (San Antonio Spurs) continue through the 1999–2000 season as they finished second place in the Midwest Division with a 53-29 record and would earn the #4 seed in the NBA Playoffs. However, Duncan would suffer a season-ending knee injury and as a result, the Spurs lost to the Suns 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The following season, the "Twin Towers" would lead the Spurs to an NBA-best record of 58-24 and would earn home court advantage throughout the 2001 NBA Playoffs. The Spurs cruised to the Western Conference Finals with a 3-1 win over the Timberwolves and a 4-1 win

neg: San Antonio Spurs easily dispatched the Utah Jazz in five games to reach the NBA Finals. In the Finals, the Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers and captured their fourth title in nine years. Tony Parker, who dominated in the Finals averaging 24.5 ppg on 57% shooting, was named Finals MVP and became the first European-born player to win the award. The 2007–2008 season saw the Spurs go 56–26 and finish 3rd in the Western Conference. The Spurs faced hurdles but would make it to the Western Conference Finals, but lose to the Lakers in five games. The next season would see the Spurs

neg: 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season The 2-0 lead proved a daunting challenge to Detroit, historically. In the history of the NBA, in the 153 times when a team with home court advantage was up 2-0 in a series, only seven times has the other team rebounded to win the series. Going into this game, the Pistons were looking to rebound from the deficit. In the past, only two teams in NBA history had ever won a Finals series after facing a 2-0 deficit — the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals and the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals — however, the

neg: History of the Oklahoma City Thunder They defeated the Lakers in five games and advanced to play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder lost the first two games against the Spurs but won the next three including a Game 5 road win, to take a commanding 3–2 game lead in the series. In Game 6, the Thunder defeated the Spurs 107–99 and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals. Durant led the way with 34 points, playing all of regulation time in the game. In the 2012 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, the Thunder won the first game at home but

neg: 2007 NBA Finals New Jersey remains the lowest-rated game of all time in the history of the NBA Finals. The Spurs won 56 games in the succeeding 2007–08 season, but relinquished the Southwest Division title to the New Orleans Hornets due to a tie-breaker. The Spurs had the last laugh, though, defeating the Hornets in seven games. But their chance of defending their title was denied by the Los Angeles Lakers in five games of the conference finals. After that, age and injury took its toll on the Spurs, as they proceeded to win only a single playoff series in three years (2010,

neg: 1978–79 Washington Bullets season "Bullets win series 4–3" In the Eastern Finals, the Bullets would find themselves down 3 games to 1 facing the San Antonio Spurs. The Bullets would rally to win the next 2 games and force a 7th game at home. In Game 7 the Bullets would rally again. They overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Spurs 107–105. (1) Washington Bullets vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs: "Bullets win series 4–3" The triumph would set up a rematch with the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals. In the Finals, the Bullets would squeak out a close victory in Game 1 by

neg: 2017 NBA Finals on February 25, 2017, two days earlier than last season when they clinched on February 27, 2016. They also became the first team in NBA playoff history to start 12–0, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals, and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Entering the Finals, this twelve game win-streak tied third for the most consecutive wins in the postseason. The Warriors also entered the Finals with the largest playoff points differential in NBA history, with a +16.3 winning margin per game. This was the Cleveland

neg: 2013 NBA Finals 7-game series to the Los Angeles Clippers. 2013 NBA Finals The 2013 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2012–13 NBA season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs to win their second straight title. The Finals began with Game 1 on June 6, and ended with Game 7 on June 20. Miami became the sixth team to win consecutive NBA championships, joining the Boston Celtics (1959–1966, 1968–1969), the Los Angeles Lakers (1949–1950, 1952–1954, 1987–1988, 2000–2002, 2009–2010), the Detroit Pistons (1989–1990), the Chicago Bulls (1991–1993,

neg: 2013 NBA Finals 2013 NBA Finals The 2013 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2012–13 NBA season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs to win their second straight title. The Finals began with Game 1 on June 6, and ended with Game 7 on June 20. Miami became the sixth team to win consecutive NBA championships, joining the Boston Celtics (1959–1966, 1968–1969), the Los Angeles Lakers (1949–1950, 1952–1954, 1987–1988, 2000–2002, 2009–2010), the Detroit Pistons (1989–1990), the Chicago Bulls (1991–1993, 1996–1998), and the Houston Rockets (1994–1995). This

neg: 2003 NBA Finals three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. After splitting the first four games, the Spurs eked out a win in game 5, benefitting from a rare last-second in-and-out miss from the Lakers' clutch-shooter Robert Horry (who helped the Spurs win a title two years later). The Spurs eventually disposed of the Lakers in game 6, ending the Lakers' championship run. In the Conference Finals, the Spurs faced their in-state nemesis, the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs started off slow again, losing game 1 by three points, but took control of the series from there, taking the next three straight. After losing game

neg: 2005 NBA Finals three-point line, the Spurs made 11 3-pointers, including four each by Manu Ginóbili and Bruce Bowen, who did not score a point in Game One. Ginobili again led the Spurs with a 27 points, while Tim Duncan finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Antonio McDyess was the high scorer for Detroit, scoring 15 points off the bench. The 2-0 lead was a big advantage for San Antonio. In the history of the NBA, the team with home-court advantage started a series with a 2–0 lead 153 times. On just seven occasions, the trailing team rebounded to win the series.

neg: Twin Towers (San Antonio Spurs) and 27 rebounds, as Robinson had 13 points and 17 rebounds, and Duncan had a triple double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, and was two blocks shy of a quadruple double as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets 88-77 to close out the series in Game 6 and win the NBA Championship. Following the NBA Finals victory, Duncan said: "We were all confident that something would happen, that we would turn the game to our favor, and it did", but felt sad that Robinson retired after winning his second championship ring. Tim Duncan would

neg: 1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season 1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season The 1981-82 NBA season was the Spurs' sixth season in the NBA and 15th season as a franchise. George Gervin was the winner of a fourth scoring title in five years with 32.3 points per game. The Spurs won their second straight division title with a record of 48-34. In the playoffs the Spurs beat the Seattle SuperSonics in 5 games. In the Western Finals, the Spurs would be swept in 4 straight by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs had a first round bye. (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics: "Spurs win

neg: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) a franchise-best 67–15 record and earned the number two seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round but lost a six-game series to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals. On July 11, 2016, Tim Duncan announced that he was retiring from the NBA after a 19-year career, thus ending the "Big Three" era. As of November 2018, the San Antonio Spurs have yet to win an championship since the retirement of Tim Duncan. The Spurs did play in the 2016-17 Western Conference Finals, losing to Golden State 4-0 after leading scorer

neg: 2013–14 San Antonio Spurs season Semifinals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games to advance to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in franchise history. This marked the first time that the Spurs have made back-to-back Finals appearances, also against the Miami Heat, whom they lost against in last year's NBA Finals in seven games and suffered their first loss in the NBA Finals. Unlike the previous year, the Spurs avenged their NBA Finals loss and became NBA Champions after defeating Miami in five games, winning their fifth NBA Championship. The Spurs outscored the Heat in the series by the largest per game

neg: 1999 NBA Finals in 2012 the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Chicago Bulls. The Spurs would also be the first champions since 1986 to not go on to repeat as champions. From 1987 to 1998 every champion either repeated or three-peated. As of the 2014 NBA Finals, June 25 is the latest in the calendar that any NBA Finals game has ever been played. Had a Game 7 been required it would have been played on Tuesday, June 29. The Knicks and Spurs did not meet in the regular season. The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and

neg: 1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season series 4-1" (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs: "Lakers win series 4-0" 1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season The 1981-82 NBA season was the Spurs' sixth season in the NBA and 15th season as a franchise. George Gervin was the winner of a fourth scoring title in five years with 32.3 points per game. The Spurs won their second straight division title with a record of 48-34. In the playoffs the Spurs beat the Seattle SuperSonics in 5 games. In the Western Finals, the Spurs would be swept in 4 straight by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs

neg: 2013–14 San Antonio Spurs season average point differential (14.0) in Finals history. San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). 2013–14 San Antonio Spurs season The 2013–14 San Antonio Spurs season was the 47th season of the franchise, their 41st in San Antonio and the 38th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Spurs entered the season as runner-ups of the 2013 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat in seven games, marking the first time the Spurs lost in the NBA Finals. They also entered the season with an NBA-record ten international players. In the playoffs, the Spurs

neg: 2002 NBA Finals Division title, and heading into the Finals they won ten straight games, two in the six-game first round win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and two four-game sweeps of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. However, they still came up short, losing in six games to the Spurs, in the first NBA finals series featuring former ABA teams. For the first time since 1998 and for only the third time in history, the NBA Finals ended before the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals; this would not happen again until 2011. 2002 NBA Finals The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association

neg: Jaren Jackson the Lakers Jackson played well, scoring 22 points in game 3 followed by 20 points in game 4 to close the series in which he hit 6 three-point shots. The Spurs would next faced Portland in the conference finals, but were once again dominant, with teammate Sean Elliott hitting a crucial three-point shot to win game 2 and Jackson scoring 19 points in game 3. The Spurs completed another sweep, and would face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Jackson scored 17 points in his first Finals game, and the Spurs would win both games in San Antonio

neg: 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season with 21 points each, neither was able to seriously threaten the strong Pistons defense enough to win the game. Detroit thus won its fifth consecutive game facing elimination. The Pistons became the first road team to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. For the first time in eleven years, the NBA Finals came down to a decisive game. Momentum was on Detroit's side, but the Spurs had home-court advantage. The Pistons were looking to become the first team to ever win the last 2 games on the road, after being down 3-2. The stats were, as expected, heavily

neg: 2014 NBA Playoffs member of the starting lineup and his presence motivated the Thunder to win Game 3, cutting their series deficit to 2-1. The Thunder proceeded to blow out the Spurs in Game 4, tying the series at 2 games apiece. Westbrook led the Thunder with 40 points and Durant added 31 points. In Game 5, the Spurs didn't let a repeat of the 2012 Western Conference Finals happen as they blew out the Thunder once again to take a 3-2 series lead, sending them a win away from a return trip to the NBA Finals. Game 6 was the first close

neg: 2002–03 San Antonio Spurs season celebration in 9 years, following their 3-0 win over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. By winning the NBA championship, the Spurs denied New Jersey from having both NBA and NHL championships in the same year. 2002–03 San Antonio Spurs season The 2002–03 NBA season was the 36th season of the franchise, 30th in San Antonio, and 27th in the National Basketball Association. This was also the Spurs' first season playing at the SBC Center (now AT&T Center). During the offseason, the team signed free agent Kevin Willis, traded for Speedy Claxton and Steve

neg: Tim Duncan 20–20 game in NBA history, finishing with 23 points, 21 rebounds and the game-winning jump shot against the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs went on to conclude the 2013–14 regular season with a league-best 62 wins. The Spurs defeated Dallas in seven games in the first round of the playoffs, Portland in five games in the conference semifinals, and Oklahoma City in six games, where game 6 went into overtime, as the Spurs won, 112–107. They set up a Finals rematch against the Miami Heat, which they won, 4–1, setting a record margin for a win in the NBA Finals, for

neg: Tony Parker most wins in Playoffs History by a trio of players playing together; record held by LA Lakers trio of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper at 110 wins. The Spurs went on to beat the Thunder in six games and advance to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. San Antonio would once again face the Miami Heat and would win the 2014 NBA Finals in five games. This victory gave Parker his fourth championship and the fifth championship to the Spurs. On 1 August 2014, Parker signed a three-year, $43.3 million contract extension with the Spurs. The

neg: Draymond Green series against the Utah Jazz. The Warriors also swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the third straight season while becoming the first team in NBA history to go 12–0 in the playoffs. Green helped the Warriors win their second championship in three years with a 4–1 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals. At the end-of-season awards night, Green was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in Warriors history to earn the award. In the Warriors' season opener against

neg: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) take a 2–1 series lead. The Spurs defeated the Warriors in six games to advance to the Conference Finals. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the conference finals to advance to the 2013 NBA Finals where they faced the Miami Heat. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tony Parker hit a layup with 5.2 seconds left to put the Spurs ahead 92–88. The Spurs won the game and took a 1–0 series lead. However, the Spurs ended up losing the seven-game series to the Miami Heat. During the 2013–14 NBA season, the "Big Three" and the Spurs finished

neg: Kobe Bryant the next two games to win the semifinals in 6. This set up a Western Conference Finals berth against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in 5 games, sending themselves to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. This marked the fifth time in Bryant's career and the first time without O'Neal to go to the NBA Finals. The Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games. In the 2008–09 season, the Lakers opened the campaign by winning their first seven games. Bryant led the team to tie the franchise record for most wins to

neg: 2016–17 San Antonio Spurs season March 08, with a 114–104 win over the Sacramento Kings the Spurs extended their league record for consecutive 50+ win seasons to 18 straight. On April 04, with a 95–89(OT) win over the Memphis Grizzlies the Spurs secured their first back to back 60+ win seasons in team history. Playoffs The San Antonio Spurs were eliminated 4-0 by the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. 2016–17 San Antonio Spurs season The 2016–17 San Antonio Spurs season was the franchise's 50th season, its 44th season in the San Antonio area, and its 41st in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

neg: 2007 NBA Playoffs Spurs came back to win an incredibly close Game 5. Diaw and Stoudemire did return for the Suns in Game 6, though that didn't help the Suns to force a Game 7 and the Spurs eliminated them to advance to the Western Conference Finals with a 114-106 win. This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first two meetings. Fresh off their stunning upset of the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks, the Golden State Warriors faced a very different team in Utah. The Warriors continued the frantic style of play they exhibited against the Mavericks,

neg: Erik Spoelstra streak (second longest in NBA history). It started with a 100–85 win over the Toronto Raptors on February 3, 2013, and ended with a 97–101 loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 27, 2013. The team made the playoffs as the one seed while posting the best overall NBA regular season record. After sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, the Heat won a seven-game series with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and advanced to face the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals. The Heat defeated the Spurs in seven games and became the

neg: Jermaine O'Neal depth, the Trail Blazers chalked up an impressive 35–15 record and topped the division. Dunleavy—who would later be named NBA Coach of the Year—led his club into the playoffs aiming to capture the franchise's first NBA title since 1977. After sweeping the Phoenix Suns 3–0 in the first round, Portland defeated the Utah Jazz 4–2 to set up a showdown with the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. In Game 2, a 3-pointer by Sean Elliott in the closing seconds gave the Spurs an 86–85 win and propelled San Antonio to win the series (the Spurs went on

neg: Tony Parker New Orleans Hornets, the Spurs dropped the first two road games before responding with a strong win in the third game. In that game, Parker recorded a double-double with 31 points and 11 assists. The experienced Spurs took seven games to defeat the Hornets, but were unable to get past the Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to win back-to-back NBA championships. San Antonio got off to a rocky start in their 2008–09 NBA season, losing the first three contests. In their fourth game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, however, Parker scored a career-high

neg: Tim Duncan milestone, although the NBA did not track blocks prior to the 1973–74 season. The Spurs met defending NBA champions Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in a tightly contested series. Miami had home court advantage, but San Antonio took the first game and headed into game 6 with a 3–2 lead. In that game, Duncan scored 25 points in the first half, his biggest haul in a half of an NBA Finals game. However, the Spurs lost the game in overtime, and then lost the deciding seventh game. On December 2, 2013, Duncan became the oldest player to record a

neg: 1995 NBA Playoffs didn't win back-to-back titles, but did win numerous championships and is considered a dynasty. The sixth-seeded Rockets (47–35) took out 4 impressive opponents on their way to the title, defeating the 3rd-seeded Utah Jazz (60–22), 2nd-seeded Phoenix Suns (59–23), top-seeded San Antonio Spurs (62–20) and Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic (57–25) in the NBA Finals. In the Conference Semifinals against the Suns, the Rockets came back from a 2–0 and 3–1 series deficit without home-court advantage, winning Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon dominated league MVP David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal in consecutive series to win

neg: 2001 NBA Playoffs were the Kansas City Kings) and first since moving to Sacramento. The Toronto Raptors won their first playoff series in franchise history 3–2 over the New York Knicks. For the first time since 1991, the Knicks failed to win a first-round playoff series. The San Antonio Spurs clinched the best record in the NBA, and earned home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs. However, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers gained home court advantage for the NBA Finals. San Antonio's 58 games remains the lowest for a team with home court

neg: 2005 NBA Finals to victory. Although Duncan and Ginobili finished with 21 points each, neither was able to seriously threaten the strong Pistons defense enough to win the game. Detroit thus won its fifth consecutive game facing elimination. The Pistons became the first road team to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. For the first time in eleven years, the NBA Finals came down to a decisive Game Seven. Momentum was on Detroit's side, but the Spurs had home-court advantage. The Pistons were looking to become the first team to ever win the last two games on the road after being

neg: Robert Horry key member of the Rockets' title teams and began to lay the foundations for his "Big Shot Rob" reputation with a game-winning jumper with 6.5 seconds left in Game 1 of the 1995 Western Conference Finals vs. the San Antonio Spurs and hitting a 3 to put Houston up 104–100 with 14.1 seconds left in a 106–103 win in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. Following the victory at the 1995 NBA Finals, Horry and the Rockets would win their second NBA Championship. Horry said that out of his 7 championship victories, this was the one

neg: 2003 NBA Finals re-signed with the Nets. Perhaps the lasting memory of the series is David Robinson retiring as a champion. In the clinching game 6, Robinson had 13 points and 17 rebounds to complement Tim Duncan on the inside. In that game, the Spurs trailed at one point 72–63 before going on a 19–0 run to put the game away and take the series. Stephen Jackson's three-pointer during the run held the lead permanently. The Spurs' win denied New Jersey from having both NBA and NHL titles in the same year. Tim Duncan became the 8th player in NBA history to win

neg: Danny Green (basketball) three-pointers, but the Spurs lost the series in seven games. The record was later broken by Stephen Curry in 2016. On April 11, 2014, Green scored a career high 33 points in a 112-104 win over the Phoenix Suns. On June 15, 2014, Green won his first NBA championship after the Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 4 games to 1 in the 2014 NBA Finals. In doing so, Green joined Michael Jordan and James Worthy as the third Tar Heel to win both the NCAA and NBA championship. On December 19, 2014, Green scored a season-high 27 points in the