By MateoMayorga | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2024-09-17 23:19:22
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
向马刺队在追求荣耀道路上的最大对手们致敬。
自 1967 年成立以来，无论是作为 ABA 联赛中的达拉斯牛仔队，还是后来的圣安东尼奥马刺队，他们一直是各支劲旅的拦路虎。五十七年后的今天，这支银黑军团已经五次夺得 NBA 总冠军，成为了职业篮球界最令人羡慕的球队之一。
这些总冠军的取得并非易事。马刺队必须战胜由杰出球员领衔的伟大球队才能走到今天，但他们仍然在许多年里功亏一篑，原因就在于对手的强大。其中一些对手是这项运动历史上最杰出的球员。与他们的较量不仅粉碎了马刺队和球迷们的心，也让马刺队变得更加强大，为那些赛季带来了更多的激情。
让我们回顾一下那些给马刺队留下最深伤痕的对手们。
荣誉提名
雷·阿伦(Ray Allen)
雷·阿伦的三分球是马刺队季后赛历史上最灾难性的时刻，也是 NBA 总决赛历史上最具决定性的亮点之一。在 2013 年总决赛第六场的最后时刻，热火队的形势看起来已经非常糟糕，以至于 NBA 已经开始在球场周围拉起了警戒线，以防止球迷冲进场内。
然而，马刺队自身的失误让他们看到了一线生机，首先是邓肯不在场上。接下来，马刺队领先三分，本应该采取犯规战术将热火队送上罚球线。然而，勒布朗·詹姆斯左侧三分不中，篮板能力平平的克里斯·波什将球拨到角落，阿伦在托尼·帕克面前投篮命中，在比赛还剩 5 秒时将比分扳平。
阿伦在那个系列赛中场均得到 10.3 分，三分球命中率高达 54.5%，在接下来的总决赛中，他场均得到 9.8 分，三分球命中率为 40.9%。
德里克·费舍尔(Derek Fisher)
在 2004 年西部半决赛第五场，费舍尔投中了 NBA 历史上最令人心碎和震惊的制胜球之一。
在比赛还剩 0.4 秒时，加里·佩顿从边线将球传给了费舍尔，后者接球后立即转身，在马努·吉诺比利面前跳投命中。当全场观众都惊呆了的时候，费舍尔和湖人队的球员们跑向了更衣室。也正是因为这一球，大多数人才忘记了邓肯在上一回合面对沙奎尔·奥尼尔投进的那记高难度后仰跳投。
特雷西·麦克格雷迪(Tracy McGrady)
2004 年 12 月 9 日，特雷西·麦克格雷迪率领的休斯顿火箭队在垃圾时间还落后马刺队两位数。随后，他开始了疯狂的三分球表演，在最后 35 秒内狂砍 13 分，从马刺队手中抢走了胜利。这是 NBA 历史上最不可思议的比赛结尾之一。
10. 埃尔文·海耶斯(Elvin Hayes)
埃尔文·海耶斯是他那个时代最杰出的内线球员之一。在 1978 年和 1979 年，他率领华盛顿子弹队在季后赛中两次战胜马刺队。他在快攻、空切、补篮和低位单打中对马刺队造成了巨大的杀伤。
1978 年的第二场比赛是他对阵马刺队的最佳表现。子弹队在半决赛第一场输给了马刺队，但海耶斯在第二场比赛中完成了复仇，他 21 投 13 中，得到 28 分，抢下 11 个篮板，并在子弹队 4 分险胜的比赛中送出 6 次盖帽。在第六场的生死战中，他也是表现最好的球员。
在与马刺队的 13 场季后赛中（8 胜 5 负），海耶斯场均得到 22.7 分，投篮命中率为 48.6%，同时还有 14.8 个篮板和 2.2 次盖帽。
9. 史蒂夫·纳什(Steve Nash)
史蒂夫·纳什是马刺队所遇到过的最聪明的球员之一。他曾八次与马刺队交手，取得了一次系列赛的胜利。如果在 2007 年太阳队处于争冠行列时，罗伯特·霍里没有将他撞到技术台，结果会怎样，谁也说不准。霍里的动作导致鲍里斯·迪奥和阿玛雷·斯塔德迈尔违反了“替补席必须留在指定区域”的规定，他们在第五场比赛中被禁赛。纳什在接下来的第六场比赛中出场 45 分钟，但太阳队惜败。
2010 年的太阳队卷土重来，在第二轮横扫了马刺队。纳什率领着那支太阳队，并在菲尼克斯的首场比赛中砍下 33 分，用他的跳投和突破撕裂了马刺队薄弱的外线防守。作为一名组织者和得分手，他也完胜了托尼·帕克。
在 37 场季后赛中，纳什送出了 284 次助攻，而失误只有 108 次。
8. 摩西·马龙(Moses Malone)
“篮板王”马龙是马刺队在他在休斯顿火箭队效力时无法解决的难题，在马刺队得到阿蒂斯·吉尔摩之前，马龙一直在蹂躏着他们。他近距离地洞悉了马刺队的所有战术，为队友创造了空间，并在 1980 年和 1981 年的两个系列赛的 10 场比赛中场均抢下 7.3 个进攻篮板。
他在 1980 年季后赛第三场比赛中给马刺队造成了最严重的伤害，那场比赛火箭队以 21 分的优势获胜。他在比赛中势不可挡，22 投 14 中，得到 37 分和 20 个篮板。
7. 卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone)
“邮差”马龙在 1994 年、1996 年、1998 年和 2004 年都给马刺队带来了挑战，帮助犹他爵士队和洛杉矶湖人队每次都取得了胜利。身高 2 米 06，体重 113 公斤，马龙是一位面框和背身进攻的怪物。即使是邓肯或罗宾逊，也很难防守马龙，因为他的跳投范围可以延伸到中距离。
在 1994 年与马刺队的首轮系列赛中，马龙的表现优于罗宾逊，得分和篮板球都超过了后者。马龙的力量也帮助他在卡位中战胜了罗宾逊。
此外，马刺队在那轮系列赛中缺乏进攻选择，这让爵士队可以肆无忌惮地包夹罗宾逊。“海军上将”场均得到 20 分，但投篮命中率只有 41.1%，而马龙场均得到 29.3 分，投篮命中率高达 48.2%。在此前的 24 场季后赛中，罗宾逊的投篮命中率为 56.1%。
在马刺队在 2003 年击败湖人队、达拉斯小牛队和新泽西篮网队夺冠后，湖人队在 2003 年夏天签下了马龙，这成为了他的最后一站。马龙吸引湖人队并成为他们那年最有价值球员之一的原因在于他的挡拆防守。紫金军团需要一位顶级内线防守者来防守挡拆，因为奥尼尔在换防后卫方面臭名昭著，帕克和邓肯在 2003 年的第二轮系列赛中就利用这一点狠狠地教训了他。
马龙在季后赛对阵马刺队的战绩为 15 胜 6 负。他的肘击对阵罗宾逊的头部，战绩也是 1 胜 0 负。
6. 卡里姆·阿卜杜尔-贾巴尔(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
“天勾”在与马刺队的四次系列赛交锋中保持全胜，场均得到 21.1 分，投篮命中率为 55.3%，同时还有 6.6 个篮板和 2.2 次助攻。即使年龄的增长让他速度变慢，贾巴尔仍然能够在低位找到自己的位置，转身完成上篮，或者在他无法背身单打对手时，他会选择他标志性的“天勾”投篮。在防守端，他通过协防盖帽和干扰对手投篮来制造混乱，为湖人队的快攻创造机会。
贾巴尔不仅在对阵马刺队时表现出色，在 1983 年和 1986 年的季后赛中，他还战胜了“火车”阿蒂斯·吉尔摩。吉尔摩是篮球史上最强壮的球员之一，马刺队在 1982 年签下他就是为了限制贾巴尔，但这个计划失败了。
5. 沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)
沙奎尔·奥尼尔在 2001 年至 2004 年期间三次率领湖人队战胜马刺队。马刺队曾在 1999 年横扫了他的湖人队，并在 2003 年终结了他们四连冠的梦想。有一段时间，奥尼尔的进攻统治力 настолько强大，以至于可以弥补他在防守端的不足。
他是三角进攻的枢纽。他可以转身攻击篮筐，或者在近距离 overpowering 任何对手。即使是邓肯，也曾在试图阻止他时被他肘击过几次。阻止奥尼尔需要不断的包夹，但他是一位聪明的球员，可以在陷入麻烦之前将球传出去。
他在对阵马刺队的最佳表现是在 2001 年西部半决赛的第三场比赛。他在篮下 unstoppable，在第一节和第三节总共 13 次出手命中了 11 球。
在与马刺队的 30 场季后赛中，奥尼尔场均得到 22.4 分，投篮命中率为 53%，同时还有 12.8 个篮板、2.2 次助攻和 2.8 次盖帽。
除了折磨马刺队的防守，奥尼尔还在他的自传《沙克谈话录》（2001 年）中编造了一个故事，说海军上将大卫·罗宾逊在他年轻时拒绝给他签名，后来他承认这是为了引起关注而编造的。
4. 科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)
科比·布莱恩特和奥尼尔在五次系列赛中与马刺队交手，赢得了其中的三次。在 2002 年西部半决赛的第四场比赛中，布莱恩特在面对布鲁斯·鲍文的防守时，在一次单打中差点丢球，但他还是命中了制胜球。费舍尔抢到进攻篮板后，中距离跳投不中。令主场球迷感到恐惧的是，布莱恩特单手抢到进攻篮板，落地后，再次起跳，在海军上将罗宾逊面前投进了一记抛投。
在“大鲨鱼”（奥尼尔）和“黑曼巴”（布莱恩特）分道扬镳后，后者在 2008 年西部决赛中率领他的湖人队在五场比赛中战胜了邓肯的球队。他在那个系列赛中在三分线内大杀四方，两分球命中率高达 58.3%。布鲁斯·鲍文，那年的最佳防守一阵容成员，在防守中一直紧逼和追防，并及时进行了干扰，但当布莱恩特进入状态时，他也无能为力。
布莱恩特在第五场比赛的第四节接管了比赛，他通过一连串的跳投和篮下进攻得到 17 分。他的表现帮助湖人队最终杀入了 NBA 总决赛。
3. 凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)
“死神”杜兰特在季后赛对阵马刺队的总战绩为 18 胜 9 负，场均得到 28 分，真实命中率高达 62.3%，同时还有 7.5 个篮板和 4.3 次助攻。他在季后赛中三次与蒂姆·邓肯交手，战绩为 10 胜 8 负。
马刺队在 2012 年和 2016 年都是总冠军的有力争夺者。杜兰特和他的球队在这两次都阻止了他们。在这两轮系列赛中，他在圣安东尼奥都打出了大师级的表现，而第一次的时候他才 22 岁。银黑军团在 2014 年西部决赛中击败了他的俄克拉荷马雷霆队，然后在总决赛中横扫了迈阿密热火队，夺得了 NBA 总冠军。
身高 2 米 11，臂展 2 米 28，后卫般的移动速度和历史级别的投篮范围，杜兰特是马刺队除了奥尼尔和勒布朗·詹姆斯之外最大的错位噩梦。他出手点高，出手速度快，他的跳投让防守者很难防守。
他在比赛的关键时刻也总是表现出色。还记得 2016 年西部半决赛第二场在 AT&T 中心球馆的比赛吗？杜兰特势不可挡，他一次又一次地命中投篮，并在快攻中完成扣篮。那是他和拉马库斯·阿尔德里奇之间的一场史诗级的决战。杜兰特回应了阿尔德里奇的 13 分，在第四节独得 10 分，全场 28 分，投篮命中率为 57.9%，帮助雷霆队在客场获胜，将系列赛大比分扳成 1-1。
2. 德克·诺维茨基(Dirk Nowitzki)
德克·诺维茨基和他的达拉斯小牛队在六次系列赛中与马刺队交手，赢得了其中的两次，总战绩为 15 胜 18 负。他在 2006 年第二轮第七场在马刺队的主场给马刺队和他们的球迷留下了痛苦的回忆。他断送了卫冕冠军继续卫冕的机会。这位“德国战车”在那场比赛开始时就面对邓肯的防守，用一个假动作晃开了邓肯，然后杀入篮下完成扣篮。
随着比赛的进行，诺维茨基更多地选择了面框进攻，他命中了一记记后仰跳投，以及来自底线的跳投，当然还有他的金鸡独立跳投。
比赛最后时刻的关键一击也来自于他。在小牛队落后三分的情况下，比赛还剩 25 秒时，诺维茨基面对鲍文的防守，顶着对手的防守将球打进，同时造成犯规。然后他走上罚球线，稳稳地将球罚进，将比分扳平。
邓肯在那场比赛中得到 41 分，吉诺比利得到 23 分，帕克得到 24 分，但这仍然不够。
在那轮系列赛中，诺维茨基场均得到 27.7 分，投篮命中率为 52.7%，同时还有 13.3 个篮板和 2.7 次助攻。
他最后一次与马刺队的系列赛是在 2014 年的第一轮。即使已经 35 岁，诺维茨基的中距离投篮仍然给马刺队的后卫线带来了很大的麻烦。
1. 勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)
“小皇帝”和他的球队在三轮总决赛中与马刺队交手，赢得了其中一次，那是在 2013 年。他的速度、体型和力量集中在一个 2 米 06 的身体上，这使得防守者很难在他面前保持防守位置，或者快速地破坏他的进攻。
他在对阵马刺队的最佳表现是在 2013 年总决赛第六场的第四节。詹姆斯带领热火队在落后两位数的情况下完成了逆转，他在第四节得到 16 分，并为队友送出两次助攻。如果没有他的出色发挥，就不会有阿伦的扳平三分。除此之外，他还拿到了那个赛季唯一的一次三双。
在第七场比赛的最后一分钟，邓肯在面对身材远小于他的肖恩·巴蒂尔的防守时，近距离投篮不中，补篮也不中，当时马刺队落后两分。詹姆斯在接下来的进攻回合中做出了回应，他在伦纳德的防守下命中了一记中距离跳投，帮助迈阿密热火队 secure 了总冠军，实现了卫冕。
詹姆斯在与马刺队的总决赛中场均得到 25.3 分，投篮命中率为 47.6%，同时还有 10.9 个篮板和 7 次助攻。
六年前，在马刺队在总决赛第四场战胜克利夫兰骑士队，完成横扫后，邓肯告诉詹姆斯，NBA 将是他的联盟。对邓肯来说，说对了真让人难受。
点击查看原文：The Top 10 nemeses in San Antonio Spurs history
The Top 10 nemeses in San Antonio Spurs history
Honoring the greatest rivals in the Spurs’ quest for glory.
The San Antonio Spurs have been a roadblock for elite teams since they became operational in 1967, then as the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA. Fifty-seven years later, the Silver and Black are five-time NBA champions and one of the envied organizations in pro basketball.
Stacking up those titles was not easy. The Spurs had to defeat great teams led by exceptional players to get there, but they still came up short many other years because of the greatness of their rivals. Some of those opponents are the best players in the sport’s history. On top of smashing Silver and Black hearts, battling them made the Spurs better and brought further excitement to those seasons.
Let’s review the foes who gave the Spurs the deepest cuts.
Honorable Mention
Ray Allen
Ray Allen’s trifecta is the most catastrophic moment in Spurs Playoff history and one of the defining highlights of the NBA Finals. Late in Game 6 of the 2013 championship series, the outcome appeared so bleak for the Heat that the NBA had already surrounded the court with restrictive tape to prevent fans from storming the court.
Yet, the Spurs’ mistakes left them with a pulse, starting with Duncan out of the game. Next, the Spurs were ahead by three points and should have fouled to send the Heat to the line. Anyways, LeBron James missed a left-wing 3-pointer and Chris Bosh, an underwhelming rebounder, kicked the miss to the corner and Allen shot over Tony Parker to tie with five seconds left.
Allen averaged 10.3 points, making 54.5 percent of his 3-point attempts in that series and 9.8 points on 40.9 percent deep shooting in the following Finals.
Derek Fisher
In Game 5 of the 2004 second round, Fisher hit one of the most heart-shattering and jaw-dropping game-winners in NBA history.
With 0.4 seconds left, Gary Payton inbounded from the sideline to Fisher, who instantly fired on the catch over Manu Ginóbili while turning. Fisher and the Lakers ran for the locker room as the crowd stood in numb surprise. This shot is why most people don’t remember the long fadeaway Duncan swished over Shaquille O’Neal on the play before.
Tracy McGrady
On Dec. 9, 2004, Tracy McGrady’s hosting Houston Rockets were down double-digits to the Spurs in garbage time. Then, he started firing trays, racking up 13 points in the last 35 seconds to snatch a win from the grips of defeat. It’s one of the most outrageous endings to a game ever.
10. Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes was one of the standout big men of his era. In 1978 and 1979, he led the Washington Bullets over the Spurs in the Playoffs. He punished the Spurs on fastbreak plays, timely cuts, putbacks, and post-ups.
Game 2 in 1978 was his finest moment playing the Spurs. The Bullets had lost the previous match at HemisFair Arena, but Hayes got payback, scoring 28 marks on 13 of 21 attempts, recovering 11 boards and denied six shots in a four-point victory. He was the top player in the closeout Game 6, too.
In 13 postseason games (8-5) versus the Spurs, Hayes recorded 22.7 points on 48.6 percent shooting, with 14.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.
9. Steve Nash
Steve Nash was one of the most intelligent ballers the Spurs ever competed against. He was a rival eight times, emerging victorious once. Who knows what would’ve happened if Robert Horry hadn’t hip-checked him into the broadcast table when the Suns were contenders in 2007? The action caused Boris Diaw and Amar’e Stoudemire to breach “the immediate vicinity of their bench,” getting them suspended for Game 5. Nash played 45 minutes in the next match in a close loss.
The 2010 Suns later broke through, sweeping the Spurs in round two. Nash led that unit and uncorked that encounter with a 33-point outburst in Phoenix, lighting up the weak perimeter coverage with his jumper and dribble. He also outplayed Tony Parker as a scorer and facilitator.
In 37 postseason bouts, Nash collected 284 dimes as opposed to 108 turnovers.
8. Moses Malone
The Chairman of the Boards (Malone) was an unsolvable problem for the Spurs while he played for the Houston Rockets and was whooping them before they got Artis Gilmore to work as the center. He caught all the schemes up close, opening the floor for his teammates and averaged 7.3 offensive rebounds in 10 matches in two triumphant series in 1980 and 1981.
The worst damage he did to the Spurs was in the close out Game 3 in 1980, a 21-point win. He destroyed everything in his path, accumulating 37 points on 14 of 22 attempts, with 20 rebounds.
7. Karl Malone
The Mailman challenged the Spurs in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2004, helping the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers win each time. At 6 ‘9, with a 250-pound steel body, Malone was a face-up and post monster. Even for Duncan or Robinson, Malone was not an easy matchup to contain because his jumper extended to mid-range.
In the first round versus the Spurs in 1994, Malone was a better big man than Robinson, outscoring and outworking him on the glass. Malone’s strength helped him beat Robinson for her positioning, too.
Additionally, the Spurs’ lack of offensive options in that encounter allowed the Jazz to load up on Robinson. The Admiral logged 20 points per game, making just 41.1 percent of his field goals in contrast to Malone’s 29.3 marks on 48.2 percent shooting. In 24 prior Playoff games, Robinson averaged 56.1 percent of his tries.
Then the Lakers signed Malone for his last ride in summer 2003 after the Spurs beat them and did the same to the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets for the title. The reason Malone appealed to the Lakers and became one of their most valuable players that year is because of his pick-and-roll defense. The Purple and Gold needed a high-level big man defender for that set because O’Neal was notoriously bad at covering this action, and Parker and Duncan exposed him in round two in 2003.
Malone’s record versus the Spurs in the Playoffs is 15-6. He elbow is also 1-0 vs. Robinson’s head.
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Tower of Power recorded 21.1 points per game on 55.3 percent accuracy, with 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists, never losing a series against the Spurs in four tries. Even as age slowed him down, Abdul-Jabbar would establish position on the low block and spin for a layup or shoot his trademarked cruise missile if he couldn’t back down his man. Defensively, he created chaos with help side blocks and contests that sparked showtime’s fastbreak.
Abdul-Jabbar didn’t just play well against the Spurs, he outperformed the A-Train Artis Gilmore in the 1983 and 1986 Playoff matchups. Gilmore, one of the strongest men who ever played pro basketball, was acquired to neutralize him in 1982, but the plan failed.
5. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers past the Spurs thrice between 2001 and 2004. The Spurs swept his Purple and Gold squad in 1999 and ended their quest for a fourth straight title in 2003. For a time, O’Neal’s offense was so dominant it could offset his shortcomings on defense.
He was the hub of the triangle attack. He could pivot to the rim or overpower anyone at close range. Even Duncan caught a few elbows trying to wall him up. Stopping O’Neal required constant double-teaming, but he was a smart player who could get the pass off before getting in trouble.
His top showing against the Spurs was Game 3 of the 2001 West Semifinals. He was unstoppable at the hoop, combining for 11 of 13 attempts in the first and third quarters.
O’Neal registered 22.4 points on 53 percent accuracy, with 12.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.8 blocks across 30 Playoff games facing the Spurs.
And aside from tormenting the Spurs’ defense, O’Neal fabricated a story in his book, Shaq Talks Back (2001), about Admiral David Robinson denying him an autograph as a young man, which he later admitted he made up for attention.
4. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant and O’Neal played the Spurs in five series, winning three. In Game 4 of the 2002 West Semifinals, Bryant hit the game-winning shot after nearly losing the ball on an isolation set against Bruce Bowen. Fisher recovered the ball and bricked a mid-range jumper. To the horror of the home crowd, Bryant leaped for an offensive rebound, snatching it one-handed, landed, and went back up for a floater in Admiral Robinson’s face.
After the Diesel (O’Neal) and Black Mamba’s (Bryant) break up, the latter led his Lakers past Duncan’s crew in five games in the 2008 West Finals. He feasted inside the arc in that series, converting 58.3 percent of his two-pointers. Bruce Bowen, a First-Team All-NBA Defender that year, was locking and trailing well and contesting on time but was helpless when Bryant got in the zone.
Bryant famously took over the fourth quarter of Game 5, amassing 17 points on a flurry of jump shots and rim assaults. That performance catapulted his team to the NBA Finals.
3. Kevin Durant
The Slim Reaper’s all-time Playoff record against the Spurs is 18-9, averaging 28 points on a 62.3 true shooting percentage, with 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His mark against Tim Duncan is 10-8 across three series in the postseason.
The Spurs were in contention for a title in 2012 and 2016. Durant and his crew stopped them both times. He had masterful performances in San Antonio in each series and was age 22 on the first occasion. The Silver and Black defeated his Oklahoma City Thunder team in the 2014 Western Conference Finals then went on to blast the Miami Heat for the NBA championship.
At 6 ‘11, with a 7’ 5 wingspan, guard mobility and historical deep range, Durant was the Spurs’ biggest matchup nightmare aside from O’Neal and LeBron James. The release point and quickness of his jumper overmatched defenders because of its separation.
He was also elite late in matches. Remember Game 2 of the 2016 Western Conference Semifinals at the AT&T Center. Durant was implacable, successfully firing over opponents and dunking on the break. It was an epic late duel between him and LaMarcus Aldridge. Durant countered LMA’s 13 points, scoring 10 fourth-quarter digits, finishing with 28 on 57.9 percent shooting and a victory to split the series going back to Oklahoma City.
2. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki and his Dallas Mavericks played the Spurs in six series, winning two and totaling a 15-18 record. He tattooed painful memories for the Spurs and its fans in Game 7 of round two in 2006 at the Spurs’ house. He denied the champs an opportunity to keep playing for the repeat. The German Race Car kicked off that contest by facing up Duncan, baiting him into a fake and blowing by for a dunk.
As the game continued, Nowitzki attacked the basket on more face-up plays and connected on faders plus jumpers from the baseline and elbows.
The critical play executed late to force overtime was his as well. As the Mavericks were down three points with 25 seconds left, Nowitzki attacked with Bowen on his hip, finishing a soft lay-in with contact. Then he stepped to the line and the ball kissed nylon to tie.
Duncan had 41, Ginóbili added 23 and Parker dropped 24 marks, but it wasn’t enough.
In that series, Nowitzki put up 27.7 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting, with 13.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
His last series versus the Silver and Black was the 2014 first round. Even at age 35, Nowitzki’s mid-range shooting gave the backline defense problems.
1. LeBron James
The King and his court battled the Spurs in three championship rounds, winning the middle exchange in 2013. His speed, size and strength in a 6 ‘9 build made it difficult to stay in front of the ball or disrupt his drive quickly enough.
His finest moment against the Spurs was the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the 2013 Finals. James led the Heat back from behind double-digits, scoring 16 fourth-quarter points and setting up two teammates. Without his work, there is no Allen shot to tie. On top of that, he had his only triple-double of the season that night.
In the last minute of Game 7, Duncan missed a close-range shot with the much smaller Shane Battier guarding him and failed to make the tip-in as the Spurs were down two points. James responded, hitting the go-head mid-range jumper over Leonard on the next possession to secure back-to-back championships for the Miami Heat.
James totaled 25.3 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting, with 10.9 rebounds and seven assists.
Six years prior, Duncan told James that the NBA would be his league following the Spurs’ Game 4 victory to sweep his Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. In Duncan’s case, it hurts to be right.
By MateoMayorga, via Pounding The Rock