NBA: Ranking the San Antonio Spurs' 5 Championships

#3 2003 Title vs the New Jersey Nets (4-2)

Tim Duncan and David Robinson celebrate a title before Robinson retires

The first 60-win Spurs title team, as they finished 60-22 on the season. This was a workmanlike championship season for the Spurs, while their win total screams near domination, their stats such as net efficiency and scoring margin suggest they weren't the best team in the league. Both the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings were better in both categories, ended up 2-3 in the standings by a game each, allowing the Spurs to miss one on the road to the Finals.

In addition, the Spurs didn't fully dominate this Playoff run, losing two games in each series. Again, workmanlike over dominating. Finally, David Robinson was on his last legs, Tony Parker was just finding his footing in the NBA, and Manu wasn't Manu yet.

So why third you ask? BECAUSE TIM DUNCAN WAS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST. He averaged 23.3 and 12.9 during the season en route to his second straight MVP award, then upping his averages to 24.7, 15.4, and 5.3 assists in the Playoffs. That is pure domination by one of the top eight players of all time and more than made up for a limited, niche roster. Duncan did it all this season and then some, serving as the offensive and defensive fulcrum even though everyone knew where the Spurs were going.

This type of season was needed by Duncan, as the Spurs were lacking in other star production that we typically come to expect from championship teams. Tony and Manu would become really good in the next few years but they were still adjusting to the NBA, Stephen Jackson was a few years away from the level of play we saw when he was on the Pacers and the Warriors, and the bench was full of old niche guys. To me, this is the best season Duncan ever had and it's fitting he won the MVP and led the Spurs to the chip because they needed everything he had. To cap off the season, he laid waste to the Nets in the Finals' clinching Game 6, throwing up a line of 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks.