When you think of the most storied NBA franchises you think of the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.
These teams have always been the first thought when thinking of the NBA’s best franchises. However, there is another team that, although it does not get the public attention that those three teams do, is right up there with them in the top echelon of NBA.
The San Antonio Spurs.
Now the Spurs have not missed the NBA Playoffs since 1996, let that sink in for a minute.
The last time the Spurs missed the playoffs the Spice Girls had released Wannabe and EBay had just started. They have made the playoffs for 18 straight seasons and it all started the year they drafted future hall of famer Tim Duncan.
The Spurs had their worst season in franchise history in 1996 going 20-62 which led them to winning the draft lottery and gaining the number one pick in the 1997 draft.
With that they chose Tim Duncan and the Spurs have never looked back.
There has been countless times where the NBA media and fans have said this is the year the Spurs will drop off, they are too old, Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli can’t keep this form up and other teams are going to pass them.
Time and time again the Spurs continue to prove the doubters wrong. They have 16 straight 50+ win seasons – which is an NBA record. It would have been more had not for the shortened 50-game season in 1999.
The Spurs also have had 18 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season – also an NBA record.
While the Spurs have been lucky enough to have some lottery picks throughout their time, such as David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Sean Elliot, it is the work they do late in the draft and smart signings and trades that has made them perennial contenders.
Current stars Tony Parker (pick 28) and Manu Ginobli (pick 57) – future hall of famers – are two of the greatest steals in draft history.
The Spurs are always picking up players who may not seem like big names but in the right situation can become vital to a team’s championship runs.
Players like Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Michael Finley and even current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr were all brought in to the team in the glory years of 2003-2007 were they won three titles.
The Spurs, for their standards, had a couple of down years after the 2007 title but if not for an unfortunate injury to Manu Ginobli in 2011 they would have fancied their chance at another.
Again the media thought this was the end for the Spurs, but like many times before through the use of smart draft picks and trades they retooled and went again and started relying a bit more on the younger talent. The likes of Tiago Splitter, Danny Green and Gary Neal were the Spurs new generation.
More smart signings like Boris Diaw – who was almost out of the league he was playing that poorly – and young Australian Patty Mills helped rejuvenate the ageing Spurs team.
However, the smartest move they made was trading much loved young point guard George Hill to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for future Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.
This proved to be a trade that paved the way for the Spurs to win their fifth NBA title in 2014. Leonard was awarded finals MVP after his shut down job on LeBron James, showing again how well the Spurs organisation is run.
The side will always produce good players and make players that struggled at former teams blossom and turn into franchise-altering finished products.
After a disappointing first round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers this season, it looked like once again the Spurs might finally be going down the rebuilding faze.
Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli may have retired, Greg Popovich may have stepped down but no, they did it again.
Prized free agent LaMarcus Aldridge chose to leave the Portland Trail Blazers and join the Spurs. Again, they are one of the favourites to win the title next season.
The Spurs, through having such good systems in place, will never go away.
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