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June 19, 2003 The San Antonio Spurs made bookends around the era of the Shaq/Kobe Lakers with another NBA Championship to match the earlier title. The Spurs won the title in the shortened season a few years ago, then slipped below the radar as Shaq and gang attacked ran the league for a few years. This year the Spurs got the mix right again with a powerful performance all year long by Tim Duncan. The bookend championship falls in line with San Antonio’s bookend big men, Duncan and David Robinson. Indeed, both men held trophies high as Duncan took the series MVP and Robinson held his second world championship ball in the air. Robinson, the class act of the league, closed out his career at the very pinnacle. He push it hard on the last lap, grabbing 7 crucial rebounds in the late going of the game, scoring, and even stealing the ball on a couple of occasions. Robinson was definitely the league’s Charley Hustle, and it was an amazing thing to see him in the final minutes of his final game, hustling down the court to swipe the ball away from a tiny guard. He gave 100% effort all the time, a real rarity in today’s NBA. The title has sparked some talk of a Spurs dynasty, but the Spurs will have to come up with some way of replacing Robinson. There has been much rumor that Jason Kidd may end up with the team that he fought against in the finals this year. San Antonio has the deep pockets this coming year to probably grab him, and he would be a welcome addition to a front court that struggled desperately in the playoffs with an attempt to give other teams some reason to back off of Duncan. Duncan has reportedly said he does not want to play the center position, and Malik Rose is not big enough to play the post year-round in the big-man heavy west. San Antonio is not going to get the type of talent they want in the post from their level of draft pick, so they will have to look elsewhere. A few interesting names are available for the Spurs to consider - in specific, Jermaine O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Karl Malone. O’Neal is available and would be a wonderful fit with Duncan. O’ Neal has superb defensive skills, can really jump, and has strengthened his offensive game as well over the past couple of years, is young and will only get better. O’Neal and Duncan under the basket would give the Spurs a formidable front line again and help them maintain the control of the middle that they were able to exert this past year. Mourning or Malone would also make the San Antonio paint area tough to crack. With San Antonio’s financial situation, the Spurs have the opportunity to pick up any of these big men. Of the three, O’Neal would be the better choice due to the fact that he is much younger and healthier. However, is someone else snatches O’Neal off the market, Mourning may give the Spurs one good or two good years, enough to get back to the big dance a couple of times. The same is true for Malone. However, if the Spurs can swing a deal with O’Neal they will could put a real nasty fence around the basket, with O’Neal, Duncan and Rose on the court at the same time. Add to that the improving Stephen Jackson, and the Spurs have a very tall line-up without much trade-off in quickness - all of these big guys can really move. Add to that line-up Tony Parker or any of the other guard options and you have a hot five. Or the Spurs may choose to spend even more money and try to grab a different guard as well as a big man for the middle. Whoever the Spurs choose to fill Robinson’s extra large shoes, it won’t be easy - especially off the court. Robinson’s consistently high conduct, his giving to the community, and in general they way he has comported himself for his entire career, from the Navy to NBA retirement, has been a great example for other players to emulate. The one hope the Spurs organization must have is that the things Robinson has taught the other younger players has been ‘caught’ by them and will bear fruit over the coming years. The Admiral has done an admirable job. ------------ About the author: Dwayne Hines currently has 12 books selling in major bookstores and writes for major magazines such as Physical and FitnessRX. Email Dwayne Hines: dhines@3dinet.com Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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