Rank Tim Duncan's best title-runs

[Odinn]

2003 run is the best without a doubt but what about others?

1999 run;
19/11/3/3 on .460 against the Wolves (3-1)
29/11/3/2 on .513 aganist the Lakers (4-0)
17/10/3/4 on .521 against the Blazers (4-0)
27/14/2/2 on .537 against the Knicks (4-1)
23.2/11.5/2.8/2.6 on .511 for entire playoffs

2005 run;
22/11/3/3 on .468 against the Nuggets (4-1)
25/10/3/3 on .459 against the Sonics (4-2)
27/14/3/2 on .527 against the Suns (4-1)
21/14/2/2 on .419 against the Pistons (4-3)
23.6/12.4/2.7/2.3 on .464 for entire playoffs
(he was back from injury at the beginnig of the playoffs)

2007 run;
20/11/5/3 on .473 against the Nuggets (4-1)
27/14/1/4 on .573 against the Suns (4-2)
22/10/3/3 on .576 against the Jazz (4-1)
18/12/4/2 on .446 against the Cavs (4-0)
22.2/11.5/3.3/3.1 on .521 for entire playoffs


IMO, his 2007 run is his best run after 2003. His last 2 games against the Cavs were awful but the situtation was so clear for Spurs win. He dominated the Cavs in first 2 games; 24/13/1/5 on .588 and 23/9/8 on .563. If I exclude that last 2 games; his po averages would be 23.2/11.4/3.3/3.2 on .543.

[StateOfMind12]

Even though Duncan didn't win a title in this season, 2006 was one of the best playoff runs Duncan ever had, at least from statistical standpoint.

His 2005 was probably the worst.

I would rank Duncan's title runs like this

2003
2007
1999
2005

Duncan's 2005 Finals was just like Kobe's 2010 Finals.

People claim how Parker robbed Duncan the Finals MVP in 2007 but people must have already forgot how Duncan robbed Manu the Finals MVP in 2005. You could argue that Duncan should only have 2 Finals MVP instead of 3 or 4.

[Gotterdammerung]

I would go with 2003 as the best or peak of them all. That revenge victory over the Lakers was probably his finest performance. His athleticism and skill set were both at their highest point.

In 99 he had more help with a dominant defense, with a more mobile Admiral and a roster full of stubborn veterans.

In 2005 Duncan had two bad ankles that season, which slowed him down considerably. Manu was amazing right until that thigh injury in game 3.
In 2007 the team was almost machine like and Duncan operated more of a quarterback dictating the double team and feast on single coverage.

There was some magic left in 06 and 08 but Duncan had plantar fascitis in 06 and by 08 he seemed more mechanical than ever.

[PTB Fan]

2003
1999
2007
2005.

I'd rank them in that order. Maybe switch 07 with 05.. but other than that, they are really good. His '03 peak, has to definitely earn him the consideration for greatest peaks of all time.

[rmt]

I would rank them:

2003
1999
2005
2007

Duncan's 2005 Finals was just like Kobe's 2010 Finals.

People claim how Parker robbed Duncan the Finals MVP in 2007 but people must have already forgot how Duncan robbed Manu the Finals MVP in 2005. You could argue that Duncan should only have 2 Finals MVP instead of 3 or 4.

Totally disagree with this. Parker was up against a hobbled Eric Snow and rookie Daniel Gibson so Spurs went with the mis-match offensively. But the series was won by controlling Lebron (Bowen on the perimeter) and shutting down the paint (Duncan). Once Lebron was forced to hit contested jump shots and not drive to the basket (and passing to his team mates), there was no doubt Spurs were going to win.

Manu played great in 05 but it was the right choice to give the FMVP to Duncan especially as Manu kinda disappeared in games 3, 4, and 5 and in game 7, it was Duncan who came up big:

He was the fulcrum of virtually every key play down the stretch.

"His complete game is so sound, so fundamnetal, so unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people think, 'Well, he didn't do anything,'" Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "But he was incredible and he was the force that got it done for us."

"You follow your leader," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Timmy is the leader of the team, and he just carried us tonight."

"He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "That's what the great players do."

"You could tell when he caught the ball, how much more physical he was, getting in position and bumping and grinding and getting shots and making sure he got toward the rim, so that when people came at him he was in good position to open up a teammate," Popovich said.

"A lot of the shots they made, open shots, came as a result of us having a hard time guarding him," Brown said. "That's why he's such a great player."

The hallmark of the Spurs' championships was their defense, and Duncan was at the center of that.

[MiseryCityTexas]

I would go with 2003 as the best or peak of them all. That revenge victory over the Lakers was probably his finest performance. His athleticism and skill set were both at their highest point.

In 99 he had more help with a dominant defense, with a more mobile Admiral and a roster full of stubborn veterans.

In 2005 Duncan had two bad ankles that season, which slowed him down considerably. Manu was amazing right until that thigh injury in game 3.
In 2007 the team was almost machine like and Duncan operated more of a quarterback dictating the double team and feast on single coverage.

There was some magic left in 06 and 08 but Duncan had plantar fascitis in 06 and by 08 he seemed more mechanical than ever.

lol i remember that one play-off game against the lakers when tim crossed over robert horry and knocked down the bank in jumper.

[T_L_P]

2003
2007
1999
2005
2014

2003 is obviously #1. Nothing else needs to be said.

His 2007 season as a whole is probably his best offensively after the MVP years. He killed the Suns (27/17/1/4, 57% shooting) too. I personally think he was the best player in the league that year, but that can be debated.

The Duncan-Robinson duo in 99 was perfect. Duncan took the Lakers to town, and he was on the bench for just 11 minutes of the entire Finals.

Mediocre shooting in 05 but he was still playing great defense and received a lot of defensive attention.

14 is obviously the worst, if you can call it that. Way past his prime, not enough time spent on the floor to warrant a real discussion.

[ImKobe]

2003
2007
1999
2005
2014

2003 is obviously #1. Nothing else needs to be said.

His 2007 season as a whole is probably his best offensively after the MVP years. He killed the Suns (27/17/1/4, 57% shooting) too. I personally think he was the best player in the league that year, but that can be debated.

The Duncan-Robinson duo in 99 was perfect. Duncan took the Lakers to town, and he was on the bench for just 11 minutes of the entire Finals.

Mediocre shooting in 05 but he was still playing great defense and received a lot of defensive attention.

14 is obviously the worst, if you can call it that. Way past his prime, not enough time spent on the floor to warrant a real discussion.

I'd put 99 & 05 over 07 personally due to the competition. There's nothing really impressive about the teams he faced in 07, he didn't have to be a much of a factor on offense to sweep the Cavs in the Finals.

He put up nice numbers against the Suns, but the Suns didn't play any defense nor did they have the size to handle a guy like Duncan. Nugs, Jazz & Cavs in 07 were weak sauce at best. Plus, he didn't win the FMVP, so I don't see how his 2nd best title run could not include a Finals MVP award.

[T_L_P]

I'd put 99 & 05 over 07 personally due to the competition. There's nothing really impressive about the teams he faced in 07, he didn't have to be a much of a factor on offense to sweep the Cavs in the Finals.

He put up nice numbers against the Suns, but the Suns didn't play any defense nor did they have the size to handle a guy like Duncan. Nugs, Jazz & Cavs in 07 were weak sauce at best. Plus, he didn't win the FMVP, so I don't see how his 2nd best title run could not include a Finals MVP award.

All good points. Whilst I think the Nuggets team overall wasn't that great, Duncan was going up against DPOY Camby and Nene having a monster offensive outing.

I don't think that Jazz team was weak...for a potential Finalist they were...but they had Deron, peak Boozer, AK47, up-coming Milsap, and Okur, and a great, great coach. They were stronger than 2 of the 4 teams SA faced in 05.

Finals was similar to 05. The Cavs' entire defense centred on Duncan; Parker took care of a mismatch and Duncan did everything he could in game 4 to give him the award (not that he wasn't a worthy recipient, just that Duncan and the rest of SA specifically put Parker in great positions).

The Finals MVP thing isn't relevant to me. Manu deserved it in 05, Duncan deserved it in 07. Kobe's best two runs aren't 09/10, after all (they're 01 and 09).

I didn't watch the Spurs in 99 so I don't have much to go on (1 full Regular Season game, 3 full Playoff games). But just by looking at the highlights and stats, I don't think Timmy's defense had fully developed yet, and he wasn't a great passer (though he'd become one after blowing out his knee in 00).

Offense means more than defense and he had a pretty poor outing on that end in 05. Slightly better defense than 07, but not many teams could have won with their star shooting like he did. He had laser focus coming off that 06 loss and he was never more vocal on the defensive end.

But 2-4 are all interchangeable.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

2003 obviously #1 one of the GOAT Title runs tbh. Look at that roster.
1999
2007
2005
2014

[Shep]

2003
2007
2005
1999
2014

[masonanddixon]

02-03 was great, I just wish Dirk didn't get injured.