2002–03 San Antonio Spurs season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 36th season of the franchise, 30th in San Antonio, and 27th in the National Basketball Association.[failed verification] This was also the Spurs' first season playing at the SBC Center (now AT&T Center). During the offseason, the team signed free agent Kevin Willis, traded for Speedy Claxton and Steve Kerr, and welcomed Argentinian future star Manu Ginóbili (drafted by the team in 1999) for his first NBA season. The Spurs played strong basketball, posting a nine-game winning streak at midseason, then winning eleven straight games near the end of the season. The Spurs would win 60 games for only the second time in franchise history as they attempted to win a second title in longtime star David Robinson's final season. The season saw Tim Duncan earn his second consecutive NBA MVP Award, and appear in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. Second-year guard Tony Parker showed improvement, averaging 15.5 points per game. Rookie Manu Ginóbili was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. This season marked the official beginning of the Big Three era, and the end of the Twin Towers era. The trio of Duncan, Parker, and Ginóbili would lead the Spurs to win 3 more championships (2005, 2007, and 2014).
In the first round of the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Phoenix Suns after losing Game 1 in overtime, then defeated the defending three-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals in six games. In the Western Conference Finals, they defeated the Dallas Mavericks to advance to the NBA Finals, where they beat the New Jersey Nets in six games and won their second championship. Following the season, Stephen Jackson signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks, Steve Smith signed with the New Orleans Hornets, and Robinson and Danny Ferry retired. It was also Steve Kerr's last season as an NBA player.
For the season, the Spurs changed their logo, which remained in use until 2017.
Because of their dominant regular and postseason performance, as well as Duncan's individual achievements, this San Antonio Spurs team is widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
NBA Draft
Roster
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InjuredNote
'Bold' = All-Star Selection
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
October
Record: 1–1; Home: 0–1; Road: 1–0
November
Record: 10–6; Home: 6–2; Road: 4–4
December
Record: 8–6; Home: 5–1; Road: 3–5
January
Record: 11–3; Home: 5–1; Road: 6–2
February
Record: 9–1; Home: 3–0; Road: 6–1
March
Record: 14–3; Home: 9–3; Road: 5–0
April
Record: 7–2; Home: 3–1; Road: 6–1
Playoffs
West First Round
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Phoenix Suns Last Playoff Meeting: 2000 Western Conference First Round (Phoenix won 3–2)
West Conference Semifinals
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers Last Playoff Meeting: 2002 Western Conference Semifinals (Lakers won 4–1)
West Conference Finals
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks Last Playoff Meeting: 2001 Western Conference Semifinals (San Antonio won 4–1)
Player stats
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Regular season
Playoffs
NBA Finals
Summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio (West) | 101 | 85 | 84 | 76 | 93 | 88 | 4 |
| New Jersey (East) | 89 | 87 | 79 | 77 | 83 | 77 | 2 |
Schedule
- Game 1 – June 4: Wednesday 8:00pm EST @San Antonio San Antonio 101, New Jersey 89: San Antonio leads series 1–0
- Game 2 – June 6: Friday 8:00pm EST @San Antonio New Jersey 87, San Antonio 85: Series tied 1–1
- Game 3 – June 8: Sunday 8:00pm EST @New Jersey San Antonio 84, New Jersey 79: San Antonio leads series 2–1
- Game 4 – June 11: Wednesday 8:00pm EST @New Jersey New Jersey 77, San Antonio 76: Series tied 2–2
- Game 5 – June 13: Friday 8:00pm EST @New Jersey San Antonio 93, New Jersey 83: San Antonio leads series 3–2
- Game 6 – June 15 Sunday 8:00pm EST @San Antonio San Antonio 88, New Jersey 77: San Antonio wins series 4–2
Award winners
- Tim Duncan, NBA Most Valuable Player Award
- Tim Duncan, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
- Gregg Popovich, NBA Coach of the Year Award
- Tim Duncan, All-NBA First Team
- Tim Duncan, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Bruce Bowen, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Manu Ginóbili, NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Transactions
Overview
| Players Added Via draft Via trade Via free agency | Players Lost Via trade Via free agency |