Taking a Look at the Spurs' Method

Today, I will be looking at the model that San Antonio has used to have great success over the last decade: find three star players and then fill the roster with guys willing to go through a wall to win.

In order to take a look at this, I pulled out any team over the last three seasons who had at least three guys who scored fifteen points per game and played in a significant amount of games with the team in the season. For the last three seasons, the Spurs have reached this mark and have won at least 58 games each year and two NBA championships.

2004-05 Season

Phoenix Suns, 62-20, (Western Conference Finals)
Scorers: Amare Stoudamire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson
Contributors: Nash, Richardson, Barbosa, Jackson, Hunter, Jacobsen, Voskuhl
Notes: Nash and Richardson also averaged double figures in points per game.

San Antonio Spurs, 59-23, (NBA Champions)
Scorers: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili
Contributors: Bowen, Barry, D. Brown, Udrih, Horry, Nesterovic, Rose, Mohammed
Notes: Mohammed and Rose were traded for mid-season. Bowen was third in the team in minutes per game. Mohammed started every game during the Spurs’ playoff run.

Dallas Mavericks, 58-24 (Second Round)
Scorers: Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley, Jerry Stackhouse
Contributors: Terry, Howard, Daniels, Dampier, Harris, Henderson, Bradley, Van Horn
Notes: Howard and Terry also averaged double figures in points per game.

Detroit Pistons, 54-28, (NBA Finals)
Scorers: Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince
Contributors: Wallace, Wallace, McDyess, Hunter, Arroyo, Dupree, Delfino, Campbell
Notes: Both Wallace’s and Antonio McDyess all averaged over nine points per game.

Chicago Bulls, 47-35 (First Round)
Scorers: Eddy Curry, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon
Contributors: Deng, Nocioni, Chandler, Harrington, Davis, Duhon, Piatkowski, Pargo
Notes: Deng was injured and did not play during the playoffs.

Washington Wizards, 45-37, (Second Round)
Scorers: Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, Antawn Jamison
Contributors: Haywood, Hayes, Jeffries, Dixon, Thomas, Brown, Blake, Peeler, Ruffin
Notes: Only four reserve players for the Wizards played significant minutes.

Los Angeles Clippers, 37-45, (No Playoffs)
Scorers: Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Bobby Simmons
Contributors: Kaman, Jaric, Brunson, Wilcox, Ross, Moore, Rebraca, Livingston
Notes: Brand was the only Clipper not to miss significant time because of injury.

Los Angeles Lakers, 34-48, (No Playoffs)
Scorers: Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom
Contributors: Atkins, Mihm, Jones, Cook, T. Brown, Grant, Walton, Medvedenko
Notes: This was the season Bryant was going through a court trial.

2005-06 Season

Detroit Pistons, 64-18 (Eastern Conference Finals)
Scorers: Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace
Contributors: Prince, McDyess, B. Wallace, Evans, Delfino, Delk, Arroyo, Hunter
Notes: Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo were traded mid-season to the Magic.

San Antonio Spurs, 63-19 (Second Round)
Scorers: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili
Contributors: Finley, Bowen, Mohammed, Barry, Nesterovic, Van Exel, Horry, Udrih
Notes: The Spurs had nine players average more than fifteen minutes played per game.

Dallas Mavericks, 60-22 (NBA Finals)
Scorers: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Josh Howard
Contributors: Stackhouse, Daniels, Harris, Van Horn, Dampier, Griffin, Diop, Armstrong
Notes: Stackhouse, Daniels, and Harris all averaged at least ten points scored per game.

Phoenix Suns, 54-28 (Western Confernce Finals)
Scorers: Shawn Marion, Steve Nash, Raja Bell
Contributors: Diaw, House, Barbosa, James Jones, Kurt Thomas, Tim Thomas, Jackson
Notes: Tim Thomas was acquired mid-season and played nearly 25 minutes per game.

Los Angeles Clippers, 47-35 (Second Round)
Scorers: Elton Brand, Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley
Contributors: Kaman, Maggette, Livingston, Radmanovic, Ross, Ewing, Wilcox
Notes: Radmanovic and Wilcox were acquired mid-season by the Clippers.

Washington Wizards, 42-40 (First Round)
Scorers: Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler
Contributors: Daniels, Haywood, Jeffries, Thomas, Ruffin, Donnell Taylor
Notes: Only three reserve players for the Wizards played significant minutes.

Toronto Raptors, 27-55 (No Playoffs)
Scorers: Chris Bosh, Mike James, Morris Peterson
Contributors: Villanueva, Bonner, Rose, Graham, Calderon, Sow, Araujo, Martin
Notes: Seven Raptors players played significant minutes during the season.

2006-07 Season

Dallas Mavericks, 67-15 (First Round)
Scorers: Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Terry
Contributors: Harris, Stackhouse, Dampier, George, Buckner, Diop, Croshere
Notes: Stackhouse and Harris also averaged double figures in points per game.

Phoenix Suns, 61-21 (Second Round)
Scorers: Amare Stoudamire, Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa
Contributors: Marion, Bell, Diaw, James Jones, Banks, Kurt Thomas
Notes: The Suns had six players who averaged more than 30 minutes played per game.

San Antonio Spurs, 58-24 (NBA Champions)
Scorers: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili
Contributors: Finley, Barry, Bowen, Elson, Oberto, Horry, Bonner, Vaughn
Notes: Twelve different Spurs started at least one game during the season.

Utah Jazz, 51-31 (Western Conference Finals)
Scorers: Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Deron Williams
Contributors: Harpring, Fisher, Kirilenko, Giricek, Millsap, Brewer, Jarron Collins
Notes: Harpring and Fisher also averaged double figures in points per game.

Chicago Bulls, 49-33 (Second Round)
Scorers: Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich
Contributors: Nocioni, Duhon, Wallace, Brown, Thomas, Sefolosha, Allen, Griffin
Notes: The Bulls had four guys average more than 14 points per game during the season.

Golden State Warriors, 42-40 (Second Round)
Scorers: Baron Davis, Al Harrington, Stephen Jackson
Contributors: Ellis, Richardson, Pietrus, Barnes, Biedrins, Azubuike, Foyle
Notes: Harrington, Jackson, and Jasikevicius were acquired by the Warriors mid-season.

Washington Wizards, 41-41 (First Round)
Scorers: Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler
Contributors: Stevenson, Songaila, Hayes, Daniels, Haywood, Thomas, Blatche
Notes: Arenas missed the entire playoffs with an injury.

Sacramento Kings, 33-49 (No Playoffs)
Scorers: Kevin Martin, Ron Artest, Mike Bibby
Contributors: Abdur-Rahim, Williamson, B. Miller, Salmons, Garcia, K. Thomas
Notes: The Kings did not have a player over 6'7" average more than ten points per game.

New York Knicks, 33-49 (No Playoffs)
Scorers: Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Stephon Marbury
Contributors: Richardson, Francis, Lee, Robinson, Frye, Balkman, Collins, Jeffries
Notes: Richardson, Francis, Lee, and Robinson also averaged double figures in points.

After looking at the different teams and situations, it is obvious that more than just the Spurs have mastered this method. Over the years, the Suns (Nash, Stoudamire, Marion with Barbosa, Diaw, Bell), Pistons (Billups, R. Wallace, Hamilton with McDyess, B. Wallace, Prince, Hunter), and Mavericks (Nash, Howard, Nowitzki with Harris, Stackhouse, Daniels, Dampier) have found success through this model. Each one of these teams plus the Spurs have been dominant over the last three seasons by finding three star players and surrounding them with glue guys who will do anything to win.

The Spurs certainly have had the most success with this by surrounding their three mainstays (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili) with guys who will do anything to win (Bowen, Barry, Horry, Finley, Van Exel, Oberto). With the type of salary structure and rules today, it is next to impossible to have more than three star players on a roster at once. But, as San Antonio has found out, if you get three stars and surround them with players who make up for their lack of talent with hustle and a will to win, then success will come.

Teams like the 2004-05 Clippers, 2004-05 Lakers, 2006-07 Knicks, 2006-07 Kings, and 2005-06 Raptors have seen that getting three strong players does not necessarily lead to success. These five teams were unable to surround their core with strong complementary players and each team won less than 40 games. The 2007-08 Boston Celtics may also fall under this category. Despite having Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, they may not be able to surround these superstars with players willing to go through a wall to win. Their roster is full of inexperienced, young players, who do not know what it takes to win in the NBA.

If Boston is able to find these complementary pieces and make a run to the finals, it is likely they will meet the Spurs, Suns, or Mavericks their, since all three have mastered the model that Greg Popovich and R.C. Buford have put together.