Spurs Run with Tim Duncan Eclipses Patriots Run with Tom Brady
By Jason McIntyre
Since Tim Duncan’s arrival in San Antonio in 1997, the Spurs have had a 16-year run that’s truly incredible.
50+ win seasons: 15 (in the strike-shortened 98-99 season, they won 37 of 50 games)
Regular seasons with a win % above 70 percent: 10
Times Missed the Playoffs: 0
Trips to the NBA Finals: 5 (including this year)
NBA Titles: 4
Recently, ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt compared San Antonio’s run to what Tom Brady and the Patriots have accomplished. Yes, the NBA and NFL are completely different animals, from regular season length to 7-game postseason series, and so on and so on. But …
New England Patriots seasons with Tom Brady at QB: 12 (yes, the year he got knocked out in the first game counts)
Regular seasons with a win % above 70 percent: 7
Times Missed the Playoffs: 2 (in one year, Brady missed 15 of 16 games)
Trips to the Super Bowl: 5
Super Bowl Titles: 3
Never missed the postseason with Duncan, unbeaten in the Finals … gotta lean Spurs here. Is sustained excellence more difficult in the NBA or the NFL? That’s another story for a another day.
Now go to the comments and make your picks for the NBA Finals. I’ll take the Heat in 6, LeBron MVP.