Gabe Farias

I am unsure of how to take the Spurs’ first-round game one NBA playoff loss against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. Losing a game-one like that could have serious implications on whether or not a team advances, especially if they lose home-court advantage as the Spurs did Sunday night.  But if you peer in the past, losing game one may not be so bad for the Spurs.

By the time you read this, the Spurs will have played game two. If history repeats itself and they have evened up the series a game apiece, the game-one loss could be just a unique side note on the Spurs trek to a fourth NBA crown. 

Let’s take a look back.

If you look back at the three Spurs championship seasons, you will find similarities to how the Men in Black have started this post-season.  In 1999, following a stellar end to the regular season and a top seed, the Spurs dropped their first round game one contest to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The franchise had never won a championship, and it seemed this would be their closest chance. But with that loss, it reminded everyone of previous playoff failures.

We all know how that story turned out. The Spurs dominated the rest of that series, the rest of the Western Conference playoffs and the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals en route to their first championship. 

For several notes, 1999 served as the Spurs’ anchor year. It validated the careers of Avery Johnson, Sean Elliot and especially David Robinson. And it was when Tim Duncan officially became a league superstar.
 Fast-forward to 2003. The Spurs entered that post season with a great record, a ton of hype and a first-round, game-one loss to the Phoenix Suns. Need your memory refreshed?

That game one loss took place via Stephon Marbury banking in a 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime, as the Suns shocked the Spurs in the opener.

The Spurs went on to defeat the Suns four games to two in that series as well as the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks with the same series record. That set up an NBA Finals showdown with Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets. The Spurs then captured the 2003 crown.

The 2003 finals had their own set of Spurs notables. It was David Robinson’s last year in the league. He retired a champion and amongst the greatest to ever play center. It also marked the first NBA title for future stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and it solidified Tim Duncan’s place as the greatest power forward to ever play the game.   

As the Spurs did in their first three 2003 playoff series, they methodically went through the Nets, winning the series four games to two, earning their second NBA crown.

In 2005, the Spurs entered the playoffs with the second-best record, second only to the Steve Nash-led Suns. They also lost game one of their first round series to Denver, but bounced back to win that series and two more en route to their third NBA title.

I’d say history is still on their side.