Video: Spurs are the Dr.'s favorite NBA team

Written by Jeff Garcia on May 30, 2013 17:57.

In an era of flashiness, endorsements, and who makes it the most on highlight reels, the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan often get overlooked. Time after time, the Spurs are right in the thick of things in the race for the NBA title season after season thanks in large part to Duncan and this season is no different.

The Spurs and Duncan are back in the NBA Finals for a fifth time in franchise history which could also mean a fifth ring that Duncan has been chasing.

However, the Spurs have to wait a bit longer as things get settled in the Eastern Conference but after Game 4 of the ECF, NBA legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving praised the Spurs and Duncan and called them his favorite outside of the 76ers.

Check out the praise heaped upon Duncan and the Spurs by the Dr. himself.

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Spurs heading back to Vegas this summer

Written by Michael A. De Leon on May 30, 2013 16:30.

The San Antonio Spurs will be joining 21 other teams in Las Vegas this Summer as part of the NBA Summer League. This year will be the seventh consecutive year the Spurs have sent a squad to Vegas to compete against other NBA squads as well as the D-League select team.

The Spurs usually send a squad of Austin Toros standouts, training camp hopefuls and Spurs rookies and sophomores to give them extra time to develop, build up confidence, or figure out who they are sending to camp.

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Championship or not, Duncan is one of the greatest

Written by John Karalis on May 30, 2013 15:00.

During the NBA Finals, John Karalis of Red's Army will be contributing to Project Spurs during the San Antonio Spurs' chase for title number five.

Here is John's first post on Tim Duncan's place among the best-of-the-best in league history.

A few things happen as an aging superstar edges closer to championship.

There’s a requisite level of reflection. On a TV show, it’d be the part where the character looks off into the distance and the picture dissolves into a foggy, slow motion recall of career highlights. This is, in its own way, a sort of eulogy. Sometimes you can tell by the author including the line “I don’t want this sound like a eulogy...”

There’s also amazement, because guys at whatever age this aging superstar is at the moment aren't supposed to be doing what this guy is doing. “Father time” references are your clue that you’re reading one of those.

And then there’s historical perspective and ranking. A (or another) title suddenly changes people’s views about players. This is where I come in.

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Breaking down the Spurs' title chances

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 30, 2013 13:30.

Eight of nine NBA.com writers believe the San Antonio Spurs should be favored to win the NBA Finals -- regardless if they're playing the defending

champion Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.

But hold on. It shouldn't be such a foregone conclusion. For proof, here's some advanced statistics from this postseason, per NBA.com:

-- The Spurs are second in points per 100 possessions (106.5), only behind by Miami and their gaudy 109.6 figure. Indiana's offense is sixth (102.9).

-- San Antonio is first in defensive rating, allowing a stifling 95.4 points per 100 possessions. Miami, meanwhile, isn't far behind with a still pretty staunch 98.8 mark. Indiana's defense has regressed a bit against tougher competition but they were consistently the league's best defense in the regular season, a much more reliable sample size in the long-run.

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Tim Hardaway, Jr. works out with the Spurs

Written by Trevor Zickgraf on May 30, 2013 12:00.

The San Antonio Spurs continue to workout players for the upcoming NBA Draft. We told you Wednesday about Syracuse sharpshooter James Sutherland's impending workout with the Western Conference Champs. Now we're finding out the Spurs recently brought in another wing, Tim Hardaway, Jr., for a workout.

Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com reported earlier this month that Spurs interviewed Hardaway, Jr. at the Chicago Draft Combine and brought him in the following week for a workout. Hardaway, Jr. is 6'6" and can shoot the lights out. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, the Michigan two guard lit up the combine and as a result is looking more and more like a first round pick as opposed to a mid-late second round pick he was projected as a month ago. He's currently ranked number 32 on Ford's Big Board and 31 on DraftExpress'.

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'The Admiral' to be enshrined in FIBA HOF

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 30, 2013 10:30.

25-year-old David Robinson started four games for the 1992 United States national basketball team. You probably know them as the Dream Team

-- the squad where Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, to name a few, altruistically worked together to reassert the country's unbridled basketball dominance.

A young Robinson was a truly imposing force, a sight to see -- standing 7-feet-1 with the chiseled body of a Greek God and the athleticism of a shooting guard.

In eight games during the '92 Olympics, Robinson averaged nine points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent from the field.

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On Coach Bud heading to Atlanta

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 29, 2013 18:00.

Surprise. Another highly valued cog of the San Antonio Spurs organization -- assistant coach Mike Budenholzer -- will leave the nest for another

opportunity.

Budenholzer will join the likes of Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti, Orlando Magic's general manager Rob Hennigan and head coach Jacque Vaughn, Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry, Washington Wizards assistant Don Newman, Brooklyn Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo, New Orleans head coach Monty Williams and Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers as graduates of the San Antonio program. It's a long list and it's still growing. They've each had varying levels of success in their own organizations and Budenholzer, offered a multi-year deal to coach the Hawks Tuesday, will attempt to replicate the culture conducive to winning in Atlanta.

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Heat or Pacers? Which team does San Antonio Want?

Written by Philip Rossman-Reich on May 29, 2013 16:30.

During the NBA Finals, Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily will be contributing to Project Spurs during the San Antonio Spurs' chase for title number five. Here is Phil's first post on which team, Heat or Pacers, San Antonio wants to draw in the Finals.

The San Antonio Spurs get the luxury – or curse – of watching the remainder of what is increasingly looking like a very competitive Eastern Conference Finals and prepare for both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers in the next week. The Finals are not set to start until June 6, and it is only natural that some rooting interest takes hold.

The easy instinct is to favor the Pacers as an “easier” matchup. The Miami juggernaut featuring a much more developed LeBron James than the one who was thoroughly dominated in the 2007 Finals – and if James is anything like the greats who came before him, he will not have forgotten that embarrassment.

As Indiana is proving in this series against the Heat, be careful what you wish for and what seems easy may not actually be easy.

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Should Duncan go out on top?

Written by Rey Moralde on May 29, 2013 15:00.

During the NBA Finals, Rey Moralde of The No Look Pass will be contributing to Project Spurs during the San Antonio Spurs' chase for title number five.

We have seen this before in San Antonio. David Robinson did this in 2003. But would Spurs fans be surprised if Tim Duncan did the same as

Robinson if the Spurs win title No. 5?

I'm talking about going out on top.

Tim Duncan is 37 years old but he still seems very healthy at this stage of his career. But if the Spurs win the championship, would you blame Tim for retiring? After all, he's 37 years old and another 82-game grind has got to be taxing for someone who has been in the league since 1997.

Duncan's legacy is secure. If he goes out, he doesn't have much left to prove. He may very well be the greatest player of this generation. If San Antonio gets the chip, that's five championship rings. Maybe his fourth Finals MVP. Two MVP awards. 10-time All-NBA First Team. Eight-time All-NBA Defensive First Team. 14-time All-Star. 2000 All-Star Game MVP. What else does he have to prove?

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Video: Spurs fans show their support for the silver and black

Written by Jeff Garcia on May 29, 2013 13:30.

The streets of San Antonio were a sea of Spurs fans last night after the team swept the Grizzlies and captured the 2013 Western Conference Championship.

From car horns blaring to fans running down street with Spurs banners, the city of San Antonio was alive in celebrations.

Check out just how much Spurs fans love their hometown team including fans heading to the San Antonio airport late at night to welcome back their basketball heroes. It even caught the attention of Danny Green.

Always great to come home to a warm welcome! Our fans are the best!Really appreciate your support and being at airport to welcome us back
— Danny Green (@DGreen_14) May 28, 2013