San Antonio Spurs' Reign of Basketball Brilliance is Over

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Spurs Reign of Basketball Brilliance is Over: King Duncan is Gone

A strange thing happened in Dallas, Texas, the San Antonio Spurs played a basketball game with only two players: King Duncan and Knight’s Champion: Sir Tony Parker. Spurs remaining court jesters provided no comedic relief.

The aged King Duncan has played 14 equivalent seasons, including playoff games, and his Reign of Brilliance is now over.

The San Antonio Spurs fall into years of NBA mediocrity began during the third quarter of game four of the First Round 2009 Playoffs in Dallas, Texas.

In the third playoff game, Spurs scored the fewest points in their playoff history. This fourth game was to be the victorious response to the Dallas Maverick’s embarrassing whipping of the Spurs. Yet it was not to be. After losing game four to Dallas, it's all over!

The signs of King Duncan’s decline were there long before his knees and Ginobli’s ankle problems became regular Spur excuses for losses:

1) worst March record in over a decade,

2) a winning record over only one of seven Western playoff teams,

3) losing consecutive two games to the Oklahoma Thunder, fifth worst team in the NBA at that time,

4) from February 27, 2009 to April 7, 2009—winning only 11 of 22 games, 

5) falling asleep in the second half with Old Man Syndrome—regular four to six minute non-scoring droughts, and 

6) choking important game-winning foul shots.

In game four, the two Spurs played an inspired first half barely clinging to 55-51 lead.

This four point lead required Sir Parker score 31 points matching a 31 years old Spurs’ record by George “The Iceman” Gervin. What would the second half demand from Sir Tony?

Dallas fans knew this game was over before the second half began.

In the third quarter, Spurs collapsed immediately! 

Spurs relinquished more than a half-time lead with a 9 point deficit, they ended an Era of Brilliance beginning with an NBA Championship that included four NBA titles over a nine-year span.

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