Last 3 game round - we crown the 16 Regional Champions.
2. 2004 SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 4. 1980 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS
Spurs: 57-25, 2nd in MW Div, 16th in Off, 1st in Def
d. Grizzlies, West First Rnd 4-0
Lost Lakers, West Semis 4-2
#32 Overall Seed
d. '97 Rockets (2-1, Duncan 2 PotG)
d. '73 Lakers (2-1, Duncan 2 PotG)
Regional Semi d. '89 Hawks (2-1 Duncan 2 PotG)
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters:
C Rasho Nesterovic (27) 8.7 PPG 15.3 PER 7.2 Win Shares 1.9 VORP
F Tim Duncan (27, Wake Forest) 22.3 27.1 13.1 6.7
F Hedo Turkoglu (24) 9.2 14.1 6.7 2.3
G Tony Parker (21) 14.7 15.7 7.5 1.8
G Manu Ginobli (26) 12.8 18.5 9.1 3.8
Rotation Reserves
C Kevin Willis (41, Michigan St) 3.4 14.9 .9 0
F Malik Rose (29, Drexel) 7.9 15 3.8 .3
F Robert Horry (33, Alabama) 4.8 14.5 4.6 1.5
G Jason Hart (25, Syracuse) 3.3 12.3 1.9 .4
G Bruce Bowen (32, Cal St Fullerton) 6.9 8.2 5.4 1
Leaders: Duncan (4th Rebounds, 2nd Reb/Gm, 2nd PER, 2nd Def Reb %, 4th Reb %, 2nd Steal %, 2nd Def Rating, 3rd Win Shares, 2nd Win Shares/48, 2nd Box +/-, 3rd VORP) 1st Team All NBA
Ginobli (2nd Steal %, 4th Def Box +/1)
Nesterovic (4th Def Rating, 5th Def Win Shares, 5th Def Win Shares)
The top remaining seed in Region 1 is San Antonio; it's all about the 27 year old Duncan, 2nd in the NBA in PER, 3rd in Win Shares, 3rd in VORP, 2nd in WS/48. The Spurs were the top defensive team in '04 and just run of the mill offensively. San Antonio has yet to have an easy series; they've had to go down to the Showdown in all 3 rounds - Duncan's been PotG in all 6 Spurs wins; if they close this out, he will win MVP for Region 1. Duncan had won back to back MVPs coming into 2004, Garnett took the award this year. Duncan was an All Star in '04, Bowen made the All Defensive first team, Duncan the 2nd team.
Lakers: 60-22, 1st in Pac Div, 1st in Offense, 9th in Defense
d. Suns West Semis 4-1
d. Sonics West Finals 4-1
d. Sixers NBA Finals 4-2
#64 overall seed
d. '55 Nationals (2-1, Kareem 2 PotG)
d. '15 Clips (2-1, Magic/Kareem)
Regional Semi d. '17 Warriors (2-1 Magic/Kareem)
Coach: Paul Westhead, Asst Pat Riley
Starters
C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32 UCLA) 24.8 PPG 25.3 PER 14.8 Win Shares 7.3 VORP
F Spencer Haywood (30 Detroit Mercy) 9.7 13.9 3.1 -.1
F Jamal Wilkes (26 UCLA) 20 17.6 10 2.6
G Magic Johnson (20 Mich St) 18 20.6 10.5 4.8
G Norm Nixon (24 Duquense) 17.6 14.9 6.7 1.1
Rotation Reserves
C Jim Chones (30 Marquette) 10.6 11.3 3.5 -.2
F Mark Landsberger (24 Ariz St) 7 17 1 0
F Don Ford (27 UC Santa Barbara) 3 8.3 .9 -.1
G Brad Holland (23 UCLA) 2.8 14.3 .3 0
G Michael Cooper (23 N Mexico) 8.8 12.5 4 .9
Leaders: Abdul-Jabbar (5th Def Rebounds, 1st Blocks, 1st Blocks/game, 3rd Block %, 1st Win Shares, 1st Win Shares/48, 1st VORP) 1st Team All NBA
Johnson (1st Triple Doubles)
It's 20 year old Magic's rookie season; he and 32 year old Kareem have PERs over 20, he, 26 year old Wilkes and Kareem all have double digit Win Shares. Kareem's 1st Team All NBA for the World Champion Lakers; he also took home the MVP. The Lakers knocked off the top seed in Region 1, the 2017 Warriors; like the Spurs, they've been to the Showdown game in every round. Magic was MVP of the NBA Finals; he and Kareem were both All Stars, Kareem was 1st Team All Defense.
Matchup:
C Kareem (Lakers)
F Duncan (Spurs)
F Wilkes (Lakers)
G Magic (Lakers)
G Ginobli (Spurs)
Bench: Spurs
Quarter century difference between these two clubs; the Spurs, despite only reaching the West Semis (losing to LA) are the second seed in Region 1, so they get games 1 and 3 at home. 32 year old Kareem v 27 year old Duncan; we also have the two baby point guards; Magic's 20, Parker 21. Winner becomes our first team to advance to the Sweet 16. It's the top offense of 1980 against the top defense of 2004.
Game 1: SBC Center, San Antonio. Announcers: Bill Schoening/Bill Land
1Qtr
9 Lakers 10 Spurs 5
Spurs Duncan, Ginobli(3)
Lakers Wilkes, Haywood, Wilkes, Kareem(1) Magic (3)
6 Lakers 16 Spurs 9
Spurs Willis, Duncan
Lakers Kareem, Cooper, Cooper
Region 1 Final is underway; best of 3 - Lakers offense vs Spurs defense in this series.
3 Lakers 21 Spurs 18
Spurs Ginobli, Ginobli(3) Parker, Duncan
Lakers Landsberger, Landsberger(3)
1Score Lakers 26 Spurs 24
Spurs Duncan, Duncan, Rose
Lakers Magic(1) Cooper, Ford
Duncan v. Kareem is the headliner in this one; Duncan right in his prime, Kareem's 32, but still the MVP - Duncan with 10 first qtr pts.
2Qtr
9 Lakers 32 Spurs 30
Spurs Duncan, Duncan, Hart
Lakers Magic, Magic, Cooper
6 Lakers 34 Spurs 32
Spurs Duncan
Lakers Kareem
Another half dozen for Duncan - Lakers holding that slim lead.
3 Lakers 47 Spurs 42
Spurs Turkoglu, Nesterovic, Nesterovic, Rose, Ginobli
Lakers Kareem, Haywood, Wilkes,Magic(3) Magic
HScore Lakers 51 Spurs 42
Spurs
Lakers Kareem, Cooper
13 first half pts for Magic; Lakers have their biggest lead.
3Qtr
9 Lakers 53 Spurs 48
Spurs Ginobli, Bowen, Duncan
Lakers Haywood
6 Lakers 57 Spurs 48
Spurs
Lakers Wilkes, Kareem
Just 6 pts for both sides so far in the quarter. Defense asserting, that feels more like a Spurs game than a Lakers game, we'll see how that plays out.
3 Lakers 63 Spurs 52
Spurs Horry, Ginobli
Lakers Kareem, Haywood, Kareem
3Score Lakers 67 Spurs 56
Spurs Parker(1) Turkoglu(3)
Lakers Wilkes, Kareem
8 for Kareem in the 3rd - Duncan does not score and the Spurs offense just can't find anything today against the Lakers; Paul Westhead really has locked down a team 25 years in their future, really impressive defense from LA in game 1.
4Qtr
9 Lakers 73 Spurs 64
Spurs Rose, Nesterovic, Hart, Nesterovic
Lakers Cooper, Haywood, Wilkes
6 Lakers 81 Spurs 72
Spurs Duncan, Parker(1) Parker(3) Duncan
Lakers Kareem, Kareem, Kareem, Wilkes
Another half dozen for the Captain; Lakers 6 minutes from taking game one.
3 Lakers 91 Spurs 82
Spurs Parker, Duncan, Parker, Turkoglu, Duncan
Lakers Kareem, Kareem, Kareem, Magic, Magic
2 min: Lakers 92 Spurs 88
Spurs Ginobli(3) Ginobli(3)
Lakers Kareem(1)
Big minute for the Spurs, Ginobli hits back to back triples - and it's now just a 4 point Laker lead.
No one scores for a minute and a half - Duncan hits a short J at 30 seconds left; it's now a 2 point game.
Lakers with the ball - Spurs need a stop; they don't get it - Kareem is there with the sky hook at 15 seconds left. 94-90.
Turloglu misses a triple - Duncan there with the putback. 5 seconds left.
Wilkes goes to the line. If he hits both - it's over.
He does and it is.
Final: Lakers 96 Spurs 92
The Spurs scores 32 total points in the 2nd/3rd quarters and that proved too much to overcome; when LA needed the bucket late - they pumped it into Kareem and Kareem got it done. His 5th PotG in 7 LA wins. Kareem v Duncan did not disappoint. Lakers do this without Norm Nixon, but he'll be back for game 2.
Kareem: 32 pts/21 boards/5 assists/5 blocks - Player of the Game
Cooper: 12 pts
Wilkes: 18 pts/8 boards
Magic: 17 pts/10 assists/5 boards
Haywood: 10 pts/7 boards
Duncan: 30 pts/16 boards/5 assists/6 blocks
Ginobli: 20 pts
Parker: 11 pts/5 assists
Game 2: The Forum: Announcers: Chick Hearn/Keith Erickson
1Qtr
9 Lakers 13 Spurs 8
Lakers Wilkes(3) Nixon, Magic, Kareem, Kareem, Kareem
Spurs Duncan, Duncan, Nesterovic, Nesterovic, Ginobli
6 Lakers 21 Spurs 17
Lakers Kareem, Haywood, Magic, Magic
Spurs Ginobli(3) Duncan, Duncan, Turkoglu
LA has led every minute of the series, that continues; Kareem with 8.
3 Lakers 29 Spurs 27
Lakers Magic, Wilkes, Magic, Wilkes
Spurs Duncan, Duncan, Duncan, Duncan, Ginobli
1Score Lakers 31 Spurs 29
Lakers Ford
Spurs Nesterovic
You can't ask more from Duncan - 16 first qtr points.
2Qtr
9 Lakers 39 Spurs 34
Lakers Magic, Landsberger, Kareem, Kareem
Spurs Ward, Ward(3)
6 Lakers 45 Spurs 45
Lakers Kareem, Kareem, Magic
Spurs Bowen(3) Duncan, Rose, Duncan, Rose
8 for Kareem - but Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward comes from deep off the bench, scores the first 5 for the Spurs and we are tied.
3 Spurs 58 Lakers 55
Lakers Wilkes, Wilkes, Cooper, Haywood, Haywood
Spurs Duncan, Ginobli, Nersterovic, Ginobli, Duncan, Turkoglu(3)
HScore Spurs 72 Lakers 63
Lakers Cooper, Haywood, Wilkes, Cooper
Spurs Parker(3) Rose, Rose, Duncan, Duncan(3) Nesterovic
The Spurs explode in the last 6 minutes - 27 points, 9 of them from Duncan and now the Spurs take control of game 2.
3Qtr
9 Spurs 80 Lakers 68
Lakers Haywood(3) Holland
Spurs Hart, Hart, Parker, Parker
6 Spurs 86 Lakers 74
Lakers Kareem, Wilkes, Wilkes
Spurs Nesterovic(1) Willis, Turkoglu(1) Duncan
Double digit Spurs lead - we may be going back to Texas for the Showdown.
3 Spurs 88 Lakers 76
Lakers Haywood
Spurs Duncan
3Score Spurs 90 Lakers 76
Lakers
Spurs Duncan
LA with just a bucket in the last 6 minutes. We are headed to the showdown.
4Qtr
9 Spurs 95 Lakers 78
Lakers Haywood
Spurs Duncan, Turkoglu(3)
6 Spurs 97 Lakers 86
Lakers Wilkes, Wilkes, Haywood, Kareem
Spurs Nesterovic
3 Spurs 104 Lakers 88
Lakers Landsberger
Spurs Parker, Nesterovic, Ward(3)
F Score Spurs 114 Lakers 97
Lakers Lee, Byrnes(1) Carr, Carr, Carr
Spurs Mercer, Heal(3) Ward(3) Carroll
The Spurs cruise home in this one - we go back to San Antonio. LA with just 34 pts in the second half. Duncan becomes the first man in the tournament with 7 PotG
Duncan: 37 pts/15 boards-Player of the Game
Ginobli: 11 pts/5 boards
Nesterovic: 13 pts/12 boards
Ward: 11 pts
Magic: 14 pts/8 boards
Kareem: 20 pts/14 boards/7 assists
Wilkes: 21 pts/6 boards
Hawyood: 17 pts
Game 3 SBC Center, San Antonio. Announcers: Bill Schoening/Chick Hearn
1Qtr
9 Lakers 9 Spurs 9
Spurs Parker, Turkoglu, Ginobli(3) nesterovic
Lakers Nixon(3) Haywood, Magic, Magic
6 Lakers 14 Spurs 9
Spurs
Lakers Magic(3) Wilkes
Can't be the Spurs start this crowd wanted to see.
3 Lakers 16 Spurs 11
Spurs Duncan
Lakers Chones
1Score Lakers 19 Spurs 15
Spurs Willis, Rose
Lakers Magic, Cooper(1)
All defense here so far; winner is the Region 1 Champion
2Qtr
9 Lakers 28 Spurs 23
Spurs Rose, Hart, Bowen, Ginobli
Lakers Chones, Chones, Ford(1) Cooper(3) Magic(1)
6 Lakers 34 Spurs 29
Spurs Duncan, Parker, Ginobli
Lakers Magic, Nixon, Magic
Solid 5 pt lead all day for the Lakers
3 Lakers 46 Spurs 38
Spurs Parker, Duncan, Bowen, Turkoglu(3)
Lakers Kareem, Kareem, Haywood, Wilkes, Magic, Wilkes
HScore Lakers 53 Spurs 43
Spurs Turkoglu(3) Nesterovic
Lakers Kareem(1) Haywood(3) Cooper
Just 5 for Kareem who has carried this Laker team throughout the region - but his club is up 10 - 24 minutes from now someone is cutting down the nets.
3Qtr
9 Lakers 59 Spurs 47
Spurs Rose, Hart
Lakers Wilkes, Chones, Haywood
6 Lakers 67 Spurs 56
Spurs Turkoglu(3) Duncan, turkoglu, Rose
Lakers Ford, Magic, Magic, Kareem
Duncan with 8 and Kareem with 7, just nothing like every other game both clubs have played the entire tournament.
3 Lakers 67 Spurs 65
Spurs Parker, Parker(3) Duncan, Duncan
Lakers
3Score Lakers 69 Spurs 69
Spurs Duncan
Lakers Magic
And there it goes - the Lakers score just 2 pts in 6 minutes and the Spurs have come all the way back and we are deadlocked. Deadlocked.
4Qtr
9 Lakers 78 Spurs 73
Spurs Ginobli, Ginobli
Lakers Wilkes, Nixon, Nixon, Kareem(3)
6 Lakers 88 Spurs 82
Spurs Hart, Duncan, Turkoglu, Parker(3)
Lakers Wilkes, Magic, Magic, Nixon, Kareem
Tony Parker's triple at 6:09 makes it a 6 pt game with 6 to go.
5:42: LA: Jamal Wilkes bank.
5:18: SA: Nesterovic down low.
4:58: LA: Wilkes baseline J. 92-84
4:12: LA: Kareem drills a 12 footer.
4:04: SA: Nesterovic off glass.
3:20: LA: Nixon top of the key.
3:02: LA: Spencer Haywood dunk and now you can see it - Lakers up a dozen, just 3 minutes to go - Lakers 3 minutes from winning Region 1.
F Score Lakers 109 Spurs 94
Spurs Ginobli(3) Turkoglu, Heal(3)
Lakers Magic, Nixon(3) Nixon, Carr, Lee
Lakers outscore the Spurs in the 4th - road teams win each game of the series; the Lakers cut down the nets in San Antonio and leave Region 1 as the Champions. Lot of talk about ultramodern teams and teams with depth as being disproportionaly successful in the tournament, the Lakers are a full counterexample. The 1980 Lakers win Region 1 and head to the Sweet 16. 18 pts/15 boards for Duncan in the loss.
Magic: 28 pts/8 boards/7 assists-Player of the Game
Wilkes: 16 pts/12 boards
Nixon: 18 pts/8 assists
Kareem: 14 pts/10 boards
Haywood: 11 pts/9 boards
All Region 1 Team:
C Kareem ('80 Lakers-5 PotG): Most Valuable Player
F Duncan ('04 Spurs-7 PotG)
F 'Nique ('89 Hawks-4 PotG)
G Steph ('17 Warriors-3 PotG)
G Magic ('80 Lakers-3 PotG)
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