Tim Duncan, on the right, is likely to end his career contending with the well organized Spurs

By Daniel Johnson, Staff Writer

Published in print Nov 18. 2014

Last Friday, in their first of three matchups this year, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 93-80. The game saw two of the decade’s greatest players; Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant play their 78th matchup head-to-head.

Both teams have won five NBA titles and have represented the Western Conference in 13 out of the past 16 NBA Finals since the 1999 season. The only players who have been there for all those years have been Bryant and Duncan. It is close to impossible to compare the historic success both teams and players have had since the millennium.

Yet, over the past three season, the Lakers minimum success have been completely trounced by the Spurs.

Since their last NBA title in 2010, the Lakers have made only two postseason appearances and could not get past the second round of the playoffs in either attempt.

In San Antonio, the Spurs have made the playoffs every year since Tim Duncan’s rookie year, and have made back-to-back Final appearances, which culminated in a fifth championship last year. Coming into this year, the Lakers are projected to be at the bottom of the Western Conference, while San Antonio is the favorites to come out the West again.

What happened to the Lakers in the last four years?

If you look at the Lakers team that won the finals in 2010, and the Lakers team today, aside from Bryant, there are no players left from that team. From that year, the Spurs have four players left, Duncan, center Matt Bonner and guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

The Lakers roster from then to now included the All Star Pau Gasol who was replaced by a Carlos Boozer past his prime. Journeyman Wesley Johnson has replaced the multi-dimensional Lamar Odom. Nick Young has replaced Metta World Peace, then Ron Artest, the defensive rock on the 2010 team.

Now lets see how the 2010 Spurs have compared to today’s Spurs. Future superstar Kawhi Leonard has replaced veterans Michael Finley and Richard Jefferson.

Wily veterans Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter have replaced Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff as the new big men on the team. Guards Patty Mills and Danny Green have become the new three point shooters on the team. While the Lakers have gotten older and worst, the Spurs have gotten younger and better.

So far this year, the Lakers, as expected, have gotten off to a terrible start. As much as we like, and have blamed Kobe Bryant for his large contract which hindered the team from spending on free agents, he signed that contract last November, and the Lakers disaster had begun years before that. The team has traded away almost all of their draft picks. Their 2014 pick,  Julius Randle was their first first selection since 2009.

The picks they did use were for Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre, instead of a second round gem like Isaiah Thomas. Like the Miami Heat, the Lakers hoped to get a big named free agent or through a trade in recent years. They got two, both disappointing. The first was All Star center Dwight Howard.

The fact he did not want to sign a long-term deal throughout the year with the team should have alerted the Lakers to trade Howard instead of letting him leave without any compensation.

The acquisition of an aging Steve Nash also has not amounted much for the team either. I believe Charles Barkley summed up the Steve Nash acquisition perfectly as the astute commentator stated, 

“ You do not begin the conversation with ‘when our 40 year old point guard gets healthy, we will be better.’”

The Lakers have no valuable draft pick, no one to trade, and can not attract free agents, while San Antonio have constantly supplied Duncan with great role players, such as Ginobili and Parker who have played at Hall of Fame levels throughout their career.

Now as both careers reaches their twilight, Kobe will probably finish his career like a Washington Wizards Michael Jordan, old, and surrounded by below average players.

Duncan on the other hand, due to the smart moves of his organization could end his career like a Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan, with a sixth championship ring.