Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker led the Spurs to the franchise’s fifth NBA title in 2014. (GETTY IMAGES)

For almost two decades, the San Antonio Spurs have accumulated an impressive collection of rings, bronze hardware and gold trophies.

Between future Hall-of-Famers Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and head coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have combined for 18 NBA championship rings, three most valuable player awards, three Coach of the Year awards and two Sixth Man of the Year awards.

But there is still one box left unchecked on their impressive basketball resumes.

Throughout basketball history, all the great teams repeated as champions. Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics did it, the Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it, Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets did it, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls did it, and the Lakers again with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did it. Even LeBron James pulled off the back-to-back feat for the Miami Heat.

“Obviously, it’s back-to-back. It’s the last thing we want to accomplish with Coach Pop and the Big 3. It’s a big motivation for us,” Parker said on NBA TV’s “Game Time.”

For all the great things Duncan, Ginobili and Parker have accomplished in their soon-to-be-Hall-of-Fame careers, they’ve never repeated as champs. And this is not sitting well with this very proud group.

Parker knows he doesn’t have much time left with Duncan (38) and Ginobili (37). Even Popovich can’t coach forever. The 65-year-old coach has flirted with the idea of spending more time traveling the world than traveling in NBA cities. Those brutal winter trips to Chicago, Minnesota and Cleveland can certainly wear you down.

“We don’t know how long it’s gonna last,” Parker said. “Timmy, it might be his last year; Manu, it might be his last year. And we don’t know how long Pop is gonna do it. I know he wants to travel the world and drink wine. We need to take advantage right now.”

Parker added: “We understand that, and we’re approaching it like it’s our last one. Just because of that it’s great motivation for us. We want to try one more time.”

Repeating as champs will be a tall order for these Spurs, especially in the ultra-competitive Western Conference where at least six teams have a shot at reaching the NBA Finals.

But these Spurs are more than up for the challenge. They have a good mix of veterans to go with some young studs, such as Kawhi Leonard (23), Danny Green (27), Patty Mills (26) and Corey Joseph (23). Leonard is a budding star who could eventually be the face of the franchise when the Big 3 hangs up the sneakers. Leonard had his coming-out party last season when he was named NBA Finals MVP.

Pop has been able to rest his older players and lean on his bench during the regular season. When the playoffs start, he’ll call on the Big 3 for one more championship run. A sixth title would vault Duncan into an exclusive club. With the exception of Russell’s Celtics teams, only Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kareem and Robert Horry have won at least six rings.

“The West is a beast. A lot of great teams,” Parker said. “It’s a long season, we just want to make sure we stay healthy. It’s the biggest key for us. It doesn’t matter where we finish in the rankings.”

The Spurs will begin their arduous climb back to the top as the sixth-seeded team in the Western Conference playoffs. History won’t be on their side because only one team — the 1995 Houston Rockets — were able to win the title as a sixth seed.

Steve Nash has been ruled out by the L.A. Lakers this season. (GETTY IMAGES)

Steve Nash has been ruled out this season by the Los Angeles Lakers, and his basketball career is likely over.

Because of a recurring nerve damage in his back, the 40-year-old point guard may have to call it quits. Nash’s career spanned 19 seasons in the NBA. He was named MVP twice and made the All-Star game eight times. He ranks third all-time in assists (10,335) behind only John Stockton (15,806) and Jason Kidd (12,091).

The only box unchecked on Nash’s basketball resume is a championship. He never got to play in the NBA Finals, one of only six NBA MVPs who do not have a championship ring. The other five are Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.

Canada’s best-known basketball export will go down in history as one of the best point guards to play the game of basketball. However, to say Nash was the best to play the position would be a slap in the face to the legends who played before him.

OneManFastBreak ranks the 10 best point guards in basketball history:

10-STEVE NASH — Nash is the only two-time MVP winner not to reach The Finals. He captured his first regular season MVP in 2005, leading the Suns to the NBA’s best record, but the San Antonio Spurs bounced Nash and a loaded Suns squad that also featured Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, and Joe Johnson in the Western Conference finals. Then in 2006 Nash won his second MVP award but was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks led by his buddy Dirk Nowitzki, who removed himself from the ringless fraternity in 2011. Voters made a huge mistake by giving Nash the MVP in 2006. Nash didn’t deserve to win it over Kobe Bryant, who had one of the best statistical seasons and delivered the signature moment of the year when he scored 81 points against Toronto. Nash is hoping for one last hurrah with the Lakers, but time is not on his side.

9-GARY PAYTON — The brash player known around the basketball world as “The Glove” was one of the best two-way players who’ll ever find. At 6-4, Payton is a big guard who used his size and quickness to pester opponents. Payton was the head of the snake of Seattle’s vaunted fullcourt-pressing, halfcourt-trapping defense that powered the Sonics to the 1996 NBA Finals. Payton’s career took off when head coach George Karl unleashed him in his frenetic system. Payton was also a notorious trash talker. When The Glove smelled blood in the water, he pounced like a piranha. He is the only point guard in league history to win Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the NBA’s first-team all-defense team nine times and ranks fourth all-time in steals with 2,445. He reached the NBA Finals twice, winning it all with the Miami Heat in 2006.

8-JASON KIDD — Ever since bursting onto the scene as a high school phenom from Oakland, Calif., Jason Kidd has been a winner all of his career. He won a state title in high school, he took Cal to the Sweet 16, he took the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals and he led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, leading Team USA in 2000 in Sydney and in 2008 in Beijing. Kidd owns a total of five gold medals in international competition and a mind-boggling 56-0 international record in Olympics, Olympic qualifying and exhibition games. He ranks second on the all-time NBA list in steals (2,684) and assists (12,091), and third in 3-point field goals made (1,988). His 107 triple-doubles ranks only behind Hall-of-Famers Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.

7-TONY PARKER — Once San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gave the keys to Parker to run his team, the Spurs busted out of their conservative shell and became more dynamic. They went from driving a Cadillac to driving a Ferrari, with Parker holding the steering wheel. Parker’s greatest contribution to the game is a shot he may not have created but he has certainly perfected: the floater. Some call it “the runner” or “the teardrop” or “the push shot.” It’s a devastating weapon against big men, and it is used today by nearly all the guards at all levels. Despite all of his accomplishments, including winning the 2007 NBA Finals MVP and owning three NBA titles, Parker is rarely mentioned when basketball experts talk about the best point guards in the NBA. But Parker is OK with that. “For me I’ve been in San Antonio for so long I don’t really pay attention to top-five point guards,” Parker said. “They always forget about me anyways. It doesn’t matter to me anymore, seriously. I just play for the city of San Antonio, for the Spurs and all our fans, Coach Pop, my teammates. That’s what keeps me going.”

6-BOB COUSY — You can’t write the history of basketball without mentioning Bob Cousy. “The Houdini of the Hardwood” was a pure basketball showman. He was the foundation of a Boston Celtics dynasty in the 1950s and ’60s. He is a six-time NBA champion and was named league MVP in 1957. He is one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. The Cooz was way ahead of his time. In an era when guards walked the ball down the court and dumped the ball into the big men, Cousy pushed the tempo and threw behind-the-back passes. He revolutionized the point guard position. He also possessed one of the best handles. When coach Red Auerbach needed to close the game, he turned to Cousy to dribble out the clock.

5-DENNIS JOHNSON — DJ wasn’t blessed with a ton of athletic ability, but he made himself into an outstanding two-way player. During his 13-year playing career with the Seattle SuperSonics, the Phoenix Suns, and the Boston Celtics, Johnson established himself as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. He hounded Magic Johnson into a rough series in the 1984 NBA Finals in which the Celtics won. He had quick hands and a strong base, making it hard for opposing guards to score on him. He was named to five All-Star teams and nine straight all-defensive teams. He was a member of three NBA championship squads (two in Boston and one in Seattle), and his postseason heroics earned him a reputation as a money player. He was the Finals MVP in 1979 for the Sonics, and co-authored one of the signature moments in playoff history when he finished the game-winning layup off a steal by Larry Bird in the 1987 series against the Detroit Pistons. Remember the great call by Celtics announcer Johnny Most: “And there’s a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ, lays it in!” Bird calls Dennis Johnson the best player he’s ever played with.

4-JOHN STOCKTON — If we’re strictly basing everything on statistics, then Stockton should be considered the No. 1 player on this list. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists (15,806) and steals (3,265). Both records could stand for a long, long time. Stockton played his entire pro career with the Utah Jazz. He led the Jazz to 19 playoff appearances and took them to the NBA Finals twice, losing both times to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Stockton benefitted greatly from having one of the greatest scoring power forwards in the game in Karl Malone, but that shouldn’t diminish what Stockton meant to the Jazz. He may not say a whole lot on the court, but he was a tenacious competitor who pushed the envelop on some of those nasty screens. What is it dirty? Probably. Stockton played to win, even if he had to bend the rules a bit. Gary Payton calls Stockton tougher to defend than Michael Jordan.

3-OSCAR ROBERTSON — “The Big O” is the player against whom all others labeled “all-around” are judged, and he may remain the standard forever. Statistically, one need look no further than the numbers Robertson put up in 1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for an entire season. Not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird could match those numbers. During his 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson amassed 26,710 points. He won his only NBA title as a member of the Bucks in 1971. His average of 25.7 points per game ranks as the sixth-highest mark ever among retired players, and he averaged 30 points or more in six seasons. Robertson was the NBA’s all-time leader in assists (9,887) when he retired. He also averaged 7.5 rebounds for his career and led his team in rebounding once, a rare feat for a guard. At 6-5 and 210 pounds, The Big O was the first dominant guard. Celtics coach Red Auerbach said: “He is so great he scares me.”

2-ISIAH THOMAS — Zeke was the unquestioned leader of the “Motor City Bad Boys.” Don’t let that million-dollar smile fool ya. Thomas was a stone-cold killer who didn’t back down from a fight. He and Joe Dumars was arguably the two toughest players on a squad with a bunch of rough riders. Thomas never got the credit he richly deserved because his Pistons were not part of the glamour teams. The Pistons won two NBA titles with a grit-and-grind approach that didn’t resonate with basketball fans. They ended the Celtics and Lakers dynasties, and was the major roadblock for the Bulls. Thomas had two unforgettable playoff moments. The first was the great shootout with Bernard King in the 1984 playoffs in which Zeke scored 16 points in 94 seconds to force overtime. The second was his epic gutsy performance in Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals against the Lakers in which he scored 25 points in the third quarter despite a badly sprained ankle. It defined Thomas’ career.

1-MAGIC JOHNSON — Forget positions for a moment. Based on impact alone, Magic is arguably one of the best players to ever play the game. He changed the game. He was a power forward with major-league handles and unbelievable vision. No one in the history of basketball has ever seen a player like Magic. At 6-9 and 215 pounds, he was a matchup nightmare. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists for his career. He blew past forwards and posted up smaller guards. And you’ll never find a better passer on a 3-on-2 or 2-0n-1 fastbreak. Also, he was a tremendous leader on and off the court. When he led, players followed. He earned three NBA MVPs and led the L.A. Lakers to five championships. The signature moment of the career came in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the hated Boston Celtics. With the Lakers down by one point, Magic drove the lane and threw up a baby skyhook over two defenders to give the Lakers the lead. After the game, Larry Bird said: “Magic is just a great player.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Spurs guard Tony Parker picks up the scoring slack with the absence of Tim Duncan. (GETTY IMAGES)

If Friday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the visiting San Antonio Spurs was a heavyweight boxing championship fight, the fans would have been clamoring for a refund. Kobe Bryant is still rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon he sustained last season and Tim Duncan missed the game because of a chest contusion.

Tony Parker made 12 of 18 shots from the field and scored a game-high 24 points to lead San Antonio (2-1) to a 91-85 over L.A. (1-2). Parker also dished out six assists, grabbed four rebounds and turned the ball over only once.

“We’re motivated,” Parker told ESPN after the game when asked about the Spurs being without Duncan. “We don’t give up games.”

With the game tied at 80 and a little over two minutes left in the game, the Spurs closed out the game by going on an 11-5 run (Manu Ginobili scored four points, including a pair of free throws with four seconds left) to close it out.

“We let this one get away from us,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I thought this was one we could have got, especially without Duncan. It was set up for us. We didn’t do it. You need to start defending your turf, then learn how to win on the road.”

The Lakers were stagnant on offense and a lot of that had to do with the Spurs’ intense and tough defense. L.A. made just 30 of 82 field goals (36.6%) and seemed to live and die by the 3-pointer. They made just eight of 27 from behind the arc (29.6%) and Steve Blake was the main culprit. He converted just two of his nine 3-pointers, but dished nine assists.

Pau Gasol had a strong game, scoring a season-high 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jodie Meeks continued his strong play with 14 points. Nick Young scored just six points and may need to be looking over his shoulder if Meeks continues to play well. Wesley Johnson scored 12 points and played well defensively, with two blocks and one steal.

Ginobili added 20 points off the bench, Kawhi Leonard chipped in with 15 points and Boris Diaw scored 14 points to give the Spurs four starters in double figures.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @djroxalot.

Tony Parker and Chris Paul are the MVPs of their respective teams. (GETTY IMAGES)

The two hardest positions to find in basketball are center and point guard. The game has evolved so much that the point guard’s role has expanded and the position has become more complex and more valuable than ever. There are five basic skill sets you must own in order to be play the position. First, you must take care of the ball and avoid turnovers. Second, you must be able to make all the passes. Third, you must execute the game plan and run the offense. Fourth, you must be able to create shots for teammates. Fifth, when all things break down and the shot clock is winding down, you must be able to score either with the drive or jump shot to bail your team out. The players on this list possess all these fundamental skills, and have set themselves apart from their peers.

OneManFastBreak.net rates the top points guards in the Association:

10) TY LAWSON, Denver Nuggets: Former Nuggets coach George Karl says the key to his fast-break offense was Ty Lawson. The former University of North Carolina star has gotten better and better each season, and in 2013 he averaged 17 points and seven assists. Despite his lack of size (listed at 5-11) Lawson is one of the league leaders in points in the paint because he’s a handful in the open court, with his incredible foot speed, he can beat any defender to the basket.

Denver Nuggets’ lightning-quick point guard Ty Lawson. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

9) MIKE CONLEY, Memphis Grizzlies: Conley is the son of Olympic track star Mike Conley Sr. He may not have daddy’s jumping skills but he’s definitely the better ballhandler and playmaker in the family. The former Ohio State standout is a tremendous two-way player. He takes care of the ball (6-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio) and is a very good on-ball defender. He averages 2.2 steals per game and had 174 thefts in the 2012-13 season. When Rudy Gay was traded, the Grizzlies basically gave the keys to the car to Conley and let him drive the offense. Conley raised his profile in the 2013 playoffs when he played Chris Paul to a draw in the Grizzlies-Clippers playoff battle, won by the Grizzlies.

8) DERON WILLIAMS, Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams is Jason Kidd with range. Much like Chris Paul, D-Will can play fast or slow. He can be a playmaker or a scorer. D-Will has the entire package. He can drive, he can hit the 3 and get his teammates easy shots. And he’s built like a tank (6-3, 209). He’s one of the few PGs who can score 20 points and get 10 assists. The only knock on Williams — and the same can be said about CP3 — is that he hasn’t been able to lift his teams past the conference semifinals, and some also question his work ethic. He came into the 2012-13 season a little out of shape, and it took nearly the whole season for him to get his conditioning up to speed.

When he’s healthy and in shape, Deron Williams is a matchup nightmare. (GETTY IMAGES)

7) KYRIE IRVING, Cleveland Cavaliers: You know you’ve arrived when you have a soda commercial. Irving is the star of the “Uncle Drew” Pepsi Max campaign, and his needle is pointing way, way up on the star-o-meter. Irving has the total package: sick handles, smooth jumper, and athletically gifted. He’s still learning to make his teammates better, and once he has figured out that aspect of the game the sky is the limit. It’s hard to erase the memories of King James in Cleveland, but Uncle Drew is slowly helping the healing process.

6) RAJON RONDO, Boston Celtics: The 6-1 guard from Kentucky was arguably the Celtics’ best player during the 2010 NBA playoffs, turning the Celtics’ Big Three into the Fantastic Four. Rondo is a unique player because he rebounds extremely well for his size, has an array of circus shots when he gets close to the basket. He can also impact the game on both ends. He’s one of the best off-the-ball defenders in the league (leading the league in steals in 2009-10), and plays the passing lanes extremely well. And when you look up the definition of “tough” in the dictionary, you may see Rondo’s name next to it. If Rondo has a weakness, it is his inability to master the mid-range jump shot. If he ever develops a consistent jumper, he’ll be unstoppable.

5) STEPHEN CURRY, Golden State Warriors: The son of Dell Curry came into the league with one of the purest jumpers you will ever see. Steph’s stroke is pure genius, and even his misses are a thing of beauty. Once he was able to overcome his ankle problems, Curry has elevated his game into superstar status. After an injury-plagued 2011-12 season in which his average dipped to 14 points, the Golden State sniper raised his scoring average to 22.9 in 2012-13. Curry had a game for the ages on Feb. 28, 2013, when he electrified the Madison Square Garden crowd by dropping 54 points on the New York Knicks. Curry knocked down 11 threes and was 18-for-28 from the field. Mark Jackson called it one of the best performances he has ever seen at the Garden. That’s high praise coming from Jackson, who grew up in New York City and was drafted by the Knicks out of St. John’s.

Stephen Curry’s 54 points electrified the Madison Square Garden crowd. (GETTY IMAGES)

4) DERRICK ROSE, Chicago Bulls: D-Rose became a star during the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs in an epic series against the Boston Celtics. In his first NBA postseason game, Rose scored 36 points at the new Boston Garden, and his career has been on a fast track to Springfield ever since. Rose is a freakish athlete. He has tremendous handles, amazing body control, and a fearless attitude. He has improved his mid-range game and 3-point shot the last two seasons, and his hard work was rewarded when he was named NBA MVP in 2011 — the first Bulls player to win the award since Michael Jordan. Few can match Rose’s ability to maneuver around a defense. Now, the big question is, can he regain that ability after ACL surgery?

3) RUSSELL WESTBROOK, Oklahoma City Thunder: Westbrook’s coming out party occurred in the 2010 NBA playoffs when he lit up the L.A. Lakers in the first round. Phil Jackson paid Westbrook the highest respect when he assigned Kobe Bryant to guard him for much of the series. Westbrook is one of the best finishers in the game, and he attacks the rim like a Navy SEAL team storming a compound in Pakistan. The scary part about Westbrook — who was a shooting guard when he played at UCLA — is that he’s still learning the point guard position. Many pundits slam Westbrook for being too much of a gunner, saying he doesn’t have the patience nor the fundamentals to run a traditional NBA offense. Westbrook is a unique talent who thrives on raw emotion. It’s his biggest strength, so curbing Westbrook’s special skills would be like leaving a Ferrari parked in a garage and not taking it for a spin.

Russell Westbrook shoots over Chris Bosh during the second half of Game 1of the NBA Finals. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

2) CHRIS PAUL, Los Angeles Clippers: CP3 is an absolute witch with a basketball in his hands. He is capable of posting a 20-5-11-2 stat line, and few point guards can match his intensity and will to win. But Paul’s greatest strength is his the ability to change the tempo of a game. He can play fast or slow. One minute he’s pushing the ball up the court, then one minute he’s walking it up and milking the clock. Paul is the quarterback of the Greatest Show on Hardwood, aka Lob City. Whenever you see Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan on SportsCenter, they’re usually beneficiaries of a CP3 feed. Paul led the Clippers to a Pacific Division title in 2012-13 and was named to the All-NBA first team for the third time in his career. The only thing missing in Paul’s resume is a NBA championship.

1) TONY PARKER, San Antonio Spurs: In the last 20 years, only two point guards have been named MVP of the NBA Finals: Chauncey Billups and Tony Parker. Parker, the MVP of the 2007 Finals, consistently puts up superb offensive numbers, and is the only point guard on this list who shoots over 50% from the field. Few can match Parker’s speed and energy. He seems like he never gets tired and has one of the most devastating offensive weapons in basketball: the floater. The Spurs guard may not have invented the floater, or teardrop, but he certainly has perfected it. Now, almost every guard in basketball — from high school to college to the pro level — uses the one-handed push shot that drives big men absolutely crazy. With future Hall-of-Famers Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili slowing down with age, Parker has become the engine that drives the Spurs.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Tim Duncan drives past Chris Bosh. (GETTY IMAGES)

You can see the disappointment in Tim Duncan’s face. You can hear the frustration in Manu Ginobili’s voice.

When members of the 2012-13 San Antonio Spurs look back at this season they will play the “what if” game. What if we made our free throws down the stretch? What if we grabbed two more defensive rebounds? What if we didn’t turn the ball over in the final minute of the game? What if … what if … what if …

One free throw. One rebound. One turnover. That’s how close the Spurs were from winning their fifth NBA championship as a franchise. These proud Spurs — a collection of discarded players who complemented three Hall-of-Famers — left Miami’s American Airlines Arena hanging their heads and staring down on the floor filled with championship confetti after the Heat celebrated a 4-3 series win in the NBA Finals to defend their crown.

The Spurs gave everything they had in Game 7 but just couldn’t overcome LeBron James’ 37 points and their execution failed them down the stretch. And when their valiant fight fell just short, losing 95-88 in Game 7, they couldn’t stop thinking about the title they gave away two nights earlier.

”Being so close and feeling that you are about to grab that trophy and then seeing it vanish is very hard,” Ginobili said. ”I think that if we would’ve lost both games like this, I would be a little more up. But it’s a tough feeling.”

The Spurs had two chances in Miami to win one game, and they failed both times in spectacular fashion.

Ginobili points to the Spurs’ Game 6 meltdown as the dagger in their hearts.

The Spurs had a five-point lead with 28 seconds left and found a way to lose in overtime. The play that will stick with Ginobili and the rest of the Spurs forever is the unfortunate bounce at end of regulation when Chris Bosh grabbed LeBron James’ missed 3-point shot and flipped the ball to Ray Allen who buried the game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left.

If the Spurs grab that rebound, they win the title. If Allen misses that 3-pointer, the Spurs win the title.

”It’s such a fine line between celebrating and having a great summer with now feeling like crap and just so disappointed,” Ginobili said.

Speaking of “feeling like crap,” Duncan was almost inconsolable after Game 7. The greatest power forward in NBA history came up small with under a minute left to play in final game of the series when his short, running jump hook over Shane Battier bounced out and his tip-in missed as well. The normally stoic Duncan ran down the court disgusted, slapping the floor with his right hand. During a timeout, Duncan had a towel over his head and was so upset with himself he couldn’t figure out whether to throw the towel or bite it.

“For me, no. Game 7, missing a layup to tie the game,” Duncan said in his postgame press conference. “Making a bad decision down the stretch. Just unable to stop Dwyane [Wade] and LeBron [James]. Probably, for me, Game 7 is always going to haunt me.”

 Hard to fault Duncan for the loss because up to that point he was authoring a MVP-type performance. His 24 points and 12 rebounds were a huge reason the Spurs were even close to the Heat in Game 7.

”To be at this point with this team in this situation, where people every year continue to count us out, is a great accomplishment,” said Duncan, his voice quivering in a rare show of emotion. ”To be in a game 7 or be in a game 6 and up one with two chances to win an NBA championship, that’s tough to swallow.”

Duncan wasn’t alone in terms of coming up empty when it mattered most. Ginobili was both brilliant and awful in Game 7 with his 18 points and four turnovers — all in the fourth quarter. His final turnover with 21 seconds left in the game basically sealed the deal for Miami.

Parker, who had been spectacular through the first five games of the series, was a no-show in games 6 and 7. Parker struggled with just 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting and was benched late in the game. He won’t use his bad hamstring as an excuse, but it was clear he wasn’t the same player after suffering the injury.

Once again, the Spurs will face proclamations of their demise this offseason. Only this time, it may be harder to hold those off.

Duncan is 37, but coming off an All-NBA First Team season and a vintage performance in the finals. The 31-year-old Parker is nearing his apex after one of his finest seasons. But Ginobili will turn 36 next month and will be a free agent, perhaps marking the end of the three-person core that helped put the Alamo City on the NBA map, and keep it there for 10 years.

”I couldn’t love our guys more,” said Gregg Popovich, who also faces a decision this summer if he wants to return as coach. ”What they accomplished this year was something nobody ever expected. They showed a lot of mental toughness and a lot of good play to get where they got. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The questions begin now. Will Ginobili return? Can Duncan keep turning back the clock? And does the 64-year-old Popovich have another year left in him?

Parker chafed when asked if he thought this was the last run with this group. ”I can’t believe you’re asking that question,” he said. ”It’s been five, six years you saying we’re too old, so I’m not going to answer that.”

Manu Ginobili is a three-time NBA champion. (GETTY IMAGES)

When Manu Ginobili ever decides to retire from the NBA, he’ll go down in basketball history as one of the greatest to play the game. He’s a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer who belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of international players who changed the NBA landscape, a short list that includes Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker.

Ginobili is arguably one of the most popular players in the world, and only Pope Francis is more popular in his native country of Argentina. And even that is debatable.

But even the pope has some bad days, and Ginobili is a bit out of sync in the 2013 NBA Finals.

After a 13-point performance in Game 1, Ginobili has scored just 17 points in the last three games. He was 2-for-6 (five points) in Game 2, 3-for-7 (seven points) in Game 3, and 1-for-5 (five points) in Game 4. He also hasn’t hit a 3-point shot since Game 2.

So what’s wrong with Ginobili?

“If I knew I would have fixed it by now,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Ginobili credits the Miami Heat’s aggressive defense as part of the reason for his struggles, but age and playoff mileage may be creeping up on him, too.

“Father Time is on his back,” TNT and NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley said. “He’s not even looking at the basket. I’ve never seen my man that passive.”

What makes Ginobili so special is his ability to create something out of nothing. He is a master of improvisation. It’s a unique skill only a handful of players in the NBA possess. He has shown flashes of it in the 2013 playoffs.

He did it earlier in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors, a game that could go down as one of the greatest playoff games in NBA history. Basketball superfan Jimmy Goldstein tweeted: “I have attended more than 4000 NBA games, but I just witnessed one of the greatest games that I have ever seen. #Spurs.”

Ginobili’s clutch 3-pointer from the wing with 1.2 seconds left in double overtime lifted the Spurs to a thrilling 129-127 victory over the Warriors despite 44 points from NBA phenom Stephen Curry.

Prior to his winning play, Ginobili had been 4-for-19 from the field and badly missed his last two 3-pointers. But his confidence never wavered. He’s stubborn enough to think that he can make a play no matter how poorly he’s playing. All the great closers possess this skill. Kobe Bryant has it and Michael Jordan had it.

The game-winning shot came 43.7 seconds after Ginobili took an ill-advised 3 that appeared to cost the Spurs the game.

”I went from wanting to trade him on the spot to wanting to cook breakfast for him tomorrow morning,” Popovich said. ”That’s the truth. When I talk to him and say, ‘Manu,’ he goes, ‘This is what I do.’ That’s what he’s going to tell me. I stopped coaching him a long time ago.”

Popovich doesn’t need to give a rah-rah speech to make the man who introduced the Euro Step to the NBA understand that he needs to play better. Ginobili is a proud individual with a heart of champion, and he always seems to find a way to impact the game.

“I wish I could score more. But it’s not happening. If the shot is not falling, I’ve got to be sharp feeding the bigs and finding the shooters. I don’t have to force the issue,” said Ginobili, who is in the final year of his contract and turns 36 this July. Even though he’d like to play one or two more years, this could be his last ride.

“All season long I kind of knew that I was going to play one or two more years,” he said. “But when you are 36 — I’m going to be 36 pretty soon — everything is a day-by-day basis. Once the season finishes and I see how I feel, I can’t imagine me not playing at least one more year here, but time will tell. We’ll see.”

Tony Parker and Tim Duncan know how important Ginobili is to their title hopes and they’re not about to give up on the man who helped them win championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007.

“He’s very angry at himself, very frustrated with himself,” Duncan said of Ginobili, who joined the Spurs in 2002 after a very successful run with Italian League power Kinder Bologna where he won the Euroleague title in 2001 and named MVP. Prior to Ginobili’s arrival in San Antonio, the Spurs had been bounced out of the playoffs by the L.A. Lakers in 2001 and 2002.

“I have a lot of confidence in Manu,” Parker said. “He came through for us all of these years. I have faith that he’ll have a big game. I trust him because I’ve been playing with him for a long time.”

Make no mistake about it, the Spurs will only go as far as Ginobili takes them. Duncan may be the heart and soul of the Spurs and Parker may be the team’s MVP, but Ginobili is the spark that ignites them to great heights. His value to the team can’t be measured by mere statistics. He is the ultimate X-factor that you can’t account for.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Tony Parker’s circus shot stuns the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2013 NBA Finals.

Heading into the 2013 NBA Finals the topic of discussion centered around the ages of the veteran-laden San Antonio Spurs. After Game 1, all the talk was about Tony Parker’s unbelievable shot for the ages.

With the Spurs ahead 90-88 with under 30 seconds left, Parker drove to his right and nearly lost the ball as he drove past LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. When he turned the corner he stumbled and nearly lost the ball again when he fell to the ground, but somehow maintained his dribble. Knowing the shot clock was winding down, Parker got up, pivoted around LeBron, released a shot just before the 24-second shot clock expired, and banked home the game-clinching basket.

“It was a crazy play,’’ said Parker, who finished with a game-high 21 points in Game 1. “I thought I lost the ball like three or four times. At the end, I just wanted to get a shot up.”

Parker’s crazy play was reminiscent of a shot most Heat fans would love to forget. On May 16, 1999, New York Knicks guard Allan Houston ripped the hearts of Miami fans when his short jumper bounced off the front of the rim and bounced back in. Houston’s miraculous shot in Game 5 not only bounced the top-seeded Heat out of the playoffs but it ignited an unlikely playoff run for the hated Knicks all the way to the NBA Finals.

Parker’s buzzer-beater may not have eliminated the Heat in The Finals, but it was one of those signature moments that could alter an entire series. It also overshadowed a triple-double by LeBron (18 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists), who had an up-close look at the improbable shot and was inches away from blocking it.

“Tony did everything wrong and did everything right in the same possession,’’ James said. “He stumbled two or three times, and he fell over. When he fell over, I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to tie it up.’ Then he got up, and I was on him, and he doubled pumped. That was the longest 24 seconds that I’ve been a part of.”

If Parker tried it again, he would more than likely miss it.

The Spurs went into South Beach looking to gain a split, and they pulled it off on their first try. Now all the pressure shifts to the Heat to even the series in Game 2 and avoid losing two in a row in their home building.

”Tony’s shot is one of those things that happens sometimes,” Manu Ginobili said. ”We got lucky today.”

But divine intervention had little to do with the outcome of the game. The Spurs put themselves in a better position to win than the Heat because they were more efficient on offense and had just four turnovers the whole game (Parker had no turnovers).

”The Spurs are the Spurs,” James said. ”They’re going to put you in positions where you feel uncomfortable offensively and defensively, and every time you make a mistake, they’re going to capitalize on it.”

Tony Parker and the Spurs claim the 2013 Western Conference finals trophy. (GETTY IMAGES)

Moments after dismantling the top-ranked defense in the NBA, Tony Parker walked into the interview room wearing a T-shirt that read “Best in the West.”

The shirt was a perfect fit for Parker and his Spurs. San Antonio is back in the NBA Finals for the fifth time in franchise history after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals.

Parker was the lead engineer of the total destruction of the Grizzlies’ once vaunted defense, ripping Memphis for 37 points in the series-clincher. In the two games in Memphis, Parker averaged 31.5 points and made 26 of his 43 shots from the field, a whopping 60 percent accuracy.

”He’s been amazing. Every year he gets better and better and better. He’s been carrying us,” first-team All-NBA center Tim Duncan said of his second-team All-NBA point guard, who is finally getting the recognition he richly deserves after 12 seasons in the Association.

”He was outstanding the whole series, and he controlled the series with his penetration,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said of Parker. ”He made shots, made plays. He was huge.”

For much of his 16-year NBA career, all with the Spurs, Duncan has been the main frame of arguably the model franchise of the league. But for the last two or three years, the offense has been turned over to Parker.

“I’ve said it a lot of times this year, he has played better than any point guard in the league,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his 31-year-old star. “He got hurt, got a little unsteady for awhile from the ankle [injury]. Once we got in the playoffs he started returning to form.

“Making the All-NBA second team really was deserved, and he was moved by it. It meant a lot to him.”

The vote of confidence from Popovich was a huge deal for Parker, who admitted during the infancy stages of his soon-to-be Hall-of-Fame career that Popovich would grill him over and over about finding a balance between scoring on his own and creating shots for teammates. Now, it is no longer an issue. Parker has full command of the offense and Popovich has total confidence he’ll make the right call each time.

”He’s always trusting me and letting me grow as a point guard and calling plays. Before in my career I was always looking at him. Now I don’t look at him,” Parker said.

The turning point in the Popovich-Parker dynamic happened sometime after the 2011 European basketball championships in Lithuania. Parker led his native country France to a silver medal, the best finish of any French national team at EuroBasket.

During the tournament, Parker was nearly unstoppable. He was driving, hitting jumpers, setting up teammates, and running circles around the other top European point guards. Popovich watched Parker dominate the competition and played with so much freedom. When Parker returned to San Antonio, Popovich told him he wanted to see the Tony Parker from the 2011 EuroBasket. Popovich had the foresight that in order for the Spurs to evolve and keep up with some of the younger teams in the league he needed Parker to call his own shots, push the pace to his liking, and play without any restrictions.

Once Popovich gave the keys to Parker, the Spurs busted out of their conservative shell and became more dynamic. They went from driving a Cadillac to driving a Ferrari, with Parker holding the steering wheel.

Despite all of his accomplishments, including winning the 2007 NBA Finals MVP and owning three NBA titles, Parker is rarely mentioned when basketball experts talk about the five best point guards in the NBA. But Parker is OK with that.

“For me I’ve been in San Antonio for so long I don’t really pay attention to top-five point guards,” Parker said. “They always forget about me anyways. It doesn’t matter to me anymore, seriously. I just play for the city of San Antonio, for the Spurs and all our fans, Coach Pop, my teammates. That’s what keeps me going.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Injuries to All-Star guards Tony Parker (ankle, shin) and Manu Ginobili (hamstring) have the San Antonio Spurs very concerned heading into the playoffs. (GETTY IMAGES)

The San Antonio Spurs are limping down the stretch, and the 100-88 loss to Oklahoma City Thursday night was just the tip of the iceberg.

Parker appeared to have hurt his leg against the Thunder, which explains his 1-for-6 shooting night and finishing with just two points. The Spurs are saying Parker has a shin injury, but there may be a lot more to this latest setback. Parker is already nursing a bad ankle, and the shin injury may be the result of having to compensate for the bad ankle.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff going on, but I just have to get healthy. It’s no excuse. I just have to get healthy,” Parker told the Associated Press.

Spurs coach noticed Parker limping throughout the game and had no choice but to pull the plug on his MVP candidate.

“‘When he started out, it looked like he had no energy to start the game and then as he went, he looked to me like he was limping,” Popovich said. ”And then (at the) start of the second half, we saw him coming across half-court actually limping one time, and that’s when we pulled him and I said to him, ‘Tony, you got to stop.”’

San Antonio was already playing without sixth man Manu Ginobili (hamstring), who could miss the rest of the regular season, and fellow reserve Stephen Jackson (ankle). This is bad news for the Spurs because there are no easy outs in the Western Conference, and all these mounting injuries could put the Spurs out in the first round and alter the entire playoff picture.

Tim Duncan may be the heart of the Spurs and Parker is the engine that drives them, but the key to each of the Spurs’ championship seasons has always been and will always will be Ginobili. When he’s healthy, the Argentine provides the Spurs a lot of energy on the court and when he’s got it going he’s nearly unstoppable, especially down the stretch as he’s one of the best closers in the game.

Ginobili, who is currently out 3-4 weeks with a strained right hamstring, has been bitten by the injury bug in each of the last two seasons. He has seen his scoring average dip from 17.4 in 2010-11 to 11.9 in 2012-13 — the lowest of his career since his rookie season in 2002-03.

”Obviously, Tony’s down, Manu’s down, so it’s a concern, especially in this part of the season,” Duncan said. ”But it’s part of the game, so we’ve got to play through it and we’ve got to find a way to score points.”

Duncan has been forced to carry the load offensively lately, and the big man has delivered. Duncan is enjoying his best season statistically (17.4 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) in four years, and you could argue he deserves a spot on the All-NBA first team with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul.

Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich are two reasons why the Spurs remain a championship contender. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

“The Spurs frustrate teams cuz it’s like playin against your gym teacher and his friends. All fundamentals!” — Comedian Damon Wayans posted on Twitter

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is normally very reserved whenever he has to address his team’s greatness. But during the 2012 NBA playoffs, after the Spurs outgunned the sports betting world’s favorite team Oklahoma City in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, even Popovich was impressed with the 120 points and the 55% shooting.

“We’ve had good ball movement with other teams that we’ve had here. But I think the combination of penetration and pitch, post up with Timmy [Duncan], this is probably the best that we’ve had,” Popovich said. “Other teams were more halfcourt. This team has more pace to it than what we’ve had in the past.”

What’s the secret to the Spurs’ outstanding ball movement? “Well, when you have Coach Pop screaming at you everyday it’ll make you pass the ball,” said Parker. He’s always big on you have to find a better shot.”

Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili may be on the downside of their careers, but the rest of the Spurs are either in their prime years or are just scratching the surface. San Antonio is one of the deepest teams in the league (a legit 12-man rotation) and as long as the Spurs stay the course they could very well make another strong run for a title.

Tony Parker enjoyed the best season of his NBA career in 2012 and the offense now goes through him 99% of the time. Parker has become a more complete player and has done an outstanding job of finding a balance between scoring on his own and running the offense the way Popovich wants it.

“It’s always been a battle my whole career as the point guard. Pop wants you to score and then he wants you to pass then he wants you to score, then he wants you to pass. It always goes back and forth,” Parker said. “The biggest room for me to improve is find a happy middle between scoring and passing, and find that good balance. I think over the years I got better at it in finding my spots and when to score and when to pass the ball.”

“He’s been there and he’s done that. He understands this system, like in the back of his hand. He knows where everybody is supposed to be,” said former Spurs guard Steve Smith, who believes the difference with Parker is his patience.

“He’s always been one of the fastest guys, but now he’s letting plays develop,” Smith said. “He’s slowing down and he has his head up. He’s beating guys with the pass, he’s beating guys on hesitations, and he understands angles one of the best in the business finishing in the paint. Reminds a little bit of Rod Strickland. Point guards who can get into the paint and finish over bigs. And the game is coming easy to him. Above all, he’s healthy.”

One player the organization is very high on is rookie forward Kawhi Leonard. His rise from bench guy to starter allowed the Spurs to dump Richard Jefferson. Leonard drastically improved his outside shot and his defense got better as he got more comfortable with his role. He may not be Bruce Bowen yet, but he’s close.

“Kawhi Leonard is a real quick learner,” Popovich said. “He’s got a work ethic that’s real impressive, and he has no fear. He’s enjoying guarding the guards he’s had to guard all year long. It’s been a great experience for him and as the year as gone all along I’ve learned to believe in him more and more. Now I just wish he knew our plays.”

Popovich added, “[Leonard] is learning to know what’s a good shot and what we don’t want him to do, but that’s gonna take more time. He hasn’t been here long enough for that. But give him credit, he’s not afraid. He inserts himself into the game and, yes, we were surprised he’d come along with his shot.”

“It doesn’t always go exactly as planned, but good players get it done.”

The Spurs have owned the best record in the regular season the past two seasons. Obviously the playoffs left a bitter taste in their mouths, but coming up short against Memphis and Oklahoma City the last two seasons shouldn’t be the nail on the coffin for arguably the model franchise of the NBA.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.