25 most memorable moments from Tim Duncan’s career
By Brad Rowland
Duncan Ends the Lakers Dynasty – May 15, 2003
As referenced previously, the Los Angeles Lakers won three titles in a row from 2000 through 2002, and Duncan wasn’t able to lead the Spurs past them during the 2002 Playoffs, despite individual heroics. In 2003, he had no such issue.
In Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Duncan scored 37 points and pulled down 16 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a dominant, 28-point win. In retrospect, this was a “changing of the guard” moment in the Western Conference, and in the series, Duncan put up 28.0 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
This wasn’t the end of the 2003 story (more to come), but slaying the dragon that was the Shaq-Kobe duo can’t be overstated, and in some ways, dethroning the Lakers stands out in a significant fashion. It may not be the defining moment of his career, but a huge fan base on the left coast remembers this one with a shaking fist toward the heavens.
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