2003 NBA Finals

{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2023}}

The 2002–03 season had already started as a memorable one for the San Antonio Spurs, as it was the team's first season in their new arena, the SBC Center (now known as the Frost Bank Center). However, as this season was one of beginnings, it was also one of endings. During the season, Spurs star David Robinson announced that it was his last season. The NBA Finals also marked the end of Steve Kerr's career as well—he was on the Spurs, having already won three titles with the Chicago Bulls.

Over the last few seasons, injuries had slowed down Robinson's productivity to the point where he missed 18 games in his final season while averaging only 8.5 points per game. Nevertheless, Robinson retired holding Spurs franchise records in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. The Spurs had a very successful season, finishing 60–22, tying for the best record in the NBA that year.

The playoffs started off shaky for the Spurs as they lost game 1 of the first-round series against the Phoenix Suns in overtime.{{Cite web |title=2003 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 1: Suns vs Spurs, April 19, 2003 |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200304190SAS.html |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} However, the Spurs bounced back to take the series in six games.{{Cite web |title=2003 NBA Western Conference First Round - Suns vs. Spurs |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2003-nba-western-conference-first-round-suns-vs-spurs.html |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} The second round put the Spurs face-to-face with the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. After splitting the first four games, the Spurs eked out a win in game 5, benefitting from a rare, last-second in-and-out miss from the Lakers' clutch-shooter Robert Horry (who helped the Spurs win a title two years later). The Spurs eventually disposed of the Lakers in game 6, ending the Lakers' championship run.{{Cite web |title=2003 NBA Western Conference Semifinals - Lakers vs. Spurs |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2003-nba-western-conference-semifinals-lakers-vs-spurs.html |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} In the Conference Finals, the Spurs faced their in-state nemesis, the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs started off slow again, losing game 1 by three points, but took control of the series from there, taking the next three straight. After losing game 5 at home 103–91, the Spurs came from 15 points down in the fourth quarter in game 6, as Steve Kerr buried four three-pointers in a row to take the series in six games with a 90–78 win{{Cite web |title=2003 NBA Western Conference Finals - Mavericks vs. Spurs |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2003-nba-western-conference-finals-mavericks-vs-spurs.html |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} in Dallas, advancing to their second NBA Finals in franchise history.

In the meantime the New Jersey Nets, who lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, were out to prove that they were serious title contenders, despite the lack of competition in the Eastern Conference. The Nets finished the regular season 49–33, good enough to win the Atlantic Division and clinch the number 2 seed in the East. After splitting the first four games with the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, the Nets took control, winning the series in six games. From then on, the Nets had no trouble making a return to the NBA Finals, sweeping the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons to win their second straight Eastern Conference championship. With their 49–33 record, the 2003 Nets were the last team with under 50 wins to reach the NBA Finals in a fully-played season until the 2022-23 Miami Heat, who went 44–38 in the regular season.

{{Main|2003 NBA playoffs}}

Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team:

{{basketballbox

| bg=#fff

| date = November 13, 2002

| team1 = San Antonio Spurs |score1=82

| team2 = New Jersey Nets |score2=91

| place = Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

}}

{{basketballbox

| date = March 6, 2003

| team1 = New Jersey Nets |score1=78

| team2 = San Antonio Spurs |score2=92

| place = SBC Center, San Antonio, Texas

}}

{{NBA roster header|team=San Antonio Spurs|season=2002–03}}

{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Mengke | last = Bateer | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 290 | DOB = 1975–11–20 | from = China}}

{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Bruce | last = Bowen | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 200 | DOB = 1971–06–14 | college = Cal State Fullerton}}

{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Speedy | last = Claxton | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 166 | DOB = 1978–05–08 | college = Hofstra}}

{{player2 | num = 21 | first = Tim | last = Duncan | link = Tim Duncan | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 255 | DOB = 1976–04–25 | college = Wake Forest}}

{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Danny | last = Ferry | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 235 | DOB = 1966–10–17 | college = Duke}}

{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Manu | last = Ginóbili | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 200 | DOB = 1977–07–28 | from = Argentina}}

{{player2 | num = 3 | first = Stephen | last = Jackson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 220 | DOB = 1978–04–05 | college = Butler CC}}

{{player2 | num = 25 | first = Steve | last = Kerr | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 175 | DOB = 1965–09–27 | college = Arizona}}

{{player2 | num = 9 | first = Tony | last = Parker | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 185 | DOB = 1982–05–17 | from = France}}

{{player2 | num = 50 | first = David | last = Robinson | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 1 | lbs = 235 | DOB = 1965–08–06 | college = Navy}}

{{player2 | num = 31 | first = Malik | last = Rose | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 250 | DOB = 1974–11–23 | college = Drexel}}

{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Steve | last = Smith | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 200 | DOB = 1969–03–31 | college = Michigan State}}

{{player2 | num = 42 | first = Kevin | last = Willis | pos = F/C | ft = 7 | in = 0 | lbs = 245 | DOB = 1962–09–06 | college = Michigan State}}

{{NBA roster footer

| head_coach =

• Gregg Popovich ({{college|Air Force}})

| asst_coach =

• Mike Brown ({{college|San Diego}})
• P. J. Carlesimo ({{college|Fordham}})
• Mike Budenholzer ({{college|Pomona College}})
• Joe Prunty ({{college|Cal Poly}})

| roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/2003.html

| accessdate = June 5, 2019

}}

{{NBA roster header|team=New Jersey Nets|season=2002–03}}

{{player2 | num = 1 | first = Brandon | last = Armstrong | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 188 | DOB = 1980–06–16 | college = Pepperdine}}

{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Jason | last = Collins | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 0 | lbs = 255 | DOB = 1978–12–02 | college = Stanford}}

{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Lucious | last = Harris | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 190 | DOB = 1970–12–18 | college = LBSU}}

{{player2 | num = 24 | first = Richard | last = Jefferson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 222 | DOB = 1980–06–21 | college = Arizona}}

{{player2 | num = 2 | first = Anthony | last = Johnson | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 190 | DOB = 1974–10–02 | college = Charleston}}

{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Jason | last = Kidd | link = Jason Kidd | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 204 | DOB = 1973–03–23 | college = California}}

{{player2 | num = 30 | first = Kerry | last = Kittles | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 179 | DOB = 1974–06–12 | college = Villanova}}

{{player2 | num = 13 | first = Donny | last = Marshall | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 230 | DOB = 1972–07–17 | college = Connecticut}}

{{player2 | num = 6 | first = Kenyon | last = Martin | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 234 | DOB = 1977–12–30 | college = Cincinnati}}

{{player2 | num = 55 | first = Dikembe | last = Mutombo | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 2 | lbs = 245 | DOB = 1966–06–25 | college = Georgetown}}

{{player2 | num = 54 | first = Rodney | last = Rogers | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 235 | DOB = 1971–06–20 | college = Wake Forest}}

{{player2 | num = 21 | first = Brian | last = Scalabrine | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 241 | DOB = 1978–03–18 | college = USC}}

{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Tamar | last = Slay | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 215 | DOB = 1980–04–02 | college = Marshall}}

{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Aaron | last = Williams | dab = basketball | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 220 | DOB = 1971–10–02 | college = Xavier}}

{{NBA roster footer

| head_coach =

• Byron Scott ({{college|Arizona State}})

| asst_coach =

• Lawrence Frank ({{college|Indiana}})
• Eddie Jordan ({{college|Rutgers}})
• Mike O'Koren ({{college|North Carolina}})

| roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/2003.html

| accessdate = June 5, 2019

}}

The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. The NBA, after experimenting in the early years, restored this original format for the Finals in 1985. So far, the other playoff series are still running on a 2–2–1–1–1 site format.

Game 4 at Continental Airlines Arena was a sellout.{{cite web |last1=Lago |first1=Joe |date=June 12, 2003 |title=Nets find right tempo to beat Spurs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=230611017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828001743/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=230611017 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 28, 2018 |access-date=August 27, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |quote=But the Spurs, behind the leadership of backup point guard Speedy Claxton, silenced the sellout crowd of 19,280...}}

This was the last Finals' series to be played on a Wednesday–Friday–Sunday rotation, which was used starting in 1991 when NBC began carrying the NBA. Starting with the 2004 NBA Finals, all games were played on Thursday–Sunday–Tuesday format until 2016, when it was changed to allow for two days off each time teams traveled.

:All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 4

| report = [http://www.nba.com/games/20030604/NJNSAS/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = New Jersey Nets

| score1 = 89

| score2 = 101'''

| team2 = '''San Antonio Spurs

| place = SBC Center, San Antonio, Texas

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 21–18 | Q2 = 21–24 | Q3 = 17–32 | Q4 = 30–27

| points1 = Kenyon Martin 21 | points2 = Tim Duncan 32

| rebounds1 = Kenyon Martin 12 | rebounds2 = Tim Duncan 20

| assist1 = Jason Kidd 10 | assist2 = Tim Duncan 6

| referee = Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Joe DeRosa

| time = 8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm CDT)}}

|series=San Antonio leads the series, 1–0

}}

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 6

| report = [http://www.nba.com/games/20030606/NJNSAS/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = '''New Jersey Nets

| score1 = 87'''

| score2 = 85

| team2 = San Antonio Spurs

| place = SBC Center, San Antonio, Texas

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 19–18 | Q2 = 22–17 | Q3 = 25–21 | Q4 = 21–29

| points1 = Jason Kidd 30 | points2 = Tony Parker 21

| rebounds1 = Kidd, Harris 7 each | rebounds2 = Tim Duncan 12

| assist1 = Kenyon Martin 4 | assist2 = Tony Parker 5

| referee = Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Bennett Salvatore

| time = 8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm CDT)}}

|series=Series tied, 1–1

}}

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 8

| report = [http://www.nba.com/games/20030608/SASNJN/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = '''San Antonio Spurs

| score1 = 84'''

| score2 = 79

| team2 = New Jersey Nets

| place = Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 15–21 | Q2 = 18–9 | Q3 = 21–27 | Q4 = 30–22

| points1 = Tony Parker 26 | points2 = Kenyon Martin 23

| rebounds1 = Tim Duncan 16 | rebounds2 = Kenyon Martin 11

| assist1 = Tim Duncan 7 | assist2 = Jason Kidd 11

| referee = Ron Garretson, Steve Javie, Jack Nies

| time = 8:30 pm

|series=San Antonio leads the series, 2–1

}}

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 11

| report = [http://www.nba.com/games/20030611/SASNJN/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = San Antonio Spurs

| score1 = 76

| score2 = 77'''

| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets

| place = Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 18–16 | Q2 = 16–29 | Q3 = 23–11 | Q4 = 19–21

| points1 = Tim Duncan 23 | points2 = Kenyon Martin 20

| rebounds1 = Tim Duncan 17 | rebounds2 = Kenyon Martin 13

| assist1 = Parker, Jackson 3 each | assist2 = Jason Kidd 9

| referee = Mike Callahan, Bernie Fryer, Eddie Rush

| time = 8:30 pm

|series=Series tied, 2–2

}}

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 13

| report = [http://www.nba.com/games/20030613/SASNJN/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = '''San Antonio Spurs

| score1 = 93'''

| score2 = 83

| team2 = New Jersey Nets

| place = Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 19–18 | Q2 = 23–16 | Q3 = 24–23 | Q4 = 27–26

| points1 = Tim Duncan 29 | points2 = Jason Kidd 29

| rebounds1 = Tim Duncan 17 | rebounds2 = Kenyon Martin 9

| assist1 = Duncan, Parker 4 each | assist2 = Jason Kidd 7

| referee = Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Bennett Salvatore

| time = 8:30 pm

|series=San Antonio leads the series, 3–2

}}

{{basketballbox

| bg = #eee

| date = June 15

| report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20040621211348/https://www.nba.com/games/20030615/NJNSAS/recap.html Recap]

| team1 = New Jersey Nets

| score1 = 77

| score2 = 88'''

| team2 = '''San Antonio Spurs

| place = SBC Center, San Antonio, Texas

| TV = ABC

| Q1 = 25–17 | Q2 = 16–21 | Q3 = 22–19 | Q4 = 14–31

| points1 = Jason Kidd 21 | points2 = Tim Duncan 21

| rebounds1 = Kenyon Martin 10 | rebounds2 = Tim Duncan 20

| assist1 = Jason Kidd 7 | assist2 = Tim Duncan 10

| referee = Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Ron Garretson

| time = 8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm CDT)}}

|series=San Antonio wins the NBA Finals, 4–2

}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2023}}

While the series received the usual hype of any Finals, it was not heavily anticipated due to the absence of the Lakers, who had won the previous three finals. The Spurs did have a star in Tim Duncan, but at the time he was criticized as being boring compared to flashier players such as Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

The series largely centered on the half-court offense and defense of each team, with only one team breaking 100 points in the series. The Nets constantly double-teamed Duncan, often allowing him to find open teammates.

Nets point guard Jason Kidd, second to Duncan in MVP voting during the 2003 season, was in the last year of his contract with the team, leading to speculation that the Spurs, a team that could afford to sign him, would pursue him in the free agency following the 2003 Finals despite already having future All-Star Tony Parker on the roster. The underlying story of whether or not Kidd would be in a Spurs uniform the following season continued into the off-season. Kidd visited San Antonio and spoke with team officials, but ultimately re-signed with the Nets.

Perhaps the lasting memory of the series is David Robinson retiring as a champion. In the clinching game 6, Robinson had 13 points and 17 rebounds to complement Duncan on the inside. In that game, the Spurs trailed at one point 72–63 before going on a 19–0 run to put the game away and take the series. Stephen Jackson's three-pointer during the run held the lead permanently. The Spurs' win denied New Jersey from having both NBA and NHL titles in the same year.

Duncan became the 8th player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award a second time. He joined the list of Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal. In the series-clinching game, Duncan came two blocks shy of a quadruple double in an NBA Finals game, an extremely rare feat, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks. Robinson recorded the last quadruple double in NBA history with the Spurs. Duncan and Robinson grabbed 37 rebounds between them, more than the total rebounds of the entire Nets team combined (35).

Steve Kerr joined Dennis Johnson, Bill Walton, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper and Robert Horry as the only players to win at least two championships with two franchises. Kerr won three with the Chicago Bulls (1996–98) and another with the Spurs in 1999. Robert Horry won two with the Houston Rockets (1994–95) and three with the LA Lakers (2000–02), and later went on to win two more with the Spurs in 2005 and 2007.

• Despite a great performance, particularly a barrage of three-pointers in the clinching game 6 by Spurs swingman Stephen Jackson, the Spurs let Jackson leave as a free agent. Spurs veterans Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry and, most notably, David Robinson retired after the 2003 Finals.
• Duncan and Robinson were named Sportsmen of the Year by Sports Illustrated for 2003.
• This series marked the first time that two former ABA teams pitted off against each other in the NBA Finals. Four years prior, though, the Spurs made it to the NBA Finals in the shortened 1998–99 NBA season and won the championship.

{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

;San Antonio Spurs

{{NBA roster statistics start|team=San Antonio Spurs}}

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Bruce|Bowen}} || 6 || 6 || 28.5 || .233 || .286 || 1.000|| 3.2 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 3.3

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Speedy|Claxton}} || 6 || 0 || 12.5 || .560 || .000 || .750 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 0.7 || 0.7 || 6.2

|-! style="background:#FDE910;"

| align="left" | {{sortname|Tim|Duncan}} || 6 || 6 || 43.8 || .495 || .000 || .685 || 17.0 || 5.3 || 1.0 || 5.3 || 24.2

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Danny|Ferry}} || 3 || 0 || 1.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Manu|Ginóbili}} || 6 || 0 || 28.7 || .348 || .214 || .810 || 4.5 || 2.0 || 2.2 || 0.5 || 8.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Stephen|Jackson}} || 6 || 6 || 35.5 || .377 || .357 || .500 || 4.2 || 2.7 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 10.3

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Steve|Kerr}} || 4 || 0 || 5.0 || .750 || 1.000 || .500 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 2.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Tony|Parker}} || 6 || 6 || 35.3 || .386 || .429 || .609 || 3.2 || 4.2 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 14.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|David|Robinson|dab=basketball}} || 6 || 6 || 26.8 || .611 || .000 || .700 || 7.3 || 0.7 || 1.2 || 1.8 || 10.8

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Malik|Rose}} || 6 || 0 || 21.2 || .442 || .000 || 1.000 || 3.8 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 7.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Steve|Smith|dab=basketball}} || 1 || 0 || 1.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Kevin|Willis}} || 5 || 0 || 4.4 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.8 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 1.6

{{end}}

;New Jersey Nets

{{NBA roster statistics start|team=New Jersey Nets}}

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Jason|Collins}} || 6 || 6 || 25.2 || .333 || .000 || .800 || 4.7 || 1.0 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 3.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Lucious|Harris}} || 6 || 0 || 20.8 || .306 || .333 || .789 || 2.7 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 6.5

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Richard|Jefferson}} || 6 || 6 || 38.2 || .417 || .000 || .792 || 6.5 || 1.8 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 13.2

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Anthony|Johnson|dab=basketball}} || 5 || 0 || 5.6 || .556 || .500 || .000 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 2.2

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Jason|Kidd}} || 6 || 6 || 44.2 || .364 || .270 || .833 || 6.2 || 7.8 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 19.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Kerry|Kittles}} || 6 || 6 || 31.3 || .377 || .304 || .800 || 4.2 || 1.3 || 1.8 || 0.5 || 10.8

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Kenyon|Martin}} || 6 || 6 || 37.5 || .343 || .000 || .667 || 10.0 || 2.2 || 1.7 || 2.3 || 14.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Dikembe|Mutombo}} || 6 || 0 || 13.7 || .500 || .000 || 1.000 || 2.8 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 1.3 || 2.3

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Rodney|Rogers}} || 6 || 0 || 12.3 || .323 || .375 || .833 || 1.7 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.7

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Brian|Scalabrine}} || 1 || 0 || 1.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Tamar|Slay}} || 1 || 0 || 1.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0

|-

| align="left" | {{sortname|Aaron|Williams|dab=basketball}} || 5 || 0 || 14.2 || .423 || .000 || .750 || 4.2 || 0.8 || 0.2 || 1.4 || 5.6

{{end}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2023}}

The Nets had an inconsistent start to the 2003–04 NBA season, and with a 22–20 record early in the season they fired head coach Byron Scott. Lawrence Frank took over and led the Nets to another Atlantic Division title by winning 47 games, highlighted by a 13–0 start, the best start for a rookie head coach in sports history. Despite that, however, the Nets lost to the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons in seven games of the conference semifinals. {{As of|2023|06|alt=As of the 2023–24 season}}, the 2003 Finals remain the Nets' most recent Finals appearance and is their last in New Jersey. The franchise moved to Brooklyn, New York prior to the 2012–13 season. The Nets have also not made the Conference Finals since 2003, having lost five times in the Semifinals, with the last being in 2021.

Jason Kidd remained with the Nets until he was traded in February 2008 to the team he was originally drafted to, the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd, along with teammate Dirk Nowitzki, led the Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011. Kenyon Martin was sent to the Denver Nuggets after the 2003–04 season, while Richard Jefferson eventually joined the Spurs in the 2009–10 season, after a one-year stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. He later won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

Despite the departures of Robinson, Jackson and Kerr, the Spurs still managed to win 57 games, aided by Tim Duncan's strong play. However, they were ousted in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighted by Derek Fisher's game-winner with 0.4 seconds left in game 5 of the conference semifinals. In the years following Robinson's retirement, Duncan led the Spurs to three more NBA titles in 2005, 2007 and 2014.

The 2003 NBA Finals was the first to be aired on ABC, taking over after a 12-year run on NBC. As part of ESPN’s new media deal with the NBA, ABC's telecasts were produced by ESPN. Until 2007, it was the lowest-rated finals in NBA history.

This was also the only year that ABC broadcast both the NBA and the Stanley Cup Finals that involved teams playing in the same arena during each series. During ABC's broadcast of game 3, Brad Nessler stated that ABC was in a unique situation getting ready for both that game and game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Devils and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim the following night.{{cite video|title=NBA on ABC: Game 3 of the 2003 NBA Finals|medium=television|date=June 8, 2003}}{{cite news|title=ABC scores big with seventh game after much promotion|date=June 11, 2003|first=William|last=Houston|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|page=S2}} Gary Thorne, ESPN/ABC's lead NHL voice, mentioned this the following night and thanked Nessler for promoting ABC's broadcast of game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.{{cite video|title=NHL on ABC: Game 7 of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals|medium=television|date=June 9, 2003|publisher=ABC Sports}}

This was the only NBA Finals worked by Nessler and Tolbert, while this was Walton's last Finals assignment. All three were demoted from ABC's lead role after the Finals. Though Nessler remained the lead voice for ESPN's NBA broadcasts for another season, his position at ABC was relegated to a backup role after ABC convinced Al Michaels of Monday Night Football fame to take over the lead position. Michaels was later joined by recently deposed Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers on ABC's lead team.

• 2003 NBA playoffs
• 2003 Stanley Cup Finals

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/finals2003/ |title=Official website |website=NBA.com |access-date=May 17, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203184032/http://www.nba.com/finals2003/ |archive-date=December 3, 2010 }}

{{NBA Finals}}

{{San Antonio Spurs 2002–03 NBA champions}}

{{San Antonio Spurs}}

{{Brooklyn Nets}}

{{2002–03 NBA season by team}}

{{NBA on ABC}}

{{NBA on ESPN Radio}}

Category:NBA Finals

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Category:21st century in San Antonio

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Category:Basketball competitions in San Antonio

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