Twenty years ago, Tony Parker won the first of his four NBA titles. It was also the last of Steve Kerr’s playing career in a final still considered one of the most boring in history. San Antonio had won 4-2 against the Nets of Jason Kidd, and if everyone remembers the mammoth performance of Tim Duncan, in Game 6, many “role players” had weighed on the series, such as Speedy Claxton, Steve Kerr or even Bruce Bowen and Stephen Jackson.
“We had great veterans like Admiral, Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry, Steve Smith, Kevin Willis…” remembers Speedy Claxtontoday coach at the university. “And then there were the guys in between like Tim Duncan, Malik Rose, Bruce Bowen… And then the young guys like me, Ginobili, Stephen Jackson, Tony Parker and Devin Brown. It was a really good mix, the most cohesive team I’ve known in my ten-year career. We all got along on and off the pitch. The personalities mixed and we were all guys with character”.
Tony Parker’s understudy, Speedy Claxton stood out for his defense on Jason Kidd, but also because New Jersey had an anti-Parker plan, and the Frenchman had signed an ugly 1/12 in the fourth inning.
The “icing on the cake” of Steve Kerr’s career
“Coach Pop thought I would do a better job defending on Kidd” continues Speedy Claxton, author of 13 points in 24 minutes. “He was taller, and they were trying to get him to post me, and I was just trying to defend my turf. What helped was that I had two 2m13 guys behind me.
In this decisive 6th round, Speedy Claxton had played the entire last quarter, while Tony Parker had not come into play… “Tony on the bench, we focused on Duncan. But every time we helped on him, Speedy hurt us. He played very well.” recalls former Nets fullback Kerry Kittles.
Before Speedy Claxton, Steve Kerr had also been valuable in these playoffs. Then 37 years old, the five-time NBA champion had stunned the Mavericks with 12 points at 100% on shots in 13 minutes in Game 6 of the conference final, synonymous with qualification for the Finals!
“To be able to retire on a note like this, to play in a titled team with a group of great guys and to have had some great moments in the playoffs was really the icing on the cake of my career” , says Steve Kerr, who would go on to win four NBA titles as Warriors coach.
After the loss in the final, Jason Kidd agrees to join San Antonio
For Speedy Claxton, there will be no other title, nor another NBA final… Free agent, he will join the Warriors, while the Spurs will live a very turbulent summer. For a long time, we thought they were going to recruit Jason Kidd since the All-Star point guard had agreed to join them.
Eventually, it won’t happen, and Tony Parker will become one of the best point guards of his generation with three more NBA titles, six All-Star Game selections and an upcoming Hall Of Fame entry.
“It was short but memorable” concludes Speedy Claxton. “Every year I watch the Finals, and I can’t believe I played one! They rebroadcast Game 6 a lot, and I watch it every time. I still get chills. »
Photo credit: DR
| Speedy Claxton | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2001-02 | PHL | 67 | 23 | 40.0 | 12.1 | 83.8 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 7.2 |
| 2002-03 | SAN | 30 | 16 | 46.2 | 0.0 | 68.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 5.8 |
| 2003-04 | GOS | 60 | 27 | 42.7 | 18.2 | 81.3 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 10.6 |
| 2004-05* | All Teams | 62 | 30 | 42.1 | 18.0 | 73.6 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 11.5 |
| 2004-05* | GOS | 46 | 33 | 43.1 | 19.2 | 76.1 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 13.1 |
| 2004-05* | NOP | 16 | 23 | 37.3 | 11.1 | 61.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 6.8 |
| 2005-06 | NOP | 71 | 28 | 41.3 | 27.0 | 76.9 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 12.3 |
| 2006-07 | ATL | 42 | 25 | 32.7 | 21.4 | 55.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 5.3 |
| 2008-09 | ATL | 2 | 8 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| Total | 334 | 26 | 40.9 | 19.3 | 76.2 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 9.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
