NBA Champions ·
2014 San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio went 62-20 and avenged the previous year's loss by beating Miami in five for its fifth title. Kawhi Leonard, 22 years old, took Finals MVP by guarding LeBron James and scoring efficiently. The Spurs won by such wide margins that their average margin of victory in the series was the largest in Finals history.
The loss in the 2013 Finals stayed with San Antonio all year. The Spurs went 62-20 and played the cleanest team offense in the league, moving the ball until they found the best shot. Popovich leaned on depth, with Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, and Marco Belinelli all taking real minutes.
The rematch with Miami was not close. San Antonio won in five, and the margins were enormous. Diaw moved into the starting lineup in Game 3 and changed the spacing with his passing. Kawhi Leonard, 22, drew the LeBron James assignment and scored efficiently enough to win Finals MVP.
Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili were the constants, all past their peaks but still central. The ball movement made up for the lost athleticism. It was the kind of basketball Popovich had been building toward for years.
The title was the fifth of the Duncan era and the last. It also marked Leonard's arrival as a star, the player San Antonio would build around next.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Parker | PG | 84 |
| Danny Green | SG | 76 |
| Kawhi Leonard | SF | 85 |
| Tim Duncan | PF | 84 |
| Tiago Splitter | C | 73 |
| Manu Ginobili | 6th man | 82 |
| Gregg Popovich | Coach | 95 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Boris Diaw | F | moved into the starting lineup in Game 3 |
| Patty Mills | G | scored 17 off the bench in the clincher |
| Marco Belinelli | G | |
| Cory Joseph | G | |
| Aron Baynes | C | |
| Matt Bonner | F/C |