The aging Spurs surprised the league by winning the West’s regular season with 61 victories. But their first round exit at the hands of the 8th seeded Grizzlies have many thinking their window is just about shut. One of those people is Tony Parker.
Even if the NBA were to start on time next season, Parker believes the Spurs’ chances of mounting a serious title challenge have gone.
San Antonio went into the playoffs with the best record in the Western Conference (61-21) and the top seed but lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, the last team to make it into the post-season.
“It was a huge disappointment for us,” Parker said.
“I went to see Pop (Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich) at his youth training center. He was sad, Tim (Duncan), too.
“We’re all frustrated because we had a great regular season during which we dominated.
“It was a tough match-up for us. They dominated us inside,” he admitted.
Parker, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, believes things might have been different had the Spurs faced a team other than the Grizzlies.
“If we had faced Dallas or Oklahoma, it would have been better for us,” he argued.
“But that’s sport. It comes down to the smallest thing.
“It’s a case where everyone played well for Memphis.”
Parker says that age has finally caught up with the Spurs.
“At the start of the season I said this was our last chance,” he said.
“Tim and Gino (Manu Ginobili) are getting old. It’s going to be tough to regenerate ourselves.
“We will always have a good team but we can no longer say that we’re playing for a championship.”
Read more of Parker’s comments at FIBA.com.
