San Antonio Spurs

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Lore & Background

The Spurs' journey began far from Texas's capital, rooted in the chaos of the early ABA era as the Dallas Chaparrals. The 1970–71 season saw a desperate attempt to broaden their appeal by renaming the team the Texas Chaparrals and splitting home games between Fort Worth and Lubbock. Low attendance quickly forced a return to Dallas for the following season, but the franchise found its true identity in 1973 when it moved to San Antonio. Over four decades, the Spurs established themselves as the most consistent winner in league history, achieving a winning record 36 times and appearing in the playoffs 38 times. Their five championships place them behind only the Boston Celtics (18), Los Angeles Lakers (17), Golden State Warriors (7), and Chicago Bulls (6). The team's most recent title came in 2014, capping a run of sustained excellence that defined an era.

In Their Own Story

The Spurs' history is defined by resilience and adaptation. After struggling with attendance as the Texas Chaparrals, the franchise found stability in San Antonio in 1973. For years, the Spurs set the standard for consistency, holding the NBA's all-time best win percentage at 62.2% as of the end of the 2020–21 season. This streak saw them finish with fewer than 50 wins in a non-lockout season only twice: first in 1996–97 and again in 2017–18, marking the longest such streak in NBA history. However, the long run of dominance eventually met its end; the 2019–20 season became the first since 1996–97 that the Spurs missed the playoffs. The following year, they missed out again, creating a franchise-first occurrence of consecutive seasons without a playoff berth.

Reader's Guide

To understand the Spurs' place in basketball history, one must look at their statistical dominance and their unique origins as an ABA charter franchise. Their transition from the Dallas Chaparrals to the San Antonio Spurs in 1973 laid the groundwork for a 49-season run of excellence that included five NBA titles. The team's consistency was nearly unbreakable until the late 2010s. The 2017–18 season ended their long streak of 50-win seasons (dating back to 1996–97), and by 2020, they missed the playoffs for the first time in over two decades.

Did You Know?

• The Spurs began as the Dallas Chaparrals in 1967, one of eleven charter franchises of the ABA.
• During the 1970–71 season, home games were split between Fort Worth and Lubbock under the name 'Texas Chaparrals' due to low attendance.
• The Spurs hold the NBA's all-time best win percentage at 62.2% as of the end of the 2020–21 season.
• The 2019–20 season was the first time since 1996–97 that the Spurs missed the playoffs, setting an NBA record for longest streak without a miss prior to this.