The 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season was the Spurs' 29th season in the National Basketball Association, the 32nd in San Antonio, and 38th season as a franchise. During the offseason, the Spurs signed free agent Brent Barry. The Spurs got off to a solid start, winning 16 of their first 20 games, entering the New Year with a 25–6 record. In February 2005, the Spurs traded longtime Spur Malik Rose and two draft choices to the New York Knicks for Jamison Brewer and center Nazr Mohammed. Late in the season, the team signed free agent forward Glenn Robinson. The Spurs finished first place in the Southwest Division, and second in the Western Conference with a 59–23 record. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were both voted to play in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, which was hosted in Denver. This was Ginobili's first All-Star appearance.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Spurs lost Game 1 at home to the Denver Nuggets 93–87, but would beat them in five games. In the semifinals, they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in six games, then upset the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, which featured regular season MVP Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion in five games in the Western Conference Finals. In the Finals, the Spurs would win their third NBA championship, defeating the 2004 NBA champions, the Detroit Pistons, in a seven-game series. Following the season, Glenn Robinson retired.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 28 Beno Udrih G 2 52 Romain Sato G/F 2 57 Sergei Karaulov C
Roster
Regular season
Overview After their disappointing second round collapse to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Spurs looked to regain the NBA crown. They would get off to a quick start, posting a 12–3 record in November. The Spurs would stay hot through December as they established a 25–6 record entering the New Year. The Spurs would be near the top in the Western Conference all season battling the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the NBA. Just as it appeared the Spurs would cruise toward the playoffs, their season suddenly hit a bump in the road when Tim Duncan went down in a March 20 loss to the Detroit Pistons with a sprained ankle. The rest of the way, the Spurs would limp home winning 9 of their last 17 as they held on to the Southwest Division by just 1 game with a 59–23 record. The Spurs leading scorer during the season was Tim Duncan with 20.3 PPG.
Standings
Game log
| 1 | November 3 | Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (30) | Tim Duncan (14) | Tony Parker (4) | SBC Center18,797 | 1–0 |- | 2 | November 5 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (16) | Parker, Ginóbili (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 2–0 |- | 3 | November 7 | @ Seattle | | Parker, Ginóbili (21) | Tim Duncan (10) | Tony Parker (6) | KeyArena15,851 | 2–1 |- | 4 | November 10 | Golden State | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (18) | Tony Parker (4) | SBC Center16,826 | 3–1 |- | 5 | November 12 | Miami | | Manu Ginóbili (29) | Tim Duncan (13) | Manu Ginóbili (7) | SBC Center18,797 | 4–1 |- | 6 | November 13 | @ Atlanta | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (18) | Manu Ginóbili (9) | Philips Arena11,326 | 5–1 |- | 7 | November 16 | New York | | Tony Parker (18) | Tim Duncan (10) | Tony Parker (9) | SBC Center17,705 | 6–1 |- | 8 | November 18 | @ Philadelphia | | Tim Duncan (34) | Tim Duncan (13) | Manu Ginóbili (9) | Wachovia Center16,446 | 7–1 |- | 9 | November 19 | @ Boston | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (6) | Brent Barry (6) | FleetCenter15,586 | 8–1 |- | 10 | November 21 | @ Toronto | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (15) | Tony Parker (6) | Air Canada Centre17,264 | 8–2 |- | 11 | November 22 | @ Memphis | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (9) | Ginóbili, Barry (4) | FedExForum16,127 | 8–3 |- | 12 | November 24 | Dallas | | Tim Duncan (27) | Tim Duncan (13) | Tony Parker (9) | SBC Center18,797 | 9–3 |- | 13 | November 26 | @ Denver | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (13) | Parker, Ginóbili (5) | Pepsi Center19,099 | 10–3 |- | 14 | November 27 | Utah | | Malik Rose (16) | Tim Duncan (13) | Parker, Barry (4) | SBC Center17,543 | 11–3 |- | 15 | November 30 | @ Dallas | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (13) | three players tied (4) | American Airlines Center19,455 | 12–3
| 16 | December 1 | Philadelphia | | Duncan, Brown (24) | Tim Duncan (12) | Tony Parker (5) | SBC Center17,566 | 13–3 |- | 17 | December 3 | Detroit | | Tony Parker (20) | Tim Duncan (18) | Manu Ginóbili (4) | SBC Center18,797 | 14–3 |- | 18 | December 4 | @ Milwaukee | | Tim Duncan (20) | Duncan, Nesterović (7) | Tony Parker (8) | Bradley Center17,812 | 15–3 |- | 19 | December 6 | @ Chicago | | Tony Parker (17) | Tim Duncan (10) | Parker, Ginóbili (5) | United Center16,353 | 16–3 |- | 20 | December 8 | Seattle | | Tim Duncan (39) | Tim Duncan (10) | Tony Parker (4) | SBC Center18,797 | 16–4 |- | 21 | December 9 | @ Houston | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (18) | Tony Parker (9) | Toyota Center16,170 | 16–5 |- | 22 | December 11 | Cleveland | | Tim Duncan (34) | Tim Duncan (7) | Tony Parker (13) | SBC Center18,797 | 17–5 |- | 23 | December 15 | Orlando | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan (14) | Beno Udrih (7) | SBC Center17,384 | 18–5 |- | 24 | December 17 | @ New Orleans | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (12) | three players tied (5) | New Orleans Arena13,071 | 19–5 |- | 25 | December 18 | Golden State | | Ginóbili, Parker (21) | three players tied (7) | Tony Parker (9) | SBC Center17,467 | 20–5 |- | 26 | December 22 | @ Orlando | | Tim Duncan (24) | Rasho Nesterović (11) | Tony Parker (5) | TD Waterhouse Centre16,325 | 20–6 |- | 27 | December 23 | Minnesota | | Manu Ginóbili (22) | Tim Duncan (10) | Parker, Bowen (8) | SBC Center18,797 | 21–6 |- | 28 | December 26 | Boston | | Tony Parker (27) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tony Parker (6) | SBC Center17,541 | 22–6 |- | 29 | December 28 | Phoenix | | Tony Parker (29) | Tim Duncan (12) | three players tied (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 23–6 |- | 30 | December 30 | @ Portland | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (9) | Beno Udrih (10) | Rose Garden Arena18,677 | 24–6 |- | 31 | December 31 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (8) | Tony Parker (11) | Staples Center17,115 | 25–6
| 32 | January 2 | @ Sacramento | | Manu Ginóbili (18) | Rasho Nesterović (12) | Duncan, Ginóbili (4) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 25–7 |- | 33 | January 4 | L.A. Lakers | | Bruce Bowen (24) | Tim Duncan (15) | Tony Parker (10) | SBC Center18,797 | 26–7 |- | 34 | January 6 | Indiana | | Tim Duncan (27) | Tim Duncan (12) | Tony Parker (6) | SBC Center17,549 | 27–7 |- | 35 | January 8 | Denver | | Manu Ginóbili (22) | Rasho Nesterović (11) | Tony Parker (8) | SBC Center18,797 | 28–7 |- | 36 | January 10 | @ Utah | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan (13) | Tony Parker (5) | Delta Center18,325 | 28–8 |- | 37 | January 12 | Milwaukee | | Tim Duncan (21) | Tim Duncan (9) | Tony Parker (8) | SBC Center16,754 | 29–8 |- | 38 | January 14 | Dallas | | Tim Duncan (25) | Rasho Nesterović (12) | Tony Parker (9) | SBC Center17,897 | 30–8 |- | 39 | January 15 | @ Houston | | Tony Parker (21) | Tim Duncan (12) | Tony Parker (6) | Toyota Center18,290 | 30–9 |- | 40 | January 17 | Washington | | Devin Brown (24) | Rasho Nesterović (12) | Tony Parker (8) | SBC Center17,232 | 31–9 |- | 41 | January 19 | L.A. Clippers | | Tony Parker (25) | Tim Duncan (14) | Tony Parker (7) | SBC Center17,603 | 32–9 |- | 42 | January 21 | @ Phoenix | | Manu Ginóbili (48) | Tim Duncan (19) | Manu Ginóbili (6) | America West Arena18,422 | 33–9 |- | 43 | January 23 | @ Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (13) | Tony Parker (8) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 34–9 |- | 44 | January 24 | @ Portland | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tony Parker (7) | Rose Garden Arena15,575 | 34–10 |- | 45 | January 27 | Sacramento | | Manu Ginóbili (25) | Tim Duncan (12) | Tony Parker (7) | SBC Center18,797 | 35–10 |- | 46 | January 29 | New Orleans | | Tony Parker (23) | Tim Duncan (14) | Tony Parker (10) | SBC Center18,797 | 36–10 |- | 47 | January 31 | @ Seattle | | Manu Ginóbili (23) | Duncan, Parker (10) | Manu Ginóbili (7) | KeyArena17,072 | 37–10
| 48 | February 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Tony Parker (22) | Malik Rose (11) | Parker, Ginóbili (9) | Staples Center18,997 | 38–10 |- | 49 | February 8 | @ Charlotte | | Tony Parker (20) | Malik Rose (10) | Tony Parker (6) | Charlotte Coliseum12,985 | 39–10 |- | 50 | February 9 | @ Washington | | Tony Parker (22) | Parker, Nesterović (8) | Tony Parker (9) | MCI Center20,173 | 39–11 |- | 51 | February 11 | @ New Jersey | | Tony Parker (27) | Tim Duncan (15) | Tim Duncan (9) | Continental Airlines Arena17,121 | 40–11 |- | 52 | February 13 | @ Miami | | Manu Ginóbili (24) | Rasho Nesterović (11) | Devin Brown (4) | American Airlines Arena20,258 | 40–12 |- | 53 | February 16 | @ New Orleans | | Tim Duncan (19) | Malik Rose (15) | Manu Ginóbili (10) | New Orleans Arena13,105 | 41–12 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- | 54 | February 23 | Houston | | Tim Duncan (30) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tony Parker (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 42–12 |- | 55 | February 26 | Memphis | | Tim Duncan (27) | Tim Duncan (19) | Tony Parker (5) | SBC Center18,797 | 42–13 |- | 56 | February 28 | @ Cleveland | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tony Parker (10) | Gund Arena18,216 | 43–13
| 57 | March 2 | Toronto | | Manu Ginóbili (17) | Tim Duncan (11) | Tony Parker (7) | SBC Center17,795 | 44–13 |- | 58 | March 4 | Chicago | | Tim Duncan (31) | Tim Duncan (13) | Tony Parker (8) | SBC Center18,797 | 45–13 |- | 59 | March 6 | Utah | | Manu Ginóbili (31) | Manu Ginóbili (8) | Manu Ginóbili (7) | SBC Center18,797 | 46–13 |- | 60 | March 8 | New Jersey | | Devin Brown (22) | Devin Brown (9) | Tony Parker (6) | SBC Center17,588 | 47–13 |- | 61 | March 9 | @ Phoenix | | Tony Parker (30) | three players tied (6) | Tony Parker (5) | America West Arena18,422 | 47–14 |- | 62 | March 12 | Denver | | Tony Parker (25) | Nazr Mohammed (9) | Brent Barry (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 47–15 |- | 63 | March 14 | New Orleans | | Beno Udrih (25) | Tim Duncan (13) | Brent Barry (7) | SBC Center18,797 | 48–15 |- | 64 | March 16 | Minnesota | | Tim Duncan (25) | Tim Duncan (14) | three players tied (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 49–15 |- | 65 | March 18 | Charlotte | | Tony Parker (24) | Robert Horry (9) | Beno Udrih (6) | SBC Center17,798 | 50–15 |- | 66 | March 20 | @ Detroit | | Devin Brown (18) | Nazr Mohammed (8) | Tony Parker (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 50–16 |- | 67 | March 21 | @ New York | | Devin Brown (22) | Rasho Nesterović (11) | Tony Parker (6) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 50–17 |- | 68 | March 23 | @ Indiana | | Brent Barry (17) | Bruce Bowen (7) | Tony Parker (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse16,560 | 50–18 |- | 69 | March 25 | Atlanta | | Ginóbili, Barry (23) | Manu Ginóbili (8) | Parker, Ginóbili (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 51–18 |- | 70 | March 27 | Houston | | Manu Ginóbili (18) | Tony Parker (8) | Tony Parker (6) | SBC Center18,797 | 52–18 |- | 71 | March 30 | Seattle | | Tony Parker (28) | Rasho Nesterović (9) | Tony Parker (5) | SBC Center18,797 | 53–18
| 72 | April 1 | @ Denver | | Tony Parker (17) | Horry, Ginóbili (9) | Tony Parker (7) | Pepsi Center19,730 | 53–19 |- | 73 | April 2 | L.A. Lakers | | Brent Barry (20) | three players tied (8) | Tony Parker (9) | SBC Center18,797 | 54–19 |- | 74 | April 6 | L.A. Clippers | | Manu Ginóbili (16) | Sean Marks (10) | Beno Udrih (5) | SBC Center18,797 | 55–19 |- | 75 | April 7 | @ Dallas | | Brent Barry (12) | Rasho Nesterović (6) | Mike Wilks (3) | American Airlines Center20,418 | 55–20 |- | 76 | April 9 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Manu Ginóbili (40) | Tony Massenburg (9) | Parker, Ginóbili (9) | Staples Center19,748 | 56–20 |- | 77 | April 10 | @ Golden State | | Tony Parker (35) | Nazr Mohammed (15) | Tony Parker (12) | Oakland Arena16,324 | 57–20 |- | 78 | April 12 | Portland | | Manu Ginóbili (30) | Nazr Mohammed (14) | Tony Parker (5)