[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF THE NBA CHAMPION SAN ANTONIO SPURS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LAMAR S. SMITH

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2005

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm that I 
rise today to recognize our 2005 National Basketball Association 
champions, the San Antonio Spurs.
  After going head to head for 6 games, the Spurs and the Detroit 
Pistons met for their final showdown in San Antonio Thursday night. In 
front of their hometown crowd, the Spurs demonstrated once again why 
they are the best team in the Nation.
  Following a tight and evenly matched first half, the Spurs pulled 
away from the Pistons in the final quarter to win 81-74 over Detroit, 
closing out an incredibly hard fought championship series four games to 
three.
  Congratulations are also due to the Detroit Pistons and their coach, 
Larry Brown, for putting up a battle worthy of a championship series.
  With the NBA's number one and number two defensive teams battling 
against one another for the title, this was an exciting game not only 
for the Alamo City, but for fans around the Nation and in more than 200 
nations around the world where sports fans watched and cheered.
  Under the guidance of Coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs' Tim Duncan, 
Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Robert Horry, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, 
Brent Barry, Beno Udrih, Rasho Nesterovic, Glenn Robinson, Devin Brown, 
and Tony Massenburg played valiantly to bring the NBA trophy back home 
to San Antonio. My congratulations go as well to the Spurs' owners, 
Peter and Julianna Holt, as well as the many other people in the Spurs 
organization.
  Much credit is due to Tim Duncan, who with 25 points and 11 rebounds, 
was appropriately named the Most Valuable Player of the Finals series. 
This marks the third time he has won the award for his outstanding 
athletic skills, leadership and performance on the court.
  This is the Spurs' third championship victory in franchise history. 
They won their first in 1999, followed by their second in 2003. Three 
titles in 7 years isn't just a magnificent accomplishment--it's a 
basketball dynasty.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate and thank Coach Popovich and all 
the Spurs players for an unforgettable season.

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