Spurs clinch NBA-record 20th straight winning season

CaptionCloseSan Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich questions a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich...

SPORTS
14 February 2017 Tuesday 05:32

Spurs clinch NBA-record 20th straight winning season

Caption

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich questions a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili has his shoot blocked by Indiana Pacers' Kevin Seraphin during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Pacers' Monta Ellis (11) makes a pass against San Antonio Spurs' Danny Green, left, and Dewayne Dedmon during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Pacers' Kevin Seraphin shoots over San Antonio Spurs' Dewayne Dedmon during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

San Antonio Spurs' Dewayne Dedmon dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Pacers' Paul George shoots over San Antonio Spurs' David Lee during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

The Spurs could go 0-fer, finish the 2016-17 season on a 37-game losing streak, and still finish above .500 for a 20th straight season.

Their 110-106 win over Indiana on Monday pushed the Spurs' record to 42-13, meaning they can finish no worse than 42-40.

There exists an entire generation of Spurs fans that have never experienced a losing season, whose idea of a "down year" is finishing with a sub-.600 winning percentage.

It is a singular accomplishment in the realm of basketball.

The Utah Jazz amassed 19 consecutive winning seasons from 1983-84 to 2003-04, and the Lakers reeled off 16 straight from 1973-74 to 1991-92. No other team has sniffed 20.

While two decades of winning is the new gold standard in the NBA, the Spurs need to keep this up for another two decades to become the greatest winners in all the sports world.

The New York Yankees went 69-85 in 1925, then did not experience another losing season until 1965 – that’s 39 straight seasons with a winning record, 19 of which ended with a World Series title.

But who knows, maybe 20 years from now Spurs coach Tim Duncan will be raising another NBA Finals trophy over his head in a fitting finale to the franchise's 40th straight winning season.

That would be incredibly fitting, considering the streak began with him.

Most consecutive winning seasons by Big 4 (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) team

39 – New York Yankees (1926-64)

32 – Montreal Canadiens (1951-83)

29 – Boston Bruins (1967-96)

24* - Detroit Red Wings (1991- pres.)

24* - New York Yankees (1993-pres.)

20* - SPURS (1997-pres.)

20 – Dallas Cowboys (1966-85)

nmoyle@express-news.net

Twitter: @NRmoyle

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