Greatest non-Finals teams to never win the NBA title this century

6. 2005-06 San Antonio Spurs

If any cracks lied within the otherwise flawless dynasty the San Antonio Spurs compiled over 15 years, it rested in their inability to successfully defend any of their five titles.

2005-06 was the shot that appeared heading for triumph after the Spurs emerged victorious from the 2005 Finals against the Detroit Pistons. They were the west’s No. 1 seed with 63 wins — one off Detroit’s league-best 64 — with the only sub-100 defensive rating in the league.

After sliding past the Sacramento Kings in the first round, the Dallas Mavericks stood between San Antonio and the conference finals. The Mavs were a worthy competitor, taking a 3-1 series lead before the Spurs fought to force a Game 7.

The back and forth elimination game brought the Spurs to a three-point lead with just over 30 seconds remaining.

Waiting in the conference finals would be a Phoenix Suns team San Antonio had handled two of the previous three years. In the Finals wasn’t the battle-tested Pistons but a Miami Heat team makings its first-ever appearance.

Just 32.2 seconds separated the Spurs from a clear path to consecutive titles, perhaps setting up a three-peat with the championship won in 2007.

Manu Ginobili was the one to hit that go-ahead 3-pointer. How ironic then, that he was essentially the one to erase it with a foul on Dirk Nowitzki’s ensuing layup that gave the Mavs the chance to tie.

A 15-7 overtime session in favor of Dallas sent the Spurs home for good. Gone was the chance to join a list totaling only five franchises at the time to have ever gone back-to-back — the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors would later qualify. With it, further validation some inexplicably think they need.