<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DENVER ? No one knows where Detroit's head coach will be working next season. And that probably includes Larry Brown himself, even if the Pistons repeat as NBA champions tonight in San Antonio. But win or lose, Gregg Popovich and the Western Conference champion Spurs aren't going anywhere. The team's stars ? Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker ? are all locked up with long-term contracts. And the model franchise doesn't seem to have problems convincing role players ? see Horry, Robert and Bowen, Bruce ? that the ring is the thing. San Antonio's road to a possible third title in seven years began with a 4-1 series victory over Denver in the first round. Nuggets head coach George Karl plans on making his team more of a road block next time. With three picks in next Tuesday's draft, including Nos. 20 and 22 in the first round, general manager Kiki Vandeweghe and his staff will try to begin improving the roster for Karl, who guided the Nuggets to a 32-8 record after taking over in January. "I've told Kiki the Spurs are a team right now that have their best players signed for four or five more years, so we know who we've got to beat," Karl said on Wednesday. "We've got a little bit of a playoff series against them ... probably if you're going to be any good in the next year or two you're going to have to beat San Antonio." </div> Source
If they stay healthy next year (big if) they will be able to get 50+ wins and possibly home court advantage. Denver should be a team to look out for in 05-06.
