[1] During the off-season, the Spurs acquired Steve Smith from the Portland Trail Blazers,[2][3][4][5] and signed free agents Bruce Bowen,[6][7] second-year guard Stephen Jackson,[8] and Charles Smith, and drafted French basketball star Tony Parker with the 28th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft.
[11] The Spurs won 20 of their first 24 games after a ten-game winning streak in December, held a 31–17 record at the All-Star break,[12] then posted a 13-game winning streak in March and won their final nine games, finishing first place in the Midwest Division with a 58–24 record.
[13] Tim Duncan averaged 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, as he earned his first Most Valuable Player award, joining David Robinson as the only Spurs to win the award;[14][15][16][17] he was also named to the All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team, and was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[23] Rose finished in fourth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,[24] and Bowen was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
[29][30][31][32] The Lakers would then go on to defeat the New Jersey Nets in four straight games in the NBA Finals, winning their third consecutive championship.