What happened?
The San Antonio Spurs enter a month-long offseason drought with the Spurs Villain Tournament aiming to crown the biggest villain of all time. Pounding The Rock launches the competition with 32 participants across four categories, starting with Round 1: Spurs Killers. This bracket pits players who crushed Spurs souls with devastating plays or series against each other, with readers voting to advance winners toward the ultimate championship.
Why it matters for San Antonio Spurs
Derek Fisher and Chris Paul headline the Spurs Killers bracket, representing different eras of heartbreak for the Silver and Black. Fisher, across multiple teams, ruined playoff series with devastating moments that still haunt Spurs fans. The controversial 0.4 shot in 2004 against the Lakers remains the most infamous, coming right after Tim Duncan's lead-taking attempt with 0.4 second left. That play won Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-finals and eventually the series, ending the Spurs' chance of a repeat and giving them a series loss to the Lakers in three out of the last four years. Fisher also contributed to the 2008 Conference Finals loss and fouled Brent Barry on a game-winning attempt in Game 4, sending the series back to LA with the Spurs down 3-1. He remained a pest in their 2012 Conference Finals loss to the Thunder.
Chris Paul, the lower seed in this matchup, was always a thorn in the Spurs' side and constantly battled with Tony Parker for the title of top point guard in the West. Despite the Spurs usually having his number, including a grueling seven-game series victory over the Hornets in 2008, Paul had his moment in Game 7 of the first round of 2015. He hit a prayer over Tim Duncan to win the series and again spoiled the Spurs' chance at a repeat. The theme of late-game heartbreak connects both players in this bracket.
What comes next?
Voting opens for this Derek Fisher versus Chris Paul matchup as part of the larger Spurs Villain Tournament structure. The winner of each match-up will advance to the next round, with the eventual winner crowned as the Biggest Spurs Villain of all time. Four categories-Spurs Killers, Former Spurs, Dirty Players, and Spurs Haters-will each crown their own champion before an overall winner emerges from the final rounds. Fans can participate in polls to determine which former opponent haunts San Antonio's legacy most severely.
Last result: San Antonio Spurs 90-94 New York Knicks (2026-06-14). Recent form (last 5): 1W-0D-4L (LLLLW, most recent first); lost the last 4.
