马刺1998-99赛季实录（780+篇）

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Johnny Ludden

肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliot) 概况

大学：亚利桑那大学 NBA 经历：埃利奥特现已进入职业生涯的第 10 个赛季。他在 1989 年的选秀大会上被马刺队以第三顺位选中。… 他在 1993 年 10 月 1 日被交易至活塞队，与大卫·伍德(David Wood) 互换，换来了丹尼斯·罗德曼(Dennis Rodman)、以赛亚·莫里斯(Isaiah Morris) 和未来的选秀权。马刺队在不到一年的时间里重新获得了埃利奥特，在 1994 年 7 月 19 日将比尔·柯利(Bill Curley) 的选秀权和 1997 年的第二轮选秀权送给了活塞队。

里程碑：在马刺队的历史榜单上，埃利奥特在三分球命中数 (495) 上排名第一，在出场次数 (598) 上排名第三，在得分 (9,136) 上排名第四，在篮板数 (2,724) 上排名第五。埃利奥特在周二晚上在波特兰打进了他职业生涯的第 10,000 分。

本赛季：埃利奥特场均得到 11.1 分、4.3 个篮板和 2.3 次助攻，三分球命中率为 32.8% (119 投 39 中)。

你记得吗？1994 年 2 月 4 日，活塞队最初将埃利奥特交易至火箭队，换来了罗伯特·霍里(Robert Horry)、马特·布拉德(Matt Bullard) 和两个第二轮选秀权。这笔交易三天后被取消，因为埃利奥特在体检中被发现肾脏有问题，未能通过火箭队的体检。

他们的说法：“我认为肖恩将会是我们球队成功的关键。他在比赛开始阶段就能够为我们带来进攻火力，他能够命中几个投篮，并做出一些强势的进攻动作。他不需要每晚都得分 18 分，但他能够为我们提供突破篮筐或投三分球的威胁。” - 大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)。

点击查看原文：Sean Elliot Snapshot

Sean Elliot Snapshot

College: University of Arizona NBA experience: Now in his 10th season, Elliott was taken by the Spurs with the third overall pick of the 1989 draft. … He was traded with David Wood to Detroit in exchange for Dennis Rodman, Isaiah Morris and future considerations on Oct. 1, 1993. The Spurs re-obtained him less than a year later, sending the draft rights to Bill Curley and a 1997 second-round draft choice on July 19, 1994.

Milestones: On the Spurs’ all- time lists, Elliott ranks first in three-pointers made (495), third in games played (598), fourth in points (9,136) and fifth in rebounds (2,724). Elliott scored the 10,000th point of his career Tuesday night in Portland.

This year: Elliott averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 32.8 percent (39 of 119) from three- point range.

Do you remember? Detroit originally traded Elliott to the Rockets in exchange for Robert Horry, Matt Bullard and a pair of second-round draft picks on Feb. 4, 1994. The trade was voided three days later when Elliott failed the Rockets’ physical because of a kidney problem.

What they’re saying: “I think Sean is going to be the key to our team. He’s given us that early punch in the game where he makes a couple shots and makes some aggressive moves. He doesn’t have to score 18 every night, but he gives us that threat of going to the hole or making a three.” - David Robinson.

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Dan Cook

马刺的梦幻收官被一个小插曲蒙上阴影

自乔治·格文(George Gervin)和詹姆斯·塞拉斯(James Silas)的巅峰时代以来，饱经沧桑的马刺球迷们还是第一次带着如此强烈的自信和期盼，见证球队杀入季后赛。

但这一次，首次出现了真正的理由让人充满期待。这支马刺队一定是球队历史上最强的阵容。

当然，距离NBA总冠军我们还有约四分之一的赛程，但对当地和地区的球迷来说，这是一个值得欢庆的时刻。

但我却高兴不起来。这个赛季的收尾部分，始终让我感到耿耿于怀。

截止到我写下这些文字，联盟高层还没有宣布本赛季最有价值球员的获得者。这是一个宝贵的奖项，仅从常规赛的比赛中评选，不包括季后赛。

但联盟官员早已知道卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone)很有可能获胜，而圣安东尼奥的蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)则紧随其后，位列第三，仅次于迈阿密的阿朗佐·莫宁(Alonzo Mourning)。

他们之所以知道，是因为联盟管理层中的一位“算账员”要求所有118位评委在5月2日之前将选票寄回。因此，绝大多数评委在5月1日或之前就投出了自己的选票，也就是马刺队最后四场比赛之前。并且，在那之前，邓肯在马刺队战胜犹他队的比赛中全面压制了马龙。

请问，为什么这些投票需要在赛季结束之前完成？

在所有NBA常规赛中最短的一个赛季中，我们不断被提醒“每一场比赛都很重要”。这是马刺队和其他大多数NBA球队用来吸引观众的口号。

但是，当谈到投票评选赛季后的荣誉时，每一场比赛都不重要了。我想，负责统计这118张选票的人可能需要这额外的四五天时间才能完成如此艰巨的任务。

这种愚蠢的仓促做法让我想起了另一个类似的体育投票事件。

很久以前，也就是几年前，我这个半谦虚的仆人曾担任过一个相对较小的投票小组的成员，这个小组每年都会选出橄榄球的“海斯曼奖”获得者。

一切进展顺利，直到有一天，巨额资金介入其中。有人突发奇想，要在电视上宣布获奖者。

如何才能在全国范围内播放呢？黄金时段播出。在25分钟的盛大仪式中，展示每位入围者的才华。

当电视介入之后，我们小组的所有成员都必须提前提交自己的投票——甚至在一些可能或有可能成为海斯曼奖候选人的重要球队完成最后一场比赛之前。在某些年份，投票需要在少数几支重要球队完成最后两场比赛之前进行。

我写信和打电话向唐人街运动俱乐部的高层领导表达了我的不满，该俱乐部是海斯曼奖的赞助方和管理机构。

大学橄榄球赛季只有10到12场比赛。为什么电视和海斯曼奖的人不能至少等到赛季结束呢？为什么这么着急？

他们仔细地解释说，他们必须提前或推迟海斯曼奖的颁奖典礼，因为这已经是他们能够获得的唯一一个黄金时段的电视节目时间。

当俱乐部的一位地位不高但诚实的官员私下告诉我真相时，我彻底明白了他们的选择。“这其实都是为了电视转播的资金以及推广运动员。”

然后，我以书面的形式告诉小组，我很抱歉，我只有一票，但我必须明确地告诉他们，他们可以把奖项塞进某个地方。

我确信，他们并不想念我这个投票者，但从那个投票小组中辞职让我感到非常满意。

事实上，直到现在，我依然感到满意。

点击查看原文：One little snag clouds Spurs' fantastic finish

One little snag clouds Spurs’ fantastic finish

Not since the heydays of George Gervin and James Silas have long- suffering Spurs fans followed their team into the playoffs with such confidence and high hopes.

But this time, for the first time, there’s genuine cause for great expectations. This has to be the best Spurs team in the franchise’s history.

Of course, we’re still about four furlongs away from an NBA championship, but it’s a good time for local and area fans to rejoice.

But I can’t. There’s still something about the tail end of this season that burns my backside.

At this writing the league’s brass hasn’t yet announced the winner of the season’s most valuable player, a treasured award that comes only from regular-season play and excludes the playoffs.

But league officials long ago learned that Karl Malone has the inside track and probably will win it, with San Antonio’s Tim Duncan finishing third, just behind Miami’s Alonzo Mourning.

They know because some bean- counter in the front office asked all 118 voters to get their ballots mailed in by May 2nd. So the great majority did, casting their votes on or before May 1, before the Spurs’ final four games. And before Duncan roundly outplayed Malone as the Spurs beat Utah.

Can anyone explain why those votes were needed before the season was over?

Throughout the shortest of all regular NBA seasons we were constantly reminded that “Every Game Counts.” It was the ticket- selling battle cry of the Spurs and most other NBA teams.

But every game did not count when it came to voting for post- season honors. I suppose whomever they picked to tabulate the 118 votes needed the extra four or five days to handle such a difficult task.

This idiotic rush job reminds me of a similar sports vote.

Once upon a time, not too many years ago, your semi-humble servant here served on the relatively small voting panel that elected football’s Heisman Trophy winner each year.

All went well for a long while, but then there came the time when big money got involved. Someone got the bright idea to announce the winner on television.

How about national television? In prime time. After a 25-minute hoopla showing the talents of each finalist.

When television entered the picture, it became mandatory for all of us on the panel to get our votes in early - even before some major teams with probable or possible Heisman candidates had played their final game. In some years, votes were to be cast before a handful of major teams played their final TWO games.

I complained, in writing and on the phone, to the top wheels in the Downtown Athletic Club, the group that sponsors and controls the Heisman award.

The colleges only play 10 or 12 games a season. Why couldn’t television and the Heisman people at least wait until the season ended? Why the big rush?

They carefully explained that they had to either go a little early or very late with their Heisman show because those were the only TV dates they could get - in prime time.

It became crystal clear to me how the choice was made when one lightweight but honest officer of the club confided. “It really centers around television money and showcasing the athlete.”

I then told the group, in writing, that I was sorry that I only had but one vote to tell them exactly where they could stick it.

I’m sure that they don’t miss me as a voter, but my resignation from that panel gave me a lot of satisfaction.

As a matter of fact, it still does.

By Dan Cook, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Jerry Briggs

狼队仍在拼凑残局

一年前，明尼苏达森林狼队沉浸在白热化的季后赛氛围中。在主场的一场比赛中，他们以26-6的第四节得分狂潮震惊了夺冠热门西雅图超音速队。

目标中心球馆的欢呼声淹没了噪音计，随着比赛结束的最后几秒在时钟上消逝，这成为了明尼阿波利斯这座城市值得纪念的体育时刻。

森林狼球员带着2-1的领先优势走下赛场，开启了五场三胜制的系列赛。

事实证明，这场胜利对球迷来说不过是一种调戏。西雅图不仅以五场比赛的总比分逆转夺冠，而且森林狼队目睹了他们在接下来的几个月里，阵容的核心球员自行瓦解。

在经历了也许是他们最美好的时刻一年后，狼队在进入季后赛首轮对阵马刺的比赛时，仍在努力拼凑着破碎的梦想。

森林狼队在上一年的战绩为45胜37负，而在因停摆缩水的1999赛季中，战绩降至25胜25负。

尽管第八名的森林狼球员和教练都表示要爆冷击败第一名的马刺，但他们也在一些圈子里被批评为不如上个春天那样有天赋，是一支很容易在首轮被淘汰的球队。

森林狼队在休赛期的自由球员市场中失去了老将前锋汤姆·古格里奥塔(Tom Gugliotta)（未获得任何补偿），随后又面临着可能失去前锋斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)的现实，他在3月份被迫交易到了新泽西篮网队。

在五场三胜制的系列赛中，狼队在对阵马刺时，在防守硬度和进攻火力方面可能都处于劣势。系列赛将于星期日下午2点在阿拉莫圆顶球场开打。

明尼苏达教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)最近承认，看到由凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)、古格里奥塔和马布里组成的三巨头解散，他感到很痛苦。

“当然，我很失望，”他说，“但你不能为此感到担忧。你必须继续前进。”

加内特（场均20.8分、10.4个篮板）是森林狼球迷曾经希望能在新千年带领他们夺冠的核心球员中剩下的唯一一个。

在此期间，他们用乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)（场均13.6分、8.1个篮板）和特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)（场均14.0分、4.8次助攻）取代了古格里奥塔和马布里。

史密斯和布兰登都曾有过精彩表现，但由于球队经历了大量的伤病和阵容调整——布兰登在本赛季开始后20场比赛才加入球队——狼队一直难以保持稳定。

例如，明尼苏达在最近的11场比赛中，有6场比赛丢分超过100分。狼队在最后17场比赛中输掉了12场，其中包括在客场连续输掉了10场比赛。桑德斯称赞球员们在艰难的处境中做出了最好的表现。

“尽管球队经历了人员变动和伤病，但这也体现了我们球员的性格，”桑德斯说，“我在CBA（次级联赛大陆篮球协会）待了7年，这感觉就像一个CBA赛季。这是一场考验性格的比赛。你必须有坚定的意志才能生存下来。”

在阵容调整之后，明尼苏达管理层因其人事决策而在媒体上遭到了一些批评。他们交易得到32岁中锋迪恩·加勒特(Dean Garrett)和后卫鲍比·杰克逊(Bobby Jackson)的交易遭到了质疑。

加勒特身高6英尺10英寸，最近被调到替补席上，在最后的几周里，他被6英尺7英寸的老将萨姆·米切尔(Sam Mitchell)取代了首发阵容。桑德斯是否会继续使用米切尔，或者回到更强大的阵容来对抗马刺，还有待观察。

与此同时，桑德斯对球队即将失败的言论毫不在意。

“现在最重要的是，我们相信自己能赢，”桑德斯说，“无论报纸、电视、广播或者其他任何媒体怎么说，我们的球员都相信自己能赢。”

点击查看原文：Wolves still picking up pieces

Wolves still picking up pieces

A little more than a year ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves reveled in a white-hot playoff atmosphere. In one home game, they rampaged on a 26-6 fourth-quarter run to stun the favored Seattle SuperSonics.

The roar in the Target Center short-circuited the noise meter as the final seconds of a 98-90 victory ticked off the clock, prompting a sports moment to remember in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota players strutted off the floor with a 2-1 lead in the best- of-five series.

As it turned out, the win was little more than a tease for the fans. Not only did Seattle rally to win the series in five games, but the Timberwolves watched as their roster nucleus self-destructed over the next several months.

A year after perhaps their finest moment, the Wolves still are trying to pick up pieces of the shattered dream as they enter the first round of the playoffs against the Spurs.

The Timberwolves, 45-37 a year ago, fell to a 25-25 record in the lockout-shortened 1999 season.

Even though eighth-seeded Timberwolves’ players and coaches are talking upset against the No. 1 Spurs, they have been criticized in some quarters as a less-talented team than last spring, a team ripe for a first-round ouster.

The Timberwolves are a team that lost veteran forward Tom Gugliotta to Phoenix in off-season free agency (without compensation), then faced the reality of potentially the same situation with former guard Stephon Marbury, who forced a trade to the New Jersey Nets in March.

The Wolves are a team that may be short on defensive toughness and offensive firepower against the Spurs in the best-of-five set, which opens at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Alamodome.

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders recently admitted that it was tough to see the troika of Kevin Garnett, Gugliotta and Marbury broken up.

“Sure, it was disappointing,” he said. “But you can’t worry about it. You have to move on.”

Garnett (20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds) is all that is left of the nucleus Timberwolves fans had hoped would lead them to a championship in the next millennium.

In the interim, they have replaced Gugliotta and Marbury with Joe Smith (13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds) and Terrell Brandon (14.0 points, 4.8 assists).

Smith and Brandon have enjoyed their moments, but with a number of injuries and such a massive retooling of the roster - Brandon joined the team 20 games into the season - it’s been tough for the Wolves to stay consistent.

For instance, Minnesota gave up 100 points or more in six of its last 11 games. The Wolves lost 12 of their final 17 games, including 10 in a row on the road. Saunders applauded the players for making the best of a trying situation.

“For all the changes and the injuries we had, it says something about the character of our players,” Saunders said. “Having been in the CBA (the minor-league Continental Basketball Association) for seven years, it seemed like a CBA season. It was a character- builder. You had to have a lot of heart to survive.”

In the wake of the roster moves, Minnesota management has come under some fire in the media for its personnel decisions. The trade that yielded 32-year-old center Dean Garrett and guard Bobby Jackson has been questioned.

Garrett, at 6-foot-10, went to the bench recently, replaced as a starter on the front line in the final few weeks by 6-7 veteran Sam Mitchell. It remains to be seen whether Saunders will stay with Mitchell or revert to the bigger lineup against the Spurs.

Saunders, in the meantime, has remained unfazed by the talk of his team’s impending demise.

“The most important thing right now is that we believe we’re going to win,” Saunders said. “Whatever the papers say, or TV, or radio or anything else - our players believe that they’re going to win.”

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Glenn Rogers

狂野的西部，强势开局

西部联盟的季后赛充满了火药味。直到常规赛的最后一天，球队们才确定了他们的对手。

现在，目标已定，这些顶级枪手们必须精准射击，才能在今天开始的早期比赛中生存下来。

圣安东尼奥、犹他州和波特兰的球队有望争夺霸主地位，其中两支球队将在分区决赛中相遇，最终的获胜者将与东部联盟冠军争夺总冠军。

这将是一段激烈而激动人心的旅程。

只有森林狼队似乎准备在第一轮被马刺队淘汰。

森林狼队不再是上赛季那个充满危险的队伍，当时他们差点爆冷击败了西雅图超音速队。汤姆·古格里奥塔(Tom Gugliotta)、斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)和凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)当时不可小觑，超音速队在首轮比赛中被他们逼到了五场大战。

这本该是森林狼队咆哮的赛季。但马布里和古格里奥塔已经离开，乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)和特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)没有他们那样的实力。

国王队和太阳队则是一个不同的故事。两支球队都比去年更加强大，任何一支都有可能在五场制的短系列赛中获胜。

太阳队失去了安东尼奥·麦克戴斯(Antonio McDyess)，但他们得到了古格里奥塔，还增加了卢克·朗利(Luc Longley)。也许同样重要的是，雷克斯·查普曼(Rex Chapman)这一次看起来状态不错，如果内线进攻被压制，他将准备好在外线投篮。

杰森·基德(Jason Kidd)，一位最有价值球员的候选人，领导着太阳队势不可挡的进攻，他可以在比赛的最后时刻接管比赛。基德一直都是一位令人振奋的传球手，现在他还在自己的武器库中增加了跳投。

太阳队在面对波特兰队深厚的阵容时并不占优，但主教练丹尼·安吉(Danny Ainge)和他的团队在去年积累了经验，他们决心避免在早期被淘汰。

国王队手中的王牌是他们没有失去的东西。

很少有人预料到国王队能进入季后赛。然后，黄蜂队决定不与弗拉德·迪瓦茨(Vlade Divac)续约。然后，他们选中了杰森·威廉姆斯(Jason Williams)，他带着所有的魅力和传球技巧。

他们加入了克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)，韦伯在停摆前夕从奇才队换来了米奇·里奇蒙德(Mitch Richmond)。韦伯对再次告别友好的队友感到沮丧。里奇蒙德说了一声“非常感谢”，然后前往奇才队，希望能在季后赛中获得幸福。

事实并非如此。韦伯变成了一个战士，准备好战斗，而里奇蒙德将再次在电视上观看季后赛。

国王队将派出他们的狂野团队，对阵联盟中最纪律严明的球队，犹他爵士队。

马刺队在赛季结束时的强势表现，应该让他们成为夺得球队历史上第一个西部联盟冠军的有力竞争者。

圣安东尼奥队一直被历史所困扰——他们在常规赛中表现出色，但在季后赛中却总是崩溃。不够强硬。

请注意，他们已经足够强硬了。蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)脸上带着坚韧和无情的表情。如果你的防守集中在邓肯身上，大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)似乎已经准备好击杀巨人。艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)是一位冷静而充满激情的领袖，肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)已经回到了他强悍的进攻状态。

爵士队在短暂的赛季后期遭受了挫折，但主教练杰里·斯隆(Jerry Sloan)知道如何给他的进攻机器加油。卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone)、约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)和杰夫·霍纳塞克(Jeff Hornacek)知道，东部联盟已经不再拥有迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)和他的球队了。

洛杉矶湖人队和休斯敦火箭队在赛季初期被看好能够进入总决赛。但在通往季后赛的路上，他们发生了一些事情。

湖人队人才济济，却自毁前程。他们解雇了主教练，并聘请了一位没有执教经验的名人。他们送走了埃迪·琼斯(Eddie Jones)和埃尔登·坎贝尔(Elden Campbell)，试图引进格伦·莱斯(Glen Rice)，这位射手在整个赛季中有一半时间没有上场。

他们和丹尼斯·罗德曼(Dennis Rodman)一起经历了一段短暂、动荡和分散精力的旅程。沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)和科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)需要所有的能量来重燃这支球队的生命。

命运弄人，湖人队和火箭队将在第一轮相遇，这将保证其中一支球队能够进入第二轮。

火箭队赌博引进了斯科蒂·皮蓬(Scottie Pippen)，但到目前为止，他们输掉了赌注。皮蓬带着夺冠的口号来到休斯敦，然后花了几个月时间试图弄清楚为什么火箭队会给他支付一大笔钱。

皮蓬领导着芝加哥三角进攻，而在休斯敦，他只是把球传给查尔斯·巴克利(Charles Barkley)和哈基姆·奥拉朱旺(Hakeem Olajuwon)，或者在场上看着一名后卫完成必要的工作。

点击查看原文：Wild, wild West features strong opening matchups

Wild, wild West features strong opening matchups

That was some shootout in the Western Conference. Teams didn’t know who they were going to be facing in the playoffs until the final day of the regular season.

Now, with the targets finally established, the top guns are going to have to be accurate to survive the early matches that begin today.

The teams from San Antonio, Utah and Portland are expected to play for supremacy, two of them meeting in the conference finals, one to go on to face the Eastern champ.

It should be a fierce and exciting march.

Only the Timberwolves appear poised for an early first-round knockout at the hands of the Spurs.

The Wolves are not the dangerous entry they were last season, when they threatened to upset Seattle. Tom Gugliotta, Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett were not to be trifled with then, and the SuperSonics were pushed to the full five games in the opening round.

This was to be the Wolves’ season to howl. But Marbury and Gugliotta are gone, and Joe Smith and Terrell Brandon don’t pack the same punch.

Sacramento and Phoenix are another story. Both teams are stronger since last year, with either capable of taking advantage of the short five-game series.

The Suns lost Antonio McDyess but picked up Gugliotta and added Luc Longley. Perhaps equally important, Rex Chapman seems to be in reasonably good shape this time around, ready with shots from the perimeter if the inside game is stifled.

Jason Kidd, an MVP candidate, guides the Suns’ blistering attacks and can take over a close game in the final minutes. Kidd always has been an electrifying passer, and now he’s added a jumper to his arsenal.

The Suns won’t be favored against Portland’s long bench of talent, but Coach Danny Ainge and company picked up experience last year and are determined to avoid an early burnout.

The wild card in the Kings’ hand is that they have nothing to lose.

Few expected Sacramento to make the playoffs this season. Then came the Hornets’ decision not to sign Vlade Divac. Then came the draft and the snatching of Jason Williams - with all his charisma and passing fancies.

They joined Chris Webber, obtained from Washington just before the lockout in exchange for Mitch Richmond. Webber was despondent over saying goodbye again to friendly teammates. Richmond said “thank you very much” and headed to the Wizards and a hope for playoff happiness.

Didn’t happen that way. Webber turned into a warrior, ready to play, while Richmond again will view the postseason on TV.

The Kings will send their wild bunch against the conference’s most disciplined team, Utah.

The Spurs’ season-finishing kick should put them as favorites to win the franchise’s first Western Conference crown.

San Antonio is stigmatized by history - it does wonderfully in the regular season, capsizes in the postseason. Just not tough enough.

Be advised, the toughness is there. Tim Duncan wears a mask of determination and relentlessness. Let your defense zero in on him and David Robinson seems ready to slay goliaths. Avery Johnson is a sober but passionate leader, and Sean Elliott has returned to his slashing attacks.

The Jazz were humbled down the stretch of the short season, but Coach Jerry Sloan knows where to apply the oil to his offensive machine. Karl Malone, John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek know that the East no longer harbors Michael Jordan & Co.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets were early season picks to work their way to the title game. Something happened on their way to the playoffs.

The Lakers, so bountiful in talent, self-destructed. They fired their coach and brought in a name guy with no head-coaching experience. They shipped out Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell and tried to work in Glen Rice, a shooter out of action for half the year.

They took a short but tumultuous and distracting ride with Dennis Rodman. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant will need all the wind they can muster to blow life back into this team.

As fate would have it, the Lakers and Rockets will match skills in the first round - guaranteeing one of the franchises a second-round slot.

The Rockets gambled on Scottie Pippen, and, so far, they have lost the bet. Pippen arrived amid headlines of title talk and then spent months trying to figure out just why the Rockets paid him a bushel of money.

Pippen guided the Chicago triangle offense; in Houston, he simply either tossed the ball into Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon or watched while a guard performed the necessary task.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Arthur Garcia

新狼的NBA速成课

别管蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)和戴维·罗宾逊(David Robinson)了，拉多斯拉夫·内斯特罗维奇(Radoslav Nesterovic)的担忧并不仅仅集中在与两位NBA顶级中锋的对决上。

当然，这位7尺高的斯洛文尼亚人内斯特罗维奇明白在周日对阵马刺队的季后赛首场比赛中他将面临的挑战，但周五下午，内斯特罗维奇正为他的双脚烦恼，确切地说是鞋子。

看来，自从周二加入森林狼队以来，内斯特罗维奇还没找到一双合适的运动鞋。在周五的训练之前，明尼苏达州的一位训练师递给他一双18码的耐克鞋，并向内斯特罗维奇保证，如果这双鞋不行，他会再给他找一双。

欢迎来到NBA，免费鞋子附赠。

内斯特罗维奇，明尼苏达州在1998年选秀大会上以第17顺位选中的首轮秀，进入联盟的道路比他大多数选秀同届球员要漫长一些。由于停摆，选秀球员无法在去年夏天签约，所以这位22岁的内斯特罗维奇决定在欧洲再打一个赛季的篮球。

当大多数选秀球员在打着非正式比赛时，内斯特罗维奇正带领维尔图斯·金德·博洛尼亚队在意大利联赛的季后赛中走得很远。他在意大利的第二个赛季场均得到13.5分，6.2个篮板，投篮命中率为65.2%。

对森林狼来说幸运的是，内斯特罗维奇的赛季结束得及时赶上了NBA季后赛。对内斯特罗维奇来说幸运的是，森林狼队打进了季后赛。

他准备好了比赛，即使他不确定自己将要面对什么。

“明年会更容易，”内斯特罗维奇谈到他对NBA的速成学习时说。“我不知道，我只想帮助球队获胜。”

内斯特罗维奇自从周二从欧洲抵达后，已经打了2场比赛，都输了。他那天早上飞抵明尼阿波利斯，签约，然后飞往休斯顿打比赛。

明尼苏达州篮球运营副总裁凯文·麦克海尔(Kevin McHale)希望在赛季结束前让内斯特罗维奇穿上球衣，即使森林狼队基本上浪费了他新秀合同的一年。

“我们想签下他，完成合同情况，把他带到这里，让他打球，让他参加我们的夏季联赛，”麦克海尔说。“事实上，他开始成为欧洲最好的中锋，有很多球队对他感兴趣。”

内斯特罗维奇在森林狼队的薪水由NBA新秀工资制度决定。在欧洲就不是这样了，麦克海尔不想在跨大西洋的竞标战中卷入。

“他的目标是在NBA打球。我想把所有潜在的（追求者）都排除在外，”麦克海尔说。“我告诉（明尼苏达州教练）弗利普(Flip Saunders)：他是一个年轻人，一个22岁的孩子，他对比赛有很好的感觉，让我们看看他能做到什么。”

内斯特罗维奇在对阵火箭队和太阳队的比赛中场均得到4分、4个篮板，出场时间为15分钟。麦克海尔喜欢这位新秀的全能球风，并相信他可能会在对阵马刺队的7尺长人阵容中获得更多上场时间。

“在美国的比赛中很难定义他，”麦克海尔说。“一个7尺高的人，有投篮、传球和篮板的能力。他是一个7尺高的篮球运动员，这是我们在联盟中找不到的。”

内斯特罗维奇说，他一直在国外关注着罗宾逊和邓肯的表现，以及联盟的其他球员。尽管他可以继续在欧洲打球，但内斯特罗维奇希望与世界上最好的球员对抗。

“这里的一切都是最高水平，”他说。“速度要快得多，球员比欧洲的更强壮。

“我只打了2场比赛，我非常兴奋。”

而且他有了新的鞋子。

点击查看原文：NBA crash course for newest T'wolf

NBA crash course for newest T’wolf

Never mind Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Radoslav Nesterovic’s concerns aren’t centered solely on matching up with two of the NBA’s premier big men.

Sure, Nesterovic, a 7-foot Slovenian, understands what he’ll be up against when he checks into Sunday’s playoff opener with the Spurs, but Friday afternoon, Nesterovic was dealing with his feet. Specifically, the shoes.

Seems Nesterovic, who’s only been with the Timberwolves since Tuesday, hasn’t found a decent pair of sneakers. Before Friday’s practice, a Minnesota trainer handed him size-18 Nikes and assured Nesterovic that, if the shoes didn’t work, he’d get him another pair.

Welcome to the NBA. Free shoes included.

Nesterovic, Minnesota’s first- round pick at No. 17 in the 1998 draft, took a somewhat longer path into the league than most of his draft class. The lockout prevented draftees from signing last summer, so the 22-year-old Nesterovic decided to play basketball in Europe for another season.

While most draftees were playing pickup ball, Nesterovic was leading Virtus Kinder Bologna deep into the Italian League playoffs. He averaged 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 65.2 percent in his second season in Italy.

Luckily for the Wolves, Nester- ovic’s season ended in time for the NBA playoffs. Luckily for Nester- ovic, the Timberwolves are in the playoffs.

And he’s ready to play. Even if he’s not exactly sure what he’s getting into.

“Next year, it will be easier,” Nesterovic said of his crash- course adjustment to the NBA. “I don’t know. I just want to help the team win.”

Nesterovic has played in two games - both losses - since arriving from Europe on Tuesday. He flew into Minneapolis that morning, signed, and flew to play in Houston that night.

Kevin McHale, Minnesota’s vice president of basketball operations, wanted to get Nesterovic in uniform before the season was up, even though the Wolves have basically lost a year on his rookie deal.

“We wanted to sign him to get the contract situation done and get him over here, get him playing and get him with our summer league,” McHale said. “The fact that he started to turn into the best European center, there’s a lot of interest there.”

Nesterovic’s salary with the Wolves is mandated by the NBA rookie wage scale. That’s not the case in Europe, and McHale didn’t want to engage in a bidding war across the Atlantic.

“His goal is to play in the NBA. I wanted to take all of the other potential (suitors) out of the game,” McHale said. “I told (Minnesota coach) Flip (Saunders): He’s a young kid, a 22-year-old kid, who’s got a nice feel for the game, and let’s see what he can do.”

Nesterovic averaged four points, four rebounds and 15 minutes in games against the Rockets and the Suns. McHale likes the rookie’s all- around game and believes he may see some more time against the Spurs parade of 7-footers.

“He’s hard to define in the American game,” McHale said. “A 7-foot guy with the ability to shoot it and pass it and rebound. He’s a basketball player at 7-feet, which is something we don’t find in our league any more.”

Nesterovic said he has followed the exploits of Robinson and Duncan, as well as the rest of the league, from abroad. Although he could have continued to star in Europe, Nesterovic wanted to play against the world’s best.

“Here everything is on the highest level,” he said. "The speed is a lot faster and (players are) stronger than in Europe.

“I’ve only played two games and I’m very excited.”

And he’s got new shoes.

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Johnny Ludden and Arthur Garcia

家，甜蜜的家球场——罗宾逊因膝盖疼痛缺席训练

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)在周五的训练中因左膝疼痛而缺席。

罗宾逊穿了一只压缩靴来帮助消肿，他说这是一个预防措施，并不严重。

“我最近感觉还不错，”罗宾逊说。“我想保持这种状态。”

罗宾逊本赛季只缺席了一场比赛——4月1日对阵温哥华的比赛，当时他在阿拉莫穹顶球场因左膝肿胀缺席。他膝盖关节的内膜因赛季的磨损而发炎。

罗宾逊大部分的麻烦都是右膝。上赛季因软骨软化症缺席了六场比赛后，罗宾逊在训练中经常戴着护膝。他的右脚踝在3月份也困扰了他一段时间。

在过去的两个星期里，罗宾逊打出了本赛季最好的篮球。在最近的五场比赛中，罗宾逊场均得到20.8分，13个篮板和2.2次盖帽。他的投篮命中率为55%（69投38中）。

周二，他在对阵波特兰的比赛中追平了本赛季的最高得分29分，周三，他在对阵金州勇士的比赛中抓下了20个篮板，是今年马刺队中最高的。

“我的腿感觉很好，我一直都在跳来跳去，”罗宾逊说。“我们已经找到了一个良好的节奏，我觉得我找到了状态。”

罗宾逊在最近的四场比赛中场均出场39.5分钟，包括5月1日对阵波特兰的比赛中出场44分钟，以及对阵勇士的比赛中出场40分钟。

理发店四重奏：埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)、马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)和马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)与弗雷德·卡特(Fred Carter)在ESPN2的“NBA 2Night”节目中谈论篮球，该节目将于今天晚上11点播出。马刺队聚集在东区的萨姆理发店，进行了一段长时间的录制。目前尚不清楚他们是否修剪了头发。

点击查看原文：Home, sweet home court - Sore knee sidelines Robinson at practice

Home, sweet home court - Sore knee sidelines Robinson at practice

David Robinson sat out Friday’s practice after experiencing some soreness in his left knee.

Robinson, who wore a compression boot to help reduce swelling, said it was a preventative step and was not serious.

“I have been feeling pretty good lately,” Robinson said. “I want to keep it that way.”

Robinson missed his only game of the season - the April 1 victory over Vancouver at the Alamodome - with a swollen left knee. The lining of the joint of his knee became inflamed because of general wear and tear from the season.

Most of Robinson’s problems have been with his right knee. After missing six games because of chondromalcia last season, Robinson often wears a brace on his right knee in practice. Robinson’s right ankle also troubled him for a bit in March.

Robinson has played his best basketball of the season during the past two weeks. In the last five games, Robinson averaged 20.8 points, 13 boards and 2.2 blocks. He shot 55 percent (38 of 69) during that stretch.

He matched his season-high 29 points against Portland on Tuesday, and pulled down 20 rebounds, the most by any Spur this year, against Golden State on Wednesday.

“My legs have felt good. I’ve been bouncing around,” Robinson said. “We’ve gotten in a good rhythm and I feel like I’ve been in that groove.”

Robinson averaged 39.5 minutes over the last four games, including a season-high 44 against Portland on May 1 and 40 against the Warriors.

Barbershop quartet: Avery Johnson, Mario Elie and Malik Rose talk shop with Fred Carter on ESPN2’s “NBA 2Night”, airing at 11 p.m. today. The Spurs were gathered at Sam’s Barber Shop on the East Side for the lengthy piece. No word on whether they got a trim.

By Johnny Ludden and Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By COMPILED FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

快讯：爵士队将在选秀大会上领先马刺队

犹他爵士队在周五战胜了马刺队，赢得了胜负关系的决定权，这将使他们在下一届 NBA 选秀大会上获得第 28 位的选秀权，而不是第 29 位。

NBA 理事会于其在纽约的会议期间打破了几次选秀顺序的平局。奥兰多-迈阿密-印第安纳的平局结果是：拥有魔术队选秀权的爵士队选择第 24 位，热火队选择第 25 位，步行者队选择第 26 位。

纽约-菲尼克斯-萨克拉门托的平局结果是：尼克斯队选择第 15 位，太阳队选择第 16 位，拥有国王队选秀权的老鹰队选择第 17 位。亚特兰大-休斯顿-湖人的平局结果是：老鹰队选择第 21 位，火箭队选择第 22 位，湖人队选择第 23 位。

在唯一一个选秀抽签平局中，凯尔特人队击败了小牛队。凯尔特人队将有 1000 分之 37 的机会获得第一顺位选秀权，而拥有小牛队选秀权的太阳队将有 1000 分之 38 的机会。如果这两支球队都没有获得前三顺位选秀权，那么菲尼克斯将获得在波士顿之后的下一个选秀权。

理事会还批准了乔和加文·马洛夫从吉姆·托马斯手中收购萨克拉门托国王队和拱顶球场的多数股权。

所有权变更将于 7 月 1 日生效。马洛夫兄弟已经开始控制球队。

斯特里克兰认罪：华盛顿奇才队的罗德·斯特里克兰对酒后驾车和鲁莽驾驶的指控认罪。

他还要求进行陪审团审判，该审判定于 8 月 13 日举行。这些指控源于 4 月 24 日在华盛顿特区的逮捕，当时警方称他们看到斯特里克兰闯了三个红灯，并且在没有打转向灯的情况下改变车道。

快船队赢得请求：NBA 理事会一致批准了洛杉矶快船队从下个赛季开始在其新的斯台普斯中心举行所有主场比赛的请求。

快船队自从 1984 年从圣地亚哥搬到洛杉矶以来，大部分主场比赛都在洛杉矶体育场举行。他们还在过去五个赛季中在阿纳海姆体育场举行了 35 场主场比赛。

马格洛伊尔将参加选秀：肯塔基大学的中锋贾马尔·马格洛伊尔将参加 NBA 选秀，但如果他不满意他可能的选秀位置，他将保留返回莱克星顿打大四的权利，教练塔比·史密斯说。

由于没有与经纪人签约，并在肯塔基大学注册了夏季课程，马格洛伊尔将有时间直到 6 月 23 日——选秀前一周——改变主意，并保持 NCAA 比赛资格。

点击查看原文：Quick Hits: Jazz to choose ahead of Spurs

Quick Hits: Jazz to choose ahead of Spurs

The Utah Jazz got a victory over the Spurs on Friday, winning a tie-breaker that will enable them to pick 28th instead of 29th in the next NBA draft.

The NBA Board of Governors broke several draft order ties during its meeting in New York. An Orlando-Miami-Indiana tie-breaker left Utah, which owns the Magic’s pick, selecting 24th, the Heat 25th and the Pacers 26th.

A New York-Phoenix-Sacramento tie-breaker put the Knicks 15th, the Suns 16th and the Hawks, who own the Kings’ pick, 17th, and an Atlanta- Houston-Lakers tie was broken with the Hawks choosing 21st, the Rockets 22nd and the Lakers 23rd.

In the only draft lottery tie-breaker, Boston defeated Dallas. Boston will have 37 chances out of 1,000 to get the first overall pick, while the Suns - who own Dallas’ pick - will have 38 chances. If neither team wins one of the top three picks, Phoenix will have the next pick after Boston.

The board also approved Joe and Gavin Maloof’s purchase of a majority interest in the Sacramento Kings and Arco Arena from Jim Thomas.

The ownership change will be effective July 1. The Maloof brothers already have been exerting control over the franchise.

Strickland pleads innocent: Washington Wizard Rod Strickland pleaded innocent to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving.

He also requested a jury trial, which was set for Aug. 13. The charges stem from an April 24 arrest in Washington, D.C., after police said they saw Strickland run three red lights and change lanes without signaling.

Clippers win request: The NBA Board of Governors unanimously ratified the Los Angeles Clippers’ request to play all of their home games at the new Staples Center starting next season.

The Clippers have played most of their home games at the Los Angeles Sports Arena since moving to Los Angeles from San Diego in 1984. They also have played 35 home games at the Anaheim Arena during the last five seasons.

Magloire to enter draft: Kentucky center Jamaal Magloire will enter the NBA draft but will retain the option of returning to Lexington for his senior year if he doesn’t like his probable draft position, Coach Tubby Smith said.

By not signing with an agent and enrolling for summer school at Kentucky, Magloire will have until June 23 - one week before the draft - to change his mind and remain eligible for NCAA play.

Brown signs: Lenny Brown, the former All-City guard from Fox Tech, has signed with West Texas A&M.

Brown, who led Tech to a 36-3 record and the UIL Class 4A state championship as a senior, averaged 19 points and nine assists for Temple Junior College the past two seasons.

Tennis: Moya crushes Kuerten

Carlos Moya played one his best matches on clay and beat Gustavo Kuerten 6-0, 6-2 for his first victory over the Brazilian on a slow surface and moved into the semifinals of the German Open.

But Moya will not be able to recapture the No. 1 world ranking he held for two weeks in March even if he wins the $2.45 million tournament at Hamburg, Germany.

With the ouster of third-seeded Tim Henman by Mariano Zabaleta, there were not enough high- ranked players left in the event for the Spaniard to earn bonus points he needed to become No. 1.

In the semifinals, Moya will play Marcelo Rios, the fourth-seeded Chilean who ousted local favorite Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-4.

Hingis whips Serena Williams: Martina Hingis taught Serena Williams a simple truth of clay- court tennis: Patience is a virtue.

The Italian Open’s defending champion and top seed dominated the rushing Williams from the start and routed the American 6-2, 6-2 to set up a semifinal clash with Serena’s sister, Venus.

Venus Williams, seeded third, advanced with a 7- 6 (7-1), 6-2 win against No. 11 Dominique Van Roost.

Trinity takes third: The Trinity University Tigers captured third place at the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championships at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. Trinity, which finished the season at 21-2, beat defending champion Skidmore 5-4 in a match played indoors because of rain. With a 4-4 deadlock, the match was decided at No. 5 singles as Trinity sophomore Mara Berzins outfought Alexix Karetzky 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5). Trinity took third place for the third time in its seventh straight NCAA Division III appearance.

Football: All-star rosters set

Rosters have been set for the 21st annual Pizza Hut High School All-Star Football Game at 7:45 p.m. May 15 at Alamo Stadium.

Advance tickets for $5 are available at Good Sports, Nick’s Sports, Alex Acosta Sports and The Kids Sports Network Office across the street from Roosevelt High School. Tickets at the gate are $7.

Proceeds go to the Olmos Kiwanis Club.

Bowling: Bohn claims top spot

Parker Bohn III, second in this event last year, claimed the top qualifying spot in the finals of the American Bowling Congress Masters at Syracuse, N.Y.

Bohn, seeking his 20th career PBA title and third of the year, was 6-0 in match play to take the top spot ahead of Brian Boghosian, who was 6-1.

Tom Baker and Ricky Ward, both 6-2 in match play, claimed the other two spots in today’s finals.

Boxing: Tournament starts today

The opening round of the South Texas Junior Olympics amateur tournament begins today at 2 p.m. at San Fernando Gym.

Boxers, ages 8-16, will compete in 30 bouts with the winners hoping to eventually advance to state June 3 in Laredo. Admission is $3.

By COMPILED FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Glenn Rogers

嘿… 还记得我们吗？- 随着芝加哥的退出，东部联盟陷入黑暗

你可以打赌，东部联盟已经迫不及待地想会见西部联盟了。

东部联盟今年一直被羞辱，坦率地说，许多联盟观察家认为其地位低于西部联盟。

群雄中最好的热火队获得了 33 胜 17 负的战绩，在联盟中排名第四。毫无疑问，教练帕特·莱利会非常乐意派出他那支控制过度的、防守凶悍的队伍，迎战从西部联盟杀出来的队伍。

不过，首先，他将对手全都是来自东部的威胁。

就像在西部联盟一样，今年也有熟悉的老面孔和令人惊喜的新面孔。

纽约尼克斯队和迈阿密热火队这两支老牌劲旅将在第一轮再次较量，而且，迈阿密又一次拥有主场优势。这一次，莱利希望这场争斗不会导致迈阿密在五场比赛中出局。

东部联盟缺乏西部联盟的华丽与激情。没有国王队或太阳队。但有费城，得分冠军艾伦·艾弗森准备从所有位置上投篮，以帮助 76 人队继续其令人惊讶的崛起。

每个人都知道艾弗森闪亮的进攻策略，但很少有人真正意识到他和费城人的凶猛防守和改变对手进攻方式。拉里·布朗，一位年度最佳教练候选人，对篮板球和关闭进攻空间的呼声远远高于他对得分的呼声。

没有一支东部球队拥有蒂姆·邓肯和大卫·罗宾逊，但致命的中锋却活跃在亚特兰大和迈阿密。老鹰队的迪肯贝·穆托姆博会折断对手的鼻子和其他面部骨骼，而阿朗佐·莫宁，作为年度最佳防守球员候选人中一个几乎毫无悬念的选择，几乎要再次火山爆发他的脾气了。

公认的最有可能接替芝加哥公牛队成为东部联盟霸主的印第安纳步行者队，表现得刚刚好，足以夺得中央分区冠军。

随着里克·史密茨脚伤的复发和雷吉·米勒在瞄准篮筐时意外的困难，步行者队开始动摇了。但印第安纳仍然拥有阵容最扎实的球队：每个位置都有关键球员，内外皆有威胁，还有篮板高手。

拉里·伯德仍然有机会在他去年的年度最佳教练荣誉之上，再拿一个教练冠军戒指，因为他将在对阵密尔沃基雄鹿队的比赛中开始征程。

老鹰队想对此发表一两句，他们将依靠史蒂夫·史密斯的投射和穆托姆博的整体威慑力。但亚特兰大队在季后赛中往往会变得轻率。

莱尼·威尔肯斯的球队平均每场仅得 86 分，但只失 83 分。

奥兰多魔术队克服了教练和球员之间的争执，几乎震惊了专家，他们整个赛季都在威胁要创下最佳战绩。

教练查克·戴利狡猾地将比赛节奏放缓到极其缓慢，并试图在最后几分钟内击败你。但奥兰多必须像哈利·胡迪尼一样来个一两次戏法，才能让对手得分消失。奥兰多每场大约得到 89 分。

东部联盟的季后赛比赛可能令人毛骨悚然——不要惊讶于你读到 70 年代的最终得分。

密尔沃基和底特律与 76 人队一起成为本赛季季后赛的新人。

雄鹿队引进了教练乔治·卡尔，以扭转密尔沃基的局面。卡尔随便看了一眼，就选择了放弃他的防守态度，有利于他的得分手。格兰·罗宾逊和雷·阿伦表现得足够好，帮助雄鹿队进入季后赛。

他们在那儿待不了多久。卡尔试图但未能说服凯文·约翰逊参加最后一场比赛。现在，他已经请来了一批教练——德尔·哈里斯、里克·马杰鲁斯和前马奎特助理教练杰拉德·奥利弗——来帮忙。

约翰逊会有更大的帮助。文尼·德尔·内格罗也会有，但他因脚踝严重扭伤而缺席了。

活塞队并没有得到多少关注，但他们赢得了最近的七场比赛。格兰特·希尔坚称，这支球队比 1997 年首轮出局的那支球队状态好很多。

而且活塞队有乔·杜马斯的优势。这位可敬的杜马斯，早期随活塞队赢得了两个冠军戒指，现已退役。为他和活塞队赢得一些冠军将成为底特律更衣室的呼声。

点击查看原文：Hey ... remember us? - Eastern Conference left in the dark after Chicago's demise

Hey … remember us? - Eastern Conference left in the dark after Chicago’s demise

You can bet the East can’t wait to meet the West.

The Eastern Conference has been absorbing a dissing this year, frankly considered by many league observers to be inferior to the Western Conference.

The best of the bunch, the Heat, finished with a 33-17 record, good for fourth-best in the league. There’s no doubt Coach Pat Riley would love to send his over-controlled, defensively menacing group at the team that comes out of the West.

First, though, he’ll have his hands full of Eastern threats.

Just like in the West, there’s the familiar old and sparkling new this year.

Two old hands, New York and Miami, once again will rumble in the first round and, once again, Miami will have home-court advantage. This time, Riley hopes the brawling players won’t result in Miami’s ouster in five games.

The East lacks the flash and dash of the West. There’s no Sacramento or Phoenix. But there is Philadelphia, with scoring champion Allen Iverson ready to launch shots from all positions in the 76ers’ bid to continue their surprising rise through the ranks.

Everybody knows Iverson’s sparkling offensive tactics, but few are truly aware of his and Philadelphia’s badgering and attack-altering defenses. Larry Brown, a coach-of- the-year candidate, yips and yaps more about rebounding and closing down lanes than he ever will about scoring points.

No East team has a Tim Duncan and a David Robinson, but lethal pivotmen play in Atlanta and Miami. The Hawks’ Dikembe Mutombo fractures noses and other facial bones, and Alonzo Mourning, almost a runaway choice among defensive-player-of-the-year candidates, is about due for another volcanic temper explosion.

The consensus favorites to succeed the Chicago Bulls for East supremacy, the Indiana Pacers, performed just well enough to capture the Central Division.

The Pacers faltered with Rik Smits’ failing feet and Reggie Miller’s unexpected difficulty in zeroing in on the basket. But Indiana still has the most solid-looking team: a key player at every position, threats inside and out, and rebounders.

Larry Bird still has a chance to follow up on his Coach of the Year honors last year with a coach’s title ring when he begins the climb against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Hawks would like to have a thing or two to say about that and will rely on shooting by Steve Smith and general intimidation by Mutombo. But Atlanta tends to get flighty in the playoffs.

Lenny Wilkens’ crew averages only 86 points per game and allows but 83.

The Orlando Magic, overcoming disputes between coach and players, all but shocked experts by threatening all season to nab the top record.

Coach Chuck Daly slyly slows action to a crawl and tries to beat you in the final minutes. But the Magic will have to pull a Houdini or two to make scoring opponents disappear. Orlando manages about 89 points a game.

Eastern Conference playoff games could be gruesome to watch - don’t be shocked if you read final tallies in the 70s.

Milwaukee and Detroit join the 76ers as this season’s newcomers to the postseason.

The Bucks brought in Coach George Karl to turn Milwaukee around. Karl took one look and opted to forgo his defensive attitudes in favor of his scorers. Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen played well enough to ease the Bucks into the playoffs.

Betting is, they won’t be there long. Karl tried but failed to persuade Kevin Johnson to come aboard for the final run. Now he’s brought in a cache of coaches - Del Harris, Rick Majerus and former Marquette assistant Gerald Oliver - to help out.

Johnson would have been more help. So would Vinny Del Negro, but he’s gone with a severely sprained ankle.

The Pistons aren’t getting much publicity, but they’ve won their last seven games. Grant Hill insists this team is in superior shape to the squad that left in the first round in 1997.

And the Pistons have the Joe Dumars card. The venerable Dumars, owner of two title rings with earlier Pistons teams, is retiring. Winning a few for him will be a rallying cry in the Detroit locker room.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-08, By Jeanne Jakle

邓肯出现在“Inside Stuff”节目中

现在，拥有联盟最佳战绩的马刺队已经成为了本地和全国关注的焦点，你可以肯定，全国的电视节目都会争先恐后地邀请他们接受采访。

这场“爱的狂欢”将于今天上午 10:30 在 NBC 开始。 “NBA Inside Stuff”节目将邀请蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)进行一场面对面的问答，地点是在一个篮球场。

他回忆起自己第一次接触篮球的经历，当时他还住在他的家乡维尔京群岛。他还谈到了他是如何被他的姐夫第一次吸引到篮球运动的，当时他们会一起去篮球场。一开始，他更喜欢观看，而不是参加。

然而，一旦他开始打球，他就停不下来了……然后就创造了历史。他感叹道，在篮球场上打球比在职业赛场上打球轻松多了。

“篮球场上更有趣，因为没有剧本，也没有进攻，你只需要出去玩。你尽情地玩，因为你想留在场上。”

事实上，当邓肯 14、15 岁的时候，他经常和 25 到 30 岁的家伙比赛。

邓肯在“Inside Stuff”节目中的片段将在第一个广告之后播出。该节目每周六上午 10:30 在 KMOL 播出。

哦，还有，记得关注 ESPN 上对我们一些马刺球员的采访。

一支摄制组上周来到城里，节目应该会在接下来的几天内播出。

点击查看原文：KSAT's Mock is moving on - Mediocre ratings said to be behind nonrenewal of contract

KSAT’s Mock is moving on - Mediocre ratings said to be behind nonrenewal of contract

Tiffany Mock, one of S.A. TV’s more colorful anchorwomen - thanks to being a singer in a local rock band, a former Miss Louisiana and getting some disastrous cosmetic surgery on her lips - will be history at KSAT next month.

Mock’s contract, I’ve been told by reliable sources, is not being renewed once it ends in mid-June. The general belief is that mediocre ratings for KSAT’s morning show led to the decision.

The station tried tinkering with other elements of the broadcast. For instance, the male co-anchor spot went through lots of changes; first, the male half was Mike Osterhage, then Gerry Grant signed on and now Tony Lopez is at the helm.

But the ratings essentially didn’t improve; in fact, the February ratings book had KMOL snatching second place from KSAT.

So, the focus turned to the female side and Mock. Asked about her reported departure, News Director Jim Boyle declined to comment, saying it was a personnel matter.

But trust me, Tiffany’s Mock’s definitely out of there within a month’s time.

Tiffany Mock says she has some wonderful opportunities currently in the works, but couldn’t discuss them yet. Meanwhile, she continues to thrill local patrons of the Laboratory nightclub and some other establishments with her singing in local '80s band, The Velvet Tones.

On another upbeat note, friends say Mock recently became engaged to attorney Dain A. Dreyer. Onlookers say he proposed last month in a romantic booth in Piatti’s Italian restaurant in the Quarry. She says she’s very happy and their wedding will happen Labor Day weekend.

Dreyer, incidentally, served as Mock’s attorney in a lawsuit she filed against a local cosmetic surgeon, who had given her a lip job she wasn’t happy with.

The impending marriage and the departure of Tiffany Mock may be distressing news to some of her fans. Judging by feedback from male admirers, Mock is one of the more popular news females among the fellows.

Duncan on ‘Inside Stuff’

Now that the best-record-in-the-NBA Spurs are glittery figures in not only the local but the national spotlight, you can bet national TV shows will be clamoring after them for interviews.

The lovefest begins today at 10:30 a.m. on NBC. “NBA Inside Stuff” will feature Tim Duncan in an up-close-and-personal Q&A from a playground.

He reminisces about his first days with a basketball while he still lived in his native digs of the Virgin Islands. He also spoke of how his brother-in-law first interested him in the game when they would visit the playground together. At first, he preferred to watch, not play.

Once he started, however, he couldn’t stop … and history was made. He sighs over how much more easygoing basketball was on the playground vs. in a professional setting.

“There’s a lot more fun on the playground because it’s not scripted and there’s no offense, you just go out there and play. You play hard 'cause you want to stay on.”

When Duncan was 14 and 15, in fact, he was playing against guys who were between 25 and 30.

Duncan’s segment on “Inside Stuff” happens after the first commercial. The show airs Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. on KMOL.

Oh, and watch for an interview on ESPN with a bunch of our Spurs.

A crew came into town last week, and the piece should air sometime in the next several days.

Alamo on ‘Space Nine’

“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” which heads into its final frontier in a few weeks - the show’s finale airs here on June 5 - has held particular interest for San Antonians because of a string of Alamo references.

All season, some of the characters have made mention of the Texas battle. Specifically, Dr. Julian Bashir (Siddig El Fadil) and Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney) have been re-enacting the Battle of the Alamo in the holosuites in Quark’s Bar.

In last week’s episode, O’Brien built a model of the battle, complete with figurines. The two of them are trying to win the battle, but aren’t having much success.

Bashir complained that he’d “just like to win.” And O’Brien responded: “Then play Santa Anna. He always wins.”

It’ll be interesting to see how the two cap off their Alamo competition in the next few weeks when “Deep Space Nine” comes to a close. Next episode is tonight at 7 on KRRT.

Asked about the writers’ particular interest in the Alamo, publicists for the sci-fi show couldn’t come up with an answer by this column’s press time Friday.

By Jeanne Jakle, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-09, By Glenn Rogers

马刺寻求总决赛突破 季后赛胜利对圣安东尼奥球队来说难以捉摸

马刺队今天准备迎接另一段激动人心且充满危险的 NBA 季后赛征程。

赛季末的猛烈攻势使马刺队获得了本赛季联盟最佳战绩，并在首轮比赛中与明尼苏达森林狼队相遇。

比赛将于下午 2 点在阿拉莫圆顶球场开始。

圣安东尼奥人，在季后赛的热潮中，一如既往地兴奋不已，他们之前已经无数次走过这条路。自 1973-74 赛季球队来到这里以来，马刺队已经 22 次进入季后赛，这体现了他们惊人的稳定性。

这是好消息。

马刺队四次打入联盟决赛，但尚未体验过在黄金时段电视节目中参加 NBA 总决赛的荣耀。

这是坏消息。

因此，圣安东尼奥开始了他们一年一度的仪式，以驱散过去季后赛失败的幽灵。以下是困扰着渴望冠军的马刺球迷的一些近乎成功和破灭的梦想……

1976 年：最初的马刺球迷都记得那个赛季。球队在现已解散的美国篮球协会（ABA）中以 50 场胜利位居第三，获得了首轮轮空，并连续第三年打入半决赛。

然后，全明星后卫詹姆斯·塞拉斯 (James Silas) 在对阵纽约篮网队的首场比赛中脚部骨折。乔治·格文 (George Gervin) 贡献了 30 分，但马刺队仍然输掉了揭幕战。

马刺队在第四场比赛中占尽优势，并眼看着以 3-1 的比分领先，这时格文抢下了对手的失误球。

格文带着手腕骨折的伤势将球举过头顶，朱利叶斯·欧文 (Julius Erving) 站在界外，一把将球抢走。纽约队得分，篮网队坚持了下来。

最终结果是 4-3 输掉了系列赛，教练鲍勃·巴斯 (Bob Bass) 被解雇，他成为了球队的全职总经理。

1979 年：马刺队以 4-3 击败费城，赢得了他们的第一个七场系列赛，这是他们作为 NBA 成员首次打入联盟决赛。

马刺队以 3-1 的优势领先华盛顿。圣安东尼奥快报 (San Antonio Express-News) 的专栏作家丹·库克 (Dan Cook) 发表了现在著名的言论，这让人们对球队能够打入 NBA 总决赛抱有乐观态度：“在胖女人唱歌之前，一切都没有结束”。

华盛顿队主教练迪克·莫塔 (Dick Motta) 欣赏着最后的咏叹调，带领他的球队连续赢得了三场比赛。马刺队在第七场比赛还剩 7 分钟时领先 9 分，但华盛顿队追平了比分。

比利·波尔茨 (Billy Paultz) 被判移动掩护犯规，鲍比·丹德里奇 (Bobby Dandridge) 在比赛还剩 8 秒时投进了一个 16 英尺的球，为子弹队赢得了比赛。

1982 年和 1983 年：马刺队连续两年打入西部联盟决赛，但这两次都被卡里姆·阿卜杜勒-贾巴尔 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) 和洛杉矶湖人队淘汰。

马刺队在 1982 年被湖人队以 4-0 横扫，他们在 1983 年以阿尔蒂斯·吉尔摩 (Artis Gilmore) 作为他们的中锋进行了更顽强的抵抗。比赛在第六场比赛中结束，当时魔术师约翰逊 (Magic Johnson) 在篮下封盖了迈克·米切尔 (Mike Mitchell) 的跳投，为湖人队保护了 101-100 的胜利。

1990 年：马刺队在海军上将大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson) 的第一个赛季中处于季后赛的激烈竞争中。

海军上将，以及新秀队友肖恩·埃利奥特 (Sean Elliott) 和新加盟的球员特里·卡明斯 (Terry Cummings)，帮助马刺队以 3-0 的比分横扫了丹佛，赢得首轮比赛。

然后是波特兰，双方进行了一场激烈的系列赛，最终战至决胜局。马刺队在第七场比赛结束时领先 7 分，但几次失误让波特兰队追平了比分，将比赛拖入加时赛。

就在那时，罗德·斯特里克兰 (Rod Strickland) 出现了著名的“不看传球”，球最终落入开拓者队手中，斯特里克兰犯规，波特兰队取得了胜利。

1991 年：马刺队在波特兰的比赛后仍然感觉有些疲惫，他们是中西部赛区冠军，并且被认为将在首轮轻松战胜金州勇士队。

马刺队以令人惊叹的方式赢得了揭幕战。圣安东尼奥的后场二人组罗德·斯特里克兰和威利·安德森 (Willie Anderson)，厌倦了听到关于勇士队球星后卫米奇·里奇蒙德 (Mitch Richmond) 和蒂姆·哈达威 (Tim Hardaway) 的报道，他们在 130-121 的得分盛宴中合计贡献了 68 分。

金州队主教练唐·尼尔森 (Don Nelson) 在第二天看到比赛报道后欣喜若狂。他充分利用了后卫的沮丧情绪，制定了针对内线进攻的防守策略，并迅速取得了三连胜。

1993 年：教练约翰·卢卡斯 (John Lucas) 让圣安东尼奥队充满了快乐，罗宾逊凭借他的得分型中锋打法成为联盟的谈资。马刺队报复了开拓者队，在首轮比赛中击败了他们。

然而，在第二轮比赛中，速度极快的凯文·约翰逊 (Kevin Johnson) 和菲尼克斯太阳队施加了过多的压力。

罗宾逊在圣安东尼奥的第六场比赛中遭受了嘲讽，他在最后几秒钟错失了投篮。查尔斯·巴克利 (Charles Barkley) 命中了他的投篮，这是 HemisFair 体育馆的最后一球，帮助太阳队继续前进，并最终打入 NBA 总决赛。

1994 年：丹尼斯·罗德曼 (Dennis Rodman) 处于叛逆状态的巅峰。

罗德曼拒绝参加球队会议、训练和乘坐球队大巴。他和麦当娜 (Madonna) 一起乘坐豪华轿车前往盐湖城的三角洲中心球馆。这对个性张扬的组合为已经狂热的爵士球迷添了一把火。

爵士队在阿拉莫圆顶球馆赢得了第二场比赛，马刺队在超过 16 分钟的时间里没有投进任何球。爵士队在第三场比赛中再次获胜，以 105-72 的比分大胜，而罗德曼因在比赛中用膝盖顶了约翰·斯托克顿 (John Stockton) 的大腿而被禁赛。

爵士队在第四场比赛中结束了五场三胜制的系列赛。由此引发的抗议活动导致巴斯和卢卡斯离职，格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 和鲍勃·希尔 (Bob Hill) 被聘为教练。

1995 年：希尔和他的球队以 62 场常规赛胜利位居 NBA 榜首，并带着夺冠的决心进入了季后赛。古怪的埃弗里·约翰逊 (Avery Johnson) 宣称：“我们将以 15-3 的战绩取得胜利”。马刺队横扫丹佛队，并战胜了湖人队，两场加时赛都取得了胜利。

罗德曼仍然按照自己的节奏行事，马刺队在对阵休斯顿的西部联盟决赛中仍然无法投进外线球。

阿拉莫圆顶球馆的气氛非常热烈，直到罗宾逊，这位常规赛最有价值球员，遭遇了一场噩梦——哈基姆·奥拉朱旺 (Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon)。结果，火箭队在圣安东尼奥赢得了三场比赛，并在休斯顿赢得了第六场比赛，最终夺得了另一个 NBA 冠军。

“那次比赛是最令人痛心的，”埃利奥特说。“我们认为我们可以赢得总冠军。他们每场比赛似乎都有不同的球星发挥出色。”

1996 年：马刺队再次在赛季中取得突破，以 59 场胜利赢得了中西部赛区冠军。他们在四场比赛中淘汰了太阳队。

然后，马刺队被爵士队击败，以 6 场比赛出局。爵士队主教练杰里·斯隆 (Jerry Sloan) 从来不会贬低失败的对手，他承认在以 108-81 的比分赢得第六场比赛，从而赢得系列赛的胜利后，他并没有预料到比赛会如此轻松。

罗宾逊首先斥责了裁判史蒂夫·贾维 (Steve Javie)，然后为自己的表现向队友道歉。

波波维奇对球队的韧性不足感到沮丧，并指出教练组应该在事故发生之前很久就看到火车来了。他在下一个赛季早期解雇了希尔。

1998 年：波波维奇带领一支意志更坚强、身体素质更强的球队。马刺队在四场比赛中淘汰了太阳队，约翰逊以活力四射、决心十足的表现为球队做出了贡献。

不幸的是，下一场旅程是前往犹他州，在那里，马刺队在第一场和第二场比赛结束时错失了潜在的制胜投篮。

回到主场，圣安东尼奥在第三场比赛中大胜，人们的希望随之高涨。但马龙在第四场比赛中以 34 分的爆炸性表现让阿拉莫圆顶球馆鸦雀无声。

由于新秀赛季的蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 在第二场比赛结束时扭伤了脚踝，马刺队在三角洲中心球馆输掉了第五场比赛，被淘汰出局。

就像他们在历史上经历过很多次一样，银黑军团再次陷入了沉思，他们思考着那些奇怪的曲折、转折和球的弹跳，这些因素最终都没有站在他们这边。

点击查看原文：Spurs seeking Finals step Playoff wins elusive for S.A. team

Spurs seeking Finals step Playoff wins elusive for S.A. team

The Spurs gear up today for another exciting and dangerous trek through the NBA playoffs.

A ferocious late-season tear gave the Spurs the best record in the league this season and a first- round date with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Tipoff is at 2 p.m. at the Alamodome.

San Antonians, as pumped up as ever with playoff fever, have been down this road umpteen times before. The Spurs have qualified for the postseason 22 times since the franchise arrived here for the 1973- 74 campaign - a phenomenal mark of consistency.

That’s the good news.

The Spurs have made it to the conference finals four times, but have yet to experience the glory of showing up on prime-time TV in the big show, the NBA Finals.

That’s the bad news.

Thus, San Antonio begins its annual ritual to exorcise the ghosts of failed playoffs of the past. Here are some of the near-misses and dashed dreams that plague the Spurs’ title-starved faithful…

1976: Original Spurs fans remember the season. The team finished third in the now-defunct American Basketball Association with 50 wins, earned a first-round bye and landed in the semifinals for the third straight year.

Then, All-Star guard James Silas broke his foot in the first game against the New York Nets. George Gervin scored 30 points, but the Spurs still lost the opener.

The Spurs had Game 4 in hand and were looking at a 3-1 series advantage when Gervin rebounded a missed shot.

Playing with a fractured wrist, Gervin held the ball over his head and Julius Erving, standing out of bounds, snatched it. New York scored and the Nets persevered.

The end result was a 4-3 series loss and the ouster of Coach Bob Bass, who became full-time general manager of the team.

1979: The Spurs won their first seven-game series by knocking off Philadelphia, 4-3, to make their first conference finals appearance as a member of the NBA.

The Spurs bolted to a 3-1 advantage over Washington. The optimism that an NBA Finals berth was in hand was tempered by San Antonio Express-News columnist Dan Cook’s now-famous utterance: “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”

Washington coach Dick Motta enjoyed the final aria, guiding his team to three consecutive wins. The Spurs had a nine-point lead with seven minutes left in Game 7, but Washington tied it.

Billy Paultz was called for a moving pick and Bobby Dandridge hit a 16-footer with eight seconds left to secure the victory for the Bullets.

1982 and 1983: The Spurs went to the Western Conference finals in both years, and they were ousted both times by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Spurs, who were swept 4-0 in 1982, put up a stronger fight with Artis Gilmore as their center in '83. The end came in Game 6 when Magic Johnson protected a 101-100 L.A. win by blocking a Mike Mitchell jumper in the lane.

1990: The Spurs were in the thick of the playoff wars in David Robinson’s first season.

The Admiral, along with fellow rookie Sean Elliott and newcomer Terry Cummings, propelled the Spurs to a 3-0 sweep of Denver in the first round.

Then came Portland and a hard- fought series that went the distance. The Spurs had a seven-point lead late in Game 7, but several botched opportunities allowed Portland to tie the game and send it to overtime.

That’s when Rod Strickland threw the infamous no-look pass that wound up in Blazer hands, resulting in a breakaway foul on Strickland and a Portland victory.

1991: The Spurs, still feeling their ginger after the Portland showing, were Midwest Division champs and heavily favored to overpower Golden State in the first round.

The Spurs won the opener in astonishing fashion. The San Antonio backcourt duo of Rod Strickland and Willie Anderson, tired of hearing about star Warriors guards Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway, combined for 68 points in a 130-121 scoring fiesta.

Golden State coach Don Nelson was ecstatic when he read the next-day accounts. He took full advantage of the despondent guards, plotted his defenses against an inside game and raced to three consecutive wins.

1993: Coach John Lucas had San Antonio happy and Robinson was the talk of the league with his point-center play. The Spurs got back at the Blazers, whipping them in the opening round.

Whippet-quick Kevin Johnson and the Phoenix Suns applied too much heat in the second round, though.

Robinson suffered barbs in Game 6 in San Antonio when he muffed his shot in the final seconds. Charles Barkley hit his, the final basket in HemisFair Arena, to send Phoenix onward and upward to the NBA Finals.

1994: Dennis Rodman was in full rebellious regalia.

Rodman shunned team meetings, practices and bus rides. He limoed over to Salt Lake City’s Delta Center in the company of Madonna. The flamboyant pair tossed more fuel onto the already- inflamed Jazz crowds.

Utah won Game 2 in the Alamodome when the Spurs went more than 16 minutes without a field goal. The Jazz did it again in Game 3, romping to a 105-72 victory, aided by the absence of Rodman, who had been suspended for kneeing John Stockton in the thigh.

The Jazz closed out the best-of- five series in Game 4. The resulting uproar led to the departure of Bass and Lucas, and the hiring of Gregg Popovich and Bob Hill.

1995: Hill and his crew topped the NBA with 62 regular-season victories and marched into the playoffs with a title on their minds. The quixotic Avery Johnson proclaimed: “We’re going to go 15-3.” The Spurs swept Denver and outlasted the Lakers, winning twice in overtime.

Rodman still was marching to his own drummer and the Spurs still were missing outside shots when they took on Houston in the Western Conference finals.

The hoopla was exuberant in the Alamodome until Robinson, the regular-season MVP, woke up to a nightmare - Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. As a result, the Rockets won three games in San Antonio and the Game 6 clincher in Houston on their way to another NBA title.

“That one hurts most of all,” Elliott said. “We thought we could win it all. They seemed to have a different star every night.”

1996: The Spurs again busted through the season and won the Midwest Division with 59 victories. They polished off the Suns in four games.

The Spurs then got their ears boxed by Utah, bowing out in six games. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, never one to disparage a defeated foe, admitted he hadn’t expected it to be so easy after a 108-81 series- clinching victory in Game 6.

Robinson first lashed out at referee Steve Javie, then apologized to his teammates for his performance.

Popovich was distressed at the lack of toughness and indicated the coaching staff should have seen the train coming long before the wreck. He fired Hill early the next season.

1998: Popovich floored a mentally tougher and more physical unit. The Spurs took out Phoenix in four games, featuring rambunctious and determined play by Johnson.

Alas, the next trip was to Utah, where the Spurs missed potential winning shots at the end of Games 1 and 2.

Back home, San Antonio romped in Game 3 and hopes soared. But Malone silenced the Alamodome with a 34-point explosion in Game 4.

With Rookie of the Year Tim Duncan operating on a twisted ankle suffered late in Game 2, the Spurs were sent packing with a Game 5 loss at the Delta Center.

Like so many other times in their history, the Silver and Black were left pondering the odd twists, turns and bounces of balls that, in the end, have yet to go their way.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-09, By Johnny Ludden

一个谦虚的提议：马刺队对狼队的谦逊战术

他们完成了球队历史上最令人印象深刻的常规赛收官，击败了所有人们说他们无法击败的球队。他们已经锁定了季后赛的主场优势，并将很快在阿拉莫穹顶的屋顶上挂起他们的第 10 个分区冠军旗帜。

当马刺队今天下午开始季后赛时，他们将以 NBA 最热门球队的身份登场。但据他们自己说，他们还不是最好的球队。

“在我们看来，我们不是西部联盟最好的球队，”艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)说。“无论 NBA 的记录怎么说，我们仍然不是最强的球队。

“我们还有很多东西要证明。”

马刺队在过去 36 场比赛中赢了 31 场。他们在三角洲中心将犹他队限制在 69 分。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)的左膝在周六感觉很好。迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)甚至退役了。尽管如此，他们还是有点自卑。

背负着巨大的期望，马刺队自信地踏上了与明尼苏达队的五场系列赛，但他们足够明智地记住他们还没有取得任何值得纪念的成就。

“说，”马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)说，“是廉价的。”

鉴于此，凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)，这位 22 岁的森林狼全明星前锋，已经开始淡化球队“震惊世界”的口号。

“我只是告诉你们，我对我的球队有信心，”加内特说。“我不是来这里说我们会击败他们，他们会横扫我们，他们会击败我们。

“我只是让你知道我对我和我的球队有什么感受。”

与马刺队一样，明尼苏达队也有理由对自身感到良好。森林狼队在很长一段时间内首次恢复健康。他们已经证明，只要有时间准备，他们就是一支危险的球队。而且他们已经两次击败了马刺队。

以下是本系列赛中需要注意的五个领域：

特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)：自从 3 月 11 日从密尔沃基转会到明尼苏达后，布兰登一直断断续续地出现在阵容中，他那间歇性的进攻可能会给马刺队带来麻烦。他有能力避开蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)和罗宾逊的长臂，从 15 英尺处出手。

马刺队在过去两个赛季中只与布兰登交手过一次，他在去年春天取得了 19 分和 8 次助攻。在为森林狼队效力的 21 场比赛中，布兰登的助攻失误比为 5.39 比 1，场均 9.8 次助攻。

加内特：明尼苏达队已经展现出打高个或打小个的能力。然而，加内特是稳定的存在。

在本赛季对阵马刺队的三场比赛中，他场均 15.0 分、13.0 个篮板、4.0 次助攻、3.7 个盖帽和 2.7 个抢断。加内特的投篮命中率只有 31.3%，他并没有在进攻端给马刺队造成太大伤害，但在防守端却带来了很大麻烦。有一场比赛，他防守了邓肯、罗宾逊、肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)和史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)。

埃利奥特比加内特矮了 5 英寸，他需要在内线得到帮助。

邓肯面对双人包夹：在明尼阿波利斯的两场比赛中，森林狼队将邓肯的得分压制在 18 分，只要他触球就对他进行包夹。

从那以后，马刺队在进攻方面效率更高，他们非常依赖挡拆战术。邓肯在引诱和传球方面做得更好，他能够摆脱双人包夹。他的队友也通过更快地到位来帮助他。

“(森林狼队)对我的防守很强硬，”邓肯说。“希望我能够早早进入状态，让他们为此付出代价。”

马刺队的锋线：将近一个月前，达拉斯教练唐·尼尔森(Don Nelson)说，这是马刺队在季后赛中可能遇到的一个问题。

约翰逊在投中距离投篮方面做得很好，并且在防守队员退却时找到了空位，但他们在最近四场比赛中只投进了 33 个三分球中的 6 个（18.2%）。

埃利奥特在最近六场比赛中的投篮命中率为 33.3%（54 投 18 中），三分球命中率为 16.7%。贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)在篮板和防守方面表现出色，但他仍然是一个不稳定的射手。

埃利在整个职业生涯中都在季后赛中证明了自己是一个关键球员。科尔也是如此，虽然他并没有在季后赛开始前获得稳定的出场时间。

加内特没有防守的人：如果加内特防守邓肯，罗宾逊的进攻压力将会增加。

在他最近的五场比赛中，罗宾逊场均 20.8 分和 13.0 个篮板，投篮命中率为 55%。他在进攻篮筐附近更加活跃，不断地扣篮和转身投篮。

“圣安东尼奥表现如此出色的原因之一是蒂米和戴夫能够利用他们的身高优势来统治比赛，”明尼苏达教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)说。“这也是我们的优势。如果你能够把自己置于一个不会完全被他们的打法压制的位置，那么你就给自己赢得了一线生机。”

埃利奥特同意这种观点。这就是为什么马刺队不能忽视他们输给明尼苏达队的两场比赛。

“你不能把它们抛之脑后，”埃利奥特说。“你必须看看那些比赛，并且感到害怕。这是件好事。

“我们知道，我们不能过分自信或者自负。我们不能认为我们会轻松地进入比赛并横扫他们。”

点击查看原文：A modest proposal Spurs take humble tack to humbling Wolves

A modest proposal Spurs take humble tack to humbling Wolves

They completed one of the most impressive regular- season finishes in franchise history, beating every team anyone said they couldn’t beat. They have secured home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and will soon hang their 10th divisional title banner from the Alamodome rafters.

When the Spurs open the postseason this afternoon, they will do so as the NBA’s hottest team. But, according to themselves, not its best.

“In our minds we’re not the best team in the Western Conference,” Avery Johnson said. "We’re still not the team to beat no matter what the NBA records say.

“We still have a lot to prove.”

The Spurs won 31 of their last 36 games. They held Utah to 69 points in the Delta Center. David Robinson’s left knee felt fine Saturday. Michael Jordan even retired. And they still have a bit of a self-esteem problem.

Saddled with enormous expectations, the Spurs head into their best-of-five series with Minnesota confident, but wise enough to remember they have yet to accomplish anything memorable.

“Talk,” Mario Elie said, “is cheap.”

Given that, Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves’ 22- year-old All-Star forward, has taken to downplaying the team’s “Shock The World” mantra.

“I’m just telling y’all I’m confident in my team,” Garnett said. "I’m not here to say we’re going to beat them, they’re going to sweep us, they’re going to beat us.

“I’m just letting you know how I feel about myself and my team.”

Like the Spurs, Minnesota has reason to feel good about itself. The Timberwolves are healthy for the first time in a long while. They have proved to be a dangerous team when given time to prepare. And they have beaten the Spurs twice.

Here then are five areas to watch during the series:

Terrell Brandon: In and out of the lineup since coming to Minnesota from Milwaukee on March 11, Brandon could give the Spurs problems with his in-between game. He has the ability to avoid driving into the long arms of Tim Duncan and Robinson by pulling up from 15 feet.

The Spurs have only faced Brandon once in the last two seasons when he scored 19 points and handed out eight assists last spring. In 21 games with the Timberwolves, Brandon had a 5.39-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging 9.8 assists a game.

Garnett: Minnesota has shown the ability to play tall or small. Garnett, however, is the constant.

In three games against the Spurs this season, he averaged 15.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.7 blocks and 2.7 steals. Shooting only 31.3 percent, Garnett didn’t hurt the Spurs offensively as much as defensively. In one game he guarded Duncan, Robinson, Sean Elliott and Steve Kerr.

Elliott, who gives up five inches to Garnett, will need help in the post.

Duncan against the double teams: In the two meetings in Minneapolis, the Timberwolves held Duncan to a combined 18 points, swarming him whenever he touched the ball.

Since then the Spurs have been a more efficient offensive team, relying heavily on the pick-and-roll. Duncan has done a better job baiting and passing out of the double teams. His teammates have helped by getting into position quicker.

“(The Timberwolves) have played me tough,” Duncan said. “Hopefully, I can get rolling early and make them pay for it.” The Spurs’ perimeter game: Almost a month ago Dallas coach Don Nelson said this was the one area that could hold back the Spurs in the playoffs.

Johnson has done a good job of knocking down the mid-range jumper and finding the open lane when defenders drop off, but in their last four games, the Spurs have made 6 of 33 three-pointers (18.2 percent).

Elliott is shooting (18 of 54) 33.3 percent over his last six games, 16.7 percent from three-point range. Jaren Jackson has rebounded and defended well, but remains a streaky shooter.

Elie has proved to be clutch in the playoffs throughout his career. So has Kerr, who hasn’t earned consistent minutes heading into the postseason.

Whoever Garnett isn’t guarding: If Garnett is matched with Duncan, Robinson’s offensive load will increase.

In his last five games, Robinson has averaged 20.8 points and 13.0 boards while shooting 55 percent. He has been much more active around the offensive basket, dunking and spinning to the hoop.

“One of the reasons San Antonio has played so well is because Timmy and Dave have been able to dominate using their length,” Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. “That’s also our strength. If you can put yourself in a situation where you aren’t totally dominated by how they play, then you give yourself a chance.”

Elliott agrees. That’s why the Spurs, he said, can’t overlook their two losses to Minnesota.

“You can’t throw them out,” Elliott said. "You have to look at those and be afraid. And that’s good.

“We know we can’t be overconfident or cocky. We can’t think we’re just going to walk in and sweep them.” D

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-09, By Buck Harvey

Go Spurs Go? 是时候决定距离了

如果你反对用哪怕一毛钱的公共资金修建体育场，那么就支持森林狼吧。

他们为你工作，也为圣路易斯、新奥尔良或橙县工作。几年前差点从明尼阿波利斯搬走的森林狼，现在也可以把马刺搬走。

任何关注本月城市选举的人都知道这里的氛围：圣安东尼奥的末日。而任何感受到不断增长的夺冠期望的人都知道，首轮爆冷会让这种氛围增加十倍。

所以这不是另一支球队在另一轮季后赛中的表现。东部第一的迈阿密热火队在周六输了20分，如果他们继续输给尼克斯，他们就会带着羞愧离开。如果西部第一的球队输了，他们就只会离开。

这会改变“Go Spurs Go”的口号，不是吗？

球员们自己并不感到体育场带来的压力。有些人把圣安东尼奥当作家，但大多数人会搬走并适应。所以马刺在面对森林狼时并没有太大的焦虑，部分原因是森林狼唯一比篮板更糟糕的事情就是在客场赢球。

尽管如此，每一个五场三胜制的系列赛都充满了火药味，这超越了热火在周六的表现。即使是迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)去年也要在加时赛中才能击败第八种子篮网队，拿下首场比赛的胜利。

所以疯狂的事情有可能发生，尤其是在面对疯狂的对手时。明尼苏达就是这样。在经历了艰难的赛季之后，赛季中期的一笔交易让森林狼更加艰难。所以他们会被横扫吗？还是他们会像1991年的金州勇士队一样，以第七种子的身份击败马刺，因为那些勇士队在圣安东尼奥的眼前完成了融合？

马刺不知道。马刺自从2月22日以来就没有见过加内特(Kevin Garnett)，自1998年以来就没有见过特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)，他们从未见过加内特和布兰登在一起打球。今天可能是第一次，当分区对手在5月份相遇。

然后是期望。球迷们兴奋得忘记了这些马刺队很少有人能轻易战胜。如果马刺今天像过去几周一样获胜，他们将在下半场落后的情况下获胜。

那么如果布兰登在比赛后期多次突破到内线，像往常一样杀到12英尺以内，然后看着加内特，在罗宾逊(David Robinson)和邓肯(Tim Duncan)的围墙开始逼近之前出手，会发生什么呢？

影响将是毁灭性的。没有人确切地知道马刺需要在季后赛中走多远才能为球馆获得重大支持，就像去年圣地亚哥教士队和丹佛野马队那样。但有一点是明确的：如果在首轮输球，马刺可能就只会得到一毛钱的公共资金。

城市选举已经结束，没有一个人勇敢到提出任何方案。这发生在城市研究确定圣安东尼奥需要一个中型体育场之后，也是皮特·霍尔特(Peter Holt)公开宣布要在明年冬天解决此事之后。

随着选举结束，局势可能会发生变化。但是这个问题已经摆在城市面前好几年了，到目前为止，唯一提出的资金方案来自霍尔特及其开发合作伙伴。那些对霍尔特只承诺了大约2000万美元感到失望的人应该明白，自从他提出这个方案以来，没有人提出反对意见。

所以想象一下，现在输球意味着什么。格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)会被解雇。大卫·罗宾逊的季后赛声誉将继续受损。霍尔特将试图推销一位新教练，以及蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的另外十年。

圣安东尼奥，而不是记住其唯一一支主要联赛球队的价值，将会转向其他业务。比如：天哪，我们能再举办一场NFL季前赛吗？

没有什么比生死之战更能让人兴奋了。

点击查看原文：Go Spurs Go? Time to decide the distance

Go Spurs Go? Time to decide the distance

If you root against even one public dime being spent on an arena, then root for the Timberwolves.

They work for you, and for St. Louis, New Orleans or Orange County. The same Timberwolves who almost moved from Minneapolis a few years ago can move the Spurs now.

Anyone who paid attention to this month’s city elections knows the mood here. Alamo-doom. And anyone who feels the rising championship expectations knows how a first-round upset would increase that mood tenfold.

So this isn’t another franchise in another playoff round. The No. 1 seed in the East, Miami, lost by 20 points Saturday, and, if the Heat go on to lose to the Knicks, they leave embarrassed. If the No. 1 seed in the West loses, they just leave.

That changes the “Go Spurs Go” jingle, doesn’t it?

The players themselves don’t feel arena pressure. Some call San Antonio home, but most would move and adapt. So the Spurs approach the Timberwolves without much anxiety, partly because the only thing Minnesota does worse than rebound is win on the road.

Still, every best-of-five series is testy, and it extends beyond what the Heat did Saturday. Even Michael Jordan needed OT last year to beat the eighth-seeded Nets in the opener.

So the crazy is possible, especially against the crazy. Minnesota is that. Already in a crunched season, a midseason trade crunched the Wolves even more. So are they sweepable, or are they not unlike 1991 Golden State, a seventh seed that upset the Spurs because those Warriors meshed before San Antonio’s eyes?

The Spurs don’t know. The Spurs haven’t seen Garnett since Feb. 22 or Terrell Brandon since 1998, and they’ve never seen Garnett and Brandon together. Today could be a first, when divisional opponents are introduced in May.

Then there are the expectations. Fans are so giddy they forget these Spurs rarely run away from anyone. If the Spurs win today as they won the past few weeks, they will do so after trailing in the second half.

So what happens if Brandon works inside a few times late in the game, penetrating to within 12 feet as he does, looks off of Garnett - and pulls up just before the Robinson-Duncan wall begins?

The impact would be devastating. No one is sure exactly how far the Spurs need to go in the playoffs to generate significant support for a facility, as both the Padres and Broncos did in their cities last year. But this is clear: Lose in the first round, and one public dime is about what the Spurs would get.

The city elections passed without anyone brave enough to even suggest options. This came after a city study determined San Antonio needs a midsized arena, as well as Peter Holt’s well-known intention to get this resolved by next winter.

The dynamics could change with the election over. But the issue has been in front of the city for several years now, and the only funding concept thrown around thus far has come from Holt and development partners. Those disappointed because Holt only pledged about $20 million should understand no one has come to him since with a counter.

So imagine what a loss does now. Gregg Popovich would be replaced. David Robinson’s playoff reputation would continue. Holt would try to promote a new coach, as well as another decade of Tim Duncan.

And San Antonio, instead of remembering the value of its only major-league franchise, would turn to other business. Such as: Gosh, can we land another NFL preseason game?

Nothing like a do-or-die series.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-09, By Jerry Briggs

独狼——特雷尔·布兰登为明尼苏达带来诸多帮助

明尼苏达森林狼队的控球后卫特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)周三晚上在美国西部球馆更衣室里，双脚浸泡在一桶冰水中。

当被问及对森林狼和菲尼克斯太阳队的常规赛收官战的评价时，布兰登展现了他与周围沙漠荒原一样干巴巴的幽默感。

“（太阳队后卫）杰森(Kidd)和我上半场还在互相开玩笑，”布兰登说道，他轻松随和的态度或许会在今天与头号种子马刺队的季后赛较量中派上用场。“我们在聊着建一栋砖房的事。”

砖，指的是那些偏离篮筐，发出砰砰声的失手投篮。

上半场结束时，布兰登5投2中。基德则是8投3中。最终，布兰登找回了他的投篮手感。下半场他12投6中，在与基德的个人对决中获胜，最终得到19分和13次助攻。

但基德的球队赢了，以100-96战胜了森林狼，为森林狼25胜25负的常规赛画上了一个令人清醒的句号。

“作为一支球队，我们已经走得很远了，”布兰登说。“在赛季中期有球员被交易，在关键时刻有人生病，但我们能团结在一起，保持职业精神，这说明了我们球队的实力。”

对于布兰登来说，这位曾经在俄勒冈大学获得过太平洋十联盟年度最佳球员的球员，今年过得并不寻常。

去年秋天，他只是众多被封锁的NBA球员中的一个。联盟封锁结束后，他于二月加盟了密尔沃基雄鹿队。但在三月，布兰登在一笔有争议的三方交易中加盟了森林狼。

对于布兰登来说，这是他两年内第二次搬家，此前在1997年他被从克利夫兰交易到了密尔沃基。马布里告诉森林狼，他今夏不会与球队续约，迫使球队寻找替代者。

据报道，布兰登在雄鹿主教练乔治·卡尔那里已经失宠，他又一次要换地方了。

“（过渡）非常容易，首先是因为我已经经历过这种情况了，”布兰登说。“其次，发生在（森林狼）球队（和马布里）身上的一切与我无关。

“因此，我不需要强迫自己成为一个不属于我的人。我的队友们已经了解我的球风，所以我不需要强迫自己。一切都非常轻松。”

布兰登表示，他并没有感到任何压力要成为下一个马布里。他来到球队的时候没有感到压力，现在进入季后赛也没有感到压力。

“我的球风，”他坚持说，“是独一无二的。”

明尼苏达主教练弗利普·桑德斯表示，布兰登帮助森林狼适应了没有马布里的生活。

“交易之后总是很难进入节奏，”桑德斯说，“但他带来的东西是领导力，还有在中距离，也就是18-20英尺范围内的投篮能力。

“而且，任何时候你拥有一位前全明星控球后卫，他总是会给球队带来一些自信和自信。他在助攻失误比方面领跑联盟，所以当他在场上时，我们是一支失误率很低的球队。”

布兰登曾在1996年和1997年入选全明星阵容，听到马布里在没有入选过NBA全明星阵容的情况下就达到了某种“巨星”地位，他摇了摇头。

“这只是一件很平常的事，”布兰登说。“不可能每个人都成为超级巨星。我接受自己的角色。对我来说，不成为超级巨星是一件好事。你可以拥有正常的生活。我只有5英尺11英寸。所以，我不太容易被认出来。我的整个职业生涯都是这样，我已经接受了。”

布兰登在克利夫兰效力于主教练迈克·弗拉特洛手下，逐渐赢得了他在NBA的尊重。

“我记得自己从哪里来，我认为这帮助我保持了对事物的客观认识，”布兰登说。“我并不高大，所以人们说我不会坚持太久。但我已经完成了我的第八个赛季。所以对此我感到非常自豪。”

点击查看原文：The Lone Wolf - Terrell Brandon has plenty of game to offer Minnesota

The Lone Wolf - Terrell Brandon has plenty of game to offer Minnesota

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon had both feet submerged in a bucket of ice in the locker room at America West Arena on Wednesday night.

Asked to assess the regular-season finale between the Wolves and the Phoenix Suns, Brandon flashed a sense of humor that was as dry as the surrounding desert plain.

“(Suns guard) Jason (Kidd) and I were joking with each other in the first half,” said Brandon, whose easygoing manner could come in handy during today’s playoff duel with the top-seeded Spurs. “We were talking about building a brick house.”

Bricks, as in missed shots, clanging off the rims.

At the half, Brandon was 2 of 5 from the field. Kidd was 3 of 8. In the end, Brandon re- discovered his jumper. He hit 6 of 12 in the second half and won the personal battle with Kidd, finishing with 19 points and 13 assists.

But Kidd’s team won, pulling out a 100-96 victory, a final, sobering footnote in the Timberwolves’ 25-25 regular season.

“We’ve come a long way as a team,” Brandon said. “With trades in the middle of the year and sickness at the wrong times, and for us to stay together and be professional, it says something about our guys.”

It has been an unusual year for Brandon, the former Pac-10 Player of the Year at Oregon.

Last fall, he was just another locked-out NBA player. When the lockout was lifted, he reported to the Milwaukee Bucks in February. But in March, Brandon came to the Timberwolves in a controversial three-team deal.

For Brandon, it was the second move he had made in two years, since being shipped from Cleveland to Milwaukee in 1997. Marbury told the Timberwolves he would not re-sign with them this summer, forcing them to find a replacement.

Brandon, who reportedly had fallen out of favor with Bucks coach George Karl, was changing addresses once again.

“It’s been (a) very easy (transition), first of all, because I’ve been through it before,” Brandon said. "Second of all, what happened with the (Timberwolves’) franchise (and Marbury), that had nothing to do with me.

“So, because of that, I didn’t have to come in and try to be someone I’m not. My teammates knew my game already, so I didn’t have to over- extend myself. It’s been very relaxed.”

Brandon said he didn’t feel any pressure to be another Marbury. He didn’t feel any pressure when he arrived and doesn’t feel any now going into the playoffs.

“My game,” he insisted, “stands on its own.”

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said Brandon has helped the Timberwolves make the adjustment to life without Marbury.

“It’s always tough after a trade to get into a rhythm,” Saunders said, "but what he’s brought is leadership, the ability to shoot the ball in the mid-range game, as far as 18-20 feet.

“And, any time you have a former All-Star point guard, he always brings a little swagger and confidence to your team. He led the league in assist-turnover ratio, so when he’s on the floor, we’re a very low turnover team.”

Brandon, who made All-Star teams in 1996 and '97, shook his head at the mention that Marbury had reached a certain “star” billing without having made an NBA All-Star team.

“It’s just one of those things,” Brandon said. “Everyone can’t be a superstar. I accept my role. To me, it’s nice not to be a superstar. You have a regular life. I’m only 5-11. So, I’m not very recognizable. It’s been like that my whole career and I accept it.”

Brandon gradually earned his respect in the NBA under Coach Mike Fratello at Cleveland.

“I remember where I came from and I think it’s helped me keep things in perspective,” Brandon said. “I wasn’t that big, so people said I wouldn’t last that long. But I just completed my eighth year. So I’m very proud of that.”

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Johnny Ludden

马刺亮出獠牙 - 狼群狂吠 - 圣安东尼奥在第一场咬下一口

选票已经统计完毕，但这并不重要。当蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)走向罚球线时，阿拉莫穹顶的 22,356 名观众都投下了自己的票：M-V-P！M-V-P！

凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett) 周日下午也对邓肯说了一些话。不过，没有一句是赞美的。据唇语专家解读，加内特以一种非常像狗的方式，祝邓肯母亲节快乐。

两位球员都没有透露第一节对话的具体内容，但这足以让邓肯露出笑容。然后他转身离开，甚至没有反驳。

“蒂姆不会被这些东西困扰，”马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)说，“看看数据统计吧。”

26 分。12 个篮板。4 次助攻。没有失误。毫无疑问。至少在周日下午，邓肯占了上风。在最后 21 分钟里，他以 14-0 的比分领先加内特，帮助马刺队以 99-86 击败明尼苏达森林狼队，取得了五场三胜系列赛的第一场胜利。

“我们知道该怎么做，”邓肯说。“我们知道我们的目标，也知道需要付出什么才能实现。我们不需要任何人的激励。”

周日需要的，是埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 的 21 分和 10 次助攻，下半场的稳固防守以及替补球员的帮助。邓肯的表现当然也功不可没。

他下半场得到 16 分，8 次罚球全部命中，抢下的篮板球中有一半是进攻篮板。当约翰逊的三分球在第三节中段弹框而出时，邓肯将球从空中抓下并扣篮得分，将领先优势扩大到 8 分。

“蒂姆得到那个球后，他就进入状态了，变得非常活跃，”埃利说。“他投篮命中率很高，也经常罚球。

“我认为蒂姆在这场对决中占了上风。蒂姆赢得了第一回合。但永远不要低估凯文·加内特。”

加内特在周日给马刺队带来了很多麻烦。上半场他得到 15 分和 3 次盖帽。第三节开局，他连续得到 6 分，帮助森林狼队以 57-56 领先。

但仅此而已。双人包夹迫使加内特传球失误。第三节还剩 3 分 25 秒时，他因为肘击马里克·罗斯(Malik Rose) 领到第四次犯规，被换下场。当加内特在下半场开始时重新回到场上时，他四投不中，还出现了三次失误。

“我认为他有点累，”森林狼队主教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)说。“他错过了一些好机会。”

与此同时，约翰逊并没有错过太多机会。他投出的 8 个球中，除了一个之外，其他都是至少 14 英尺外的投篮。其中 5 个来自 18 英尺或更远的地方。他只出现了一次失误。

桑德斯认为，约翰逊的出手次数不够多。森林狼队想要迫使邓肯和大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 传球。桑德斯说，比赛的转折点是约翰逊在下半场放弃投篮，帮助加内特和其他森林狼队的内线球员陷入犯规麻烦。

“他已经 47 岁了，但每个人都还在放他，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 谈到约翰逊时说。“如果他们相信他能投进这些球，他们早就停止这么做了。”

约翰逊不仅打得森林狼队措手不及。第二节开局，他冲到替补席上，怒斥队友们没有在特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon) 进入篮下之前将他拦住。

“我们都有理由互相吼，”肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)说。“没有人互相防守。我也可以对一些人吼。有些人也可以对我吼。”

罗宾逊说：“他们得到了一些空位投篮的机会。我们不应该给他们空位投篮的机会。”

部分原因是，马刺队在上半场只以 50-49 领先。但在第三节还剩 6 分 42 秒时，约翰逊送布兰登领到第四次犯规，被换下场后，马刺队在接下来的 10 分中得到 8 分。

贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson) 和安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels) 连续命中三分球，在下半场开局将领先优势扩大到 11 分。森林狼队此后一直无法将比分差距缩小到 9 分以内。

“现在，”加内特说，“我们只需要回到训练场，看看会发生什么。

“我很兴奋，因为我们已经进入季后赛了。…如果我们击败他们，我们会获得更多。如果我们赢了，我们就会像神一样。”

周日，加内特说了很多话。比赛开始不到 5 分钟，他就开始对邓肯狂吠。邓肯转过身，露出笑容，裁判休·霍林斯(Hue Hollins) 站在两人之间。

“加内特就是这样打球的，”埃利说。“跟人说话没什么错，但‘大轻松’（‘the Big Easy’）——我叫蒂姆‘大轻松’——他太酷了。”

当加内特坐在板凳上，比赛结束时，阿拉莫穹顶的球迷们替邓肯说话。“震动世界！”他们高喊。“震动世界！”

马刺队 vs. 森林狼队

第一场：马刺 99，森林狼 86

精彩瞬间：蒂姆·邓肯得到 26 分，抢下 12 个篮板，埃弗里·约翰逊贡献 21 分和 10 次助攻，马刺队牢牢压制住森林狼队。

第二场：周二晚上 7 点，阿拉莫穹顶；电视：付费观看

第三场：周四下午 6 点，明尼苏达州；电视：KSAT

第四场*：周五下午 6 点，明尼苏达州；电视：NBC 或 KSAT

第五场*：周日下午 6 点，阿拉莫穹顶；付费观看 *：如有必要

广播：WOAI-AM 1200；西班牙语：KCOR-AM 1350。

点击查看原文：Spurs flash their teeth - Timberwolves bark - S.A. bites in Game 1

Spurs flash their teeth - Timberwolves bark - S.A. bites in Game 1

The ballots already have been counted, but that didn’t matter. When Tim Duncan walked to the free-throw line, 22,356 people in the Alamodome cast their votes: M-V- P! M-V-P!

Kevin Garnett called Duncan a few things, too, Sunday afternoon. None of it nearly so complimentary. In a very canine way, according to lip readers, he wished Duncan a happy Mother’s Day.

Neither player would reveal the exact contents of the first-quarter message, but it was enough to make Duncan smile. Then he walked away without so much as a rebuttal.

“Tim doesn’t get caught up in all that,” Mario Elie said. “Just read the stat sheet.”

Twenty-six points. Twelve rebounds. Four assists. No turnovers. No doubt about it. For at least one afternoon, Duncan had the last word. Outscoring Garnett 14-0 in the final 21 minutes, he helped lead the Spurs to a 99-86 victory over Minnesota in the first game of their best-of-five series.

“We know what we have to do,” Duncan said. “We know our goals and what it will take to get there. We don’t need any motivation from anyone.”

What it took Sunday was 21 points and 10 assists from Avery Johnson, sturdy defense in the second half and help from the bench. Duncan’s effort didn’t hurt, either.

Sixteen of his points came after halftime. He made all eight of his free throws, and half of his boards were on the offensive glass. When Johnson’s layup bounced high off the rim in the middle of the third quarter, Duncan plucked it out of the air and threw down a dunk for an eight-point lead.

“After Tim got that, he was in the game. He was active,” Elie said. "He was hitting his shot, getting to the free-throw line.

“I think Tim got the better of the matchup. Tim got round one. But don’t ever count Kevin Garnett out.”

Garnett gave the Spurs plenty of problems Sunday. At halftime he had 15 points and three blocks. He scored six straight points against Duncan early in the third quarter to stake the Timberwolves to a 57- 56 lead.

But that was it. A double-team forced Garnett to throw away a pass. With 3:25 left in the third quarter, he went to the bench after elbowing Malik Rose for his fourth foul. When Garnett returned to start the final quarter, he missed four shots and committed three turnovers.

“I think he got a little winded,” Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. “He missed a couple of good looks.”

Johnson, meanwhile, didn’t miss much. All but one of his eight baskets were from at least 14 feet. Five came from 18 feet or longer. He finished with just one turnover.

The way Saunders saw it, Johnson didn’t shoot enough. The Timberwolves wanted to force the ball out of Duncan and David Robinson’s hands. The game turned, Saunders said, when Johnson passed up shots in the second half and helped get Garnett and the rest of Minnesota’s big men in foul trouble.

“He’s about 47 years old and everybody’s still leaving him,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Johnson. “If they believed he could make those, they would have stopped a long time ago.”

Johnson didn’t just blister the Timberwolves. Early in the second quarter he stormed to the bench and ripped his teammates for not helping cut off Terrell Brandon before he got to the basket.

“We all had reason to yell at each other,” Sean Elliott said. “No one was helping each other on defense. I could have yelled at some guys. Some guys could have yelled at me.”

Said Robinson: “They were getting open shots. We never give up open shots.”

Thanks in part to that, the Spurs led only 50-49 at halftime. But after Johnson sent Brandon to the bench with his fourth foul with 6:42 left in the third quarter, the Spurs scored eight of the next 10 points.

Jaren Jackson and Antonio Daniels hit back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to 11 early in the final quarter. Minnesota didn’t get closer than nine the rest of the way.

“Now,” Garnett said, "we just have to go back into the lab and see what happens.

“I’m pumped up because we are in the playoffs. … If we beat them, we have more to gain. If we win we come out looking like gods. So to speak.”

Garnett had plenty to say Sunday. Less than five minutes into the game he started barking at Duncan. Duncan turned and smiled before official Hue Hollins stepped in between the two players.

“That’s how Garnett plays,” Elie said. “There’s nothing wrong with talking to a guy, but ‘the Big Easy’ - that’s what I call Tim - is so cool.”

With Garnett on the bench and the clock winding down, the Alamodome crowd did Duncan’s talking for him. “Shock the world!” they chanted. “Shock the world!”

Spurs vs. T’wolves

Game 1: @Spurs 99, T’wolves 86

Highlights: Tim Duncan scores 26 points and grabs 12 boards, and Avery Johnson dishes out 10 assists to go with his 21 points as the Spurs keep the Timberwolves at bay.

Game 2: 7 p.m. Tuesday @Alamodome; TV: pay-per-view

Game 3: 6 p.m. Thursday @Minnesota; TV: KSAT

Game 4*: TBA May 15 @Minnesota; TV: NBC or KSAT

Game 5*: TBA May 17 @Alamodome; pay-per-view *: If necessary

Radio: WOAI-AM 1200; in Spanish, KCOR-AM 1350.

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Staff Reports

马刺队笔记

门票: 季后赛C组比赛的门票将于今日上午8点开始在马刺队售票处发售。C组比赛将是马刺队对森林狼队的第五场比赛，或者西部半决赛首场比赛。门票也可以在所有Ticketmaster售票处从上午10点开始购买。

门票价格从$9.50到$53.50不等。

一人太多: 马刺队在上半场结束时出现了一个奇怪的事件，他们因为场上出现了六名球员而被判技术犯规。

在蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的跳投帮助马刺队在第二节还剩12.5秒时以50-48领先后，明尼苏达队叫了暂停。杰罗姆·克西(Jerome Kersey)以为自己要替换下犯规两次的肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)而登场。

然而，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)认为埃利奥特会继续留在场上。明尼苏达队发球，波波维奇朝站在他旁边的埃利奥特喊着让他上场。

埃利奥特走上球场，而马刺队已经拥有艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)、马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)、马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)、邓肯和克西，因此被判六人上场犯规。萨姆·米切尔(Sam Mitchell)罚进了技术犯规罚球，将马刺队的领先优势缩小到一分。

“这只是一个误解，”埃利奥特说。

当明尼苏达队发球时，比赛时间仅剩6.1秒，詹姆斯·罗宾逊(James Robinson)三分不中，避免了进一步的损失。森林狼队主教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)在下半场继续争辩说，技术犯规是一个死球犯规，不应该计时。

吸引关注: 邓肯全场最高得分26分，但他没有获得太多轻松的投篮机会。

他其中8分来自罚球线。他9个进球中的两个来自于进攻篮板。在上半场，他只出手5次，命中4次，罚球2次。

凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)防守邓肯，但经常得到帮助。明尼苏达队通过至少派出一名防守球员协防邓肯来迫使他无法持球。

“我们必须想办法让蒂姆获得更好的投篮机会，”埃利奥特说。“我不知道我们是否可以只依靠将球传给蒂姆，希望对方包夹他，然后将球传出来。

“我们需要找到一种方法，让他摆脱包夹，拉开空间。”

首场比赛的忧郁: 森林狼队在周日的失利使他们在过去10年的三场季后赛系列赛的首场比赛中战绩为0-3。

两年前，他们在首场比赛中输给了休斯敦火箭队，最终在五场三胜制系列赛中被横扫。上赛季，他们在第一场比赛中输给了西雅图超音速队，最终被淘汰出局。

史密斯被封锁: 前锋乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)是森林狼队在停摆结束后签下的自由球员，他在34分钟的比赛中受到犯规困扰，只得到7分和5个篮板。在汤姆·古格里奥塔(Tom Gugliotta)转投菲尼克斯太阳队后，森林狼队签下了史密斯。

点击查看原文：Spurs Notes

Spurs Notes

Tickets: Playoff tickets for Game C - which will be either Game 5 of the Spurs-Timberwolves series or the opening game of the Western Conference semifinals series - go on sale today beginning at 8 a.m. at the Spurs’ box office. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets beginning at 10 a.m.

Tickets range in price from $9.50 to $53.50.

One too many: The Spurs were involved in a bizarre play at the end of the first half when they were called for a technical for having six players on the court.

After Tim Duncan’s jump shot gave the Spurs a 50-48 lead with 12.5 seconds left in the second, Minnesota called timeout. Jerome Kersey checked into the game, thinking he was going in for Sean Elliott who had two fouls.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, however, thought Elliott was staying in the game. Minnesota inbounded the ball and Popovich yelled at Elliott, who was standing next to him on the sideline, to get in.

Elliott stepped onto the court and the Spurs - who already had Avery Johnson, Malik Rose, Mario Elie, Duncan and Kersey checked in - were whistled for having six players in the game. Sam Mitchell sunk the technical free throw, cutting the Spurs’ lead to one.

“It was just a miscommunication,” Elliott said.

When Minnesota inbounded, the ball only 6.1 seconds remained and James Robinson missed a three- pointer, preventing any further damage. Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders continued to argue after halftime that the technical was a dead-ball foul and no time should have expired.

Attracting attention: Duncan finished with a game-high 26 points, but he didn’t get too many easy shots.

Eight of his points came from the free-throw line. Two of his nine baskets came off offensive rebounds. In the first half he took only five shots - making four - and two free throws.

Kevin Garnett guarded Duncan, but often received help. Minnesota forced the ball out of Duncan’s hands by running at least one other defender at him.

“We have to devise a way to get Tim better shots,” Elliott said. "I don’t know if we can just rely on throwing the ball in to Tim, hoping the double team comes and then kicking it out.

“We need to find a way to get him away from the double teams and spread the floor.”

Game 1 blues: The Timberwolves’ loss Sunday left them 0-3 in the first games of the three playoff series in their 10-year history.

Two years ago, they dropped the first game against the Houston Rockets and went on to be swept 3-0 in a best-of-five series. Last season, they dropped Game 1 at Seattle against the Sonics and ended up being eliminated 3-2.

Smith shut down: Forward Joe Smith, a Timberwolves free-agent acquisition before the start of the lockout-shortened season, managed only seven points and five rebounds in 34 fouled-plagued minutes. The Wolves signed Smith in the wake of Tom Gugliotta’s defection to the Phoenix Suns. - Staff Reports

By Staff Reports, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Glenn Rogers

马刺替补席成为成功的基石 - 充满活力的圣安东尼奥替补球员强调煽动性

“来吧，替补们，你们都听到了。”

这是马刺替补球员的集结号，周日下午在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆响彻云霄。

这充满活力的号角唤醒了圣安东尼奥的替补席，他们打得像另一支首发阵容，帮助球队以 99-86 的比分击败了明尼苏达森林狼队，取得了季后赛首轮的开门红。

这句号召的具体措辞和含义尚不确定，但杰伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson) 是它的大师。

“啊，就像是在说，‘你们都听到了，替补们，’"杰克逊试图解释道。“但有时我的口音有点让人困惑。我们试图在比赛中注入一些乐趣。”

“我们不想只是出去给首发球员休息，我们可以保持优势，还可以扩大领先优势，”杰克逊说道。

替补席做到了，他们得到了 21 分，抢下 11 个篮板，并总体上扰乱了明尼苏达队的进攻节奏。

杰克逊在第二节激烈的争夺中抢下篮板，并完成了一次 14 英尺的补篮，将马刺队拉开到 30-26 的领先优势。之后他紧接着又投进了一记 15 英尺的跳投，打破了 32-32 的平局。他在第四节初段投进的三分球压制了森林狼队的反扑，将马刺队的领先优势扩大到 78-68。

“老兄，你不想知道这个，谁告诉你这个的，”杰罗姆·克西(Jerome Kersey) 笑着说，谈到替补球员喊叫的任何隐藏含义。“这是机密。”

克西在常规赛结束时因小腿肌肉拉伤而一瘸一拐，但在周日上场了 16 分钟，表现强硬。

这名老将面对防守球员投进了一记 19 英尺的跳投，时间还剩下第三节的最后 29 秒，阻止了森林狼队的反扑，他们之前将马刺队 10 分的领先优势缩小到 5 分。

替补中锋威尔·珀迪(Will Perdue) 对这句集结号的具体解释有点不确定。

“我不知道是‘heard’ 还是 ‘herd’，像一群牛一样，”他说。“杰伦有那种新奥尔良口音。他和艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 总是让我们提心吊胆。”

“每当马利克(Malik Rose) 上场时，就一定会有事情发生，”珀迪说道。“其中 95% 会是好事。”

“他马上就抢下了对方罚球不中的进攻篮板。然后他又碰了一下球，追了下来，但特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon) 抢到了球。我对马利克说，‘是 98.5% 呀。’”

罗斯是一个即时催化剂。他也是哨声的导火索。裁判必须在他到达计分台的那一刻就盯住他。他在不到 5 分钟的时间里就犯了 4 次犯规。

但这些哨声是由于他的侵略性，它阻止了森林狼队的移动和投篮。一次至关重要的判罚结果却相反 - 对凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett) 吹罚了一个进攻犯规 - 导致这名明尼苏达球星在第三节还剩 3 分 35 秒时因犯规太多而被罚下场。

“他喜欢拉人，我想确保裁判看到了，”罗斯说，他在判罚之后跑下场时鼓掌微笑。

罗斯上场了 12 分钟，将马刺队的温度提升了几度，并抢下了 3 个篮板。他阻止了马利克·西利(Malik Sealy) 的上篮尝试，迫使森林狼球员罚球。

“不能让他上篮，在常规赛不行，在季后赛更不行，”他说。

替补球员在比赛之前紧张吗？

“安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels) 有点紧张，这是他的第一场季后赛，”罗斯说道。“但他打得很好。那个三分球非常关键。”

丹尼尔斯打得很好，让约翰逊休息了 12 分钟，他投进了一个三分球，将马刺队的领先优势扩大到 11 分，此前西利罚进了两个罚球，将森林狼队的比分追到 78-70，距离比赛结束还有 10 分 42 秒。

点击查看原文：Spurs reserves serve as benchmark of success - Vocal San Antonio subs put accent on instigation

Spurs reserves serve as benchmark of success - Vocal San Antonio subs put accent on instigation

“C’mon bench, you heard me.”

That’s the rallying crying for the Spurs’ reserve corps and one heard loud and clear Sunday afternoon at the Alamodome.

The vocal bugle call fired up the San Antonio bench and the subs, playing like another squad of starters, helped deliver a 99-86 blow to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening game of the first- round of the playoffs.

The exact phrasing and meaning of the cry is a little uncertain, but Jaren Jackson is the master of it.

“Ah, it’s like, ‘Did you hear me, bench,’” Jackson tried to explain. "But sometimes my accent is a little confusing. We try to inject a little fun into the business of playing.

“We don’t want to go out there and just give the guys a blow. We can maintain and we can get a lead,” Jackson said.

The bench did just that, scoring 21 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and generally disrupting the Minnesota offensive flow.

A Jackson rebound and 14-foot putback inched the Spurs ahead 30- 26 during the heated struggle in the second quarter. He followed that with a 15-footer to snap a 32-32 tie. His three-point blast early in the fourth period blunted a Wolves rally and gave the Spurs a 78-68 advantage.

“Man, you don’t want to go into that, who’s been telling you about that,” said a smiling Jerome Kersey on any hidden meanings to the bench’s shouts. “That’s classified.”

Kersey, limping through the end of the regular season with a strained calf muscle, put in 16 minutes of hard-nosed action Sunday.

The veteran’s 19-footer in the face of a defender with 29 seconds left in the third period halted a Wolves rally that had reduced a 10- point Spurs lead to 5.

Back-up center Will Perdue is a little unsure of the exact interpretation of the rallying call.

“I don’t know if it’s ‘heard’ or ‘herd,’ like a herd of cattle,” he said. “Jaren has that New Orleans accent. Between him and Avery (Johnson), they keep us on the edge of our seats.”

“Whenever Malik goes into the game, something is going to happen 100 percent of the time,” Perdue said. "Ninety-five percent of it will be good.

“Right off, he got that offensive rebound off the missed free throw. Then he tapped a ball, chased it down, but Terrell Brandon got it. I said to Malik, ‘It’s 98.5 percent.’”

Rose is an instant catalyst. He’s also a lightning rod for whistles. Referees must spot him the moment he arrives at the scorer’s table. He had four fouls in less than a five-minute span.

But the whistles were the result of aggression that halted Wolves’ moves and shots. One vital call went the other way - an offensive foul handed to Kevin Garnett - and it put the Minnesota star on the bench with four personals with 3:35 left to go in the third period.

“He likes to do a lot of holding, I wanted to make sure the refs saw it,” said Rose, who applauded and smiled as he ran down the floor after the call.

Rose played 12 minutes, turned the Spurs’ temperature up a few degrees and had three rebounds. He stopped a Malik Sealy layup attempt, putting the Wolf on the line.

“No layups, not in the regular season, especially not in the playoffs,” he said.

Anybody in the reserve corps nervous before the game?

" Antonio (Daniels) was a little nervous, it was his first playoff game," Rose said. “But he had a real good game. That three-pointer was humongous.”

Daniels, who played well enough to give Johnson 12 minutes of rest, put down a three-pointer to give the Spurs an 11-point bulge after Sealy’s two free throws had brought the Wolves to within eight, 78-70, with 10:42 left in the game.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Arthur Garcia

激励他们前进 - 球迷期待今年夺冠

阿拉莫穹顶一片黑暗，但并不寂静。当一束聚光灯打在穹顶蓝色幕布上最新悬挂的横幅上时，22000 多名观众的持续欢呼声变得震耳欲聋。

横幅上写着：“1998-1999 年中西部赛区冠军”。

当马刺队在周日与明尼苏达森林狼队的季后赛揭幕战中被介绍出场时，巨大的欢呼声响彻整个球馆，最终马刺以 99-86 的比分获胜。

但欢呼声不仅仅是为了球队所取得的成就。

当然，赛区冠军很好，但马刺球迷想要更多。多得多。

他们想要一个 NBA 冠军，以及蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 的 MVP 奖。

“这支球队有潜力一路走到最后，”诺玛·拉莫斯(Norma Ramos) 说，她从 Hemisphere 体育馆时代起就是马刺队的球迷。

“我相信如果他们继续像常规赛结束时那样打球，他们就能一路夺冠。”

可能是自 1995 年以来第一次，圣安东尼奥球迷认真地考虑着 NBA 冠军。1995 年的球队也拥有联盟最佳战绩，但这支球队有所不同。

“我抱有很大希望，”拉莫斯说。“之前我只是希望，但今年蒂姆·邓肯已经取得了长足进步。如果他没能拿到 MVP，我会真的很惊讶。”

两名来自奥斯汀的年轻球迷也陷入了邓肯热潮中。布伦特·尼尔(Brent Neill) 和马特·扎尼(Matt Zaney)，这两位 11 岁的桥点小学的学生都穿着马刺队球衣，并在身上用魔术笔写下了“邓肯”。

“我们拥有最好的球队和最好的首发阵容，”扎尼说。“我们还有 MVP。”

前马刺队巨星约翰尼·摩尔(Johnny Moore)，他的退役球衣挂在幕布上，亲身经历了圣安东尼奥的一些最佳球队。虽然他不愿意把这支马刺队称为最佳球队，但摩尔说这支球队有夺冠的机会。

“这是我们拥有过的最有天赋的球队之一，这可能是我们为季后赛做出的最佳准备之一，”摩尔说。

“季后赛是另一个赛季，希望我们能迎接挑战。”

虽然摩尔对周日比赛的分析是合理的，但大多数穹顶观众都沉醉于季后赛的气氛中。

球迷们在幕布后的球迷狂欢节上尽情狂欢。

他们排队踢球门，画脸，体验扣篮的感觉，并与球队的纸板人偶合影留念。

银色舞者们也在那里签署签名。

马刺队甚至推出了一位新的吉祥物，叫做“扣篮人”。

这个穿着黑色和银色卡通肌肉服装的强盗从穹顶的天花板上掉下来，惩罚篮筐。

除了他的脸撞击了橙色圆柱体一次之外，他确实做到了。

除了热闹之外，比赛成为了中心，马刺队主席彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt) 感受到了紧张不安。

“我非常兴奋，但我确实担心所有的宣传，因为我宁愿是弱者，”霍尔特坐在球场边说道。

“一次一场比赛。我不想操之过急，但我感到兴奋。”

虽然穹顶受到了马刺队管理层的批评，但霍尔特说它在季后赛中仍然可以成为优势。

圣安东尼奥在整个季后赛中拥有主场优势。

“当你把它填满时，它会产生影响，”他说。“在我们与犹他州的最后一场比赛中，我们这里有超过 35000 名观众，那是我听到过的最响亮的声音。

“我们的球迷今年表现出色。我们经历了停工，我不知道他们是否会回来。我们的球迷真的非常热情。”

当邓肯在比赛最后时刻离开比赛时，他们发出了最后的集体欢呼声。

“M-V-P. M-V-P. M-V-P。”

点击查看原文：Spurring Them On - Fans seeking title this year

Spurring Them On - Fans seeking title this year

The Alamodome fell dark, but not silent. Then the constant roar of 22,000-plus grew deafening as a spotlight fell on the newest banner draped on the dome’s blue curtain.

It read: “1998-1999 Midwest Division Champions.”

The approval thundered through the cavernous stadium as the Spurs were introduced for Sunday’s NBA playoff opener with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which the Spurs won 99-86.

But the cheers weren’t solely about what the team has accomplished.

Sure a division title is nice, but Spurs fans want more. Much more.

Try an NBA championship and an MVP award for Tim Duncan.

“This team has the potential to go all the way,” said Norma Ramos, a Spurs fan since the Hemisphere Arena days.

“I feel confident they can pretty much take it all the way if they keep playing like they did at the end of the regular season.”

For possibly the first time since 1995, San Antonio fans are seriously thinking NBA title. The '95 team also had the league’s best record, but this team is different.

“I have high hopes,” Ramos said. “Before I was hoping for it, but this year Tim Duncan has come a long way. If he doesn’t get the MVP, it’ll really surprise me.”

Two young fans from Austin were also caught up in Duncan-mania. Brent Neill and Matt Zaney, both 11-year-olds at Bridgepoint Elementary, sported Spurs jerseys and had “Duncan” magic-markered on their bodies.

“We got the best team and the best starting lineup,” Zaney said. “And we got the MVP.”

Former Spurs great Johnny Moore, whose retired jersey hangs on the curtain, has played on or seen firsthand some of San Antonio’s best teams. Though he’s not ready to label this edition of the Spurs the best, Moore said this team has a shot at the ring.

“This is one of the most talented teams we’ve had, and this is probably one of the best situations we’ve been in for the playoffs,” Moore said.

“The playoffs are another season, and hopefully we’re up for the challenge.”

While Moore was understandably analytical is his approach to Sunday’s game, most dome patrons reveled in the playoff atmosphere.

Fans whooped it up at the Fan Fiesta behind the curtain.

They lined up to kick field goals, get their faces painted, feel what a dunk is like and get their pictures taken with a cardboard cutouts of the team.

The Silver Dancers were also hanging out to sign autographs.

The Spurs even unveiled a new mascot, something called “Slam Man.”

The black and silver cartooned- muscled bandit dropped from the dome ceiling to punish the rim.

And besides his face hitting the orange cylinder once, he did just that.

Hoopla aside, the game took center stage and Spurs chairman Peter Holt felt the butterflies.

“I’m very excited, but I do get worried about all the hype because I’d rather be the underdog,” Holt said from his courtside seat.

“It’s one game at a time. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but I’m excited.”

Though the dome has been maligned by Spurs management, Holt said it still can be an edge in the playoffs.

San Antonio has the home-court advantage throughout the postseason.

“When you fill it up, it makes a difference,” he said. "In our last game against Utah, we had over 35,000 in here and it had to be the loudest I ever heard it.

“Our fans have been great all year. We had the lockout and I wasn’t sure if they’d come back. Our fans have really been hot.”

And they had one last collective roar as Duncan left the game in the last minute of the game.

“M-V-P. M-V-P. M-V-P.”

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Arthur Garcia

里弗斯预测马刺夺冠

三个月前，道格·里弗斯(Doc Rivers)做了一个预测：圣安东尼奥马刺对阵印第安纳步行者会师NBA总决赛。

而且，他坚持他的预测。

但是——马刺球迷要注意了——他做了一些修改。里弗斯现在是特纳体育的解说员，他之前认为步行者队可能会是1999年的总冠军。现在，如果今年夏天看到一支银黑相间的游行队伍蜿蜒穿过圣安东尼奥市中心，他一点也不会感到惊讶。

“这是我唯一要做的改变，”他在季后赛开始前一天，也就是星期五说道。

里弗斯在本赛季早些时候也担任了马刺队的大部分解说工作，他在季后赛的征途中亲眼目睹了联盟各支争冠球队的实力。从今晚开始的接下来的四天里，里弗斯将在波特兰、洛杉矶、菲尼克斯和休斯顿工作，解说首轮比赛。

马刺队在周日下午的西部季后赛首场比赛中以99-86击败了明尼苏达森林狼队，双方将进行五场三胜制的系列赛。

“马刺队肯定会通过第一轮，”里弗斯说。“明尼苏达将会是一个比人们想象中更难对付的对手，但这对圣安东尼奥来说将是一个进入季后赛模式的好方法。”

“他们又高大又有运动能力，和圣安东尼奥很像。特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)和安东尼·皮勒(Anthony Peeler)都很健康，状态也很好，他们可能会很危险。”

洛杉矶湖人队在周日以101-100险胜休斯顿火箭队，里弗斯说这场比赛“显然是最好的系列赛”。

“这场比赛双方都有可能获胜，”他说。“在过去的三四场（常规赛）比赛中，湖人队可能打出了他们整个赛季最好的篮球。休斯顿是一支为季后赛而建的球队，而不是为常规赛而建的，他们拥有老将。”

“如果休斯顿赢得了这个系列赛，我不会感到惊讶——我想这应该算是爆冷，因为湖人拥有主场优势。”

在东部，里弗斯说，他认为纽约尼克斯队和费城76人队是首轮爆冷的两支球队。这两支球队都赢得了系列赛的首场比赛。

里弗斯说，在第二轮比赛中，马刺队可能会被洛杉矶湖人队或休斯顿火箭队爆冷。但他预计西部前两名的球队将争夺西部冠军。

“我认为最终会在圣安东尼奥和犹他之间决出胜负，主场优势应该对圣安东尼奥有利，”他说。

里弗斯还宣布了他选择的MVP人选。

“我认为蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)是MVP，”他说。“这不是一个有偏见的观点，因为我喜欢他，但这可能与此有关。”

尽管停摆将赛季缩短到50场比赛，但里弗斯的工作时间很长。他承认，为马刺队、特纳体育以及作为NBC的解说嘉宾工作“太多了”。

他不确定明年是否还会为马刺队工作，但他说如果他还在圣安东尼奥，他会考虑的。

目前，他想在进入传闻已久的教练或管理层职位之前，利用这段时间陪伴家人。

他还想看看他的预测结果如何。

点击查看原文：Rivers predicts Spurs championship

Rivers predicts Spurs championship

Three months ago, Doc Rivers made a prediction: San Antonio vs. Indiana in the NBA Finals.

And, he’s sticking to it.

But - Spurs fans take notice - he’s made an alteration. Rivers, who’s working the playoffs as a color analyst for Turner Sports, had labeled the Pacers the likely 1999 champs. Now, he wouldn’t be surprised to see a Silver and Black parade winding through the streets of downtown San Antonio sometime this summer.

“That’s the only change I would say I made,” he said Friday, the day before the playoffs started.

Rivers, who also did the majority of the Spurs color work earlier in the season, has seen the league’s contenders firsthand on the drive to the playoffs. For the next four days starting tonight, Rivers will be in Portland, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Houston working first- round games.

The Spurs opened the playoffs Sunday afternoon, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-86 a in best-of-five Western Conference series.

“San Antonio gets out of the first round for sure,” Rivers said. "Minnesota is going to be a tougher test than people think, but it’ll be a good way to get into the playoff mode for San Antonio.

“They’re big and athletic, similar to San Antonio. Terrell Brandon and Anthony Peeler, they’re both healthy, are playing well and they can be dangerous.”

The Los Angeles Lakers nipped Houston 101-100 Sunday in what Rivers said is “obviously the best series.”

“That can go either way,” he said. "L.A. over the last three or four (regular-season) games probably played the best ball they’ve played all year. Houston is a team that was really built for the playoffs, not for the regular season and they have veterans.

“I wouldn’t be surprised - I guess it would be called an upset because L.A. has home court - to see Houston win this series.”

In the Eastern Conference, Rivers said his two choices for first-round upsets were New York and Philadelphia. Both teams won their series openers.

In the second round, Rivers said the Spurs might be ripe for an upset by either Los Angeles or the Rockets. But he expects the West’s top two teams to battle for the conference crown.

“I think it goes down to San Antonio and Utah, and home court should be the advantage for San Antonio,” he said.

Rivers also announced his choice for MVP.

“I think Tim Duncan is MVP,” he said. “And that’s not a biased opinion because I like him, but that might have something to do with it.”

Although the lockout shortened the season to 50 games, Rivers had a long campaign. He admitted working for the Spurs and Turner, and as a fill-in for NBC, was “too much.”

He isn’t sure if he’ll work for the Spurs again next year, but said if he’s still in San Antonio he would consider it.

For now he wants to take advantage of family time before he goes into a long- rumored coaching or front-office position.

And he wants to see how his predictions turn out.

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-10, By Buck Harvey

改变比赛的孩子：邓肯的优势

凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett) 摇摇头，对这个问题表示不屑。“你们想把这变成一场21对21的比赛，”他说。

我们真是太傻了。两名联盟中最年轻、最高大的球星在季后赛中第一次相遇，我们不仅注意了他们球衣上的号码，也注意了他们的名字。

加内特更希望讨论的是球队，而不是个人，这对于一个在大多数扣篮后都会对着镜头怒吼的人来说有点奇怪。周日，加内特对另一位21号球衣的球员也是如此，他说话的方式就像麦克·泰森(Mike Tyson) 站在印第安纳州的监狱里，那里有方便的售货亭。加内特的垃圾话非常精彩，甚至连马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 也印象深刻。

“他说了一些话，我也说了一些话，”加内特回忆道。但那些观看比赛的人却认为这是一场单方面的诅咒狂欢。加内特毫无缘由地咆哮，而另一位21号球衣的球员则像被吓坏了似的。

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 笑了起来。

他们的情绪从来没有像现在这样鲜明地展现出来。加内特上半场表现得像站在高跷上的迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)，然后邓肯则一如既往地保持冷静。一个进攻扣篮，一个跳投，还有全场最高的12个篮板。

但对于那些想要得出结论的人，对于那些想要定义这些年轻球员职业生涯的人来说，只有一件事是明确的：首先，2000年奥运会球队可以依靠邓肯和加内特的前锋组合赢得一些比赛。第二，加内特本周遇到了麻烦。

森林狼只有一位加内特，而马刺队有两名，甚至更多。

那些在周日高喊“M-V-P”的人可能更喜欢看到更具实质性的对比。毕竟，邓肯冷静如冰的态度在这个看脸的时代令人耳目一新。邓肯只比加内特大一个月，但他表现得比他年长十年。

炒作对加内特也毫无帮助。《体育画报》上周把他放在了封面上，标题是“改变比赛的孩子”，马刺队对此嗤之以鼻。“是的，他改变了比赛，”大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 说，“从经济角度来说。”

然后就是周日。加内特在第三节初段帮助森林狼取得了领先，然后他就消失了。从那以后，邓肯以14-0的比分超过了加内特。

但即使是埃利，他对邓肯的爱不亚于任何人，他称邓肯为“大人物”，并享受着他对加内特诅咒的反应，他也只是给邓肯打了胜仗。“永远不要低估凯文·加内特，”埃利说。

森林狼队没有足够的人手来帮助加内特，尤其是在阿维里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 对阵特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon) 的情况下。由于斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury) 的交易，森林狼现在要求加内特在联盟最好的篮板球队中抢篮板，对罗宾逊和邓肯进行防守，避免犯规，当然，还要自己得分。

“我们要求凯文做很多事情，”弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders) 说。他们唯一没有问的是他是否有兄弟。

邓肯可能是最有价值的球员，但即使是他也没有加内特的身体素质。邓肯在周日表示，加内特的体型和速度是他所见过的最难对付的对手。加内特的个头至少有7英尺1英寸，他可以和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott) 一样快，而且可以从任何地方封盖马刺队的球员。

把他放在罗宾逊旁边，这个组合就像罗宾逊和邓肯一样可怕。把他放在邓肯旁边，美国奥运代表队要小心了，因为他们将在今年7月参加在波多黎各举行的资格赛。

但是，当加内特遇到罗宾逊和邓肯时，当他遇到这支势不可挡的马刺队时，他们在盐湖城和波特兰都取得了同样的成功，他只是一个改变一两个季度的孩子而已。

难怪加内特想要谈论球队。

点击查看原文：Of kids who changed a game: Duncan's edge

Of kids who changed a game: Duncan’s edge

Kevin Garnett shakes his head at the question. “You guys are trying to pump this up into a 21 vs. 21 match,” he said.

Silly us. Two of the NBA’s tallest, youngest stars met for the first time in the playoffs, and we noted not only the numbers on their jerseys, but also their names.

Garnett would rather this discussion be about teams, not people, which is odd coming from someone who yells for the camera after most dunks. Garnett was no different Sunday, when he turned on the other No. 21 and talked as if he were Mike Tyson and the Alamodome was an Indiana prison with convenient concessions. Garnett trash-talked so nicely, even Mario Elie was impressed.

“He said some things, I said some things,” Garnett recalled. But those who watched saw this as a one-way curse-o-rama. Garnett ranted for no particular reason, and the other No. 21 reacted as if he was really, really, really intimidated.

Tim Duncan laughed.

Never had their moods been better showcased. Garnett spent a half acting like Michael Jordan on stilts, then Duncan followed with his usual cool. An offensive slam here, a jump hook there, a game- high 12 boards there.

But for those looking for conclusions - for those who want these young careers defined - only two things were clear. First, the 2000 Olympic team could win a few games with a Duncan-Garnett frontline. Second, Garnett is in trouble this week.

There’s only one of him for Minnesota. The Spurs have two, and more.

Those who chanted “M-V-P” Sunday probably prefer to see more substantial contrasts. Duncan’s Ice-like quiet, after all, is refreshing in this era of look-at- me. Duncan is only a month older than Garnett, but he acts a decade older.

The hype doesn’t help Garnett, either. Sports Illustrated put him on the cover last week with the title “The Kid Who Changed the Game,” and the Spurs laugh at that. “Yeah, he changed the game,” said David Robinson. “Financially.”

Then there was Sunday. Garnett gave the Timberwolves a lead early in the third quarter - then went away. Duncan outscored Garnett 14-0 from there.

But even Elie, who loves Duncan as much as anyone, who calls him “the Big Easy” and enjoyed his reaction to Garnett’s curses, saw this and merely gave Duncan the round. “Never count out Kevin Garnett,” said Elie.

The Timberwolves just don’t have enough to go with him, especially when Avery Johnson matches Terrell Brandon. Broken apart by the Stephon Marbury trade, Minnesota now asks Garnett to rebound against one of the league’s best rebounding teams, to defend against both Robinson and Duncan, to stay out of foul trouble and, naturally, to score himself.

“We ask Kevin to do a lot,” said Flip Saunders. All they haven’t asked is if he has a brother.

Duncan might be the MVP, but even he doesn’t own Garnett’s physical package. Duncan said Sunday that Garnett’s size and quickness is as tough a matchup as he sees. Garnett is at least 7-foot-1, can run with Sean Elliott and can block seemingly any Spurs from anywhere.

Put him next to Robinson, and the combination is as scary as Robinson and Duncan. Put him next to Duncan, and it’s look out Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Olympic team has to qualify this July.

But when Garnett runs into Robinson and Duncan - when he runs into a streaking Spurs roster that’s gone through Salt Lake and Portland with equal success - he’s just another kid who changes a quarter or two.

No wonder Garnett wants to talk about the teams.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-05-11, By Jerry Briggs

狼队助教，老派的马刺宿敌

当明尼苏达森林狼队准备在今晚的阿拉莫穹顶进行首轮季后赛系列赛的第二场比赛对阵马刺时，球队旅行团中几乎没有人听说过“胖女人”的传说。

但如果他们想了解，狼队球员可以向助理教练格雷格·鲍拉德(Greg Ballard)咨询背景信息。

鲍拉德会很乐意详细说明。

他可以告诉年轻的狼队球员一个可以追溯到20年前的传奇故事——那时凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)还是个两岁的小孩，吉米·卡特(Jimmy Carter)还是总统，全美人民还不知道互联网、比尔·克林顿(Bill Clinton)或莫妮卡·莱温斯基(Monica Lewinsky)。

鲍拉德，明尼苏达的第五年助理教练，可以告诉他们关于一个他帮助打破了所有马刺球迷心碎的季后赛系列赛。

鲍拉德，一位前 NBA 十年老将，曾在 1979 年效力于华盛顿子弹队，当时子弹队在七场四胜制的东部决赛中以 1:3 落后于马刺队。

在历史上最激动人心的季后赛逆转之一中，子弹队奇迹般地连赢三场，最终赢得了系列赛。

周一，鲍拉德面带微笑地承认，上周得知森林狼将前往圣安东尼奥参加首轮比赛时，他短暂地想起了子弹队对马刺队的征服。

“每次回到圣安东尼奥，都会让我回忆起马刺和子弹在季后赛以及中区冠军争夺战中相互竞争的日子，”他说。“我们经历过一些战斗。”

鲍拉德回忆起与马刺队激烈的对决，马刺队的阵容包括乔治·格文(George Gervin)、詹姆斯·塞拉斯(James Silas)和拉里·凯南(Larry Kenon)。

他回忆起在 HemisFair 体育馆的季后赛氛围，那里的比赛氛围比现在的客队在阿拉莫穹顶遇到的比赛更加激烈。

“底线流浪汉，”他说，“曾经给我们带来过各种各样的困扰。”

鲍拉德还回忆起一位《快报》专栏作家在 1979 年系列赛期间写下的一句话，当时马刺队以 3:1 领先。“歌剧还没结束，”资深体育记者丹·库克(Dan Cook)写道，“直到胖女人唱歌。”

长期马刺球迷则永远不会忘记。当歌剧结束时，子弹队与胖女人一起唱着歌，前往 NBA 总决赛。

“我认为当我们以 1:3 落后时，我们比他们打得更轻松，更放松，”鲍拉德说。“我认为这就是发生了的事情。”

在马里兰州兰多弗的首都中心进行的第五场比赛中，当时在联盟第二年的鲍拉德替补出场，冷静地砍下 15 分，帮助卫冕冠军以 107:103 赢得比赛。

“真正帮助我们在那个系列赛中取得胜利的是我们的领导力，”鲍拉德说。“(韦斯)安塞尔德(Wes Unseld)、埃尔文·海耶斯(Elvin Hayes)和鲍勃·丹德里奇(Bob Dandridge)，他们提供了很多领导力——尤其是安塞尔德。”

鲍拉德说，他最近没有和任何明尼苏达球员谈论过马刺-子弹系列赛。

他说，他不认为这对他们有什么意义，即使马刺在五场三胜制的系列赛中以 1:0 领先。

但鲍拉德可能会惊讶地发现加内特，森林狼队的明星前锋，对这个故事了解多少。22 岁的加内特说，他很清楚鲍拉德和子弹队所做的一切。

“那一定是史上最伟大的逆转之一，不是吗？”加内特问道。

确实如此。在季后赛历史上，只有六支球队从 1:3 落后中逆转赢得了七场四胜制的系列赛。当子弹队做到这一点时，他们只是第三支做到这一点的球队。

奇怪的是，凯文·麦克海尔(Kevin McHale)，明尼苏达篮球运营副总裁，在 1981 年效力于波士顿凯尔特人队时也曾做到过。那一年，凯尔特人队在东部决赛中击败了费城76人队。

加内特称赞了子弹队在困难时期所展现出的积极态度。

“他们有为想要的东西而战的意志，”加内特说。“他们有一个愿景，并且坚持下去，即使没有人认为他们能赢。这告诉我永远不要放弃。这就是它的意义所在。”

加内特说，他曾经和鲍拉德谈过这个系列赛。在有线电视节目中看到第七场比赛的重播后，该节目播放了历史上伟大的季后赛系列赛，加内特走近了他的助理教练，并对他当时的外表进行了一番调侃。

“我仍然会取笑他，”加内特说。“他的屁股没有现在那么大，而且他当时留着长长的鬓角。”

鲍拉德并不介意被调侃。如果加内特对他太过分，他只需要提起歌剧、胖女人和子弹队从绝境中走向总决赛的经历。

“在季后赛中，”鲍拉德说，“无论你面对的是联盟中最强战绩的球队，你都必须打完所有比赛。任何事情都有可能发生。”

点击查看原文：Wolves assistant an old-school Spurs nemesis

Wolves assistant an old-school Spurs nemesis

As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to meet the Spurs in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series tonight at the Alamodome, hardly a soul in the team’s traveling party has heard a word about the legend of the fat lady.

But if they wanted to find out, Wolves players could ask assistant coach Greg Ballard for background information.

Ballard would be more than happy to outline the details.

He could tell the young Wolves a tall tale that dates back 20 years ago - to a time when star forward Kevin Garnett was 2 years old, when Jimmy Carter was president and when America at large still didn’t know anything about the Internet, Bill Clinton or Monica Lewinsky.

Ballard, a fifth-year Minnesota assistant coach, could tell them about a playoff series in which he helped break the hearts of Spurs fans everywhere.

A former 10-year NBA veteran, Ballard played with Washington in 1979, when the Bullets trailed the Spurs 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bullets, in one of the most stirring playoff comebacks in history, miraculously rallied to win three straight games and the series.

Smiling, Ballard admitted Monday that he thought about the Bullets’ conquest of the Spurs briefly last week, when he learned that the Timberwolves were headed to San Antonio for the first round.

“Every time I come back to San Antonio, it brings back memories of the days when the Spurs and the Bullets used to compete against each other in the playoffs and for the Central Division title and all that,” he said. “We had some battles.”

Ballard remembered hotly contested duels with a Spurs team that featured George Gervin, James Silas and Larry Kenon.

He recalled a playoff atmosphere at HemisFair Arena, which has since been torn down, that seemed to be much more intense than what visiting teams encounter today at the Alamodome.

“The Baseline Bums,” he said, “used to give us all kinds of fits.”

Ballard also recalled a phrase penned by an Express-News columnist during the '79 series, when the Spurs held the 3-1 lead. “The opera ain’t over,” wrote veteran sportswriter Dan Cook, “till the fat lady sings.”

Longtime Spurs fans, for their part, can never forget. By the time the opera was over, the Bullets were singing along with the fat lady on the way to the NBA Finals.

“I think when we were down 1-3, we just played more loose and more relaxed than they did,” Ballard said. “I think that’s pretty much what happened.”

In Game 5 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md., Ballard, then in his second year in the league, came off the bench and calmly scored 15 points as the defending world champions stayed alive 107- 103.

“What really helped us in that series was the leadership we had,” Ballard said. “(Wes) Unseld, Elvin Hayes and Bob Dandridge, they provided a lot of leadership - especially Unseld.”

Ballard said he hasn’t talked about the Spurs-Bullets series to any of the Minnesota players lately.

He said he doesn’t think it would be relevant to them, even though the Spurs have them down 1-0 in a best-of-five series.

But Ballard might be surprised to learn how much Garnett, the Timberwolves’ star forward, knows about the story. At age 22, Garnett said he is well aware of what Ballard and the Bullets did.

“That had to be one of the greatest comebacks of all time, wasn’t it?” Garnett asked.

True statement. Only six teams in playoff history have rallied from 3-1 deficits to win a best-of- seven series. When the Bullets pulled it off, they were only the third team to do it.

Curiously, Kevin McHale, Minnesota’s vice president of basketball operations, did it once when he played for the Boston Celtics in 1981. That year, the Celtics ambushed the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Garnett hailed the positive attitude that must have permeated the Bullets’ locker room when times got tough.

“They had a will to fight for what they wanted,” Garnett said. “They had a vision, and they stuck with it, even when no one thought they could win. What it tells me is that you never give up. That’s what it’s all about.”

Garnett said he talked with Ballard about the series once. After seeing a replay of Game 7 on a cable television program featuring great playoff series of the past, Garnett approached his assistant coach and harassed him a little about his appearance at the time.

“I still tease him about it some,” Garnett said. “His booty wasn’t as big (as it is now), and he had the long sideburns going (back then).”

Ballard doesn’t mind the teasing. If Garnett gets on him too much, all he needs to do is mention the opera, the fat lady and the Bullets’ drive from oblivion to the Finals.

“In the playoffs,” Ballard said, “it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the team with the best record in the league. You have to play all the games. Anything can happen.”

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News