马刺1998-99赛季实录（780+篇）

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-09

聚焦：马刺队

好人也会赢得第一名

致波特兰开拓者队的达蒙·斯塔德迈尔(Damon Stoudamire)的一封公开信：

现在你一定开始对你在有关艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)带领马刺队夺得 NBA 冠军能力的言论中产生了一些想法。

虽然在一定程度上是正确的（A.J. “独自” 无法带领马刺队夺冠，没有人能做到），但你显然不知道 A.J. 以及马刺队阵容中的其他球员都拥有一些你和开拓者队其他关键球员所缺乏的品质。

虽然开拓者队有成为冠军的潜质，但他们在真正冠军球队的一些最关键方面却严重不足。这些品质包括积极的态度、无私、对对手和队友的尊重、真正的团队精神，最重要的是，谦虚的能力，这些都是你们还没有学会的。

你可能认为这些品质是“懦弱的”，这正是你和你的队友在这个夏天剩下的时间里都会无所事事，而我们则会在通往 NBA 冠军的路上前进的原因。

好人最后才出头，你说是吗？今年可不一样！- 比尔·埃文斯(Bill Evans)

城市必须留住球队

这不需要动脑筋！马刺队成功的秘诀很简单：他们是一支伟大的球队。现在圣安东尼奥有机会组建一支能够确保圣安东尼奥永远是马刺队主场的球队。

我请求社区领导层——县法官辛迪·克里尔(Cyndi Krier)和市长霍华德·皮克(Howard Peak)——组建一个蓝带委员会。你们知道他们的名字：罗伯特·麦克德莫特将军(Robert McDermott)、赫伯·凯勒(Herb Kelleher)、小爱德华·惠特克(Edward Whitacre Jr.)和罗伯特·T·赫雷斯将军(Robert T. Herres)。把他们和议员和县委员放在一起，让他们想办法让马刺队留在圣安东尼奥。

现在正是最好的时机。- 克雷格·贝尔(Craig Bell)

游客不高兴

虽然整个城市可能都在享受着马刺队的胜利，但我却要表达一下那些出于非篮球季后赛原因而访问贵城的游客们所遭遇的情况。

我和我的家人来这里是为了探望家人。不幸的是，我们把车停在了阿达克斯街(Addax) 200 街区，一些当地人决定在我们的卡车上喷涂一些图形涂鸦。圣安东尼奥就是这么对待游客的吗？- 鲁斯·吉利厄姆(Russell Gilliam)，威奇托瀑布

国旗也值得支持

我最近从洛杉矶搬到圣安东尼奥，现在成为了马刺队的忠实球迷。

5 月 29 日，我观看了圣安东尼奥和波特兰在阿拉莫穹顶(Alamodome)进行的季后赛。人群欢呼，每个人都举着“Go Spurs Go”的牌子，表达着他们的支持。球员一宣布，比赛就开始了。

但是……我们对祖国的尊重在哪里？国歌在哪里？事实上，现场没有国旗，也没有对国旗的致敬。

我坐在那里，对这种公然的不敬感到目瞪口呆，我意识到许多人甚至都没有注意到。

难道这不是一个国家走向衰落的第一个迹象吗？难道我们只关注“小事”？- 尼基·斯特拉斯纳(Nikki Strassner)

免费电视的支持者

这是对帕内尔·T·布鲁姆(Parnell T. Broome) 6 月 1 日信件“马刺队用停播节目抢劫球迷”的回应。他声称“球迷应该有机会观看当地比赛”是误导性的。任何人都可以观看当地比赛。我和我的妻子（还有 2 万多人）通过在现场为球队加油来支持球队。此外，大多数季后赛都在“免费”电视上直播，剩下的所有比赛也都会“免费”直播。

我不明白到底是谁“抢劫”了布鲁姆先生——以及这位“马刺队的长期球迷”到底被“抢劫”了什么。

也许布鲁姆先生称自己为“免费观看职业篮球比赛的球迷”会更接近真相。- 唐纳德·B·麦克默里(Donald B. McMurray)

球迷们在哪里？

所以马刺队正在赢球，关于竞技场的话题再次浮出水面。好吧，我有一个想法。

首先，让我们看看季后赛。在与洛杉矶湖人队的季后赛中，第一场比赛有 24000 名球迷，第二场比赛有 33000 名球迷。我不记得波特兰开拓者队的具体人数，但我知道有很多球迷。

现在他们想要一个能容纳 18000 人的体育馆。

大家好！简单的数学告诉我们，多达 15000 名球迷将无法看到比赛。

我说我有一个想法。让那 18000 名幸运的球迷支付新的体育馆的费用，让圣安东尼奥地区其他 100 多万人独自一人。- C.W. 韦瑟福德(C.W. Weatherford)

点击查看原文：FOCUS: The Spurs

FOCUS: The Spurs

Nice guys do finish first An open letter to Damon Stoudamire of the Portland Trail Blazers: By now you must be having second thoughts about your comments regarding Avery Johnson’s ability to lead the Spurs to an NBA championship.

While correct to some degree (A.J. “alone” won’t lead the

Spurs to the championship and no one person ever will),

you were evidently unaware that A.J., along with the rest

of the Spurs roster, possesses several attributes that you

and other key Blazers lack.

While the Trail Blazers have the makings of champions,

the team falls woefully short on some of the most critical

aspects of a true championship team. Attributes such as a

positive attitude, unselfishness, respect for opposing and

fellow team members, a genuine teamwork spirit and,

most of all, the ability to be humble are obviously things

you have yet to learn.

You may think these attributes are “wimpy”; that is exactly

why you and your teammates are off for the rest of the

summer and we’re on our way to winning the NBA

championship.

Nice guys finish last, you say? Not this year! - Bill Evans

City must keep team

No brain surgery here! The reason for the Spurs’ success

is simple: They are a great team. Now San Antonio has a

chance to form a team that will ensure San Antonio stays

the home of the Spurs.

I ask the leadership of this community - County Judge

Cyndi Krier and Mayor Howard Peak - to form a

blue-ribbon committee. You know the names: Gen.

Robert McDermott, Herb Kelleher, Edward Whitacre Jr.

and Gen. Robert T. Herres. Put them with council

members and county commissioners and let them iron out

a way to preserve the Spurs’ home in San Antonio.

The timing couldn’t be better. - Craig Bell

No joy for this visitor

While the entire city may be experiencing great joy with

the Spurs, I feel the need to express what happens to

some tourists who visit your city for reasons other than

basketball playoffs.

My family and I were in town to visit family.

Unfortunately, we parked in the 200 block of Addax, and

some of the locals decided that it was necessary to spray

graphic graffiti on our truck. Is this how San Antonio

treats tourists? - Russell Gilliam, Wichita Falls

Flag deserves support, too

I recently moved to San Antonio from Los Angeles and

am now a dedicated Spurs fan.

On May 29, I attended the playoff game at the

Alamodome between San Antonio and Portland. The

crowd was cheering, everyone was holding up "Go Spurs

Go" signs, showing their support. As soon as the players

were announced, the game began.

But … what happened to our respect for our country?

Where was the national anthem? As a matter of fact, there

was no flag or acknowledgment of our flag.

I sat there dumbfounded by this blatant disrespect and

realized that many people hadn’t even noticed.

Isn’t this the first sign of a falling nation, concerning

ourselves only with the “little things”? - Nikki Strassner

A supporter of free TV

This is in response to Parnell T. Broome’s June 1 letter,

“Spurs robbing fans with blackout.” His statement that

“fans should have the opportunity to view local games” is

misleading. Anyone can see the local games. My wife and

I (and 20,000 others) support the team by cheering for

them in person. Furthermore, most of the playoff games

have been on “free” TV, and all the remaining games will

be “free.”

I’m at a loss to understand exactly who “robbed” Mr.

Broome - and exactly what this “longtime Spurs fan”

was “robbed” of.

Maybe it would be closer to the truth for Mr. Broome to

refer to himself as a fan of "free TV professional

basketball." - Donald B. McMurray

Where would fans fit?

So the Spurs are winning and talk of an arena is coming

up once again. Well, I have an idea.

But, first, let’s look at the playoffs. During the playoffs

with the Los Angeles Lakers, there were 24,000 fans at

the first game, followed by 33,000 at the second game. I

do not recall the numbers for the Portland Trail Blazers,

but I know there were many.

Now they want a sports arena that will seat 18,000.

Hello! Simple math tells me as many as 15,000 fans will

not get to see a game.

I said I have an idea. Let the privileged 18,000 fans pay

for the new sports arena and leave the other 1 million-plus

people in the San Antonio area alone. - C.W. Weatherford

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-09

马刺基金会颁发拨款

这是马刺基金会连续第二年向23家当地慈善机构颁发超过10万美元的拨款。

该笔拨款总额为101,250美元，是该基金会自成立11年以来发放的金额最大的一次。去年，基金会向26家社区组织捐赠了超过10万美元。

今年的捐款将用于教育和娱乐项目，包括阅读和艺术丰富项目、自我保健教育项目、图书馆资源、青年服务活动、娱乐和游乐场设备及翻新、夏令营奖学金和体育项目。

马刺基金会1999-2000年度的慈善拨款接受者包括：

家庭服务协会；乔治·格文青年中心；基督教青年会/戴维斯-斯科特青年领导力夏令营；圣安东尼奥市中心游戏。

其他获得拨款的机构有：

阿拉莫社区学院区基金会；美国癌症协会/发现夏令营；圣安东尼奥援助联盟；阿拉莫男孩和女孩俱乐部；南德克萨斯儿童哀伤中心；圣安东尼奥城市年；埃拉·奥斯汀社区中心；善 Samaritan 中心；海蒂失踪儿童搜寻中心；犹太家庭服务中心；JOVEN；麦当娜社区中心；梅迪纳儿童之家；使命路发展中心；圣安东尼奥教育伙伴关系；圣安东尼奥交响乐团；圣安东尼奥青年识字；温泉轮椅运动；温斯顿学校。

明年拨款申请将于1999年11月开始接受，截止日期为2000年2月底。

如需了解更多关于马刺基金会的信息，请致电554-7762。D

点击查看原文：Spurs Foundation awards grants

Spurs Foundation awards grants

For the second consecutive year, the Spurs Foundation awarded more than $100,000 in grants to 23 local charities.

The amount, $101,250, was the largest grant disbursement the Foundation has awarded in its 11 year history. Last year, the Foundation donated just over $100,000 to 26 community organizations.

This year’s donation will be used for educational and recreational programs, including reading and art enrichment programs, self- care educational programs, library resources, youth service activities, recreation and playground equipment and renovation, camp scholarships and sports programs.

The Spurs Foundation’s 1999-2000 featured charity grant recipients are:

Family Service Association; George Gervin Youth Center; YMCA/Camp Davis-Scott Youth Leadership Camp; and S.A. Inner- City Games.

Other grant recipients are:

Alamo Community College District Foundation; American Cancer Society/Camp Discovery; Assistance League of San Antonio; Boys & Girls Club of Alamo; Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas; City Year San Antonio; Ella Austin Community Center; Good Samaritan Center; Heidi Search Center for Missing Children; Jewish Family Service; JOVEN; Madonna Neighborhood Center; Medina Children’s Home; Mission Road Developmental Center; San Antonio Education Partnership; San Antonio Symphony; San Antonio Youth Literacy; Warm Springs Wheelchair Sports; and the Winston School.

Applications for next year’s grants will be available in November 1999, with a deadline at the end of February 2000.

For more information on the Spurs Foundation, call 554-7762. D

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-09, By Arthur Garcia

邓肯连续第二年入选联盟最佳阵容第一队

马刺队二年级前锋蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)周二被评选为联盟最佳阵容第一队，这是他连续第二年入选。而大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)则在10年的职业生涯中第二次未能入选任何一支最佳阵容。

邓肯在此前公布的最有价值球员(MVP)评选中排名第三，而此次最佳阵容评选中他获得了第二高的总分。他获得的 576分，仅次于联盟MVP得主、另一位最佳阵容首发球员卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone)的580分。

评选采用5-3-1计分制，邓肯获得了112张首发票、5张第二阵容票和1张第三阵容票。马龙以113张首发票领先。

只有马龙、邓肯和迈阿密中锋阿朗佐·莫宁(Alonzo Mourning)获得了所有118张选票。莫宁是联盟最佳防守球员，也是MVP评选的亚军，他获得了542分。

邓肯是本赛季唯一一位在得分（21.7分，联盟第七）、篮板（11.4个，联盟第五）、盖帽（2.52次，联盟第七）和投篮命中率（49.5%，联盟第十）方面都排名前十的球员。

他也是联盟中连续第二年在两双（得分和篮板）方面领先的球员，他在50场比赛中获得了37个双双，上赛季在82场比赛中获得了57个双双。

“我们很高兴蒂姆得到这样的认可，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)周二表示。“他无疑打出了配得上这份荣誉的表现，但我感到困惑的是，大卫的表现已经达到了他职业生涯的最佳水平，但他却被忽视了。似乎数据比全面性更能打动人们。”

罗宾逊上赛季入选了最佳阵容第二阵容，本赛季在人才济济的中锋位置上排名第五，获得了22分。

洛杉矶湖人队的沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)和休斯顿的哈基姆·奥拉朱旺(Hakeem Olajuwon)分别获得了最佳阵容第二阵容和第三阵容，亚特兰大的迪肯贝·穆托姆博(Dikembe Mutombo)以33分排名第四。

罗宾逊唯一一次没有入选任何一支最佳阵容是在他因伤病困扰的1996-97赛季，那个赛季他只打了6场比赛。

除了1996-97赛季，罗宾逊本赛季的得分（15.8分）、篮板（10个）和出场时间（31.7分钟）都创下了职业生涯新低。罗宾逊为了邓肯牺牲了自己的进攻，转而专注于防守和领导。

“罗宾逊(在攻防两端的表现)以及他对球队的影响帮助他们取得了巨大的成功，”波波维奇说。

邓肯和罗宾逊带领马刺队在停摆缩短的常规赛中取得了37胜13负的战绩，与犹他并列联盟最佳，并获得了中西部赛区冠军。

圣安东尼奥队在季后赛中以11胜1负的战绩横扫湖人和开拓者，在过去的两轮比赛中，他们将首次打进NBA总决赛。马刺队正在等待尼克斯或步行者的挑战，这两支球队在东部决赛中战成2-2。总决赛将于6月16日星期三在阿拉莫穹顶球馆开战。

控球后卫艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)是马刺队中唯一一位获得分数的球员，他获得了2张第三阵容票。

最佳阵容首发球员还有费城的艾伦·艾弗森(Allen Iverson)和菲尼克斯的杰森·基德(Jason Kidd)。艾弗森和基德获得了116张选票。

最佳阵容第二阵容还包括萨克拉门托的克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)、底特律的格兰特·希尔(Grant Hill)、西雅图的加里·佩顿(Gary Payton)和迈阿密的蒂姆·哈达威(Tim Hardaway)。

最佳阵容第三阵容的其他成员包括明尼苏达的凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)、丹佛的安东尼奥·麦克戴斯(Antonio McDyess)、湖人的科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)和犹他的约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)。

点击查看原文：Duncan second-timer on NBA's first team

Duncan second-timer on NBA’s first team

Spurs second-year forward Tim Duncan was named to his second consecutive All-NBA first team Tuesday, while David Robinson failed to make an All-NBA team for only the second time in his 10- year career.

Duncan, third in MVP balloting, had the second-highest point total. His 576 points trailed only the 580 received by Utah’s Karl Malone, the league’s MVP and other first- team forward.

Points were awarded on a 5-3-1 basis, with Duncan receiving 112 first-team votes, five second-team votes and one third-team vote. Malone led with 113 first-team votes.

Only Malone, Duncan and Miami center Alonzo Mourning (542 points) were named on all 118 ballots. Mourning, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, was the MVP runner-up.

Duncan was the only player to rank in the top 10 this season in scoring (21.7, seventh) rebounding (11.4, fifth), blocked shots (2.52, seventh) and field-goal percentage (49.5, 10th).

He also led the league in double- doubles (points and rebounds) for the second straight year with 37 in 50 games. He had 57 in 82 games last season.

“We’re thrilled that Tim is regarded in that light,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Tuesday. “He certainly played well enough to warrant such an honor, but it mystifies me that David’s play has gone unnoticed when it’s been one of the best years of his career in his all-around game. It seems that numbers impress people more than the all-around.”

Robinson, a second-team selection last season, finished fifth at the talent-heavy center position with 22 points.

Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers (382 points) and Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon (67 points) were second-and third- team choices, respectively, and Atlanta’s Dikembe Mutombo finished fourth with 33 points.

The only other time Robinson didn’t make any of the All-NBA teams was after his injury-plagued 1996-97 season, in which he played six games.

Not counting '96-97, Robinson averaged career lows in points (15.8), rebounds (10) and minutes (31.7) this season. Robinson has sacrificed his offensive game in favor of Duncan, instead focusing on defense and leadership.

“(Robinson’s play) at both ends of the floor and his impact on the team helped them become big winners,” Popovich said.

Duncan and Robinson led the Spurs to a 37-13 record during the lockout-shortened regular season, tied with Utah for the NBA’s best mark and the Midwest Division crown.

San Antonio, 11-1 in the playoffs after sweeping the Lakers and Portland in the last two rounds, is in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Spurs are awaiting either the Knicks or Pacers, who are tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference finals. The Finals begin Wednesday, June 16, at the Alamodome.

Point guard Avery Johnson was the only other Spur receiving points with two third-place votes.

Rounding out the first team are guards Allen Iverson of Philadelphia (532 points) and Phoenix’s Jason Kidd (516 points). Iverson and Kidd appeared on 116 ballots.

The second team also included Sacramento’s Chris Webber, Detroit’s Grant Hill, Seattle’s Gary Payton and Miami’s Tim Hardaway.

The other third-team members are Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett, Denver’s Antonio McDyess, the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Utah’s John Stockton.

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-09, By Christopher Anderson

城市领导计划举办盛大派对庆祝冠军

准备好狂欢吧！

圣安东尼奥市正在筹备一场大型派对，以庆祝圣安东尼奥马刺队，你也被邀请了。

无论输赢，市政官员表示他们都想要庆祝球队首次进入 NBA 总决赛。

“马刺队已经走过了漫长的道路，理应得到城市和市民的正式认可，”市长霍华德·皮克(Howard Peak)说。“我们还没有最终确定要做什么。”

具体的时间和地点尚未确定，但对于在圣安东尼奥市中心经历过 Fiesta 的居民来说，这些可能性应该足够熟悉了。

“很多想法都被提出来了，”助理城市经理罗兰多·博诺(Rolando Bono)说。“可能会有某种形式的游行。也许会有一场沿着河边的游行。甚至可能在阿拉莫穹顶举办。”

为这场将在总决赛结束后举行的全市庆祝活动而进行的筹备工作在本周开始。

主要的市政府部门——包括警察、消防和急救、阿拉莫穹顶、会议和游客局、航空、公园和娱乐、公共工程以及交通管制——都参与了筹备工作。

马刺队发言人莱奥·戈麦斯(Leo Gomez)表示，他感谢市领导想要表彰球队、其出色的常规赛和季后赛表现，无论最终结果如何。

“这让我们更想为这座城市带来冠军，”戈麦斯说，他还补充说马刺球迷的反应也称得上是轰动。

“社区一直都非常棒，”戈麦斯说。“看到这种情况真是令人激动。”

不过，现在还不要急着请假。关于城市庆祝活动何时举行，还没有任何消息。

“目前，关于这个活动的举办时间，是在系列赛结束后立即举行，还是稍晚一点，这一点还需要讨论，”博诺说，他还指出第一场总决赛的日期甚至还没有确定。

“随着事情的进展，会有一个更紧密的计划周期，”博诺说，他还补充说，城市也在研究其他城市的冠军庆祝活动，以确定哪些有效，哪些无效。

“在某些情况下，他们在设施内部举办了庆祝活动。在某些情况下，则举行了游行，”博诺说。“我们正在考虑在圣安东尼奥应该举办什么样的活动。”

其他城市已经吸取的一个教训是，体育庆祝活动可能会失控。

虽然市长表示，如果马刺队夺冠，他不认为会发生这种情况，但城市将采取适当的措施，防止或阻止人群失控。

“圣安东尼奥是一个友好的城市。我们习惯了在有趣的场合聚在一起，”皮克说。“但我们必须做好准备。”

戈麦斯表示，他和其他马刺队的代表将在本周与市政官员会面，帮助筹备派对，但球员和教练将专注于比赛。

“我们需要再赢四场，我们专注于取得这四场胜利，”戈麦斯说。“我相信，一旦实现这个目标，他们将非常乐意与圣安东尼奥市一起狂欢。”

点击查看原文：City's leaders plan party to laud champs

City’s leaders plan party to laud champs

Get ready to party.

The city is preparing a big bash to honor the San Antonio Spurs, and you’re invited.

Win or lose, city officials say they want to celebrate the team’s first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals.

“The Spurs have come a long way and deserve to be recognized formally by the city and the citizens,” Mayor Howard Peak said. “We’ve not settled on the exact thing or things we’re going to do.”

The time and place have yet to be decided, but the possibilities should be familiar enough to San Antonio residents who’ve been downtown during Fiesta.

“A lot of ideas have been tossed out,” Assistant City Manager Rolando Bono said. “Some type of parade. Maybe a parade involving the river. Maybe even the Alamodome.”

Planning for the citywide celebration, which would take place after the finals, started this week.

Major city departments - including police, fire and EMS, Alamodome, Convention & Visitors Bureau, aviation, parks and recreation, public works and traffic control - are all involved in the planning.

Spurs spokesman Leo Gomez said he appreciated the desire of city leaders to honor the team, its stellar regular season and playoff performance regardless of the final outcome.

“That makes us want to bring a championship to the city even more,” Gomez said, adding the reaction of Spurs fans also has been nothing less than sensational.

“The community has been absolutely wonderful,” Gomez said. “It’s thrilling to see.”

Don’t schedule a day off from work just yet, however. There’s no information about when the city celebration might be held.

“The timing of the event, whether it’s immediately after the conclusion of the series, at this point, that bears a lot of discussion,” said Bono, who noted that the date of the first Finals game has not even been settled.

“As things progress, there will be a tighter planning cycle,” Bono said, adding the city also is studying championship celebrations in other cities to determine what works and what doesn’t.

“In some cases they’ve had celebrations inside facilities. In some cases there have been parades,” Bono said. “We’re looking at what something like that should be for San Antonio.”

One of the lessons other cities have learned is that sports celebrations can get out of hand.

While the mayor said he doesn’t expect that to happen if the Spurs win the title, the city will take appropriate steps to prevent or stop crowds from getting out of control.

“San Antonio is a friendly city. We’re used to getting together on fun occasions,” Peak said. “But we’ve got to be prepared nevertheless.”

Gomez said he and other Spurs representatives will meet with city officials this week to help plan the party, but the players and the coaches will be concentrating on their game.

“We need four more wins, and we are focused on delivering those four more wins,” Gomez said. “I’m sure once that goal is achieved, they will be more than willing to party with the city of San Antonio.”

By Christopher Anderson, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-09, By Associated Press

霍尔特表示巴尔的摩有意争取NBA球队

巴尔的摩正在积极争取一支NBA球队入驻其拟议的价值2亿美元、可容纳19000名观众的市中心体育馆。周二，一位巴尔的摩市官员表示，圣安东尼奥是他们接洽过有意搬迁的球队之一。

巴尔的摩市规划总监查尔斯·格雷夫斯三世(Charles Graves III)表示，在过去30天里，他曾与数支NBA球队的“高层管理人员”进行了交谈，这些管理人员有权决定是否将球队搬迁。

格雷夫斯表示，他与萨克拉门托国王队和马刺队的官员进行了交谈。

马刺队主席彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt)表示，在隆霍恩采石场新体育馆的建设提案失败后，巴尔的摩是众多联系马刺队的城市之一。

东北学区否决了该提案，该提案本应利用增量税收融资来帮助资助体育馆建设。

“当东北提案失败后，我们收到了来自对球队感兴趣的城市和所有者团体的多个电话，”霍尔特说。“从那时起，我们一直在接到电话。这种情况没有改变。他们都在积极推动。

“我们告诉他们，我们想留在圣安东尼奥。我们会尽一切努力让这件事发生。”

新奥尔良和圣地亚哥的群体也联系了马刺队，而阿纳海姆则在寻找一支球队入驻箭袋池体育馆。

霍尔特表示，他希望在1月份之前将体育馆公投提上议程，但尚未从圣安东尼奥的政治领导人那里获得任何承诺。

国王队发言人特洛伊·汉森(Troy Hanson)否认他的球队参与了与巴尔的摩官员的谈判。

“我与即将上任的总裁约翰·托马斯(John Thomas)进行了交谈，他表示此事绝对没有根据，”汉森说。

国王队及其17317个座位的阿科体育馆于1月被乔·马洛夫(Joe Maloof)和加文·马洛夫(Gavin Maloof)领导的团队收购，他们将于7月1日接管球队。汉森表示，马洛夫家族希望留在萨克拉门托。

汉森表示，这座已有11年历史的阿科体育馆是现代NBA设施的典范，拥有豪华包厢和俱乐部座位。国王队对他们的主场感到满意，萨克拉门托没有关于更换体育馆或搬迁球队的讨论，汉森说。

在新的体育馆建成之前，搬迁到巴尔的摩的NBA球队将在36岁的巴尔的摩体育馆比赛至少两年，该体育馆可容纳11200名观众，一端设有永久性音乐会舞台。

特约撰稿人约翰尼·卢登(Johnny Ludden)为本文做出了贡献。

点击查看原文：Holt says Baltimore interested in franchise

Holt says Baltimore interested in franchise

Baltimore is actively pursuing an NBA team to play in a proposed $200 million, 19,000-seat downtown arena, and a Baltimore city official said Tuesday that San Antonio is one of the teams he has approached about moving.

Charles Graves III, the Baltimore’s planning director, said he had spoken in the past 30 days with “high-ranking team officials” from several NBA teams, who have the authority to decide whether to relocate the franchises.

Graves said he has spoken to officials from the Sacramento Kings and the Spurs.

Spurs chairman Peter Holt said Baltimore was one of several cities to contact the franchise after the proposal to build a new arena at the Longhorn Quarry site died.

The North East School District quashed the plan, which would have used tax-increment financing to help fund the arena.

“When the North East proposal fell through, we received multiple calls from cities and ownership groups interested in the team,” Holt said. "Since then, we have continued to receive calls. That hasn’t changed. They’re all pushing.

“What we tell them is we want to stay in San Antonio. And we’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”

Groups in New Orleans and San Diego also have contacted the Spurs and Anaheim is looking for a team to play in Arrowhead Pond.

Holt said he would like to get an arena referendum on the ballot by January, but has yet to receive any type of commitment from San Antonio’s political leaders.

Kings spokesman Troy Hanson denied his team was involved in talks with Baltimore officials.

“I spoke with the incoming president, John Thomas, and he says there is definitely no truth to that,” Hanson said.

The Kings and the 17,317-seat Arco Arena were sold in January to a group headed by Joe and Gavin Maloof, who will take control July 1. Hanson said the Maloof family is looking to stay in Sacramento.

Hanson said the 11-year-old Arco Arena is a prototype for modern NBA facilities, with luxury boxes and club seats. The Kings are happy with their home and there has been no talk in Sacramento about replacing the arena or moving the team, Hanson said.

While the new arena is under construction, an NBA team moving to Baltimore would play for at least two years in the 36-year-old Baltimore Arena, which seats 11,200 and has a permanent concert stage at one end.

Staff Writer Johnny Ludden contributed to this report.

By Associated Press, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-10, By Buck Harvey

S.A. 飘着，冰也一样：炽热的激情

他这个赛季没怎么去看马刺队比赛，但星期三他还是来到了阿拉莫圆顶球场，为了见证新时代的到来，马刺队在淘汰波特兰后再次集结，就好像他想近距离观察这支队伍。

“我之前为什么要来呢？”乔治·格文(George Gervin)笑着说，“我已经看过所有其他的东西了。但这次……”

然后他滔滔不绝地谈论着——对篮球、态度和教练的赞赏。格文甚至还演绎了马刺队是如何分享球的，向无形的队友做着胸前传球的动作。当他说自己多么自豪时，听起来就像数百万德克萨斯南部人中的一员。

就像另一个昵称是“冰”的球迷。

在任何只有一个球队的城市，都会出现“Go Spurs Go”的狂热。当球队强大时，这座城市也会随之起舞。

但马刺队在过去四分之一个世纪里一直是与众不同的。他们最初以ABA联盟的叛逆者而闻名，之后又以NBA联盟的诱惑者而闻名，年复一年地接近冠军，直到没有人再相信他们会赢。

他们可能会赢得一个分区冠军，他们可能会赢得一个季后赛轮次，但他们不是被设定为最终失败吗？难怪二月份会有那么多愤怒。

那么，今年春天出现的是一种集体的宣泄。谁知道这对于一座城市的的心理健康意味着什么。如果达拉斯牛仔队曾经以帮助达拉斯忘记总统遇刺而闻名，那么马刺队是否帮助圣安东尼奥记起了一些事情？

格文不是人群中的一张面孔。毕竟，他仍然是球队的员工。如果有人有权为马刺队成为第一支进入NBA总决赛的ABA球队而鼓掌，那一定就是格文。

不过，他一生中已经看过足够多的灌篮，另一个灌篮对他来说意义不大。他现在很少去比赛，因为他开玩笑说，他最后一次坐在球场边是因为作为助理教练坐在约翰·卢卡斯(John Lucas)的板凳上。“他们再也不会给我那么好的座位了。”

这是“曾经沧海难为水”的感觉。格文得分能力无人能及，他计划今年夏天教授这些技术；他想在圣安东尼奥开办一个投篮训练营，与皮特·纽厄尔(Pete Newell)的大个子训练营相媲美。

所以格文赢得了得分王，让那些认为ABA是骗局的人感到震惊，并带领马刺队打进了几次分区决赛。为什么他会对再次输给犹他感到过度兴奋呢？

但过去的这个月发生了改变，格文像任何一个穿上“Spur-fect”T恤的德克萨斯南部孩子一样兴奋。“你知道这支球队里谁才是‘那个人’吗？”格文问道，“是球队。”

也许这是他内心的教练在说话。他喜欢马刺队的无私，以及他们只在乎胜利的态度。格文自然而然地从两个七尺高的球员说起。“他们在攻防两端都很全面。他们拥有如此强大的性格。他们都明白自己已经足够富有，所以他们不妨分享。”

卢卡斯离开后，格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在板凳上没有给格文留位置。但格文现在是这样看待波波维奇的：“尽管他遭受了各种批评，但事实是，他组建了一支任何人都没有预料到的球队。对自己如此坚信，以至于可以无视所有其他人，这是值得称赞的。”

格文说，他喜欢看到其他球队在获胜时撕掉球衣，而马刺队却如此谦虚。“他们把这种精神提升到了一个新的高度，”他说，并为此向他们鞠躬。他从未见过这种水平。

有人问他是否嫉妒。格文表现得好像受到了侮辱。“我和这座城市一起长大，”他说，“我知道这有多特别。”

圣安东尼奥点头。每个人都看过所有其他的东西。但这次……

点击查看原文：S.A. floats, as does Ice: Hot emotion

S.A. floats, as does Ice: Hot emotion

He hadn’t seen much of the Alamodome this season, but there he was Wednesday for the first day of the new era, when the Spurs regrouped again after Portland, as if he wanted to see what the creature looked like up close.

“Why should I have come around before?” laughed George Gervin. “I’d seen all the other stuff. But this …”

And then he talked on and on - in awe of the basketball and the attitude and the coaching. Once Gervin even acted out how the Spurs share the ball, throwing chest passes to invisible teammates. And when he said how proud he was, he sounded like one of a million South Texans.

Like just another fan with the nickname of Ice.

The go-Spurs-go craze would happen in any one-team town. When the team rocks, the town rolls.

But the Spurs have been something else for a quarter of a century. First beloved as ABA outlaws and then beguiling as NBA teasers, the Spurs came close year after year until no one believed anymore.

They might win a division, they might win a playoff round. But weren’t they programmed to fall short? No wonder there was so much anger in February.

What has emerged this spring, then, is a communal catharsis. And who knows how deep it goes for a city’s mental well-being. If the Cowboys were once known for helping Dallas forget about the assassination of a president, did the Spurs help San Antonio remember a few things?

Gervin isn’t a face in the crowd. He’s still a franchise employee, after all. And if anyone had a right to applaud when the Spurs became the first ABA team to qualify for the NBA Finals, it is Gervin.

Still, he’d seen enough dunks in his life that another didn’t mean much. He rarely comes to games anymore because, he jokes, the last seat he had was on John Lucas’ bench as an assistant coach. “They won’t give me that good a seat anymore.”

It’s a been-there, done-that thing. Gervin scored about as well as anyone ever, and he plans to teach that this summer; he wants to open a shooting camp in San Antonio that will compare with Pete Newell’s big-man camp.

So Gervin won scoring titles, shocked those who thought the ABA was a fraud and took the Spurs to some conference finals. Why would he find another loss to Utah overly exciting?

But then came the past month, and Gervin is as excited as any South Texas kid pulling on his Spur-fect T-shirt. “You know who The Man is on this team?” Gervin asked. “The team.”

Maybe it’s the coach in him coming out. He loves how selfless the Spurs are, and how nothing matters but winning. Gervin naturally starts with the seven- footers. “They are complete on both ends. They have so much character. They both understand they are already rich enough, so they might as well share.”

After Lucas left, Gregg Popovich didn’t have a place for Gervin on the bench. But here is how Gervin sees Popovich now: “For all the criticism he took, the truth is, he put together something that nobody saw but him. There’s a lot to be said for believing in yourself so strongly, you can say the hell with everyone else.”

Gervin said he loves how it’s the other teams that rip off their jerseys when they win, that the Spurs are so humble. “They have taken it to a different level,” he said, and he bows to them for it. He never knew this level.

Someone asked him if he was jealous. Gervin acted insulted. “I grew up with this city,” he said. “I know how special this is.”

San Antonio nods. Everyone had also seen all the other stuff. But this …

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-10, By Jeanne Jakle

马刺队将成为圣安东尼奥的焦点

圣安东尼奥将以其如画般的美景和独特的魅力，在下一周被NBA娱乐公司和NBC电视台全面展现，他们将从各个角度报道NBA总决赛。

比赛的电视转播只是开始。NBC的半小时杂志节目“NBA内部资讯”也将从这座亚拉莫城进入全国的客厅。

联合主持人艾哈迈德·拉沙德(Ahmad Rashad)和萨默·桑德斯(Summer Sanders)下周将来到这里录制他们6月19日的节目，据NBA娱乐公司的一位官员称，他们将展示圣安东尼奥周边的几个地点。

自然地，这个节目将在周六上午10:30在KMOL播出，也会包括马刺队的特辑。

NBA娱乐公司还将在那里制作许多其他特别节目。例如，“NBA行动”将在下周从圣安东尼奥播出，该节目在Fox Sports Net播出，并在国际上发行。

在青少年方面，尼克儿童频道将来到这里录制“NBA 2 球总决赛”。这场特别节目将在我们的阿拉莫圆顶体育馆录制，庆祝球场上青少年的技巧，并将于6月19日播出。

圣安东尼奥将通过国际直播被全世界看到，这将使6个大洲的195个国家能够以38种不同的语言观看每场比赛。据NBA发言人称，将有25家国际电视台来到这里，以及他们版本的NBC的鲍勃·科斯塔和道格·科林斯。

更早的时候，本周日将播出的一小时特别节目“NBA总决赛”将深入探讨马刺队中锋大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和费城76人队后卫阿伦·艾弗森(Allen Iverson)的个人故事。

在拉沙德上周末在波特兰的采访中，罗宾逊坦率地谈论了人们对他作为一名“软弱”球员的批评，并回应了人们认为他被新星蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)取代的观点。

“我没有自负，”罗宾逊说。“我告诉蒂姆，当他第一次来到这里的时候，我会尽我所能让你变得尽可能好。”每个人都知道他们在这个球队很重要——从首发球员到替补球员。我在得分方面可能有所下降，但我作为领袖的角色没有。”

罗宾逊还谈到了他的教育在他生命中所起的重要作用，以及通过他的当地基金会帮助其他年轻人实现梦想的重要性。有一次，他笑着回忆起他的父母因为他在学校拿了“B”而把他禁足。

节目还近距离地展示了艾弗森，他回应了人们对他炫耀的外表和朋友群体的批评。他敦促人们不要以他的外表来评判他，而是要认清他内心的善良。

节目中还将展示其他球员，包括犹他队的约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)。

特别节目将于周日下午4点在KMOL播出。

呼叫斯派克·李！

圣安东尼奥电影委员会很想看到纽约尼克斯队在决赛中对阵马刺队，因为比赛会将名人带到圣安东尼奥，其中包括一位特别忠实的粉丝，电影导演斯派克·李(Spike Lee)。

毕竟，这次访问可能会让李将目光投向圣安东尼奥，使其成为未来电影的丰富而充满活力的拍摄地。

本周，亚拉莫城被来自更远地方的侦察员考察，比如日本。我被告知，这些参观者似乎有兴趣在圣安东尼奥拍摄一部将在11月开拍的电视剧，而且这部剧的名字，信不信由你，叫做“空姐侦探第四季”。

嘿，我只是报道这些事情。

托尼奖中断

我仍然听到人们对CBS周日播出的托尼奖颁奖典礼感到不满。

许多人不满于KENS在播放马刺队获胜公告时相当长时间的中断。

“如果他们只是在屏幕底部滚动一下就好了，”一位观众评论道。“但他们却播放了比赛的片段，甚至还花时间展示了兴奋的圣安东尼奥球迷。”

“如果我们想看马刺队，我们会通过收看NBC来做到，”一位不满的女士说。“我们想看看纽约的托尼奖正在发生什么，但我被迫错过了一些内容，仅仅是为了让KENS能赶上体育热潮。”

点击查看原文：Spurs spotlight to hit S.A.

Spurs spotlight to hit S.A.

San Antonio will be showcased in all its picturesque and unique glory when NBA Entertainment and the NBC network fly into town next week to cover the NBA finals from various angles.

The game telecasts are just the beginning. NBC’s half-hour magazine show, "NBA Inside Stuff,‘’ also will come into the nation’s living rooms from the Alamo City.

Co-hosts Ahmad Rashad and Summer Sanders will be here next week to tape their June 19 show, and according to an NBA Entertainment official, will show off several locales around San Antonio.

Naturally, the program, which airs Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. on KMOL, also will include a Spurs feature.

NBA Entertainment will produce lots of other special shows while here as well. For instance, "NBA Action,‘’ which airs on Fox Sports Net and is distributed internationally, will come from San Antonio next week.

On the youth front, Nickelodeon will be here to tape "NBA 2 Ball at the Finals.‘’ The special, to come from our Alamodome, celebrates youth skills on the court, and will be televised June 19.

San Antonio will be seen by the world via international feeds that will allow 195 countries on six continents to enjoy each game in 38 different languages. Twenty-five international television networks will be here, according to a NBA spokesman, as well as their versions of NBC’s Bob Costas and Doug Collins.

Even sooner, a one-hour special this Sunday, "NBA at the Finals,‘’ will delve into the personal stories of Spurs center David Robinson as well as guard Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the interview with Rashad in Portland last weekend, Robinson talked openly about the criticism he has gotten for being a "soft’’ player and addressed the notion that he has taken a back seat to newer star Tim Duncan.

"I don’t have a big ego,‘’ said Robinson. "I told Tim when he first got here I’m going to do everything I can to make you as good as you can be.’ Everybody knows they are important on this team - from the starters to the guys on the bench. My role, scoring-wise, may have diminished, but my role as leader has not.‘’

Robinson also speaks of the huge role his education played in his life and how important it is to help other young people achieve their goals through his local foundation. At one point, he laughs as he recalls how his parents grounded him for getting a "B’’ in school.

The show also gets up-close and personal with Iverson, who addresses the criticism he receives for his flamboyant appearance and group of friends. He urges folks not to judge him on his exterior but to recognize the goodness inside his heart.

Other players featured on the show include John Stockton of Utah.

The special can be seen at 4 p.m. Sunday on KMOL.

Calling Spike Lee!

The San Antonio Film Commission would love to see the New York Knicks face the Spurs in the finals because of the celebrities the games would bring to S.A. - including one particularly devoted fan, film director Spike Lee.

After all, the visit just may get Lee to train an interested eye on San Antonio as a rich and vibrant location for a future film.

This week, the Alamo City was viewed by scouts from a little farther away, as in Japan. I was told that the visitors seemed interested in using S.A. for a TV show that would be shot in November and would be called, believe it or not, "Stewardess Detective, Part IV.‘’

Hey, I just report this stuff.

Tony Awards interruption

I’m still hearing complaints from irked viewers of the Tony Awards telecast on CBS Sunday.

Many didn’t take kindly to KENS’ fairly long interruption to air an announcement of the Spurs victory.

"It would have been preferable if they would have just run a crawl at the bottom of the screen,‘’ commented one fellow. "But instead, they showed footage from the game and even spent time showcasing excited S.A. fans.

"If we wanted to watch the Spurs, we would have by tuning in NBC,‘’ said one disgruntled woman. "We wanted to see what was happening at the Tonys in New York and I was forced to miss some of that just so KENS could jump on the sports bandwagon.‘’

Headline News revamped

CNN Headline News, which features two former San Antonio anchorwomen, Lynne Russell and Linda “Cinnamon” Stouffer, is being revamped.

The new, improved channel will be unveiled at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Changes will include bold new graphics, including a larger, easier-to-read "Superticker;‘’ news features and an on-screen sidebar that will list the next stories on the newscast.

Russell, who once anchored the evening news on KENS, will continue to be a nightly anchor on Headline News. And Stouffer, who did anchoring/reporting for KMOL in the early ‘90s and went by the cuter name of "Cinnamon’’ during her local news day, will keep anchoring the morning telecasts. Headline News can be seen in San Antonio on fiber optic cable Channel 52.

---

To leave a message for Jeanne Jakle, call ExpressLine at 554-0500 and punch 4416. Or e-mail her at jjakle@express-news.net.

By Jeanne Jakle, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-10, By Arthur Garcia

星号的意义？* 如果马刺队如愿以偿，将获得一个NBA总冠军

星号。它不会出现在记录簿上，但这并不意味着球迷和媒体不会谈论它。

他们在1981年、1982年、1987年和1994年都这样做了。

那些在因劳资纠纷而缩短的赛季中赢得总冠军的球队，都背负着“在正常年份…”的污名。

洛杉矶道奇队、华盛顿红皮队（两次）和新泽西魔鬼队都曾经历过这种情况。这些球队都在因球员罢工而受损且缩短的赛季中赢得了世界冠军。

“我记得菲尔·杰克逊(Phil Jackson)几个月前说过，无论谁赢得这个总冠军，它都会被玷污，”马刺队的后卫史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)谈到他在芝加哥的前教练时说。“我认为他只是因为嫉妒，因为自己已经退休不再执教了。”

撇开嫉妒不谈，背负着污名可能是马刺队，或任何一支赢得NBA冠军的球队的命运——在这次因停摆而缩短的1998-99赛季。这个赛季实际上是从2月份开始的，由于联盟强制的停摆，这个赛季缩短了32场比赛，几乎导致整个赛季取消。

NBA是最后一个因劳资问题而停赛的主要运动联盟，包括NFL、NHL和美国职业棒球大联盟。

因此，球员们没有在夏天进行自由球员签约和交易，也没有在10月份进行为期一个月的训练营和完整的季前赛，备战赛季的时间被压缩到了两周。

这对球队来说，进行大规模调整的时间远远不够。年轻的球队和新的教练没有时间在训练营中磨合，自由球员们匆忙地寻找归宿，一个签约通常会引发连锁反应。

联盟将50场比赛的赛季压缩到了三个月。三天三场比赛，这曾经是赛程中被遗忘的怪事，如今却成了常态，而练习时间几乎成了奢侈品。

1月，媒体普遍认为，那些在停摆期间一起训练的经验丰富的球队，例如印第安纳步行者队，一旦赛季开始将拥有巨大的优势。

科尔并不这么认为。他认为今年的总冠军与他之前在公牛队获得的三个总冠军一样有价值。

“它没有被玷污，因为从赛季开始我们就都在同一条船上，最好的球队会赢，”科尔说，这是他连续第四年进入NBA总决赛。“我们中的任何一个人都不会因为停摆而有任何成就感上的缺失。”

除了停摆之外，另一个星号理论也浮出水面——“没有乔丹的NBA”。休斯敦火箭队在1994年和1995年（迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)在1995年赛季末回归）赢得了他们两次总冠军的时候，就经历过这种情况。

火箭队的两次冠军，夹杂在芝加哥的两次三连冠之间，出现在乔丹涉足棒球的那段时间。

乔丹在1995-96赛季回归并打满整个赛季后，公牛队继续他们的统治，而火箭队则重新加入了争夺王位的球队行列。

但正如科尔所说，球星都会退役。湖人队没有了魔术师约翰逊(Magic Johnson)，凯尔特人队没有了拉里·伯德(Larry Bird)，现在公牛队没有了乔丹。

“当我们和公牛队一起赢得总冠军时，上面没有星号，因为魔术师已经离开了，”科尔说。“这是体育的本质。球员们来来往往。迈克尔已经离开了。那么现在谁是下一个（最佳）球队呢？这不会降低任何人心中对任何事的看法。”

科尔说，今年赢得总冠军的球队不会庆祝得少。他们不会在圣安东尼奥市中心举行缩短的停摆庆祝游行。

“我可以保证，如果我们赢了，或者步行者赢了，或者尼克斯赢了，我们都会好好庆祝，”他说。“没有人会觉得我们做的事情有什么不足。”

点击查看原文：What's in an asterisk?* *If Spurs have their way, an NBA championship

What’s in an asterisk?* *If Spurs have their way, an NBA championship

The asterisk. It won’t exist in the record books, but that doesn’t mean fans and media alike won’t talk about one.

They did in 1981 and '82 and '87 and '94.

Teams claiming championships in seasons shortened by labor strife live with the stigma of “In a normal year …”

It happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Redskins (twice) and the New Jersey Devils. Each of those teams won world titles in seasons scarred - and shortened - by player strikes.

“I remember Phil Jackson said something a couple months ago about whoever wins this championship, it’s going to be tainted anyway,” Spurs guard Steve Kerr said of his former coach in Chicago. “I think he was just saying that because he was jealous, he was out and not coaching anymore.”

Jealousy aside, living with the stigma may be the fate of the Spurs - or whichever team wins the NBA crown - in this lockout-reduced 1998-99 NBA season. The season, which actually started in early February, had 32 games lopped off by a league-mandated work stoppage that came close to wiping out the entire campaign.

The NBA had been the last major sport, including the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball, to lose games to labor problems.

So instead of a summer of free-agent signings and trades, a monthlong training camp in October and full complement of preseason games, preparation for the season was crammed into two weeks.

It was hardly enough time for teams to make wholesale changes. Young teams and new coaches didn’t have the time to jell in camp, and free agents hurried to find homes, with one signing usually triggering a domino effect.

The league crammed the 50-game season into three months. Three games in three nights, a long-forgotten quirk in the schedule, became the norm and practice time became almost a luxury.

The prevailing media opinion in January was that veteran teams that worked out together during the lockout, such as the Indiana Pacers, would have a tremendous advantage once the season started.

Not so, says Kerr. He believes a championship this year measures with any of the last three he won with the Bulls.

“It’s not tainted because you are thrown into the same boat from the beginning of the season and the best team wins,” said Kerr, in the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year. “There’s no way that any of us would feel any less of a sense of accomplishment as a result of the lockout.”

Outside of the lockout, another asterisk theory has surfaced - The NBA Without Jordan one. The Houston Rockets dealt with it in '94 and '95 (Michael Jordan actually returned for the end of the '95 season) when they won their two championships.

Houston’s titles, sandwiched between a pair of Chicago three-peats, came during Jordan’s fling with baseball.

Once Jordan returned for a full season in '95-96, the Bulls resumed their run and Houston rejoined the pack of pretenders to the throne.

But as Kerr put it, stars retire. The Lakers went on with Magic Johnson, Boston without Larry Bird and now it’s the Bulls without Jordan.

“When we won our championships with the Bulls, we didn’t have an asterisk on it because Magic was gone,” Kerr said. “It’s the nature of sports. Players come and go. Michael’s gone. So now who is next (as the) best team? It doesn’t lessen anything in anybody’s mind.”

Kerr said the team that wins it all this year won’t party any less. There won’t be a lockout-shortened parade through downtown San Antonio.

“I guarantee if we win or the Pacers win or the Knicks win, we’re going to celebrate pretty hard,” he said. “Nobody is going to feel like we did anything less.”

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-10, By Carmina Danini

圣安东尼奥为总决赛狂欢

圣安东尼奥的球票比乔治·斯特雷特(George Strait)家乡演唱会的后台通行证还要稀缺，市中心的酒店房间几乎全部售罄，豪华轿车公司正在为大人物的到来做准备。

派对策划者们正在疯狂地工作，日落站的工作人员加班加点，马刺队正在筹备一场“千载难逢”的活动。

这一切都是因为圣安东尼奥马刺队有望夺得 NBA 总冠军。

周三，官员们表示，在西部联盟季后赛第二轮和第三轮横扫对手之前，许多人并不相信马刺队能进入 NBA 总决赛，因此酒店和豪华轿车预订的咨询只是试探性的。

马刺队在周日以 94-80 战胜波特兰开拓者队后，圣安东尼奥的电话变得异常忙碌。

第一场和第二场比赛将于下周三和周五在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆举行，在纽约或印第安纳波利斯进行比赛后，如果需要进行第六场和第七场，将在 6 月 27 日和 29 日回到圣安东尼奥。

由于包括全国皮格利·威格利运营商协会、德克萨斯州学校食品服务协会和德克萨斯州学校董事会协会等多个团体将在下周举行会议，因此市中心酒店的房间非常紧张。

圣安东尼奥万豪河中心酒店和圣安东尼奥万豪河畔酒店都已满房，但当 NBA 上周打电话询问马刺队是否有可能进入总决赛时，酒店管理人员开始为意外情况做准备。

“我们必须密切关注”西部决赛，两家酒店的营销总监史蒂夫·吉诺维斯(Steve Genovesi)说。

当 NBA 再次来电时，吉诺维斯的团队已经做好了准备。万豪河中心酒店为 NBA 工作人员和官员、贵宾和媒体预留了 150 间房间。吉诺维斯说，街对面的万豪河畔酒店为 NBA 预留了另外 50 间房间。

两家酒店在周二至周五都已满房。

拉曼西翁德尔里奥酒店在第一场和第二场比赛的两晚基本上也已满房，酒店公关总监简·萨特尔(Jane Satel)说。

“马刺队在周日获胜的那一刻，就成了谁抢到房间的速度最快。”萨特尔说。

圣安东尼奥圣徒酒店的销售总监黛比·阿彻(Debbie Archer)说，酒店的宣传活动正在开始升温。

酒店将为 NBA 总决赛接待一两名名人。

“不能透露名字，但有他们在这里会很有趣。”阿彻说。

豪华轿车公司也接到了电话。

“我们在周日接到了一些电话，从周一开始，人们就开始预订豪华轿车。”企业豪华轿车公司的经理雷·巴雷特(Ray Barrett)说。

巴雷特的公司正在运送一些他称为来自电影、电视和音乐界的“非常知名”的名人。

他拒绝透露姓名，但表示有些人不喜欢加长豪华轿车。

“有些人不喜欢炫目的汽车。”他说。

在日落站，一个冠军音乐会系列将于周一启动，由 80 年代新浪潮摇滚乐队 The Outfield 领衔。维达乐队将在周三演出，杰斐逊飞船将在周五登台。

日落站经理肯·沃尔夫(Ken Wolf)说，将在第一场和第二场比赛之前举行欢呼集会，就像他们在整个季后赛期间所做的那样。

“我们在集会上的人数在 3000 到 4000 人之间，但并不是所有人都持有门票，所以我们将在日落站设置大屏幕，以便没有门票的人可以观看。”沃尔夫说。

与此同时，马刺队正在努力签约艺人，在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆的两场比赛中演唱《星条旗之歌》。

马刺队发言人汤姆·詹姆斯(Tom James)说，他们已经联系了格莱美奖得主“诱惑乐队”(The Temptations)，这是 60 年代最顶尖的莫城乐队之一，以及布鲁斯·霍恩斯比(Bruce Hornsby)。

“我们想为我们的球迷带来顶尖的人才，因为这是一次千载难逢的活动。”詹姆斯说。“我们想让每个人都兴奋起来，并举办一场盛大的狂欢。”

根据世界万维网上的一个事实资料，霍恩斯比之前曾在 NBA 活动中表演。他与布兰福德·马萨利斯(Branford Marsalis)在 1991 年的 NBA 全明星赛上演唱国歌。

霍恩斯比在 1995 年 NBA 总决赛第一场比赛中独唱国歌。

点击查看原文：Lots of hoop-la in S.A. as NBA Finals near

Lots of hoop-la in S.A. as NBA Finals near

Tickets are scarcer than a backstage pass to a concert by hometown favorite George Strait, hotel rooms downtown are practically sold out and limousine companies are preparing for the arrival of Big Names.

Party planners are working frenetically, staffers at Sunset Station are on overdrive and the Spurs organization is planning for a “once- in-a-lifetime” event.

And all because the San Antonio Spurs are contenders for the NBA championship.

Before sweeps in the second and third rounds of the Western Conference playoffs, many people weren’t convinced the Spurs would make it to the NBA Finals, so inquiries for hotel and limousine reservations were tentative, officials said Wednesday.

The Spurs’ 94-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday precipitated anxious calls to San Antonio.

Games 1 and 2 are next Wednesday and Friday in the Alamodome, and after games in either New York or Indiana, Games 6 and 7, if needed, would be back in San Antonio June 27 and 29.

With several groups - including the National Piggly Wiggly Operators Association, Texas School Food Services Association and the Texas Association of School Boards - holding conventions next week, rooms in downtown hotels were at a premium.

Both the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter and the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk hotels were booked, but when the NBA called last week about the possibility the Spurs might be in the Finals, hotel officials began planning for contingencies.

“We had to keep a close eye” on the Western Conference finals, said Steve Genovesi, marketing director for both hotels.

When the NBA called again, Genovesi’s staff was ready. A block of 150 rooms for NBA staff and officials, VIPs and media will be available at the Marriott Rivercenter. Across the street at the Marriott Riverwalk, another 50 rooms were reserved by the NBA, Genovesi said.

Both hotels are sold out Tuesday- Friday.

La Mansion del Rio basically also is sold out the two nights of Games 1 and 2, said Jane Satel, public relations director for the hotel.

“The minute the Spurs won on Sunday, it was just a race to see how fast they could book a room,” Satel said.

Over at the St. Anthony Hotel, the hype is starting to build, said Debbie Archer, director of sales.

The hotel is hosting a celebrity or two for the NBA Finals.

“No names, but it’s going to be fun having them here,” Archer said.

Limousine companies also were getting calls.

“We received some calls on Sunday, and beginning on Monday, people started booking limousines,” said Ray Barrett, manager of Enterprise Limousine.

Barrett’s company is ferrying a number of what he called “very recognizable” celebrities from the film, television and music industries.

He declined to name names but disclosed that several don’t want stretch limos.

“Some of these people don’t like flashy cars,” he said.

At Sunset Station, a Championship Concert series gets under way on Monday with '80s New Wave rock band The Outfield. Grupo Vida performs Wednesday, and Jefferson Starship takes the stage Friday.

Pep rallies will be held prior to Games 1 and 2, just as they have throughout the playoffs, Sunset Station manager Ken Wolf said.

“We’ve had 3,000 to 4,000 people at the rallies, but not all had tickets, so we’ll have large screens so that people without tickets can watch at Sunset Station,” Wolf said.

The Spurs, meanwhile, are working on signing up entertainers to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at both games at the Alamodome.

Grammy Award winners the Temptations, one of the top Motown groups of the '60s, and Bruce Hornsby have been contacted, Spurs spokesman Tom James said.

“We want to bring top-notch folks to our fans because this is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” James said. “We want to get everybody excited and do a big blowout.”

According to a fact sheet on the World Wide Web, Hornsby previously has performed at NBA events. He and Branford Marsalis performed the national anthem at the 1991 NBA All-Star Game.

Hornsby performed the national anthem solo at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in 1995.

By Carmina Danini, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-10, By Glenn Rogers

纽约尼克斯(New York Knicks) 距离总决赛仅一步之遥 - 尼克斯战胜步行者，取得3-2领先

纽约尼克斯在周三晚上继续着他们通往NBA总决赛的不可能之旅。

纽约，东部联盟的第八种子，在市场广场竞技场以101-94战胜步行者，夺回了主场优势并以3-2领先。

尼克斯将在周五晚上在麦迪逊广场花园的比赛中赢得胜利，结束这场七场四胜制的系列赛。

本系列赛的胜者将在周三开始的NBA总决赛中对阵马刺队，比赛将在阿拉莫穹顶举行。

拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)连续命中两记三分球，将尼克斯的领先优势扩大到89-84，距离比赛结束还剩不到三分钟，几乎断送了步行者的希望。

雷吉·米勒(Reggie Miller)用一记三分球回应了挑战，将比分差距缩小到两分，但步行者的防守无法阻止尼克斯的进攻。

纽约连续得分，将领先优势扩大到93-87，约翰逊的两罚全中将比分扩大到95-89，比赛还剩50秒。

“我知道每个人都喜欢谈论强度，但有时候，比赛的胜负就取决于得分和失误，”主教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)说。“今晚，两支球队都打出了精彩的比赛。”

尼克斯打得更加出色。他们命中了45%的投篮，第四节命中率达到67%。步行者在最后一节只命中了20投9中。

纽约将步行者的防守拉开，并通过拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)和艾伦·休斯顿(Allan Houston)无情的突破上篮或扣篮，以及罚球，撕裂了步行者的防守。

纽约罚球40罚30中，而印第安纳31罚22中。

尼克斯在第四节比赛进行到7分02秒时，依靠约翰逊的一记跳投，取得了第四节的首次领先，比分来到78-77。此前，马克·杰克逊(Mark Jackson)在休斯顿头上得分，纽约曾落后五分，比分是72-77。

在比赛进行到6分07秒时，米勒完成了一次“三加一”，步行者再次取得领先，比分来到80-79，但仅仅几秒后，马库斯·坎比(Marcus Camby)的二次进攻得分，尼克斯再次取得领先，比分来到81-80。

印第安纳试图利用杰克逊的背身单打和米勒的外线投篮来结束比赛。两人合计得到46分，但无法阻止尼克斯约翰逊、斯普雷维尔和休斯顿的进攻。斯普雷维尔以29分领跑尼克斯。

坎比迅速成为纽约最新的英雄，迫使尼克斯球迷不再后悔交易查尔斯·奥克利(Charles Oakley)。

坎比出场33分钟，得到21分，抢下13个篮板，并送出6次盖帽。在坎比在场的时间里，尼克斯比步行者多得了20分。

“马库斯变得更加稳定，”范甘迪说。“我让他在第三节坐在板凳上，因为他犯了三次规，我想让他在比赛结束时留在场上。”

步行者对坎比毫无办法 - 试图阻止他，他们就犯规把他送上罚球线，而他命中了13罚9中。

斯普雷维尔希望这是最后一次在印第安纳波利斯比赛，尽管他在敌人的领地里表现出色。

“我们现在处在结束比赛的完美位置，我们绝对不想回到这里，”他说。

米勒表示，尼克斯的防守和快攻的爆发，让印第安纳队陷入了困境。

“他们迫使我们投出了很多困难的球，然后他们在快攻中得分，”米勒说，指的是纽约的18次快攻得分和印第安纳的2次快攻得分。“我们必须回到防守端，做好准备，迫使他们回到半场进攻。

“显然，他们在最后一节非常高效，”他补充说。尼克斯在最后一节得到36分，仅比步行者在季后赛第四节单节比赛中被对手得到的最高得分少一分。

步行者对阵尼克斯

东部决赛

七场四胜制

周三：第五场 - 尼克斯 101，@步行者 94

系列赛：尼克斯 3-2 领先

下一场比赛：第六场 - 步行者 @尼克斯，周五晚上8点（电视：NBC）

点击查看原文：N.Y. 1 away from S.A. - Knicks top Pacers, take 3-2 edge

N.Y. 1 away from S.A. - Knicks top Pacers, take 3-2 edge

The New York Knicks continued their improbable drive to the NBA Finals Wednesday night.

New York, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, grabbed back the home-court advantage and a 3-2 series lead with a 101-94 victory over the Pacers at Market Square Arena.

The Knicks can end this best-of-seven series with a win at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

The winner of this series faces the Spurs in the NBA Finals beginning Wednesday at the Alamodome.

Larry Johnson all but doomed the Pacers with consecutive 3- pointers that gave the Knicks an 89-84 lead with less than three minutes left.

Reggie Miller answered the challenge with a three to cut the deficit to two, but the Pacers’ defense couldn’t halt the Knicks’ push.

New York scored on consecutive possessions to build the lead back to 93-87, and a pair of free throws by Johnson made it 95-89 with 50 seconds left.

“I know everybody likes to talk about intensity, but sometimes it just comes down to makes and misses,” Coach Jeff Van Gundy said. “Tonight, both teams played a great game.”

The Knicks played a little greater. They hit 45 percent of their shots, 67 percent in the final period. The Pacers could only put down nine of their 20 tries in the final frame.

New York spread the Pacers’ defense and broke it down with relentless drives for layups or dunks and free throws by Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston.

New York hit 30 of 40 shots from the line, Indiana 22 of 31.

The Knicks grabbed their first lead of the fourth quarter, 78-77, on a Johnson jumper at the 7:02 mark. New York had trailed by five, 77- 72, after Mark Jackson scored over Houston.

The Pacers snatched the advantage back, 80-79, at the 6:07 mark when Miller completed a three- point play, but the Knicks took it back on a Marcus Camby put-back seconds later for 81-80.

Indiana tried to bag the game by capitalizing on the post-up play of Jackson and Miller’s outside shooting. The duo accounted for 46 points but couldn’t stem the offensive tide of the Knicks’ Johnson, Sprewell and Houston. Sprewell led the Knicks with 29 points.

Camby has fast become New York’s latest hero, forcing Knick fans to cease regretting the trade of Charles Oakley.

Camby played 33 minutes, scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked six shots. The Knicks outscored the Pacers by 20 points while the long-limbed, agile Camby was on the floor.

“Marcus is becoming much more consistent,” Van Gundy said. “I kept him on the bench in the third period because he had three fouls and I wanted to finish the game with him on the floor.”

The Pacers had no answer for Camby - trying to stop him, they fouled him and sent him to the line to hit 9 of 13 shots.

Sprewell hopes he’s seen the last Indianapolis, despite his outstanding showing in enemy territory.

“We’re in perfect position now to end this and we definitely don’t want to come back here,” he said.

Miller said the Knicks’ defense, coupled with fast-break explosions, stopped Indiana.

“They forced us into a lot of tough shots and then scored on the breaks,” Miller said, referring to New York’s 18 break points and Indiana’s two. "We have to get back on defense, get set, force them back into a halfcourt game.

“Obviously they were very efficient in the final quarter,” he added. The Knicks scored 36 points in the last period, just one off the most ever scored against the Pacers in the fourth period of a playoff game.

Pacers vs. Knicks

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

Best-of-seven

Wednesday: Game 5 - Knicks 101, @Pacers 94

Series: Knicks lead 3-2

Next game: Game 6 - Pacers @Knicks, 8 p.m. Friday (TV: NBC)

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-11, By Johnny Ludden

马刺队重返未来规划 - NBA 选秀和自由球员签约期即将到来 - 圣安东尼奥

不到三周的时间，马刺队要么将赢得他们的第一个 NBA 冠军，要么让一大群人因为在六月的绝大部分时间里都在脸上、手臂或其他非歧视性身体部位涂上“Go Spurs Go！”而感到无比愚蠢。

在整个城市的喧嚣声中，很难看到 NBA 总决赛的开始，更不用说结束。但当马刺队争夺 1999 年冠军的努力最终结束时，争夺 1999-2000 年冠军的努力将立即开始。

你手捧拉里·奥布莱恩奖杯的那一天，第二天你就宣布了你的首轮选秀球员。

这就是这个因停摆而缩短的赛季的本质。如果总决赛打满七场，6 月 30 日的选秀将在赛季结束后的第二天举行。自由球员签约期将在选秀结束后的第二天开始。

“我心里一直记着，”威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue)说，他是将成为自由球员的几位马刺球员之一。“但我首先也是最主要的考虑是帮助球队赢得冠军。在实现这个目标后，我基本上又回到了起点，重新开始。”

马刺队预计不会在休赛期大幅调整阵容。在本赛季获得大部分上场时间的 11 名球员中，除了珀杜之外，马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)和贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)是唯一确定会成为自由球员的球员。

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)目前处于六年 6600 万美元合同的第四年，他也有权在本赛季结束后选择退出目前的合同。

“这些都是想法，但现在还不是我考虑的时候，”罗宾逊说。“很明显，对于一支像我们这样的球队来说，尤其是如果我们赢了的话，我完全没有理由离开。

“世界上没有任何金钱能让我在终于有机会赢得冠军之后离开。组建一支夺冠球队，甚至两三支冠军球队，是一个不可思议的机会，所以我可能都不会考虑。

“我不知道。我们会看看（会发生什么）。但这不是我浪费时间的事情。”

罗宾逊没有向马刺队表示他倾向于选择退出，如果他测试自由球员市场，可能只能获得少量加薪。即使这样，也只有少数球队在薪资帽下有足够的空间来签下他。他将在下个赛季获得 1330 万美元的收入，并在 2000-2001 赛季获得 1470 万美元的收入，这是他合同的最后一年。

根据新的集体谈判协议，罗宾逊在新合同中的最高薪资不能超过球队薪资帽的 35%。薪资帽将在 7 月的某个时候确定，但拥有至少 10 个赛季经验的球员的最高年薪预计将在 1400 万到 1700 万美元之间。

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)和安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels)，这两位 1997 年选秀的成员，有资格在今年夏天成为自由球员之前与马刺队续签合同。邓肯 - 他将获得最高 7090 万美元的合同 - 还没有正式告诉马刺队他不会在今年夏天签字，但双方都知道，由于马刺队在圣安东尼奥的未来不确定，对他来说等待可能是最好的选择。

“我认为没有必要着急，”邓肯的经纪人朗·巴比(Lon Babby)说。“我认为每个人都理解，现在不是最好的时机，因为球馆的问题。而这只是一条重要的信息，蒂姆需要根据它来做出决定。”

由于 NBA 会计师需要时间来确定新的薪资帽，自由球员可以在 7 月 1 日开始与球队谈判，但直到 8 月 1 日才能正式签署合同。罗斯、杰克逊和珀杜 - 这三位在本赛季马刺队替补席上都扮演了重要角色 - 欢迎留在圣安东尼奥。

罗斯可能已经打进了自己年轻职业生涯的第一份多年合同。杰克逊在本赛季开始之前选择签署了一份为期一年的合同而不是一份为期两年的合同，由于他已在联盟效力了 9 年，他有资格获得接近 100 万美元的最低年薪。

珀杜在本赛季一直与伤病作斗争，但在寻求替补中锋的球队中仍然有价值。萨克拉门托、波士顿和多伦多可能会争夺他的服务。他已经与马刺队就续约进行了初步谈判，但谈判已经推迟到赛季结束。

马刺队将拥有 200 万美元的中产阶级薪资帽例外、100 万美元的例外，以及可能从查克·帕森(Chuck Person)和史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)的签约和交易中获得的另外 100 万美元的例外，这些例外将在今年夏天使用。

“就自由球员市场而言，你不会看到这支球队有太大变化，如果有的话，”马刺队主教练兼总经理格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。

至于选秀，芝加哥必须在周三之前告诉马刺队他们是否会将他们的首轮选秀权作为科尔交易的一部分。由于这个选秀权是在首轮的最后，公牛队很可能会选择在下一赛季获得马刺队首轮选秀权。

马刺队球员人事主管萨姆·舒勒(Sam Schuler)本周一直在芝加哥参加 NBA 的选秀前训练营，该训练营今天结束。由于马刺队没有明显的需要，而且阵容空间有限，波波维奇表示球队将尝试交易这个选秀权，或者可以选择一名外国球员，让他在海外待上几个赛季。

去年的第二轮选秀球员德里克·戴尔(Derrick Dial)本赛季在希腊度过。马刺队可能会向戴尔提供一份资格报价，然后让他与杰拉德·金(Gerard King)和布兰登·威廉姆斯(Brandon Williams)一起参加新秀夏季联赛。D

点击查看原文：Spurs back to planning their future - NBA Draft, free-agent signing period just around corner for - San Antonio

Spurs back to planning their future - NBA Draft, free-agent signing period just around corner for - San Antonio

In less than three weeks the Spurs will have either won their first NBA title or made an awful lot of adults feel awfully silly for having spent the better part of June with “Go Spurs Go!” painted on their face, arms or some other less discriminatory body part.

With all the hype blanketing the city, it’s hard enough to see the beginning of the NBA Finals, let alone the end. But when the Spurs’ push for the 1999 title finally does wrap up, the push for the 1999-2000 title immediately begins.

One day you’re cradling the Larry O’Brien trophy. The next, you’re announcing your first-round draft pick.

Such is the nature of this lockout- shortened season. If the Finals stretch to seven games, the June 30 draft will take place one day after the season ends. The free-agency feeding period begins one day after the draft.

“That is in the back of my mind,” said Will Perdue, one of a handful of Spurs who will become free agents. “But my first thought and main concern is to help the team win a championship. After that goal is accomplished, I’m pretty much back to ground zero and start all over.”

The Spurs don’t figure to rebuild their roster too much in the off-season. Of the 11 players who received the majority of playing time this season, Malik Rose and Jaren Jackson are the only certain free agents in addition to Perdue.

David Robinson, who is in the fourth year of a six-year, $66 million contract, also has the option to opt out of his current deal after this season.

“Those are thoughts, but now is not the time for me to think about it,” Robinson said. "Obviously with a team like this, especially if we win it, there’s no reason at all I would want to leave.

"There’s no amount of money in the world that would make me want to leave after finally getting an opportunity to win. To put together a championship or even two or three is an incredible opportunity, so I probably would not even consider it.

“I don’t know. We’ll see (what happens). But it’s something I’m not wasting time on.”

Robinson, who has given no indication to the Spurs that he is leaning toward opting out, probably would only be able to receive a nominal raise if he tested free agency. And even then few teams have room enough under the salary cap to sign him. He will make $13.3 million next season and $14.7 million for the 2000-2001 season, the final year of his contract.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, Robinson’s maximum salary in a new contract can’t exceed 35 percent of the team’s salary cap. The salary cap won’t be determined until some time in July, but the maximum annual salary for players with at least 10 seasons of experience figures to fall in the $14 million to $17 million range.

Tim Duncan and Antonio Daniels, both members of the 1997 draft, are eligible to sign extensions with the Spurs this summer before becoming free agents at the end of next season. Duncan - who will command the maximum $70.9 million contract - hasn’t officially told the Spurs he won’t sign this summer, but both parties know it’s probably in his best interest to wait because of the franchise’s uncertain future in San Antonio.

“I don’t think there’s any urgency,” said Duncan’s agent, Lon Babby. “I think everyone understands that the timing is not the best with the arena issue. And that’s just an important piece of information Tim needs to make his decision.”

Because the NBA’s accountants will need time to determine the new salary cap, free agents can negotiate with teams beginning July 1, but can’t officially sign contracts until Aug. 1. Rose, Jackson and Perdue - all important members of the Spurs’ bench this season - would welcome staying in San Antonio.

Rose may have played his way into the first multiyear contract of his young career. Jackson, who opted to sign a one-year contract instead of a two-year deal prior to the start of this season, is eligible for a minimum annual salary near $1 million because of his nine years in the league.

Perdue has battled through injuries this season, but remains a commodity among teams searching for backup centers. Sacramento, Boston and Toronto may make a run at his services. He has had preliminary talks with the Spurs about re-signing, but negotiations have been tabled to the end of the season.

The Spurs will have the $2 million middle-class salary-cap exception, a $1 million exception and maybe another exception in addition of $1 million from the Chuck Person-Steve Kerr sign-and-trade deal to use this summer.

“As far as free agency goes, you’re not going to see a whole lot of changes with this team - if any,” Spurs coach and general manager Gregg Popovich said.

As for the draft, Chicago has until Wednesday to tell the Spurs whether it will take their first-round pick as part of the Kerr trade. Because the pick is at the end of the first round, the Bulls figure to opt for the Spurs’ first-round selection next season instead.

Spurs director of player personnel Sam Schuler has spent this week in Chicago at the NBA’s pre-draft camp, which ends today. Because the Spurs have no glaring needs and little roster space, Popovich said the team will try to trade the pick or could select a foreign player and leave him overseas for a couple of seasons.

Last year’s second-round pick Derrick Dial spent the season in Greece. The Spurs probably will sign Dial to a qualifying offer then have him, along with Gerard King and Brandon Williams, play in the rookie summer league. D

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-11, By Lisa Sandberg

马刺队前台接待员被指控盗窃近75000美元

马刺队可能已经取得了十连胜，但本周他们损失了近75000美元。

警方表示，一名临时接待员被告知将装有这笔马刺队门票销售收入的袋子交给一辆装甲运钞车，但她被指控盗走了这笔钱。

这笔收入来自球队周日晚上在西部决赛最后一战中战胜波特兰开拓者的决定性胜利。

周四，警方对住在影子山谷路100号街区的克里斯蒂娜·摩根·埃雷拉(Christine Morgan Herrera)发出了逮捕令。

“她被留下来把袋子交给装甲运钞车的员工，20分钟后，（她工作的地方）门锁上了，她就消失了，”保罗·普雷斯利警官谈到大约中午发生的事件时说。

“他们一直在卖很多票，”他说。

埃雷拉在她工作中赚了多少钱尚不清楚。

普雷斯利说，埃雷拉已经做了一名临时接待员大约一个月了。

警方发言人桑迪·佩雷斯表示，将银行袋子交给埃雷拉的决定是临时做出的，因为一名员工不得不突然离开办公室。

马刺队办公室拒绝就此事发表评论。

警方还在追查埃雷拉的丈夫，怀疑他参与了盗窃案。尽管他尚未被列入逮捕令，但他周四没有去上班。

普雷斯利说，警方认为这对夫妇可能逃往科珀斯克里斯蒂，他们最近刚从那里搬来。

如果被判犯有重罪盗窃罪，埃雷拉将面临最高20年的监禁和10000美元的罚款。

罪犯举报热线提供最高1000美元的奖励，用于提供导致埃雷拉被捕和起诉的信息。

点击查看原文：Spurs receptionist wanted in theft of nearly $75,000

Spurs receptionist wanted in theft of nearly $75,000

The Spurs may have won 10 straight, but this week they lost - nearly $75,000.

A temporary receptionist told to hand over a bag with that sum in Spurs ticket sales to an armored bank carrier Wednesday is accused of taking the money, police said.

The earnings resulted from the team’s decisive win Sunday night against the Portland Trail Blazers in the final game of the Western Conference Championship.

An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for Christine Morgan Herrera of the 100 block of Shadow Valley Drive.

“She was left with the bag to give to the armored car personnel, and 20 minutes later the door (where she worked) was locked and she was gone,” Sgt. Paul Presley said of the incident that occurred around noon.

“They’ve been selling a lot of tickets,” he said.

How much Herrera earned at her job isn’t known.

Presley said Herrera had been working as a temporary receptionist for about a month.

Police spokeswoman Sandy Perez said the decision to leave the bank bag with Herrera was a spontaneous one, made because a staff member had to leave the office unexpectedly.

The Spurs office refused to comment on the case.

Police are also seeking Herrera’s husband in the theft. Though he hasn’t been named in an arrest warrant, he failed to show up for work Thursday.

Presley said police believe the couple may have fled to Corpus Christi, from where they recently moved.

If convicted of the felony theft charge, Herrera faces up to 20 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to Herrera’s arrest and indictment.

By Lisa Sandberg, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-11

报告：安纳海姆也正在追逐马刺

两天前，巴尔的摩市政府官员表示有意吸引马刺，而现在，安纳海姆也加入了那些渴望得到这支西部联盟冠军球队的城市行列。

洛杉矶时报周四刊登的一篇报道称，箭頭體育館的官员据信最近联系了马刺，并邀请球队考虑搬迁到南加州。

箭頭體育館总经理蒂姆·瑞安(Tim Ryan)告诉时报，他既不能确认也不能否认与任何NBA球队进行谈判。他确实表示，运营体育馆的奥格登公司正在“积极寻求选择”，以寻找NBA租户，并且他已“与多家NBA实体进行了交谈”。这包括现任和潜在的球队老板，因为洛杉矶快船队已经取消了他们在安纳海姆的年度比赛。

尽管马刺队主席彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt)一再否认球队正在考虑在圣安东尼奥以外的地方寻找机会，但他承认自己“收到了来自对球队感兴趣的城市和球队所有权集团的多通电话”。 - 电讯社报道

点击查看原文：Report: Anaheim chasing Spurs, too

Report: Anaheim chasing Spurs, too

Two days after municipal officials in Baltimore voiced an interest in attracting the Spurs, Anaheim has joined the chorus of cities coveting the NBA Western Conference champions.

A report in Thursday’s editions of the Los Angeles Times said officials from the Arrowhead Pond are believed to have contacted the Spurs recently and invited the team to consider a move to Southern California.

Tim Ryan, general manager of the Pond, told the Times he could neither confirm nor deny talks with any NBA franchise. He did say that the Ogden Corp., which operates the Pond, is “aggressively pursuing options” for NBA tenants and that he has “spoken to a number of NBA entities.” That includes current and potential team owners, since the Los Angeles Clippers have canceled their annual series of games in Anaheim.

Despite repeated denials by Chairman Peter Holt that the Spurs are looking at options outside San Antonio, he has acknowledged receiving “multiple calls from cities and ownership groups interested in the team.” - Wire Reports

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-11, By Roy Bragg

马刺球迷翘首以待，只待敌手现身

如果是纽约，准备好迎接这群来自外地、快节奏、快嘴的家伙吧，他们说话像 70 年代情景喜剧《欢迎回来，科特》中的 “汗衫小子”，对风景优美的路线毫无兴趣。

如果是印第安纳，那就等着迎接那一波波朴实、脚踏实地、头脑冷静的人吧，他们笑得灿烂，小费给的少，衡量事物用的是蒲式耳和公顷。

做好准备吧——迎接粗鲁之人，或者无聊之人。

自从周日战胜波特兰开拓者的第四场比赛以来，圣安东尼奥马刺队的球员们一直在休息、训练和研究比赛录像。

与此同时，马刺球迷已经陷入了一种类似于英国足球暴乱的集体狂热状态——当然，是善意的狂热。

唯一缺少的就是另一支球队。

印第安纳将在今晚对阵纽约，进行 NBA 东部决赛的第六场比赛。尼克斯目前以 3-2 领先步行者，系列赛采用七战四胜制。

如果尼克斯今晚获胜，他们将来到圣安东尼奥。如果印第安纳取得两场胜利，他们将前往阿拉莫城。

无论哪支球队获胜，全球媒体都会将目光聚焦在德克萨斯州及其刻板印象，例如慢悠悠说话、戴着大帽子、每个角落都有仙人掌、过度使用 “y’all” 和 “fixin’” 的牛仔。

了解即将到来的情况可能会有所帮助。

典型的纽约人粗鲁、居高临下、说话快，而且无法容忍愚蠢的行为。典型的印第安纳人就像白面包上的蛋黄酱一样平淡无奇——不兴奋也不令人兴奋。

印第安纳大学布卢明顿分校民间传说副教授约翰·约翰逊(John Johnson)表示，就像大多数刻板印象一样，这并不完全准确。

至少纽约的刻板印象并不准确。

“我认为纽约人在国外形象不好，”约翰逊说，他出生于阿比林，曾在纽约市生活，并在布卢明顿任教 20 年。

“这是一个大地方，”他说。“那里有 1000 万人。总是发生着一些事情。他们行动非常快，而且给人一种很生气的感觉。他们并没有生气，只是行动很快。他们只是想让你让开。”

约翰逊承认，关于印第安纳人的所有说法都是真的。

“我不会争辩，”他说。“他们不浮夸。我认为农场人的形象是一个很好的刻板印象。他们是普通的美国人。这是一个遍布玉米田和豆田的地方，一年四季交替。”

这是一种典型的中西部州的看法，一个平坦而荒凉的地方，人们不像德克萨斯人那样刻板。

“我们德克萨斯人独立自主，我们是一个相当粗犷的地方，已经很长时间了，”他说。

然而，印第安纳州却不是这样。

“他们的形象是，没有形象，”约翰逊说。

如果这两个地方有共同点，那就是篮球。这两个地方都被认为是篮球圣地。

在纽约市，篮球的形象是街头篮球，围绕着阿尔伯特·金(Albert King)、卡里姆·阿卜杜勒-贾巴尔(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) 和前马刺球员劳埃德·丹尼尔斯(Lloyd Daniels) 等篮球天才发展起来的运动文化。这些家伙能够跃过高楼，脚踝运球灌篮，擦干净玻璃后会留下光泽。

在印第安纳州，小镇篮球与这里的高中橄榄球一样受人尊敬。在这个地方，农场的孩子，比如步行者队教练拉里·伯德(Larry Bird)，会花费数小时在谷仓侧面挂着的篮球框上投篮。就像电影《天外奇蹟》中描绘的那样，球队在每次投篮之前至少要传球 20 次，像鲍比·奈特(Bobby Knight) 这样的球员是英雄。

步行者还是尼克斯？印第安纳人还是大苹果？圣安东尼奥在等待。

点击查看原文：Spurs fans waiting to know their enemy

Spurs fans waiting to know their enemy

If it’s New York, plan on a fast- moving, fast-talking blast of out-of- towners who sound like the Sweathogs from the '70s sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter” and have no use for the scenic route.

If it’s Indiana, expect amber waves of decent, salt-of-the-earth, level-headed folks who smile broadly, tip badly, and measure things in bushels and by hectares.

Brace yourself - it’s going to be boors or bores.

Since Sunday’s Game 4 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, the San Antonio Spurs players have rested, practiced and studied game films.

Spurs fans, meanwhile, have worked themselves into a collective frenzy comparable to English soccer riot - albeit good natured.

The only thing missing is the other team.

Indiana plays New York tonight in Game 6 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks are up 3-2 over the Pacers in the best- of-seven series.

If the Knicks win tonight, they’re coming to San Antonio. If Indiana pulls off two wins, they are Alamo City-bound.

Either way, the world’s media will be focusing on Texas and our stereotypes, such as slow-talking cowboys with big hats, cacti on every corner, and excessive use of the words “y’all” and “fixin’.”

It might be useful to understand what’s coming our way.

The stereotypical New Yorker is rude, patronizing, talks fast and doesn’t suffer fools well. The stereotypical Hoosier is as exotic as mayonnaise on white bread - unexcitable and unexciting.

John Johnson, an associate professor of folklore at Indiana University in Bloomington, says that, like most stereotypes, that’s not quite accurate.

At least, the New York stereotypes aren’t.

“I think New Yorkers have a bad image abroad,” said Johnson, who was raised in Abilene, lived in New York City, and has taught in Bloomington for 20 years.

“It’s a big place,” he said. “There are 10 million of them there. There’s always something going on. They’re very much in a hurry and they have an image of being angry. They’re not angry. They’re in a hurry. They just want you out of the way.”

Everything that’s said about Hoosiers, Johnson concedes, is true.

“I wouldn’t argue it,” he said. “They’re not flashy. I think that the image of a farm person is a pretty good stereotype. They’re average Americans. It’s a place full of cornfields and soybean fields that alternate from one season to the next.”

It’s a view that is typical of a Midwestern state, a flat and desolate place in which people don’t represent themselves as stereotypical as, say, a Texan might.

“We Texans were independent and we were a pretty rough and tumble place for a long time,” he said.

Not up in Indiana, however.

“The image is that there is no image,” Johnson said.

If there’s common ground between these two places, it’s basketball. Each is considered a hoop mecca.

In New York City, the image is of playground ball, where cults developed around basketball prodigies such as Albert King, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and former Spur Lloyd Daniels. These are guys who could leap over a tall building, dunk with their ankles and left a sheen when they wiped the glass clean.

In Indiana, small-town basketball is as revered as high school football is here. It’s a place where farm kids, such as Pacer coach Larry Bird, spend hours shooting jumpers through a basketball rim hanging from the side of a barn. It’s basketball as depicted in the movie “Hoosiers,” where the teams make a minimum of 20 passes before each shot and guys like Bobby Knight are heroes.

Pacer or Knick. Hoosier or Big Apple. San Antonio waits.

By Roy Bragg, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-11, By Johnny Ludden

伤病更新：

杰罗姆·克西(Jerome Kersey)在周四的训练中因出现流感症状缺席。

克西被送往医生处检查是否感染了胃病毒。

艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)表示，他的左膝在经过两天的训练后感觉好多了。约翰逊在周日第四场比赛中战胜波特兰的第二节接近结束时，膝盖附近受伤。

等待中： 马刺队九天的休赛期是自1982年洛杉矶湖人队在横扫马刺后等待了11天以来，球队等待NBA总决赛开始时间最长的。

“他们可能（坐立不安），”马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“但他们没有在比赛中表现出来。他们在训练中非常专注。”

约翰逊在休息的两天里带他的孩子克里斯蒂安·安伯(Christianne Amber)和艾弗里·小约翰逊(Avery Jr.)去参加网球训练营。

“他们试图成为下一个维纳斯·威廉姆斯(Venus Williams)和安德烈·阿加西(Andre Agassi),”约翰逊说。“所以我很忙。”

如果适合： 已经得到队友们称为“老爸(Pops)”的贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)可能又获得了新的绰号：“终结者(The Eliminator)”。

杰克逊在与洛杉矶湖人队和波特兰队的比赛中，分别在第四节命中了三个三分球，帮助球队完成横扫。在过去的四场客场比赛中，杰克逊场均得到18分，几乎是他在常规赛场均得分的三倍。

“希望我能像在客场一样在主场打球，”杰克逊说，他拒绝以阿拉莫圆顶球场(Alamodome)经常被人诟病的视线为借口。 “…我只是变得更有侵略性。如果你错过了，不要灰心。继续投篮。”

约翰逊因为杰克逊在赛季末背部肌肉紧绷后，仍然频繁地举重而批评了他。

“这与我的正常训练无关，”杰克逊说。“我只是有一天做了非常重的举重。我吃了一些阿司匹林，这起作用了。”

点击查看原文：NOTES

NOTES

Injury update: Jerome Kersey missed Thursday’s practice after experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Kersey was sent to the doctor to determine whether he had a stomach virus.

Avery Johnson said his left knee has felt better after two days of practice. Johnson bruised his knee near the end of the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 4 victory over Portland.

Still waiting: The Spurs nine- day layoff is the longest a team has had to wait for the NBA Finals to begin since the 1982 Los Angeles Lakers waited 11 days after sweeping the Spurs.

“They’re probably (restless),” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “But they haven’t shown it between the lines. They’ve been real focused during practice.”

Johnson spent the two off days taking his children, Christianne Amber and Avery Jr., to tennis camp.

“They’re trying to be the next Venus Williams and Andre Agassi,” Johnson said. “So I’ve been busy.”

If it fits: Already called “Pops” by his teammates, Jaren Jackson may have picked up a new nickname: “The Eliminator.”

Jackson hit three three-pointers in each of the fourth quarters to close out sweeps of both the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland. In his last four road games, Jackson is averaging 18 points, almost three times his regular-season average.

“Hopefully I can play at home as well as I have on the road,” said Jackson, who declined to use the Alamodome’s oft-maligned sight lines as an excuse. “…I’m just being aggressive. If you miss one, don’t get your head down. Go ahead and take your shot.”

Johnson got on Jackson for lifting weights too often after his back tightened up near the end of the season.

“It had nothing to do with my normal routine,” Jackson said. “I just did real heavy lifting one day. I took some Advil and that helped.” - Johnny Ludden

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-12, By Carmina Danini

马刺真的有神助 - 多亏了这位修女

她称圣安东尼奥马刺为“我的孩子们”，并表示她喜欢他们，因为他们是一个“团结的团队”。她甚至赞赏教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)，因为他“不会对孩子们大发雷霆”。

这位修女名叫曼努埃拉·罗德里格斯修女(Sister Manuela Rodriguez)，她是一名退休的幼儿园教师，也是圣言化身修女会(Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word)的一员，她可能是为了马刺向更高的力量求助。

这位身材娇小的曼努埃拉修女(Sister Manuelita)今年92岁，她有些耳背，膝盖也有些毛病。

但这位天主教修女对马刺的爱却丝毫没有减退。两年前，她在圣言化身大学(University of the Incarnate Word)的集会中心，遇到了马刺球员。

当时，埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)送给她一个篮球，上面有所有队员的签名。

“哦，真是个惊喜，”她回忆道，眼睛闪着光芒。“我还没有蒂姆(Duncan)的签名，因为他当时不在队里，但我希望能得到他的签名。”

曼努埃拉修女只在阿拉莫圆顶体育场(Alamodome)看过一次马刺的比赛，她说，尽管马刺在2月份的战绩是6胜8负，但她一直觉得今年是马刺进军NBA总决赛的一年。

“自从马里奥(Elie 埃利)加入球队后，球队变得更强，也更团结，”她在圣言化身修女会总修院接受采访时说。她每天早上都在这里做志愿者。

“你可以看到球队的变化，”她补充道。

这位前名为卡塔利娜·罗德里格斯(Catalina Rodriguez)的修女是12个孩子中的一员，她于1906年出生于墨西哥的托雷翁。

为了躲避墨西哥革命，她的家人于1913年搬到了圣安东尼奥。一年后，罗德里格斯一家搬到了埃尔帕索。

这位未来的修女在高中时就打篮球，尽管自她打球以来，篮球运动已经发生了很大的变化，但她仍然对篮球很了解。

她能轻易地认出马刺的球员，并且把她最喜欢的球员列在了名单上，包括大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)、肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)、邓肯和埃利，这位前休斯顿火箭队的球员在本赛季以自由球员的身份加入了马刺。

“小将军”约翰逊在曼努埃拉修女的心中占有特殊的地位。

“我喜欢他们所有人，但我认为小埃弗里是球队的核心，”她说。

曼努埃拉修女对马刺的爱，在圣言化身修女会退休社区的其他修女中也得到了传播。

大约140位退休修女居住在这个社区，平均年龄为85岁。

大多数修女都在电视上观看了季后赛。修女们尤其喜欢埃利奥特在阿拉莫圆顶体育场阵亡将士纪念日(Memorial Day)的最后时刻投出的三分球。

周日，她们观看了马刺与波特兰开拓者队的第四场比赛，这场比赛将圣安东尼奥队送进了NBA总决赛，这是马刺队26年历史上第一次打进总决赛。

“周一早上6点，我们在早餐时一直重复着‘他们赢了，他们赢了’，”曼努埃拉修女回忆道。“我们聊的都是这个。”

点击查看原文：Spurs really do have a prayer - thanks to nun

Spurs really do have a prayer - thanks to nun

She calls the San Antonio Spurs “my boys” and says she likes them because they are such a “united team.” She even admires coach Gregg Popovich because he “doesn’t fuss at the boys.”

She’s Sister Manuela Rodriguez, a retired kindergarten teacher and member of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word who might well be responsible for intervening on behalf of the Spurs with a higher spirit.

At 92, the diminutive Sister Manuelita, as she’s called, is a little hard of hearing and her knees give her a bit of trouble.

What hasn’t waned for the Catholic nun is her love for the Spurs. Two years ago, she met the players while they were practicing at the University of the Incarnate Word Convocation Center.

A basketball autographed by every member of the team was presented to her by Avery Johnson.

“Oh, it was a wonderful surprise,” she recalled, her eyes twinkling. “I don’t have Tim’s (Duncan) autograph because he wasn’t with the team then, but I’d like to have it.”

Sister Manuelita, who’s seen the team play at the Alamodome only once, says despite the 6-8 record the Spurs racked up in February, she always felt this was the year the team would make it to the NBA Finals.

“The team became stronger with Mario (Elie), and more united,” she said during an interview at the Incarnate Word Generalate, where she works as a volunteer most mornings.

“You could see the change in the team,” she added.

One of 12 siblings, the former Catalina Rodriguez was born in Torreon, Mexico, in 1906.

The family moved to San Antonio in 1913 to escape the Mexican Revolution. One year later, the Rodriguez family moved to El Paso.

The future nun played basketball in high school and although the game has evolved greatly since her days on the court, she remains knowledgeable about the game.

She can readily identify the Spurs players and counts among her favorites David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Duncan and Elie, the former Houston Rockets player who joined the team as a free agent this season.

Johnson, the “Little General,” holds a special place in Sister Manuelita’s heart.

“I like them all but I think little Avery is the heart of the team,” she said.

Sister Manuelita’s love of the team has spread among the other nuns at the Incarnate Word Retirement Community.

About 140 retired nuns - average age is 85 - reside at the community.

Most watched the playoffs on television. The nuns especially loved Elliott’s game-clinching three- pointer on Memorial Day at the Alamodome.

On Sunday, they watched Game 4 between the Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers that catapulted the San Antonio team to the NBA Finals for the first time in the franchise’s 26-year history.

“At breakfast at 6 a.m. on Monday, we all kept repeating, ‘they won, they won,’” Sister Manuelita recalled. “It was all we could talk about.”

By Carmina Danini, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-12, By Gaylon Krizak

马刺与尼克斯将上演巅峰对决

马刺队在经历了五天的不确定后，终于如愿以偿——他们将迎来真正的NBA总决赛对手。

NBC也获得了他们想要的东西——纽约这个全美最大的电视市场，来平衡圣安东尼奥作为联盟最小市场的现状。

但周五晚上最开心的莫过于纽约尼克斯队，他们在东部决赛第六场比赛中以90-82战胜印第安纳步行者队，成为史上第一支晋级联盟总决赛的第八号种子球队。

七场四胜制的NBA总决赛首场比赛将于周三晚上8点在阿拉莫穹顶球馆举行。

尽管失去了拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)，他在季后赛中是尼克斯队的主要得分点，在第二节中膝盖受伤，尼克斯队还是在周五凭借艾伦·休斯顿(Allan Houston)的32分在第二节拉开比分，最终以4-2的总比分战胜步行者队，赢得了系列赛。

纽约可能不得不在缺少他们的两名顶级大个子的情况下面对马刺队。约翰逊膝盖韧带扭伤，不得不被抬出场外，帕特里克·尤因(Patrick Ewing)在与印第安纳系列赛的第二场比赛中跟腱断裂，已经赛季报销。

点击查看原文：Spurs, Knicks to Brawl

Spurs, Knicks to Brawl

The Spurs, after five days of uncertainty, got what they wanted - an actual NBA Finals opponent for which to prepare.

NBC got what it wanted, too - the nation’s largest TV market to counterbalance San Antonio’s status as the league’s smallest.

But no one was happier Friday night than the New York Knicks, who with their 90-82 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals became the first No. 8 seed ever to advance to the league’s championship round.

Game 1 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Alamodome.

Despite losing Larry Johnson, their leading scorer in the playoffs, to a second-quarter knee injury, the Knicks rallied Friday behind Allan Houston’s 32 points to pull away from the Pacers in the second half and win the series, 4-2.

New York may have to face the Spurs without two of its top big men. Johnson sprained a knee ligament and had to be carried off the court, and Patrick Ewing is already out for the season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon in Game 2 of the Indiana series.

By Gaylon Krizak, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-12, By Travis Poling

联盟分红：公牛也能从马刺的热潮中获利

马刺的周边产品可能很火爆，但像芝加哥公牛这样的垫底球队也能在财务上获得平等的分红。

芝加哥公牛队在鼎盛时期，尤其是在迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)统治的最后几年，为 NBA 带来了数百万美元的零售销售版税。

这些销售让公牛队的老板们变得更加富有，但与联盟中其他所有球队的老板相比，他们并没有更加富有。耐克(Nike)和彪马(Puma)等公司销售的 NBA 授权产品的版税，归 NBA Properties 所有，并平均分配给所有 29 支球队。

这意味着马刺的热潮正在帮助将资金注入公牛队、洛杉矶快船队甚至温哥华灰熊队的账簿，而灰熊队是本赛季联盟战绩最差的球队 (8-42)。

NBA 营销总监希拉里·卡西迪 (Hilary Cassidy) 表示：“对于一支没有像大市场球队那样广泛号召力的球队来说，这绝对是一个不同的动态。”

卡西迪不愿透露具体的商品版税收入，但表示马刺队从未进入过球队商品销售的前 10 名。

圣安东尼奥的球迷们可能很喜欢马刺队的商品，但要让其他人购买这些东西还需要做一些工作。

但卡西迪表示，好的故事情节会吸引人们的兴趣，并可能帮助提高 NBA 决赛比赛的收视率和销售额。

打击假冒商品行动升级： 马刺队争夺总冠军的机会吸引了一些想快速赚钱的人。

NBA 表示，他们已经派人寻找没有获得马刺队或 NBA 授权的商品。

当地警察、NBA 雇佣的私人侦探以及联盟自己的“冲锋队员”已经没收了质量低劣的假冒马刺队和联盟商品。低劣意味着两件事：质量很差，而且 NBA 没有从销售中获得分成。

在周三系列赛揭幕战之前，假冒者和 NBA 官员将加大力度，但一些假冒商品已经很受欢迎。

据 NBA 副总裁兼高级知识产权律师凯瑟琳·巴雷特·帕克 (Kathryn Barrett Park) 称，没收的商品包括印有“西部联盟冠军”字样的帽子、海报、旗帜和毛巾。

她说，一些帽子是旧的商品，在前面匆匆地绣上了“99”。

巴雷特·帕克还表示，马刺队也收到了一些关于“Go Spurs Go”商品销售被山寨的投诉。马刺队允许那些想要向球迷出售旗帜等商品的人广泛使用这句口号的许可，但他们不想在未经许可的情况下将其用于盈利。

NBA 也在帮助马刺队进行打击。

点击查看原文：Here's a switch: Bulls ride Spurs' marketing wave

Here’s a switch: Bulls ride Spurs’ marketing wave

Spurs merchandise may be hot, but cellar-dwellers such as the Chicago Bulls will share equally in the financial success.

The Chicago Bulls generated many millions of dollars in retail- sales royalties for the NBA in their heyday, especially in the last days of Michael Jordan’s reign.

Those sales made Bulls owners a little richer, but no more so than those who ran every other team in the league. The royalty on NBA- licensed products, sold by such firms as Nike and Puma, goes to NBA Properties and is split evenly among all 29 teams.

That means Spurs fever is helping pump money into the coffers of the Bulls, the Los Angeles Clippers and even the Vancouver Grizzlies, the team with the worst record in the league this season (8-42).

“It’s definitely a different dynamic,” said Hilary Cassidy, the NBA’s director of marketing, of having a team without the broad appeal of major-market teams.

Cassidy would not reveal specific merchandise royalty revenues, but said the Spurs never have been among the top 10 in team merchandise sales.

San Antonio fans may be eating it up, but getting others to buy the stuff will take some doing.

But Cassidy said good storylines will draw people’s interest and possibly help sales and television ratings for the NBA Finals games.

Crackdown on knock-offs heats up: The Spurs’ shot at the title has brought out those who want a shot at a quick buck.

The NBA said it has people on the lookout for merchandise not licensed by the Spurs or the NBA.

Local police, private detectives hired by the NBA and the association’s own stormtroopers have confiscated counterfeit Spurs and league items of inferior quality. Inferior means two things: the quality is poor, and the NBA is not getting its cut of the sale.

Counterfeiters and NBA officials will be out in force closer to Wednesday’s series opener, but several knock-off items have proven popular.

Hats, posters, pennants and towels touting the Spurs as “Western Conference Champions” are among the items confiscated, according to Kathryn Barrett Park, NBA vice president and senior intellectual property counsel.

Some of the hats, she said, were old merchandise with a hasty '99 embroidered on the front.

There also have been complaints from the Spurs about rip-off “Go Spurs Go” merchandise sales, Barrett Park said. The Spurs made the license for the chant widely available to those who want to sell products, such as banners, to fans, but don’t want it used for profit without permission.

The NBA is helping the Spurs with that crackdown as well.

By Travis Poling, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-12, By Johnny Ludden

科尔在季后赛中做出贡献 马刺队的科尔终于有机会按自己的方式打球

马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 已经从媒体、看台上的球迷以及所有其他热衷于篮球的专家那里听到了这些。现在，在西部半决赛第三场比赛下半场开始前的几秒钟，他又从拉维恩那里听到了。

这只能发生在星光熠熠的大西部论坛上。杰克·尼科尔森(Jack Nicholson) 对洛杉矶湖人队主教练库尔特·兰比斯(Kurt Rambis) 大声喊叫；波波维奇则在和拉维恩说话。佩妮·马歇尔(Penny Marshall) 曾经在“拉维恩和雪莉”中饰演“L”，后来成为了一位杰出的电影导演，她突然跳上了史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr) 的支持者队伍。

“她问：‘为什么你不让史蒂夫·科尔上场？为什么你不让史蒂夫·科尔上场？’”波波维奇回忆道。“我一直试图转移话题。我问她她的新电影进展如何。我告诉她我认为她是一位优秀的导演。但她就是不停止谈论史蒂夫。

“比赛的哨声响起，我试图布置第一个战术，而她仍然站在那里。‘波波！你需要让史蒂夫上场！你需要让史蒂夫上场！’”

马歇尔会很高兴知道科尔在板凳上的位置已经升级了。在季后赛前 9 场比赛中只出场过 3 场，总共只打了 15 分钟后，科尔在西部决赛的最后 3 场比赛中加入了肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)、贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)、艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 和马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 的行列，为马刺队提供了他们整个赛季都在寻找的稳定外线帮助。

“当你坐在板凳上时，季后赛经验并不意味着什么，”科尔说。“我有点厌倦了做发言人。这感觉好多了。”

马刺队也离开了西部决赛，他们对自己的进攻可能比今年的任何时候都更有信心。在科尔被换上场的第二场比赛中，马刺队在最后三场对阵开拓者的比赛中三分球命中率达到 42.9%（49 投 21 中）。这比球队在常规赛中的三分球命中率高出近 10%。

埃利奥特在第二场比赛中投进了 6 个三分球，追平了球队的季后赛纪录。杰克逊在西部半决赛第四场比赛中也投进了 6 个三分球，在第三场比赛中再次追平了这一纪录。

到第四场比赛，马刺队的传球已经达到了一整个赛季的最佳状态。传到内线，传出来，传到空位球员，传到更空位的球员。

“这就是当你开始投篮好时发生的事情，”埃利奥特说，他在季后赛中 37 投 17 中，三分球命中率达到 48.6%，高于常规赛的 41%。 “这变成了一个循环。你开始投篮好，然后球员们开始传球好，然后你开始投篮更好。它会一直持续下去。

“当球传得很好，球员们看到你空位时会多传几次，这很有趣。也许他们自己也有不错的投篮机会，但他们认为你投得更好，于是就把球传给你。或者你也有同样的感觉，就把球传给别人。

“我的天，这就是比赛应该进行的方式。”

科尔的加入帮助很大。在波特兰继续包夹蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 之后，波波维奇开始在西部决赛第二场比赛中用科尔替换安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels)，以更好地拉开空间。

“（科尔）做得比人们想象的要好，因为他理解比赛，做出正确的决定，并且没有失误，”波波维奇说。

马刺队在赛季初也采取了类似的策略，用科尔替补约翰逊。然而，科尔从来没有感到很舒服地打控球后卫，丹尼尔斯继承了这个角色。科尔与体型更大的杰克逊争夺上场时间，由于防守对位的缘故，他经常处于劣势。

当科尔在西部决赛中回到替补约翰逊的角色时，马刺队通过让埃利奥特或杰克逊带球过半场来帮助缓解了一些压力。开拓者继续放空约翰逊，但科尔的防守者（通常是格雷格·安东尼(Greg Anthony)）在帮助包夹邓肯时更加犹豫。

当科尔在场时，马刺队经常有 3 名球员站在三分线外，为邓肯创造了更多的空间。而邓肯的传球比赛季初“好 10 倍”，科尔说，马刺队打出了简单但有效的流畅进攻。这与他们在训练营期间设想的体系非常相似。

“这就是你想到 70 年代的纽约尼克斯队，”波波维奇说。“谁空位谁就应该拿球，谁就应该投篮。”

点击查看原文：Kerr contributing in playoffs Spurs' Kerr finally gets chance to do it his way

Kerr contributing in playoffs Spurs’ Kerr finally gets chance to do it his way

SPTS/01C Spurs jumps to 4c at 12/2 Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had heard it from the media, the fans in the stands and all those other hang- up-and-listen basketball experts. And now, seconds before the second half of Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, he was hearing it from Laverne.

It was one of those moments that could only have happened at the star-studded Great Western Forum. Jack Nicholson was screaming at Los Angeles Lakers coach Kurt Rambis; Popovich had Laverne in his ear. Penny Marshall, who put the “L” in “Laverne and Shirley” before becoming a distinguished film director, had suddenly jumped on the Steve Kerr bandwagon.

"She was asking, “‘Why don’t you play Steve Kerr? Why don’t you play Steve Kerr?’” Popovich recalled. "I kept trying to change the subject. I asked her how her new movie was going. I told her I thought she was a good director. But she wouldn’t stop talking about Steve.

“The horn goes off and I’m trying to get my first play in, and she’s still standing there. ‘Pop! You need to play Steve! You need to play Steve!’”

Marshall would be pleased to know Kerr’s seat on the bench has been upgraded. After appearing in only three of the first nine playoff games - and for a total of 15 minutes at that - Kerr joined Sean Elliott, Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson and Mario Elie in the final three games of the Western Conference finals to give the Spurs the consistent outside help they have been searching for all season.

“Playoff experience doesn’t mean a whole lot when you’re sitting on the bench,” Kerr said. “I was a little tired of being the spokesman. This feels a whole lot better.”

The Spurs also left the conference finals maybe feeling as confident about their offense as they have all year. After Kerr was inserted in Game 2, the Spurs made 42.9 percent (21 of 49) of their three-pointers in the final three games against the Trail Blazers. That’s almost 10 percent higher than the team’s regular-season average behind the arc.

Elliott tied the franchise playoff record by knocking down six three-pointers in Game 2. Jackson, who also hit six three-pointers in Game 4 of the conference semifinals, matched it again in Game 3.

By Game 4, the Spurs were moving the ball as well as they have all season. Pass it into the post. Pass it back out. Swing it to the open man. Swing it to the more open man.

“That’s what happens when you start shooting the ball well,” said Elliott, who has made 17 of 37 three- pointers and is shooting 48.6 percent overall in the playoffs, up from 41 percent in the regular season. "It becomes perpetual. You start shooting the ball well, then guys starting moving the ball well, then you start shooting the ball better. It keeps going.

"It’s a lot of fun when the ball moves a lot and guys make extra passes when they see you open. And maybe they have a good shot, but they think you have a better shot and they give it to you. Or you feel the same and you throw it to somebody.

“Man, that’s the way the game is supposed to be played.”

The addition of Kerr has helped. After Portland continued to double team Tim Duncan, Popovich started using Kerr in place of Antonio Daniels during Game 2 of the conference finals to better spread the floor.

“(Kerr) does things better than people might expect because he understands the game, makes good decisions and doesn’t turn the ball over,” Popovich said.

The Spurs began the season in a similar position by using Kerr to back up Johnson. Kerr, however, never felt too comfortable playing point and Daniels inherited the role. Left to fight for minutes with the bigger Jackson, Kerr often wound up on the losing end because of defensive matchups.

When Kerr returned to backing up Johnson during the conference finals, the Spurs helped alleviate some of the pressure by using Elliott or Jackson to bring the ball up court. The Blazers continued to leave Johnson open, but Kerr’s defender - often Greg Anthony - was more hesitant about helping on Duncan.

With Kerr in the game, the Spurs often had three players behind the arc creating more room for Duncan to work. And with Duncan passing out of the double teams “10 times better than he did at the beginning of the season,” Kerr said, the Spurs ran a simple, but effective, fluid offense. Not unlike the system they envisioned during training camp.

“That’s when you think of the New York Knicks in the '70s,” Popovich said. “Whoever is open should have the ball and that’s who should shoot it.”

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-12, By Jeanne Jakle

NBA总决赛吸引明星

NBA总决赛预计将吸引许多知名球迷来到圣安东尼奥，甚至可能是莱昂纳多·迪卡普里奥(Leonardo DiCaprio)。

据NBA娱乐发言人透露，其他可能出现在阿拉莫穹顶的著名篮球爱好者包括：

比尔·默瑞(Bill Murray)，丹尼·德维托(Danny DeVito)，比利·鲍德温(Billy Baldwin)，加里·申德林(Garry Shandling)，格伦·坎贝尔(Glen Campbell)，约翰·库萨克(John Cusack)，黛比·艾伦(Debbie Allen)，佩妮·马歇尔(Penny Marshall)和杰克·尼科尔森(Jack Nicholson)，尽管这位“唐人街”明星可能对马刺队心怀怨恨，因为他们毫不留情地击败了他的湖人队。

NBA娱乐发言人劳丽·卡舒蒂(Lori Kashouty)表示，这些名人和其他一些人在去年的犹他州和芝加哥之间的决赛中被发现，他们今年可能会再次出现。关于迪卡普里奥及其露面，她表示他似乎喜欢“融入其中”。

人们还预计，NBC将尝试在看台上安排一些该网络黄金时段的明星。

到目前为止，马刺队公关主管汤姆·詹姆斯(Tom James)还没有收到任何来自名人的座位请求。然而，他预计“这将类似于全明星周末”，这意味着他们更有可能通过他们的NBA联系人安排门票。

顺便说一句，你可能想在周一下午10:35观看KMOL的杰伊·莱诺(Jay Leno)“今夜秀”，届时NBC体育主持人艾哈迈德·拉沙德(Ahmad Rashad)将作为嘉宾出现。拉沙德本周晚些时候将来到圣安东尼奥录制周六的“NBA内幕节目”，预计他和莱诺将会聊很多关于即将到来的总决赛以及圣安东尼奥的新闻。

加油，马刺队……球迷们

哦，在离开马刺队之前，一位来自休斯顿的ABC谈话节目“观点”的观众打来电话，分享了这个趣闻：

该节目的一位主持人，斯塔尔·琼斯(Star Jones)，前几天批评了纽约尼克斯队的球迷，因为他们早早离开了比赛。然后她赞扬了圣安东尼奥的忠实球迷，本质上是补充说，“你没有看到马刺队的球迷早早离开比赛，对吧？”

点击查看原文：NBA Finals a celebrity magnet

NBA Finals a celebrity magnet

The NBA Finals are expected to draw plenty of big-name fans of the game to San Antonio - maybe even Leonardo DiCaprio.

Other famed basketball devotees who just might show up in the Alamodome, according to an NBA Entertainment spokesperson, are

Bill Murray, Danny DeVito, Billy Baldwin, Garry Shandling, Glen Campbell, John Cusack, Debbie Allen, Penny Marshall and Jack Nicholson - though the "Chinatown’’ star may harbor a bit of grudge toward our Spurs after they whipped his Lakers so mercilessly.

These celebs and several others were spotted at one or more of last year’s final matches between Utah and Chicago, says NBA Entertainment spokesperson Lori Kashouty, and they may make a repeat appearance this year. Of DiCaprio and his appearances, she indicated that he seems to like to "get into the scene.‘’

It’s also anticipated that NBC will try to sprinkle the stands with some of the network’s prime-time stars.

So far, Spurs publicist Tom James hasn’t received any seat requests from celebrities. However, he anticipates that "it would work similar to an All-Star weekend,‘’ meaning they’d be more apt to arrange for tickets through their NBA contacts.

Incidentally, you might want to tune in Jay Leno’s "Tonight Show’’ Monday - on KMOL at 10:35 p.m. - when NBC sports host Ahmad Rashad is a guest. Rashad is due in San Antonio later in the week to tape Saturday’s edition of "NBA Inside Stuff,‘’ and it’s anticipated he and Leno will be chatting a lot about the upcoming Finals, and, naturally, San Antonio.

Go, Spurs … fans

Oh, and before leaving the Spurs, a Houston viewer of ABC talk program "The View’’ phoned with this tidbit:

One of that show’s hosts, Star Jones, chided New York Knicks fans the other day for leaving a game early. She then laid a compliment on San Antonio loyalists by essentially adding, "You don’t see Spurs fans leaving games early, do you?‘’

Dial up Ken Starr

Ken Starr, the man who tirelessly dogged President Clinton with the Monica Lewinsky affair, has agreed to his second public interview since the impeachment trial - and it’s scheduled to happen right here in San Antonio.

Even more exciting is the fact that you have a chance to quiz him a bit yourself, through a call-in line.

His interviewer will be former S.A. politico/columnist Doug Harlan who has known Starr for a long time and who now has a Sunday night program, “One on One with Doug Harlan,” on KTSA (550 on the AM dial).

Starr, a San Antonio native, will be his guest from 7 to 8 p.m., says Harlan.

"This will be, as I understand it, only his second public interview since the impeachment trial,‘’ Harlan said. "The other was with Larry King on CNN.‘’

Harlan, who has one of the few National Public Radio-style programs on commercial radio, likes to conduct in-depth Q&As with the nation’s policy-makers. He delves into their philosophy and views of current events.

In Starr’s case, KTSA boss Anne Schiller indicates that "this will be more of an up-close-and-personal interview.‘’

Starr won’t be here, but will be live via telephone from Washington.

Selena’s ‘home movie’

It’s been four years since her tragic death, and her widower, Chris Perez, has mustered the strength to move on, get his own band together, even cut a hit record, "Resurrection.‘’

Yet, the late Selena continues to fascinate.

Next month, for instance, she’s resurrected in both a loving and intriguing way in a documentary that will air on public television.

"Corpus: A Home Movie for Selena’’ is scheduled to air on KLRN July 13 at 10 p.m.

It’s part of a series of "P.O.V.‘’ specials that reflect the richness of the Latino experience in the United States.

Selena’s dad and other family members are interviewed in her hometown, Corpus Christi, and plenty of striking footage of the singer is included. There also are lots of shots of San Antonio, where Selena performed frequently. We even get a lengthy inside look at the Selena boutique on Broadway.

But what truly distinguishes this retrospective from others is its balance. Filmmaker Lourdes Portillo spoke with a bevy of worshipful fans, yes, but she also included comments that weren’t exactly favorable.

For instance, S.A. resident and author Sandra Cisneros of the famed purple house in the King William area candidly objects to Selena, who was very showy and sexual on stage with her curves, tight outfits and bustiers, as a role model for Hispanic girls. "Augh! I’m not a Selena fan,‘’ she says in the documentary. "I’m sorry, that’s not a model that I would want … for a young woman or for anyone related to me or a child if I had one.‘’

Salter, Browne still tight

They may be separated by competing stations now, but former co-workers Bob Salter of KENS and Steve Browne of KSAT haven’t let that interfere with their close friendship.

In fact, Salter stood up for the weatherman at his recent wedding; at last weekend’s cozy affair, which had Browne tying the knot with his longtime steady, San Antonio Police Academy instructor Jennifer Wise. Salter served as Browne’s best man.

By Jeanne Jakle, via San Antonio Express-News