马刺1998-99赛季实录（780+篇）

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-17

球迷投进三分球，赢得75,000美元

帕特里克·鲁德(Patrick Ruder) 的晚上过得还不错。

他获得了场边座位，在半场休息时，他赢得了75,000美元。

这位 28 岁的凯利空军基地语言学家投进了三分球，而且是在阿拉莫穹顶地板上马刺队肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott) 在对波特兰开拓者队的“纪念日奇迹投篮”中投球的同一个位置，而且只投了一次就命中。

鲁德是从 600 多名参与“西南贝尔奇迹投篮”比赛的参赛者中选出的。

除了 75,000 美元的奖金外，西南贝尔还向马刺队无毒青少年篮球联盟捐赠了 25,000 美元。

鲁德说他通过在脑海中分解人群来保持专注。

“35,000 名球迷，”他说。“那就是 70,000 只眼睛，700,000 根手指和脚趾。这帮助我摆脱压力。”

一位西南贝尔发言人说，鲁德在周二的预赛中连续投进了 6 个三分球。

另外还有三名男子也获得了资格。唯一的条件是：他们不能在过去五年中在高中或大学篮球比赛中打球，也不能在职业比赛中打球。

李·温纳(Lee Wenner) ，23 岁，将在周五的第二场比赛中尝试投进三分球。

如果第六场和第七场举行，最后两名入围者也将有机会分别赢得 75,000 美元。

西南贝尔将于周一举办一场价值 100,000 美元的罚球比赛，以帮助当地慈善机构：圣安东尼奥教育伙伴关系、学校社区计划和青少年成就组织。

- - -

在阿拉莫穹顶外的赛前人群中，拉里·格罗斯(Larry Gross) 拖着一根 10 英尺长的雪松十字架。

格罗斯住在乌托邦，不是那种心境，而是那个城市，他说他来这里是为了传播福音。

“我一直都在为耶稣执行任务，而且我热爱马刺队，”他说。

他说他最喜欢的球员是大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 和艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)，这两位球员都非常坦诚地谈论了信仰在他们生活中的重要性。

- - -

德克萨斯州州长乔治·W·布什(George W. Bush) 预计将作为马刺队老板彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt) 的嘉宾参加周五的第二场比赛，他与纽约州州长乔治·帕塔基(George Pataki) 打了一个赌。

如果马刺队输掉了系列赛，布什将送帕塔基一双带有马刺的德州风格的西部靴。如果尼克斯队输掉了 NBA 总决赛，帕塔基承诺送布什两份来自本的最佳熟食店的美味三明治和一打纽约市百吉饼。

- - -

无法赶到圣安东尼奥观看第一场比赛的纽约人，也不想待在家里，可以在麦迪逊广场花园通过闭路电视观看比赛。球迷们每人支付 15 美元观看比赛。

顺便说一下，周一在花园举行的第三场比赛已经售罄。

- - -

在这里不得不工作，无法通过电视跟踪比赛的球迷，可以通过计算机登录 NBA 的场边直播 - www.nba.com - 获取实时比赛的逐回合报道。

场边直播提供最新的比分、投篮图表、比较两支球队数据的拼搏榜、每位球员的个人比赛数据、每回合得分记录以及线上的比分。

撰稿人罗伊·布拉格(Roy Bragg)、拉塞尔·戈德(Russell Gold)、卡米娜·达尼尼(Carmina Danini) 和艾米·多塞特(Amy Dorsett) 为本文做出了贡献。

点击查看原文：Fan hits 3-pointer for $75,000

Fan hits 3-pointer for $75,000

Patrick Ruder’s evening wasn’t bad.

He got a courtside seat, and during a first-half lull in the action, he made $75,000.

The 28-year-old Kelly AFB linguist swished a three-point shot - from the exact spot on the Alamodome floor where Spur Sean Elliott sank the Memorial Day Miracle shot against the Portland Trail Blazers - in one try.

Ruder was selected from more than 600 participants in the “Southwestern Bell Miracle Shot” contest.

Besides his $75,000 prize, Southwestern Bell contributed $25,000 to the Spurs Drug-Free Youth Basketball League.

Ruder said he kept his focus by mentally dismembering the crowd.

“Thirty-five thousand fans,” he said. “That’s 70,000 eyes, 700,000 fingers and toes. That helped me keep my mind off the pressure.”

A Southwestern Bell spokesman said Ruder made six consecutive three-point shots in preliminary competition Tuesday.

Three other men also qualified. The only requirements: they could not have played in high school or college basketball in the past five years and never professionally.

Lee Wenner, 23, will try to hit a three-pointer during Game 2 on Friday.

If games 6 and 7 are held, the last two qualifiers also will have a chance at each winning $75,000.

Southwestern Bell will host a $100,000 free throw shooting contest on Monday to benefit local charities: the San Antonio Education Partnership, the Communities in Schools program and Junior Achievement.

- - -

Amid the pre-game throng outside the Alamodome, Larry Gross dragged a 10-foot cedar cross behind him.

Gross, who lives in Utopia - the city, not the state of mind - said he was there to spread the Gospel.

“I’ve been on a mission for Jesus and I love the Spurs,” he said.

He said his favorite players are David Robinson and Avery Johnson, both of whom are very up front about the importance of faith in their lives.

- - -

Gov. George W. Bush, who’s slated to attend Game 2 Friday as a guest of Spurs owner Peter Holt, has a wager going with New York Gov. George Pataki.

If the Spurs lose the series, Bush will give Pataki a pair of Texas- style western boots with spurs. If the Knicks lose the NBA championship, Pataki promises to send Bush two sandwiches from Ben’s Best Deli and a dozen New York City bagels.

- - -

New Yorkers who couldn’t make it to San Antonio for Game 1 and didn’t want to stay home got to watch it via closed circuit TV at Madison Square Garden. Fans paid $15 each to watch the game.

By the way, Game 3, slated for Monday at the Garden, is sold out.

- - -

Fans here who had to work and couldn’t keep tabs on the game on television could log on via computer to the NBA’s Courtside Live - www.nba.com - and get live play-by-play action.

Courtside Live provides up-to- the-minute scores, shot charts, a hustle board comparing each team’s stats, each player’s individual game stats, a basket-by- basket scoring log, and line scores.

Staff Writers Roy Bragg, Russell Gold, Carmina Danini and Amy Dorsett contributed to this report.

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Johnny Ludden

第二战太多值得思考 - 约翰逊警告马刺警惕松懈

这是艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)在NBA总决赛期间奉行的堡垒心态。

马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)说，约翰逊只出门参加训练和比赛。如果需要食物，他会叫外卖。如果需要牙膏，他会派人去商店。如果马刺队在客场，他的妻子卡桑德拉(Cassandra)会住在不同的酒店。

显然，约翰逊发现自己的日常作息非常成功，以至于在周四的训练结束后，他为球队制定了基本原则。不读报纸。不看电视。不听广播脱口秀。约翰逊认为，马刺队还没有克服他们糟糕的第二场比赛。

“我们倾向于过分相信关于我们自己的炒作，”约翰逊说。“我们倾向于自满，变得过度自信，这在我们场上的表现中显现出来。我告诉球队，马里奥在训练后也告诉球队，直到我们赢得冠军，我们还有很多东西要证明。

“… 如果我们在接下来的（三场）系列赛中，有任何类似第二场比赛的表现，我们就会输掉比赛。”

马刺队在周三晚上凭借蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的统治级表现和贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)的外线投篮击败了纽约尼克斯队，他们将在今晚的第二场比赛中，距离创造NBA历史上12连胜的纪录只有一场胜利。然而，最近的历史告诉他们，不要对第一场比赛的胜利过分重视。

马刺队在季后赛中唯一的一次失利，是他们在首轮系列赛的第二场比赛中以80-71输给了明尼苏达队。他们在接下来的两轮系列赛的第二场比赛中，都侥幸取得了胜利。

在西部半决赛对阵洛杉矶湖人队的比赛中，科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant) - 他之前25次罚球命中了23次 - 在比赛结束前18.9秒，错过了两罚，这本来会让马刺队落后三分。然后，邓肯在比赛结束前8.4秒，命中了制胜的勾手，因为湖人队没有意识到他们还有一次犯规机会。

在西部决赛对阵波特兰队的比赛中，马刺队在第三节开局阶段一度落后18分，然后奋起直追。他们的反攻似乎仍将功亏一篑，直到达蒙·斯塔德迈尔(Damon Stoudamire)在比赛结束前12秒错失了一个罚球，肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)在两秒后，沿着边线投进了“阵亡将士纪念日奇迹”三分球。

“每个人都知道我们对阵湖人和波特兰的时候非常幸运，”埃利奥特说。“我们在所有系列赛的第二场比赛中都打得很糟糕。我们在第二场比赛中没有那么专注，但如果这次我们过度自信，我会感到震惊。”

马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在周四尽力确保这种情况不会发生。

“在波波维奇用录像分析我们之后，没有太多笑容，”约翰逊说。“当我们回到球场上时，他放松了一些。但在录像分析环节，他批评我们非常厉害。”

马刺队在周三的比赛中发现了他们进攻篮板和罚球命中率的问题，这两个都是他们在之前的第二场比赛中表现不佳的领域。

马刺队周三只命中了31次罚球中的19次（61.3%），他们在对阵森林狼和开拓者的第二场比赛中的罚球命中率都低于66%。尼克斯队在进攻篮板方面以13-4领先 - 科特·托马斯(Kurt Thomas)的16个篮板中有7个是进攻篮板 - 并获得了19次二次进攻得分，而马刺队只有2次。在他们之前的三场第二场比赛中，马刺队在二次进攻得分方面被对手以45-25领先，在进攻篮板方面被对手以43-29领先。

尽管赢得了比赛，但这足以让埃利收回他在周二时说尼克斯队是他们遇到的最弱球队的话。

“在比赛开始之前，我低估了他们，”埃利说，他指出纽约队在比赛结束前大约8分钟时落后6分。“他们是一支顽强的球队。他们从不放弃。”

也就是说，马刺队已经用周三的胜利，解决了一个季后赛趋势难题。纽约队在他们之前的三场系列赛中都赢得了首场比赛。

“这对我们来说是全新的领域，”尼克斯队控球后卫克里斯·柴尔德斯(Chris Childs)说。“但我们仍然很放松。我们仍然很兴奋。”

然而，再次面对邓肯的想法，却稍微不那么令人愉快。

“邓肯现在的状态，”纽约队主教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)说，“地球上没有一个人能阻止他。”

有人建议范甘迪，使用两个人也许可以作为开始。但是，当尼克斯队在讨论如何防守邓肯，而1300名记者准备撰写他们的“是什么让邓肯如此伟大”的故事时，约翰逊提醒马刺队，不要沉迷于自己的报道。

第二场比赛概览

今天：纽约尼克斯队@马刺队

时间、地点：晚上8点，阿拉莫穹顶

系列赛：马刺队在七场四胜制的NBA总决赛中以1-0领先

电视：NBC

广播：WOAI-AM 1200；KCOR-AM 1350（西班牙语）

在线：expressnews.com/spurs或hoopsnews.com

系列赛剩余赛程

第三场比赛：周一晚上8点@纽约

第四场比赛：周三晚上8点@纽约

x-第五场比赛：6月25日星期五晚上8点@纽约

x-第六场比赛：6月27日星期日下午6:30@圣安东尼奥

x-第七场比赛：6月29日星期二晚上8点@圣安东尼奥

x：如果需要

点击查看原文：'2' much to think about - Johnson warning Spurs to guard against letdown

‘2’ much to think about - Johnson warning Spurs to guard against letdown

It’s a bunker mentality that Avery Johnson subscribes to during these NBA Finals.

Johnson, Mario Elie said, leaves the house only to drive to practices and games. If he needs food, he orders in. If he needs toothpaste, he sends someone to the store. If the Spurs are on the road, his wife, Cassandra, stays at a different hotel.

Johnson apparently found his routine so successful that after Thursday’s practice he laid out ground rules for the team. No reading newspapers. No watching TV. No listening to radio talk shows. The Spurs, Johnson believes, have yet to outgrow their terrible 2s.

“We tend to believe too much of the hype about ourselves,” Johnson said. "We tend to get full of ourselves and get overconfident and it shows in the way we play on the court. I told the team and Mario told the team after practice that until we win the championship, we still have a lot to prove.

“… And if we have any type of resemblance of the Game 2s we played in the previous (three) series, we will lose.”

Having beaten the New York Knicks on Wednesday night behind a dominating performance by Tim Duncan and Jaren Jackson’s outside shooting, the Spurs enter Game 2 tonight one victory shy of an NBA-record, 12-game winning streak. Recent history, however, tells them not to put too much weight in their Game 1 victory.

The Spurs’ only loss in the playoffs came when they fell to Minnesota 80-71 in Game 2 of the first- round series. They also were fortunate to escape with victories in the second game of each of the next two series.

In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant - who had made 23 of his previous 25 free throws - missed a pair at the line that would have put the Spurs in a three-point hole with 18.9 seconds left. Duncan then dropped in the game-winning hook shot with 8.4 remaining only after the Lakers didn’t understand they had a foul to give.

In the conference finals against Portland, the Spurs trailed by 18 points early in the third quarter before rallying. Their comeback still looked like it would come up short until Damon Stoudamire missed a free throw with 12 seconds left, and Sean Elliott tip-toed the sideline and tossed in the “Memorial Day Miracle” three-pointer two seconds later.

“Everybody knows we were extremely lucky against the Lakers and Portland,” Elliott said. “Our Game 2s in all the series have been terrible. We don’t come out quite as focused in Game 2, but I would be shocked if we’re overconfident this time.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did his best to make sure of that Thursday.

“After Pop worked us over in that film session, there weren’t too many smiles,” Johnson said. “When we got out here on the court, he tended to loosen up a little bit. But he cracked us pretty hard in the film session.”

The Spurs found fault with their offensive rebounding and free- throw shooting in Wednesday’s game, both problem areas during their previous Game 2 struggles.

The Spurs made only 19 of 31 free throws (61.3 percent) Wednesday and shot below 66 percent in their Game 2s against the Timberwolves and Trail Blazers. The Knicks owned a 13-4 edge on the offensive glass - seven of Kurt Thomas’ 16 boards were offensive - and scored 19 second-chance points to the Spurs’ two. In their three Game 2s, the Spurs were outscored 45-25 in second-chance points and outrebounded 43-29 on the offensive glass.

It was enough, despite the victory, to make Elie recant his Knicks-are-the-weakest-team- we’ve-faced refrain from Tuesday.

“Coming into the game, I underestimated them,” said Elie, who pointed out New York trailed by six with about eight minutes left. “They’re a scrappy group. They just don’t give up.”

That said, the Spurs have already solved one playoff-trend dilemma with Wednesday’s win. New York had won the opening games of its three previous series.

“It’s new territory for us,” Knicks point guard Chris Childs said. “But we’re still loose. We’re still fired up.”

The thought of facing Duncan again, however, was slightly less appealing.

“The way Duncan is playing right now,” New York coach Jeff Van Gundy said, “there’s not one man on the planet who could stop him.”

Using two men might be a start, it was suggested to Van Gundy. But while the Knicks debated how to defense Duncan and 1,300 reporters prepared their “What Makes Duncan Great” stories, Johnson cautioned the Spurs about reading their own press clippings.

Game 2 at glance

Today: New York Knicks @Spurs

When, where: 8 p.m., Alamodome

Series: Spurs lead best-of-seven NBA Finals 1-0

TV: NBC

Radio: WOAI- AM 1200; KCOR- AM 1350 (in Spanish)

Online: expressnews.com /spurs or hoopsnews.com

REST OF SERIES

Game 3: 8 p.m. Monday @N.Y.

Game 4: 8 p.m. Wednesday @N.Y.

x-Game 5: 8 p.m. June 25 @N.Y.

x-Game 6: 6:30 p.m. June 27 @S.A.

x-Game 7: 8 p.m. June 29 @S.A.

x: if necessary

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Staff Reports

备忘录

热点话题：随着马刺队在季后赛中不断前进，关于该球队在圣安东尼奥的稳定性问题也越来越受到关注。蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)几乎肯定会将是否与马刺队续约的决定推迟到下赛季结束之后，因为除非公众投票支持为新球馆提供资金，否则没有人知道球队是否会留在这里。

"这是一个很难回答的问题，"邓肯说道。“这是我是否会回来这里的重要因素，但现在是总决赛，我并不关心这个问题。我并没有真正考虑过它。”

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)在他效力马刺队的十年里一直听到关于球队搬迁的传言。

"这对我有一些影响，因为当你决定如何生活，以及在哪里生活的时候，它会影响你的决定，"罗宾逊说道。"但我认为从篮球角度来说，它没有影响。我认为作为球员，我们能做的最好的事情就是打出精彩的比赛。

"如果我们努力打球，完成我们的工作，那么这对球队留在这里非常有利。如果他们认为你值得留在城里，他们会找到方法让你留下来。

“我一直都是这么想的。我不会整夜失眠担心他们是否会搬迁球队。我只想努力打球，尽我所能使这支球队尽可能稳固。”

伤病报告：克里斯·达德利(Chris Dudley)表示，他在第一场比赛中过度伸展肘部后，周四他的肘部仍然疼痛。他正在用冰敷肘部，并服用消炎药以减少肿胀。

"我无法完全伸直它，"达德利说道。“希望它今天不会疼。”

拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)也表示，他的右膝持续疼痛。约翰逊在东部决赛第六场比赛中扭伤了膝盖，但在周三的比赛中首发出场。

"它感觉不像昨天那么好，绝不是，"约翰逊说道。“但第一场比赛结束了，现在是第二场比赛了。没有时间坐下来为它哭泣。我只需要变得更好。”

哨声警报：纽约主教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)并不关心蒂姆·邓肯的33分，他更关心的是尼克斯队的27次犯规。拉里·约翰逊、科特·托马斯(Kurt Thomas)和马库斯·坎比(Marcus Camby)在第一场比赛中都陷入了犯规麻烦。

邓肯认为纽约将在第二场比赛中试图扭转局面。

"我预计他们会更加猛烈地攻击我们，"邓肯说道。"他们对我们非常强硬。这不是什么新鲜事。

“… 他们会改变一些策略，试图让我们陷入犯规麻烦。但我认为我们在这方面做得很好。我们很擅长避免犯一些愚蠢的犯规，尽可能多地留在场上。”

收视率下降：NBC-TV的NBA总决赛第一场比赛的收视率比去年下降了38%。

该网络获得了11.7/20的尼尔森过夜收视率，而去年芝加哥对阵犹他第一场比赛的收视率为18.8/31。那场比赛是NBA总决赛历史上收视率最高的第1场比赛。

网络消息人士表示，该网络的广告价格比去年上涨了8%至12%，总决赛的30秒广告位价格约为35万美元。如果系列赛至少进行五场，该网络应该可以收回成本。

又一个伤病：成为尼克斯队前锋并不安全。帕特里克·尤因(Patrick Ewing)因跟腱断裂缺阵，拉里·约翰逊则带着从印第安纳系列赛中留下的膝盖伤势打球。

周三的总决赛揭幕战并没有更容易，克里斯·达德利（代替尤因首发）和马库斯·坎比都受了伤。达德利在与蒂姆·邓肯碰撞后扭伤了肘部，坎比被大卫·罗宾逊的膝盖撞击了大腿。

"这很难，但我们以前也克服过，"达德利说道。

毫不意外：肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)说，当贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)用5个三分球和17分轰炸尼克斯队时，他并不感到惊讶。

"贾伦整个星期在训练中都是艾伦·休斯顿(Allan Houston)和雷吉·米勒(Reggie Miller)，"埃利奥特说道。“他让我们很头疼。”

波波维奇回忆：主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)偶尔会回顾马刺队的幸运时刻。

"几天前我刚在想（1997年的）选秀之夜，"他说。“我们选中了蒂姆·邓肯，大约五分钟后（波士顿主教练）里克·皮蒂诺(Rick Pitino)打电话说，'你想怎样？'我只是告诉他我无法想象会发生任何事。”

快速前进：马刺队后卫马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)可能认为尼克斯队是圣安东尼奥在季后赛中遇到的最没有天赋的球队。但艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)认为纽约队在另一方面具有可比性。

"这是我们在季后赛中遇到的速度最快的球队，"约翰逊说道。“而且（尼克斯队后卫/前锋拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)）可能是联盟中全场速度最快的球员。他比我五年前在金州与他一起打球时还要快。”

尼克斯队后卫查理·沃德(Charlie Ward)表示赞同。

"他非常快，"沃德说道。“他可以参加100米短跑，或者参加某人的4x1（4x100米接力）比赛。”

“笔记本电脑小子”：老牌马刺队后卫马里奥·伊利表示，他的球队与他以前效力的其他球队截然不同。

"我称这些家伙为‘笔记本电脑小子’，"伊利说道。“在这支球队中，有8个人会在外出旅行时带上他们的笔记本电脑。马利克(Malik)会在做一些事，大卫会在电脑上看一些东西。每个人都把它们带到任何他们去的地方。”——员工报告

系列赛一览

（七场四胜制）

比赛日期 结果 亮点

---

周三 马刺89：尼克斯77 邓肯：33分，16个篮板

比赛日期 地点 电视/广播

---

今天晚上8点 阿拉莫穹顶 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM
周一晚上8点 纽约 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM
6月23日晚上8点 纽约 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM
6月25日晚上8点 纽约 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM（如有必要）
6月27日下午6:30 阿拉莫穹顶 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM（如有必要）
6月29日晚上8点 阿拉莫穹顶 NBC WOAI-AM；KCOR-AM（如有必要）

点击查看原文：Notes

Notes

Hot topic: As the Spurs continue to march through the playoffs, more and more questions are being raised about the franchise’s stability in San Antonio. Tim Duncan almost certainly will postpone deciding whether to re- sign with the Spurs until after next season because no one knows whether the team will stay here unless the public votes to help finance a new arena.

“It’s a tough question,” Duncan said. “It is a big part of me coming back here, but it’s the Finals and I don’t really care about it right now. It’s not something I’m really thinking about.”

David Robinson has heard talk of the franchise moving throughout his 10 seasons with the Spurs.

“It affects me a little bit because obviously when you’re making decisions about how you’re going to live your life and where you’re going to live it, it affects that,” Robinson said. "But I think basketball-wise it does not. I think the best thing we can do as players is to put a good product out there on the floor.

"If we go out there and play and do our jobs, then that really bodes well for staying in town. They’re going to find a way to keep you here if they think you’re worth having in town.

“That’s the way I’ve thought about it. I don’t lose sleep at nights wondering whether they’re going to move this franchise or not. I just try to go out there and do everything I can to make this franchise as solid as possible.”

Injury report: Chris Dudley said his elbow remained sore Thursday after he hyperextended it in Game 1. He was icing the elbow and taking anti-inflammatory medication to reduce the swelling.

“I can’t really straighten it,” Dudley said. “Hopefully, it won’t hurt (today).”

Larry Johnson also said his right knee continued to trouble him. Johnson sprained his knee in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, but started in Wednesday’s game.

“It doesn’t feel as good as it did yesterday, by no means,” Johnson said. “But the first game is over, it’s time for a second. There’s not time to sit around and cry about it. I just need to get better.”

Whistle alert: New York coach Jeff Van Gundy wasn’t as concerned with Tim Duncan’s 33 points as he was the Knicks’ 27 fouls. Larry Johnson, Kurt Thomas and Marcus Camby all ran into foul trouble in Game 1.

Duncan believes New York will try to even things out in Game 2.

“I expect them to attack us a little more,” Duncan said. "They’ve been very physical with us. It’s not a new thing.

“… They’ll change up something on us, try to get us in foul trouble. But I think we’re very good about that. We’re very good about not getting into some stupid fouls and staying on the floor as much as possible.”

Ratings down: NBC-TV’s Game 1 ratings for the NBA Finals were down 38 percent from last year.

The network earned an 11.7/20 Nielsen overnight rating, compared with last year’s 18.8/31 for the first game of the Chicago-Utah series. That game was the highest-rated NBA Finals Game 1 ever.

Network sources indicate the network’s ad rates are up between 8 and 12 percent over last year, with a 30-second spot costing about $350,000 for the Finals. The network should break even on its deal if the series extends to at least five games.

Another one banged up: It’s not safe to be a member of the Knicks’ frontline. Patrick Ewing is out with a torn Achilles and Larry Johnson is playing on a sore knee from the Indiana series.

The Finals opener Wednesday wasn’t any easier, with Chris Dudley, who is starting in place of Ewing, and Marcus Camby sustaining injuries. Dudley sprained his elbow after colliding with Tim Duncan and Camby took a David Robinson knee in his thigh.

“It’s been tough, but we’ve fought through it before,” Dudley said.

No surprise: Sean Elliott said he wasn’t surprised when Jaren Jackson blistered the Knicks with five three-pointers and 17 points.

“Jaren was Allan Houston and Reggie Miller at practice all week,” Elliott said. “He was giving us fits.”

Popovich remembers: Coach Gregg Popovich does think back from time to time on the Spurs’ good fortunes.

“I was just remembering about (1997) draft night the other day,” he said. “We took Tim Duncan and about five minutes late (Boston coach) Rick Pitino called and said, ‘What do you want.’ I just told him that I couldn’t imagine anything happening.”

Speeding along: Spurs guard Mario Elie may think the Knicks are the least-talented team San Antonio has faced in the playoffs. But Avery Johnson thinks New York compares favorably in another regard.

“This is the fastest team we’ve faced in the playoffs,” Johnson said. “And (Knicks guard/forward Latrell Sprewell) may be the fastest player in the league baseline to baseline. He’s even faster than when I played with him in Golden State (five years ago).”

Knicks guard Charlie Ward agrees.

“He’s very fast,” Ward said. “He could run in the 100 meters or on somebody’s 4 by 1 (the 4X100-meter relay).”

‘Laptop Guys:’ Veteran Spurs guard Mario Elie says his team is much different than other teams he has played with.

“I call these guys the Laptop Guys,” Elie said. “On this team, eight guys will bring their laptops on a road trip. Malik will be working on something, David will be watching something on his computer. Everybody’s got them everywhere they go.” - Staff Reports

Series at a glance

(Best-of-seven series)

When Outcome Highlight

Game 1 Wednesday @Spurs 89, Knicks 77 Duncan: 33 pts., 16 reb.

When Where TV-Radio

Game 2 8 p.m. today Alamodome NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

Game 3 8 p.m. Monday New York NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

Game 4 8 p.m. June 23 New York NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

x-Game 5 8 p.m. June 25 New York NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

x-Game 6 6:30 p.m. June 27 Alamodome NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

x-Game 7 8 p.m. June 29 Alamodome NBC WOAI-AM; KCOR-AM

x: if necessary

By Staff Reports, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By John Griffin

马刺球迷的信念

马刺球迷不需要依赖迷信来确保胜利。球队太强大了，不需要那些荒唐的举动，就像周三的决定性胜利所表明的那样。

尽管如此，还是有一些球迷会承认他们会遵循某些模式，或者在每场比赛中都穿着他们最喜欢的球队的球衣。

多拉·洛佩兹(Dora Lopez)有一枚她最喜欢的马刺别针和球队的耳环，她说，她戴它们更多的是为了表达敬意，而不是为了带来好运。当时她正在等待她的Whataburger订单。

“我必须在进门的时候先喝一杯啤酒，”多娜·科特西(Dona Kotzey)笑着说，她已经连续26年观看马刺比赛了。

科特西不需要任何护身符或幸运的玉米片，只要她的丈夫梅尔(Mel)和她在一起就行。“他就是我的幸运符。我把他带到每一场比赛。”

对于来自科珀斯克里斯蒂的两位球迷罗恩·加尔萨(Ron Garza)和西德·洛佩兹(Sid Lopez)来说，他们的仪式实际上是观看比赛。今年到目前为止，他们已经观看了七场比赛。

如果系列赛要进行到第七场，他们也预定了第七场比赛的座位，尽管两人都认为这不太可能。

“我们不需要那些东西，”帕特里夏·格兰特(Patricia Grant)说，她代表童子军第821部队在一家售货亭工作。“我们有信心。这比任何迷信都更有效。”

马刺球迷所相信的是满足他们的饥饿感。在每一层楼的售货亭前都早早地排起了长队，食客们试图避免最后一刻的球迷拥挤。

位于广场层的Rosario’s售货亭在比赛开始之前就卖光了查卢帕和鸡肉卷饼套餐。玛格丽塔酒也卖得很快。

丽莉安娜·佩雷斯(Liliana Peres)在缩短的赛季中一直在售货亭工作，她说，通常情况下，售货亭只会在半场休息时才会卖光。

对于那些不能忍受离比赛场地这么近却不能看到比赛的篮球球迷来说，在决赛期间在售货亭工作可能有点辛苦。

格兰特却不是这样。她在一次童子军探险中脚踝韧带撕裂。“我不能去别的地方，”她说，很高兴能与喧闹的人群隔着一道障碍。

马刺球员最喜欢的餐厅

在很多球迷中，观看马刺球员是一种消遣，尤其是那些无法进入阿拉莫圆顶观看比赛的球迷。以下是部分球员经常光顾的一些餐厅，这个清单和球队的实力一样多样：

Carraba’s Italian Grill, 12507 Interstate 10

Champs Restaurant, 9715 San Pedro Ave.

Dave and Buster’s, 440 Crossroads Blvd.

El Mirasol, 13489 Blanco Road

Las Palapas, 23725 Interstate 10

Morton’s of Chicago, 849 E. Commerce

Old San Francisco Steak House, 10223 Sahara

Paesano’s, 555 E. Basse Road

Pizza Hut, 7319 N. Loop 1604

Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 24116 Interstate 10 W. at Leon Springs

Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 7720 Jones Maltsberger

Taco Cabana, 12731 Interstate 10

Tokyo Steak House, 9405 San Pedro Ave.

Water Street Oyster Bar, 7500 Broadway

点击查看原文：Spurs fans rely on faith

Spurs fans rely on faith

Spurs fans don’t have to rely on superstitions to ensure a victory. The team’s too good for that nonsense, as Wednesday’s decisive victory showed.

Still, a few fans will admit to following certain patterns or wearing favorite team shirts to every game.

Dora Lopez has a favorite Spurs pin and team earrings that she wears, but more out of tribute than luck, she said while waiting for her Whataburger order to be filled.

“I’ve got to get a beer when I walk in, first thing,” cracked Dona Kotzey, who has been going to Spurs games for the past 26 years.

Kotzey doesn’t need any talismans or any lucky nachos as long as she has her husband, Mel, with her. “He’s my good luck charm. I bring him to every game.”

Ritual for Ron Garza and Sid Lopez is actually making the game. The two fans from Corpus Christi have been able to make it to seven games so far this year.

They also have reservations for game seven, if the series should go that long, something neither predicts is likely.

“We don’t need none of that anyway,” said Patricia Grant, who works one of the concession stands on behalf of Boy Scout Troop 821. “We’ve got faith. That’s better than any superstitions.”

What Spurs fans do believe in is satisfying their hunger. Long lines formed early at the concession booths on every level as diners attempted to avoid the last-minute crush of fans.

The Rosario’s booth on the Plaza Level sold out of chalupas and fajita taco platters long before the game started. The margaritas were flowing fast, too.

According to Liliana Peres, who has worked at the booth during the abbreviated season, the stand would usually sell out only by half time.

Working in a booth during the finals may seem a little hard for those basketball fans who couldn’t stand to be so close to the action and yet not be able see it.

Not for Grant. She tore a ligament in her foot while on a Boy Scout expedition. “I can’t be nowhere else,” she said, pleased to be at a barrier’s distance from the madding crowd.

Spurs’ favorites

Spurs spotting is a pastime indulged in by many a fan, especially those who can’t get into the Alamodome to see them play. Here are some of the restaurants frequented by various players. The list is as varied as the strengths of the team:

Carraba’s Italian Grill, 12507 Interstate 10

Champs Restaurant, 9715 San Pedro Ave.

Dave and Buster’s, 440 Crossroads Blvd.

El Mirasol, 13489 Blanco Road

Las Palapas, 23725 Interstate 10

Morton’s of Chicago, 849 E. Commerce

Old San Francisco Steak House, 10223 Sahara

Paesano’s, 555 E. Basse Road

Pizza Hut, 7319 N. Loop 1604

Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 24116 Interstate 10 W. at Leon Springs

Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 7720 Jones Maltsberger

Taco Cabana, 12731 Interstate 10

Tokyo Steak House, 9405 San Pedro Ave.

Water Street Oyster Bar, 7500 Broadway

By John Griffin, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By John Griffin

不爱鸡肉，马刺更爱牛肉

牛肉。这是马刺的晚餐首选。

问问那些马刺球员经常光顾的餐厅，他们会告诉你，牛排是他们最喜欢的晚餐选择之一。

“他们大多数人喜欢我们家的招牌菜，24盎司的顶级牛排，”芝加哥莫顿餐厅的销售经理温迪·布赖拉克(Wendy Brylak)说。“肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)喜欢菲力牛排。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)也喜欢菲力牛排。这是一块14盎司的双层切。”

“他们都喜欢牛排，当然了，”露丝克里斯牛排餐厅的经理米歇尔·阿瓦德(Michele Avard)说，她提到了菲力牛排是他们最喜欢的切法。

不用说，旧金山牛排餐厅和东京牛排餐厅也是如此。

但这并不意味着球员们不喜欢尝试其他选择。

当他们在位于琼斯·马尔茨伯格路7720号的露丝克里斯餐厅用餐时，龙虾也是他们的热门选择。

而凯俊风味的艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)则喜欢他的食物辣一点。“越辣越好，”旧金山牛排餐厅的首席执行官巴里·科恩(Barry Cohen)说，他补充说，这位控球后卫上次光顾位于撒哈拉路10223号的餐厅时尝试了牙买加鸡肉。

约翰逊也喜欢位于百老汇路7500号的水街牡蛎吧的浓汤。“他以前经常带着他的孩子们来。当他有了第一个孩子的时候，他进来就说，他等不及他的孩子们长大，一起享用这美味的浓汤，”总经理马克·莫特(Mark Mott)说。

与此同时，前球员特里·卡明斯(Terry Cummings)和罗宾逊是水街牡蛎吧的炸虾的忠实粉丝，莫特说，他补充说卡明斯胃口很大：“我根本无法满足他的食量。”

至于甜点？“他们喜欢我们家的热歌帝梵巧克力蛋糕，”芝加哥莫顿餐厅的布赖拉克说，该餐厅位于东商业街849号。

尽管如此，话题通常会回到牛肉，这也是罗宾逊“自从来到这座城市”就一直光顾东京牛排餐厅的主要原因之一，负责管理位于圣佩德罗路9405号的餐厅的珍妮特·海因斯(Janet Hines)说。另一位双塔球员蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)在本赛季也成为了这里的常客。

他们喜欢这家餐厅的一个原因是，他们可以在私人包间里用餐，海因斯说，并且可以从后门溜走，避免被人们看到。

大多数球员的隐私在这家餐厅都得到了尊重，经理们说，其他用餐者通常不会打扰他们用餐。当他们吃完饭后，他们经常会给粉丝签名或和他们打招呼。

但团队精神甚至可以克服最古板的用餐者。

在五一纪念日那场奇迹般的比赛之后，露丝克里斯餐厅就发生了这样的情况。当罗宾逊走进餐厅时，“每个人都开始大声鼓掌和欢呼，”阿瓦德回忆道。“我想这让他感觉很好。”

罗宾逊在他们最喜欢的另一家餐厅，塔可卡巴纳找到了避免人群的方法。当这位身高7英尺的球员来到位于10号州际公路12731号的餐厅时，他通常会使用得来速，店长弗朗西斯·维拉雷亚尔(Francis Villareal)说。虽然他试图保持低调，但仍然被兴奋地为篮球明星服务的员工认出来了。

维拉雷亚尔说，罗宾逊和主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)，也是塔可卡巴纳的常客，都喜欢吃这里的煎饼。

他们还喜欢吃配有鳄梨酱的烤肉，还有，什么？牛肉。

点击查看原文：No fowl - Spurs prefer to sink their teeth into beef

No fowl - Spurs prefer to sink their teeth into beef

Beef. It’s what’s for dinner for the Spurs.

Ask at a few of the restaurants frequented by the famed

players what they like for dinner and some cut of steak

will be the first answer.

"Most of them like our

specialty, the 24-ounce

prime porterhouse," says

Wendy Brylak, sales

manager at Morton’s of

Chicago. "And Sean

Elliott likes the filet. David

(Robinson) likes the filet,

too. It’s a 14-ounce

double cut."

"All of them love the

steak, of course," says

Michele Avard, manager

of Ruth’s Chris Steak

House, citing the filet as a

favorite cut.

Needless to say, the same goes for the Old San Francisco

Steak House and Tokyo Steak House.

That’s not to say the players don’t like to spice things up

with a few alternatives.

Lobster’s also popular with the team when they’re dining

at Ruth’s Chris, 7720 Jones Maltsberger Road.

And Cajun Avery Johnson likes his food on the spicy

side. “The hotter the better,” says Old San Francisco

CEO Barry Cohen, adding that the point guard tried the

Jamaican Chicken during his last visit to the restaurant at

10223 Sahara.

Johnson also likes the gumbo at Water Street Oyster Bar,

7500 Broadway. "He used to come with his kids. When

he had his first, he came in and said he couldn’t wait until

his kids grow up and eats some of this gumbo," says

Mark Mott, general manager.

Former player Terry Cummings and Robinson,

meanwhile, are big fans of the fried shrimp at Water

Street, Mott says, adding that Cummings has a huge

appetite: “I couldn’t feed that man enough food.”

And for dessert? "They love our Hot Godiva Chocolate

Cake," says Brylak at Morton’s of Chicago, 849 E.

Commerce.

Still, the talk usually reverts to beef, which has been one

of the big reasons Robinson has been frequenting the

Tokyo Steak House “ever since he’s been in town,” says

Janet Hines, who manages the restaurant at 9405 San

Pedro. That other Twin Tower, Tim Duncan, has also

become a regular this season.

One reason they like the restaurant is they’re able to dine

in one of the private cubicles, Hines says, and are able to

slip out the back door to avoid being seen.

Most of the players’ privacy is respected at these

restaurants, the managers say, and the other diners usually

let them eat their meal without interruption. Once they’ve

finished, they will often sign autographs or say h ello to

fans.

But team spirit can overcome even the most staid diner.

Such was the case at Ruth’s Chris after the miracle

Memorial Day game. When Robinson entered the

restaurant, "everybody just started clapping loudly and

screaming," Avard remembers. "I think that made him feel

good."

Robinson has found a way to avoid the crowds at another

of their favorites, Taco Cabana. When the 7-footer stops

by the 12731 Interstate 10 location, he usually uses the

drive-thru, store manager Francis Villareal says. Though

he tries to keep a low profile, he’s still recognized by the

employees who are excited to be serving the basketball

star.

Both Robinson and Coach Gregg Popovich, another Taco

Cabana frequenter, like the quesadillas, Villareal says.

They also enjoy the fajitas with guacamole and, what

else?, beef.

By John Griffin, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Tiara M. Ellis

标题饥渴的球迷推动了球馆的销售

什么东西比美国塔高五倍，而且是NBA总决赛第二场比赛球迷的绝佳零食？

五千桶爆米花堆叠在一起——或者说是在圣安东尼奥马刺队今晚与纽约尼克斯队继续争夺国家篮球协会最高荣誉的阿拉莫球馆，预计将售出的爆米花数量。

阿拉莫球馆的餐饮服务提供商ARAMark预计，马刺队的球迷对的渴望不仅仅是这座城市的第一座NBA冠军奖杯。

因此，该公司在每场比赛前都为售货亭备足了大量的零食，包括一万根热狗，如果首尾相连，它们的高度将是帝国大厦的四倍。

满足超过39,000名球迷的胃口绝非易事。在过去的一周里，来自全国各地的棉花糖、玉米片、苏打水和其他比赛时间食品的货物源源不断地运抵圣安东尼奥。

仅一场比赛就需要5吨苏打水来解渴。

有时，即使是最周密的计划也无法满足需求——正如ARAMark的子承包商Subway在第一场比赛中发现的那样。

“比赛开始的时候，我们的食物就卖光了，”米歇尔·雷耶斯(Michelle Reyes)说，她是周三比赛中两个Subway三明治摊位之一的供应商。

除了食物和饮料，每场比赛还提供超过4,000面旗帜、8,000件T恤、25,000个纪念杯和2,000顶帽子，帮助球迷捕捉到这场冠军系列赛的魔力。

在比赛中销售的大量商品意味着马刺队和市属阿拉莫球馆获得了丰厚的收入。

阿拉莫球馆从马刺队比赛期间售出的食品和饮料中获得40%的收益。

剩余的60%归马刺队所有，马刺队必须从其收入中扣除与商品相关的成本和开销。

利润由马刺队和总部位于费城的ARAMark分成，ARAMark也是该队的少数股东。

根据阿拉莫球馆财政主管弗吉尼亚·科巴鲁比亚斯(Virginia Cobarrubias)的说法，今年季后赛期间每人平均在食物和饮料上的支出为3.72美元，低于常规赛的5.01美元。

乘以第一场比赛的观众人数39,514人，商品收入约为146,992美元。

根据这个公式，该市在冠军系列赛期间，在阿拉莫球馆的两场比赛中的收入将为117,593美元，而马刺队将获得176,390美元。如果进行四场比赛，该市将获得235,187美元，马刺队将获得352,781美元。

决赛期间，扩展的食物和纪念品销售也意味着需要更多员工来烹饪体育场食品和销售商品。

ARAMark已要求其来自阿拉莫球馆以外的员工在冠军赛期间临时填补空缺。

“我们在社区中有强大的影响力，我们可以从该地区调动ARAMark的员工，就像我们在阿拉莫球馆做的那样，”ARAMark发言人道格·沃纳(Doug Warner)说。

超过500名ARAMark员工在场，为马刺队和尼克斯队的球迷提供服务，包括球馆内外。在球馆外设置了六个帐篷，供供应商向公众兜售商品。

尽管供应商只能在球场上快速瞥见比赛的几个片段，但玛丽安·博恩布鲁斯特(Maryann Bohnenblust)说，她很高兴能成为马刺队历史的一部分，她在第一场比赛中在球馆内工作。

“阿拉莫球馆的（人群）听起来更像是音乐会，而不是篮球比赛，”博恩布鲁斯特说。

点击查看原文：Title-hungry fans spur dome sales

Title-hungry fans spur dome sales

What’s five times higher than the Tower of the Americas and would make a great snack for fans at Game 2 of the NBA Finals?

Five thousand buckets of popcorn stacked on top of one another - or the amount of popcorn expected to be sold at the Alamodome tonight when the San Antonio Spurs resume their battle with the New York Knicks for the National Basketball Association’s top prize.

ARAMark, the food service provider for the Alamodome, expects Spurs fans to be hungry for more than just the city’s first NBA championship.

So the company is stocking concession stands before each game with mounds of munchies, including 10,000 hot dogs that would be taller than the Empire State Building four times over if lined end-to-end.

Satisfying the appetites of more than 39,000 fans is no easy task. Numerous shipments of cotton candy, nachos, soda and other game-time foods have been delivered to San Antonio from across the nation over the past week.

It takes 5 tons of sodas to quench the thirst of patrons at one game alone.

And sometimes the best-laid plans aren’t enough to meet demand - as ARAMark subcontractor Subway found out at Game 1.

“We were sold out of food by the time the game actually started,” said Michelle Reyes, a vendor at one of the two Subway sandwich stands at Wednesday’s game.

In addition to food and drink, more than 4,000 flags, 8,000 T- shirts, 25,000 souvenir cups and 2,000 hats are available at each game to help fans capture the magic of this championship series.

The sheer volume of concessions being sold at games means hefty revenues for the Spurs and the city-owned Alamodome.

The Alamodome gets a 40 percent cut of the food and beverage concessions sold during Spurs games.

The remaining 60 percent goes to the Spurs, which must subtract costs and overhead related to the concessions out of its take.

The profit is split between the Spurs and Philadelphia- based ARAMark, which also is a minority owner of the team.

The average spending per person on food and drink during playoff games this year is $3.72, down from $5.01 during the regular season, according to Virginia Cobarrubias, fiscal manager for the Alamodome.

Multiplied by attendance at Game 1, 39,514, concession revenue came to about $146,992.

Under that formula, the city’s take would be $117,593 for two games at the Alamodome during the championship series, compared to the Spurs’ cut of $176,390. For four games, the city would get $235,187 and the Spurs $352,781.

Expanded food and souvenir sales in the finals also means the addition of more workers to cook the stadium fare and sell the merchandise.

ARAMark has asked its workers from outside the Alamodome to fill in temporarily at the championship games.

“We have such a strong presence in the community that we can pull on ARAMark workers from the area, as we did for the Alamodome,” said Doug Warner, a spokesman for ARAMark.

More than 500 ARAMark employees are on hand to serve Spurs and Knicks fans alike, inside and outside the dome. Six tents have been set up outside of the arena for vendors to peddle their wares to the public.

Even though the vendors only could catch a few quick glimpses of the action on the court, Maryann Bohnenblust, a merchant working inside the stadium for Game 1, said she appreciates the opportunity to be part of Spurs history.

“The Alamodome (crowd) sounded like a concert more than a basketball game,” Bohnenblust said.

By Tiara M. Ellis, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Jerry Briggs

最矮的球员却站得最高 - 艾弗里·约翰逊激励和鼓舞球队再创佳绩

体育精神从未如此被忽视。

去年此时，全国媒体都在争相报道 NBA 酝酿已久的劳资纠纷。停摆迫在眉睫，联盟总裁大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)准备在盐湖城回答来自报纸和广播记者的问题，当时爵士队和公牛队正在那里进行总决赛。

站在斯特恩旁边的是马刺队的后卫艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)。AJ 听着斯特恩向他颁发 NBA 体育精神奖，并称赞他场内外都是榜样。

他微笑，接过奖杯，然后退到一旁。

“我想房间里有一千人，我只被问了一个问题，”约翰逊说。“他们迫不及待地想要进入总决赛。”

体育精神奖很重要 - 但也不那么重要，他回忆道。“我说，‘伙计，我总有一天会打进总决赛。他们会问我的问题不止一个。’”

好吧，这一天终于来了。

在 AJ 前往犹他观看爵士队和公牛队争夺总冠军仅仅 12 个月后，他实现了梦想。马刺队在今晚的总决赛第二场比赛中以 1-0 的比分领先于纽约尼克斯队。

AJ 有机会争夺总冠军，这反映了他的性格，比任何体育精神奖都更能体现这一点。他说他想看到他亲密的朋友，马刺队的中锋大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)，得到认可，成为篮球界最伟大的中锋之一。

“就像我总是告诉你们的，我真的很想赢得冠军，”约翰逊说。“我真的很想赢得冠军。这就是我来这里的目的。但我想看到（马刺队中锋）大卫（罗宾逊）赢得冠军，胜过我自己，因为他是一个了不起的人。你知道，我和他一起已经很多年了。所以，我为他比为自己更兴奋。”

罗宾逊说 AJ 的无私态度在马刺队中很普遍。

“这是我们团队的一件好事，”罗宾逊说。“队员们确实关心彼此 - 不只是艾弗里 - 比关心自己更多。这体现了他们的内心。他们的态度。这就是我们取得成功的原因。”

约翰逊是一位征战了 11 年的老将，他一直不仅仅是一个身高 5 英尺 11 英寸的控球后卫、场上领袖和更衣室里的激励者。他填补了球队中的许多空白。当球队的公众形象下滑时，他会在他休息日出现在慈善活动中。

当媒体在球队遭遇惨败后寻求答案时，AJ 会站出来，承诺会带来更好的表现。如果年轻球员没有准备好训练，34 岁的约翰逊会教他们如何全力以赴。

“我从艾弗里身上学到了什么？”马刺队的后卫安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels)反问。“一切。他真的教会我如何带领球队，场内外都需要知道的各种事情，以及控球后卫的职责。”

约翰逊不仅拥有出色的领导才能，他还有着一颗像路易斯安那超级穹顶体育场一样大的心。这座体育场距离他在新奥尔良拉菲特项目区的简陋住宅区只有几英里。

约翰逊将他的职业生涯中的每一年 - 即使是在他辗转多支球队的早期 - 都奉献给了他的母校，新奥尔良圣奥古斯丁高中，为他们设立了一项奖学金基金。

“他给了很多孩子上我们学校的机会，很多孩子原本无力支付学费，”新奥尔良圣奥古斯丁高中篮球主教练伯纳德·格里菲斯(Bernard Griffith)说。“很多孩子后来都上了大学。”

格里菲斯说，自从约翰逊在 1988 年加入 NBA 以来，他每年都会在圣奥古斯丁高中 - 一所男子天主教学校 - 为学生提供大约 3 个全额奖学金。每年约 4000 到 5000 美元的学费，由几个学生分摊。

约翰逊坚持要求，这些经济援助必须提供给那些来自他成长的地方，拉菲特项目的初中生。他是一位决心要成功的电器仓库工人的儿子。

“我想说，那些来自拉菲特的八九个孩子后来都获得了大学学位，”格里菲斯说。

点击查看原文：Shortest Spur still stands the tallest - AJ motivates, inspires team to new heights

Shortest Spur still stands the tallest - AJ motivates, inspires team to new heights

Never was sportsmanship so utterly ignored.

This time last year, the national media clamored for news on the NBA’s simmering labor-management feud. A lockout loomed, and Commissioner David Stern was ready to answer questions from print and broadcast reporters gathered in Salt Lake City for the championship series between the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls.

Standing next to Stern in the Delta Center, Spurs guard Avery Johnson peered out at the masses. AJ listened as Stern handed him the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award and called him a role model both on and off the court.

He smiled, accepted the trophy, and then faded into the background.

“I think they had a thousand people in the room, and I got asked one question,” Johnson said. “They were ready to get on with the Finals stuff.”

The sportsmanship award was important - but it wasn’t that important, he recalled. “I said, ‘Man, Im going to be (playing) in the Finals one of these years. They’re going to ask me more than one question.’”

Well, one of these years is here.

A little more than 12 months after AJ traveled to Utah to watch the Jazz and Bulls play for the title, he has realized his dream. The Spurs hold a 1-0 lead on the New York Knicks going into Game 2 of the Finals tonight at the Alamodome.

AJ is primed for a shot at the championship for a reason that illuminates his personality more than any sportsmanship trophy could. He said he wants to see his close friend, Spurs center David Robinson, receive acclaim as one of the great big men in basketball.

“Like I always tell y’all, I would love to win a championship,” Johnson said. “I really would love to win it. That’s what I’m here for. But I want to see (Spurs center) David (Robinson) win it more than myself because he’s a terrific man. You know, I’ve been here with him for years. So I’m more excited for him than for myself.”

Robinson said AJ’s selfless attitude is prevalent among the Spurs.

“That’s one great thing about our team,” Robinson said. “Guys do care - and it’s not just Avery - more about each other than they care for themselves. It shows their heart. Their attitude. And that’s why we’ve been successful.”

Johnson, an 11th-year veteran, has always served as more than a 5-foot-11 point guard, floor leader and locker-room voice of inspiration. He has filled so many voids for the franchise. When the team’s public image has sagged, he shows up at a charity function on his off- day.

When the media has clamored for answers after a tough loss, AJ stands tall, promising to deliver better performances. If young players aren’t ready to practice, the 34-year-old Johnson will school them in intensity.

“What have I learned from Avery?” Spurs guard Antonio Daniels asked rhetorically. “Everything. He’s really taught me how to run a team, things you have to know on and off the floor, just what being a point guard is all about.”

Johnson also has more than just leadership skills on the court. He has a heart as big as the Louisiana Superdome, which sits a couple of miles from where he grew up in a modest New Orleans housing unit in the Lafitte Projects.

Johnson has given every year of his pro career - even the early years when he bounced from team to team - to a scholarship fund at his high school alma mater.

“He’s given a lot of kids opportunities to attend our school, a lot of kids who couldn’t afford to attend otherwise,” said Bernard Griffith, head basketball coach at New Orleans St. Augustine High. “A lot of those kids have gone on to college.”

Griffith said Johnson has funded approximately three full scholarships a year at St. Augustine, an all-boys Catholic school, since he joined the NBA in 1988. The money for tuition, which totals about $4,000-$5,000 a year, is parceled out to several students.

Johnson has insisted that the financial aid go to junior high school pupils who lived in the housing project where he grew up as a determined son of an electric warehouse foreman.

“I’d say eight or nine of those kids (from Lafitte) have gone on to get college degrees,” Griffith said.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Jacque Crouse and Matt Flores

狂热的阿拉莫城球迷发现工作与娱乐可以兼得

马刺的狂热唤起了圣安东尼奥人将工作与娱乐融为一体的天性，就像他们在其他节日活动（例如菲耶斯塔）期间所做的那样。

在这个习惯于在极度欢乐的时刻兼顾工作必要的城市，企业和个人都发现工作与娱乐之间的界限比以往任何时候都更加模糊。

周四，一些员工发现很难专注于工作。

“我们正在运营我们的诊所并完成我们的工作，但我们也确保昨天我们有足够的时间让每个人都赶上比赛，”中央心血管医院在麦卡洛克大道和昆西街的内科医生大卫·布里塞诺(David Briseno)说。

麦卡洛克大道诊所和昆西街对面的商务办公室的办公室工作人员在街角举行了临时欢呼集会，当地电视台对他们进行了拍摄，一辆又一辆汽车对他们鸣笛。

“他们装饰了办公室，尤其是商务办公室，每个人都穿着马刺的服装，”布里塞诺说，他参加了周三的欢呼集会。“为了季后赛，办公室以某种方式买了一批门票，所以员工可以购买并观看比赛。”

圣安东尼奥学区也加入了当天的狂欢，校长大卫·斯普利特克(David Splitek)支持周三的马刺精神日，然后发了一封电子邮件，鼓励今天继续保持这种精神。

甚至学生也被允许今天穿着马刺的T恤而不是校服。

在H-E-B杂货公司总部，周三开始了一个为期一周的“精神周”，中午时分为男性举办了灌篮比赛。周四，女性射手争夺奖品，包括马刺纪念品。

今天，40岁以上的人群将尝试投三分球以争夺奖品。

“我们本周一直穿着休闲服装，牛仔裤和马刺T恤是办公室中最常见的着装，”多元化部门企业副总裁琳达·希门尼斯(Linda Jimenez)说。

希门尼斯说，一个大型横幅悬挂在办公室外面，里面，不同的部门都装饰得心满意足。

该公司甚至考虑将本周专门为比赛设置的篮球半场永久保留下来。

Foley’s百货公司从公司总部获得了特别许可，允许员工穿着马刺T恤和别针，并在公司内部举行精神比赛。

据公关部门的弗兰·汤普森(Fran Thompson)说，在Ultramar Diamond Shamrock，大约350名员工参加了周三下午的欢呼集会，会上出售了T恤，颁发了奖品，并进行了大量的欢呼。

“大家本周都情绪高涨，”她说。

发明家大卫·梅迪纳(David Medina)自豪地驾驶着他的雪佛兰郊区车，车上装饰着马刺旗帜和一个移动篮球架，在决赛期间在城里四处游走。

“我发明了这个是为了让我的孩子们玩，”他说。“你可以把它连接起来，带到任何地方，然后把它取下来放在支架上，当你回家时就可以使用它。我们在大赛结束后开着它四处游玩，人们都疯狂了。”

梅迪纳称他的发明为“移动灌篮”，并表示人们在大赛结束后拦住他拍照。

点击查看原文：Zealous Alamo City supporters find they can mix work and play

Zealous Alamo City supporters find they can mix work and play

Spurs mania has called forth San Antonio’s natural inclination to blend work with play - just as it has during other festive events such as Fiesta.

And in a city used to balancing the necessity of getting some work done during times of absolute merriment, businesses and individuals alike are finding the line between the two is becoming more blurred than ever.

Some employees were finding it tough staying focused just on their work Thursday.

“We are running our clinic and getting our work done, but we also made sure yesterday that we were done in plenty of time for everyone to make it to the game,” said David Briseno, a cardiologist with Central Cardiovascular at McCullough Avenue and Quincy Street.

Office staffers at both the McCullough Avenue Clinic and the business office across the street on Quincy Street held impromptu pep rallies on the street corners, where they were filmed by local television stations and honked at by car after car after car.

“They have the offices decorated, especially the business office, and everyone is dressing for Spurs spirit,” said Briseno, who took part in the Wednesday pep rallies. “For the playoffs, the office bought a block of tickets somehow so they were available for employees to purchase and go to games.”

San Antonio School District got into the spirit of the day as Superintendent David Splitek supported a Spurs Spirit Day Wednesday and then sent an e-mail encouraging more of the same today.

Even students were allowed to wear Spurs shirts in lieu of uniform shirts today.

At H-E-B Grocery Co. corporate offices, a half-week of spirit kicked off Wednesday with a slam- dunk contest for men during the lunch hour. On Thursday, women shooters competed for prizes - including Spurs memorabilia.

Today, the over-40 crowd will try to shoot three-pointers for prizes.

“We have been in a relaxed dress code all week, with jeans and Spurs T-shirts the most common attire around the offices,” said Linda Jimenez, corporate vice president for diversity.

A large banner hangs outside the offices, and inside, different departments have decorated to their hearts’ content, Jimenez said.

The corporation is even considering making permanent the basketball half-court it had put in place just for the competition this week.

Foley’s department stores got special permission from corporate offices to wear Spurs T-shirts and pins and have in-house spirit contests.

At Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, about 350 employees took part in a pep rally Wednesday afternoon where T-shirts were sold, prizes were given and lots of yelling was done, according to Fran Thompson, of the public relations department.

“Everyone has been in high spirits all week,” she said.

Inventor David Medina has proudly driven his Chevrolet Suburban, complete with Spurs flags and a mobile basketball goal, around town during the finals.

“I invented this for my boys to play with,” he said. “You can attach it, take it anywhere, then take it off and put it in a stand to use when you get back home. We drove it around after the game, and people went wild.”

Medina calls his invention the Mobile Slam and said people stopped him after the game to take pictures.

By Jacque Crouse and Matt Flores, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Tim Price

尼克斯必须阻止马刺的射手 - 纽约将重点关注杰克逊，圣安东尼奥的热手

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)在第一场比赛中持续得分，尼克斯仍然不愿意用持续的包夹来应对。

如果在今晚的第二场比赛中，从各个角度对邓肯进行包夹，马刺认为他们也能从外线瓦解尼克斯的防守。

即使贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)没有投出10投5中的三分球——“这就是击败我们（在第一场比赛中）的原因，”尼克斯教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)说——马刺认为还有很多其他球员可以打出精彩表现，与邓肯在第一场比赛中得到的33分相得益彰。

“我们这一年都是这样，”圣安东尼奥控球后卫艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)说。“在季后赛对阵明尼苏达的时候，是我。对阵洛杉矶的时候是贾伦，尤其是在第三场和第四场。对阵波特兰的时候，是肖恩(Elliott)和马里奥(Elie)有时。”

“我们不知道是谁，但是如果你不在我们的体系中投进（外线投篮），我们就会陷入困境。当我们投进的时候，就会让我们的内线球员更有信心把球传出来。”

但说到外线投篮，一些尼克斯球员认为他们没有一群马刺球员需要过滤和识别。

埃利奥特(Elliott)能从外线伤害尼克斯吗？

“他是一个切入者和突破者，”尼克斯后卫克里斯·柴尔德(Chris Childs)说。

是艾弗里·约翰逊吗？

“艾弗里·约翰逊什么时候投三分球？”纽约的查理·沃德(Charlie Ward)问道。

斯蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)怎么样？

“当他手感火热的时候，”柴尔德说。

说到那些三分球和在第一场比赛中杀死纽约的外线投篮威胁，尼克斯正在关注一个人。

“我们必须盯防贾伦(Jackson)，”柴尔德说。“我们一直都知道贾伦是一个非常优秀的定点射手。”

当然有可能杰克逊在第二场比赛中打出一个糟糕的表现。即使他在最近的三场比赛中三分球命中率为48%（29投14中），其中包括对阵波特兰的第四场比赛中8投3中。

如果这种情况发生，根据数据以及尽管柴尔德的争论，最有可能是填补空缺的马刺球员是埃利奥特。在季后赛中，埃利奥特的三分球命中率为46%（39投18中）。

“他在那场比赛中投进了6个或7个，”沃德说。

那是第二场比赛中对阵波特兰的7投6中的表现，他投进了制胜球。但他也经历过三次三分球4投2中的表现。

这对于任何试图集中精力阻止邓肯或任何其他内线球员的球队来说都是足够的干扰。

“总是包夹不是答案，”范甘迪说，“因为他们有能力投进三分球。”

除了第一场比赛，马刺在三分球投进时也打出了一些统治性的内线比赛。

在对阵波特兰的第二场比赛中，埃利奥特投了7个三分球，只失手一次，邓肯攻下全场最高的23分。当杰克逊在对阵湖人的第四场比赛中三分球11投6中时，邓肯又打出了一场33分14个篮板的巨星表现。

尼克斯相信他们可以通过策略性地应对马刺的投三分球能力。

在系列赛战成2-2平后，他们能够击败步行者的关键之一是限制印第安纳的射手。在步行者三分球命中率为33投11中后，尼克斯赢得了系列赛的最后两场比赛。在决定性的第六场比赛中，雷吉·米勒(Reggie Miller)三分球8投1中。

“这里也是同样的情况，”沃德说。“他们有能力投进三分球。我们必须关注每个人。”

在系列赛生死存亡之际，米勒可能是强投了。但即使考虑到自己的火热手感，杰克逊说他不会过度。

“如果他们紧盯我，其他人就会空位，我会把球传给空位的球员，”杰克逊说。“在这支球队，你必须做好投篮的准备。如果我的投篮机会来了，我会出手。”

点击查看原文：Knicks must stop Spurs' shooters - N.Y. to focus most on Jackson, S.A.'s hot hand

Knicks must stop Spurs’ shooters - N.Y. to focus most on Jackson, S.A.'s hot hand

Tim Duncan kept scoring in Game 1, and the Knicks still were reluctant to counter with constant double teams.

If the double teams do start coming at Duncan from every angle in tonight’s Game 2, the Spurs think they can keep the Knicks defense honest from the outside as well.

And even if Jaren Jackson doesn’t go 5 of 10 from the three-point line - “That’s what beat us (in Game 1),” Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said - the Spurs think there are plenty of other players who can have a big game to go along with the 33-point sort of night that Duncan enjoyed in Game 1.

“It’s been that way for us all year,” San Antonio point guard Avery Johnson said. "In the playoffs against Minnesota it was me. Against Los Angeles it was Jaren, especially in Games 3 and 4. Against Portland, it was Sean (Elliott) and Mario (Elie) at times.

“We don’t know who it’s going to be. But if you don’t knock (the outside shots) down in our system, we’re in trouble. When we do, it gives our big men confidence to get the ball back out.”

But when it comes to outside shooting, some of the Knicks players don’t think they have a gang of Spurs to filter through and identify.

Can Elliott hurt the Knicks from the outside?

“He’s a cutter and slasher,” Knicks guard Chris Childs said.

Is it Avery Johnson?

“When does Avery Johnson make three-pointers?,” New York’s Charlie Ward asked.

How about Steve Kerr?

“When he’s going good,” Childs said.

When it comes to those three- pointers and the outside shooting threat that killed New York in Game 1, the Knicks are looking at one guy.

“We have to key in on Jaren (Jackson),” Childs said. “We’ve known all along that Jaren is a very good spot-up shooter.”

It’s certainly possible that Jackson can throw in a clunker in Game 2. Even though he’s shooting 48 percent from three-point territory (14 of 29) in the last three games, that includes a 3-of-8 shooting performance in Game 4 against Portland.

If that happens, the most likely Spurs player to fill in - according to the stats and despite Childs’ contention - is Elliott. In the playoffs, Elliott is shooting 18 of 39 - 46 percent - from three-point range.

“He hit about 6 or 7 in that one game,” Ward said.

That was a 6-of-7 night in Game 2 when he had the game-winner against Portland. But he’s also had three nights when he went 2 for 4 from three-point territory.

That’s plenty of distraction for any team trying to concentrate on stopping Duncan or any other inside player.

“Doubling all the time is not the answer,” Van Gundy said, “because they have capable three-point shooting.”

Besides Game 1, the Spurs have put together some dominating inside games when the three-pointers were falling.

In the Game 2 against Portland when Elliott took seven three-pointers and missed only once, Duncan led all players with 23 points. When Jackson went 6 of 11 from three-point range in Game 4 against the Lakers, Duncan had another one of those massive, 33-point, 14-rebound games.

The Knicks believe they can strategically combat the Spurs’ ability to hit three-point shots.

One of their keys to closing out the Pacers after the series became tied 2-2 was to clamp down on Indiana’s three-point shooters. The Knicks won the final two games of the series after watching the Pacers flub to an 11-of-33 performance behind the three-point arc. In the decisive Game 6, Reggie Miller went 1 of 8 from three-point territory.

“Same situation here,” Ward said. “They have capable three- point threats. We have to focus on everyone.”

With the series on the line, Miller may have forced it. But Jackson, even considering his hot hand, says he won’t overdo it.

“If they play me tight, somebody else will be open and I’ll swing the ball to the person who’s open,” Jackson said. “On this team, you have to be ready to shoot. And if my shot comes, I’ll take it.”

By Tim Price, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Tim Griffin

关键数据

银色与黑色军团

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 在第一场比赛中贡献了 33 分，这是他在季后赛中第三次单场得分超过 30 分。这也打破了他在波特兰系列赛最后两场比赛中场均 11.5 分和 8 个篮板，命中率仅为 40.9% 的低迷状态。他在对阵尼克斯的比赛中抢下 16 个篮板，追平他在季后赛的单场篮板最高纪录。邓肯在季后赛中已经获得了 7 次两双（得分和篮板），而他过去两年在常规赛中以 94 次两双领跑联盟。

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 在本场比赛中贡献了 7 次助攻，追平他在季后赛中的单场助攻最高纪录。他将自己连续 10 场季后赛得分上双的纪录延长到了 13 场，是马刺队中唯一一名在季后赛中每场比赛都得分上双的球员。

肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott) 在第一场比赛中只得到 7 分，追平他在季后赛中的单场最低得分。这是埃利奥特第二次季后赛得分未能上双，这也终结了他连续 9 场得分至少 10 分的纪录。

马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 在周三的比赛中投篮有所改善（7 投 3 中，三分球 2 投 0 中），但他仍然在季后赛中陷入低迷状态。他在季后赛的投篮命中率为 35.8%，三分球命中率为 21.1%，而他在常规赛的投篮命中率为 47.4%，三分球命中率为 37.4%。埃利在季后赛的场均得分降至 6.6 分，而他在常规赛的场均得分是 9.7 分。

艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 在过去五场比赛中的助攻失误比为 44 次助攻和 16 次失误。

贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson) 在他最后 29 场常规赛中，有 5 场得分上双。在季后赛中，他在最后 7 场比赛中有 5 场得分上双，场均 13.5 分，三分球命中率为 42.3%。

威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue) 在周三的比赛中没有上场，这是他在季后赛中第一次缺席。他在过去七场比赛中的场均上场时间是 7.4 分钟，场均得分是 0.7 分，场均篮板是 2.1 个。

马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose) 继续保持着犯规倾向，在第一场比赛的 15 分钟内就获得了 4 次犯规。在过去五场比赛的 46 分钟内，他总共获得了 16 次犯规。

对方球员

拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell) 出场时间达到了本赛季的最高值 46 分钟，在过去的 3 场比赛中只休息了 10 分钟。他在过去五场比赛中 95 投 36 中（命中率 37.9%）。他在周三的比赛中最后时刻命中的一记三分球，终结了他连续 14 次三分球不中的尴尬纪录。

拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson) 的膝盖伤势限制了他的出场时间，在过去的 2 场比赛中，他场均上场时间为 17.5 分钟，场均得分 6.5 分。在与印第安纳系列赛的前 5 场比赛中，他投进了 9 个三分球，而在这最近两场比赛中，他还没有命中任何三分球。

科特·托马斯(Kurt Thomas) 贡献了 13 分和 16 个篮板，追平了他的个人季后赛篮板最高纪录。这是他在季后赛中第一次两双，也是他在本赛季的第四次两双。

自帕特里克·尤因(Patrick Ewing) 在东部决赛第三场比赛之前受伤以来，克里斯·达德利(Chris Dudley) 的场均上场时间为 19.2 分钟。在对阵印第安纳的前两场比赛中，他的场均上场时间为 12.5 分钟。

阿兰·休斯顿(Allan Houston) 在过去的七场比赛中，336 分钟里出场了 296 分钟（88.1%），场均得分 19.0 分。

查理·沃德(Charlie Ward) 在第一场比赛中得到 7 分，这与他在之前四场比赛的总得分相同。他在那段时间里的投篮命中率仅为 21.4%。

马库斯·坎比(Marcus Camby) 在第一场比赛中进攻表现不佳，面对马刺队的内线球员，只得到 10 分和 6 个篮板。在尤因受伤后的前四场比赛中，他的场均得分是 18.8 分，场均篮板是 11.8 个。

克里斯·柴尔德(Chris Childs) 陷入投篮低迷状态，在过去的 3 场比赛中，24 投 5 中（命中率 20.8%）。

团队表现

马刺队取得了季后赛 11 连胜，追平了 1989 年洛杉矶湖人队的联盟纪录。连续两个赛季季后赛总胜场数的纪录是 13 场，由 1988-89 赛季的湖人队创造。

马刺队的 47.8% 的投篮命中率延续了他们在季后赛中高效进攻的趋势。在过去的四场比赛中，马刺队的投篮命中率至少都达到了 45.7%。在本赛季的季后赛中，他们只有两次投篮命中率低于 40%，分别是与明尼苏达系列赛的第二场和第四场。

马刺队的进攻篮板数只有 4 个，追平了他们本赛季季后赛的最低纪录。

贾伦·杰克逊 的外线投篮继续推动马刺队的外线进攻。他们在过去的五场比赛中，三分球 86 投 35 中（命中率 40.7%），其中有四场比赛的三分球命中率都超过了 40%。

尼克斯队在周三的比赛中 38.3% 的投篮命中率是他们在季后赛中第二低的命中率。他们季后赛中最糟糕的投篮表现是在与迈阿密的第四场比赛中，当时他们的投篮命中率只有 36.4%。

在季后赛中，尼克斯队还没有让对手得分超过 94 分，他们只有 5 场比赛让对手得分超过 90 分，总共打了 16 场比赛。

点击查看原文：Nuts & bolts

Nuts & bolts

MEN IN SILVER & BLACK Tim Duncan’s 33-point performance in Game 1 marked the third time in the playoffs he has scored at least 30 points. It also snapped a mini-slump in which Duncan averaged 11.5 points and eight rebounds on 40.9 shooting in the final two games of the Portland series. His 16 rebounds against the Knicks matched his season high in the playoffs in rebounds. Duncan has seven double-doubles (points/rebounds) in the playoffs after leading the league with 94 double- doubles in the last two years.

David Robinson matched his season playoff high with seven assists. He extended his string of 13 straight double-figure totals in points in the playoffs this year - the only San Antonio player to score in double figures in every game during the playoffs.

Sean Elliott matched his season playoff low with seven points in Game 1. It was the second time Elliott failed to score in double figures, snapping a string of nine straight games of at least 10 points.

Mario Elie’s shooting improved slightly (3-for-7 FGA, 0-2 for threes) in Wednesday’s game, but he continues to slump in the playoffs. He is hitting 35.8 percent from the field and 21.1 percent of his threes in the playoffs, compared to 47.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent three-point shooting during the regular season. Elie’s scoring is down to 6.6 points per game in the playoffs, compared to 9.7 ppg in the regular season.

Avery Johnson’s assist-to-turnover ratio in the last five games is 44 assists to 16 turnovers.

Jaren Jackson notched double- figure scoring in five of his last 29 regular-season games. In the playoffs, Jackson has scored in double figures in five of his last seven games, averaging 13.5 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Will Perdue failed to play Wednesday, marking the first time he has sat out in the playoffs. Perdue is averaging 7.4 minutes, 0.7 points and 2.1 rebounds during his last seven games.

Malik Rose continues his foul-prone tendencies after picking up four personals in 15 minutes in Game 1. Rose has been whistled for 16 fouls in his last 46 minutes of action during the last five games.

THE OTHER GUYS

Latrell Sprewell played in a season- high 46 minutes and has rested only 10 minutes in the last three games. He has hit 36 of 95 shots in his last five games (37.9 percent). His late three in Wednesday’s game snapped a string of 14 consecutive misses from behind the arc.

Larry Johnson’s knee injury has limited him to an average of 17.5 minutes and 6.5 points per game in his last two games. Johnson has not made a three-point field goal in either game after hitting nine in the first five games of the series against Indiana.

Kurt Thomas notched a career-best 16 rebounds to go with his 13 points. It was his first career double-double in the playoffs and fourth of the season.

Since Patrick Ewing’s injury before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Chris Dudley is averaging 19.2 minutes per game. He averaged 12.5 minutes in the first two games of the Indiana series.

Allan Houston has played 296 out of a possible 336 minutes (88.1 percent) in his last seven games, averaging 19.0 points per game during that span.

Charlie Ward’s seven-point effort in Game 1 matched his point total in the previous four games. Ward hit 21.4 percent during that period.

Marcus Camby struggled offensively in Game 1, scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds against San Antonio’s big men. In the four previous games after Ewing’s injury, Camby averaged 18.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

Chris Childs is mired in a shooting slump, hitting 5-of-24 shots (20.8 percent) in his last three games.

THE TEAM GAME

The Spurs matched an NBA record with their 11th straight playoff victory, tying the 1989 Los Angeles Lakers. The record for most victories during consecutive seasons was 13 set by the Lakers in 1988-89.

San Antonio’s 47.8 percent shooting continues a trend of productive offensive work in the playoffs. The Spurs have shot at least 45.7 percent in their last four games. They have been held below 40 percent in only two playoff games this season - Games 2 and 4 of the Minnesota series.

The Spurs equaled their playoff low this season with four offensive rebounds.

Jaren Jackson’s outside shooting continued to fuel the Spurs’ perimeter game. The Spurs are 35 for 86 in their last five games from behind the arc (40.7 percent) and have hit at least 40 percent of its treys in four of those games.

New York’s 38.3 shooting Wednesday night was the second- lowest percentage of the playoffs for the team. The Knicks’ worst shooting came in Game 4 against Miami, when they hit 36.4 percent.

The Knicks have not allowed an opponent to score more than 94 points in the playoffs this season and have allowed opponents to score more than 90 points in five of 16 playoff games. - Tim Griffin

By Tim Griffin, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Jeanne Jakle

第一场比赛吸引了3800万人观看

全国有3800万观众观看了圣安东尼奥马刺队在NBA总决赛第一场比赛中战胜纽约尼克斯队的比赛。

全国尼尔森收视率比去年的第一场比赛下降了不少，去年有5300万人观看了芝加哥公牛队对阵犹他爵士队的比赛。

然而，正如NBC体育发言人埃德·马基(Ed Markey)指出的那样，去年的比赛，因为有迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)的参与，所以很不寻常。

“这是NBA历史上收视率最高、观看人数最多的第一场比赛，”马基说。

他说，一个更恰当的比较是尼克斯队上次进入总决赛时——对阵休斯顿火箭队。他说，1994年那场第一场比赛的观众数量只比圣安东尼奥和纽约的揭幕战高出9%。

无论如何，周三的比赛在全国黄金时段收视率中排名第一。

就收视家庭比例而言，周三晚上有21%的活跃家庭收看了这场比赛。

自然，马刺队的家乡观众——从百分比上来说——远远超过了全国观众。

据KMOL报道，周三有大量圣安东尼奥的家庭观看了比赛。该地区的夜间尼尔森数据显示，周三收看电视的家庭中，有67%的家庭观看了马刺队对阵尼克斯队的比赛。

马基说，他预计今晚马刺队在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆对阵尼克斯队的比赛的全国收视率会更低，因为周五传统上是电视收视率较低的夜晚。

预计周一晚上在纽约的比赛收视率会更高。但是，马基说，整个系列赛的收视率的关键在于比赛的时长。

点击查看原文：Game 1 seen by 38 million

Game 1 seen by 38 million

Thirty-eight million viewers across the nation watched the San Antonio Spurs put away the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The national Nielsen number was down by quite a bit from last year’s Game 1, which had 53 million people eyeballing the Chicago Bulls vs. the Utah Jazz.

However, as NBC Sports spokesman Ed Markey pointed out, last year’s game, which featured Michael Jordan, was unusual.

“It was the highest-rated and most-watched Game 1 in the history of the NBA,” Markey said.

He said a more apt comparison would be to the last time the Knicks were in the Finals - against the Houston Rockets. The audience for that Game 1 in 1994, he said, was only 9 percent higher than the number for the San Antonio-New York opener.

In any event, the NBC broadcast of Wednesday’s game won the national prime-time viewing race.

In terms of percentage of homes tuned in, 21 percent of the country’s active sets were on the game Wednesday night.

Naturally, the Spurs’ hometown audience - percentage-wise - way outstripped the national one.

According to KMOL, a Super- Bowl-sized number of S.A. homes were glued to the action Wednesday. The overnight Nielsens for the area showed 67 percent of the homes that were watching television Wednesday were tuned to the Spurs-Knicks game.

Markey said he expected the national number to be even lower for tonight’s Spurs-Knicks contest in the Alamodome, as Friday traditionally is a low-viewership night for television.

The Monday night game out of New York is expected to be higher. But the key to the ratings for the entire series, Markey say, is how long it runs.

By Jeanne Jakle, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Staff Reports

2-3-2 赛制历史

以下内容回顾了自 1985 年联盟采用 2-3-2 赛制以来，NBA 总决赛中各支球队的表现，并结合了马刺与尼克斯系列赛的可能情况：

主场球队赢得前两场

• 1997 年，芝加哥公牛队战胜犹他爵士队（芝加哥 4-2 赢得系列赛）
• 1996 年，芝加哥公牛队战胜西雅图超音速队（芝加哥 4-2 赢得系列赛）
• 1989 年，底特律活塞队战胜洛杉矶湖人队（底特律 4-0 赢得系列赛）
• 1987 年，洛杉矶湖人队战胜波士顿凯尔特人队（洛杉矶湖人队 4-2 赢得系列赛）
• 1986 年，波士顿凯尔特人队战胜休斯顿火箭队（波士顿 4-2 赢得系列赛）

两支球队在前两场战成平手

• 1998 年，芝加哥公牛队在犹他爵士队主场（芝加哥 4-2 赢得系列赛）
• 1994 年，纽约尼克斯队在休斯顿火箭队主场（休斯顿 4-3 赢得系列赛）
• 1992 年，波特兰开拓者队在芝加哥公牛队主场（芝加哥 4-2 赢得系列赛）
• 1991 年，洛杉矶湖人队在芝加哥公牛队主场（芝加哥 4-1 赢得系列赛）
• 1990 年，波特兰开拓者队在底特律活塞队主场（底特律 4-1 赢得系列赛）
• 1988 年，底特律活塞队在洛杉矶湖人队主场（洛杉矶湖人队 4-3 赢得系列赛）
• 1985 年，洛杉矶湖人队在波士顿凯尔特人队主场（洛杉矶湖人队 4-2 赢得系列赛）

主场球队赢得中间三场

• 无

客场球队赢得中间三场

• 1991 年，芝加哥公牛队战胜洛杉矶湖人队（芝加哥 4-1 赢得系列赛）
• 1990 年，底特律活塞队战胜波特兰开拓者队（底特律 4-1 赢得系列赛）

主场球队赢得最后两场

• 1994 年，休斯顿火箭队战胜纽约尼克斯队（休斯顿 4-3 赢得系列赛）
• 1988 年，洛杉矶湖人队战胜底特律活塞队（洛杉矶湖人队 4-3 赢得系列赛）

客场球队赢得最后两场

• 无

- 巨大场馆的庞大观众群体： 1999 年 NBA 总决赛第一场在圣安东尼奥的阿拉莫穹顶球馆举行，39514 名观众的观赛人数位列 NBA 总决赛单场观赛人数历史第二。以下是 NBA 总决赛观赛人数历史排名前五的记录：

观赛人数 / 比赛 / 日期

• 41732 / 洛杉矶湖人队在底特律活塞队主场 / 1988 年 6 月 16 日
• 39514 / 纽约尼克斯队在圣安东尼奥马刺队主场 / 1999 年 6 月 16 日
• 39457 / 华盛顿子弹队在西雅图超音速队主场 / 1978 年 5 月 30 日
• 39188 / 洛杉矶湖人队在底特律活塞队主场 / 1988 年 6 月 12 日
• 35928 / 华盛顿子弹队在西雅图超音速队主场 / 1979 年 5 月 27 日

- 收视率下降： NBC 电视台的 NBA 总决赛第一场收视率比去年下降了 38%。

该网络的尼尔森过夜收视率为 11.7/20，而去年芝加哥公牛队与犹他爵士队系列赛第一场的收视率为 18.8/31。那场比赛是 NBA 总决赛第一场历史上收视率最高的一场比赛。

网络消息来源表明，该网络的广告价格比去年上涨了 8% 到 12%，总决赛期间 30 秒的广告费用约为 35 万美元。如果系列赛至少进行五场比赛，该网络将收回成本。

- 又一位受伤的球员： 成为尼克斯队锋线球员可不是一件安全的事。帕特里克·尤因(Patrick Ewing) 由于跟腱断裂而无法上场，拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson) 也因印第安纳系列赛中膝盖受伤而带伤作战。

周三的第一场比赛并不轻松，尤因的替补克里斯·杜德利(Chris Dudley) 和马库斯·坎比(Marcus Camby) 也都受伤了。杜德利在与蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 相撞后扭伤了肘部，坎比则在与大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 的对抗中被撞伤了大腿。

“这很难，但我们以前也克服过困难，”杜德利说道。

- 意料之中： 肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott) 表示，当贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson) 在比赛中投进五个三分球，得到 17 分时，他并不感到惊讶。

“整个星期在训练中，贾伦就像艾伦·休斯顿(Allan Houston) 和雷吉·米勒(Reggie Miller) 一样，”埃利奥特说道。“他让我们难以招架。”

- 波波维奇的回忆： 教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 偶尔会回忆起马刺队的幸运。

“前几天我刚想起 1997 年的选秀之夜，”他说道。“我们选中了蒂姆·邓肯，大约五分钟后，（波士顿教练）里克·皮蒂诺(Rick Pitino) 打电话来问道：‘你想怎么样？’ 我告诉他，我无法想象会发生什么。”

- 速度飞快： 马刺队的后卫马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 可能认为，尼克斯队是圣安东尼奥在季后赛中遇到的实力最弱的球队。但埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 认为，纽约队在另一方面具有可比性。

“这是我们在季后赛中遇到的速度最快的球队，”约翰逊说道。“（尼克斯队的后卫/前锋拉特雷尔·斯普雷韦尔(Latrell Sprewell)）可能是联盟中从底线到底线跑得最快的球员。他甚至比我五年前在金州勇士队(Golden State) 与他一起打球时还要快。”

尼克斯队的后卫查理·沃德(Charlie Ward) 同意这一观点。

“他非常快，”沃德说道。“他可以在 100 米短跑比赛中跑，或者在 4x100 米接力赛中跑。”

埃利表示，斯普雷韦尔似乎没有感到疲倦。

“斯普雷韦尔永远不会累，”他说道。“他是一条猎犬。在一场比赛中，他从我身后追上来，然后就像开着五档一样加速冲了出去。”

- ‘笔记本电脑一族’： 马刺队的老将后卫马里奥·埃利表示，他的这支球队与他以前效力的其他球队截然不同。

“我称这些家伙为‘笔记本电脑一族’，”埃利说道。“在球队里，有八个人会在客场旅行时带上笔记本电脑。马利克(Malik) 会在做些事情，大卫(David) 会在他的电脑上看些什么。无论走到哪里，每个人都会带着笔记本电脑。”

对信息技术的兴趣与埃利在 1993 年至 1998 年效力的老休斯顿火箭队形成了鲜明的对比。

“在那些球队里，山姆(Sam)（卡塞尔(Cassell)）、麦克斯(Max)（弗农·麦克斯韦尔(Vernon Maxwell)）和我都会在飞机后部掷骰子，”埃利笑着说。“这里的情况完全不同。”

点击查看原文：History of the 2-3-2 Notes

History of the 2-3-2 Notes

The following is a look at how teams have fared in the NBA Finals since the league adopted the 2-3-2 format in 1985, with respect to possible scenarios in the Spurs-Knicks series: Home team wins first 2 games 1997, Chicago def. Utah (Chicago wins series, 4-2)

1996, Chicago def. Seattle (Chicago wins series, 4-2)

1989, Detroit def. L.A. Lakers (Detroit wins series, 4-0)

1987, L.A. Lakers def. Boston (L.A. Lakers win series, 4-2)

1986, Boston def. Houston (Boston wins series, 4-2)

Teams split first 2 games

1998, Chicago at Utah (Chicago wins series, 4-2)

1994, New York at Houston (Houston wins series, 4-3)

1992, Portland at Chicago (Chicago wins series, 4-2)

1991, L.A. Lakers at Chicago (Chicago wins series, 4-1)

1990, Portland at Detroit (Detroit wins series, 4-1)

1988, Detroit at L.A. Lakers (L.A. Lakers win series, 4-3)

1985, L.A. Lakers at Boston (L.A. Lakers win series, 4-2)

Home team wins middle 3 games

None

Road team wins middle 3 games

1991, Chicago def. L.A. Lakers (Chicago wins series, 4-1)

1990, Detroit def. Portland (Detroit wins series, 4-1)

Home team wins last 2 games

1994, Houston def. New York (Houston wins series, 4-3)

1988, L.A. Lakers def. Detroit (L.A. Lakers win series, 4-3)

Road team wins last 2 games

None

- Big crowd in the big house: The 39,514 fans in attendance for Game 1 of the 1999 NBA Finals at the Alamodome in San Antonio ranks second in NBA Finals history for single- game attendance. Below is a list of the top five attendance marks in Finals history:

Attendance / Game / Date

41,732 / L.A. Lakers at Detroit / June 16, 1988

39,514 / New York as San Antonio / June 16, 1999

39,457 / Washington at Seattle / May 30, 1978

39,188 / L.A. Lakers at Detroit / June 12, 1988

35,928 / Washington at Seattle / May 27, 1979

- Ratings down: NBC-TV’s Game 1 ratings for the NBA Finals were down 38 percent from last year.

The network earned an 11.7/20 Nielsen overnight rating, compared with last year’s 18.8/31 for the first game of the Chicago-Utah series. That game was the highest-rated NBA Finals Game 1 ever.

Network sources indicate the network’s ad rates are up between 8 and 12 percent over last year, with a 30-second spot costing about $350,000 for the Finals. The network should break even on its deal if the series extends to at least five games.

- Another one banged up: It’s not safe to be a member of the Knicks’ frontline. Patrick Ewing is out with a torn Achilles and Larry Johnson is playing on a sore knee from the Indiana series.

The Finals opener Wednesday wasn’t any easier, with Chris Dudley, who is starting in place of Ewing, and Marcus Camby sustaining injuries. Dudley sprained his elbow after colliding with Tim Duncan and Camby took a David Robinson knee in his thigh.

“It’s been tough, but we’ve fought through it before,” Dudley said.

- No surprise: Sean Elliott said he wasn’t surprised when Jaren Jackson blistered the Knicks with five three-pointers and 17 points.

“Jaren was Allan Houston and Reggie Miller at practice all week,” Elliott said. “He was giving us fits.”

- Popovich remembers: Coach Gregg Popovich does think back from time to time on the Spurs’ good fortunes.

“I was just remembering about (1997) draft night the other day,” he said. “We took Tim Duncan and about five minutes late (Boston coach) Rick Pitino called and said, ‘What do you want.’ I just told him that I couldn’t imagine anything happening.”

- Speeding along: Spurs guard Mario Elie may think the Knicks are the least-talented team San Antonio has faced in the playoffs. But Avery Johnson thinks New York compares favorably in another regard.

“This is the fastest team we’ve faced in the playoffs,” Johnson said. “And (Knicks guard/forward Latrell Sprewell) may be the fastest player in the league baseline to baseline. He’s even faster than when I played with him in Golden State (five years ago).”

Knicks guard Charlie Ward agrees.

“He’s very fast,” Ward said. “He could run in the 100 meters or on somebody’s 4 by 1 (the 4X100-meter relay).”

Elie said Sprewell didn’t appear to tire.

“Spree doesn’t ever get tired,” he said. “He’s a greyhound. He ran up behind me on one play and took off like he was in fifth gear.”

- ‘Laptop Guys:’ Veteran Spurs guard Mario Elie says his team is much different than other teams he has played with.

“I call these guys the Laptop Guys,” Elie said. “On this team, eight guys will bring their laptops on a road trip. Malik will be working on something, David will be watching something on his computer. Everybody’s got them everywhere they go.”

The interest in bits and bytes is a marked contrast from the old Houston teams that Elie played on from 1993- 98.

“On those teams, Sam (Cassell), Max (Vernon Maxwell) and me would be back in the back of the plane rolling dice,” Elie said with a laugh. “It’s a lot different here.” - Staff Reports

By Staff Reports, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18

决赛档案

李·温纳(Lee Wenner)希望今晚在NBA总决赛第二场比赛中凭借一记三分球成为赢家。

一个大赢家。

温纳，23岁，将有机会复制马刺队肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)在阵亡将士纪念日对阵波特兰开拓者队的奇迹般投篮，赢得75,000美元。

周四，他从一位专家帕特里克·鲁德(Patrick Ruder)那里获得了指导，这位28岁的专家在周三第一场比赛的间歇中完成了投篮。

鲁德是凯利空军基地的一名语言学家，他赢得了西南贝尔公司提供的奖金，西南贝尔公司还将向马刺队无毒品青少年篮球联盟捐赠25,000美元。

温纳是阿拉莫城基督教团契的场地维护人员，并在圣安东尼奥学院主修运动机能学。他今天不会过多练习投篮，以免带来厄运。

“我不会说我真的很紧张，”温纳说，他将在7月2日结婚。“我只是相信上帝。如果他希望我投进，我就会。”

鲁德警告温纳不要把心思放在钱上。

“如果李想钱，他会更有压力，”鲁德说。“他需要走出去，就像打球一样。……我认为他已经知道该怎么做。”

至于他自己的意外之财，鲁德还没有决定如何处理。

“我会偿还我的债务，”他说。“我的家人帮助了我很多，我不会忘记帮助我的人。”

当然，说NBA总决赛对当地经济有利是一个轻描淡写的说法。想想数百种个体企业家如何从中获利。

斯科特·杰金斯(Scott Jerkins)从他的皮卡车后部开始兜售马刺队的乙烯基贴纸。

“我做这件事不会发财，”杰金斯在沃尔兹姆路和35号州际公路附近的摊位上说。“我更多地是为了兴奋而做这件事。我很高兴看到这么多人对马刺队充满热情。

“我在这里住了我的一生，我从未见过这座城市像这样——太棒了。”

虽然他估计自己第一天销售额为1,500美元，但杰金斯不得不于周四提前结束营业，因为医生计划当天晚些时候为他怀孕的妻子催产。她原本应该在一周前分娩。

在城里另一边，在一处位于10号州际公路和万斯杰克逊路交叉口便利店外的临时摊位上，鲍勃·考克斯(Bob Cox)和他的儿子迈克尔(Michael)报告了销售旺盛。

“太好了……我们在午餐时间和下班后每分钟都会有几个顾客，”鲍勃·考克斯说。

一位顾客理查德·伊奥夫(Richard Eoff)在一家当地的管道公司工作，他花了15美元买了一件马刺队的T恤。

伊奥夫在工作地点之间，说他的妻子用无线电话打来电话，恳求道。

“他们在工作场所又举办了一天马刺队日，”他说。“而且她不能穿同一件衬衫超过一次。”

虽然VIA都市交通公司的停车场及搭乘服务在节日和阿拉莫圆顶体育馆大型活动期间的乘客数量有所增加，但周三的比赛吸引了“我们运送到马刺队比赛的乘客人数最多，”VIA公共事务主管普里西拉·英格尔(Priscilla Ingle)说。

VIA官员统计了5,061名乘客，其中722名乘客在位于281号美国公路北部的纳科马大道Kmart停车场的一个临时停车场及搭乘地点上车。

停车场及搭乘乘客占比赛现场39,514人的近13%。

“这对我们来说意义重大，”英格尔说。“我们希望那些周三使用这项服务的人会再次使用，其他人也会尝试一下。”

尽管如此，VIA预算制定者预计将会给该服务带来盈利的赛季，最终将以预计亏损27,620美元告终，因为NBA罢工导致比赛场次减少，乘客数量减少。

当地的一档广播脱口秀节目在周四报道了一家长老教会的标语，上面写着：“马刺队加油；申命记5:28。”

这段经文写道：“你的筐子必蒙福。”

特约撰稿人艾米·多塞特(Amy Dorsett)、马特·弗洛雷斯(Matt Flores)和斯科特·哈德尔斯顿(Scott Huddleston)为本文做出了贡献。

点击查看原文：The Finals Files

The Finals Files

With one three-point shot, Lee Wenner hopes to be a winner at Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight.

A big winner.

Wenner, 23, will get a chance to win $75,000 by replicating Spur Sean Elliott’s miraculous Memorial Day shot against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Thursday, he was getting tips from an expert: Patrick Ruder, 28, who made the shot during a break in Wednesday’s Game 1.

A Kelly AFB linguist, Ruder won the prize money offered by Southwestern Bell, which will also donate $25,000 to the Spurs Drug-Free Youth Basketball League.

Wenner is a grounds maintenance worker at Alamo City Christian Fellowship and is majoring in kinesiology at San Antonio College. He won’t practice the shot too much today, to avoid jinxing it.

“I wouldn’t say I’m real nervous,” said Wenner, who’s getting married July 2. “I’m just trusting in God. If He wants me to make the shot, I will.”

Ruder warns that Wenner should keep his mind off the cash.

“If Lee thinks about the money, he’ll have more pressure,” Ruder said. “He needs to go out there and just play ball. … I think he already knows what he needs to do.”

As for his own windfall, Ruder hasn’t decided how to dispose of it.

“I’m going to pay my debts,” he said. “My family helped me out quite a bit and I’m not going to forget the people who helped me out.”

To say the NBA Finals are good for the local economy is, of course, an understatement. Consider the hundreds of ways individual entrepreneurs are cashing in.

Scott Jerkins took to peddling vinyl Spurs decals from the back of his pickup.

“I’m not making a killing doing this,” Jerkins said at his spot near Walzem Road and Interstate 35. "I’m doing this more for the excitement. I’m just glad to see so many people pumped about the Spurs.

“I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve never seen the town like this - it’s great.”

Although he estimated his first- day sales at $1,500, Jerkins had to cut it short Thursday because doctors were planning to induce labor for his pregnant wife later in the day. She had been set to give birth a week ago.

Across town, at a temporary booth erected outside a convenience store at Interstate 10 and Vance Jackson, Bob Cox and his son, Michael, reported brisk sales.

“It’s been fantastic … We get a couple of customers every minute during lunch hours and after work,” Bob Cox said.

One customer, Richard Eoff, who works for a local plumbing company, plopped down $15 for a Spurs T-shirt.

Eoff, who was between job sites, said his wife called him on a wireless phone and made a frantic plea.

“They had another Spurs Day at work,” he said. “And she can’t wear the same shirt more than once.”

Although VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Park & Ride Service has had higher ridership during Fiesta and big Alamodome events, Wednesday’s game drew “the highest number of patrons we’ve taken to a Spurs event,” VIA Public Affairs Director Priscilla Ingle said.

VIA officials counted 5,061 riders, including 722 who boarded at a temporary Park & Ride site in the K-Mart parking lot on U.S. 281, north of Nakoma Drive.

Park-and-riders made up nearly 13 percent of the 39,514 people at the game.

“That’s pretty significant for us,” Ingle said. “We’re hopeful that people who used the service Wednesday will use it again, and that others will try it out.”

Still, the season that VIA budget- writers had expected would be profitable for the service will end with a projected loss of $27,620, because an NBA strike brought fewer games and fewer riders.

A local radio talk show Thursday reported a Presbyterian Church’s marquee, which reads, “Go, Spurs, Go; Deuteronomy 5:28.”

The scriptural citation reads, “Blessed shall be thy baskets.”

Staff Writers Amy Dorsett, Matt Flores and Scott Huddleston contributed to this report.

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-18, By Buck Harvey

德州飞鸟：同样的羽毛，同样的轨迹

二十年前的这个夏天，我往一辆旧福特车里塞了几件衣服，离开德州去寻找新的工作。我一路向北，前往新英格兰，为那里的一支职业篮球队撰写报道。途中，我绕道印第安纳州，去见见球队的新秀。

他当时正站在梯子上，为一个商业广告摆姿势，手里拿着一罐汽水。摄制组让他说一句台词“七喜”，但他却卡壳了。对于拉里·伯德 (Larry Bird) 来说，品牌名称在那时还是个挑战。

以下是1979年对伯德的一次采访片段：

火？

“糟透了。”

所以，蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 与媒体打交道还是有希望的。如果伯德都能变成一个乡村俏皮话大王（就在这个月，他还在纽约嘲讽裁判），那么对于一个已经能够说出一口流利语言的人来说，潜力是无限的。

早期的伯德还有另外一个特点。他从一开始就能打球，没错，就像邓肯一样；过去20年里，唯一入选NBA最佳阵容一阵的新秀只有伯德和邓肯。但来自法式利克的伯德有一种习惯，有些话他不说，但他的眼神会出卖他。这个在社交方面感到自卑的新秀，同样也不确定自己的伟大。

他在第二个赛季的表现改变了这一切，而邓肯现在也面临着同样的情况。所以，当人们怀疑邓肯的上限——他能变得更好吗？——伯德也许就是他的榜样。

伯德和邓肯一样，都以同样全面的技术风格获得了最佳新秀奖。伯德也努力融入老队员的行列。伯德能像邓肯一样抢篮板、投篮和传球，只是比例不同而已。两人都将因其快速的思维而非迅捷的脚步而被人们铭记。

在伯德的第二个赛季，有几件事对他很有帮助。一笔交易带来了罗伯特·帕里什 (Robert Parish) 和凯文·麦克海尔 (Kevin McHale)，然后是一场具有分水岭意义的季后赛系列赛。在以3-1落后的情况下，伯德投进一个制胜球，赢得了东部冠军。

无论如何，他都在通往成功的道路上。但在总决赛中等待着伯德的东西给了他一个推动力。对于那些认为这支尼克斯队是历史上最大的黑马的人来说，请记住1981年的火箭队。

火箭队以40胜42负的战绩，常规赛胜率比尼克斯队还要低。但在淘汰马刺队的过程中，火箭队将凯尔特人队拖入了六场比赛。这也是1999年总决赛尚未结束的另一个原因。如果马刺队的首发球员都睡着了，而贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson)苏醒过来，那么尼克斯队就会像火箭队当年那样给马刺队施加压力。

但就连尼克斯队也想知道邓肯的实力以及他们能对他做些什么。杰夫·范甘迪 (Jeff Van Gundy) 在周四再次称他为“联盟中最好的球员”，因为邓肯和伯德一样，能够根据对手的防守做出调整。

绕前防守他，他会滑步寻找角度。包夹他，他会传出好球。让他面框进攻，他会用20英尺的打板投篮。“地球上没有人能阻止他，”范甘迪说。

所以，假设每个二年级球员都能变得更好，那么邓肯呢？马刺队认为他可以在防守端有所提高，但大多数时候他们只是摇头。“我不知道他还能学到多少东西了，”大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson) 说。

伯德应该深有体会。正如邓肯周四暗示的那样，一个总冠军会带来一些压力。当被问及人们认为他是联盟最佳球员的看法时，邓肯说：“这仅仅意味着你头上的赏金更高了。”

但伯德最终喜欢上了赏金的概念（难道他没有悬赏马库斯·坎比 (Marcus Camby) 吗？）。伯德每晚都昂首阔步地出场，轻松自信，随时准备在比赛中和赛后发表讲话。

也许没有什么比等待着另一个时代的“双胞胎”更能让邓肯变成伯德那样的人了。给邓肯一枚戒指，配上他的跳勾和低位脚步，他会不会更像伯德呢？

点击查看原文：Texas' Bird: Same feathers, same schedule

Texas’ Bird: Same feathers, same schedule

I threw some clothes into an old Ford and left Texas for a new job. That was 20 years ago this summer. I headed north toward New England to write about a pro basketball team there, and along the way I took a turn through Indiana to meet the team’s rookie.

He stood on a ladder, posing for a commercial, holding a can of soda. The camera crew asked him to say one phrase, “Seven-Up,” and he struggled. Brand names were a challenge, then, for Larry Bird.

A sample interview with Bird in 1979:

Fire?

“Baaad.”

So there’s hope for Tim Duncan’s future with the media. If Bird could turn into a country wit - mocking refs in New York this very month - then there’s potential for someone who already speaks a discernible language.

There was something else about the early Bird. He could play from the start, all right, just as Duncan could; the only rookies to be All- NBA first team in these last 20 years are Bird and Duncan. But Bird had a tic from French Lick. What his mouth didn’t say, his eyes did. The same rookie who felt inferior socially was as unsure about his greatness.

What followed in his second season altered that, and it comes up for Duncan now in his. So as people wonder about Duncan’s upside - can he get any better? - Bird might be the model.

Bird won a rookie-of-the-year award, as did Duncan, with similarly complete styles. Bird, too, tried to fit among veterans. Bird could rebound, shoot and pass as Duncan can, only in different proportions. Both will also be remembered more for being brain- quick than foot-fast.

A few things went Bird’s way in his second year. A trade brought Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, then came a watershed playoff series. Recovering from 3-1 down, Bird banked in a game-winner to win the East.

He was on his way no matter. But what waited for Bird in the Finals gave him a nudge. For those convinced these Knicks are history’s biggest underdog, remember the 1981 Rockets.

At 40-42, they had a worse regular-season winning percentage than the Knicks. But upsetting the Spurs along the way, the Rockets extended the Celtics to six games. That’s another reason the 1999 Finals aren’t over yet. If the Spurs’ starters go to sleep and Jaren Jackson wakes up, then the Knicks will press the Spurs as the Rockets pressed.

But even the Knicks wonder about Duncan and what they can do about him. Jeff Van Gundy called him “the best player in the league” again Thursday because, like Bird, Duncan can adjust to whatever is thrown at him.

Front him, and he slides for the angle. Double him, and he passes well. Let him face up, and he banks from 20 feet. “No one man on the planet,” said Van Gundy, “can stop him.”

So assuming every second-year player can get better, how can Duncan? The Spurs think he can improve defensively, but mostly they shake their heads. “I don’t know how much more he can learn,” said David Robinson.

Bird would know. A title brings some heat, as Duncan alluded to Thursday. Asked about the perception that he’s the league’s best, Duncan said, “All it means is that there’s a bigger bounty on your head.”

But Bird eventually liked the idea of a bounty (didn’t he put one on Marcus Camby?). Bird swaggered out every night, relaxed and confident, ready to talk during the game and after.

And maybe nothing turned Bird into that more than something that waits for his twin of another generation. Give Duncan a ring to go with his jump hook and drop step, and won’t he be even more Bird-like?

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19, By Glenn Rogers

“2” 太好以至于不真实 - 马刺的防守让尼克斯沮丧 - 圣安东尼奥再次压制纽约

尼克斯在周五晚上早早地领略了马刺的防守，却始终无法摆脱这种困扰。

纽约人在前三分钟内有三次投篮被对手封盖，并在开局阶段落后 10-5。

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)封盖了拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)的上篮。他封盖了克里斯·杜德利(Chris Dudley)的上篮。蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)用他那巨大的手掌挡住了斯普雷维尔的扣篮。

就这样，比赛一直持续到第四节，直到尼克斯球员们被弄得眼花缭乱，晕头转向，最终以 80-67 的比分落败。

“这是心理问题，而不是身体问题，”埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)谈到尼克斯越来越沮丧的情绪时说。“这就像一场心理战。如果一个人觉得自己能轻松上篮，却被对手封盖，这会影响他的心理。”

尼克斯球员的心理被打乱了。他们的投篮命中率仅为 32.9%。斯普雷维尔 22 投 8 中，拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson) 12 投 2 中。约翰逊在第一节末段的一次轻松上篮被邓肯封盖。

罗宾逊和邓肯两人合计送出了 9 次封盖。他们改变了纽约人无数的投篮。他们让尼克斯球员们自言自语。

斯普雷维尔看起来非常慌张，以至于他在投篮时开始犹豫。他几次犹豫后才突破，既担心肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)的防守，也担心突破之后的防守。

他的突破最终以尴尬的抛投或高难度杂耍式的投篮告终。

“我们希望当斯普雷维尔持球突破时，有两到三个人围上去，”约翰逊说。

“蒂姆和大卫的表现令人惊叹，但关键是马里奥(Elie)、肖恩和A.J.在外围的防守。他们让对方球员很难突破到篮下，”史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)说。

即使他们突破到篮下，也不意味着轻松。

“尼克斯球员在内线有很多犹豫，”马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)承认道。

杰伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)赞扬了尼克斯的表现，尽管纽约队的得分非常稀少。

“我们用防守让很多球队感到沮丧，”他说。“但他们似乎并没有崩溃太多。基本上，我们只是稳住阵脚，坚持到底。”

马刺队的进攻也并非完美无瑕。尽管纽约队投篮命中率极低，马刺队在比赛还剩 11 分钟时，仍然只领先 5 分。

圣安东尼奥队只是加强了他们的防守，并在比赛最后阶段连续 5 分 41 秒的时间里将尼克斯队压制得分。

“我们希望我们的防守信心在比赛中不断提升，直到我们能够在比赛最后阶段的中段利用防守来控制比赛，”约翰逊说。马刺队需要尽可能多地进行封盖、身体对抗、卡位、抢断或轻微的推搡。他们在这一阶段只拿了 6 分。

“你知道，冠军球队即使打得不好也能赢球，”约翰逊说。“尼克斯队的防守打乱了我们的节奏。我感到困惑，我不知道他们的夹击什么时候会来，从哪里来。

“在波特兰，他们的防守很强硬，但他们的夹击很规律。尼克斯队的防守让你摸不着头绪。今晚有的时候确实有点让人担忧。”

点击查看原文：'2' Good to be True - Spurs 'D' leaves Knicks frustrated - San Antonio shuts down N.Y. again

‘2’ Good to be True - Spurs ‘D’ leaves Knicks frustrated - San Antonio shuts down N.Y. again

The Knicks got an early taste of the Spurs defense and never could get it out of their mouths Friday night.

The New Yorkers had three of their shots swatted back in their faces in the first three minutes and were dumped in their first hole of the night 10-5.

David Robinson blocked a Latrell Sprewell layup. He stuffed a Chris Dudley layup. Tim Duncan stuck his big paw in the way of a Sprewell dunk.

And so it went, through four grinding quarters, until the Knicks were bedazzled and dazed and on the wrong end of an 80-67 score.

“It’s mental, not physical,” Avery Johnson said of the growing Knicks frustration. “It’s like mental warfare out there. If a guy thinks he has a layup and it’s blocked, that gets in his mind.”

It got clogged in the Knicks’ minds. They managed to put down just 32.9 percent of their shots. Sprewell was 8 of 22 and Larry Johnson 2 of 12. Johnson had an easy layup rejected by Duncan late in the first period.

Robinson and Duncan had nine blocks between them. They altered a sky full of shots. They had the Knicks chattering to themselves.

Sprewell looked so brain-frazzled he began to hesitate on his long-distance shots. A couple of times he hesitated and then drove, worried as much about Sean Elliott’s perimeter defense as what awaited him inside.

His drives ended in awkward tossups or high-degree-of-difficulty circus tries.

“We wanted to have two or three guys converge on Sprewell as soon as he put the ball on the floor,” Johnson said.

“It is amazing what Tim and David were able to do, but the key is what Mario (Elie), Sean and A.J. are doing out on the perimeter. They’re making it hard for those guys to get to the basket,” said Steve Kerr.

And it was no picnic once they got there.

“There was a lot of looking around (by Knicks) inside,” admitted Malik Rose.

Jaren Jackson complimented the Knicks, despite the scarcity of New York points.

“We’ve frustrated a lot of teams with our defense,” he said. “But they didn’t seem to break down too much. Basically, we just buckled down and ground it out.”

The Spurs were no shining offensive examples. Despite New York’s horrendous inability to shoot straight, the Spurs still only led by five with 11 minutes left to play.

San Antonio simply tightened its Alamo-caliber protection and held the Knicks pointless through a 5:41 stretch through the guts of the final period.

“We want our confidence in our defense to grow throughout a game until we can use it to take control of the game beginning midway through the final period,” Johnson said. The Spurs needed every frustrating block, body bump, hold, grab or gentle shove they could muster. They scored just six points through the stretch.

“You know, championship teams win games even when they are playing badly,” Johnson said. "The Knick defense knocked us out of sync. I was confused, I didn’t know when their double teams were coming or where from.

“In Portland, they played tough defense, but their double teams were predictable. The Knicks keep you guessing. It was a little worrisome out there at times tonight.”

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19

球迷受邀参加特别比赛放映活动

上周五晚上比赛结束后，商务街 (Commerce Street) 很快就被挤得水泄不通，满载着狂热的马刺球迷的汽车在街道上穿梭，他们欣喜若狂地庆祝着胜利，喇叭声、欢呼声响彻云霄。

刺耳的汽车喇叭声有时会形成“加油马刺！(Go Spurs Go)”的节奏，在拥堵的车流中回荡。

在河边步道 (River Walk) 上，狂欢者的情绪虽然较为平静，但热情丝毫不减。

“这里有尼克斯队的球迷吗？”一位游船经营者问他船上的乘客。

两名试图否认自己所支持球队的男子被同伴指认出来。

“滚出去，”这位游船驾驶员开玩笑地命令道，引得乘客们一阵欢呼。

公司负责人宣布，今天早些时候，首批出现在 H-E-B 超市的 1000 人将获得免费门票，可以观看周一夜在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆 (Alamodome) 大屏幕直播的马刺队对阵尼克斯队的总决赛。

这场比赛将于周一晚上 8 点在纽约市的麦迪逊广场花园 (Madison Square Garden) 举行。比赛将在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆的大屏幕上直播，马刺队发言人汤姆·詹姆斯 (Tom James) 表示，除了球队之外，其他一切都将在那里。

“他们的精神与我们同在，”他说。

詹姆斯说，人们必须持有门票才能观看在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆的比赛直播，但门票是免费的，可以在当地的 H-E-B 超市领取。

“这可能只适用于周一的比赛，看看效果如何，”詹姆斯说。

尼克斯队在麦迪逊广场花园直播客场比赛，但对观看上周三晚上比赛的 20,000 名左右观众每人收取了 15 美元的门票。

在圣安东尼奥的大屏幕直播现场，马刺队的银色舞者和吉祥物郊狼将在中场休息时进行表演，届时还将提供全套的餐饮服务。

届时将提供 VIA 公交公司的停车换乘服务。

《纽约每日新闻》的一位作家在一篇关于“圣安东尼奥十大最愚蠢的事情”的专栏文章中抨击了巴克霍恩沙龙和博物馆 (Buckhorn Saloon and Museum)，几天后，一大群纽约人来这里吃晚餐。

猜猜是谁？

显然，纽约尼克斯队的管理层和工作人员并没有注意到这篇报道，因为他们在周五晚上的比赛前就来这里吃晚餐了。

一位工作人员说，原本预计会有 30 人左右，但结果来了 58 人。他们享用了上等肋排和烤鸡，并观看了神枪手汤米·沃瑞尔 (Tommy Worrell) 的表演。

秉承着圣安东尼奥人热情好客的传统，巴克霍恩在纽约人到来前不久就撤下了“加油马刺！(Go Spurs Go)”的标语，但在他们离开后又重新挂了上去。

马刺队的球迷曾经很喜欢吃纽约风味的披萨，这些披萨是由尼克斯队的铁杆球迷罗斯玛丽·弗洛里奥 (RoseMarie Florio) 和乔·弗洛里奥 (Joe Florio) 制作的。这对来自新泽西的夫妇和他们的孩子拥有一家弗洛里奥披萨店 (Florio’s Pizzeria)，这家店在 1997 年之前一直是阿拉莫穹顶体育馆的披萨摊位。

当双方分道扬镳时，问题出在金钱上，而不是篮球的忠诚度。事情变得非常糟糕，弗洛里奥夫妇起诉了阿拉莫穹顶体育馆的特许经营承包商 ARAMARK 德克萨斯州体育和娱乐服务公司以及马刺队。

这场法庭纠纷已于今年早些时候得到解决，无需审判。

“唯一输家是马刺队的球迷。他们无法在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆买到弗洛里奥披萨了，”史蒂文·弗洛里奥 (Steven Florio) 说。

李·温纳 (Lee Wenner) 并没有在第二场比赛的“西南贝尔奇迹投篮”环节中投进价值 10 万美元的三分球，但他并没有抱怨。

“我的未婚妻凯莉·皮尔森 (Carrie Pearson) 在这里，我玩得很开心，”马刺队的铁杆球迷温纳说。“如果我能多赚 7.5 万美元，那就更好了，但能参加总决赛已经梦想成真了。”

23 岁的温纳说，西南贝尔公司将以他的名义向马刺队禁毒青年篮球联赛捐赠 1000 美元。

他还将获得一年的免费无线和互联网服务、四张西南贝尔道明尼恩高级职业高尔夫球赛的门票以及马刺队的周边商品。

圣安东尼奥警方表示，在本周被控倒卖门票的 35 人中，有一名美国全国广播公司 (NBC) 的员工，据称他试图以 1000 美元的价格出售自己的媒体证件。

圣安东尼奥警察局发言人欧内斯特·塞拉亚 (Ernest Celaya) 警官说，这名 NBC 体育频道的员工在试图将证件卖给一名卧底的圣安东尼奥警察时被抓获。

“据我们了解，他不是记者，”塞拉亚说。“他是某种跑腿的。”

这名身份不明的员工被指控无证兜售，这属于 C 级轻罪，最高可被处以 500 美元的罚款。

塞拉亚说，警方没收了媒体证件，并将这名员工送到了他的主管那里。

本报道由卡米娜·达尼尼 (Carmina Danini)、辛迪·图米尔 (Cindy Tumiel) 和约翰·特德斯科 (John Tedesco) 共同撰写。

点击查看原文：Celebrating fans invited to special game showing

Celebrating fans invited to special game showing

After Friday night’s game, Commerce Street quickly became jammed with carloads of hooting, honking and hollering Spurs faithful who celebrated the victory with abandon.

The cacophony of car horns sometimes adopted a “Go Spurs Go” rhythm that spread along rows of traffic-blocked cars.

Below on the River Walk, revelers were tamer but no less enthusiastic.

“Who here is a Knicks fan?” a barge operator asked his load of passengers.

Two men who tried to deny their alleged allegiance were fingered by their companions.

“Get out,” the river boat pilot jokingly ordered to cheers from his customers.

The first 1,000 people to show up at area H-E-B supermarkets early today will be offered free tickets to see Monday night’s Spurs- Knicks Finals game on the Jumbotron at the Alamodome, company officials announced.

The 8 p.m. Monday game will be played in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. It will be shown on the Jumbotron at the Alamodome, and Spurs spokesman Tom James said everything but the team will be there.

“And they’ll be there in spirit,” he said.

People must have tickets to attend the game showing at the Alamodome, but the tickets are free and can be picked up at area H-E- B Grocery Co. stores, James said.

“This probably will be for Monday’s game only, to see how it works,” James said.

The Knicks broadcast their away-from-home games at Madison Square Garden, but charged $15 a ticket for the crowd of 20,000 or so who viewed last Wednesday night’s game there.

At San Antonio’s Jumbotron showing, the Spurs Silver Dancers and the Coyote will be on hand for halftime entertainment, and full concessions will be open.

VIA Park & Ride service will be available.

A few days after a New York Daily News writer slammed the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum in a column on “The 10 Dumbest Things to Do in San Antonio,” a large group of New Yorkers came to dinner.

Guess who?

Obviously, the New York Knicks’ management and staff doesn’t pay attention to the newspaper, because they showed up for dinner before Friday night’s game.

About 30 people had been expected, but 58 showed up, a staffer said. They feasted on prime rib and grilled chicken and were entertained by gunslinger Tommy Worrell.

In true San Antonio hospitality, the Buckhorn removed the “Go Spurs Go” signs shortly before the New Yorkers arrived but put them back up after they departed.

Spurs fans used to consume lots of New York-style pizza, prepared by diehard Knicks’ fans RoseMarie and Joe Florio. The New Jersey couple and their children own Florio’s Pizzeria, which held the pizza concession at the Alamodome until 1997.

When the breakup came, the issue was money, not basketball loyalties. It got so nasty enough the Florios sued dome concession contractor ARAMARK Sport and Entertainment Services of Texas and the Spurs.

The courthouse dispute was resolved earlier this year without trial.

“The only ones who lost are Spurs fans. They can’t get Florio’s pizza at the dome,” Steven Florio said.

Lee Wenner didn’t make the three3-point shot worth $100,000 in the “Southwestern Bell Miracle Shot” during Game 2, but he’s not complaining.

“My fiancee, Carrie Pearson, is here and I’m having a blast,” said Wenner, a diehard Spurs fan. “It would be nicer if I were $75,000 wealthier, but being at the Finals is a dream come true.”

Wenner, 23, said Southwestern Bell will donate $1,000 in his name to the Spurs Drug-Free Youth Basketball League.

He’s also receiving one year of free wireless and Internet service, four season passes to the Southwestern Bell Dominion Senior PGA tournament and Spurs merchandise.

Among the 35 people San Antonio police say were scalping tickets this week was an NBC employee who allegedly tried to sell his media badge for $1,000.

The employee for NBC Sports was caught trying to sell the pass to an undercover San Antonio police officer, SAPD spokesman Sgt. Ernest Celaya said.

“We understand that he was not a reporter,” Celaya said. “He was some type of runner.”

The unidentified employee was issued a citation charging him with peddling without a permit, a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine.

Police confiscated the media pass and escorted the employee to his supervisor, Celaya said.

Staff Writers Carmina Danini, Cindy Tumiel and John Tedesco contributed to this report.

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19, By Tom Orsborn

球迷风雨同舟

纽约市之于篮球，就像华盛顿特区之于政治。但马刺队的后卫马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)认为，世界上最好的篮球球迷就在圣安东尼奥。

“我们拥有NBA最好的球迷，”埃利在马刺队周五晚上以80-67击败尼克斯队，在NBA总决赛中取得2-0领先后说道。

“无论你是赢还是输，我们的球迷都陪你打完整场比赛，”埃利继续说道。“你走进一家餐厅，他们会为你起立鼓掌。你开车出去，你会看到九成的汽车都从天线上挥舞着马刺队的旗帜。我只希望他们能解决好问题，让我们能够得到一个新的球馆，并留在这里。”

球馆问题是埃利表示他和他的队友最近一直在思考的事情。

“如果他们想签下（马刺队中锋）蒂姆·邓肯（Tim Duncan）的续约合同，他们最好建一个新的球馆和一个训练设施，”埃利说道。“我和（马刺队后卫）艾弗里（Avery Johnson）一直在指导蒂姆，告诉他，‘要求一个球馆，要求一个训练设施。’”

埃利说，在第二场比赛的早期，他尽力让球迷参与到比赛中，这场比赛吸引了39,554名观众，比第一场比赛的观众多了40人。

NBA总决赛单场比赛的最高观众人数为41,732人（1988年6月16日，洛杉矶湖人队在底特律），这也是当时的最高纪录。

“我是这个队的精神领袖，没有人像我一样投入比赛，”埃利说，他拿下了15分。“我从球迷那里汲取能量，而这里的球迷非常棒。当你拥有38,000或39,000名球迷像那样尖叫时，你很难不兴奋起来。”

马刺队的前锋马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)和后卫史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)也同意这一观点。

“当你身后有30,000或40,000名球迷在为你欢呼、喊叫和尖叫时，你不由自主地会感到肾上腺素飙升，让你打得更努力，”罗斯说道。

在季后赛中，圣安东尼奥的平均观众人数为31,616人。马刺队在季后赛中主场战绩为7胜1负，并在主场保持着6连胜。

“这两场比赛，球迷们真的非常特别，”科尔说。“我们有40,000人在几乎整场比赛中都站着。这太疯狂了。”

周五晚上的球迷在埃利的跳投帮助马刺队以60-53领先，以及罗宾逊的跳投将领先优势扩大到67-57后，达到了最佳状态，他们每当球队得分时都会高喊“Go, Spurs, Go!”。

并不是所有参加周五比赛的人都为马刺队加油。超级尼克斯球迷/电影导演斯派克·李(Spike Lee)在马刺队前主席鲍勃·科尔曼(Bob Coleman)附近拥有一个前排座位，并且每当纽约队投进一个大球时，他都会站起来。

“我今晚拥抱了斯派克，”来自纽约市的埃利说道。“他是尼克斯队的忠实球迷。”

虽然他热爱圣安东尼奥及其球迷，但埃利表示，他期待在纽约见到他的母亲。总决赛接下来的三场比赛将在曼哈顿麦迪逊广场花园举行。

“我回家去看我妈妈，吃点米饭和豆子，”埃利说道。“我将见到我的老朋友和一些亲戚。但我们有一项工作要做，我只有两个地方可以去，一个是酒店，另一个是我妈妈家。”

点击查看原文：Fans stick through thick and thin

Fans stick through thick and thin

New York City is to basketball what Washington, D.C. is to politics. But Spurs guard Mario Elie believes the world’s best basketball fans are here in the Alamo City.

“We have the best fans in the NBA,” Elie said after the Spurs downed the Knicks 80-67 Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

“Whether you’re winning or losing, our fans stay with you the whole game,” Elie continued. “You go to a restaurant and they give you a standing ovation. You go for a drive and you see nine out of 10 cars with Spurs flags waving from the antennas. I just hope they can work things out so we can get a new arena and stay here.”

The arena issue is something Elie indicated he and his teammates have been thinking about lately.

“If they want to sign (Spurs center) Tim Duncan (to a new contract), they better get a new arena and a practice facility,” Elie said. “Me and (Spurs guard) Avery (Johnson) have been coaching Tim, telling him, ‘Ask for an arena and ask for a practice facility.’”

Elie said he tried his best to get the crowd into the game during the early going of Game 2, which was witnessed by 39,554, besting Game 1’s crowd by 40.

The record attendance for an game at the NBA Finals is 41,732 (Los Angeles Lakers at Detroit, June 16, 1988).

“I’m the emotional leader of this team, and no one gets into the game like I do,” said Elie, who bagged 15 points. “I feed off the crowd and the crowds have been terrific here. When you have 38,000 or 39,000 fans screaming like that, it’s hard not to get pumped up.”

Spurs forward Malik Rose and guard Steve Kerr agreed.

“When you get 30 or 40,000 fans chanting and yelling and screaming behind you, you can’t help but get an adrenaline rush that makes you play even harder,” Rose said.

For the playoffs, San Antonio is averaging 31,616 fans a game. The Spurs are 7-1 at home in the playoffs and own a six-game home winning streak.

“These two games, the fans have been really special,” Kerr said. “We had 40,000 people on their feet for practically the whole game. It’s been wild.”

Friday night’s crowd was at its best after a jumper by Elie gave the Spurs a 60-53 advantage and after a jumper by Robinson pushed the lead to 67-57, chanting, “Go, Spurs, Go!” each time.

Not everyone at Friday’s game was cheering for the Spurs. Super Knick fan/movie director Spike Lee had a front-row seat near former Spurs chairman Bob Coleman and was up on his feet whenever New York put in a big bucket.

“I gave Spike a hug tonight,” said Elie, a native of New York City. “He’s a big fan.”

Although he loves San Antonio and its fans, Elie said he is looking forward to seeing his mother in the Big Apple. The next three games of the finals will be played at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

“I get to go home and see my mom and eat some rice and beans,” Elie said. “I’ll get to see my old friends and some relatives. But we have a job to do and the only two places I’ll be are at the hotel and my mom’s.”

By Tom Orsborn, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19, By Tim Price

防守针对马刺的空中接力球 - 马刺进攻改变策略挫败尼克斯

空中接力球在第二场比赛中不再奏效。尼克斯成功阻止了大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)传给蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的空中接力球，这种战术在第一场比赛中十分有效。

然而，马刺在邓肯开始在低位接球并在尼克斯双人包夹到位前传球时做出了反应。当罗宾逊切入内线接邓肯的传球时，他得到两记重要的进球。

最终 - 即使尼克斯对邓肯的防守非常到位 - 他们还是让圣安东尼奥的大个子球员在空位得到投篮机会，这些投篮击垮了纽约，马刺以 80-67 获胜，在总决赛中取得 2-0 的领先。

邓肯从低位传给切入内线的罗宾逊的第一记传球发生在下半场比赛开始约两分钟后，当时纽约落后 41-36。尽管尼克斯后卫查理·沃德(Charlie Ward)曾在上半场成功地在双人包夹中回防并抢断圣安东尼奥的大个子球员，但他这次还是晚了一步，没有及时赶到罗宾逊快速切入的位置。

罗宾逊得分，沃德犯规，罗宾逊接着罚球命中，比分来到 49-38。

“每场比赛都不一样，有时候进攻的重担都落在我的身上，”罗宾逊说道。“今晚我寻找了一些好的机会。

“我有一些机会可以突破到篮下，在那里我可以爆发并获得得分机会。今晚我很幸运。”

邓肯在低位传球给罗宾逊的第二次机会发生在尼克斯将马刺的领先优势缩小到 63-57，比赛还剩 8 分钟的时候。罗宾逊得分，邓肯助攻，比分来到 65-57。

在拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)的三分球投篮不中后，罗宾逊命中一记远距离跳投，将比分拉开到 67-57。纽约请求暂停，之后马刺再也没有受到过真正的挑战。

沃德在第一节还剩约 4 分钟的时候抢断了一次空中接力球。在第二节比赛开始阶段，圣安东尼奥的三次进攻中，他也两次快速抢断邓肯。

就在那时，邓肯从接球者变成了传球者，而罗宾逊从传球者变成了切入者。

“我认为这是形势所迫，”尼克斯内线球员克里斯·达德利(Chris Dudley)说道。“我们在阻止空中接力球方面做得更好。

“但他们很好地适应了形势的变化，蒂姆能够在我们的双人包夹下传球。”

也许是战术的改变让尼克斯的内线球员感到困惑。无论是什么原因，邓肯有几次在空位得分。

这场比赛中最重要的一个片段可能发生在第三节的最后时刻。肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)在底线突破，晃过拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)得分并造成犯规。

埃利奥特罚球不中，但邓肯抓下篮板，再次投篮得分，这实际上是一个打四分。马刺将 3 分的领先优势扩大到 56-49。

“那太重要了，”在这次进攻中对埃利奥特犯规的尼克斯前锋科特·托马斯(Kurt Thomas)说道。“那太关键了。”

点击查看原文：Defense gets wise to Spurs' lob balls - S.A. offense alters tactics to foil Knicks

Defense gets wise to Spurs’ lob balls - S.A. offense alters tactics to foil Knicks

Lob ball no longer worked in Game 2. The Knicks were able to stop the lob passes from David Robinson down to Tim Duncan that worked so well in Game 1.

But the Spurs responded when Duncan started getting the ball in the low post and firing off a pass before the Knicks double teams got set. Robinson got a pair of pair of big baskets when he cut in the lane for Duncan’s passes.

In the end - even with as much attention to getting on Duncan -the Knicks let San Antonio’s big men get wide open for shots that broke New York’s back in the Spurs’ 80-67 victory and a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

The first Duncan pass from the low post to Robinson cutting in the lane came when New York was behind 41-36 about two minutes into the second half. Though Knicks guard Charlie Ward was successful in coming back on double teams and getting steals on the San Antonio big men in the first half, he was late getting over to Robinson’s quick move.

Robinson scored, Ward fouled, and Robinson followed with the free throw and a 49-38 lead.

“It’s different every night, and sometimes a lot of the offensive responsibility comes to me,” Robinson said. "Tonight I was looking for some good opportunities.

“I had some opportunities to go to the hole, where I can explode and have those chances. Tonight I was fortunate.”

His second opportunity on the low-post pass from Duncan came when the Knicks cut the Spurs’ lead to 63-57 with eight minutes to go in the game. Robinson’s basket and assist from Duncan made it 65- 57.

After Larry Johnson missed a three-pointer for the Knicks, Robinson sank an outside jump shot for a 67-57 lead. New York called time out and the Spurs were never seriously challenged after that.

Ward came up with a steal after one of those lobs with about four minutes left in the first quarter. He also came up with quick steals of Duncan twice in three San Antonio trips down the floor early in the second half.

That’s when Duncan went from lob-catcher to passer and Robinson went from lobber to cutter.

“I think it’s what the situation dictated,” Knicks frontcourt player Chris Dudley said. "We did do a better job stopping the lobs.

“But they did a real good job responding with what the situation dictated, and Tim was able to pass the ball off over our double teams.”

Maybe it was the change in tactics that confused the Knicks down low. Whatever the reason, there were a couple of instances when Duncan got wide open for baskets.

The first play might have been the biggest sequence in the game, coming on the final play of the third period. Sean Elliott beat Latrell Sprewell on a baseline drive to score and draw a foul.

Elliott missed the foul shot, but Duncan snagged the miss and went back up for another basket and essentially a four-point play. The Spurs opened their three-point lead into a 56-49 advantage.

“That was big,” said Knicks forward Kurt Thomas, who fouled Elliott on the first half of the play said. “That was huge.”

By Tim Price, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19, By Tim Griffin

杰克逊回忆艰难岁月 - 马刺后卫在通往NBA的路上经历了许多挫折

马刺后卫贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)在乔治城大学的大学生涯结束后取得了长足的进步。

杰克逊在周三的第一场比赛中对纽约尼克斯队贡献了17分，但他并没有在NBA选秀中被选中，而是在大陆篮球协会(CBA)的第四轮选秀中被选中。他的职业生涯充满了在CBA的拉科斯猫鸟队、匹兹堡食人鱼队、韦恩堡狂怒队和威奇托德州人队，以及世界篮球联赛(WBL)的代顿之翼队的长时间表演。

“我去过小镇，也去过大城市，”杰克逊说道，“从内心深处，我一直觉得我可以在这个联盟里打球，就像其他任何球员一样。即使经历了被淘汰的时刻，你也必须坚持信念。”

拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)的伤情：尽管在第一场比赛中短暂出场后，左膝疼痛加剧，但尼克斯前锋拉里·约翰逊预计将在周五的第二场比赛中上场。

约翰逊在第一场比赛前脱掉了固定受伤左膝的护膝，他表示护膝让他行动“迟缓”。

球队医生表示，这种伤病可能让约翰逊在常规赛中休息长达两周。但约翰逊拒绝透露自己的伤势有多严重。

“我不想谈论百分比，”约翰逊说道，“我只是感到疼痛。没有必要坐在这里哭泣。我只需要尽快康复。”

尽管受伤了，但尼克斯主教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)表示，他让约翰逊在头两场比赛中首发，因为他不想让约翰逊的膝盖在热身之后变得僵硬。

德州 vs. 纽约：你可以称之为芝士蛋糕与炸鸡排的较量。

纽约州和德克萨斯州正在进行两场联盟冠军的争夺 - NBA中的马刺队和尼克斯队，以及NHL中的达拉斯明星队和布法罗军刀队。达拉斯在周四晚上以2-0的比分战胜对手，将系列赛总比分扩大为3-2。

两州球队在同一年的两项联赛中同时进入决赛，上一次发生在1973年，当时来自纽约州和加利福尼亚州的球队在篮球和棒球项目中相遇。奥克兰运动家队在世界系列赛中击败了纽约大都会队，而纽约尼克斯队则在NBA总决赛中以4-1的比分战胜了洛杉矶湖人队。

庞大的观众人数：第一场比赛的观众人数为39,514人，这是NBA总决赛历史上第二高的观众人数，也是圣安东尼奥举办的NBA比赛中最高的观众人数。圣安东尼奥之前的NBA观众人数纪录是1998年3月14日，迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)对阵马刺队的最后一场比赛，当时有37,492人观看了比赛。

NBA总决赛的观众人数纪录是1988年6月16日，洛杉矶湖人队与底特律活塞队在密歇根州庞蒂亚克的银穹顶球馆比赛，当时有41,732人观看了比赛。

阿拉莫圆顶体育场的篮球比赛观众人数纪录是40,509人，该纪录是在去年NCAA四强赛的半决赛和决赛中创下的。

斯普雷维尔状态良好：马刺后卫马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)表示，尼克斯队的拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)在第一场比赛中出场时间达到赛季新高的46分钟，但并没有表现出疲惫的迹象。

“斯普雷维尔永远不会疲惫，”埃利说道，“他就像一只猎犬。在一场比赛中，他从我身后追上来，就像开着五档一样飞奔。”

重返故乡：马刺后卫马里奥·埃利热切地期待着回到纽约市参加第三场比赛。

“我将回到我的家乡，”埃利说道，“我期待着见到我的母亲和我在街区的所有老朋友。当我们在1994年系列赛中对阵纽约时（休斯顿 vs. 纽约），我住在母亲家，乘坐地铁去比赛。那段时光非常有趣。”

埃利表示，回到家乡将为他带来其他好处。

点击查看原文：Jackson remembers the lean times - Spurs guard made many stops on road to NBA

Jackson remembers the lean times - Spurs guard made many stops on road to NBA

Spurs guard Jaren Jackson has come a long way after his college career at Georgetown.

Jackson, who torched the New York Knicks for 17 points in Game 1 Wednesday, was not selected in the NBA Draft and was a fourth-round choice in the Continental Basketball Association. His career has been dotted with extended performances for teams such as the La Crosse Catbirds, the Pittsburgh Piranhas, Fort Wayne Fury and the Wichita Texans in the CBA, and the Dayton Wings in the World Basketball League.

“I’ve been to the little towns and the big cities,” Jackson said. “Deep down, I always felt that I could play in this league just as well as any of the guys. Even through all of the times being cut, you just have to keep believing.”

LJ’s condition: Knicks forward Larry Johnson was expected to play in Game 2 Friday despite a sore knee that worsened after his short stint in Game 1.

Johnson took off a brace to immobilize his injured left knee before Game 1, saying the brace made his movements “jerky.”

Team doctors have said the injury might have idled Johnson for up to two weeks during the regular season. But Johnson declined to say how badly injured he is.

“I don’t want to get into percentages,” Johnson said. “It just hurts. There’s no use sitting around crying about it. I just need to get better.”

Despite the injury, Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said he started Johnson in the first two games because he didn’t want Johnson’s knee to stiffen after he is warmed up.

Texas vs. New York: Call it the battle between cheesecake and chicken-fried steak.

The states of New York and Texas are locked in two league championship battles - the Spurs and Knicks in the NBA, and the Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. Dallas took a 3-2 edge in its series with a 2-0 victory Thursday night.

The only other time two states have had professional teams in two finals in the same year was 1973, when teams from New York and California met in basketball and baseball. The Oakland Athletics defeated the New York Mets in the World Series, and the New York Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in the NBA Finals.

Big crowd: The Game 1 attendance of 39,514 was the second-largest in NBA Finals history and the largest for an NBA game in San Antonio. San Antonio’s previous NBA record crowd was 37,492 on March 14, 1998, for Michael Jordan’s final game against the Spurs.

The NBA Finals record is 41,732 for the Los Angeles Lakers-Detroit Pistons game at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich., on June 16, 1988.

The record Alamodome basketball crowd of 40,509 was set last year for the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Final Four.

Sprewell in shape: Spurs guard Mario Elie said the Knicks’ Latrell Sprewell didn’t appear to tire in Game 1 despite playing a season-high 46 minutes.

“Spree doesn’t ever get tired,” Elie said. “He’s a greyhound. He ran up behind me on one play and took off like he was in fifth gear.”

Homecoming: Spurs guard Mario Elie is eagerly anticipating returning to New York City for Game 3.

“I’m going back to my hometown,” Elie said. “I’m looking forward to seeing my mom and all my old friends in my neighborhood. When we played in the series in '94 (Houston vs. New York), I stayed at my mom’s house and rode the subway to the games. It was a lot of fun.”

Elie said returning home will provide him with other benefits.

By Tim Griffin, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-06-19, By Johnny Ludden

丑陋的胜利 - 马刺取得季后赛12连胜创造纪录，将尼克斯逼入2-0落后

马刺队毫无歉意。如果你想要无视防守的传球以及100分的快节奏比赛，那就去萨克拉门托吧。如果你想要收视率，那就去关注湖人队吧。如果NBA总裁大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)想要改变规则——并且在周五从阿拉莫穹顶的座位上目睹了这场糟糕的比赛后，他可能确实会这样做——那就让他去改变吧。

马刺队不是靠华丽的技巧和精湛的球技走到今天的。如果他们为了赢得他们的第一个冠军，不得不将NBA倒退44年，那也无妨。

正如一句老话所说，美丽在于观赏者眼中。周五晚上，阿拉莫穹顶的39,554名球迷在决赛史上得分第二低的比赛中只看到了一个东西：马刺队以80-67战胜纽约队。他们热烈地回应道：“横扫！横扫！”

马刺队以季后赛12连胜的成绩创造了NBA纪录，并且在季后赛中从未在客场失利，他们有机会在周一比赛转移到纽约后实现这一目标。1977年的波特兰开拓者队和1969年的波士顿凯尔特人队是唯一两支从2-0落后中反败为胜的球队。

“我们对这场胜利感到兴奋，”埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)说。“我们不会脱掉我们的球衣，但我们确实很兴奋。”

即使周五的比赛不是一场艺术上的成功，他们也感到兴奋。

“这是一场非常丑陋的胜利。这是无法掩饰的，”蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)说。“但我们最擅长的就是丑陋的比赛。我们不是一支漂亮的球队，我们也从未声称自己是。”

然而，马刺队所吹嘘的是，他们是一支具有威慑力的、全方位防守的球队，他们必须苦苦拼搏才能赢得胜利。从这个意义上说，正如邓肯所说，马刺队在周五的表现是最好的。

在第四节的比赛中，马刺队将纽约队压制了超过5分半钟，没有得分。邓肯和大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)联手贡献了9次盖帽，并在阿兰·休斯顿(Allan Houston)和拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)每次进入禁区时，都对他们进行了无数次的干扰。比赛结束后，尼克斯队只投出了33%的命中率（82投27中）。只有犹他爵士队在上赛季被芝加哥公牛队羞辱性地以96-54惨败后，在决赛中得分更少。

“很明显，”尼克斯队主教练杰夫·范甘迪(Jeff Van Gundy)说，“我认为我们的进攻打得并不好。”

两边的球员都出现了大量的失误。如果这座城市决定为马刺队建造一座新的球馆，他们可以从第二场比赛的基础上开始。只有贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)在比赛结束前10.1秒投出的三分球和克里斯·柴尔德斯(Chris Childs)在比赛结束前2秒投出的上篮，才阻止了两支球队打破1955年创造的最低总得分纪录。对于那些没有AARP卡的人来说：那是锡拉丘兹国民队和韦恩堡活塞队之间的比赛。

“我一直都在告诫队员们，‘只要不断地给他们施压，’ ”罗宾逊说，他拿下了16分和11个篮板。“我们不会把对手打得溃不成军……你看看上半场的比分，他们只有28%、30%的命中率，你就会觉得我们应该领先15分。

“但你不能给自己施加压力。你必须在48分钟内保持稳定，打出自己的比赛。”

马刺队做到了。邓肯在第一场比赛中得到了33分和16个篮板，在周五的比赛中又拿下了25分和15个篮板。由于纽约队在他第一次运球时采取了更强力的包夹防守，邓肯的25分来得并不容易。也许恰如其分的是，在这场充满打铁和被冒的比赛中，最关键的投篮来自于一个补篮。

在马刺队连续投丢4个球并出现2次失误后，他们仅仅领先3分，肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)从底线突破上篮，在第三节比赛结束前2.5秒被拉里·约翰逊(Larry Johnson)犯规。埃利奥特罚球不中，但当马库斯·坎比(Marcus Camby)与裁判交涉时，邓肯在他面前抢下了篮板球，然后再次跳起上篮，帮助马刺队以56-49领先进入第四节。

“他们试图卡住我，”邓肯说。“我们在和裁判交涉，肖恩投了球，我就在他们看不见的情况下起跳了。幸运的是，球弹到了我的方向，我把它补了进去。

“对我们来说，这是一个非常重要的球，在那个时刻，真是令人心碎。”

邓肯在周四预测，尼克斯队会试图通过让休斯顿和斯普雷维尔进入禁区，早早地让他和罗宾逊陷入犯规麻烦。他预测对了。然而，马刺队在第一节没有吃到任何犯规，全场比赛只吃到了13次犯规，这是决赛史上最低的一次。他们选择用盖帽来填补数据栏。

斯普雷维尔突破上篮？

被罗宾逊盖帽。

达德利进入禁区？

被罗宾逊盖帽。

斯普雷维尔飞身扣篮？

被邓肯盖帽。

拉里·约翰逊上篮？

被邓肯盖帽。

而这仅仅是比赛的前8分半钟。马刺队的内线球员不断地阻止尼克斯队。斯普雷维尔以26分领衔全队，但他需要22次出手才能得到这些分数。拉里·约翰逊再次带着受伤的右膝出战，在纽约队的第一回合进攻中投进了一个三分球，但随后连续8次投篮不中。

从第四节比赛还剩7分55秒到比赛结束前的不到1分钟时间里，尼克斯队除了投进了9次出手中的1次外，还出现了4次失误。其中2次是24秒违例。

“在某种程度上，他们肯定在想如何突破到篮下，”罗宾逊说。“我们在禁区里盖了很多帽……他们明白，想冲到篮下并不容易。”

邓肯说：“这对我们来说很好。这对我们来说是好的篮球。”

点击查看原文：Winnin' ugly - Spurs' 12th straight playoff victory sets record, puts - Knicks in 2-0 hole

Winnin’ ugly - Spurs’ 12th straight playoff victory sets record, puts - Knicks in 2-0 hole

The Spurs make no apologies. If you want no-look passes and up- and-down 100-point games, go to Sacramento. If you want television ratings, call the Lakers. If NBA commissioner David Stern wants to change the rules - and after watching Friday’s brick-athon from his Alamodome seat he probably does - for that very reason, let him.

The Spurs didn’t get this far on flair or finesse. If they have to set the NBA back 44 years to win their first championship, so be it.

As the well-worn saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And the 39,554 fans at the Alamodome on Friday night saw only one thing in the second-lowest scoring game in Finals history: an 80-67 Spurs victory over New York. To that, they enthusiastically replied, “Sweep! Sweep!”

The Spurs, who set an NBA record with their 12th straight playoff victory and have yet to lose on the road in the postseason, have the opportunity to do just that when the series shifts to New York beginning Monday. The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and the 1969 Boston Celtics are the only teams to rally from a 2-0 deficit.

“We’re excited about this victory,” Avery Johnson said. “We’re not going to take our shirts off, but we are excited about it.”

Excited even if Friday wasn’t an artistic success.

“It was a very ugly win. There’s no way to hide that,” Tim Duncan said. “But we’re best when it’s ugly. We’re not a very pretty team, and we never claim to be.”

What the Spurs do boast to be, however, is an intimidating, help- at-all-costs defensive team that has to grind out wins. In that sense, as Duncan said, the Spurs were at their best Friday.

The Spurs held New York scoreless for more than 51/2 minutes in the fourth quarter. Duncan and David Robinson combined for nine blocks and altered countless others whenever Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell strayed into the lane. When it was over, the Knicks had shot only 33 percent (27 of 82). Only Utah managed fewer points in a Finals game when Chicago humiliated the Jazz 96-54 last season.

“Obviously,” Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said, “I don’t think we’re playing very well offensively.”

There were more than enough missed shots on both sides. If the city decides to build the Spurs a new arena, it can start with the foundation laid in Game 2. Only Jaren Jackson’s three-pointer with 10.1 seconds left and Chris Childs’ layup two ticks before the buzzer prevented the teams from breaking the record-low point total set in 1955. For those who don’t carry an AARP card: The Syracuse Nationals and Fort Wayne Pistons hooked up in that one.

“I’ve been preaching to the guys, ‘Just keep putting the steady pressure on them,’” said Robinson, who had 16 points and 11 boards. "We are not going to going to blow guys out. … You look up at the clock in the first half and they’re shooting 28 percent, 30 percent, you feel like you should be up by 15.

“But you can’t press yourself. You have to stay steady over 48 minutes and play your game.”

The Spurs did that. Duncan, who had 33 points and 16 rebounds in Game 1, followed with 25 points and 15 boards Friday. With New York doubling stronger on his first dribble, Duncan earned his 25 the hard way. Appropriately, perhaps, in this game of misfires and rejections, the biggest shot came on a put-back.

With the Spurs clinging to a three-point lead after missing four shots and committing two turnovers, Sean Elliott drove baseline for a difficult lay-in and was fouled by Larry Johnson with 2.5 seconds left in the third quarter. Elliott missed the free throw, but while Marcus Camby was talking to the officials, Duncan moved inside of him for the rebound and went back up for a layup to give the Spurs a 56-49 lead heading into the final quarter.

“They were trying to box me out,” Duncan said. "We were kind of talking to the referee and Sean shot the ball and I just kind of took off before they could see. Luckily, it bounced my way and I tapped it in there.

“That was a big play for us, a heart-breaker at that point.”

Duncan predicted Thursday the Knicks would try to put him and Robinson in foul trouble early by sending Houston and Sprewell to the rim. He was right. The Spurs, however, didn’t register a single foul in the first quarter and only 13 in the game, the lowest in Finals history. They opted instead to fill the blocks column.

Sprewell drives for a layup?

Rejected by Robinson.

Dudley goes inside?

Rejected by Robinson.

Sprewell soars in for a dunk?

Rejected by Duncan.

Larry Johnson for a layup?

Rejected by Duncan.

And that was just first 81/2 minutes of the game. The Spurs’ big men continually turned away the Knicks. Sprewell scored a game- high 26 points, but needed 22 shots. Larry Johnson, again playing on his sore right knee, drained a three-pointer on New York’s first possession of the game, but then missed his next eight shots.

From the 7:55 mark of the fourth quarter to less than a minute left, the Knicks missed all but one of nine shots and committed four turnovers. Two of which were 24- second violations.

“To a certain extent, they’re thinking about coming to the hole, no question,” Robinson said. “We blocked a lot of shots in there. … They understand it’s not going to be easy to get to the rim.”

Said Duncan: It’s good for us. It’s good basketball for us." See expressnews.com for news, forums, audio and photo slide shows from Game 2. Expressnews.com also is exchanging links for news coverage and forums with the New York Times, New Jersey Online, Newsday, New York Daily News, the New York Post and WNBC-TV.

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News