By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-09-16 13:17:02
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
1999年6月，在西部决赛中直落四场击败波特兰开拓者后，马刺队的肖恩·埃利奥特 (Sean Elliott)（左）与队友杰罗姆·科尔西 (Jerome Kersey) 相拥庆祝。
谈论马刺队史首冠，话题通常始于蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 的全面伟大，以及年仅22岁的他如何在自己第二个NBA赛季便将这支球队推向了巅峰。
但这支队伍的实力远不止于此，其中就包括一位名叫杰罗姆·科尔西的36岁肌肉发达的老将。作为阵中最年长的球员，他严谨的态度给年轻队友们留下了深刻印象。
一个典型的例子是：在一场于阿拉莫穹顶体育馆进行的常规赛中，科尔西因表现不佳而怒气冲冲地闯进更衣室，队友们都惊愕地看着他将怒火发泄在浴室隔间的门上，轻而易举地把门从铰链上扯了下来。
“在那之后，我们就开始叫他‘野兽’了，”肖恩·埃利奥特回忆道，“那真是惊人的力量壮举，就像把马蹄铁掰直，或者徒手撕开一本电话簿一样。”
为了寻找意志坚定、季后赛经验丰富的老将来完善阵容，主教练格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 和总经理R.C.·布福德 (R.C. Buford) 在1999年1月签下了科尔西和另一位自由球员马里奥·埃利 (Mario Elie)。在此之前，一项新的劳资协议结束了由老板们发起的、持续超过六个月的停摆，这也导致常规赛从82场缩短至50场。
大约在马刺签下科尔西和埃利的同时，他们通过与芝加哥公牛队的一笔交易，引进了老将神射手史蒂夫·科尔 (Steve Kerr)。
“这都是非常有意的，”科尔谈到马刺智囊团如何围绕邓肯、大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson) 和埃利奥特的核心来构建其余阵容时说。
科尔西、埃利和科尔的加入，为马刺带来了经验丰富的季后赛三人组。科尔西曾在1990年和1992年随波特兰开拓者队两次闯入NBA总决赛，埃利在1994年和1995年帮助休斯顿火箭队夺得两连冠，而科尔则作为迈克尔·乔丹 (Michael Jordan) 领衔的公牛队一员，在1996、1997和1998年获得了总冠军戒指。
“波波和R.C.从一开始就希望不仅引进高质量的球员，还要招募富有竞争精神的人，”即将进入金州勇士队执教生涯第12个赛季的科尔说，“他们在这方面领先于时代，他们都认识到什么能带来胜利，什么样的人能带来胜利。”
邓肯在马刺以状元签选中他后，当选了1997-98赛季的年度最佳新秀；罗宾逊是未来的名人堂成员；埃利奥特是两届全明星。但马刺需要更多老将，尤其是那些带着一股狠劲、知道如何闯入总决赛并赢得冠军的家伙。
“显然，你必须拥有像我们当时拥有蒂姆和大卫那样的基石，”科尔说，“但一旦你拥有了这些，你就要围绕他们配备经验、智慧、技术和领导力，而那支球队就是一支构建得非常出色的队伍。”
1999年5月31日，周一，在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆举行的西部决赛第二场比赛中，开拓者队的达蒙·斯塔德迈尔 (Damon Stoudamire) 遭到马利克·罗斯 (Malik Rose) 和史蒂夫·科尔的包夹。(EXPRESS NEWS PHOTO/ DELCIA LOPEZ)
这支1999年的马刺队将于周六晚在亨利·B·冈萨雷斯会议中心入选圣安东尼奥体育名人堂。他们是2025届入选者的一部分，同届的还有查理·博格斯 (Charlie Boggess)、蒂姆·德克 (Tim Derk)、莎伦·诺伊格鲍尔-谢泼德 (Sharon Neugebauer-Shepard) 和维克多·罗德里格斯 (Victor Rodriguez)。
随着马努·吉诺比利 (Manu Ginobili) 和托尼·帕克 (Tony Parker) 的加入，马刺在2003年至2014年间又赢得了四座总冠军奖杯。
但1999年是黄金般的突破赛季，这场征程结束了球队多年的失意。无论是乔治·格文 (George Gervin) 时代，还是自罗宾逊在1989年完成两年海军服役承诺后加盟球队的那一刻起，这支球队就一直怀揣着冠军梦想。
“我们有过机会，对吧？”埃利奥特说，“在1994-95赛季，我们取得了联盟最佳战绩（62胜20负），但不知何故就是没能功亏一篑（西部决赛六场不敌休斯顿）。而在1989-90赛季（罗宾逊的新秀赛季）之后，当我们觉得本应击败波特兰（在西部半决赛中，而不是七场告负）时，第二年回来我们又被金州勇士爆冷（首轮四场出局）。”
“所以，这一路上充满了心碎与失望。但也正因如此，99年的成功才更显甜蜜。”
在邓肯的新秀赛季取得56胜26负并打入西部半决赛后，1999年的马刺队却以令人失望的6胜8负开局。但随后他们奋起直追，在常规赛最后36场比赛中赢下了31场，这一表现不仅巩固了波波维奇的帅位，也让马刺队在以联盟最佳的95.0防守效率结束赛季后，带着强劲的势头进入了季后赛。
1999年6月25日，周五，在纽约麦迪逊广场花园，NBA总冠军圣安东尼奥马刺队的成员们，从左至右：蒂姆·邓肯、安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯 (Antonio Daniels)、大卫·罗宾逊、杰拉德·金 (Gerard King)、肖恩·埃利奥特、埃弗里·约翰逊 (Avery Johnson) 和杰罗姆·科尔西，在1999年NBA总决赛第五场以78-77击败纽约尼克斯队后一同庆祝。(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
“那支球队在防守端极具统治力，”科尔说，“一切都始于大卫和蒂姆。他们疯狂地守护着篮筐。我们的进攻算不上活力四射，但我们打得有条不紊，而且防守强悍凶狠。”
在邓肯的带领下，他的配角阵容也贡献了诸多令人难忘的时刻：从埃利奥特在西部决赛第二场对阵波特兰时投中的“阵亡将士纪念日奇迹”制胜三分球，到替补球员贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson) 在季后赛中的出色表现。最终，马刺队在季后赛中取得了15胜2负的战绩。他们在这段令人印象深刻的征程的最后，以4-1的总比分击败纽约尼克斯队，并在麦迪逊广场花园进行的第五场比赛中，凭借埃弗里·约翰逊那记锁定总冠军的跳投，以78-77的比分赢下了比赛，为整个赛季画上了圆满的句号。
邓肯凭借场均27.4分、14.0个篮板和2.2次盖帽的表现，当选为总决赛MVP。
“我们这支球队引以为豪的是无私、化学反应、竞争精神和相互信任，而这一切水到渠成的结果，就是在最高水平上表现卓越，”约翰逊说，“那是一种美妙的感觉。我们有杰出的教练，卓越的领导力，一位超级巨星（邓肯）和未来的名人堂成员（邓肯和罗宾逊），以及一群出色的角色球员。”
而且他们都劲往一处使，埃利奥特说。
“在NBA，让每个人都目标一致是如此困难，”埃利奥特说，“这在大学里更容易，因为没有那么多个人打算。但在NBA，要让一群人为了一个共同的目标而协力奋斗要难得多。可一旦你做到了，那将是非常特别的成就。我们当时就拥有一个非常棒的团队。”
一个因科尔西、埃利和科尔的加入而变得更棒的团队。科尔西于2015年因血凝块引起的肺血栓栓塞去世，享年52岁。
“马刺总是知道如何用好那些球员，那些角色球员，”达拉斯独行侠队主教练杰森·基德 (Jason Kidd) 说，他曾是菲尼克斯太阳队的全明星控卫，而那支太阳队在1999年季后赛首轮被马刺队以3-0横扫。
“他们拥有‘双塔’，但他们的角色球员同样强悍。”
1999年6月25日，在纽约麦迪逊广场花园，圣安东尼奥马刺队的杰罗姆·科尔西在赢得1999年NBA总冠军后开启香槟庆祝。马刺队在第五场比赛中以78-77击败纽约尼克斯队，赢得了总冠军。
点击查看原文：Steve Kerr, other role players vital in Spurs' 1999 NBA title
Steve Kerr, other role players vital in Spurs’ 1999 NBA title
The Spurs’ Sean Elliott (left) hugs teammate Jerome Kersey after they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in four straight games of the Western Conference finals in June 1999.
Conversations about the Spurs’ first championship team typically begin with Tim Duncan’s all-around greatness and how, at the tender age of 22 in just his second NBA season, he pushed the franchise over the top.
But that squad had so much more, including a muscular 36-year-old veteran named Jerome Kersey whose serious approach as the oldest player on the roster made an impression on his younger teammates.
Case in point: They watched in amazement when he stormed into the locker room after suffering through a sub-par performance in a regular season game at the Alamodome and took his frustration out on a bathroom stall door, ripping it off its hinges with ease.
"After that, we started calling him ‘Manimal,’ " Sean Elliott recalled. “It was an incredible feat of strength. It was like taking a horseshoe and bending it straight, like tearing a phone book in half.”
Looking for tough-minded veterans with plenty of playoff experience to round out the roster, coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford signed Kersey and and fellow free agent Mario Elie in January 1999. The transactions came after a new collective bargaining agreement ended an owners-imposed lockout that lasted more than six months and shortened the regular season from 82 to 50 games.
Around the same time the Spurs signed Kersey and Elie, they acquired veteran sharpshooter Steve Kerr in a trade with the Chicago Bulls.
“It was very intentional,” Kerr said of how the Spurs train trust built the rest of the roster around the nucleus of Duncan, David Robinson and Elliott.
The additions of Kersey, Elie and Kerr gave the Spurs a trio laden with playoff experience. Kersey reached the NBA Finals twice with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1990 and 1992, Elie helped the Houston Rockets win back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995 and Kerr gained championship rings as part of the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
“Pop and R.C. from the very beginning wanted to bring in quality players but also competitive human beings,” said Kerr, who is set to enter his 12th season as coach of the Golden State Warriors. “They were ahead of their time in that regard with both of them just recognizing what wins, what kind of person wins.”
Duncan was the 1997-98 Rookie of the Year after the Spurs selected him No. 1 overall, Robinson was a future Hall of Famer and Elliott a two-time All-Star, but the Spurs needed more vets, especially ones with an edge to them, guys who knew what it took to reach the Finals and win titles.
“Obviously, you have to have the cornerstones like we did with Tim and David,” Kerr said. “But once you have that, you build around it with experience, wisdom, skill and leadership, and that was a very well-constructed team.”
The Blazers Damon Stoudamire is double teamed by Malik Rose and Steve Kerr during game two of the Western Conference Finals Monday May 31, 1999 at the Alamodome.(EXPRESS NEWS PHOTO/ DELCIA LOPEZ)
The 1999 team will be inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. It’s part of the 2025 class along with Charlie Boggess, Tim Derk, Sharon Neugebauer-Shepard and Victor Rodriguez.
With the additions of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the Spurs would win four more titles between 2003 and 2014.
But 1999 was the golden breakthrough season, a campaign that ended years of frustration for a franchise that had championship aspirations throughout the George Gervin Era and from the moment Robinson came on board in 1989 after completing his two-year Naval commitment.
“We had opportunities, right?” Elliott said. "In 1994-95, we had the best record in the league (62-20) and somehow you don’t get it done (losing in six games to Houston in the West Finals). And after that 1989-90 season (Robinson’s rookie year), when we felt we should have beaten Portland (in the Western Conference semifinals rather than losing in seven games), you come back the next year and we get upset by Golden State (in four games in the first round).
“So, there were a lot of heartaches and disappointments along the road. But that made '99 that much sweeter.”
Following a disappointing 6-8 start after going 56-26 and reaching the Western Conference semifinals in Duncan’s rookie season, the 1999 team rallied to win 31 of its final 36 regular season games, a performance that solidified Popovich’s job and gave the Spurs plenty of momentum entering the playoffs after they finished the season with a league-best defensive rating of 95.0.
NBA Champions San Antonio Spurs’, from left, Tim Duncan, Antonio Daniels, David Robinson, Gerard King, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and Jerome Kersey celebrate after defeating the New York Knicks 78-77 in Game 5 of the 1999 NBA Finals Friday, June 25, 1999, at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
“That team was dominant defensively,” Kerr said. “It started with David and Tim. They just guarded the rim like crazy. We weren’t very dynamic offensively, but we were methodical and just nasty defensively.”
With Duncan leading the way and his supporting cast providing some memorable moments, including Elliott’s “Memorial Day Miracle” game-winning 3-point shot against Portland in Game 2 of the West Finals and a strong postseason showing by reserve Jaren Jackson, the Spurs went 15-2 in the playoffs. They capped that impressive run with a 4-1 win over the New York Knicks in the Finals punctuated by Avery Johnson’s championship-clinching jumper in the 78-77 victory in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Duncan was named the Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
“Our team prided itself on unselfishness, chemistry, competitive spirit and trusting one another, and the byproduct of all of that was excelling at the highest level,” Johnson said. “It was a beautiful thing. We had an incredible coach, great leadership, a superstar (in Duncan) and future Hall of Famers (in Duncan and Robinson) and magnificent role players.”
And they all pulled in the same direction, Elliott said.
“It is so hard to get everybody focused on the same page in the NBA,” Elliott said. “It’s easier in college because there aren’t that many agendas. But in the NBA, it’s a lot harder to get a lot of guys working together for a common goal. But when you do that, it’s something really special. We had a really good group.”
A good group made even better by the additions of Kersey, who died in 2015 at age 52 from a pulmonary thromboembolism caused by a blood clot, Elie and Kerr.
“The Spurs always knew how to squeeze those guys, those role players,” said Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was an All-Star point guard on the Phoenix Suns squad swept 3-0 by the 1999 Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
“They had the Twin Towers, but their role players were tough.”
San Antonio Spurs’ Jerome Kersey opens the champagne after winning the 1999 NBA title June 25, 1999, at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Spurs beat the New York Knicks 78-77 in Game 5 to win the championship.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News
