serendipity10
Benchwarmer
The 1999 NBA season was shortened due to a labor dispute that led to a lockout, canceling the first 3 months of the season, literally making this the 1999 NBA Season & Finals. The NBA would have teams play 50 games in the regular season or 61% of regular 82 games, and a normal playoffs, many teams never even played each other. The San Antonio Spurs had the fearsome "Twin Towers", veteran center David Robinson and second year star forward Tim Duncan. The Spurs carried a 37-13 record, the best in NBA.<o></o>
Meanwhile, the Knicks had a tumultuous regular season in which they went 27-23 and sneaked into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed. However, the Knicks would upset the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers en route to becoming the first 8th seed in NBA history to reach the Finals. Unfortunately, starting center and future Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing battled through an Achilles tendon injury that finally forced him to be benched for the finals; and small forward Larry Johnson injured his knee in the series with the Pacers, limiting him (but not forcing him out of) in the Finals.<o></o>
The Spurs won the series 4 games to 1. Spurs forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the finals. On June 25 In Game 5, with 47 seconds to go, it was Avery Johnson who hit the game-winner. Johnson's shot was followed by a Latrell Sprewell miss that would have sent the series back to San Antonio, as the Knicks couldn't continue their Cinderella run.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VialQUiR-m8
Another lockout might happen and the hatred of the Heat grows. The 1999 Spurs was a great team but I always wondered if things would have been different if Patrick Ewing was 100% healthy.
We enter another season with high hopes and there seems to be little similarities between the season we are entering and 1999. There is a lot of excitement and anticipation that I had to go back to remember when the Knicks had heart.
Meanwhile, the Knicks had a tumultuous regular season in which they went 27-23 and sneaked into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed. However, the Knicks would upset the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers en route to becoming the first 8th seed in NBA history to reach the Finals. Unfortunately, starting center and future Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing battled through an Achilles tendon injury that finally forced him to be benched for the finals; and small forward Larry Johnson injured his knee in the series with the Pacers, limiting him (but not forcing him out of) in the Finals.<o></o>
The Spurs won the series 4 games to 1. Spurs forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the finals. On June 25 In Game 5, with 47 seconds to go, it was Avery Johnson who hit the game-winner. Johnson's shot was followed by a Latrell Sprewell miss that would have sent the series back to San Antonio, as the Knicks couldn't continue their Cinderella run.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VialQUiR-m8
Another lockout might happen and the hatred of the Heat grows. The 1999 Spurs was a great team but I always wondered if things would have been different if Patrick Ewing was 100% healthy.
We enter another season with high hopes and there seems to be little similarities between the season we are entering and 1999. There is a lot of excitement and anticipation that I had to go back to remember when the Knicks had heart.