NBA Finals (nba finals) ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the New York Knicks four games to one, securing the Spurs their first championship as Tim Duncan was named Finals Most Valuable Player.
The Spurs entered the postseason as the top seed in the Western Conference after recovering from a slow start to win most of their remaining regular season games in the shortened schedule caused by a labor lockout.
San Antonio recorded consecutive series sweeps against the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers after dispatching the Minnesota Timberwolves, a run that produced a long playoff winning streak and the franchise first trip to the championship round.
The Knicks reached the Finals from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, barely qualifying for the playoffs before upsetting the top-seeded Miami Heat when Allan Houston hit a shot with 0.8 seconds remaining, then sweeping the Atlanta Hawks and defeating the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals without center Patrick Ewing after he was lost to injury.
Game scores in the Finals showed San Antonio winning two games at home by double digits and closing the series on the road by one point, as Avery Johnson hit the decisive basket late in the final game while Tim Duncan posted a Finals average reported at 27.4 points and 14 rebounds, along with notable assist and block totals.
Reactions Consequences And Notable Details
Off the court the series produced controversy when Larry Johnson described the Knicks as a group of "rebellious slaves," remarks that drew criticism and a fine, and prompted a public back-and-forth with commentator Bill Walton, as reported by the New York Post and other outlets.
Broadcast notes included national coverage on NBC with a studio panel and local radio work that marked the return of a veteran announcer to the New York Knicks radio booth, followed by a later rehire by the network.
Attendance and venue details from the Finals included a very large crowd for one San Antonio home game held in a multiuse stadium, a circumstance the reporting suggested is unlikely to recur given modern arena capacities.
The Spurs closed the playoffs with one of the best postseason records at the time, and the Knicks became the first eighth seed to reach a championship series in North American professional sports history, a milestone noted across the tournament coverage.
