1999 NBA Finals

The 1999 NBA Finals wasn't just a championship series; it was a showdown born from a contentious lockout, featuring a dominant, rising dynasty against an improbable Cinderella story. This unique season saw records shattered and an eighth seed make an unprecedented run to the biggest stage in basketball. Join us as we recount one of the NBA's most memorable and peculiar finales. The 1999 NBA season was dramatically shortened by a labor lockout, creating an unusual sprint to the playoffs for all teams. The San Antonio Spurs, led by their formidable 'Twin Towers,' secured their first NBA championship, marking the beginning of a legendary dynasty. The New York Knicks made history as the first-ever eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals, a feat not repeated for over two decades.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

The 1999 NBA Finals wasn't just a championship series; it was a showdown born from a contentious lockout, featuring a dominant, rising dynasty against an improbable Cinderella story. This unique season saw records shattered and an eighth seed make an unprecedented run to the biggest stage in basketball. Join us as we recount one of the NBA's most memorable and peculiar finales.

A Season Like No Other

The 1998-99 NBA season began under a dark cloud — a contentious labor lockout. This dispute between owners and players froze the league for months, finally resolving on January 20, 1999. The result was a drastically shortened 50-game schedule, forcing teams into an intense sprint to the playoffs.

The San Antonio Spurs: A Dynasty in the Making

Emerging from this chaotic season were the San Antonio Spurs. They stumbled out of the gate with a 6-8 start, but quickly found their rhythm, winning 31 of their final 36 games. This incredible run propelled them to the top seed in the Western Conference, tying for the league's best record.

At the heart of the Spurs' resurgence were the 'Twin Towers' — the seasoned veteran David Robinson and the phenomenal second-year forward Tim Duncan. This powerful duo had formed after the Spurs landed Duncan with the first overall pick in the 1997 draft, a pick earned after a dismal 1996-97 season where Robinson was injured and coach Gregg Popovich took the helm.

Dominance Through the West

The Spurs' playoff journey was a statement of sheer power. After dispatching the Minnesota Timberwolves in four games, they went on an unprecedented tear. They swept both the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers and the formidable Portland Trail Blazers.

These back-to-back sweeps demonstrated San Antonio's dominance, securing their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals. They were a team on a mission, playing with an unshakeable confidence built on their formidable frontcourt and disciplined play.

The New York Knicks: The Ultimate Underdogs

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks' path was a stark contrast — a gritty, improbable fight for survival. Teetering on the brink of missing the playoffs, New York controversially fired their general manager, Ernie Grunfeld, late in the shortened season.

Barely scraping into the postseason, the Knicks secured the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference. This put them on a collision course with the top-seeded Miami Heat in the first round, a matchup few expected them to survive.

But the Knicks, fueled by an underdog spirit, stunned the basketball world. Allan Houston's dramatic game-winning shot with just 0.8 seconds left in Game 5 sealed the upset, making them only the second eighth seed in NBA history to win a playoff series.

Their Cinderella run continued as they swept the Atlanta Hawks, defying Dikembe Mutombo's guarantee of victory. This set up a thrilling Eastern Conference Finals showdown against the Indiana Pacers, another formidable opponent.

The series against Indiana brought more drama and adversity. Star center Patrick Ewing suffered a series-ending injury after Game 2. Yet, the Knicks pressed on, famously rallying in Game 3 thanks to Larry Johnson's incredible four-point play — a three-pointer while being fouled, followed by a successful free throw.

The Knicks ultimately prevailed over the Pacers in six games, securing their place in history. They became the first-ever eighth seed in North American sports to reach a championship series, setting the stage for one of the most unexpected Finals matchups.

The Finals Matchup: A Clash of Extremes

The 1999 NBA Finals presented a fascinating contrast: the dominant, top-seeded San Antonio Spurs against the miracle eighth-seed New York Knicks. It was a classic tale of the unstoppable force meeting the immovable, improbable object.

San Antonio Spurs (Western Conference Champion)	New York Knicks (Eastern Conference Champion)
1st seed in the West, best league record	Regular season	8th seed in the East, 14th best league record
Defeated (8) Minnesota Timberwolves, 3–1	First Round	Defeated (1) Miami Heat, 3–2
Defeated (4) Los Angeles Lakers, 4–0	Conference Semifinals	Defeated (4) Atlanta Hawks, 4–0
Defeated (2) Portland Trail Blazers, 4–0	Conference Finals	Defeated (2) Indiana Pacers, 4–2

Despite their vastly different regular season performances and playoff paths, a curious detail emerged: the Spurs and the Knicks had not faced each other at all during the lockout-shortened regular season. This added an extra layer of mystery to their Finals encounter.

The Series: Spurs Claim Their Crown

The Finals utilized a 2-3-2 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosted the first two and the final two games if needed. This format, used by the NBA for Finals between 1985 and 2013, added a unique dynamic to the series, often favoring the home team in the crucial middle games.

Game	Date	Road Team	Result	Home Team
Game 1	June 16	New York Knicks	77–89 (0–1)	San Antonio Spurs
Game 2	June 18	New York Knicks	67–80 (0–2)	San Antonio Spurs
Game 3	June 21	San Antonio Spurs	81–89 (2–1)	New York Knicks
Game 4	June 23	San Antonio Spurs	96–89 (3–1)	New York Knicks
Game 5	June 25	San Antonio Spurs	78–77 (4–1)	New York Knicks

The San Antonio Spurs ultimately defeated the New York Knicks in five games, securing their first-ever NBA championship. Tim Duncan was deservedly named the NBA Finals MVP, capping off an incredible sophomore season with a dominant performance.

In the decisive Game 5, with just 47 seconds remaining on the clock, Spurs point guard Avery Johnson hit the game-winning shot, sealing the championship for San Antonio. Despite Latrell Sprewell's valiant 25 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, the Knicks couldn't pull off one last upset.

Throughout the Finals, Tim Duncan averaged an astounding 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game — a truly historic performance that cemented his status as a budding superstar.

Controversy and Commentary

The Finals were not without their share of controversy. Knicks forward Larry Johnson drew significant criticism for comments where he characterized the Knicks as a band of 'rebellious slaves' and later referenced 'Massa Johnson’s plantation' when discussing Spurs guard Avery Johnson.

These remarks sparked a media firestorm, with basketball analyst Bill Walton publicly denouncing Johnson's performance and rhetoric. Johnson, in turn, challenged Walton to examine his own ancestry. The NBA eventually fined Johnson for his controversial statements, though his intentions sparked wider discussion on race and representation in the league.

A Lasting Legacy

For the San Antonio Spurs, this championship was merely the beginning. Though they failed to win a consecutive title in 2000, they went on to forge a dynasty, winning additional NBA championships in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, solidifying their place among the league's all-time great franchises.

For the New York Knicks, the 1999 Finals marked their last appearance on the NBA's biggest stage. The following season, after another successful year, the iconic Patrick Ewing era in New York came to an end with his trade to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Game 2 of the 1999 Finals, held at the Alamodome, holds another unique distinction: it was the last NBA Finals game played in a multi-purpose stadium. With 39,554 fans in attendance, it's a record that will likely never be topped by a standard NBA arena.

The incredible achievement of the eighth-seeded Knicks making the Finals stood unmatched for decades. It wasn't until the 2023 NBA Finals that another eighth seed, the Miami Heat, replicated the feat — with a similar result, losing in five games to the Denver Nuggets.

Article

1999 NBA Finals

The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs took on the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games to win their first NBA championship. Until (/wiki/2023NBAFinals), this was the only NBA Finals to feature an eighth-seeded team.

Background

1999 NBA Finals

The 1998–99 NBA season was shortened due to a labor dispute that led to a lockout. The owners and the National Basketball Players Association reached an agreement to end the dispute on January 20, 1999. The 1998–99 season, which began on February 5, 1999, was shortened from the usual 82-game schedule to 50 games per team.

San Antonio Spurs

The 1998–99 season was the second season of the "Twin Towers" pairing of David Robinson and star second-year forward Tim Duncan. Robinson and Duncan had been teammates since the Spurs drafted Duncan with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. The Spurs earned this draft pick through the draft lottery due to a 62-loss 1996–97 season in which Robinson had a season-ending injury and the team collapsed. During the 1996–97 season, veteran coach Bob Hill was fired and replaced by then-general manager Gregg Popovich. In the 1997–98 season, the Spurs won 56 games, but were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Utah Jazz.

In the 1998–99 season, the Spurs recovered from a 6–8 start to the season to win 31 of their last 36 games. The Spurs qualified for the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference and tied the Utah Jazz for the league's best regular-season record (37–13).

After defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in four games, San Antonio recorded back-to-back sweeps in the second round and the conference finals, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers. The victory over Portland gave the Spurs their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals.

New York Knicks

The Knicks had a more difficult time reaching the playoffs than the Spurs did. Toward the end of the season, with the team teetering on the brink of making the playoffs, New York fired general manager Ernie Grunfeld. The Knicks barely qualified for the playoffs and received the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks faced the Miami Heat, the top Eastern Conference seed, in the first round. When Allan Houston made a shot with 0.8 seconds remaining in Game 5 of that series, the Knicks were victorious and became the second team in NBA history after the 1993-94 Denver Nuggets to win a playoff series as the eighth seed.

The Knicks faced the Atlanta Hawks next. Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo guaranteed a victory, but the Knicks prevailed in a four-game sweep to set up a matchup with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.

Knicks center Patrick Ewing was lost for the series after the first two games against Indiana. In the third game, with 11.9 seconds left and the Knicks trailing 91–88, the Knicks' Larry Johnson made a three-point shot while being fouled and converted the subsequent free throw for a game-winning four-point play; the victory gave the Knicks a 2–1 lead in the series. The Knicks won Game 6 and prevailed in the series, becoming the first team in North American sports history to reach a championship series as an eighth seed.

Road to the Finals

<table><thead><tr><th>San Antonio Spurs (Western Conference champion)</th><th></th><th>New York Knicks (Eastern Conference champion)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1st seed in the West, best league record</td><td>Regular season</td><td>8th seed in the East, 14th best league record</td></tr><tr><td>#</td><td>Western Conference</td></tr><tr><td>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>z-San Antonio Spurs</td><td>37</td><td>13</td><td>.740</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>y-Portland Trail Blazers</td><td>35</td><td>15</td><td>.700</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>x-Utah Jazz</td><td>37</td><td>13</td><td>.740</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>x-Los Angeles Lakers</td><td>31</td><td>19</td><td>.620</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>x-Houston Rockets</td><td>31</td><td>19</td><td>.620</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>x-Sacramento Kings</td><td>27</td><td>23</td><td>.540</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>x-Phoenix Suns</td><td>27</td><td>23</td><td>.540</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>x-Minnesota Timberwolves</td><td>25</td><td>25</td><td>.500</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td><td>25</td><td>25</td><td>.500</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Golden State Warriors</td><td>21</td><td>29</td><td>.420</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Dallas Mavericks</td><td>19</td><td>31</td><td>.380</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Denver Nuggets</td><td>14</td><td>36</td><td>.280</td><td>23</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Los Angeles Clippers</td><td>9</td><td>41</td><td>.180</td><td>28</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Vancouver Grizzlies</td><td>8</td><td>42</td><td>.160</td><td>29</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Conference</td></tr><tr><td>#</td><td>Team</td><td>W</td><td>L</td><td>PCT</td><td>GB</td><td>GP</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>c-Miami Heat </td><td>33</td><td>17</td><td>.660</td><td>–</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>y-Indiana Pacers </td><td>33</td><td>17</td><td>.660</td><td>–</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>x-Orlando Magic</td><td>33</td><td>17</td><td>.660</td><td>–</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>x-Atlanta Hawks</td><td>31</td><td>19</td><td>.620</td><td>2.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>x-Detroit Pistons</td><td>29</td><td>21</td><td>.580</td><td>4.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>x-Philadelphia 76ers</td><td>28</td><td>22</td><td>.560</td><td>5.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>x-Milwaukee Bucks</td><td>28</td><td>22</td><td>.560</td><td>5.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>x-New York Knicks</td><td>27</td><td>23</td><td>.540</td><td>6.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Charlotte Hornets</td><td>26</td><td>24</td><td>.520</td><td>7.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Toronto Raptors</td><td>23</td><td>27</td><td>.460</td><td>10.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td><td>22</td><td>28</td><td>.440</td><td>11.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Boston Celtics</td><td>19</td><td>31</td><td>.380</td><td>14.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Washington Wizards</td><td>18</td><td>32</td><td>.360</td><td>15.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>New Jersey Nets</td><td>16</td><td>34</td><td>.320</td><td>17.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Chicago Bulls</td><td>13</td><td>37</td><td>.260</td><td>20.0</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>Defeated the (8) Minnesota Timberwolves, 3–1</td><td>First round</td><td>Defeated the (1) Miami Heat, 3–2</td></tr><tr><td>Defeated the (4) Los Angeles Lakers, 4–0</td><td>Conference semifinals</td><td>Defeated the (4) Atlanta Hawks, 4–0</td></tr><tr><td>Defeated the (2) Portland Trail Blazers, 4–0</td><td>Conference finals</td><td>Defeated the (2) Indiana Pacers, 4–2</td></tr></tbody></table>

Regular season series

The Knicks and Spurs did not play each other in the regular season.

1999 NBA Finals team rosters

San Antonio Spurs

<table><thead><tr><th>Players</th><th>Coaches</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Head coach Legend Roster</td></tr><tr><td>Pos.</td><td>No.</td><td>Player</td><td>Height</td><td>Weight</td><td>DOB</td><td>From</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>33</td><td>Antonio Daniels</td><td>6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)</td><td>205 lb (93 kg)</td><td></td><td>Bowling Green</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>21</td><td>Tim Duncan</td><td>6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)</td><td>250 lb (113 kg)</td><td></td><td>Wake Forest</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>17</td><td>Mario Elie</td><td>6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)</td><td>210 lb (95 kg)</td><td></td><td>American International</td></tr><tr><td>SF</td><td>32</td><td>Sean Elliott</td><td>6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)</td><td>205 lb (93 kg)</td><td></td><td>Arizona</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>10</td><td>Andrew Gaze</td><td>6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)</td><td>205 lb (93 kg)</td><td></td><td>Seton Hall</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>2</td><td>Jaren Jackson Sr.</td><td>6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)</td><td>190 lb (86 kg)</td><td></td><td>Georgetown</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>6</td><td>Avery Johnson</td><td>5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)</td><td>175 lb (79 kg)</td><td></td><td>Southern</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>4</td><td>Steve Kerr</td><td>6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)</td><td>180 lb (82 kg)</td><td></td><td>Arizona</td></tr><tr><td>SF</td><td>25</td><td>Jerome Kersey</td><td>6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)</td><td>215 lb (98 kg)</td><td></td><td>Longwood</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>54</td><td>Gerard King</td><td>6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)</td><td>230 lb (104 kg)</td><td></td><td>Nicholls State</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>41</td><td>Will Perdue</td><td>7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)</td><td>240 lb (109 kg)</td><td></td><td>Vanderbilt</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>50</td><td>David Robinson</td><td>7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)</td><td>235 lb (107 kg)</td><td></td><td>Navy</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>31</td><td>Malik Rose</td><td>6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)</td><td>250 lb (113 kg)</td><td></td><td>Drexel</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>11</td><td>Brandon Williams</td><td>6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)</td><td>215 lb (98 kg)</td><td></td><td>Davidson</td></tr></tbody></table>

New York Knicks

<table><thead><tr><th>Players</th><th>Coaches</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Head coach Legend</td></tr><tr><td>Pos.</td><td>No.</td><td>Player</td><td>Height</td><td>Weight</td><td>DOB</td><td>From</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>9</td><td>Rick Brunson</td><td>6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)</td><td>190 lb (86 kg)</td><td></td><td>Temple</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>23</td><td>Marcus Camby</td><td>6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)</td><td>220 lb (100 kg)</td><td></td><td>UMass</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>1</td><td>Chris Childs</td><td>6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)</td><td>195 lb (88 kg)</td><td></td><td>Boise State</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>4</td><td>Ben Davis</td><td>6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)</td><td>240 lb (109 kg)</td><td></td><td>Arizona</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>14</td><td>Chris Dudley</td><td>6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)</td><td>235 lb (107 kg)</td><td></td><td>Yale</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>33</td><td>Patrick Ewing </td><td>7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)</td><td>240 lb (109 kg)</td><td></td><td>Georgetown</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>20</td><td>Allan Houston</td><td>6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)</td><td>220 lb (100 kg)</td><td></td><td>Tennessee</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>2</td><td>Larry Johnson</td><td>6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)</td><td>250 lb (113 kg)</td><td></td><td>UNLV</td></tr><tr><td>SF</td><td>8</td><td>Latrell Sprewell</td><td>6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)</td><td>190 lb (86 kg)</td><td></td><td>Alabama</td></tr><tr><td>PF</td><td>40</td><td>Kurt Thomas</td><td>6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)</td><td>230 lb (104 kg)</td><td></td><td>TCU</td></tr><tr><td>PG</td><td>21</td><td>Charlie Ward</td><td>6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)</td><td>190 lb (86 kg)</td><td></td><td>Florida State</td></tr><tr><td>C</td><td>32</td><td>Herb Williams</td><td>6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)</td><td>242 lb (110 kg)</td><td></td><td>Ohio State</td></tr><tr><td>SG</td><td>25</td><td>David Wingate</td><td>6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)</td><td>185 lb (84 kg)</td><td></td><td>Georgetown</td></tr></tbody></table>

Series summary

1999 NBA Finals

<table><thead><tr><th>Game</th><th>Date</th><th>Road team</th><th>Result</th><th>Home team</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Game 1</td><td>June 16</td><td>New York Knicks</td><td>77–89 (0–1)</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td></tr><tr><td>Game 2</td><td>June 18</td><td>New York Knicks</td><td>67–80 (0–2)</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td></tr><tr><td>Game 3</td><td>June 21</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>81–89 (2–1)</td><td>New York Knicks</td></tr><tr><td>Game 4</td><td>June 23</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>96–89 (3–1)</td><td>New York Knicks</td></tr><tr><td>Game 5</td><td>June 25</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>78–77 (4–1)</td><td>New York Knicks</td></tr></tbody></table>

The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. The NBA, after experimenting in the early years, restored this original format for the Finals between 1985 and 2013. In 2014, the Finals returned to a 2–2–1–1–1 site format.

Result

1999 NBA Finals

During the Finals, Larry Johnson received criticism when he characterized the Knicks as a band of "rebellious slaves". Bill Walton later called Johnson and his performance a "disgrace". When Johnson was asked about the play of San Antonio Spurs point guard Avery Johnson in Game 4, Johnson again shifted the topic to slavery: "Ave, man, we're from the same plantation. You tell Bill Walton that. We from Massa Johnson's plantation." Johnson added, "The NBA is full of black players, and people say, ‘Look, they have great opportunities, they’ve made incredible strides.’ But when I go back to my neighborhood, I see the same thing. I’m the only one who came out of my neighborhood. Everybody I knew is either dead, on drugs, in jail, or selling drugs." This led to a war of words in the media when Walton stated Johnson spent "too much time railing against humanity and practicing his posing rather than developing his game". Johnson answered back by telling Walton to “trace his history and see how many slaves his ancestors had". Johnson was ultimately fined for his "rebellious slaves" comment and was outplayed throughout the Finals by Tim Duncan.

The Spurs won the NBA Finals 4 games to 1. Spurs forward Tim Duncan was named the Most Valuable Player of the finals. On June 25 (two years to the day that Duncan was drafted by the Spurs), with 47 seconds to go in Game 5, Avery Johnson hit the game-winner. The Knicks scored 39 points in the second half, and Latrell Sprewell scored 25 of them, with fourteen of his points coming in the fourth quarter. However, he could not hit either of his jump shots in the last half-minute of the game that could have affected the outcome. Tim Duncan scored 31 points and nine rebounds in the decisive Game 5 while averaging 27.4 points and fourteen rebounds with 2.4 assists and 2.2 blocks in the Finals.

Player statistics

1999 NBA Finals

<table><thead><tr><th>  GP</th><th>Games played</th><th>  GS </th><th>Games started</th><th> MPG </th><th>Minutes per game</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> FG% </td><td>Field-goal percentage</td><td> 3P% </td><td>3-point field-goal percentage</td><td> FT% </td><td>Free-throw percentage</td></tr><tr><td> RPG </td><td>Rebounds per game</td><td> APG </td><td>Assists per game</td><td> SPG </td><td>Steals per game</td></tr><tr><td> BPG </td><td>Blocks per game</td><td> PPG </td><td>Points per game</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Player</th><th>GP</th><th>GS</th><th>MPG</th><th>FG%</th><th>3P%</th><th>FT%</th><th>RPG</th><th>APG</th><th>SPG</th><th>BPG</th><th>PPG</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Antonio Daniels</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>6.0</td><td>.800</td><td>1.000</td><td>.000</td><td>0.5</td><td>1.0</td><td>0.3</td><td>0.0</td><td>2.5</td></tr><tr><td>Tim Duncan</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>45.8</td><td>.537</td><td>.000</td><td>.795</td><td>14.0</td><td>2.4</td><td>1.0</td><td>2.2</td><td>27.4</td></tr><tr><td>Mario Elie</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>35.0</td><td>.447</td><td>.308</td><td>.870</td><td>4.0</td><td>2.6</td><td>1.2</td><td>0.0</td><td>11.6</td></tr><tr><td>Sean Elliott</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>36.2</td><td>.333</td><td>.278</td><td>.636</td><td>3.0</td><td>3.0</td><td>0.8</td><td>0.2</td><td>8.0</td></tr><tr><td>Jaren Jackson</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>19.2</td><td>.324</td><td>.375</td><td>.000</td><td>1.4</td><td>1.0</td><td>1.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>6.6</td></tr><tr><td>Avery Johnson</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>39.2</td><td>.500</td><td>.000</td><td>.600</td><td>2.6</td><td>7.2</td><td>0.6</td><td>0.0</td><td>9.2</td></tr><tr><td>Steve Kerr</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>8.8</td><td>.400</td><td>.500</td><td>.000</td><td>1.0</td><td>0.4</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>1.8</td></tr><tr><td>Jerome Kersey</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2.0</td><td>1.000</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>1.0</td></tr><tr><td>Gerard King</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1.0</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td></tr><tr><td>David Robinson</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>37.0</td><td>.424</td><td>.000</td><td>.688</td><td>11.8</td><td>2.4</td><td>1.0</td><td>3.0</td><td>16.6</td></tr><tr><td>Malik Rose</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>12.8</td><td>.200</td><td>.000</td><td>.500</td><td>2.4</td><td>0.4</td><td>0.6</td><td>0.4</td><td>1.2</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Player</th><th>GP</th><th>GS</th><th>MPG</th><th>FG%</th><th>3P%</th><th>FT%</th><th>RPG</th><th>APG</th><th>SPG</th><th>BPG</th><th>PPG</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Rick Brunson</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1.0</td><td>.001</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td></tr><tr><td>Marcus Camby</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>27.0</td><td>.500</td><td>.000</td><td>.750</td><td>7.8</td><td>0.2</td><td>0.6</td><td>2.0</td><td>9.6</td></tr><tr><td>Chris Childs</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>21.0</td><td>.227</td><td>.200</td><td>.500</td><td>1.2</td><td>2.2</td><td>0.4</td><td>0.0</td><td>2.4</td></tr><tr><td>Chris Dudley</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>15.6</td><td>.250</td><td>.000</td><td>.333</td><td>3.8</td><td>0.2</td><td>0.2</td><td>0.6</td><td>1.2</td></tr><tr><td>Allan Houston</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>44.4</td><td>.427</td><td>.167</td><td>.923</td><td>3.2</td><td>3.4</td><td>0.4</td><td>0.0</td><td>21.6</td></tr><tr><td>Larry Johnson</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>37.0</td><td>.286</td><td>.111</td><td>.615</td><td>4.8</td><td>1.4</td><td>1.2</td><td>0.2</td><td>7.6</td></tr><tr><td>Latrell Sprewell</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>44.2</td><td>.410</td><td>.286</td><td>.842</td><td>6.6</td><td>2.6</td><td>1.4</td><td>0.2</td><td>26.0</td></tr><tr><td>Kurt Thomas</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>21.0</td><td>.344</td><td>.000</td><td>.600</td><td>7.6</td><td>0.4</td><td>1.2</td><td>0.0</td><td>5.6</td></tr><tr><td>Charlie Ward</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>29.0</td><td>.462</td><td>.333</td><td>.500</td><td>3.2</td><td>3.6</td><td>2.6</td><td>0.4</td><td>5.8</td></tr><tr><td>Herb Williams</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1.5</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>.000</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td><td>0.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

Broadcasting

1999 NBA Finals

The 1999 NBA Finals was aired in the United States on NBC (including WNBC in New York City and KMOL-TV in San Antonio), with Bob Costas and Doug Collins on play-by-play and color commentary respectively. Hannah Storm served as the studio host while Isiah Thomas, Bill Walton and Peter Vecsey served as studio analysts. Ahmad Rashad and Jim Gray served as sideline reporters.

Locally, the Finals also marked the comeback of Marv Albert following his infamous sex scandal two years prior. Albert served as the Knicks' radio play-by-play announcer on WFAN with long-time partner John Andariese. NBC Sports rehired Albert shortly after and he eventually returned to the lead play-by-play role in 2000.

Aftermath

1999 NBA Finals

In 2000, the Spurs became the first NBA champion since the 1985–86 Celtics to fail to win a second consecutive title. However, the Spurs eventually went on to form a dynasty, winning additional NBA titles in (/wiki/2003NBAFinals), (/wiki/2005NBAFinals), (/wiki/2007NBAFinals) and (/wiki/2014NBAFinals).

Game 2 at the Alamodome was the last NBA Finals game to take place at what is known as a multi-purpose stadium. Due to this fact, the 39,554 in attendance for the game will likely never be topped again, as the Chicago Bulls' United Center is the largest NBA arena by capacity with 20,917 seats.

As of 2026, this remains New York's last NBA Finals appearance. The following season, the Knicks won 50 games but fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. After that season, the Patrick Ewing era came to an end when he was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics.

The next eighth seed to make the NBA Finals was the Miami Heat in (/wiki/2023NBAFinals). The result was the same, with the Heat losing to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

Both the Spurs and the Knicks would meet again 26 years later in the championship game of the 2025 NBA Cup, where the Knicks defeated the Spurs, 124-113.