The Spurs' first NBA title in franchise history and the first team not named the Bulls or Rockets to win a title since 1990. They are also the only team between 1987 and 2002 that did not repeat as champions.
This Finals was the end of 1990s era basketball. NBA was headed into 2000s with the start of Kobe Shaq era and guiding the Lakers to their 3 peat ( NBC's 3rd 3-peat and last before the network ended in 2002) Now with the new NBA TV deal, NBA on NBC is back next year 2025.
@@Melbester9 It's back but they won't be hosting the finals, that stays with ABC/ESPN. NBC is basically getting TNT's old deal, western conference finals and Amazon gets their own set of games.
@malcorub Yeah but the next NBA TV deal, ABC may be out. It would be their 3rd time having the NBA rights. 30 years of basketball coverage. They barely renewed their deal after the 45 day negotiation window when it expired for Disney(ABC/ESPN) & Warner Bros(TNT) NBC will cover the All Star Game like they did in 90s. TNT covered it after NBC lost the TV deal in 2002. At least we will see Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and both All Star Games every season with regular season & playoff games until conference finals rotate every year. NBC can keep the NBA rights for next TV deal after this one and ABC could finally lose the next deal. NBC would have total control of the next TV deal and can air NBA Finals and TNT could come back as well if they bid next deal to outbid ABC or both of them with NBC. But now NBC back allows a chance for them to stay for better NBA TV deal next time and beyond which is what we want.
It would be better if NBC and ABC split the finals in alternating every year much like how the NFL and its four networks switch the Superbowl once a year every four years, hopefully Adam silver can give NBC some finals rights.@@Melbester9
@@Melbester9 Good points. As much as I love the TNT guys, I don't see TNT coming back unless they get their own streaming platform like Peacock or Amazon. Cable TV is dead
That will change soon. Knicks are very close to a championship with Brunson. NBA Draft on Wednesday. They got 2 first round picks (24th & 25th picks) with 38th pick in 2nd round.. plus close to resigning OG Annouby & Isiah Hartenstein.
This series didn't end until June 25, this was the furthest into the summer an NBA Finals series ever went until 2021 when the Suns/Bucks Finals series didn't end until July 20.
@@chrisuncleahmad the 1998 Finals had a similar intersection with pro wrestling. Dennis Rodman appeared on The June 8 1998 edition of WCW Monday Nitro skipping a Finals practice with the Bulls to be there. 6 days later on June 14 1998 game 6 of the NBA Finals went H2H with the 1998 WCW Great American Bash PPV.
Allan Houston would get that jump shot call everyday now they rarely ever complain about the offensive player leaning into another player to cause contact nowadays
Having Patrick Ewing would've got the Knicks at least one more game in this series, possibly game 4 or game 5. Not a Knicks fan, but at the time I felt bad for Ewing not being able to play and give the series more intrigue.
@@ShaadsComicsandBeersgame 4 and 5 were extremely close without Ewing. He was definitely old but he still could give ya 15 and 10and he actually played well the next year but the Knick lost 2 the pacers in the ecf in 6 .
Another great video and great job of blending and editing highlights .That was so exciting here in San Antonio. And then the next bunch of years with Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, and all the rest. I don’t watch any NBA anymore not even the Spurs.
I was 19 at the time, after watching the game on tv my group of friends and I made the 40 minute drive to downtown San Antonio. The police had closed off the freeway exits into downtown by the time we arrived because of how many people were trying to pour in there but it didn't matter.....we just celebrated in the gridlock traffic on the freeway. hahaha. The street were so much fun that night!!
This finals was a total mismatched but NYK was primed, scraping and fighting to the finish except the first game of this series without Ewing. I didn't like neither team but Ewing playing this series would made it even much more intriguing and interesting battling David Robinson!
Knicks wasn't going to beat Spurs anyway. They were an 8th seed and got lucky to Finals. A young Marcus Camby with Patrick Ewing guarding Twin Towers Tim Duncan & David Robinson. Spurs were such a good team that year. Elliot & Avery Johnson too.
@@Melbester9 IDK. He averaged 15 and 10 the next year at 38. Games 4 and 5 were extremely close. I honestly don't remember the first 2. 94 finals was his chance and they blew game 3 and game 6 Starks was on fire and Hakeem just got his fingers on starks 3 that would of won the chip if he made it . Game 7 Starks had his worst game of his career.
@@barbarapaparella1833yep! I was about to say that, Jordan retired the Heat almost eliminated the top seeded Hawks in the wide open East while Denver upsets the best in the west and the league the Seattle Supersonics three straight after leading 2-0 in the best of five opening round series. Both Houston and New York are even kill thanks to the top centers in Ewing and Olajuwon being the dominant players and others playing a major role like Starks, Horry, Mason, Oakley, Harper, Cassell, Maxwell, Thorpe, and the Smiths (both Kenny and Charles).
@@brandedmcgowan9414 they were very evenly matched and games 2-6 were all very close. Game 3 killed them. Also that 96-97 series should have been knicks vs Bulls in the ecf. Not saying the Knicks would have won. 93 ecf they blew game 5.Charles smith.The knicks eliminated the heat 3 years in a row all elimstion games which was a good feeling at least.
The Spurs radio call of the finish is better. No offense to Bob Costas but he sucked as NBC's lead NBA voice in Marv Albert's absence. He's a great announcer tho. m.ru-vid.comBg1Q07nvCxY
