The 1998–99 San Antonio Spurs season was the 23rd season for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season as a franchise. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.
Season summary
Off-season During the off-season, the Spurs acquired second-year guard Antonio Daniels from the Vancouver Grizzlies on draft day, acquired three-point specialist Steve Kerr from the Chicago Bulls, and signed free agents Mario Elie, and Jerome Kersey.
Regular season With the addition of Elie, Kerr and Kersey, and after a promising rookie season from second-year star Tim Duncan, the Spurs got off to a slow start to the regular season by posting a 6–8 record in February. However, the team posted a nine-game winning streak in March afterwards, posted a six-game winning streak between March and April, posted a seven-game winning streak in April, and won their final five games of the season. The Spurs finished in first place in the Midwest Division with a league-best 37–13 record, which was roughly equivalent to 61–21 in a full season, and earned the first seed in the Western Conference.
Duncan averaged 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while David Robinson averaged 15.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.4 blocks per game, and Sean Elliott provided the team with 11.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. In addition, Avery Johnson provided with 9.7 points and 7.4 assists per game, while Elie also contributed 9.7 points per game. Off the bench, three-point specialist Jaren Jackson contributed 6.4 points per game, while Malik Rose averaged 6.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, Daniels provided with 4.7 points and 2.3 assists per game, Kerr contributed 4.4 points per game, and Kersey averaged 3.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, but only shot .340 in field-goal percentage.
Duncan finished in third place in Most Valuable Player voting, behind Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, and Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat, while Robinson finished in twelfth place; Robinson also finished in fourth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, while Duncan finished tied in fifth place, and head coach Gregg Popovich finished tied in sixth place in Coach of the Year voting. The Spurs finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the Chicago Bulls, with an attendance of 527,357 at the Alamodome during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Spurs faced off against the 8th–seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that featured All-Star forward Kevin Garnett, Terrell Brandon and Joe Smith. The Spurs won Game 1 over the Timberwolves at home, 99–86 at the Alamodome, but then lost Game 2 at home, 80–71 as the Timberwolves evened the series. The Spurs won the next two games on the road, which included a Game 4 win over the Timberwolves at the Target Center, 92–85 to win the series in four games.
In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 4th–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the All-Star trio of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice. The Spurs won the first two games over the Lakers at the Alamodome, and then won the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 win over the Lakers at the Great Western Forum, 118–107 to win the series in a four-game sweep.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs then faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Pacific Division champion Portland Trail Blazers, who were led by Isaiah Rider, Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire. After winning Game 1 at the Alamodome, 80–76, the Spurs trailed by 17 points against the Trail Blazers in Game 2; however, the Spurs made a fourth-quarter run that culminated with a game-winning three-pointer from Elliott, which was dubbed as the "Memorial Day Miracle" as the team defeated the Trail Blazers at home, 86–85. The Spurs won the next two games on the road, which included a Game 4 win over the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden Arena, 94–80 to win the series in another four-game sweep, becoming the first former ABA team to advance to the NBA Finals.
In the 1999 NBA Finals, the Spurs faced off against the 8th–seeded New York Knicks, a team that featured Allan Houston, sixth man Latrell Sprewell, and Larry Johnson. The Knicks were without All-Star center Patrick Ewing, who was out due to a ruptured Achilles tendon injury, in which he sustained during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. The Spurs won the first two games over the Knicks at home at the Alamodome, and took a 2–0 series lead, before losing Game 3 on the road, 89–81 at Madison Square Garden. The Spurs managed to win their next two road games, including a Game 5 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, 78–77, in which Avery Johnson hit the title-winning shot. The Spurs won the series over the Knicks in five games, winning their first ever NBA championship in franchise history, as Duncan was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
In 2024, HoopsHype would list the 1998–99 Spurs as the team with the 24th easiest route to an NBA Finals championship, due to the opponents they faced in the first round, and the Finals in particular. Kerr, who previously won three consecutive championships with the Chicago Bulls, won his fourth consecutive NBA title.
Aftermath Following the season, Will Perdue re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Bulls.
Offseason On June 24, 1998, the Spurs traded forward Carl Herrera, and first-round draft pick Felipe Lopez to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for guard Antonio Daniels. The team also signed free agents Mario Elie, Steve Kerr and Jerome Kersey during the off-season.
NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 24 Felipe López Guard St. John's 2 52 Derrick Dial Guard Eastern Michigan
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot
Game log Regular season
| 1 | February 5 | Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome19,002 | 1–0 |- | 2 | February 6 | Minnesota | | Duncan, Elliott (22) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (9) | Alamodome21,319 | 2–0 |- | 3 | February 8 | L. A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (15) | Mario Elie (6) | Alamodome33,788 | 2–1 |- | 4 | February 9 | @ Minnesota | | David Robinson (16) | Robinson, Duncan (11) | Avery Johnson (10) | Target Center16,422 | 2–2 |- | 5 | February 11 | @ Cleveland | | Tim Duncan (31) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (7) | Gund Arena14,228 | 2–3 |- | 6 | February 12 | @ Philadelphia | | Malik Rose (22) | Malik Rose (9) | Avery Johnson (5) | First Union Center16,892 | 3–3 |- | 7 | February 14 | @ Chicago | | David Robinson (22) | Tim Duncan (14) | Tim Duncan (4) | United Center22,386 | 4–3 |- | 8 | February 17 | Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (7) | Alamodome16,419 | 4–4 |- | 9 | February 19 | @ L. A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (11) | Mario Elie (4) | Great Western Forum17,505 | 4–5 |- | 10 | February 21 | Detroit | | Tim Duncan (17) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (5) | Alamodome19,495 | 5–5 |- | 11 | February 22 | @ Minnesota | | Avery Johnson (20) | David Robinson (17) | Avery Johnson (5) | Target Center15,374 | 5–6 |- | 12 | February 24 | Seattle | | David Robinson (29) | David Robinson (17) | Avery Johnson (7) | Alamodome15,209 | 6–6 |- | 13 | February 26 | @ Seattle | | Tim Duncan (22) | David Robinson (14) | Avery Johnson (8) | KeyArena17,072 | 6–7 |- | 14 | February 28 | Utah | | Tim Duncan (21) | Tim Duncan (13) | Mario Elie (6) | Alamodome18,165 | 6–8
| 15 | March 2 | @ Houston | | Tim Duncan (23) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (13) | Compaq Center16,285 | 7–8 |- | 16 | March 4 | @ Dallas | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (10) | Reunion Arena14,719 | 8–8 |- | 17 | March 6 | L. A. Clippers | | Tim Duncan (27) | David Robinson (10) | Avery Johnson (10) | Alamodome18,394 | 9–8 |- | 18 | March 7 | @ Denver | | Tim Duncan (34) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (14) | McNichols Sports Arena12,037 | 10–8 |- | 19 | March 10 | Orlando | | David Robinson (19) | Tim Duncan (11) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome17,954 | 11–8 |- | 20 | March 12 | @ Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (26) | David Robinson (15) | Avery Johnson (8) | America West Arena19,023 | 12–8 |- | 21 | March 13 | Denver | | Tim Duncan (27) | Duncan, Perdue (8) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome32,982 | 13–8 |- | 22 | March 16 | @ Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (29) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (15) | ARCO Arena14,570 | 14–8 |- | 23 | March 17 | @ Golden State | | Duncan, Rose (17) | Tim Duncan (17) | Avery Johnson (6) | The Arena in Oakland10,257 | 15–8 |- | 24 | March 19 | @ Portland | | Tim Duncan (29) | Tim Duncan (15) | Avery Johnson (8) | Rose Garden Arena20,041 | 15–9 |- | 25 | March 20 | @ Vancouver | | Tim Duncan (24) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (9) | General Motors Place19,193 | 16–9 |- | 26 | March 23 | Denver | | Tim Duncan (19) | David Robinson (9) | Avery Johnson (7) | Alamodome16,501 | 17–9 |- | 27 | March 25 | @ Denver | | Tim Duncan (28) | David Robinson (13) | David Robinson (5) | McNichols Sports Arena10,695 | 18–9 |- | 28 | March 26 | Toronto | | David Robinson (24) | David Robinson (16) | Avery Johnson (11) | Alamodome16,290 | 18–10 |- | 29 | March 27 | Dallas | | Tim Duncan (21) | Tim Duncan (15) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome25,921 | 19–10 |- | 30 | March 30 | Seattle | | Tim Duncan (26) | David Robinson (10) | Avery Johnson (9) | Alamodome16,565 | 20–10
| 31 | April 1 | Vancouver | | Tim Duncan (39) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome16,384 | 21–10 |- | 32 | April 3 | L. A. Clippers | | Robinson, Elie (19) | David Robinson (13) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome17,915 | 22–10 |- | 33 | April 5 | Golden State | | Robinson, Duncan (25) | David Robinson (16) | Avery Johnson (4) | Alamodome14,773 | 23–10 |- | 34 | April 8 | @ Houston | | Sean Elliott (19) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (10) | Compaq Center16,285 | 24–10 |- | 35 | April 10 | @ Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (21) | Tim Duncan (10) | Avery Johnson (6) | America West Arena19,023 | 24–11 |- | 36 | April 12 | Phoenix | | Tim Duncan (26) | David Robinson (13) | Duncan, Elliott (4) | Alamodome14,352 | 25–11 |- | 37 | April 13 | @ Dallas | | David Robinson (22) | Tim Duncan (11) | Avery Johnson (5) | Reunion Arena13,142 | 25–12 |- | 38 | April 14 | Minnesota | | David Robinson (21) | David Robinson (15) | Avery Johnson (6) | Alamodome15,864 | 26–12 |- | 39 | April 16 | Portland | | Robinson, Duncan (20) | Tim Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome21,368 | 27–12 |- | 40 | April 18 | Houston | | Mario Elie (21) | David Robinson (14) | Johnson, Duncan (8) | Alamodome24,077 | 28–12 |- | 41 | April 20 | @ Utah | | Tim Duncan (36) | Robinson, Rose (11) | Johnson, Duncan (8) | Delta Center19,911 | 29–12 |- | 42 | April 22 | Dallas | | David Robinson (18) | Tim Duncan (10) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome18,720 | 30–12 |- | 43 | April 24 | L. A. Lakers | | Tim Duncan (21) | Tim Duncan (13) | Avery Johnson (12) | Alamodome31,972 | 31–12 |- | 44 | April 26 | @ L. A. Clippers | | Tim Duncan (22) | Robinson, Kersey (7) | Johnson, Duncan (7) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena8,260 | 32–12 |- | 45 | April 27 | @ Sacramento | | Tim Duncan (32) | Tim Duncan (19) | Avery Johnson (12) | ARCO Arena16,776 | 32–13 |- | 46 | April 29 | @ Vancouver | | Tim Duncan (19) | Tim Duncan (10) | Avery Johnson (8) | General Motors Place18,448 | 33–13
| 47 | May 1 | Portland | | David Robinson (26) | Robinson, Duncan (12) | Avery Johnson (8) | Alamodome28,806 | 34–13 |- | 48 | May 2 | Utah | | Tim Duncan (26) | Tim Duncan (14) | Avery Johnson (3) | Alamodome35,122 | 35–13 |- | 49 | May 4