This is freakin' frustrating.
whottt -- I went back 30 years to the 1974-75 season. Over that time period, scanning things very quickly, I couldn't find any instances of consecutive multiple-overtime games other than the Vancouver games in 1999 and, of course, the Spurs most recent games. For what it's worth, I've found numerous instances of a team winning in OT and then winning a double OT game shortly thereafter and several of those were back-to-backs, but that wouldn't qualify.
If this has happened before, it's a rare feat. In one season (1978-79, I think) there were no multiple overtime games. In another, there were only 3.
I'll look more later tonight and might be able to provide a definitive answer, but if you want to look (and steal that Spur that timvp is offering up) here's my source:
http://www.shrpsports.com/nba/result.htm
my search has left all fields in the search page as they are, but I've gone one season at a time (beginning season and ending season the same), limited "reg/play" to regular season only, left "series when" set to "all," and, obviously, checked the box next to "OT." If I read that correctly, it should be providing me with a year-by-year list of all overtime games in chronological order. From that list, I've been parceling out the 2OT, 3OT, 4OT, and 5OT games and scanning to see if there is another multiple overtime nearby. If there is, I've first compared the teams involved and then looked at the dates of the games. Like I say, so far, nothing like this. I'll check back in a little while to see if anyone has made progress or found a better way to track this down. If there's no progress, I'll resume my search.
By the way, if it turns out that SA and VAN are the only two teams to ever play back-to-back multiple overtime games (which seems possible), Tony Massenburg will have the distinction of having played in both of those sets. Massenburg started both of the games for Vancouver in 1999 and obviously for the Spurs this weekend. Not that important, but it's mildly interesting.
That's pretty cool!
Sh!t this is looking more and more like the Spurs have made history!!!!
This may be the type of thing that sets the boys up as a team of destiny (?).
Threepeat!
Wait, no.
Ok FWDT...I searched your site...and as far as I can tell the Spurs and the Grizz are the only two teams in NBA history to ever play in back to back Double OT...
And the Spurs are the only team to win back to back double OT...
The cloest I found was the Lakers playing an OT and a Triple OT with a day between them and winning both...back in 1961...
But there is one thing that confuses me...that site lists one of the Vancouver back to back double OT games being a triple OT, the one against the Celtics.....in any case...Vancouver lost...
I think our Spurs set an NBA record...someone should probably recheck it though and due to the 3OT thing with Vancouver I am not toally sure how accurate that site is(it might be the accurate one and bball reference might be the one in error)...
But basically...if someone else wants to check it out and verify...I think it's our record, it's one of unmatched heart and effort made all the more amazing by the fact that we were missing 3 starters the second night...
Heart...it was pure heart...they had no business winning that GS game...I damn sure didn't expect them to win it and I wasn't going to be upset if they didn't...that was called exceeding expectations...
IF that is the Spurs record it's something to be very proud of... ESPN for not noticing how historic those 2 games were(any wonder why I say the Admiral was overlooked, if we don't catch our records and achievements they damn sure won't be looking very hard either)...
And I hope Kori or someone let's the players and Pop know that they just passed a test of grit and heart unmatched in NBA history...
I don't totally trust my checking so someone really should recheck it...and be sure to look for 3ot games not just 2ot...
My 9 year old just said to me, "You know why the Spurs keep going into double overtime? Because they refuse to lose without Tim Duncan!"
I am ready to call it a record!
also Spurs should go to whottt and FWDT for their efforts.
I just thought of something even more awesome to add to it...every single player on the team played a role in it...except for Tim Duncan the best player on the damn team and the NBA...
Edit: I forgot Devin is on the IR too...but everyone else contributed.
Last edited by whottt; 04-12-2005 at 01:35 AM.
I checked again, and Vancouver did play 2OT in LA against the Clippers on 2/16/99 and then played 3OT on 2/17/99 at home against Boston. The boxes can be found here and here.
If it's a record, it's a pretty obscure one. I suspect, if it proves to be unprecedented, that it will get some play nationally in stories about the Portland game tomorrow night.
The test isn't necessarily unmatched, but the success certainly seems to be. I think part of the reason this has been lost on people is the quality of the teams the Spurs beat in these games -- had they beaten, say, Phoenix and Dallas in consecutive double-OT games, the world would be raving. Since they played late-night double-OT games on the West Coast against teams that have been eliminated, on the same weekend as the Masters, it was almost bound to get lost in the shuffle. Sad, but true.
I'll run a better double check on this tonight and ensure that we're right, but I think we've discovered some history.
Yeah...but we know...the damn Clips are 25-14 at home...I think that's about the same record the Mavs and the Sonics have at home...and the Warriors were the hottest team in the NBA and we were missing 3 starters...
We had no business winning that damn GS game, there is no way we should have won that game, especially in double OT...
FWDT, I am pretty sure no team has done it post 73-74 according to that site...I basically rechecked your work on those years...pre 73 was much easier to check...but I only went over it once...
Of course all it takes is a typo error at that site and them not putting a 2 where it should be for us to be wrong...
Also we might want to check the playoffs as well.
Oh, I completely agree -- for what the Spurs faced and what they took to meet those challenges, missing 50% of their top 8, it's a remarkable accomplishment. But at the "worldwide leader in sports," perception is reality.
Undoubtedly, had the Lakers just pulled off the same feat, they would be lauded as the grittiest team ever. Had the Suns done it, it would have been proof that running teams can win les. Had the Heat done it, it would have been proof that Shaq is the most dominant ever, or some such. We'll see if there isn't some mention of this feat as the week progresses -- in fact, I'll start the ball rolling by e-mailing Marc Stein. Maybe Stein will write about it or mention it.
"We had no business winning that damn GS game"
I commented in the game blog that GS came out very low key, imo, while shooting damn well. I was expecting them to jump on us, and end up doing another Mavs on us. I also felt the Spurs played a steady, low-key game. Absolutely no indication of the excitement of 2 OT's to come.
I don't think GS really warmed up with their 3G's until the 3rd quarter, but the Spurs held steady and kept game within reach. This was another lottery team, like Blazers and Clips, that hit us with a very non-lottery FG% of well over 50% for most or all of the game on their courts.
If this is true, then it may also mean that Tony Parker has (or was very close to having) the NBA record for most minutes in consecutive games.
The only possible exception might be the season where Wilt essentially averaged 48 mpg.
Hey....why don't we win a 2OT vs. Portland on tues and make sure we set a record?
Then we're bound to get attention that way....
Who really cares? A win is a win.
Bump! For TimVP and to get Shoogar's .02
Edit: NM...I just saw Shoogar already found the thread.
Our findings are here TimVP.
I am gonna check the playoff records real quick.
Well they haven't been playing like a lottery team and IIRC we were trailing by 11 points at the beginning of the 4th...and then Barry stepped up bigtime to get us close.
Wise beyond his years.My 9 year old just said to me, "You know why the Spurs keep going into double overtime? Because they refuse to lose without Tim Duncan!"
He probably looks older than he is.
ESPN's "Did you Know?" last night said that SA's two wins back to back is a first for an NBA team. It did happen once in the ABA though. Kentucky and somebody.
So, yes Whottt, it is a record.
He probably looks older than he is.
@ MI21
Jim, good catch. I believe you this time, link or no link.
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