The last time the Spurs played a Home Back-to-Back

[FromWayDowntown]

Home back-to-backs are rare in the NBA, but the Spurs have one tonight and tomorrow (with another one coming in February). On Saturday night, I listened to Schoening and Pasacrita talk about the rarity of this scheduling quirk and trying to recall the last time it came to pass in San Antonio. It got me to thinking about the same question.

I haven't done any research on it, but I'm almost 100% certain that the last time the Spurs played home games on consecutive days was the last weekend of the 1999 regular season, against Portland and Utah. The wins in those games were about as crucial as any that the Spurs had in that first le campaign and that weekend left San Antonio buzzing about its dominant basketball team.

I still remember that the Spurs entered the weekend behind both Utah and Portland in the West standings and had to have both games to have any chance to get the #1 seed in the playoffs. With 4 games left in that season, the Spurs were a game back of the Blazers and 1.5 back of Utah. With the Jazz already waiting in San Antonio, the Spurs played that deep Portland team on a Saturday afternoon at the Dome and fought back to force OT (I think on an Avery Johnson jumper), eventually blowing the Blazers away in the extra period. The next afternoon, in a raucous Dome, Tim Duncan made his case for an MVP trophy that I still think Karl Malone robbed from him. The Spurs beat up the Jazz and gave themselves a chance to get the #1 seed while continuing the roll that would take them through the 1999 playoffs.

I'm still convinced that the weekend in early May made the City of San Antonio believe in its Spurs and made those Spurs believe in themselves. I remember Bill Walton being on pre-game shows on WOAI both days and telling San Antonio that the Spurs couldn't beat the Jazz in a big spot like that. I remember other commentators saying that the Spurs' collection of softies would wilt under the pressure of such significant games. Winning both seemed to steel the resolve of Spurs' fans. It made that playoff run and all of the amazing moments that followed possible. That back-to-back might be the weekend that forever changed NBA Basketball in San Antonio.

The cir stances aren't remotely the same this time -- nor is the compe ion remotely as good -- but the occasion reminded of that oft-forgotten weekend.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Thanks for the reminder.

I still remember the final game of that season which I believe was against the Warriors and the Spurs were down heading into the fourth quarter. They ended up going on a tear and locked up the #1 seed for the playoffs (same record as Utah with 37-13 but owned the head to head tie break).

I miss the days when the Spurs would be able to lock a team down and get down to business. Hopefully this year the Spurs can go back to beating the elite teams and reminding everyone that they won't be disappearing anytime soon.

[Spurs Brazil]

I remember that game against the Jazz

Things were tough for me in 99. I didn't have internet so I had to wait until This Week in NBA, on CNN here in Brazil to know the score.

I waited until late late sunday and then they show the highlights of this game. TD had a big dunk on Malone and another big one on Ostertag.