My favorite moment: The Lil General's big shot

[duncan228]

My favorite moment: The Lil General's big shot
Art Garcia
NBA.com


Avery Johnson clinched the Spurs' first le in 1999 with this jumper against the Knicks.

It's an instant in time that lives on for every lifelong fan of the San Antonio Spurs. One also standing as a lesson of perseverance. Before les became an expectation in the Alamo City, there had to be this moment.

The moment when the Spurs took the leap they had never taken before. The moment that forever changed the perception of a franchise and, in many ways, a city. The moment that rose above those disappointments of the past. Whether it was the wasted drafts -- Alfredrick Hughes? Those what-is-he-doing passes at the worst possible time -- Rod Strickland? Those heart-wrenching losses to the Bullets and Lakers and Rockets one rung short of the Finals. They somehow seemed necessary to get to this point.

The moment they became champions.

The moment that belonged to Avery Johnson.

The Spurs were in the Finals for the first time in 1999, facing the one of the league's glamour franchises in the New York Knicks. The series wasn't particularly memorable on its basketball merits, other than serving as the worldwide coming-out party for Tim Duncan.

San Antonio was clearly the better team. Leading three games to one going into Game 5 on June 25 at Madison Square Garden, I was there on assignment as the Spurs were primed to close out their first le. They still had to do it, and it wasn't easy.

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[Spurs Brazil]

Good read

[ChuckD]

World's first game winning shot with three possessions left.

[Libri]

Memorable shot, no doubt.

[Dingle Barry]

"NOOOOOOYEEEEEEEAAH!!"

I'm sure I wasn't the only one saying that then.

Anway, the MDM will always be a bigger shot to me. That's when it seemed like we broke down a wall; the basketball gods were now with us.

[Sean Cagney]

"NOOOOOOYEEEEEEEAAH!!"

I'm sure I wasn't the only one saying that then.

Anway, the MDM will always be a bigger shot to me. That's when it seemed like we broke down a wall; the basketball gods were now with us.

For once they were, it went our way and it was our year from then on............ Horry's shot won that le as well, believe his performance did just that in 05.