Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals
took place on June 14, 1998 in Salt Lake City between the visiting Chicago Bulls
and the Utah Jazz
at the Delta Center, now known as EnergySolutions Arena
, in Salt Lake City. The Bulls won 87–86, clinching their sixth NBA title in eight years. Game 6 was the final game with the Bulls for Michael Jordan
and coach Phil Jackson
(both would retire from the NBA, then eventually return). This game earned the highest TV ratings of an NBA game of all time. Noted highlights of this game included controversial shot clock
calls involving Bulls player Ron Harper
and Jazz player Howard Eisley
. After hitting a jump shot with 5.2 seconds left in the game, Michael Jordan put the Bulls on top 87-86, and the Bulls won after John Stockton
of the Jazz missed a three-pointer in his team's last possession.
in the Western Conference Finals, and the Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers
in the Eastern Conference Finals, setting up a rematch of the prior year's NBA Finals, which the Bulls had won in 6 games. The Jazz swept the season series against the Bulls 2–0, giving them the tiebreaker for home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs.
In the mostly tight finals series, Utah had won Game 1, while the Bulls had won Games 2-4. At the United Center
in Game 5, Michael Jordan airballed an off-balance, catch-and-shoot 3 at the buzzer, allowing the Jazz to stave off elimination with a 83-81 victory and return to Utah for Game 6, and a potential Game 7. None of the previous 5 Finals appearances for the Bulls had gone to a Game 7.
scored the opening basket on a slam dunk
that aggravated a back injury, causing him pain and difficulty moving throughout the game. Pippen was limited to 8 points on 4–7 shooting in 26 minutes played. Michael Jordan took 35 of the Bulls' 67 shots, leading the team in scoring and minutes played with 45 points in 44 minutes. Karl Malone
led the Jazz in both categories with 31 points in 43 minutes.
In the first half of the game, while the Jazz led 28-24 with just under 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Jazz guard Howard Eisley
saved a pass that almost sent the ball out of bounds. As the shot clock
was running down, Jazz forward/center Antoine Carr
passed the ball a long distance to Shandon Anderson
, but the ball flew over Anderson's hands. Eisley caught the ball and made a 3-pointer, but referee Dick Bavetta
ruled that Eisley released the ball after the shot clock had expired. Replays showed that the ball had left Eisley's hands with a second left on the shot clock. (This game took place four years before the NBA instituted instant replay
to review calls.) Calling the game for NBC, Bob Costas
narrated a replay of Eisley's shot: "See if the ball isn't out of his hand. One second...it's on the way, and they missed the call." In the second half, Bulls guard Ron Harper
made a jump shot as the shot clock went off that tied the game at 79; at the NBC play-by-play, Costas announced that Harper released the ball on time, but color commentator Isiah Thomas
, narrating a replay of Harper's shot, considered it to be "a tough call."
Although the Jazz held a 49-45 lead at halftime and a 66-61 lead after the third quarter, they let them slip away in the fourth. John Stockton
hit a 3-pointer
with 41.9 seconds left to give the Jazz an 86–83 lead. Michael Jordan scored a layup on the following possession to cut the lead to one. With 18.9 seconds left and the Jazz in possession, Jordan stole the ball from Karl Malone in the low post and dribbled to the frontcourt. Bryon Russell
guarded Jordan as time wound down. Jordan drove inside the 3-point line, executed a quick cross-over - possibly pushing off Russell, but the officials did not call a foul - and made a 20-foot jumper to give the Bulls an 87–86 lead with 5.2 seconds left. Neil Funk
made the call for the Bulls' radio network.
Utah called a timeout, setting up the final play of the game. John Stockton took the inbounds pass, pulled up and launched a 3-pointer that rattled out, and the Bulls celebrated.
The final score of the game was Jordan's final shot as a Bull and his 25th game-winning shot for the team.
network broadcast this and all other 1998 NBA Finals
games live under the NBA on NBC series. The game registered a 22.3 Nielsen rating with a 38 share and attracted 72 million viewers and became the highest rated game in the history of the NBA. The previous record was a 21.2 rating and 37 share for Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals
between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons
.
ranked Michael Jordan's last shot as a Chicago Bulls player fourth among 50 best single-game performances. The shot was recreated for the 2006 television ad "Second Generation
".
The officiating of this game continues to be discussed to this day. In 2008, Tim Buckley of the Utah newspaper Deseret News wrote in a profile of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan
that the calls involving Howard Eisley and Ron Harper "to this day continue to be discussed and debated by disgruntled Jazz faithful." AskMen.com
ranked the non-call on Michael Jordan's last shot of this game sixth on a top-ten list of bad referee calls. Bryon Russell, remarked in 2009: "Whether he pushed off or not, he was making that shot."
In 2009, Jordan mentioned Russell in his Hall of Fame induction speech, recalling an interaction they had during Jordan's first retirement in 1994: "[A]t this time, I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball. Bryon Russell came over to me and said, 'Why did you quit? You know I could guard you.' ... From this day forward, if I ever see [Russell] in shorts, I'm coming at him." In response, Russell challenged Jordan to a game of one-on-one for charity. Such a match-up has not yet taken place, though the Utah Flash
of the NBA Development League
did stage a halftime game between Russell and a Jordan look-alike. The Flash offered refunds to fans who expected Jordan actually to appear.
After Michael Jordan retired, interest in the NBA declined, especially after the 1998–99 NBA lockout
. Commenting on how the 1999 NBA Finals
had the lowest TV ratings for a Finals series since 1981
, Eric Boehlert
wrote in Salon.com
: "Viewers stayed away because the season had been strike-shortened; Michael Jordan had just retired; the Spurs and the Knicks lacked marketable superstars." Although the Western Conference champions Los Angeles Lakers would have won the championship with a victory but instead lost to the Indiana Pacers
, Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals
had only half as many viewers as Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. However, Game 5 of the 2001 Finals
, when the Los Angeles Lakers
won their second consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson, had the highest ratings of a championship-winning game on the network since Game 6 of the 1998 Finals. NBC's broadcast rights to NBA games expired after the 2002 NBA Finals
, when the Lakers won their third consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson. The 2003 NBA Finals
had even worse ratings (9.8 million), and only 11.5 million watched the 2005 Finals
; the San Antonio Spurs
won both years.
1998 NBA Finals
The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference played against the Utah Jazz of the Western Conference, with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City...
took place on June 14, 1998 in Salt Lake City between the visiting Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at the Delta Center, now known as EnergySolutions Arena
EnergySolutions Arena
EnergySolutions Arena is an indoor arena, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, owned by Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc., the estate of Larry H. Miller...
, in Salt Lake City. The Bulls won 87–86, clinching their sixth NBA title in eight years. Game 6 was the final game with the Bulls for Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and coach Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
(both would retire from the NBA, then eventually return). This game earned the highest TV ratings of an NBA game of all time. Noted highlights of this game included controversial shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
calls involving Bulls player Ron Harper
Ron Harper
Ronald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
and Jazz player Howard Eisley
Howard Eisley
Howard Jonathan Eisley is a retired American professional basketball point guard and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association . Born in Detroit, Eisley played college basketball at Boston College and was drafted in 1994 by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
. After hitting a jump shot with 5.2 seconds left in the game, Michael Jordan put the Bulls on top 87-86, and the Bulls won after John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
of the Jazz missed a three-pointer in his team's last possession.
Background
The Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls finished the season tied for the best record in the NBA at 62-20. Utah beat the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the Western Conference Finals, and the Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the Eastern Conference Finals, setting up a rematch of the prior year's NBA Finals, which the Bulls had won in 6 games. The Jazz swept the season series against the Bulls 2–0, giving them the tiebreaker for home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs.
In the mostly tight finals series, Utah had won Game 1, while the Bulls had won Games 2-4. At the United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
in Game 5, Michael Jordan airballed an off-balance, catch-and-shoot 3 at the buzzer, allowing the Jazz to stave off elimination with a 83-81 victory and return to Utah for Game 6, and a potential Game 7. None of the previous 5 Finals appearances for the Bulls had gone to a Game 7.
Game summary
Scottie PippenScottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
scored the opening basket on a slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
that aggravated a back injury, causing him pain and difficulty moving throughout the game. Pippen was limited to 8 points on 4–7 shooting in 26 minutes played. Michael Jordan took 35 of the Bulls' 67 shots, leading the team in scoring and minutes played with 45 points in 44 minutes. Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
led the Jazz in both categories with 31 points in 43 minutes.
In the first half of the game, while the Jazz led 28-24 with just under 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Jazz guard Howard Eisley
Howard Eisley
Howard Jonathan Eisley is a retired American professional basketball point guard and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association . Born in Detroit, Eisley played college basketball at Boston College and was drafted in 1994 by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
saved a pass that almost sent the ball out of bounds. As the shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
was running down, Jazz forward/center Antoine Carr
Antoine Carr
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
passed the ball a long distance to Shandon Anderson
Shandon Anderson
Shandon Rodriguez Anderson is an American former professional basketball forward and guard who played in the National Basketball Association from 1996 to 2006...
, but the ball flew over Anderson's hands. Eisley caught the ball and made a 3-pointer, but referee Dick Bavetta
Dick Bavetta
Richard T. "Dick" Bavetta is an American professional basketball referee for the National Basketball Association . Since starting in 1975, he has never missed an assigned game. By the start of the 2006–07 NBA season, he had worked 2,164 regular season and 228 playoff games, including 24 NBA...
ruled that Eisley released the ball after the shot clock had expired. Replays showed that the ball had left Eisley's hands with a second left on the shot clock. (This game took place four years before the NBA instituted instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
to review calls.) Calling the game for NBC, Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
narrated a replay of Eisley's shot: "See if the ball isn't out of his hand. One second...it's on the way, and they missed the call." In the second half, Bulls guard Ron Harper
Ron Harper
Ronald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
made a jump shot as the shot clock went off that tied the game at 79; at the NBC play-by-play, Costas announced that Harper released the ball on time, but color commentator Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
, narrating a replay of Harper's shot, considered it to be "a tough call."
Although the Jazz held a 49-45 lead at halftime and a 66-61 lead after the third quarter, they let them slip away in the fourth. John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
hit a 3-pointer
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
with 41.9 seconds left to give the Jazz an 86–83 lead. Michael Jordan scored a layup on the following possession to cut the lead to one. With 18.9 seconds left and the Jazz in possession, Jordan stole the ball from Karl Malone in the low post and dribbled to the frontcourt. Bryon Russell
Bryon Russell
Bryon Demetrise Russell is an American basketball player. During an NBA career that spanned from 1993 to 2006, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers and was a key member of the Utah Jazz, helping them reach back-to-back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998...
guarded Jordan as time wound down. Jordan drove inside the 3-point line, executed a quick cross-over - possibly pushing off Russell, but the officials did not call a foul - and made a 20-foot jumper to give the Bulls an 87–86 lead with 5.2 seconds left. Neil Funk
Neil Funk
Neil Funk is the current television play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.A 1969 graduate of Syracuse University, Funk's first broadcasting job was covering high school sports for a small radio station in Danville, Illinois. He quickly moved up the ranks to...
made the call for the Bulls' radio network.
Utah called a timeout, setting up the final play of the game. John Stockton took the inbounds pass, pulled up and launched a 3-pointer that rattled out, and the Bulls celebrated.
The final score of the game was Jordan's final shot as a Bull and his 25th game-winning shot for the team.
Broadcasting
In the United States, the NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network broadcast this and all other 1998 NBA Finals
1998 NBA Finals
The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference played against the Utah Jazz of the Western Conference, with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City...
games live under the NBA on NBC series. The game registered a 22.3 Nielsen rating with a 38 share and attracted 72 million viewers and became the highest rated game in the history of the NBA. The previous record was a 21.2 rating and 37 share for Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals
1988 NBA Finals
The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987–88 NBA season.One of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley's most famous moments came when he promised the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' 1986-87 championship parade in downtown Los Angeles...
between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
.
Legacy
Michael Jordan's game-winning jump shot to put the Bulls up 87-86 with 5.2 seconds left is remembered as one of the greatest plays in NBA history. In 2010, John Hollinger of ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
ranked Michael Jordan's last shot as a Chicago Bulls player fourth among 50 best single-game performances. The shot was recreated for the 2006 television ad "Second Generation
Second Generation (advertisement)
"Second Generation" is a 2006 television advertisement introducing Nike's Air Jordan XXI brand of basketball shoes. The ad is also listed as "2nd Generation"; its tagline is "Let your game speak".-Production:...
".
The officiating of this game continues to be discussed to this day. In 2008, Tim Buckley of the Utah newspaper Deseret News wrote in a profile of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
that the calls involving Howard Eisley and Ron Harper "to this day continue to be discussed and debated by disgruntled Jazz faithful." AskMen.com
AskMen.com
AskMen.com is a free online men’s web portal, with international versions in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.-History:...
ranked the non-call on Michael Jordan's last shot of this game sixth on a top-ten list of bad referee calls. Bryon Russell, remarked in 2009: "Whether he pushed off or not, he was making that shot."
In 2009, Jordan mentioned Russell in his Hall of Fame induction speech, recalling an interaction they had during Jordan's first retirement in 1994: "[A]t this time, I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball. Bryon Russell came over to me and said, 'Why did you quit? You know I could guard you.' ... From this day forward, if I ever see [Russell] in shorts, I'm coming at him." In response, Russell challenged Jordan to a game of one-on-one for charity. Such a match-up has not yet taken place, though the Utah Flash
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
of the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
did stage a halftime game between Russell and a Jordan look-alike. The Flash offered refunds to fans who expected Jordan actually to appear.
After Michael Jordan retired, interest in the NBA declined, especially after the 1998–99 NBA lockout
1998–99 NBA lockout
The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . It lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled...
. Commenting on how the 1999 NBA Finals
1999 NBA Finals
The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage...
had the lowest TV ratings for a Finals series since 1981
1981 NBA Finals
The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season, pitting the Boston Celtics against the Houston Rockets.-Houston Rockets:...
, Eric Boehlert
Eric Boehlert
Eric Boehlert is an American writer at Media Matters for America. Prior to this he was a senior writer for Salon for five years, and before that a contributing editor to Rolling Stone. At Salon Boehlert won the 2002 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Deems Taylor Award for music...
wrote in Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
: "Viewers stayed away because the season had been strike-shortened; Michael Jordan had just retired; the Spurs and the Knicks lacked marketable superstars." Although the Western Conference champions Los Angeles Lakers would have won the championship with a victory but instead lost to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals
2000 NBA Finals
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage...
had only half as many viewers as Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. However, Game 5 of the 2001 Finals
2001 NBA Finals
The 2001 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2000-01 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage in a best-of-seven format.The...
, when the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
won their second consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson, had the highest ratings of a championship-winning game on the network since Game 6 of the 1998 Finals. NBC's broadcast rights to NBA games expired after the 2002 NBA Finals
2002 NBA Finals
The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2001–02 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and two-time defending NBA champions, and the New Jersey Nets, champions of the...
, when the Lakers won their third consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson. The 2003 NBA Finals
2003 NBA Finals
The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002–03 NBA season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New Jersey Nets of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs...
had even worse ratings (9.8 million), and only 11.5 million watched the 2005 Finals
2005 NBA Finals
The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference faced the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a...
; the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
won both years.