The 2026 NBA Finals are set: Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs against Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 Finals. This is the 13th Finals rematch in league history, and the 27-year gap between meetings is the second-longest ever, behind only the 58-year gap between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors' meetings in 1964 and 2022.
The Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games back in 1999 to win the first of their five championships in the Tim Duncan era, and they haven't been back to the Finals since the last of their titles in 2014. The Knicks' respective droughts have been much longer; they haven't even been to the Finals since their loss to the Spurs in 1999, and haven't won a title since 1973.
Will Wembanyama become the latest generational big man to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy? Or will Brunson bring glory back to Madison Square Garden for the first time in more than five decades?
While we wait to find out, let's take a trip down memory lane and re-live the 1999 Finals, one of the most unique in NBA history.
The background
In the summer of 1998, the NBA's owners locked out the players amid contentious labor negotiations that lasted for months and disrupted the 1998-99 season. As the dispute dragged on, and the league was forced to cancel regular-season games for the first time in its history, then-commissioner David Stern threatened to cancel the entire season if a deal wasn't in place by Jan. 7, 1999.
The two sides eventually came to terms on Jan. 6. Free agency and training camps followed, running concurrently beginning on Jan. 21. The regular season, shortened from 82 games to 50, ran from Feb. 5 through May 5, and the schedule prioritized intra-conference match-ups, such that some teams did not play each other during the regular season -- including the Spurs and Knicks.
Between the CBA agreement and the start of training camp, Michael Jordan announced his second retirement. The Chicago Bulls, who had won three titles in a row from 1996-98 and six of the previous eight titles, were dismantled and the title race was suddenly wide open.
But before any team could think about a championship, they had to get through a grueling regular season. In order to play 50 games in 90 days, teams at times played back-to-back-to-backs with travel involved. The Knicks, for example, played at home on March 14, on the road in Milwaukee on March 15 and at home on March 16.
Unsurprisingly, the basketball was slow and terrible. Players were out of shape after such a long layoff, and there was even less time than usual to practice during the season. Teams averaged 88.9 possessions per game, the fewest in recorded history, and scored 91.6 points per game, by far the fewest in the shot clock era.
The Spurs and Utah Jazz, who had lost in the Finals to the Bulls in 1997 and 1998, finished tied for the best record in the league at 37-13, and Karl Malone was named MVP for the second time in his career.
The Spurs cruised through the Western Conference playoffs, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in four games in the first round (it was still best-of-five back then) before sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers in the second round and Western Conference Finals, respectively.
The Knicks, on the other hand, had to win six of their final eight games just to sneak into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. They then upset the No. 1 seed Miami Heat in five games thanks to a last-second jumper by Allan Houston in Game 5, swept the Atlanta Hawks in the second round and beat the No. 2 seed Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks were the second No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the playoffs, and the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals. They were, unsurprisingly, massive underdogs, especially after Patrick Ewing tore his Achilles tendon and Larry Johnson sprained his MCL in the Eastern Conference Finals. Ewing obviously did not play in the Finals, and while Johnson suited up, he was not his usual self.
Game 1: Spurs 89, Knicks 77
Ahead of the series, Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy lamented that he couldn't find a weakness or a flaw to exploit in the Spurs.
"Their losses came on back-to-back games or when they had more travel," Van Gundy said. "There wasn't anything San Antonio didn't do well. That's what I was looking for, some nugget. What there was was no nuggets."
Still, the Knicks' players were confident that they could continue their historic run.
"People can say whatever they want to say," Knicks guard Chris Childs said. "We're here. We're confident in our abilities. I'm glad they're underestimating us. Each series they have, and we won. I don't want them to change their mind and pick us as favorites now."
In Game 1, the Knicks showed they could compete with the Spurs and built a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to a hot start from Houston. The Knicks wouldn't score for nearly five minutes to start the second quarter, however, which allowed the Spurs to gain momentum. Late in the half, the Spurs went on a 14-4 run to take an eight-point lead into the break.
The Spurs pushed their advantage up to double digits in the third quarter, and kept the Knicks at arm's length the rest of the way. Twice, the Knicks were able to cut the deficit to six points in the fourth, but they never got any closer than that.
Tim Duncan, then in his second season, delivered a masterpiece in his first Finals game to lead the Spurs to victory: 33 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks on 13 of 21 from the field. His frontcourt partner, David Robinson, added 13 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals.
"That's what he does," Duncan said. "He doesn't have to score big amounts for us. On any given night, he can do that. When he goes out and gives us defensive intensity and changes people's shots, it changes the game."
Houston and Latrell Sprewell led the way for the Knicks with 19 points apiece, but shot a combined 16 of 41. Larry Johnson, playing through his knee injury, managed just five points in 21 minutes.
Game 2: Spurs 80, Knicks 67
Houston said that the Game 1 defeat only made the Knicks "more hungry," and that they would "come out and keep trying." Their effort was not in question in Game 2, but they could not find any success against the Spurs' stout defense, led by Duncan and Robinson.
With 5:22 remaining in the first quarter, Duncan scored to put the Spurs in front, and they never trailed again in the lowest-scoring game of the series. The game remained competitive deep into the second half, in large part due to the Spurs' own offensive issues, but the Knicks could not make enough shots to get over the hump. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Duncan and Robinson led a run to help the Spurs pull away for good.
"Good teams win ugly," said Jaren Jackson -- father of Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. "It was kind of scary at moments, but we were able to finish it off and just grind it out. It was ugly but it was effective."
Duncan finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and four blocks in another brilliant outing, while Robinson went for 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five blocks. Together, they helped hold the Knicks to 67 points -- tied for their second-fewest all season -- on 32.9% shooting, which was their least efficient game of the entire playoffs.
"I can't put my finger on the problem," Sprewell said after scoring 26 points on 22 shots. "You know they are coming, both Tim and David. But you've got to go at them and take it right to them. If they block it, they block it."
"We've got a terrific defensive team," Spurs guard Mario Elie said. "Dave and Tim are always talking, and if you get beat, they're going to be there and that's the trust we have in each other. We've been No. 1 in defense all year and there's a reason for that."
The Spurs' ugly win gave them a 2-0 lead as the series shifted to New York.
Game 3: Knicks 89, Spurs 81
"I don't want them thinking about being down, 2-0," Van Gundy said after Game 2. "I don't want them thinking that we have to win four out of the next five games. All we need to think about is Monday."
Come Monday, June 21, Van Gundy's Knicks were ready. With a raucous Madison Square Garden behind them, the Knicks never trailed in their first, and only, victory of the series. The Knicks jumped ahead early thanks to a big first quarter from Houston (13 points) and a surprising lack of composure from the Spurs. Both Elie and coach Gregg Popovich were hit with technical fouls in the first quarter.
The Knicks led by as many as 14 in the opening frame, but would have to hold off multiple Spurs runs throughout the night. This time, though, the Spurs were the team that couldn't get over the hump.
"We expected to have some adversity," Robinson said. "We usually respond very well to that adversity. Tonight, we tried to keep our composure and be cool about it, but we did pick up a couple of technicals and that's not a good thing for us. We really have to stay focused and stay together. So hopefully, next game we'll be able to maintain it a little bit better and, like I said, focus on the game plan and execute."
Houston finished with 34 points to tie his playoff career high, while Sprewell went for 24 points and Johnson added 16 points in his only double-digit scoring performance of the series. Notably, the Knicks also went 23 of 30 from the free-throw line after shooting 24 of 31 in the first two games combined.
"Allan Houston was incredible," Duncan said. "He made shots when they needed them." Popovich called Houston "unstoppable."
"I hope to be all the time," Houston said. "I hope to be a pain in the neck and unstoppable. If I'm not, that's how I think. Sometimes you'll have a good night. But I don't want to have a 30-point night and then have 10. I want to be consistent."
The Knicks' win snapped the Spurs' 12-game winning streak in the playoffs and set up a pivotal Game 4 at MSG two nights later.
"When you win a title, it's always hard," said Elie, who had won two rings with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. "Nobody's going to just let you take it. It's a test for our team. It's a good test. I'm sure we'll respond. We've been in this situation before. There's no need to panic. It's a seven-game series. It takes four games to win the series, and all we can control right now is what we do tomorrow night."
Game 4: Spurs 96, Knicks 89
Ahead of Game 3, Larry Johnson went on an obscene tirade directed at league officials who asked him to participate in a mandatory interview session. He was fined $25,000 for his outburst, and in the lead-up to Game 4, he made more headlines with a controversial comment about himself and his teammates.
"We've got a lot of rebellious slaves on this team," Johnson said. "We don't have a lot of mainstream; we don't go with the mainstream. We're in a different stream on this team. We've got a lot of rebellious slaves. We don't go along with the masses."
"We don't like you, and that's been my motto my whole life, growing up," Johnson continued. "I don't like that person, and that person don't like me. Fine. Have mutual respect and stay away from each other. Don't come to me and smile and then stab me behind my back."
Johnson, who was enduring a tough series as he tried to play through his knee injury, finished with five points on 2 of 8 shooting in the team's narrow Game 4 defeat. He was the only Knicks starter not to score in double figures and also fouled out. Afterward, he was lambasted by Hall of Famer Bill Walton, who was working the series for NBC.
"Larry Johnson, who spent the last 48 hours railing against the world, what a pathetic performance by this sad human being," Walton said. "I just know that Larry Johnson spent far too much time railing against humanity and practicing his posing rather than developing his game."
If Johnson had been healthier or played better, the Knicks may have evened the series. Instead, they once again fell behind by double digits and were unable to work their way back -- though not for a lack of effort. They cut the deficit to one with 5:24 to play, and again to two with 3:40 to go, but the Spurs ended the game on a 10-5 run to emerge victorious.
Duncan was once again incredible and finished with 28 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and three blocks, while Robinson had 14 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. All five Spurs starters scored in double figures, with Avery Johnson adding 14 points and 10 assists in his best performance of the series.
"Size does matter in this league," Van Gundy said after his team was outrebounded 49-34 and shot 41.3%. "And their size beat our speed and quickness because not only did they affect us on the boards and in the post, but they affected everything else. Every penetration was a difficult, difficult shot."
The Spurs' win gave them a 3-1 series lead and put the Knicks on the brink.
"This is it," Houston said. "This is the ultimate challenge. Your back can't get any further against the wall at this point, down, 3-1, in the finals. But you know something? This is something that you always welcome as a competitor, as an athlete. We're not hanging our heads down. We're looking forward to the challenge."
Game 5: Spurs 78, Knicks 77
Under the old 2-3-2 Finals format, Game 5 was set for Madison Square Garden, giving the Knicks a chance to stay alive in front of their home crowd.
"We know we have to come in very focused," Duncan said prior to the contest. "We don't want to give them an opportunity for life. We want to get this next game and concentrate and be focused and not have to worry about going back to San Antonio."
Meanwhile, Larry Johnson was still engaged in his personal battle with Walton.
"Isn't that the same Bill Walton that was at UCLA and smoked pot, a hippie?" Johnson said, when asked about Walton's comments after Game 4. "If that's the way Bill feels, that's the way Bill feels. You know what? I respect that. That way me and Bill know where each other stands. That's like for as long as Bill has been killing me on TV from what my family and everyone tells me."
Eventually, it was time for tip-off, and everyone quickly forgot about any off-court drama.
As expected, the Knicks came out ready to fight for their lives. Houston and Sprewell got off to a hot start, and the Knicks led by three at the end of the first quarter, then pushed their advantage to eight early in the second. But the Spurs closed the half on a 16-6 run to go in front at the break.
The Spurs would build their own nine-point lead early in the third, only for Houston and Sprewell to lead a charge that got the Knicks back in the game. Once Sprewell's and-one dunk with 5:33 left in the third cut a four-point deficit to one, neither team would lead by more than three points the rest of the game.
Overall, the dramatic Game 5 featured 12 ties and 12 lead changes. The last one came with 47 seconds remaining when Avery Johnson knocked down a jumper from the baseline to put the Spurs ahead, 78-77. Neither team would score the rest of the way. Sprewell, who finished with 35 points and 10 rebounds in a valiant effort, twice missed go-ahead shots in the final 30 seconds, including a contested fadeaway jumper at the buzzer.
The Spurs' victory secured their first championship in franchise history and was the first of five titles together for Popovich and Duncan, who would go on to become one of the best coach-player duos the league has ever seen.
Duncan, who had 31 points and nine rebounds in Game 5, was named Finals MVP for the first time in his career. (He would go on to earn the honor two more times.) For the series, he averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists, one steal and 2.4 blocks on 53.7% shooting.
"I think it's going to be very hard for me to explain to you guys how great this feels," Duncan said. "I played well in the biggest game in the whole world."
For Robinson, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 1987 and had already won Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP trophies, the title was the last missing piece of his Hall of Fame résumé. He would eventually win one more title in 2003 before retiring that same year.
"This goes a long ways toward fulfilling a lot of my dreams," Robinson said. "You know that one big goal that I had, achieving that goal has been met. Now, I have to set new goals. If this was easy, it really wouldn't be worth the journey. And that's what makes it so special. You go through all those hard times, you get through all the creases and everything else, then you're able to finally get it done. And it's satisfying."
