Spurs Nation: Major Moments in San Antonio Basketball

PART 1

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

SPURS HIT JACKPOT

May 17, 1987: S.A. gets crack at Navy’s Robinson

David Robinson holds up his new jersey as he is welcomed to San Antonio by Mayor Henry Cisneros (left) and Spurs chairman Angelo Drossos.Credit: Express-News Archives

By Glenn Rogers

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

NEW YORK — Anchors Aweigh, my boys, the Spurs’ ship has come in.

The Spurs drew the No. 1 pick for the June 22 draft Sunday, and that means the Navy’s 7-foot-1 aircraft carrier, David Robinson. Robinson could plug the leaking San Antonio franchise.

Amid a game-show atmosphere at the Equitable Center during halftime of the Milwaukee-Boston playoff game, the picks of five teams had been announced and it was down to Spurs general manager Bob Bass and the Phoenix Suns’ Jerry Colangelo for the Nos. 1 and 2 slots.

Bass kept his eyes sharply averted from commissioner David Stern, who drew the next envelope from the glass barrel for No. 2.

Stern called out the Phoenix Suns, and Bass expelled a huge breath of air and banged the table with his fist. The No. 1 pick was his.

In the audience, Lucky Charm contest winner Roberto Pachecano cheered after the Spurs hit the jackpot. He had been waving and rattling a spur before and after each drawing of a card.

Team president Angelo Drossos’ son John waved his fist in the air and cheered as Bass shook hands with the representatives of the other teams.

We waited 14 years for a No. 1 pick, so what’s two more years? the jubilant Bass said, referring to the fact that Robinson must serve a two-year hitch in the Navy.

You know, San Antonio is where they train all the military police, including the Navy’s, Bass said, hinting perhaps the talented center could be stationed in the Alamo City "Now we have to put Angelo after him.

"What a break. It’s amazing, unbelievable. I could feel my heart thumping as the cards got closer to No. 2. I could hear it beating before they announced No. 2.

We’ve never had a center like Robinson before so we’ll definitely wait two years for him, Bass said I think we can sign him. I don’t believe he’ll turn down two years of earnings and go back into the draft next year.

Robinson has said he hasn’t decided whether he will sign with a pro club while serving his two years of active duty.

He has the option of going back into next year’s draft, or waiting still another year and becoming a true free agent in 1989. Robinson would be able to deal with any team.

Robinson has said he will play in this summer’s Pan American Games and wants to play in the 1988 Summer Olympics.

The Spurs can sign him and give him bonus money without affecting his amateur status as long as Robinson plays in no NBA games. The Spurs did the same with Alvin Robertson before he played in the 1984 Olympics with the victorious U.S. squad.

We won’t have any excuses, we’ve run out of excuses, Drossos said. "Now there is no reason why we can’t have a good team. This has to be a plus for us or we’re in trouble. There will be no one to blame but the front office.

Red McCombs (right) shakes hands with David Robinson after the center announced he would play for the Spurs.Credit: Express-News Archives

I haven’t focused on the problems of signing him. We’ve got 30 days to work out the problems and find out what’s going on. I don’t know about any trades at this point.

The Spurs’ board of directors will meet this week to map the club’s strategy for signing Robinson, a board member told the Express-News.

Current NBA rules specify that teams can talk to the players before the draft but cannot discuss compensation. Drossos will visit Stern this week and seek to have that rule rescinded in Robinson’s case. The NBA says the policy will be reviewed.

Spurs coach Bob Weiss watched the lottery in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he is scouting the players at the Pan American Games.

Yes I’m still alive, Weiss joked. "It felt very good when we got down to No. 2, because I knew that we’d got a good big man.

The ball is now in Angelo’s court, and I think that if we can sign him, we should and wait two years. He’s worth the wait.

Robinson was not available for comment on Sunday.

Right now his No. 1 priority is the graduation (May 20), Naval Academy spokesman Vince Benigni said. "It’s been like a zoo around here for him because of his fame. So, for now, he’s just working with the statement he issued earlier.

I told the office that if we won the first pick to start selling season tickets Sunday night, Bass said.

Our new slogan will be you have to buy the tickets now if you want them for the 1989-90 season, he joked. "I feel that we will now have a team of overachievers. Everybody will be playing hard and looking down the road to when Robinson gets here.

I believe the fans will come out now. We were in a very critical situation (attendance wise), but this should save the franchise.

During the drawing of the cards, Bass refused to look at Stern, instead gazing out over the small gathering of reporters, friends, family and NBA personnel.

That’s what I do on the golf course when I’m down a few strokes and the other guy is putting. Bass said with a smile. I don’t look and if I don’t hear the ball rattle in the cup, I know I’m safe. I guess I’m a little superstitious.

The final order of the draft will be Spurs, Suns, Nets, Clippers, Knicks, Kings and the Cavaliers.

The Knicks suffered the worst Sunday. By not winding up in one of the top three slots, they lost their pick to the SuperSonics and will now draft at the No. 18 spot, thanks to an elaborate trade last year.

SPURS OPEN SEASON WITH BANG

Nov. 4, 1989: S.A. shoots down L.A. in Robinson’s debut

By John P. Lopez

SAN ANTONIO LIGHT

So, welcome to the Spurs’ Field of Dreams.

Two years ago, when David Robinson was only a far-away dream in a far-away Naval base, the Spurs could only entertain a far-fetched basketball dream.

Everyone waited, and waited, and seemed to wonder:

Build it, and he will come.

So on Saturday night, Spurs center David Robinson came to reality. He was there. Everywhere.

Finally.

And — horrors, for the Los Angeles Lakers — Robinson was not alone.

The Spurs brought down the Lakers 106-98 on Saturday night, with Robinson leading the way with 23 points and 17 rebounds in his NBA debut, but by no means stealing the show.

The Spurs brought down the sell-out HemisFair Arena house of 15,868 with Terry Cummings (22 points), Maurice Cheeks (14 points), Sean Elliott (16 points) and Willie Anderson (12 points) all chipping away.

The baby has gestated

Red McCombs, on Robinson finally playing in his first game.

David Robinson makes his NBA debut against the Los Angeles Lakers and A.C. Green on Nov. 4, 1989.Credit: Express-News Archives

You always dream of playing for a team like this one, Anderson said. "When I go home at night, I look at the structure of this team, and I’m just thankful to be a part of it.

Tonight, it was what we wanted it to be. It was total team effort.

It was everything the Spurs could have dreamed of in an opener.

It was controlling the Western Conference champions throughout the second half and holding off a late attempt to rally. It was outrebounding the Lakers by 58-39. It was holding the Lakers to 38 percent shooting from the field and slowing the L.A. running game to a near standstill.

It was outdefending, outhustling and, really, outplaying.

It was a great game, Spurs coach Larry Brown said. "Especially considering the team we had to beat.

We did it playing defense and outrebounding them, and that’s they way you have to do it to win in this league.

So, as Spurs owner Red McCombs said of the Field of Dreams opener, The baby has gestated.

And the Lieutenant Junior Grade has arrived.

David is just learning, but I know he’s going to be a great one, Cummings said. I haven’t seen a guy that big who moves like he does. He definitely is going to be great.

Still, it was Cummings who seemed to seal the win down the stretch for the Spurs, when the Lakers cut what was as much as a 13-point Spurs’ lead to 95-88.

Cummings took the offensive rebound off a Spurs miss and laid in a one- hander with 1:56 left for a 97-88 lead.

All the things you need to do to win, we did tonight, said Cummings, who added 12 rebounds and three assists to go with his 22 points. "One thing about the Lakers, they know what to do to win games.

Before he faced real opponents, David Robinson posted up Natalie Garcia, 7, during a Roundball Ruckus Clinic on July 15, 1989.Credit: Express-News Archives

And tonight we knew what to do. Someday, we just want to be where they are right now.

At least on Saturday night, the Spurs proved to be too much. The dream became reality, particularly on defense, where the Spurs forced 15 Lakers turnovers and all but shut down the running game.

The Lakers were led by James Worthy’s 25 points, with Magic Johnson and Byron Scott adding 24 apiece. But the Lakers got most of their points in their half-court offense.

Our running game was nonexistent tonight, Lakers coach Pat Riley said. Their speed really slowed us down.

The Spurs themselves never really got the break going either, but with Robinson and Cummings taking charge, the Lakers had trouble matching up.

Especially inside, they didn’t seem to handle David and Terry, said Elliott, who added five rebounds. But I think those guys are going to cause trouble for anybody we play.

In fact, most of the Spurs’ troubles seemed self-inflicted because of nervousness, particularly in the first half when the Spurs took a 48-47 lead.

Robinson played only 16 minutes in the first half because his nervousness was to the point of getting sick to his stomach.

Our young guys were petrified, Brown said. They were scared to death.

Said Robinson: "When we went up to Milwaukee, I tried to eat some fajitas and got sick.

I think it kind of came back on me tonight.

At any rate, Robinson was well enough in the second half to team with Cummings early in the fourth for the Spurs’ decisive run.

After the Lakers pulled to within 78-72 on a layup from Johnson, Robinson and Cummings combined for 10 of the Spurs next 15 points for a 93-81 lead with 4:54 left.

The young guys were nervous, Cheeks said, but they responded at the right time.

IT’S OVER IN OVERTIME

May 19, 1990: Season ends for Spurs in Game 7 loss to Blazers

By Brad Townsend

SAN ANTONIO LIGHT

PORTLAND, Ore. — For years to come, the Phantom Breakaway Foul will surely rank in Spurs infamy with another Game 7 nightmare — a night 11 years ago when the lights mysteriously went out in Washington.

But this time, these Spurs to a man knew better. They offered no excuses. They pointed no fingers. They weren’t sore at anybody.

If anything or anyone was to blame for Portland’s 108-105 overtime victory Saturday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum — a result that ended the Spurs’ season and sent the Blazers into the Western Conference finals — the Spurs knew they could look to themselves.

Leading 97-90 with 2:34 remaining in regulation, the Spurs watched in disbelief as Portland outscored them 7-0 to force an overtime that never should have been.

It’s our fault that we lost the game, Spurs guard Willie Anderson said. We made a lot of bad decisions, and that’s what lost it. We definitely feel we’re the better team. But we didn’t get the win. We’re the ones going home. To start planning our vacation.

There would be more dramatics — and controversy — during the overtime, as the Blazers won their 13th straight game here against the Spurs.

Spurs guard Rod Strickland commited a key turnover late in the season-ending loss to Portland.Credit: John Davenport / San Antonio Express-News

The Spurs had the ball with 30 seconds remaining and a 103-103 score. That’s when point guard Rod Strickland grabbed a loose ball at the free-throw line and attempted an overhead, no-look pass to Sean Elliott under the basket.

Problem was, Elliott was out on the right wing. Portland forward Jerome Kersey grabbed the ball while leaning out of bounds, then lobbed it downcourt to guard Clyde Drexler.

Drexler was fouled going to the basket by Strickland with 26.2 seconds left — and referee Ed T. Rush deemed it a breakaway foul. As a result, Drexler received two free throws and Portland got the ball.

Drexler made both free throws, then two more with 16.4 seconds left. It provided the winning margin. And this was after the Spurs thought Terry Porter should have been called for a breakaway on a similar play against Strickland with 2:57 left in regulation.

It’s tough, Spurs coach Larry Brown said. I feel bad for him (Rush) that he has to be put in that position. It’s unfortunate that two of them happened in a crucial game. One goes one way, the other goes the other.

The Spurs had one more opportunity to tie after forward Terry Cummings made two free throws with 9.1 seconds left and Drexler made one of two with 7.3 seconds left.

But Reggie Williams’ inbounds pass for Willie Anderson with 5.6 seconds left was intercepted by Porter.

Afterward, a somewhat shell-shocked Brown had to wonder if the happenings were just fate.

Spurs small forward Willie Anderson (left) and point guard Rod Strickland couldn’t get the Spurs past the Trail Blazers in 1990.Credit: Courtesy photo

Yeah, I think it was, Brown said. The thing is, you’ve got to live and die with Rod. He made a great play. Sean didn’t react right. It’s a nightmare way to lose it. We took some unbelievable shots.

Bad shots, that is.

The Spurs had overcome a charged-up Portland team bolstered by the return of centers Kevin Duckworth and Wayne Cooper. They had overcome a 40-30 first-half deficit. They had overcome 1-of-8 first-half shooting by David Robinson.

They also overcame 36 points by Porter (30 during the first three quarters) and 21 by Kersey. The Spurs rallied for leads of 81-75 and 97-90, and they finally had Robinson (20 points, 16 rebounds) back into the game.

Then the Spurs stopped doing the things that brought them back.

It took only 1:17 — a Duckworth jumper, a Drexler 3-pointer and a Kersey slam — to force the tie. After that, both teams fumbled away chances to win in regulation, the last when Anderson dropped a David Wingate pass 10 feet from the basket with two seconds left in regulation.

We took some bad shots, reiterated Brown. We had a chance to win, then we took some tough, young shots.

Said Robinson, who scored 11 of his points during the fourth quarter and overtime: "We had some huge opportunities. We had some breaks we didn’t convert. We had chances to score, we really did. You have to put away a game when you’re in that position. I don’t care if you’re on the road or not.

That’s what’s really so disappointing, Robinson said. I could understand if we came in here and they beat us real good and we go home. But man, to come back from 2-0 and respond the way we had, get our confidence up, then lose a game like this, man that’s really disappointing. The seventh game.

It was reminiscent of that Game 7 in 1979, when the Washington Bullets made up 10 points in the last three minutes to win 107-105 and advance to the NBA Finals.

The Spurs outshot the Trail Blazers 46 percent to 37 percent. They seemingly had every advantage down the stretch.

But in the end, they lost in the first overtime Game 7 of an NBA playoff since the Lakers beat Boston in the 1962 NBA Finals.

It’s disappointing for me because I didn’t play my best game, Robinson said. Usually in this situation, I play a heck of a lot better than I did today. Not that the effort wasn’t there. I was trying. It just wasn’t one of my better games.

Breakaway foul or no breakaway foul, the Spurs had no one to blame but themselves.

And the Blazers had little to do but rejoice and prepare to host Phoenix on Monday.

As long as we keep finding ways to win as we have all season, I will take them, a relieved Kersey said. But I am getting old quickly.

Old? The Spurs wouldn’t have minded staying around longer.

PUSHES STREAK FOUR-WARD

Feb. 17, 1994: Center puts up a quadruple double

By Glenn Rogers

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Any word with Alamo in it has to have some history.

So David Robinson and the Spurs injected some into the dome Thursday night.

Robinson, already playing MVP ball, tore up the Detroit Pistons with an all-around performance that netted him a quadruple-double, the fourth in NBA history.

The Spurs (37-14) picked up a franchise record 11th consecutive victory with the 115-96 triumph over the struggling Pistons (12-38).

The 115 points was a season-high for the Spurs.

I’m excited about it, the normally not-so-excitable Robinson said of his achievement. That was one of my goals. I’ve been close a couple of times, and I wanted to do it.

Robinson had 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks. Others who accomplished the feat were Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990, former Spur Alvin Robertson in 1986 and Nate Thurmond in 1974.

The center picked up the decisive 10th block when he rejected Lindsey Hunter’s 10-foot try in the lane with 5:21 left in the game.

He had his fourth triple-double of the season when he plucked a Sleepy Floyd miss out of mid-air and rammed it through the net.

The assists were generated by the general movement of his teammates.

They were cutting to the basket, making my job easier, said Robinson, who flicked the ball down inside for easy layups. The center had seven assists in the first half.

Robinson said he was well aware of how close he was.

How could I not know, with that bench stat crew we have, he said laughingly of the reserves. Everytime I came back to the bench, Jack (Haley) would yell, ‘two more blocks.’

Robinson amassed his 34 points through his usual power-finesse game of jumpers, jams and layups. He pumped his arms