1998–99 NBA season
The NBA 1998/99 season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association. Due to a lockout, the regular season only began on 5 February 1999, as an agreement between the NBA and the players' union NBPA only could be achieved. At the regular season total of 29 teams took part. Each team completed 50 games. The eight best each conference qualified for the NBA playoffs. On 25 June, the season ended with the NBA Finals.
The San Antonio Spurs defeated in the NBA Finals, the New York Knicks 4-1 and were for the first time ever in the club's NBA champions.
Season notes
- The NBA and the players union reached an agreement only on January 18.
- Due to the lockout not only the regular season was shortened to 50 games. The preseason was shorter than usual. There were only two instead of eight preparation games for the NBA teams.
- This season was the rookie year of German Dirk Nowitzki. In 47 games, of which he was in the starting lineup of the Dallas Mavericks 24, he scored an average of 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds.
- Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz was the Most Valuable Player, the best players in the league selected.
- The "Twin Towers " of the San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson and power forward Tim Duncan led the team from Texas to a 37:13 balance, the best in the Western Conference; and finally in the NBA Finals. There they met the New York Knicks, who had come to the east after a 27:23 - season only just as if eight -placed the Conference in the play-offs.
End figures
W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = percentage share of victory, P = behind Division leaders
In parentheses are the rankings in the seedings of the respective Conference playoffs are listed.
Leading the Player Statistics
Play-offs 1999
The first play-off round was played in best- of-five format. All other rounds were best- of-seven series.
NBA Finals 1999
- Tim Duncan of the Spurs was elected Finals MVP.
- Steve Kerr was the first player ( with the exception of Celtics - members ), who won four consecutive championships. The sniper the Spurs won in the three years previously with the Chicago Bulls the title.
- The Spurs set on a new Final game attendance record. Game 2 visited a total of 39 554 fans in Game 1, it had already been 39 514 spectators.