Game 5: San Antonio wins at New York, 78-77. After three quarters, the score was 59-58 against New York. The last time in best-of-7 NBA playoffs history that the home team trailed 59-58 after three quarters through '98 involved the New York Knicks in the 1997 NBA Qtrs Game 3, at home vs. Miami; New York rallied to win that game, 77-73. The last time in best-of-7 NBA Finals that the home team trailed by one after three quarters through '98 involved the New York Knicks in 1994 Game 4, at home vs. Houston; New York rallied to win that game, 91-82. The NBA Finals series record of New York falls to 2-6; that of San Antonio improves to 1-0.

Game 4: San Antonio wins at New York, 96-89. Twice before have the Spurs opened a best-of-7 playoff series with two wins at home and a loss and win on the road (in the 1979 Qtrs vs. Philadelphia; in the 1995 Qtrs vs. the Lakers): The Spurs won the 1979 series in seven games, and won the 1995 series in six games. Three times before have the Knicks opened a best-of-7 playoff series with two losses on the road and a win and a loss at home (in the 1990 Qtrs vs. Detroit; in the 1996 Qtrs vs. Chicago; in the 1998 Qtrs vs. Indiana): The Knicks lost each series in five games. New York's record in Game 4 of the Finals falls to 4-4.

Game 3: New York wins vs. San Antonio, 89-81. Considering the 1500 best-of-7 format NBA playoff games from 1947 through 1998, this game was the first to have a final score of 89-81. New York's record in Game 3 of the Finals improves to 3-5.

Game 2: San Antonio wins vs. New York, 80-67. In Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the Bulls in Chicago also led by 5 points after both the first and second quarters; Chicago defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers in that game, 107-86. New York's record in Game 2 of the Finals falls to 3-5.

Game 1: San Antonio wins vs. New York, 89-77. Only once before has a best-of-7 format NBA playoff game ended 89-77: In Game 3 of the 1979 Qtrs, the Washington Bullets defeated the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta by that score. New York's record in Game 1 of a best-of-7 Finals falls to 3-5.

Pre-series history. In NBA best-of-7 Finals action, the San Antonio Spurs' series record is 0-0 and the New York Knicks' series record is 2-5; San Antonio's game record is 0-0 and New York's game record is 19-24 (44.19%).

San Antonio finished 10 games ahead of New York in the 1998-99 NBA regular season.

In previous NBA best-of-7 Finals action, the team with the 10-game lead has a series record of 2-1.

In previous best-of-7 action in all NBA playoff rounds, the team with the 10-game lead has a series record of 11-3 (78.57%).

In previous best-of-7 action in all NHL, NBA, and MLB playoff rounds, the team with the 10-game lead has a series record of 16-7 (69.57%).