Schedule and 2005-06 Results
Regular Season Records: San Antonio 63-19, Sacramento 44-38
Game 1 on Saturday, 22 April: Sacramento loses at San Antonio, 122-pts-88
Game 2 on Tuesday, 25 April: Sacramento loses at San Antonio, 128-pts-119 (OT)
Game 3 on Friday, 28 April: San Antonio loses at Sacramento, 94-pts-93
Game 4 on Sunday, 30 April: San Antonio loses at Sacramento, 102-pts-84
Game 5 on Tuesday, 02 May: Sacramento loses at San Antonio, 109-pts-98
Game 6 on Friday, 05 May: San Antonio wins at Sacramento, 105-pts-83

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: Securing the first road victory in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Sacramento Kings 105-pts-83 to win series 976, 4-games-2. The series victory improves the San Antonio best-of-7 playoff series record to 18-13, while the series loss downgrades the Sacramento best-of-7 playoff series record to 3-6. The win order for series 976 was WWLLWW for the victorious San Antonio Spurs: Series 976 thus becomes the second NBA Preliminary-round series, the 23rd NBA series (all rounds), and the 58th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order.

After Game 5: Through five games, best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976 is identical to series 973 (Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls) in that the home team has won every game. In series 976 Game 5, the San Antonio Spurs hosted and defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-pts-98 to take a series 976 lead of 3-games-2. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the San Antonio Spurs have an 8-1 series record with a seven-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Sacramento Kings have a perfect 0-2 series record.

After Game 4: Tying best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976 at 2-games-all, the Sacramento Kings hosted and defeated the San Antonio Spurs 102-pts-84. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the San Antonio Spurs have a 5-5 series record, while the Sacramento Kings have a perfect 0-3 series record.

After Game 3: With best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976 having shifted to Sacramento for Games 3 and 4, the Kings hosted and defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-pts-93 to halve the Spurs' series 976 lead to 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the San Antonio Spurs have a series record of 11-2. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Sacramento Kings have a series record of 0-3.

After Game 2: The San Antonio Spurs hosted and defeated the Sacramento Kings 129-pts-118 in overtime, thereby taking a 2-games-nil best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-nil, the San Antonio Spurs have a 12-1 series record with a three-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-nil, the Sacramento Kings have a perfect 0-2 series record. The Spurs and Kings combined for 129+118=247 points in series 976 Game 2; series 976 Game 2 thus becomes the highest total scoring best-of-7 format NBA Preliminary-round playoff game since the NBA adopted the best-of-7 format for its Preliminary round in 2003. Series 976 Game 2 is also the highest total-scoring Game 2 among NBA best-of-7 playoff series since series 593 Game 2, in which the Golden State Warriors visited and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 125-pts-124 (249 total points) in the 1991 NBA Quarterfinals.

After Game 1: The San Antonio Spurs hosted and defeated the Sacramento Kings 122-pts-88 to take a 1-game-nil best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 976 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the San Antonio Spurs have a 14-3 series record with a three-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Sacramento Kings have a perfect 0-3 series record. From 1947 through 2005, NBA teams winning Game 1 of a best-of-7 playoff series by 34 or more points have a 7-3 series record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2005-06 regular season, San Antonio finished 19 games ahead of Sacramento. Through the 2005 MLB Finals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 19 regular-season games, they have posted a 4-0 (1.000) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 976 is the ninth best-of-7 NBA playoff series for Sacramento, and the 31st for San Antonio. In best-of-7 NBA playoff series, Sacramento has a 3-5 series record, a 2-1 Prelim-round series record, and a 5-3 Game 1 record, while San Antonio has a 17-13 series record, a 3-0 Prelim-round record, and a 17-13 Game 1 record. Series 976 is the first NBA best-of-7 playoff meeting between the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs.