The last time the NBA was in a lockout in 1999, it resulted in a shortened season with the San 
Antonio Spurs marching to their first NBA title as they finished off the New York Knicks in five games.
It also led to former NBA coach Phil Jackson labeling the Spurs’ first title with one word which will forever drive Spurs fans insane — “asterisk.”
And after 12 years, Jackson is still talking about poking fun at San Antonio’s first NBA crown.
In an interview ESPN Chicago (via sportsradiointerviews.com), Jackson spoke on the current lockout and discussed how the 1999 season was patched together and as if right on queue, he brought up the Spurs and the asterisk comment.
New York finished 8th that year and obviously an up-and-coming San Antonio team, which turned out to be quite a great team, but those were the teams that ended up in the finals, but when teams would play 18-19 games in the last month of the season it broke down some of the older steady teams because of that impact of a heavy schedule. I always kind of term that as an asterisk season out of this fun at poking fun at San Antonio.
Even in retirement you still can’t let it go can you Jackson?
This is typical Jackson Spurs fans have dealt with since he was in the league and especially duringthe intense Spurs-Lakers rivalry so it might not be that shocking.
What is sort of surprising is how Jackson admits the Spurs’ 1999 title team was a great team.Is that actual praise coming out of his mouth?
What do you have to say Spurs fans? Does it still boil you when someone throws the “asterisk” comment at the Spurs first title?
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