MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 16, 1999

A crazy, unpredictable NBA season will have an appropriate crazy, unpredictable matchup in the Finals.

When San Antonio and New York tip off tonight in Game One, it will start a series between two contrasting teams, one that some expected to be there before the season started and one that few expected to contend for a playoff spot much less a championship.

The Knicks made the playoffs as the No. 8 seed out of the East. Few gaveNew York a chance in its first round series against top-seeded Miami. Andwith seconds left in Game 5 and Miami up by one, it appeared the Knicks’ season was over.

But there was Allan Houston throwing up a last second jumper that bounced in, advancing the Knicks to the second round. After a sweep ofAtlanta, New York pulls another surprise, upsetting Indiana in six games to advance to the Finals.

This was a team that saw its general manager demoted and its coach on the hot seat throughout the season. One that had the team president lookinto the possibility of Phil Jackson becoming coach during the season. Onethat had its best player, Patrick Ewing, go down with a season-ending injury in Game 2 against Indiana.

But players like Houston, Marcus Cambry and Latrell Sprewell, all whom had been criticized during the season, stepped up in the postseason. TheKnicks also won when they had to, going 6-2 on the road in the playoffs.

The team that the Knicks will face in the Finals, San Antonio, overcame a slow start to become the league’s hottest team over the last half of the season. Like Knicks’ coach Jeff Van Gundy, there were rumors that Spurscoach Gregg Popovich’s job was on the line before the team’s turnaround.

The Spurs are led by Tim Duncan, perhaps the true MVP in the league this season. David Robinson is still a force inside, combining with Duncan togive the Spurs perhaps the best front court in the league. Add players likeAvery Johnson and Sean Elliott and its easy to see why the Spurs are the favorites to win the title.

San Antonio takes a 10-game postseason winning streak into tonight’s game, having swept Los Angeles and Portland in the past two series. TheSpurs should be well rested, having had nine days off since defeating the Trail Blazers. San Antonio also holds the home-court advantage in theseries.

The Knicks, on the other hand, come into the series off an emotional series against the Pacers. Besides Ewing, New York could also be without LarryJohnson who was injured in Game 6 of the Indiana series.

Without Ewing and Johnson, the Knicks will have a hard time inside against Robinson and Duncan. That leaves New York having to depend on theerratic Sprewell shooting from the outside. Sprewell is capable of scoring30 points but he also is capable of getting in quick foul territory as he did in Game Four.

San Antonio looks like a solid favorite. But in this unpredictable post-lockout, post-Jordan season, anything is possible.

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