What is the "Black Eight" miracle in the NBA?

It is the eighth-ranked team in the playoffs to eliminate the first-ranked team in the first round of the playoffs. It is a black eight miracle. Because the ranking is based on the regular season Determined by record, there is generally a certain gap between the strength of the first and eighth place, so it is called a miracle.

The Knicks are called the Black Eight Miracle

The Black Eight Miracle is Related to the schedule of NBA finals games. Since the NBA divisions are Eastern and Western, each with 8 teams, the team that gets the last ticket is often very lucky. According to the competition arrangement, the 8th place team will face the first place team in the division. It is extremely difficult and the hope of winning is very slim. It can be said that it is a bit incredible that the 8th place picked the 1st place, so it is also called the "Black Eight Miracle".

The 1998-99 season was a troubled year. The protracted labor dispute not only made the All-Star Weekend a waste, but also shortened the regular season to 50 games. Even so, the New York Knicks created the "Black Eight Legend" . The Knicks, eighth in the Eastern Conference, made it all the way to the finals, but their opponent was the Spurs. The cost of creating the "Black Eight Miracle" is huge. The Knicks have long been scarred, and "Gorilla" Ewing is unable to play because of a heel injury. The imbalance of power in the penalty area between the two sides gives the Spurs an overwhelming advantage. But no bystander in the league dares to look down on the Knicks, especially the teams eliminated by the Knicks, all hope to see the Spurs capsize in the gutter.

In the first game, which kicked off in San Antonio, Duncan made 13 of 21 shots and scored 33 points and 16 rebounds. Although Robinson only made 3 of 10 shots, he had 13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Performance. Veteran guerrilla player Jaren Jackson could only average 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in the regular season, but in this game, he made 5 of 10 three-pointers and scored 17 points. He became the Spurs' surprise player and eventually helped the Spurs defeat 89-77. The Knicks got off to a good start. For the Knicks, "Madman" Sprewell and "Central Shooting King" Houston each contributed 19 points. Kurt Thomas also scored 13 points and 16 rebounds, but they were unable to stop the Spurs' chariot wheels and eventually collapsed.

The second game was still at the Spurs' home court, and the Knicks were in complete chaos. Facing the Spurs' outstanding defense, the New Yorkers couldn't find the basket at all. Duncan was as stable as ever, scoring 25 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. Robinson added 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks. The Twin Towers teamed up to make the penalty area impregnable. The Spurs eventually won 80-67, shooting 42.9% from the field, while the Knicks only had 32.9%. Sprewell contributed a team-high 26 points.

Back in the third game at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Knicks started to show their strength in the backcourt. Houston scored 34 points. Sprewell was not to be outdone, with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, helping the entire team. The team came back 89-81. In this battle, Duncan had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Robinson had 25 points and 10 rebounds. However, the team was completely confused in passing the ball and made 20 turnovers, twice as many as the Knicks. The entire Spurs team almost watched Houston change the score with 15-foot mid-range shots. From the beginning to the end, the Knicks always maintained the lead, leaving no chance for the Spurs.

In the fourth game, the proud Madison Garden finally fell. Duncan had 28 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. Robinson had 14 points and 17 rebounds, including 9 offensive rebounds. Mario Elie did not show any weakness and scored 18 points and 6 rebounds. The Spurs defeated New York 96-89 on the road. Sprewell scored 26 points for the Knicks, and Camby scored 20 points and 13 rebounds. But everyone can see that the Spurs are only one step away from the championship.

The last game was still in New York. The Spurs seemed to have no intention of moving the championship ceremony back to San Antonio. Duncan scored 31 points and 9 rebounds, and Robinson contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds. However, Sprewell refused to admit defeat. He scored 35 points and 10 rebounds, leading his teammates to resist tenaciously. 47 seconds before the end, "Little General" Johnson (now the Mavericks coach) hit an 18-foot baseline jumper, setting up the Spurs' final 78-77 victory. After the game, Johnson was so excited that he was incoherent: "This is a real-life example of never giving up. Who still remembers that the Nuggets fired me on Christmas Eve? Who still remembers that the Spurs called me during Robinson's wedding to inform me that I was waived? I can still It’s incredible to stand here and speak, I don’t even know what to say.”

With the big score of 4-1, the Spurs won the 1999 championship.

Afterwards, some good sports commentators questioned the gold content of this ring. The reason is that the shortened season has prevented some excellent teams from finding a competitive rhythm, and the "Black Eight Legend" has caused the Eastern Conference champion Knicks to be far inferior to the Western Conference champion Spurs. But no one can deny that the Spurs' journey to the championship was equally thrilling and soul-stirring. This is "Admiral" Robinson's first ring, but it also means that the peaceful transition from the "Admiral Era" to the "Stone Buddha Era" has officially begun