Back in the early 2000’s, the rivalry between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers was very heated.
Phil Jackson made things so much worse when he stated the Spurs 1999 NBA Championship had an asterisk next to it because of the shortened season that resulted in just 50 regular season games.
According to Project Spurs’ Jeff Garcia:
“[Jackson] has never been one to shy from taking verbal jabs at the San Antonio Spurs. Ever since he’s been in the league (and especially when he was with the Lakers during the Spurs-Laker rivalry) he has called the Spurs out for having a asterisk title in 1999, and even gone far to say the Spurs have a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ style of play.”
The following year, Robinson was selected to be at the all-star game, and when Jackson stuck out his hand for a shake, he got greeted with a stone faced Robinson who walked right by him and proceeded to greet everybody else.
Jackson once made it clear that he doesn’t consider the San Antonio Spurs a dynasty, according to Newsday’s Al Iannazzone:
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
“Tim Duncan making the salary he’s making after being part of a dynasty—not a dynasty, I wouldn’t call San Antonio a dynasty—a force, a great force. They haven’t been able to win consecutive championships but they’ve always been there. San Antonio has had a wonderful run through Tim’s tenure there as a player. He’s agreed to take a salary cut so other players can play with him so they can be this good. And that’s the beginning of team play.”
Shaq echoed similar comments about the Spurs having an asterisk as well just last week. It may have a lot to do with the Lakers being swept by the Spurs in the playoffs that season.
