Memorial Day Miracle
The Memorial Day Miracle is a game-winning three-point field goal by Sean Elliott in Game 2 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on May 31, 1999, Memorial Day.
The play
Portland, who narrowly lost Game 1, emphatically outplayed the Spurs in the first half of Game 2, taking a 48–34 lead. The Blazers then scored the first four points of the second half, forcing Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to call timeout. The Spurs then went on a 9–2 run (started by an Elliott 3) before Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy called time to break their momentum. However, the Spurs' run continued with 8 unanswered points to make it 54–51 (capped by another Elliott three) and to force Dunleavy to call another timeout. Stacey Augmon hit 2 free throws with 4:15 left in the quarter to finally end the Spurs' run.
The momentum went back and forth until Damon Stoudamire was fouled with 12 seconds left in the fourth. He hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 85–83. The Spurs called time to advance to half-court. After the time-out, Spurs guard Mario Elie inbounded the ball past a diving Augmon to forward Sean Elliott.
Elliott, who was privately battling an ailment that required kidney transplant surgery, caught the inbounds pass near the sideline. He stayed on his toes while turning to shoot a 3-pointer, careful not to set his heels down out of bounds which would have caused a turnover. With Rasheed Wallace running at him trying to block the shot, Elliott arched the ball over Wallace's outstretched hand and into the basket with 9 seconds left to give the Spurs an 86–85 lead.[1] Time expired after Portland failed to score, and the Spurs, who had trailed all game, celebrated on the court.
Significance
The "Miracle" designation relates to the combination of circumstances involved:
- Elliott played with a serious kidney condition and would likely have not been involved in the game had he gone through with the transplant surgery sooner.[2]
- The Spurs trailed by 18 (52–34) early in the third; more often than not, a lead like that holds up in a playoff game.
- The Spurs' last play succeeded despite a near steal by Augmon, near block by Wallace, and near turnover by Elliott.[3]
Aftermath
The Spurs won the last two in Portland for a four-game sweep, then defeated the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals 4 games to 1 to win their first NBA Title.
