Here is some random information heading into Game 1 on Thursday.
- Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan are 3-0 in the Finals. Duncan was the MVP all 3 times, defeating three different opponents (Knicks, Nets, Pistons).
- Robert Horry is 6-0 in the Finals. His Western Conference teams (Rockets, Lakers, Spurs) defeated six different East teams (Knicks, Magic, Pacers, 76ers, Nets, Pistons). Furthermore, all 6 Finals MVP awards were won by big men: Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal.
- In Duncan's 10 seasons, the Spurs have never missed the Playoffs. In five of the six years his teams didn't make the Finals, the Spurs were eliminated by the eventual Western Conference Champions. Due to injury, Duncan missed the playoffs in 2000.
- In 15 seasons, every team Horry has played for has made the playoffs. However, Horry did not play in the playoffs in 1996-'97 (Lakers, Suns).
- Popovich is the longest standing coach in Spurs history.
- Phil Jackson and Pat Riley are the only two active coaches who have won more NBA titles as Head Coach than Popovich.
- Mike Brown leads all Cavaliers coaches with 19 games won in the playoffs. His 19-10 mark makes him the only Cavs coach over .500 in the postseason. Lenny Wilkens went 18-23, Bill Fitch 7-11, Mike Fratello 2-12, and George Karl 1-3 while coaching the Cavs.
- The Cleveland Rebels made the playoffs once but have no affiliation with the current Cleveland team.
- Magic Johnson made the playoffs in all 13 of his seasons. He played in the playoffs all 13 years and went 5-4 in the Finals. Larry Bird also made the playoffs in all 13 of his seasons. However, he missed the playoffs once due to injury (1988-'89) and went 3-2 in the Finals.
- For the first time since 1993-'94, the NBA Finals will not consist of a team with Shaq or a team that defeated Shaq in the playoffs. In those 12 years, 9 of the Champions either had Shaq or defeated Shaq during the playoffs (including the Finals). Shaq is 4-2 in the Finals.
- From 1985-'86 to 1997-'98, the East was represented by Michael Jordan and the Bulls or a team that eliminated them in all but one year, when Jordan was temporarily retired (1993-'94). However, the Jordan-less Bulls fell to the Eastern Conference Champion Knicks that season. Jordan went 6-0 in the Finals.