After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.
[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout.
[22][26][25] After a promising rookie season from second-year star Tim Duncan, the Spurs got off to a slow start posting a 6–8 record in February.
[34][35][36][37] In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Spurs' "Twin Towers" of Duncan and Robinson outplayed Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant as they swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games.
[45][46][47][48][49] The Spurs went on to sweep the Trail Blazers in four straight games, becoming the first former American Basketball Association (ABA) team to play in the NBA Finals.
[61] On June 24, 1998, the Spurs traded Carl Herrera and first-round draft pick Felipe Lopez to the Vancouver Grizzlies for guard Antonio Daniels.
2 Jackson | 4 Kerr | 6 Johnson | 17 Elie | 21 Duncan (Finals MVP) | 25 Kersey | 31 Rose | 32 Elliott | 33 Daniels | 41 Perdue | 50 Robinson | 54 King | Coach Popovich