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 Double trouble The Lone Star State all alone in NHL, NBA history
Posted: Saturday June 26, 1999 03:35 AM
By Ryan Hunt, CNN/SI They say everything is bigger in Texas. Now the Lone Star State has accomplished a mighty big feat in the NBA and NHL. With San Antonio's win in the NBA Finals, Texas became the first state to have teams win the NBA and NHL championships in the same year. Talk about the ultimate bragging rights. Texas already had possession of the Stanley Cup, thanks to the Dallas Stars' NHL title last week. Now the state can bask in the glory of accomplishing something four other states failed to do, including New York this year. In all, 10 times teams from the same state have tried to sweep the titles. In fact, New York teams have been in this position four times. But of the eight finalists, only the 1994 Rangers were able to win a title. Massachusetts, or more specifically Boston, has had three cracks at the Finals daily double (1951, 1958 and 1974). The Celtics won the championship twice in those three years, but the Bruins went 0-for-3.
Chicago was the state of Illinois representative in 1992. The Bulls won the title that year, but the Blackhawks failed. Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) is the only other city/state to have teams in the hockey and basketball finals in the same season. Both the Flyers and Sixers lost in 1980. However, there is a historical precedent to the two-team, two-state battle. Again, New York was involved. In 1973, New York and California had two professional teams battling each other for the championships in baseball and basketball -- but the states split the championships. Oakland beat the New York Mets in the '73 World Series, while the New York Knicks beat the Los Angeles Lakers. But thanks to the Spurs and Stars, Texas has made history. Now all that's left are the two Texas-sized celebrations.
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