By Simon Fishler
SportsLine NBA Editor

Twelve consecutive playoff victories.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls never did it. Ditto for Larry Bird and his Boston Celtics, and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The sizzlin' San Antonio Spurs, with 12 consecutive postseason victories going into Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, have put together the greatest playoff run in NBA history, eclipsing the 1989 Lakers (11 wins in a row) for the most consecutive playoff victories.

Yet, they remain focused on the big prize.

"It's a nice run, it really is,'' said Spurs center David Robinson. "But now's not the time to really enjoy it. We have a lot of work left to do. The Knicks are a solid team."

It was the play of San Antonio big guys Tim Duncan (33 points, 16 rebounds) and Robinson (13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) that lifted the Spurs past the Knicks, 89-77, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. And the duo came up big in Game 2.

Duncan, in particular, was unstoppable inside as the undersized, injury-depleted Knicks had no answer for the 7-footer. Duncan made 13 of 21 shots in Game 1 and added 25 points in Game 2.

Duncan wasn't sympathetic of the Knicks' situation, but he did understand it's a tough go for New York without Patrick Ewing and a gimpy Larry Johnson.

"It's tough for them because they are hurt,'' Duncan said. "But they're a very physical team, and those guys can do a job on us on any given night."

WHILE DUNCAN AND THE SPURS APPEAR LOCKED IN ON THEIR FIRST NBA TITLE, it was another disappointing exit for the Indiana Pacers.

The Knicks' defeat of the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, 4-2, was the fourth time the Pacers have lost in the East finals this decade.

David Robinson and the Spurs look to make it an even dozen Friday.(AP)

Reggie Miller has a reputation as one of the best clutch shooters in the NBA, but in the deciding game against the Knicks he was a dud.

Miller made just 3 of 18 shots. He missed his last five shots of the game and did not score a field goal in the final 21 minutes. Miller, who had trouble breaking free from the Knicks the whole series, didn't pull any punches about his performance after the final game.

"Horrendous," Miller said, referring to his play. "Horrendous."

Sizzlin' ... the countdown

5. Joe D

The Pistons hired the retired Joe Dumars, one of the classiest guys in the NBA, as the team's vice president of player personnel. Dumars, who won two championships with the Pistons, will try to help Detroit climb back to the top.

4. Good for him

Let's hear it for Jaren Jackson, one of the little guys who made it big on the bright stage of the NBA Finals. In Game 1, Jackson was the perfect outside complement to the Spurs' twin towers, drilling five 3-pointers and finishing with 17 points. The Spurs are the first team Jackson has been with for consecutive seasons. In his first seven years in the league, he bounced between seven teams, and was waived four times.

3. Hot hand

The Knicks' Allan Houston scorched the Pacers for 32 points on 12-for-17 shooting in the clinching game of the Eastern Conference Finals, picking up the slack for the out-of-action Patrick Ewing and the injured Larry Johnson, who went down in the first half of the game. He then had a solid Game 1 of the Finals, scoring 19 points.

2. The zen of babysitting

The Lakers hire Phil Jackson as head coach. Jackson's first task: assimilating the word T-E-A-M into Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's vocabulary.

1. Making playoff history

Granted there's no M.J., but the Spurs' run is still pretty impressive.

Fizzlin' ... the countdown

5. No Smits?

Not only did the Pacers miss out on perhaps their best shot at an NBA title, they might lose center Rik Smits to retirement. The Dutch center reportedly is thinking about calling it quits.

4. Where's the point

Knicks point guards Charlie Ward and Chris Childs were a combined 4 of 14 from the field, scored nine points and had six assists in Game 1 of the Finals.

3. Gimpy frontcourt

With a healthy frontline the Knicks would have a difficult time playing with the Spurs' Tim Duncan and David Robinson. With Patrick Ewing out, Larry Johnson playing at 50 percent and Marcus Camby dinged up, the Spurs' twin towers hammered the Knicks inside for 46 points and 25 rebounds.

2. Make up your mind, kid

Lamar Odom apparently wants out of the NBA draft so he can return to play for Rhode Island. This after signing with an agent. Hmm, playing for the Vancouver Grizzlies (drafting No. 2) couldn't be that bad, could it?

1. Miller's misery

Spike Lee could've done better than Reggie Miller's 3-for-18 shooting in Game 6 of East finals.