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San Antonio Spurs fans are looking for their rabbit feet and other good-luck charms as the Spurs face elimination in a win-or-go-home Finals game Saturday night against the New York Knicks.
There is still a glimmer of hope among fans that the Spurs can win their sixth NBA championship.
The team must win out now to claim an NBA championship.
The task is daunting. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals and win the championship.
Fans are pulling out all the stops as the Spurs try to extend their season against the Knicks in a matchup that pits one of the NBA's smallest markets against one of its largest.
Cayla Moore has a unique way of dealing with the stress associated with this tense series, which has featured several narrow Spurs losses and the Knicks' historic 29-point comeback victory in Game 4.
"I watch everything up to the second quarter and then I take a break from the second quarter. And then I only come back at the fourth quarter because, you know, third quarter, what do you call it, jitters I get," Moore said.
Elizabeth Provencio has a game-time ritual she likes to follow.
"When they're on a streak and doing well, I don't change my seat. Don't change anything I'm wearing, so we can keep the vibe going and help them ride that wave all the way to a win," Provencio said.
Deborah Garcia believes she brings the team luck with jewelry.
"I wear a Spurs bracelet, and I won't forget to wear it when I go to see games," Garcia said.
Some fans are also turning to prayer.
Tracey Calvert brings the team good mojo the same way as the Salesian Sisters from St. John Bosco, who went viral on social media for their courtside prayers during the playoffs.
"Just pray. That's all you can do," Calvert said with a laugh.Frankie Martinez said he has more than one superstition when watching games at home.
"You have to wear the same shirt you were wearing when they won. Drink the same drink. Have the same people over," Martinez said.
Martinez said there is a sense of family around the team in a city often referred to as a big small town. He said Spurs fans share a bond that reminds him of the loyalty associated with Green Bay Packers fans.
"It means everything," Martinez said of the love the city has for the team. "The Spurs feed off the fans. The fans feed off the Spurs. It brings the city together.”
Nerves are running high among Spurs fans. But even if the Spurs fall short this year, some fans said they remain optimistic that the team's young core, led by superstar Victor Wembanyama, can bring home the franchise's sixth championship in the years ahead.
