Spurs Opening night observations: Samuel L. Jackson bleeds black & silver

Oct 29, 2014, 4:26pm CDT

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The San Antonio Spurs capped off the celebration for their 2014 NBA title with a season-opening victory over Dallas.

W. Scott Bailey: Reporter/Project Coordinator- San Antonio Business Journal; Email | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook

The only way the San Antonio Spurs could have topped a single-point victory over Dallas in game one of their championship defense would have been to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and their new/old star — LeBron James.

You may remember James, the alleged king of the NBA, who left Miami to take his talents back to Ohio after the Heat were blistered by the Spurs 4-1 in the 2014 championship series. While the Spurs were relishing their season-opening win, LeBron was back in Cleveland, answering questions about his relationship with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.

Here are some observations about opening night at AT&T Center and the Spurs' chances of winning back-to-back titles:

• If anyone doubted Samuel L. Jackson's NBA allegiances, the award-winning actor, who has appeared in several films, including "Pulp Fiction" and "Coach Carter," set the record straight on Tuesday. It was Jackson who, because of his appreciation of the Spurs, agreed to narrate the video introduction for the team's season-opening festivities.

• Spurs players, coaches and staff who were part of the team's 2014 title run received championship rings on Tuesday. So did fans who attended the season opener. We're not talking about some throwaway item here. The commemorative jewelry is nicer than my high school class ring. Hopefully, I won't lose this one at a Fleetwood Mac concert. Some fans are seeking more than $200 for their rings on eBay.

• Spurs staff hung flags over the main entrance to AT&T Center for every country represented on the team's roster. It was a nice touch and an excellent reminder of just how diverse the organization is — on and off the court. No NBA team has more international players on their 2014-2015 roster than the Black & Silver.

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W. Scott Bailey covers health care, tourism, sports business, economic development; he also plans and edits some special reports.

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