1991 NBA West R1 G3 San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, May 1, 1991, Run TMC Gets W no Pizza

SAS 106, GSW 109 - Before the Seven Seconds or Less Suns, before the Splash Brothers came along, three scoring sensations gave Golden State a revolutionary, wide-open offense with a catchy name, Run TMC, the most electrifying, ahead-of-its time, hipster-celebrated trio in NBA history. They didn’t just win many games; they provided a lot of pizza. Run TMC reigned as Warriors back when tickets were affordable to longtime fans, before Steph and KD, the dynasty and the plans for the $1 billion new arena. In the Western Conference First Round of the 1991 NBA playoffs, Game 3 saw the San Antonio Spurs face off against the 7th-seeded Golden State Warriors at the Warriors' home court. The Spurs had secured a victory in Game 1 with a 130–121 win, but the series took a turn as they lost the subsequent three games, culminating in their elimination. On May 1, 1991, the Warriors claimed a thrilling 109–106 victory, propelling them to the next round and marking a significant achievement for the team. Players of the game: The Run TMC. Mitch Richmond: 27 PTS, 12-17 FGM, 71 FG%, 2-2 3PM, 2 REB, 3 AST, 1 BLK Tim Hardaway: 22 PTS, 8-15 FGM, 53 FG%, 3-4 3PM, 3-4 FTM, 8 REB, 11 AST, 1 STL Chris Mullin: 22 PTS, 9-14 FGM, 64 FG%, 4-5 FTM, 7 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK This series represented the zenith of the "Run TMC" era for Golden State, as Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond, and Tim Hardaway led their team to an unexpected playoff triumph. The victory was a notable upset, showcasing the Warriors' ability to overcome higher-seeded opponents. This win would be Golden State's last playoff series victory until their resurgence in 2007, making it a memorable moment in their franchise history. The standout performers of the game were the Run TMC trio. Mitch Richmond led with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting, maintaining an impressive 71% field goal percentage, and added 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block. Tim Hardaway contributed 22 points, shooting 53% from the field with 8 rebounds, 11 assists, and a steal. Chris Mullin also scored 22 points, shooting 64% from the field, along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Their combined efforts were crucial in securing the series victory over the Spurs. Run TMC Fun Facts: Coached by Don Nelson, who was also inducted into the Hall of Fame, the Warriors played a fast-paced, run-and-gun style, and Run (T)im (M)itch (C)hris (TMC) was the league's highest-scoring trio in the 1990–91 season. Despite their short time together, the popularity of Run TMC endured. In the 1989-90 season, the Warriors led the NBA in scoring with 116.3 points per game, the first season that Hardaway, Richmond, and Mullin played together. During that year, Mullin averaged 25.1 points, Richmond 22.1 points, and Hardaway 14.7 points. The following season, 1990-91, the All-Star trio reached even greater heights, with Mullin averaging 25.7 points, Richmond 23.9 points, and Hardaway 22.9 points. For context, Run TMC's average of 116.3 points per game with a pace of 107.3 was even faster than today's high-tempo teams. The 2023-24 Wizards and Pacers, for example, averaged 102.6 and 101.7 pace, respectively. Remarkably, Run TMC achieved their 116.3 points per game with just 8 three-point attempts on average. They were constantly pushing the pace and running the floor on every possession. In the opening matchup of the 1990-91 season, Run TMC beat the Nuggets, 162-158, in what remains as the highest-scoring non-overtime game in league history. For every home game that the Warriors win and score over 120 points, everyone in the arena would get a free pizza. You can imagine how the pizza place’s manager felt when the Warriors won their season opener vs. Denver 162–158. That remains the highest-scoring game without overtime in NBA history. The Warriors would score 120 or more twenty times that season. That’s a lot of pizza. 13,993 fans x 20 games = 279,860 pizzas in one season.