By Brandon Zhu
On this day in 1975, the San Antonio Spurs, then members of the ABA, defeated the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks 109-107 in the first basketball game ever played in the Louisiana Superdome. Just one year later, in 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA. The initial fear of lackluster competition was quickly proven wrong when the new NBA teams showed that they were equally qualified and competitive. Since that initial game, the San Antonio Spurs have become a hallmark of success. In 42 seasons since joining the NBA, the Spurs have achieved a winning record 36 times, have appeared in the NBA playoffs 38 times, and have won five NBA Championships. Legendary players like George Gervin, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan led eras of success. The team won its most recent NBA championship in 2014 against the Miami Heat. The dominant 2014 Spurs were led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and their breakout star Kawhi Leonard.