The Spurs' preseason schedule had them playing in New York on Tuesday, Oct. 9 and then hosting the Celtics on Saturday, Oct. 13. Under normal circumstances, the team would arrive in the Big Apple Monday night and depart first thing Wednesday morning, with the goal of well-traveled NBA players always being as little time on the road as possible. But this time, the Spurs wanted to stay, to touch the New York City relief efforts with their own hands.

Charles Smith, Antonio Daniels and Tim Duncan discuss setting goals with NYC fifth graders at P.S. 64. Ray Amati/NBAE Photos

San Antonio head coach Gregg Poppovich and center David Robinson led a group of players and staff to the Command Center for the Ground Zero rescue workers. There the Spurs' entourage toured the center, thanking the workers and volunteers for their time and efforts.

A larger group of players headed toward Manhattan's Lower East Side to spend time reading and interacting with elementary school children at P.S. 64, located almost directly across from the devastation of Sept. 11's terrorist attacks.

Such is the proximity, that several of P.S. 64's students actually saw the second hijacked airplane hit the World Trade Center, principal Sandra Litrico explained to forward Tim Duncan, guard Steve Smith and their teammates upon their arrival. The school shook as the towers collapsed. Classes were cancelled three more days than any other elementary schools in the area and when the children could return, the air was still so heavy with smoke and dust, they had to wear facemasks.

Students, teachers and parents had spent the last month with social workers and guidance counselors, trying to learn how to cope with lives lost and lives forever changed. The presence of the Spurs players then, was another step in the healing process.

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"It's a wonderful time for them to actually be with (the students) and help them realize that there are struggles in life and you can go on with a new hope," Litrico said. "There's just been so much about these tragedies and this is so uplifting. These are superstars and they're wonderful. Not only do they promote sports, but they were also talking about the importance of education and how important it is to keep reading. So I think they're wonderful role models who bring a sense of hope, renewed hope."

"I thought it went great with kids," Duncan said. "Great just to have the opportunity to come out to the school and meet with the kids, especially in an area like this that was affected. We got to put a couple smiles on people's faces and have some fun with the kids."

The Spurs split up into different classrooms, reading to the younger students and talking about having dreams and setting goals with the older ones. The conversation in the latter was light for a while, with an inquiry for Duncan about dunking on Shaquille O'Neal (he has) and whether the players are excited about competing against Michael Jordan (they are). But then Spurs guard Antonio Daniels turned a question around to Ms. Krumme's fifth graders that sobered the room.

"How do you feel about what's going on in America now?"

New Spurs Steve Smith and Stephen Jackson read about pocket dogs to a second grade class at P.S. 64. Ray Amati/NBAE Photos

Hands went up in a hurry. The dominant response was "sad" in terms of the World Trade Center tragedy and "scared" about the new order of a country at war. But little by little, the confidence of youth began to emerge as the students saw the NBA stars reacting and responding to their opinions. And in the end, just as the players touched lives, so too were they touched.

"What those kids have done for me is to see that, you'd think kids like that would have more problems, but they're strong," Smith said. " I mean, they were really, really affected by (the attacks), living right here. It makes it easier for me to go about my day."

Spurs guard Stephen Jackson spent his rookie season last year with the New Jersey Nets and was anxious to get back to help his former community in person. But he acknowledged the difficulty in showing strength to children, when even adults now are scared and grieving.

"It's kind of hard telling them that things are going to get better," Jackson said. "But I think that just the fact of being there, letting these kids know that even though we're role models and basketball players, we always have time to come out and talk to them. We let them know that we're there for them, regardless of good or bad times, rough times, we're there for them. I think that gives them a little confidence that things will get better."

"There was a sparkle in their eyes again that hasn't been there in a long time, seriously," Litrico said of her students. "I mean, they were happy; they were laughing; they were excited. It really helped us to take this dreadful situation and have something uplifting. The timing was perfect."

The Spurs as well would eventually go home uplifted. The 84-71 preseason win over the Knicks a mere postscript for their real New York victory -- helping the city's healing process.