Ray Pedroncelli has been a fan of the Spurs since David Robinson joined the team in 1989. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

Ray Pedroncelli was only nine years old when he decided the Spurs were his team. Undeterred by the fact that he lives 2,000 miles from San Antonio -- and overlooking the nearby New Jersey Nets -- the Southington, Connecticut, native became a fan of the Silver and Black as soon as David Robinson joined the team in 1989. “It’s just how he is as a person. He’s great in and out of the league. He supports local charities, and is just an all-around good guy,” said Pedroncelli. “I’ve always been impressed by the Spurs defense too.”

Growing up, Pedroncelli, who is now 24, always dreamed of seeing the Spurs in person. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, he got his wish.

After securing tickets to the game, he and a friend drove a little over two hours from his Connecticut home to see his first Spurs game, which also happened to be his first NBA game. “I definitely think we’re going to win it all this year, just because I hate the ‘asterisk’,” he said, referring to the 1999 Spurs championship in the lockout-shortened season. “I think we’re going to win it in six games. I’m going to stick with our trend of beating the last three teams in six. Another reason for six is because David [Robinson] deserves to win it in front of his home fans.”

But not every Spurs fan at the game was a lifetime supporter like Pedroncelli. Many fans have been drawn to the team recently because of exciting new players.

Maria Bourel shows her Argentine pride for Manu Ginobili. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

Maria Bourel, 26, a native of Argentina, came to the game to support her favorite Spur player and fellow countryman, Manu Ginobili. She proudly draped herself in a large homemade cloth flag with the words “Vamos Manu” [Let’s Go Manu] printed on top. “I love Manu,” she said with a smile. “He’s [in] all the headlines in Argentina. People really love him there.” She also predicted that the Spurs would win the series, but was more concerned with getting a glimpse of her favorite player and perhaps a chance to give him the flag she made. “Manu es un orgullo nacional,” she said, explaining that all of Argentina is very proud of Ginobili.

Gill Gonzalez (left), Luis and Norma Navedo, and Terri Hernandez came from El Paso to cheer for the Spurs. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

For Gill Gonzalez, there was only one reason he came all the way from El Paso to see his team play in Game 3…“for the win.” Gonzalez, 44, says his favorite player is Malik Rose, “because he’s a hard worker. He works his tail off and goes up against the giants,” he said. Gonzalez came to the game with Luis Navedo, Norma Navedo, and Terri Hernandez – all from the Lone Star State. They all predicted the Spurs will win the series in five games.

Joe Rocha. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

“I bleed black and silver,” said Joe Rocha, 35, from Cibolo, Texas said. Like a growing number of fans, Rocha said he likes “Ginobili as a player because he changes the game. [Tim] Duncan is my favorite, but that’s such an easy pick. I love every one of them. I would wear every one of their t-shirts if I could,” he shouted unabashedly into the intimidating Nets crowd. One exuberant Nets fan who was wearing a Jason Kidd jersey turned to a Spurs fan sitting behind him at the beginning of the game and screamed “I hope you didn’t pay too much for those seats, because all you’re going to see tonight is this!” pointing to the number 5 on the back of his jersey.

In the final minutes of the game, after it became apparent that the Spurs had wrapped up the victory, Spurs fans became more confident in their predictions. Perhaps knowing that in previous Finals tied at 1-1, the team winning Game 3 has gone on to win the last eight times, helped fuel the fire.

Mark Melendez (right) with his sons. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

“I think the Spurs will win this thing 4-2, if not 4-1,” said Mark Melendez, 24, who was born in El Paso but has lived in the New York area for the past three years. He considers himself a “die-hard” fan of the Spurs and says his favorite player is Tony Parker “because he’s the catalyst of the team. He plays great off the pick-and-roll, and gets the defense in a lot of bad positions.”

Don Bonnin, with son Michael, won tickets to the game. (Brody/NBAE/Getty Images)

And while some Spurs fans planned extensive road trips to the New Jersey area weeks in advance, serendipity played a role for Don Bonnin, 41, and his son Michael. They won a pair of tickets from a San Antonio radio station. Michael, who plays the guard position on his basketball team, says both Tony Parker and Stephen Jackson are his favorite players. Bonnin predicted that the Spurs would come out on fire in the next game [on Wednesday]. “They’ll win by at least 12 and take the series in five games,” he said.

For Spurs fans in New Jersey, whose hopes and wishes were realized when San Antonio defeated New Jersey in Game 3, there was only one thing better than seeing the victory in New Jersey. “I definitely hope to make it to San Antonio someday,” said Pedroncelli, who predicted the Spurs to win the series in six games. “Maybe I’ll go down there for Game 6 to see David Robinson go out like the champion he is.”