When LeBron James joined the Miami Heat he declared they'd win multiple titles (the much quoted not one, not two crap). Heat are hell bent on making the finals every year (with all the talent they have) but the question rings, do they have what it takes to be champions?
Entering the Spurs series, James swaggered himself telling the press he is about "50% better" than when he first met the Spurs in 2007. In three games, LeBron has yet to show me that he did indeed improve a lot in six years. His numbers are telling 18, 17 and 15. These numbers are underwhelming, in fact it's shrinking. In Game 3 it is noticeable that James didn't have the confidence to make a shot anymore. Had the Spurs didn't softened it's defense on the third quarter James wouldn't even reach double figure scoring.
For all the talent he has it's disappointing to see James dip this far. Skip Bayless even tweeted: LeBron is great in garbage time. Ouch!
There are calls for James to take over the games, much like what Michael Jordan did in his heyday. James is averaging a disappointing 16.7 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists at 38% shooting. Clearly this is not enough.
He said it himself on an interview he needs to be better than Michael Jordan if he wants to be called great, with this showing, add the lousy showing he had in 2007 and 2011 that vision seems too far out for him. He needs to do something with his play. Michael Jordan's playground is the Finals.
For a guy who claims to be king his claim to throne is already slipping away. The Jury is out LeBron.
It was June 1997. Utah was out to challenge Chicago for NBA supremacy, The Jazz team were newbies up against the veteran championship fixture. Michael was the predator, and in these games he relishes the moment to proclaim his greatness anew.
It's no wonder that with the game on the line Utah's best player choked; With Scottie Pippen psyching Malone out, telling him "Just remember, the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl," while Malone was at the free throw line. He missed both free throws and the Bulls rebounded and quickly called a time-out. With the game on the line, Chicago put the ball into the hands of Michael Jordan. M.J. dribbled out most of the waning seconds and then launched a 20 footer that swished in at the buzzer, as the Chicago Bulls took the first game of the 1997 NBA Finals. And it happened 3 more times during the course of the six-game series, one of them was the infamous "flu" game in Game 5. Utah lost.
Failure.
And it was that first finals game that served as omen that will prevail until the next year when Utah would again meet Chicago in the Finals. Utah this time had the homecourt advantage. They won game 1 lost the 2nd, will lose badly in game 3 (by a total of 42 points), lost another in game 4 then steal game 5, Back in Utah with the game on the line Jordan again rose to the occasion and shoot a lasting shot; the Chicago farewell; the Utah dagger. It'll be both teams last finals apperance (so far) one of the best in finals history even the most controversial (as fans still dispute whether Jordan should have been called of a pushing foul or is it a let go play? It was clear to everyone though that Utah lost again to Chicago.
History might have been joking all this while between this 2 clubs because in the middle of the basketball coliseum was Jerry Sloan, the "Original Bull", Chicago's first player selection in the 1966 expansion draft. As a player Sloan was known for his tenacity on defense, and led the expansion team to the playoffs in its first season.
He also became a 2-time All-star, was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times and the All-Defensive Second team twice. He also led the Bulls to the playoffs on various occasions and helped them to win one division title, the only one the franchise has earned outside the Michael Jordan era. Sloan averaged 9.1 rebounds per game in his second season, and his career rebounding average of 7.4 rebounds per game is unusually high for a guard. With an average of 2.15 steals per game (tabulated over his last three seasons), Sloan is ranked tenth in the NBA's all-time leaders category for steals per game, just behind John Stockton (2.17 SPG). His playing career was was cut short though by nagging knee injuries that kept him in the sideline.
Jerry's coaching career will also start in Chicago, succeeding Scotty Robertson at the helm. His initial coaching attempt in Chicago wasn't so successful as planned though compiling a record of 94-121 and was out of the Bulls sideline by the 3rd season (which he didn't finish).
As it turns out Jerry's success as coach wasn't meant for Chicago but for another club, the Utah Jazz where he would compile 1130 wins against 682 losses. Jerry went to the Hall of Fame as the only coach to compile 1000 wins in the NBA under the same club. Sloan was a passionate, defense-oriented, blue collar coach. There isn't a coach in all of sports who rips his team to shreds the way Sloan does when he feels his team hasn't competed. The Sloan method means anything less than full effort is unacceptable. It means no excuse is satisfactory. One memorable quote of Sloan's coaching can be summarized with this: " "Size doesn't make any difference; heart is what makes a difference," Sloan began "These guys over there want to make the playoffs more than we do."
He is a teacher that wanted results, results that comes from hard work. Let it be reminded everyone that coach Sloan's coaching structure was the same structure that captivated Gregg Popovich's own coaching regimen. It's amazing to note that even without Karl and John to lead his team Jerry Sloan would coach his team to a 42-40 record, barely missing play-offs and the coach of the year award (which he never won) behind Hubie Brown of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Sloan's abrupt departure also seemed to be in defiance to the new breed of players' consistent whining and disregard for authority in the locker room. It was reported that he and point guard Deron Williams had a huge verbal fight prior to the coach's resignation. Some even said the 2 almost came to blows during the huddle. We may never know the truth to that because coach Sloan downplayed the reports: "I've had confrontations with players since I've been in the league," Sloan said. "There's only so much energy left and my energy has dropped." KSL-TV later asked Sloan whether reported conflicts with guard Deron Williams forced him to leave. "I forced myself out," Sloan responded.
I can understand kids who would dismiss the resignation as one of the other hundred resignations filed by other coaches. But for me it was as significant as when Magic announced his retirement, when Michael Jordan shocked the world during his first retirement. Here is a legend going out abruptly and will be dearly missed by true long-time fans of basketball.
So to note, Jerry Sloan stepped down after losing against the Chicago Bulls. Life can be cruelly funny sometimes.
References : http://www.basketball-reference.com/ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=Sloan-081209 http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-sloanretiring021011 photo's found in the web no copyright infringement intended.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant careers will forever be intertwined.
What's the connection between my opening statement and the title? Let me break it down.
Kobe entered the NBA through Lower Merion High. James via Saint Vincent-Saint Mary HS. Both were highschoolers when they entered the league. Both disrespected someone older than them during a game: Once Karl Malone, recalling an incident with Kobe Bryant, was quoted after trying to set a pick for him. "The guy told me he's got it," the then 34-year-old Malone said. "Like I told Coach Karl, when younger guys tell me to get out of the way, that's a game I don't need to be in. I was ticked." James not to be outdone did it in front of the cameras when he said to his mom: "sit your (butt) down!" on mother's day.
Both wanted the spotlight out of each other. It was June 2003, Draft night, James was ready for the biggest day of his life. He was about to be made the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers on national television. But James' handshake with David Stern was upstaged that day by breaking news during the broadcast that Bryant planned to opt out of his contract with the Lakers and seek free agency after the next season. Thus effectively stealing James spotlight. Later, just this summer James will have his revenge, LeBron would put his towering shadow towards the finals. Nobody was talking about Kobe. The media have decidedly put the most interest on the upcoming free agency. James stole Kobe's crowning moment when he defeated the Celtics.
"It sort of tells me that our players have, through their hard work, captured the imagination of many, many people," Stern said drily.
Both superstars, at one point in time, decided that their teams wasn't helping them to achieve their championship goals. And this is where the line is drawn.
While Kobe was hesitant to leave LA (Barkley dared him once to renounce his no trade clause option so that he can easily be traded), James decided he could no longer be caged in a small town like Cleveland. That he's "taking his talents to south beach". All hell breaks loose.
LeBron had all the right to walk. He was tired of waiting. Michael Jordan also waited seven years to get a title, so does Wilt Chamberlain. Maybe the market was too small to attract big named free agents. Maybe he tired looking at his rival Bryant collecting rings because he already had 1-upped Kobe in the MVP department.
But come to think of it Shaq came there. Later Jamison joined Mo Williams and the motley crew that was the Cavs. They won 61 games. Just enough to be proclaimed the NBA's best team. What happened? What made James decide that Cleveland is a no-win scenario? Basing on the number of wins they have what it took to win the championship. The Bulls only had 57 win when they took the 1993 title.
The play-offs -- Michael Jordan once said -- is where boys are separated from men. Boston pounded them to the ground. Instead of taking it to himself to improve, James decided Cleveland just wasn't enough. James escaped the hardships of Cleveland to have a seemingly easier life in Miami.
James long-time basketball idol, Michael Jordan had this remark: “There’s no way, with hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team,’” Jordan said. “But that’s . . . things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. It’s an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys.”
James seemed to rip off everything Kobe ever did in his career. He only missed this part: “I’m going to kick some ass in practice…” Bryant said. “It’s going to get through. You beat it into their heads until it gets through.” Jordan did the same to Scottie Pippen. Burning him in practice until his potential to greatness was in full view. Kevin Garnett, another consuming leader, was once spotted scolding Glen Davis to tears.
Cleveland obviously felt betrayed. And rightfully so. Real basketball fans also deep in their hearts felt betrayed too. James in our minds was so talented, so powerful to seek help elsewhere. Great players attracts great players. Cleveland became desirable because of LeBron. Cleveland and James could have had the players he wanted had he stayed. James had it all in his palms only to lose it.
In old times, when you battle at sea, the victor sinks the losers ship. And thus the losers become hostages or prisoners of war. Wade have proven he is a winner. James only scratched the surface. He shouldn't have joined Wade he should have "beat those guys.” James lost his identity in the process. And we are angry for it.
This is entirely a reaction to a blogpost I read some days before. It doubts the authenticity of a claim made by Michael that he could achieve 100 points in this era (How has the game changed from your playing days? It's less physical and the rules have changed, obviously. Based on these rules, if I had to play with my style of play, I'm pretty sure I would have fouled out or I would have been at the free throw line pretty often and I could have scored 100 points). True enough 100 points captures the imagination of many as something that can't be surpassed but is it possible for Jordan to get the mark?
First let me give you some facts before we go to the fictional phase of this entry. In the 80's (1980-1990), considered the best and most brutal decade in basketball, only five times did an individual crack the 60 point mark and that happened in:
1. December 25, 1984. Bernard King scored 60 vs. the New Jersey Nets 2. March 12, 1985. Larry Bird scored 60 vs. the Atlanta Hawks 3. March 4, 1987. Michael Jordan scored 61 vs. the "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons. Doing it without attempting a 3-pointer. OT 4. April 20, 1986. Michael Jordan scored 63 vs. the Boston Celtics. 2OT This is the game when Larry Bird mouthed the now famous quotable quote "god disguised as Michael Jordan". Again doing it without attempting a 3-pointer. It still stands as the highest ever play-off mark. 5. March 28, 1990. Michael Jordan scored 69 vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers in OT. Cavs were led by Hot Rod Williams, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper, Larry Nance and Mark Price. Other notable players were Craig Ehlo, Chucky Brown and Steve Kerr.
Out of the 5 stated above 3 of them were scored by Michael Jordan. You also have to note that in 1987 Detroit went straight into the finals carrying their brand of "dirty" defense and the 1986 Celtics were eventual NBA champions. So Jordan was pouring it on vs. the heavyweights but on the hindsight we also have to note that Jordan did it in overtime games.
Now let's compare it to the 100 point game. Kelly Dwyer reports: "Wilt was a 7-2 dominant force going up against a 6-10 backup center on the New York Knicks back in 1962. He was able to put up 63 shots and attempt 32 free throws mainly because the pace was so, so much faster back in that era, and because his Philadelphia Warriors team was intentionally fouling the Knicks down the stretch in order to get Wilt the ball every time down court in a contest that was a 16-point game at the end of the first quarter. It was an absolute joke of a "contest," and though Wilt is to be commended for his brilliance, there's a reason why nobody has come very close in the 48 years since Wilt's 100-point game."
If that is the case and knowing how Jordan put up his best numbers can he get 100?
My answer is maybe, maybe not.
But it is also intriguing to note that Jordan at age 40 did get 43 points and mind you he did that in February 21, 2003. Meaning he put up that numbers against players that still plays up to this point. On top of that he did it with hand-checks still warranted in the NBA.
Implemented in 2006 the NBA softened it's stance on defense to give way to a more offensive minded, fun game. As Mike notes: "It's less physical and the rules have changed, obviously." Jordan compatriots cry of the same:
"You can't even touch a guy now," says Charlotte coach Larry Brown. "The college game is much more physical than our game. I always tease Michael [Jordan], if he played today, he'd average 50."
"The defensive rules, the hand checking, the ability to make contact on a guy in certain areas .... [have] all been taken away from the game. If Kobe could get 81, I think Michael could get 100 in today's game." - Scottie Pippen January 2006
Craig Hodges is the Lakers shooting coach, get a look at what he said: Q: If you could take one player in their prime, would you take Michael Jordan or Kobe? A: M.J., all day. There's no comparison. M.J. could score 100 points in this era. You can't hand-check now. Imagine that trying to guard M.J. It would be crazy.
Hall of Famer Rick Barry, a keen observer of the game, said he would love to see players of the past getting to attack the basket under the new officiating. “They’d score a lot more,” he said.
Tex Winter said. "Players today can get to the basket individually much easier."
Asked if he could defend Jordan under today’s interpretation of the rules, Dumars first laughed, “It would have been virtually impossible to defend Michael Jordan based on the way the game’s being called right now.”
Rod Thorn: “My opinion is that the game had gone too much toward favoring strong players over skilled players, The NBA felt there was too much body, too much hand-checking, being used by defenders to the detriment of the game. There was a feeling that there was too much advantage for a defensive player who could merely use his strength to control the offensive player. If the refs perceive that a defender is bumping the cutter, or bumping a ball-handler, then they’ll blow their whistles.”
So today's NBA does favor Michael Jordan in terms of rules. Jordan a natural slasher/cutter type of player will benefit from calls and even more since with the restriction of the hand-check rules the NBA also implemented the defensive three second. So even though the NBA now sanctions the zone as an alternative defense few chooses it because the "Zone" is maximized if a defending big man can stay downlow on an indefinite amount of time. Take that out and there's nothing to it they'll just retort to man-to-man which again is hampered by the no hand-check rule. And blowing their whistles is what the refs did. Did you know that: 82% of Tyreke Evans's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 75% of Dwyane Wade's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 71% of Carmelo Anthony's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 70% of Kevin Durant's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 68% of LeBron James's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 68% of Derrick Rose's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? 66% of Kobe Bryant's points came from inside of 15 feet and free throws combined? Michael Jordan has been known to be automatic from 18 ft. inwards. If the players stated above can move accurately near the basket even as close as 15 ft. why can't Jordan as he can easily match each guy's athleticism? Given these results I think the "airman" can get as close to 100 points as he benefits a lot from these rules.
Again the catch is Mike should be in the zone to accomplish the feat. What's being in the zone? Players tried explaining it like it's a once in a life-time (maybe twice? thrice?) experience, when the stars are aligned and you feel unstoppable at whatever it is your doing. Like when rain continuously pours like it's not ever stopping. 100 points is a long feat and that is why nobody has ever came close to breaking it in 48 years. Again this is a supposition but if there is one man that can do it... benefiting from these present NBA rules it's Michael Jordan.
Thanks (sources): Photo: from Web http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Basketball_Association_players_with_60_or_more_points_in_a_game http://hoopsapedia.webs.com/thenbazoneera.htm http://hoopshype.com/articles/defense_lazenby.htm
As with the last post I wish to continue our count down on the greatest players to ever play the basketball game. But before knowing who tops the list let me give you a quick review on who got into our top 10.
10. Shaquille O'Neal - claim for fame: 2000 NBA MVP, 4x NBA champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 15x All-Star, 3x All-Star MVP, 1993 Rookie of the Year, 1990-91 NCAA AP Player of the Year, 8x All NBA first team member, 2x All NBA 2nd team member, 4x All NBA 3rd team member, 2x All NBA Defensive 2nd team member
9. Kobe Bryant - claim for fame: 2008 NBA MVP, 4x NBA champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 11x All-Star, 3x All-Star MVP, 7x All NBA First Team member, 2x All NBA 2nd team member, 2x All NBA 3rd team member, 7x NBA All Defensive first team member, 2x NBA All Defensive 2nd team member
8. Tim Duncan - claim for fame: 2x NBA MVP, 4x NBA champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 11x All-Star, 1x All-Star MVP, 1998 Rookie of the Year, 1996-97 NCAA AP Player of the Year, 1996-97 NCAA John R. Wooden Awardee, 1996-97 NCAA Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Awardee, 9x All NBA First Team member, 3x All NBA 2nd team member, 9x NBA All Defensive first team member, 3x NBA All Defensive 2nd team member
7. Oscar Robertson - claim for fame: 1x NBA MVP, 1x NBA champion, 12 x All-Star, 3x All-Star MVP, 1961 Rookie of the Year, 9x All NBA First Team member, 2x All NBA 2nd team member
6. Wilt Chamberlain - claim for fame: 4x NBA MVP, 2x NBA champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 13x All-Star, 1x All-Star MVP, 1960 Rookie of the Year, 1956-57 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 7x All NBA First Team member, 3x All NBA 2nd team member, 1x NBA All Defensive first team member
* Note: Current NBA awards may not have existed during the time of some of these players for example: The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award was only given in 1969, Russell's last year in the league. Others include the Defensive Player of the Year award established in 1982-1983, Sixth Man of The Year 1982-1983, Most Improved Player established in 1985-1986, All-Defensive team also in 1969.
After reviewing our list let's proceed to the remainder of our countdown, the cream of the crop shall we? 5. Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Lew Alcindor) - the master of the sky hook, the all-time leader in points scored, Kareem was a rare 7'2 center, the fact that he lasted 20 years of battery in the NBA says a lot about his endurance and durability. Before making it to the NBA, the Harlem Globetrotters have already offered him 1 million USD to play for them, unfortunately Kareem's destiny wouldn't be side-tracked so he politely declined the generous offer. Kareem then decided to play in the NBA choosing the established league over the up and coming ABA (which folded years after; the NBA though absorbed 4 of it's teams into it's fold: Nuggets, Spurs, Nets and Pacers). Entering the league via Milwaukee Bucks as Lew Alcindor (his real name before converting to Islam therefore getting the name Kareem Abdul Jabbar which means "noble, powerful servant"), his entry proved to be very timely. For one, Long time champion and probably the greatest center to date Bill Russell have just retired, and Wilt, although still effective was on his dog years at 33.
The Bucks got him as their number 1 pick as they only piled 27-55 prior to the draft. After his rookie season though Milwaukee would improve drastically as the young Alcindor compiled 28.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per outing, thus enabling the Bucks to finish 2nd place in the Eastern Division with a 56-26 record. Together with Oscar Robertson, Kareem would power Milwaukee in it's lone NBA championship in 1971.
Despite finding success in Milwaukee, Jabbar opted out of it because the place lacked of people who shared his religious and cultural beliefs. Bucks reluctantly obliged to the prodding of their once vaunted bigman and he was traded to the Lakers for Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters in 1975. In Laker uniform, Kareem would have to wait until 1979, the arrival of the very young but very talented point guard named Earvin Johnson to renew his championship conquests once again. The new duo would add 5 more rings to Kareem's collection of 6 championship titles. Kareem's mantra on court was: "Five guys on the court working together can achieve more than five talented individuals who come and go as individuals."
And that was probably what's best remembered of him.
4. Larry Bird - Howie Chizek was quoted saying this after Bird set a club record with 60 points in one game and scored 48 in another during the 1984-85 season: “Larry Bird just throws the ball in the air and God moves the basket underneath it.” Maybe the best description of how deadly a shooter Larry Legend was.
His addition to the Celtics, and Magic Johnson's to the Lakers in the 80's rejuvenated the NBA and was called the golden age of basketball wherein most of the all-time greats played in that single era. 70's was rather dull for the NBA, which lacked true charismatic players coupled with scandals of substance abuse from players.
Larry Bird came into a struggling Boston club who only had 29-53 in 1978-79. Actually Bird was originally drafted in 1978, but opted to stay in college for another year. So the NBA year was 1979-80 and Bird never let Boston, who were eagerly awaiting for him down as he would lead the Boston resurgence with an amazing 61-21 record, a +32 single season turn around even led the team straight to the Eastern conference finals where they were foiled by the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1.
Red Auerbach's genius never seem to run out as Boston kinda duped Golden State into a deal, a deal that would send draft rights to Joe Barry Carroll to the Warriors for Robert Parish and the rights to a draft choice that turned out to be Kevin McHale. Both Parish and McHale became NBA bests which I can't say for Joe, sadly.
Together, Bird, Mc Hale and Parish would form one of the best frontcourts in NBA histrory, thus earning the name "Big Three". In only his 2nd season, Bird would again lead Boston to the play-offs, square off once again against the Sixers which they eventually won, then secure his first NBA championship altogether.
As stated above, He and Magic would rejuvenate and renew the dormant rivalry of the Celtics and the Lakers. It was Black vs. White, East vs. West. A near perfect story board for the NBA, none-the-less an epic which roots back to their college days when Johnson's Michigan State beat Bird's Indiana University. In the NBA both would renew their individual rivalry. And they would stage it 3 times in basketball's biggest stage: The NBA Finals.
The first meeting in 1984 belonged to Bird, averaging 27.4 points on .484 shooting and 14 rebounds a game during the 7 game series. Boston would win 3 titles under Bird and he would earn for himself 3 NBA MVP awards, 12 All-Star appearances, 2 Finals MVPs and many other accolades. Although what set Larry apart was, he didn't had this many athletic gifts but he did fill that up with a lot of heart. He wasn't the highest leaper yet he got so many rebounds, nor was he the fastest, still he got so many steals. It was really Larry's heart and love for the game and competition.
Towards the end, Bird's body, broke down. He had been bothered by back problems for years, and his back became progressively worse. And this condition led to his retirement in 1992, finishing his career with averages of more than 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game, while shooting 49.6% from the field, 88.6% from the free throw line and 37.6% from three-point range.
"Larry Bird is the greatest shooter ever. He made every player on the court better and he made everybody believe they can win." Magic Johnson himself had been quoted of saying.
3.Bill Russell - William Felton Russell wasn't always the happy man, as pictured above, Russell was a victim of intense racism in the 60's. The greatest winner in NBA history compiled an NBA record 11 titles, 8 of which came in a row from 1959-1966.
Bill was another product of Red Auerbach's trading brilliance as they landed him for Ed Macauley, then a six-time All-Star at that point and another rookie Cliff Hagan. Had St. Louis known what they were losing they wouldn't have opted for this trade.
Bill was the cornerstone of the Celtics dyansty and from his very first year Bill rallied his team for the championship, beating the St. Louis Hawks 4-3. In Bill averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. He was also voted as the MVP despite only being a member of the All-NBA second team. The reason for this? The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell, but no player was more valuable to his team. 2nd season though saw the Celtics losing to the St. Louis Hawks in the Finals 4-2, as Russell injures himself in game 3. This would prove to be the only dent in Bill Russell's Finals resume.
The next season, his third up to 1966 the Celtics would rack up the championships earning their 9th championship in only 10 years. Following the 1966 championship, Red Auerbach decide to call it quits in coaching and just presided over the team as it's General Manager. Leaving Boston without a coach, Red initially decided to give the coaching reigns to Frank Ramsey, but Ramsey was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. His 2nd choice, Bob Cousy again declined as he didn't want to coach his former teammates. The third choice Tom Heinsohn also said no, because he did not think he could handle the often surly Russell. However, Heinsohn proposed Russell himself as a player-coach, and when Auerbach asked his center, he said yes, thus making Russell the first Black American to be named NBA coach.
Of course, this didn't escape the pre-dominantly racist journalists (it was the 60's afterall when racism was still THAT large in America, even though there are still some racists in the country it's not as rampant as it was in the yesteryears) who questioned his capacity to run the team; to which Bill replied:"I wasn't offered the job because I am a Negro, I was offered it because Red figured I could do it."
Unfortunately, the Celtics dynasty run was put to a temporary halt as Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers finally figured out how to oust the seemingly undeterred Boston locomotive. Russell acknowledged his first real loss in his career (he had been injured in 1958 when the Celtics lost the NBA Finals) by visiting Chamberlain in the locker room, shaking his hand and saying, "Great". owever, the game still ended on a high note for Russell. After the loss, he led his grandfather through the Celtics locker rooms, and the two saw white Celtics player John Havlicek taking a shower next to his black teammate Sam Jones and discussing the game. Suddenly, Russell Sr. broke down crying. Asked by his grandson what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony.
The following season, Boston would climb back to the top with Russell and his aging staff. Bill at 34, averaged 12.5 points and 18.6 rebounds per game. In the Finals Boston beat it's perennial foe, The Lakers 4-2 to earn Russell's 10th title in 12 years. In Bill's ultimate season, he became disillusioned with the murder of RFK, Vietnam War, and personal difficulty ncreasingly stale (and later divorced) marriage to his wife Rose, he was convinced that the U.S. was a corrupt nation and that he was wasting his time playing something as superficial as basketball. With all this distractions the meager effort the Celtics could muster was 48–34 record was the team's worst since 1955-56, and was only seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, however, Russell and his Celtics achieved upsets over the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks to earn a meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Lakers were now parading their newest acquisition Wilt Chamberlain, a center they lacked in the previous meetings against Boston.
As both teams split the first six games then Laker owner Jack Kent Cooke made a mistake of motivating the Celtics, with the series finale shifting to Los Angeles, the Laker owner aforementioned was already putting "proceedings of Lakers victory ceremony" on the game leaflets. Russell used a copy as extra motivation and told his team to play a running game, because in that case, not the better, but the more determined team was going to win. And they did, Celtics won 108–106 to claim their 11th title in 13 years.
On court, he was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his unmatched defensive intensity, his stellar basketball IQ and his sheer will to win. Russell was known to throw up before a game, and Red noted this. If Bill throws up they'll win.
During the 2009 NBA All-Stars, the NBA decided to honor Bill announcing that the Finals MVP award from then on will be now known as the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.
2.Earvin "Magic" Johnson - If I were to name a player who made every teammate of his better I'd have no doubt of naming Earvin up there. One of the most unselfish players of the game, he was the all-time leader in assists before John Stockton shattered the record for good.
For his very first year, Magic would deliver the Lakers to the Finals. With him onboard, the Lakers compiled a 60-22 record, and the rookie only averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per outing, yeah that bad despite playing behind one of the best players of the game (That's Kareem Abdul Jabbar if you just didn't get).
In the 1980 Finals, The Lakers took a 3–2 lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33 points a game in the series, sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6. With a lot of doubts whether they can close out the series without the captain, Johnson took it to himself and started out as center (he, throughout the game though, never played center he only jumped as "center" during the tip off and played all four position in the game), and scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, good enough to win the NBA Finals MVP award, the only rookie to do so.
Though they would not follow-up with a championship the following year (Johnson was injured for half a season) they would cap his third season with the gold with the young 6-9 point guard averaging: 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and a league-high 2.7 steals per game.
Magic's greatness shone it's brightest when they battled long-time rival Larry Bird's Celtics. In Johnson's 5th season, he averaged double double with 17.6 points and 13.1 assists, as well as 7.3 rebounds per game. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals for the third year in a row, where Johnson's Lakers and Bird's Celtics met for the first time in the post-season. Bird would draw first blood in the encounters as Boston rally for the Game 7 win. It seemed Larry had finally avenged his loss to Johnson in their NCAA Finals duel in 1979.
Magic would then propel the Lakers revenge in 1985 with averages of 18.3 points, 12.6 assists, and 6.2 rebounds, although a sad note greeted them in the very first game of the series, the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148 points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1 in what was to become known as the "Memorial Day Massacre". To bounce back from the humiliating loss 38 years old Abdul-Jabbar, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 2, and 36 points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 3–2 lead for Los Angeles. Lakers would end the series in 6 games with Magic averaging 18.3 points on .494 shooting, 14.0 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game in the series. It was interesting to note also that it marked the first time any Laker team defeated a Boston Celtic team in their NBA long rivalry.
In 1986-87, Johnson averaged career-high of 23.9 points, as well as 12.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game earning him his first NBA MVP award. The Lakers met the Celtics for the third time in the Finals, most notable of which was Game 4 with Johnson hitting a last-second hook shot over Celtics' Parish and McHale to win the game 107–106. The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook", helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2 points on .541 shooting, 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.33 steals per game.
After winning their 4th title at the expense of their long-time rival, Coach Pat Riley made a bold prediction of them repeating as champions. It has been a long time since any NBA team repeated as champions the last time was in 1969 during the Celtics dynasty. Not backing down from the challenge their coach posted the Lakers again returned to the Finals and battled tooth and nails against the Detroit Pistons. Lakers won the series in 7. this proved to be their last title.
“I don’t think there will ever be another 6’9” point guard who smiles while he humiliates you.” says long time teammate James Worthy of Magic.
"Magic is head-and-shoulders above everybody else," Larry Bird once said "I've never seen [anybody] as good as him."
And now we come to the greatest of them all, should you ask who he is? Or is it already anticipated?
1. Michael Jordan - "Once Michael gets up there he says, ‘Well, maybe I’ll just hang up here in the air for a while, just sit back.’ Then all of a sudden, he says, ‘Well, maybe I’ll 360. No I changed my mind. I’ll go up on the other side.’ He’s just incredible." That's what Magic Johnson said in one interview.
For the millions who witnessed Jordan's heroics there is no room for argument on the incredible part of Magic's speech. But there are critics and skeptics about him being named as the greatest. In 1980, the US press have already named Bill Russell as the greatest ever in the sports. Largely because of Russell's number of championship. In his own words: Nobody is going to question you when you winning or something in that effect.
Yet one critic and a Russell friend Wilt Chamberlain bares some doubt on the authenticity of the claim citing that Russell played with a number of Hall of Fame players, last time I counted the most was 8 at one point of his career. While it is true that Wilt had his share of HOF players their number dwindles in comparison to Bill's collection. In 1992, Magic Johnson was heralded as the greatest ever by acclamation, But one argument was Johnson lost to Michael Jordan in 1991 and since then Jordan never relinquished the crown. So by that means Jordan had his claim since he had wrest the throne from the erstwhile king.
Here's what some critics say:
1. Jordan doesn't deserve being called the GOAT (Greatest of all-time) because he has never won any crap in the 1980's: While it is true that Jordan never won any title in the 1980's we should note that when Jordan was drafted the Bulls were already a rebuilding team. They have missed three straight play-offs without no. 23 in there. The moment Jordan was added the Bulls started their string of play-offs appearance.
Kareem also hit Jordan some more when he said: "As brilliant an individual that Michael Jordan was, he was not successful until he got with a good team unit. " Yep tell that to the marines captain, because before getting Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson you were just like David Robinson and Jordan... Making it to the play-offs only to fall short of the Finals.
Before Jordan had Pippen, Grant, and Cartwright, basically the core that made it to the championship Jordan was teammates with forgettable names such as: Dave Corzine, Quintin Daily, Chris Engler, Sidney Green, Dave Greenwood, Rod Higgins, Steve Johnson, Caldwell Jones, Charles Jones, Wes Matthews, Jawann Oldham, Ennis Whatley and Orlando Woolridge. Woolridge was the only player to note of Jordan's former teammates in his rookie year, but you need also to note that Woolridge started getting effective almost at the same time Jordan joined in the line-up.
Until Krause duped Seattle for Scottie Pippen in 1987 (traded for Olden Polynice) Jordan never had talent, well except maybe for George Gervin, but George only appeared in 2 games in the play-offs and was never the old reliable he once was in that series against Boston.
2. Jordan never made his teammates better. Jordan had a career average of 5.3 assist. It was well noted that Jordan wanted to burn himself in practice "so that in games, it'll be a lot easier" and his teammates were part of his routine. Jordan instigated grueling practices that it almost became too personal, Jordan would taunt his own teammates even punched Steve Kerr once in practice because he was "getting to his head". Horace Grant resented those practices but it proved to be fruitful as the Bulls got better and better every game. Pippen as Phil Jackson himself would confess later got most of his chops from Jordan not from the coaching staff.
It was also Jordan's most memorable passes in various game-winning situation, most notable was the pass to Steve Kerr after luring John Stockton on the double in the Game 6 of the 1997 Finals. Proved to be the clincher (actually Toni stole the ball in the next play and dunked it but Kerr's shot sealed the deal).
4. Jordan played in a watered-down league. Jordan always gets the flak every time someone puts up the 72-win season. Some say that Jordan only won it because of the many expansion team that lingered during the period. Yet they also fail to notice that despite those circumstances no team have ever put up that much wins in history. Why not New York who had a better team then? Why not the Lakers? (With Shaq, Van Exel, Jones and Bryant).
5. Nike was the reason Jordan ever had claims with the GOAT. Before Jordan even made it to the NBA, Converse already had the foothold of the league. Investing heavily on Magic and Larry's juggernaut images Converse primarily won the wars. Here comes Jordan with then little known Nike brand in tow, it was actually Jordan's consistency and heroics that propelled Nike to the top, not the other way around.Read related article.
6. Jordan never made Washington better. Before Jordan came aboard, Washington only displayed 19-63 in their win column, his arrival aged 39-40 gave the team a pair of 37-45 finishes. That's +18 wins. It's easy to point out Jordan's failure to lead the team to the play-offs but Jordan did have that chronic knee injury to begin with. Plus the fact that he should have been well retired by then and should had just basked in old glories... Well I think he just wanted to prove something yet again. And he didn't fail entirely, for a 40 year old guy he did average above 20 points a night thus shattering old records made by former greats who made it beyond 40.
Why was Jordan the GOAT then?
Jordan captured the hearts and minds of everyone, lots of players nowadays grew up watching Jordan dominate modern basketball. From dethroning the erstwhile champ (Magic Johnson), to making it two in a row, to capturing an Olympic Gold and having the three peat (made it two times).
I don't think there was any other player as successful as Michael, you know, from the top -- retiring-- then coming back on top. As an old guy in washington he wasn't just any veteran help as other guys have been relegated when they reached the 40 year old plateau. He was still the star in Washington.
Jordan also proved that he can play despite being under the weather, Michael proved that in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals in what was known as the "flu game". Jordan pored in 38 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block despite battling flu-like symptoms throughout the game (later it was said to have been a stomach virus).
"That was probably the most difficult thing I've ever done." Jordan would later confess.
"I almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game. If we had lost, I would have been devastated, because of the circumstances, with this being a critical game in the Finals, I'd have to say this is the greatest game I've seen Michael play. Just standing up was nauseating for him and caused him dizzy spells. This was a heroic effort, one to add to the collection of efforts that make up his legend." Phil Jackson adds.
Another entry we should add is that after missing all but 18 games of his sophomore season, Jordan led Chicago against Boston and ultimately scored 63 points, all that while everyone else was scared that he might recur the injury.
At the height of the Bad Boys dynasty there was no player the club feared than Michael Jordan, thus they instigated a defensive mechanism to limit Michael Jordan, a technique later known as the "Jordan rules". "I think that ‘Jordan Rules’ defense, as much as anything else, played a part in the making of Michael Jordan,” said Tex Winter, who was an assistant coach for that Chicago team. The 1990 loss forced Jordan and the Bulls to find an answer to Detroit’s muscle.“Those Jordan Rules were murder,” Winter explained. “The fact that we could win the next year even though they were playing that defense says everything about Jordan as a competitor. Any lesser player would have folded his tent.”
Jordan also had the highest career point average, had the most Finals MVP award (proving he took it over when it REALLY mattered), had the highest single Finals series point average in history with 41.0, Recorded only triple-double in All-Star Game history, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA record by scoring in double-digits for the 788th consecutive game, scoring a game-high 33 points, against the Minnesota Timberwolves on 12/30/97, Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading league in scoring with 10 and holds single-game records for most free throws made in one half with 20.
And for all of these, for me, Jordan is the obvious choice for the GOAT.
Feel free to post your comments and reactions, any questions is gladly encouraged.
Sources: NBA.com, Wikipedia, Yahoo! Sports, Basketball-Reference.com, Youtubealso photos used here are those already circulating in the net, thanks for those.
