From the days of Russell and Cousy against Baylor and West to the fierce battles of Kareem and Magic versus Bird and McHale. So many great players and so much tradition shrouds this series with all of the hype. Quite frankly, I am sick of hearing this and that about the upcoming NBA Championship. So I decided that I will dig deep into the past, which is somewhat difficult to me considering I wasn't even alive in '87 when they met in the Finals last. Without any further adieu, I give you the five best players to ever play in the NBA's best rivalry...
7. John Havlicek- He was a Celtic for life and now has his number hanging in the rafters. "Hondo" was a 13-time All-Star, who was ranked #15 on SLAM's Top NBA Players of All Time list. He was also a very clutch player that battled toe-to-toe with Jerry West. Havlicek had the luxury of playing in five Lakers/Celtics finals throughout his career.
Career Stats: 20.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 43% FG, 78% FT
6. Wilt Chamberlain- Some would wonder why he is down so low but you can't forget that his entire career was not spent in Los Angeles. By the time he played for the Lakers, his scoring ability had dropped off tremendously yet remained a dominant rebounder. Wilt the Stilt played in only one Lakers/Celtics finals, which took place in 1969 in an epic showdown between the Cinderella Celtics (they were a 4-seed that year) and the dominant Lakers.
Stats w/ LA (5 seasons): 19.3 ppg, 19.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 62% FG, 47% FT (blocks were not recorded)
5. Jerry West- Mr. Clutch played against Boston in six NBA Finals appearances yet walked away without a ring. He was, however, named the Finals MVP in '69 despite the losing effort put forth by the Lakers. West was a prolific scorer with a very solid all-around game back then. He was a 13-time All-Star and a 10-time All-NBA First-Teamer.
Career Stats: 27.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 6.7 apg, 47% FG, 81% FT (no 3-point line)
4. Bill Russell- One of the greatest defenders in NBA history and was an 11-time NBA Champion, winning seven titles by defeating the Lakers in the Finals. He is a 12-time All-Star and a 5-time NBA MVP award winner. He is widely considered a top ten player to ever play the game, yet he is #4 on this storied and legendary list of players.
Career Stats: 15.1 ppg, 22.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 44% FG, 56% FT (blocks were not recorded)
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- He is widely considered one of the best big men of all-time and a top 10 player ever. Kareem also invented the Skyhook, his signature move that no defender could get a piece of. He was a 6-time NBA MVP award winner and a 2-time NBA Finals MVP. Abdul-Jabbar was also a symbol of longevity because he played into his early forties which is remarkable for a big man. Nonetheless, it was tough to give him a nod over the top two players on this list that gave the rivalry its credibility.
Career Stats: 24.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 56% FG, 72% FT, 2.6 bpg
2. Larry Bird- Larry Legend, as some call him, was one half of the NBA's greatest individual rivalry that was ever established. He catapulted the Lakers and Celtics to new heights. Without him, all the nostalgia going around right now and this blog itself would not even exist. He was one of the best shooters ever and could rebound and pass pretty well, too. Bird was also clutch with his performances. He stepped up when it mattered most. All of these reasons culminated into his beating out Kareem for the #2 spot on my list.
Career Stats: 24.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.3 apg, 50% FG, 38% 3P, 1.7 spg
1. Magic Johnson- Did you really expect it to be anyone else? The leader of the Showtime Lakers and the most exciting player in the game at the time falls on my list at #1. If you couldn't tell, he is the other half of that fantastic individual rivalry I mentioned earlier. Every single time Magic stepped on the floor, he created a mismatch. He was a point guard in a big man's body which allowed him to, basically, do whatever he wanted out on the court. Johnson was the definition a human highlight reel.
Career Stats: 19.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 11.2 apg, 52% FG, 30% 3P, 1.9 spg
Honorable Mention (in no order): Bob Cousy, Elgin Baylor, James Worthy.
There it is. The seven greatest players to ever appear in the best NBA rivalry. Most of us can only hope that Kobe, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce will be competing for those same spots in five years. The Celtics are up 1-0 and, in my opinion, this next game is a must-win for the Lakers. They positively need to split a game in Boston if they want any chance at salvaging this series.
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Poll Results: 66% of voters believe the Phoenix Suns are in more trouble than the Dallas Mavericks.
Showing posts with label Magic Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic Johnson. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tidbits To Start The Season
Good Surprises:
1. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They have a good record and are looking great with a healthy Peja (17 pts). Chris Paul (18 pts, 5 reb, 12 ast) is playing fantastic as his game is reminiscent of Steve Nash. On top of all that Tyson Chandler is contributing 12 points and 12 boards per contest.
2. Houston Rockets (4-1) - They are in the same division as the Hornets and are probably better than the team from NO but they are lower on this list because unlike the Hornets they were predicted to make the playoffs. But, c'mon, who would have guessed T-Mac would be averaging 29 points (high of 47 on opening night), 5 rebounds, and 6 assists? Yao is doing his part as well while adding 21 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Indiana Pacers (3-1) - This was a tough call. It was between the Pacers and the Clippers (4-0). But...the Pacers? Danny Granger (21 pts, 8 reb), Mike Dunleavy (21 pts, 9 reb), Jermaine O'Neal (12 pts, 6 reb), and Jamaal Tinsley (11 pts, 7 ast) have all been key players in their fast start.
Bad Surprises:
1. Miami Heat (0-4) - Their leading scorer is Ricky Davis with only 16 points a game. Shaq is getting 13 points and only 7 rebounds which isn't even the best on the team (Udonis Haslem, 10). The Heat's offense is horrid averaging 83 points a game and giving up near 90. I think everyone in the city is praying for Dwyane Wade's recovery. Oh, and did I mention their current 17-game losing streak?
2. Chicago Bulls (0-4) - Luol Deng? Yeah, he's averaging 16 points (2nd on team) and 7 rebounds which aren't terrible numbers but I think everyone expected a little more. Big Ben Wallace is only pulling down FOUR rebounds a game and Kirk Hinrich is only dishing out FOUR assists each game. I think the entire team needs to pick it up. They're being outscored 96-88 so far this season.
3. Washington Wizards (0-3) - Coincidentally, all three disappointing teams have been from the East. Gilbert GUARANTEED a win and then lost all while averaging 22 points which is pretty low for him. Their offense isn't that bad (92 points a game, 20 from Butler and 19 from Jamison) but their defense is giving up 105 points each game! That can't happen if they expect to win games.
MVPs...four games into the season? Yes.
1. Kevin Garnett - 23 points. 16 rebounds. 6 assists. I swear that wasn't one game's stats. Those are his averages! He's been a complete beast and is making me look like a fool for having him fifth in the Big Man Preview I did a week ago.
2. Tracy McGrady - Put up 47 on opening night better Kobe's 45 put up on his opening night. He's averaging 29 points a game while dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 5 boards. He's doing everything out there and it's no accident that his Rockets are number one in the toughest division in basketball.
3. Kobe Bryant - What did you expect? Kobe's a scoring machine. He doesn't talk as much as Gil Zero but is definitely scoring more right now. But that's not all. To go with his 31 points a game, he's averaging 8 rebounds and 5 assists. However, the trade talks have still not subsided, especially the ones involving Chicago.
4. Carlos Boozer - This guy is helping the Jazz any way he can. He's showing that size doesn't matter (he's "only" 6'9"). He's got them to a respectable 3-2 record with their only losses coming to the Rockets and Lakers. He's averaging 24 points--including two where he put up at least 30--and 13 rebounds.
5. Chris Paul - His team is 4-1. He's averaging 19 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. This is only his third year in the league. He's proving to the world that he's the best young point guard in the league right now (not much is being heard of Deron Williams as I type) and even had a game with 21 assists while scoring 19 points.
I was going to do a bit on Rookie of the Year but is it even close? Kevin Durant is the clear-cut favorite right now. 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. End of story. His competition? Jianlian Yi, Al Horford, and Daequan Cook. But it really isn't even close...for now. By the way, my preseason pick was Jeff Green and he isn't doing that bad averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds while playing with KD.
The STRONGER Rankings (Note: This are the equivalent of anyone else's power rankings.)
1. Houston Rockets (4-1) - This was a tough call putting them number one but they have a good record while playing in the toughest division in all of basketball. They have wins over the Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs--all teams that made last year's playoffs--and their only loss coming to Dallas. They are scoring 95 a game and are allowing 92.
2. Boston Celtics (3-0) - This may be a bit premature putting them all the way at number two but they have looked very impressive so far. Besides KG's contributions, Ray Allen is scoring 24 points a game and Paul Pierce is averaging 22 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Their role players, surprisingly, have stepped up. Rajon Rondo is giving 10 points and 3 assists each night while Kendrick Perkins is scoring 6 points and grabbing 5 boards.
3. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They are the second team from the Southwest division so far. Everyone has come together very nicely as I mentioned earlier in this post. They have impressive wins over Denver and Los Angeles. Their only defeat came at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers of all teams!
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-1) - The Spurs are the THIRD team from the Southwest division so far. That's how strong the division is but someone's going to win and another's going to lose when they all play each other, right? Their only loss was against the number one, Houston. Tim Duncan is playing well as usual while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds to date. Ginobili is giving 21 points (best on team) and 6 assists.
5. Orlando Magic (4-1) - The reason I chose them over the Clippers is simple: strength of schedule. The Magic have played Milwaukee (a team some believe will make the playoffs this year), Detroit (their only loss), Washington, and Toronto to name a few. The Clippers (4-0) have played Golden State, Seattle, Chicago, and Indiana. All of those teams are either mediocre or worse right now with the exception of the Pacers. Dwight Howard is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds and Rashard Lewis is filling up the stat sheet with 23 points a night.
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1. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They have a good record and are looking great with a healthy Peja (17 pts). Chris Paul (18 pts, 5 reb, 12 ast) is playing fantastic as his game is reminiscent of Steve Nash. On top of all that Tyson Chandler is contributing 12 points and 12 boards per contest.
2. Houston Rockets (4-1) - They are in the same division as the Hornets and are probably better than the team from NO but they are lower on this list because unlike the Hornets they were predicted to make the playoffs. But, c'mon, who would have guessed T-Mac would be averaging 29 points (high of 47 on opening night), 5 rebounds, and 6 assists? Yao is doing his part as well while adding 21 points and 11 rebounds.
3. Indiana Pacers (3-1) - This was a tough call. It was between the Pacers and the Clippers (4-0). But...the Pacers? Danny Granger (21 pts, 8 reb), Mike Dunleavy (21 pts, 9 reb), Jermaine O'Neal (12 pts, 6 reb), and Jamaal Tinsley (11 pts, 7 ast) have all been key players in their fast start.
Bad Surprises:
1. Miami Heat (0-4) - Their leading scorer is Ricky Davis with only 16 points a game. Shaq is getting 13 points and only 7 rebounds which isn't even the best on the team (Udonis Haslem, 10). The Heat's offense is horrid averaging 83 points a game and giving up near 90. I think everyone in the city is praying for Dwyane Wade's recovery. Oh, and did I mention their current 17-game losing streak?
2. Chicago Bulls (0-4) - Luol Deng? Yeah, he's averaging 16 points (2nd on team) and 7 rebounds which aren't terrible numbers but I think everyone expected a little more. Big Ben Wallace is only pulling down FOUR rebounds a game and Kirk Hinrich is only dishing out FOUR assists each game. I think the entire team needs to pick it up. They're being outscored 96-88 so far this season.
3. Washington Wizards (0-3) - Coincidentally, all three disappointing teams have been from the East. Gilbert GUARANTEED a win and then lost all while averaging 22 points which is pretty low for him. Their offense isn't that bad (92 points a game, 20 from Butler and 19 from Jamison) but their defense is giving up 105 points each game! That can't happen if they expect to win games.
MVPs...four games into the season? Yes.
1. Kevin Garnett - 23 points. 16 rebounds. 6 assists. I swear that wasn't one game's stats. Those are his averages! He's been a complete beast and is making me look like a fool for having him fifth in the Big Man Preview I did a week ago.
2. Tracy McGrady - Put up 47 on opening night better Kobe's 45 put up on his opening night. He's averaging 29 points a game while dishing out 6 assists and grabbing 5 boards. He's doing everything out there and it's no accident that his Rockets are number one in the toughest division in basketball.
3. Kobe Bryant - What did you expect? Kobe's a scoring machine. He doesn't talk as much as Gil Zero but is definitely scoring more right now. But that's not all. To go with his 31 points a game, he's averaging 8 rebounds and 5 assists. However, the trade talks have still not subsided, especially the ones involving Chicago.
4. Carlos Boozer - This guy is helping the Jazz any way he can. He's showing that size doesn't matter (he's "only" 6'9"). He's got them to a respectable 3-2 record with their only losses coming to the Rockets and Lakers. He's averaging 24 points--including two where he put up at least 30--and 13 rebounds.
5. Chris Paul - His team is 4-1. He's averaging 19 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. This is only his third year in the league. He's proving to the world that he's the best young point guard in the league right now (not much is being heard of Deron Williams as I type) and even had a game with 21 assists while scoring 19 points.
I was going to do a bit on Rookie of the Year but is it even close? Kevin Durant is the clear-cut favorite right now. 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. End of story. His competition? Jianlian Yi, Al Horford, and Daequan Cook. But it really isn't even close...for now. By the way, my preseason pick was Jeff Green and he isn't doing that bad averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds while playing with KD.
The STRONGER Rankings (Note: This are the equivalent of anyone else's power rankings.)
1. Houston Rockets (4-1) - This was a tough call putting them number one but they have a good record while playing in the toughest division in all of basketball. They have wins over the Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs--all teams that made last year's playoffs--and their only loss coming to Dallas. They are scoring 95 a game and are allowing 92.
2. Boston Celtics (3-0) - This may be a bit premature putting them all the way at number two but they have looked very impressive so far. Besides KG's contributions, Ray Allen is scoring 24 points a game and Paul Pierce is averaging 22 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Their role players, surprisingly, have stepped up. Rajon Rondo is giving 10 points and 3 assists each night while Kendrick Perkins is scoring 6 points and grabbing 5 boards.
3. New Orleans Hornets (4-1) - They are the second team from the Southwest division so far. Everyone has come together very nicely as I mentioned earlier in this post. They have impressive wins over Denver and Los Angeles. Their only defeat came at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers of all teams!
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-1) - The Spurs are the THIRD team from the Southwest division so far. That's how strong the division is but someone's going to win and another's going to lose when they all play each other, right? Their only loss was against the number one, Houston. Tim Duncan is playing well as usual while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds to date. Ginobili is giving 21 points (best on team) and 6 assists.
5. Orlando Magic (4-1) - The reason I chose them over the Clippers is simple: strength of schedule. The Magic have played Milwaukee (a team some believe will make the playoffs this year), Detroit (their only loss), Washington, and Toronto to name a few. The Clippers (4-0) have played Golden State, Seattle, Chicago, and Indiana. All of those teams are either mediocre or worse right now with the exception of the Pacers. Dwight Howard is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds and Rashard Lewis is filling up the stat sheet with 23 points a night.
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Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Tale of Ricky Rubio
This was a post I did on FanNation.com about 2 months ago about an up-and-comer on the basketball circuit.
Some of you may have heard of him once or twice but what do you really know about him? Did you know that DraftExpress.com has him as the number 1 pick of the 2009 NBA Draft? Did you know he is the best player outside of the U.S. right now and is only 16? Yes, he's that good. Ricky Rubio has been proclaimed by some to be the next Pistol Pete Maravich. Others have even said he is comparable to Magic Johnson.
Here's some of the basics on him: He's a 6'4", 180 pound point guard from Spain. He plays on DKV Joventut. He's a very good athlete who can play defense, is quick, is an amazing ball handler, shows great potential, and is usually the best passer on the court when he plays. He started playing for Joventut when he was fourteen years old.
But what is so great about this guy? His hunger to win. At the U16 Championships playing for Spain he was the hero. He made a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Then he kept his team in overtime sending the game into the second overtime where his team, Spain, won the game. What was his stat line for the game? 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 steals, and 7 assists. In that tournament, Spain played eight games. In those eight games, Rubio averaged 23 points, 13 boards, and 7 assists. He was unstoppable.
But there's something else about him. He can control the game without scoring. He can take less than five shots in a game and still control the tempo and help his team win. That's the reason for the Magic comparison. He can do everything. Score, rebound, pass, lead, handle the ball. He shows great intangibles and is very savvy on the court. People have already proclaimed that he's good enough to play in the NBA right now, at 16 years of age.
The one thing that might hold him back from being great? His inconsistant jump shot. Don't forget though, he still has two or three more year until the draft so I'm guessing that's being worked on as you read this. Ricky has been asked what his favorite move used in the NBA is. His answer? The move is by Steve Nash. Rubio has said that he loves how Nash takes an extra dribble off the screen to create more space for himself. I think that answer just shows how mature he is for his age. He has pretty good speed and a great basketball IQ. This kid is the next big thing. He could be the future if he continues to develop.
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Some of you may have heard of him once or twice but what do you really know about him? Did you know that DraftExpress.com has him as the number 1 pick of the 2009 NBA Draft? Did you know he is the best player outside of the U.S. right now and is only 16? Yes, he's that good. Ricky Rubio has been proclaimed by some to be the next Pistol Pete Maravich. Others have even said he is comparable to Magic Johnson.
Here's some of the basics on him: He's a 6'4", 180 pound point guard from Spain. He plays on DKV Joventut. He's a very good athlete who can play defense, is quick, is an amazing ball handler, shows great potential, and is usually the best passer on the court when he plays. He started playing for Joventut when he was fourteen years old.
But what is so great about this guy? His hunger to win. At the U16 Championships playing for Spain he was the hero. He made a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Then he kept his team in overtime sending the game into the second overtime where his team, Spain, won the game. What was his stat line for the game? 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 steals, and 7 assists. In that tournament, Spain played eight games. In those eight games, Rubio averaged 23 points, 13 boards, and 7 assists. He was unstoppable.
But there's something else about him. He can control the game without scoring. He can take less than five shots in a game and still control the tempo and help his team win. That's the reason for the Magic comparison. He can do everything. Score, rebound, pass, lead, handle the ball. He shows great intangibles and is very savvy on the court. People have already proclaimed that he's good enough to play in the NBA right now, at 16 years of age.
The one thing that might hold him back from being great? His inconsistant jump shot. Don't forget though, he still has two or three more year until the draft so I'm guessing that's being worked on as you read this. Ricky has been asked what his favorite move used in the NBA is. His answer? The move is by Steve Nash. Rubio has said that he loves how Nash takes an extra dribble off the screen to create more space for himself. I think that answer just shows how mature he is for his age. He has pretty good speed and a great basketball IQ. This kid is the next big thing. He could be the future if he continues to develop.
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