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NBA
Mar 11, 2020 21:34:00 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Mar 11, 2020 21:34:00 GMT
Nets at Warriors tomorrow will be in front of an empty arena. First domino of many, one suspects. Not shocked, but surprised. I'll be very curious to see what the NCAA does with March Madness. Question answered: playing to family and essential staff only, no fans.
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NBA
Mar 12, 2020 1:38:52 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Mar 12, 2020 1:38:52 GMT
NBA suspending the season.
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NBA
Mar 12, 2020 2:05:44 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 12, 2020 2:05:44 GMT
Is the NBA done for the year? What's next? The WNBA? MLB is supposed to start in two weeks. I wonder if the NCAA will change their decision now? A lot of questions.
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NBA
Mar 12, 2020 14:26:26 GMT
Post by B.E. on Mar 12, 2020 14:26:26 GMT
I just hope there's a playoffs. I don't care when it happens or how it happens, but we need a champion!
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NBA
Apr 3, 2020 18:02:55 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 3, 2020 18:02:55 GMT
Wilt Chamberlain in 1987 assessing the center position of the NBA. He says they "are much more athletic but ... I think they have lousy centers right now. There are two or three who are any good, and the rest of them couldn't make Overbrook High School."
These were among the centers in 1987-88. (I'm not sure when in '87 the interview happened, so I can't say whether I ought to use '86-'87 or '87-'88. I went with the latter for no real reason.)
Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets, 22.8 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.1 spg, 2.7 bpg
Moses Malone, Bullets, 20.3 ppg, 11.2 rpg Patrick Ewing, Knicks, 20.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3 bpg Brad Daugherty, Cavs, 18.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 4.2 apg
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers, 18.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg (at age 40!) Mike Gminski, 76ers, 16.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg
Mychal Thompson, Lakers, 16.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg Jack Sikma, Bucks, 16.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.4 apg Frank Brickowski, Spurs, 16.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.8 apg
Ralph Sampson, Rockets, 15.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg Kevin Duckworth, Blazers, 15.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg James Edwards, Suns, 15.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Robert Parish, Celtics, 14.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg Bill Laimbeer, Pistons, 13.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg Roy Tarpley, Mavs, 13.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg Benoit Benjamin, Clippers, 13.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.4 bpg
That's not even counting quite a few previously great players who were winding down (Artis Gilmore, Bill Cartwright, etc.) or perfectly serviceable guys who didn't necessarily stand out (Steve Stipanovich, James Donaldson, etc.). I wonder who were the two or three...?
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NBA
Apr 3, 2020 18:34:45 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 3, 2020 18:34:45 GMT
Thanks for posting that interview! Ah, Wilt...What a character, and very complex. I've seen him be critical and condescending in interviews, but I've also seen him be positive and praising of other players.
I've heard Wilt say that about Bill Russell before, about being hurt by Russell criticizing him for not playing with the knee injury. I always thought Wilt might've resented all of the championships Russell won - and he didn't. But, in reality, Wilt and Russell were friends throughout the years. They had some rough spots along the way, but Russell used to have Wilt over to his house for Thanksgiving dinner - and that means something.
I have heard/read stories that despite his size, notoriety, and all the wild stories about him, in many ways Wilt was still a down-to-earth guy who never forgot where he came from. He could be very kind to young fans who approached him.
Wilt's choice of the three best centers at the time? Maybe Abdul-Jabaar, Olajuwon, and Moses.
This is a good one, too:
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NBA
Apr 3, 2020 18:50:52 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 3, 2020 18:50:52 GMT
My guess would definitely be that he leans toward old-schoolers (but to deny Olajuwon, Ewing, or Daugherty at that time would be tough). Of course a few more years and you add Rony Seikaly, David Robinson, then Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning, then Dikembe Mutombo... It's funny how people always say how there are no good centers, but then when you start going team by team, there tend to be three to five real stars and another half dozen very good players, then maybe another half dozen pretty darn good players. And "no good centers" turns out to be half to two-thirds of the league having good centers!
What surprised me most about the interview was his pro-Nixon stance (even in the 80s!) and saying he's still a Republican and a conservative, though not a Reagan fan. I'd love to hear more about that! But man oh man, would he be crucified in the modern NBA about that.
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NBA
Apr 8, 2020 21:41:14 GMT
Post by B.E. on Apr 8, 2020 21:41:14 GMT
Woj: "The NBA and ESPN plan to televise a HORSE competition is nearing completion and among those expected to participate include Chris Paul, Trae Young and Zach LaVine. Competition will also include a couple of WNBA players and recent NBA alumni."
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NBA
Apr 10, 2020 14:51:28 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 10, 2020 14:51:28 GMT
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NBA
Apr 10, 2020 15:37:16 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 10, 2020 15:37:16 GMT
I dunno ... I guess it's cool for those people who find it interesting. I don't.
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NBA
Apr 13, 2020 21:11:20 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 13, 2020 21:11:20 GMT
I've been watching a lot of old international competition games: Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships from the '80s onward. It has been a lot of fun to really see how good (or how far behind) international players from various countries have been over time, the different styles in different countries, etc. But one thing that I just can't help but say after seeing I think four games (two from '86, one from '88, and '95:
Arvydas Sabonis was every bit as good as the best American centers in that era of roughly '80-'00. He was every bit as good as David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, or Brad Daugherty, to name some of the best. The fact that his career was so derailed by injuries and international red tape is a crime to the sport. And the fact that the Soviets forced him back onto the court soon after serious Achilles and knee injuries in both '86 and '88 is another crime to the sport (not to mention a crime against him).
He was roughly Shaq's size and strength. He had the offensive skills of Robinson and Olajuwon, but was a better passer even than either of them. It's just so sad that the American fans really only ever got to see him in his 30s, a seriously damaged body that could only lumber down the court and play limited minutes. He was a genius of a player.
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NBA
Apr 14, 2020 18:04:20 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 14, 2020 18:04:20 GMT
Fun discussion about "who belongs alongside Jordan" in the GOAT debate.
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NBA
Apr 14, 2020 18:14:45 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 14, 2020 18:14:45 GMT
I know I've bored you with this topic, but on my Mount Rushmore of the greatest NBA players, I put Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James - all on equal footing - and I just cannot decide on a 4th. That has remained unchanged for awhile.
The 10-hour documentary on Michael Jordan airs on Sunday night, 4/19/20, on ESPN.
I guess you saw that, sadly, Karl Anthony Towns' mother passed away from COVID-19.
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NBA
Apr 14, 2020 18:21:45 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Apr 14, 2020 18:21:45 GMT
Players raised by these ESPN "experts" as worthy of discussion for the honor:
K Abdul-Jabbar
L Bird K Bryant W Chamberlain T Duncan
L James
E Johnson M Jordan
K Malone H Olajuwon
S O'Neal O Robertson
B Russell J West
As great as all of these players are, I can't see anyone with a straight face claiming that Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, or Malone is the GOAT. The others, I think you could at least make more of an argument for.
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NBA
Apr 16, 2020 16:55:01 GMT
Post by B.E. on Apr 16, 2020 16:55:01 GMT
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