Alright, back to my bread and butter! When you think of great power forwards, names like Tim Duncan, Karl Malone and Elvin Hayes come to mind. They were all spawned from the NBA's first great power forward, former Hawks legend Bob Pettit, our profilee for today.

Bob Pettit was born December 12, 1932 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Pettit's high school career was star-crossed; he was cut as a freshman and sophomore years, but after working hard on his game with his dad, Pettit became a starter as a junior, then led Baton Rouge High School to its first state title in over 20 years as a senior. He then went on to star at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he averaged 27.4 PPG and 14.6 RPG in his three years of play (his best year came as a senior, with 31.4 PPG and 17.3 RPG). Pettit was named All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) all three years and was All-American as a junior and senior and helped LSU to two NCAA tournament appearances (and a Final Four in 1953), which led to him being the first LSU basketball player to ever have his number retired. The Milwaukee Hawks selected Pettit in the first round of the 1955 NBA Draft (draft records are sketchy, but he's listed as the second pick overall).

As a rookie, Pettit was terrific, averaging 20.4 PPG and 13.8 RPG, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The following year, with the Hawks now playing in St. Louis, Pettit won the first ever regular season MVP after leading the league in scoring (25.7 PPG) and rebounding (16.2 RPG), leading the Hawks to their first playoff berth since 1950. He also won All-Star game MVP for the first time (he also won the award outright in 1958 and 1962 and was co-MVP with Elgin Baylor in 1959) and was an All-Star every season he played. Pettit would then lead the Hawks to their first NBA Finals in their third year and byt year four, the Hawks won their first (and so far only) title, handing the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics their only Finals loss during the great center's career. Pettit's defining moment came in the deciding game, where he scored an incredible 50 points to clinch the title on his home court. The Hawks would win five consecutive division titles (1957-61) and make two additional NBA Finals during Pettit's career.

Pettit was remarkably consistent; he never averaged under 22.5 PPG or 12.4 RPG after his rookie year, and he would retire as one of only two player to average over 20 PPG every season he played (the other was Alex Groza, and he only played two seasons). Pettit won his second league MVP in 1958-59 with a then-league record 29.2 PPG, and when he pulled down 20.3 RPG in 1960-61, he became one of only five players to average 20 rebounds per game for a season. Pettit was named All-NBA 1st Team ten times during his career (and All-NBA 2nd team the other year), and was named to the NBA's 25th, 35th and 50th anniversary teams.

Pettit retired as a player after the 1964-65 season as the NBA's leading scorer with 20,880 points (26.4 PPG career) and he also added 12,849 rebounds (16.2 RPG; he was second when he retired, his average is third highest ever, and he's still 14th all-time). His number 9 was retired by the Hawks, and in 1971, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Bob Pettit became the standard by which power forwards would be measured in the future, and few played the position better.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1954-55: 72 GP, 20.4 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 40.7 FG%, 75.1 FT%
1955-56: 72 GP, 25.7 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 42.9 FG%, 73.6 FT%
1956-57: 71 GP, 24.7 PPG, 14.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 41.5 FG%, 77.3 FT%
1957-58: 70 GP, 24.6 PPG, 17.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 41.0 FG%, 74.9 FT%
1958-59: 72 GP, 29.2 PPG, 16.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 43.8 FG%, 75.9 FT%
1959-60: 72 GP, 26.1 PPG, 17.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 43.8 FG%, 75.3 FT%
1960-61: 76 GP, 27.9 PPG, 20.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 44.7 FG%, 72.4 FT%
1961-62: 78 GP, 31.1 PPG, 18.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 45.0 FG%, 77.1 FT%
1962-63: 79 GP, 28.4 PPG, 15.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 44.6 FG%, 77.4 FT%
1963-64: 80 GP, 27.4 PPG, 15.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 46.3 FG%, 78.9 FT%
1964-65: 50 GP, 22.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 42.9 FG%, 82.0 FT%

Here is another new feature for the Zone! Periodically, I will post some of my Fox Sports blog posts here. Today's blog is about why I think the Detroit Pistons (27-29 after losing last night to New Orleans) are struggling.

Well, I been fighting for three years to see change come around these parts, and it looks like I finally got my wish. Unfortunately, it's not change for the better. The Detroit Pistons, everyone's favorite bridesmaids, will not make it to the altar this year, and in fact may miss (at this point, it's more likely they will miss) the playoffs altogether after six straight conference finals (how's that pick looking right now, Jalen Rose?). And the blame game has started in earnest; the newspapers have said "that's what you get when you give Allen Iverson the keys to your team". The talking heads on ESPN say it's more coach Michael Curry (hahahahahaha! Sorry, I still laugh at that) and GM Joe Dumars. Before I give an opinion, let's look at what this blog has said about the current state of affairs:

from "The Iverson Trade: A Necessary but Bad Move; November 4, 2008:"

have I changed my mind (I said the Pistons wouldn't make the conference finals)?

The answer is "No, I haven't". This team still won't get it done when it counts because:

1. Iverson is all about, well, Iverson: I usually couldn't care less about anything Skip Bayless says, but when he calls AI "Me, Myself and Iverson", it rings so true. Iverson has either been "The Man" or "The Man with Carmelo" since he started playing ball, and now he's gonna change with the Pistons? Curry doesn't have the track record Larry Brown had in Philly that at least made Iverson willing to listen slightly, and he won't change in Detroit. And for those who say "Joe Dumars will change him", stop it; Dumars doesn't coach, and Iverson won't change.

2. He'll stagnate the offense: The Pistons aren't exactly an offensive juggernaut, but they were good enough to win a lot of games because no one hogged the ball. And Iverson wants to shoot everytime he touches it. Can you say "disaster in the making"? Everybody, from Richard Hamilton to Rasheed to Prince and the rest will struggle to integrate AI into the flow, so expect at least early trouble.

3. Rodney Stuckey gets no break: I love it when I hear people say that Billups was dealt for Iverson to clear room for Stuckey. It's complete BS; Iverson will actually hold back Stuckey because he doesn't defer to anybody, whereas Billups did give Stuckey some slack. The only way that's true is if Iverson leaves after the season. Sorry, Rodney!

But, after all of that, I'll admit that this was a necessary evil. The Pistons had to shake this foundation and move on; the title team was almost 5 years in the past, and this unit had gone as far as they could possibly go. So, I applaud Dumars for making the move. Now, if only we let Rasheed's contract expire, and wait until 2010, we could make a push for LeBron James (sorry, Joker!). But the Pistons today are no better off than they were Sunday, and yet I'm glad they aren't, if only because it finally signals the end of the redundant losers (and the end of the overrated Billups; if the refs didn't give him a thousand foul shots, he'd barely be serviceble! But I digress). Thank goodness!

Well, my prediction is looking good, isn't it? Iverson has been a detriment because he wants the ball, thus stagnating the offense, and his defense is poor. And Curry has proven he can't handle Iverson; his cowtoeing to his whims has destroyed the team. Granted, Stuckey has played decently, but with no PG, this teams stinks!

From "Inconsistency, Thy Name is Piston; November 21, 2008"

The Pistons don't have the ideal chemistry right now, and it showed last night, when the offense stagnated after a decent start. I said before that Iverson, as a traditionally isolation-based player, would be a fly in the ointment for the motion O the Pistons preferred, and it was yesterday. And his lack of D must be spreading; the C's shot 49% from the field, and had five guys in double figures (led by Rajon Rondo's 18). Getting back to the O issue; Iverson's assist-to-turnover ratio was 1:1 (four assists, four TOs), which would indicate sloppy play. And Richard Hamilton is clearly struggling (4-9 shooting, just 12 points), and I'll be very interested if/when he starts to sulk about his role with the team…  Now, I must observe the inevitable train wreck that should happen when AI doesn't like his role, and he, Hamilton, and Michael Curry (I still can't call him "Pistons coach" without laughing) clash. That should be fun!

Hamilton is still struggling, and he is simmering privately, but for how much longer?

From "Michael Curry's Combustible Chemistry Experiment: Which ingredient should he choose?; January 3, 2009"

Here are the possibilities(of who should start):

A. Have AI come off the bench, with Stuckey and Hamilton in the backcourt.
B. Have Hamilton come off the bench, with Stuckey and AI in the backcourt.
C. Bench Johnson, have three guards starting.

Which one is the best for Detroit? Let's look at A first:

Pros: AI could easily win Sixth Man of the Year, since he would play plenty of minutes and still get his points. Plus, he did say he wants to do anything he can to win a title, so wouldn't he be willing?

Cons: Then again, does AI really want to sacrifice his game to win? One never knows.

Now, let's look at B:

Pros: Hamilton can fill in at SG and SF, plus PG in a pinch. He too could be a Sixth Man candidate.

Cons: Hamilton (according to the Detroit Free Press) has been very testy with coach Curry, and without Billups to buffer him and Curry, he could really sulk and torpedo the team. And since he's been here longer than AI, he'll believe he's right.

Finally, here's C:

Pros: Both AI and Hamilton would be happy as starters.

Cons: The defense would be really pourous; AI can't defend well one-on-one, and Hamilton would be overmatched as the de-facto SF against other Eastern Conference SFs such as LeBron James and Paul Pierce. And there wouldn't be enough basketballs to placate AI and Hamilton.

So, after observing all of that, which plan would you go with if you were Curry? Based on what I said, C isn't a legit option; you need size against the tough Eastern forwards, and Prince should be the one assigned to LeBron and the Truth, not Hamilton. So Amir is safe. And why not bench Stuckey? Because he's now the engine of the Pistons' O; he needs to stay.

I would pick option A if I were Curry.

As you can see, Curry started choosing C inexplicably, and after a couple of games where that failed, he decided to stick with... option B. In one stroke, Curry gave too much rope to AI, and the rats deserted the ship. Iverson proved not to be a real team player, and Hamilton's been wildly inconsistent as a reserve. Game over.

Now, back on point; who should be blamed for this disaster bigger than the Detroit city council rejecting the Cobo Arena plan?

As hard as I've been on Iverson, he gets only partial blame; major in-season trades never work (Shaq to Phoenix, anyone?), and you knew exactly what you were getting with him. Thus, I blame Curry and Dumars; the coach needs respect to be effective, and I don't think Curry has it. He rode a friendship with Dumars to a plush job after only one year as an assistant, and he's clearly not head coach material. And Dumars made the mistake of hiring a friend instead of a proven coach after the Pistons lost three straight conference finals, and then made the bad trade, so his star has been tarnished.

How can the mess be fixed? I'm not a GM, but this team (except for Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince) must be blown up; Rasheed needs to (finally!) be released (did you see his lastest hissy fit? Boy that's gotten old!), Hamilton needs to be traded, and AI needs to be allowed to leave so we can use his money on better players. It was a fine (albeit less than successful because there was only one title) era, but those who live in the past aren't successful in the present. Time to move on, Pistons!

Today's profilee has been profiled by countless people, but as the headliner of the potential Hall of Fame candidate, he will be profiled again! He is a five-time former MVP, ten-time scoring champion, a former Defensive POY, a former Rookie of the Year, a 14-time All-Star, and most importantly, a six-time NBA champion (and six-time Finals MVP!). He is considered the greatest player in NBA history. He is Michael Jordan!

Michael Jordan was born Feburary 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina when he was little, and young Jordan grew up to love sports. At Emsley Laney High School in Wilmington, Jordan played baseball, football and basketball, but when he initally tried out for the varsity basketball team as a sophomore, he was cut because the team deemed him too short to be effective. Jordan grew four inches by his junior year, and after making the team, he averaged over 20 PPG each of his two years on the team. He earned McDonald's All-America honors after averaging a triple-double (29.2 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 10.1 APG). Jordan then took an athletic scholarship at the University of North Carolina to play for legendary college coach Dean Smith.

As a freshman on a loaded Tar Heels team (which included James Worthy and Sam Perkins), Jordan jumped into the national spotlight when he hit a medium-range jumper to help North Carolina beat Georgetown (and future adversary Patrick Ewing) 63-62 and give Smith his first national title. Jordan's next two seasons were spectacular, culminating in his winning the John Wooden and Naismith awards as a junior (for college POY) in 1983-84. After his junior year, Jordan declared for the 1984 NBA Draft, but not before he claimed a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics that year. He would be selected third overall (after Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie) by the Chicago Bulls, who were struggling on and off the court.

As a rookie, Jordan lifted the Bulls out of the doldrums, averaging 28.2 PPG and increasing their win total from 27 in 1983-84 to 38 and the playoffs, where they lost to Milwaukee in four games. For this, Jordan won Rookie of the Year honors and became the first rookie to start in the All-Star game since Magic Johnson in 1980. His second year saw him suffer a devestating foot injury that sidelined him for 64 games. When he returned, the Bulls strictly limited his minutes, sometimes to their detriment, until they limped into the playoffs at 30-52, the second-worst record to qualify ever (82 game season). Though the Bulls were swept by the Boston Celtics, Jordan put on a performance for the ages in game 2 at Boston, scoring a playoff-record 63 points in a double-overtime loss. After the game, Celtic star Larry Bird said 'It was God disguised as Michael Jordan". It was a harbinger of things to come.

Jordan's third season was one of the greatest offensive and defensive years of all time; in addition to scoring 37.1 PPG and over 3,000 points for the season (the average is the second highest ever, and he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to score 3,000+ points), he managed 200 steals and 100 blocks. Despite this, he had little talent around him, and he ran into a roadblock; the Detroit Pistons of the late 80s, a group of players known as the "Bad Boys". The Pistons beat the Bulls each year from 1988-1990, twice in the conference finals, as Jordan didn't trust his teammates enough to pass the ball, which made the Pistons' "Jordan Rules" work effectively even when players like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant were added.

By the 1989-90 season, Jordan's greatness was questioned as the Bulls were beaten again by the Piston in the conference finals. Jordan didn't conform with new coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense, and after a bitter loss in game 7 of the series, he vowed never again to lose to the Pistons. The fruits of that dedication came in the 1990-91 season, where the Bulls rolled to a 61-21 record and Jordan won his second MVP (the other had come in 1988; he would add three more MVPs in 1992, 1996 and 1998). In the playoffs, the Bulls went 15-2, sweeping the Knicks, smashing the 76ers 4-1, and finally exorcising their Piston demons with a four-game sweep. In the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago lost the first game at home, then won the next four for their first ever title. Jordan was the unanimous Finals MVP, and thew victory put aside all doubts about his ability to lead a team. The Bulls were now the leaders of the NBA, and Jordan led them to two more NBA titles, winning Finals MVP both times. In the first game of the 1992 Finals, in his matchup with Clyde Drexler's Portland Trail Blazers, he hit six threes in the first half (tying the then-Finals record) and scored 35 points to break Elgin Baylor's playoff record as the Bulls won the title in six games. After leading the Bulls to a third straight title (and winning his seventh scoring title to tie Chamberlain's record), Jordan shockingly retired after his father was murdered in North Carolina.

Jordan decided to try and play minor league baseball in 1994, and while the stats weren't spectacular (a .202 batting average for the Birmingham Barons), he called the experience theraputic emotionally. After refusing to be a replacement player during the baseball strike in 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA. He sparked the Bulls into the playoffs and to an upset over the Charlotte Hornets before he stumbled against the Orlando Magic; he had a turnover that proved costly in game one, and even after he donned #23 again (he had worn #45 during his comeback), the Bulls lost the series in six games. After the series, Jordan rededicated himself to the game, and with the addition of Dennis Rodman, the Bulls had the greatest season in NBA history, winning a record 72 games as Jordan returned to the top as league MVP and scoring champ. The Bulls beat the Heat (3-0), Knicks (4-1), and the Magic 4-0 in Shaquille O'Neal's last game with the team, then defeated Seattle 4-2 to regain the NBA title. Jordan became the first player since Willis Reed in 1969-70 to win regular season, All-Star game, and Finals MVP in the same season. The Bulls ran off with another three-peat, with Jordan's first defining moment coming in game 5 of the 1997 Finals against the Utah Jazz. With the series tied at three and Jordan ailing from the flu, he delivered a vintage performance, scoring 38 points and leading the Bulls to a 90-88 win and the title in game 6. His second defining performance came in what many expected to be his last pro game (game 6 of the 1998 Finals) where, after stealing the ball from Karl Malone, Jordan hit the Finals-winning shot over Bryon Russell. The title was the Bulls' sixth of the decade, the most since Boston won nine titles in the 1960s. During the lockout that followed the season, with the Bulls being dismantled, Jordan decided to retire again, and he was "99.9% sure" it would stick. It didn't.

Three seasons later, during the 2001-02 season, Jordan made his third NBA comeback, this time with the Washington Wizards, where he was hired to run the basketball operations on January 19, 2000. Jordan's second comeback was only moderately successful; though he led the team in scoring, assists and steals during his first season, he only played 60 games, the fewest since 1985-86, and he announced that the 2002-03 season would be his final season. He averaged 20 PPG and started 67 of 82 games and scored 40+ points in a game three times. After the season, Jordan retired for good. He had scored 32,393 points (30.1 PPG, third in points as of 2008-09) and is eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Michael Jordan earned his place among the best NBA players of all time, and among the greatest winners of all-time.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1984-85: 82 GP, 82 GS, 28.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 51.5 FG%, 84.5 FT%, 17.3 3P%
1985-86: 18 GP, 7 GS, 22.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 45.7 FG%, 84.0 FT%, 16.7 3P%
1986-87: 82 GP, 82 GS, 37.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, 48.2 FG%, 85.7 FT%, 18.2 3P%
1987-88: 82 GP, 82 GS, 35.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 53.5 FG%, 84.1 FT%, 13.2 3P%
1988-89: 81 GP, 81 GS, 32.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.0 APG, 53.8 FG%, 85.0 FT%, 27.6 3P%
1989-90: 82 GP, 82 GS, 33.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 6.3 APG, 52.6 FG%, 84.8 FT%, 37.6 3P%
1990-91: 82 GP, 82 GS, 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 53.9 FG%, 85.1 FT%, 31.2 3P%
1991-92: 80 GP, 80 GS, 30.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.1 APG, 51.9 FG%, 83.2 FT%, 27.0 3P%
1992-93: 78 GP, 78 GS, 32.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.5 APG, 49.5 FG%, 83.7 FT%, 35.2 3P%
1993-94: did not play (retired)
1994-95: 17 GP, 17 GS, 26.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 41.1 FG%, 80.1 FT%, 50.0 3P%
1995-96: 82 GP, 82 GS, 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 49.5 FG%, 83.4 FT%, 42.7 3P%
1996-97: 82 GP, 82 GS, 29.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.3 APG, 48.6 FG%, 83.3 FT%, 37.4 3P%
1997-98: 82 GP, 82 GS, 28.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 46.5 FG%, 78.4 FT%, 23.8 3P%
1998-99: did not play (retired)
1999-2000: did not play (retired)
2000-01: did not play (retired)
2001-02: 60 GP, 53 GS, 22.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.2 APG, 41.6 FG%, 79.0 FT%, 18.9 3P%
2002-03: 82 GP, 67 GS, 20.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 44.5 FG%, 82.1 FT%, 29.1 3P%

 

There is one more profilee to come in my Hall of Fame tribute this week; Michael Jordan, the best player of his generation. To keep people interested until tomorrow, here's is a review of Air Jordan's first trip to the Finals in 1991, and the matchup of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Michael Jordan entered his seventh season in 1990-91 as the NBA's premier individual player. He had won a league MVP, four straight scoring titles, and even a Defensive Player of the Year. But for all of his great individual deeds, the Chicago Bulls were always the bridesmaid and never the bride. The previous two years had been particuarly painful; the Bulls lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the physical Detroit Pistons. Jordan didn't mesh well with the new offense first-year coach Phil Jackson employed, and it became clear that things needed to change for the Bulls to realize their potential.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Los Angeles Lakers were the team of the 1980s, winning five NBA titles with their blazing "Showtime" offense. By 1990-91, however, many wondered if their time had passed; the team was beaten in the second round of the 1990 playoffs, and legendary coach Pat Riley resigned. In his place stepped Mike Dunleavy, who was only five years removed from being a full-time player. Dunleavy wanted to change the team's style, scrapping the running style in favor of more post-ups of stars Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and newcomer Sam Perkins. Could the Lakers remain a power in the West with Portland, the defending conference champs, looming and an overhaul on the horizon?

For the Bulls, the 1990-91 season went swimmingly, as they won 61 games and claimed their first ever Central division title. Jordan would win his second league MVP and, more importantly, trusted Jackson's offense enough to allow it to run properly. The Lakers, meanwhile, got off to their worst start since 1978 before eventually finishing 58-24, losing the Pacific to the Portland Trail Blazers, their first time losing the division since 1981. In the playoffs, the Bulls rampaged through their first two opponents, sweeping the New York Knicks and beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1. In a third straight conference finals rematch against Detroit, the Bulls showed no mercy, sweeping the battered Pistons 4-0 (Jordan predicted as much) and moved on to their first NBA Finals. The Lakers swept the Houston Rockets 3-0, eliminated the Golden State Warriors 4-1, and outwiled the Blazers 4-2, with Magic Johnson showing his savvy on the court, tossing the ball down the court after a Terry Porter miss to run out most of the clock in the deciding game. The league had a real showcase matchup for their first NBA Finals on the NBC network; Magic vs Michael.

Game 1 was played at a Lakers-style pace; primarily a half-court style that used most of the shot clock. While Jordan domianted early with 15 1st quarter points, the Laker frontcourt of Worthy, Perkins and Vlade Divac dominated the Bulls frontcourt, outscoring them in game 1 60-31. Magic, meanwhile, waited until the 3rd quarter to deal scoring damage, hitting a last-second shot and a pair of threes to give L.A. a 75-68 lead going into the 4th. The Bulls eventually surged ahead 91-89 before the Lakers showed their veteran poise; Johnson found Perkins wide open for a three, and Perkins hit it, giving L.A. the lead. Jordan had a chance to score, but he missed, and the Lakers stunned Chicago 93-91 to take the home-court advantage. Game 2 wasn't close after halftime; the Bulls decided to have Scottie Pippen guard Magic, saving Jordan's energy for the offensive end. After scoring just two points in the 1st half, Jordan hit 13 straight shots in the second half (including a breathtaking layup that lives on in replays) to put Chicago ahead to stay. The Bulls won 107-86 to even the series, but experts felt L.A. still had the advantage going back to the Forum for three games.

Game 3 was a game of runs; the Bulls dominated the paint in this game, and the Lakers set a Finals record-low for rebounds, but the game was tight until the 3rd, when L.A. outscored Chicago 18-2 to take a thirteen point lead. The Bulls countered with a 20-7 run to tie the game at 74. The final sequence of regulation was hectic; after Horace Grant gave the Bulls a 90-87 lead, Perkins hit a layup, then Divac scored on a fumbled ball and was fouled; his free throw gave the Lakers a 92-90 lead and led to Pippen fouling out. But Jordan made amends for his game 1 failure; he hit a jumper over Byron Scott with 3.7 seconds left to force overtime, where he then scored 6 of the Bulls' 12 points to help Chicago win 104-96. Game 4 saw L.A. lead 28-27, the first time the Bulls trailed after the 1st in the 1991 playoffs, but Chicago rallied and smothered the Lakers' offense, holding them to 37% shooting for the game and to 12 for 41 shooting in the second and third quarters. With both Worthy and Scott leaving with injuries that would sideline them for game 5, the Bulls won 97-82, taking a 3-1 lead over the stunned Lakers.

In game 5, Dunleavy rode his horses hard; only seven players played for the Lakers in the game, and they hung tough with Chicago through three quarters, with the game being tied at 80 after three. In the fourth, Jordan passed his final test, as he deferred the late game offense to Pippen and John Paxson. Pippen led the Bulls with 32 points, and Paxson scored 10 points in the final 3:54 of the game to help Chicago seal it 108-101 and take their first NBA title 4 games to 1. Jordan won the Finals MVP without a dissenting vote, and the victory finally ended the debate of his greatness; he was now the dominant force over the NBA.

1991 NBA Finals leaders: Points per game
Chicago: Jordan, 31.2 PPG; Pippen, 20.8 PPG; Grant, 14.6 PPG
L.A. Lakers: Worthy, 19.3 PPG; E. Johnson, 18.6 PPG; Perkins, 16.6 PPG

1991 NBA Finals leaders: Rebounds per game
Chicago: Pippen, 9.4 RPG; Grant, 7.8 RPG; Jordan, 6.6 RPG
L.A. Lakers: Divac, 8.8 RPG; E. Johnson, 8.0 RPG; Perkins, 7.6 RPG

1991 NBA Finals leaders: Assists per game
Chicago: Jordan, 11.4 APG; Pippen, 6.6 APG; Paxson, 3.4 APG
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 12.4 APG; Divac and Worthy, 2.0 APG; Scott, 1.8 APG 

Continuing the Zone's profiles of Hall of Fame candidates, today's profilee was a two time NBA champion, a former league MVP, Rookie of the Year and Defensive POY. He helped resurrect the San Antonio Spurs in the early 90s. He is the Admiral, David Robinson.

David Robinson was born August 6, 1965 in Key West, Florida. His father was in the United State Navy, so Robinson moved frequently until his dad retired and settled in Woodbridge, Virginia. Robinson attended Osborn Park High School in nearby Manassas, Virginia, but didn't play basketball until his senior year, where the 6'7 Robinson won all-area and all-district honors. Still, he generated little interest from other colleges, so he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and attend the U.S. Naval Academy.

At Navy, Robinson became the school's most dominant player ever, averaging 21 PPG and 10.3 RPG (his best season was his senior year, when he average 28.2 PPG and 11.8 RPG). Robinson won the Naismith and Wooden awards as college player of the year in 1986-87, and was promptly selected by the San Antonio Spurs as the top pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. However, Robinson had to fulfill two years in the Navy before he could join the Spurs. Thus, he didn't join the team until the 1989-90 season.

When Robinson joined the Spurs, they had fallen on hard times; they had not had a winning season since 1982-83, and their 1988-89 record was 21-61. Robinson immediately changed their fortunes; he averaged 24.3 PPG and 12 RPG, leading the Spurs to a 56-26 record and the Midwest Division title; the 35 win improvement was a record at the time in the NBA (since surpassed by the 2007-08 Boston Celtics). Robinson won Rookie of the Year honors and led the Spurs to their first playoff series win since 1983 by beating the Nuggets before losing a classic series to Portland in seven games. The "Admiral" had rejuvenated the franchise and made it a legit contender.

Over the next six seasons, Robinson was the beacon of the Spurs; he led the team to four more division titles during that span, and Robinson racked up the awards during that time; he won Defensive Player of the Year in 1991-92, and won the scoring title in 1993-94 with a spectacular finish; in the Spurs' last game of the season against the Clippers, he broke George Gervin's single-game Spurs scoring record of 63 points by scoring 71 points, claiming the title by a slim margin over Shaquille O'Neal. Robinson's zenith came in 1994-95, when he averaged 27.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG and helped the Spurs to a league-best 62-20 record. For that, Robinson won league MVP, the first Spur to do so. Despite this, the Spurs never advanced beyond the conference finals during that span. Then, during the 1996-97 season, Robinsom hurt his back, and then broke his foot, missing 76 games and watching helplessly as the Spurs collapsed to 20-62.

While many wondered how Robinson would bounce back, the silver lining from the 1996-97 season was that the Spurs won the right to draft first overall, and they selected Tim Duncan with that pick. Duncan and Robinson became the newest "Twin Towers", and this time, the centers could co-exist; the Spurs won 56 games in their first season together, and during the lockout shortened 1998-99 season, Robinson finally won his first NBA title as the Spurs beat the New York Knicks 4-1, becoming the first former ABA team ever to win an NBA title. The Spurs maintained their dominant position through the early 2000s, but they couldn't overcome the Lakers in either 2001 or 2002. By the 2002-03 season, Robinson announced he was playing his final season, and the Spurs sent him out on top, as they defeated the New Jersey Nets 4-2 for his second title. By the time of his retirement, he had scored 20,790 points (21.1 PPG career) and grabbed 10,497 rebounds (10.6 RPG career), had made ten All-Star teams (1990-96, 1998, 2000-01), was named to four All-NBA 1st teams and four All-NBA Defensive 1st teams (1991-92, 1995-96), and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1995. He is eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1989-90: 82 GP, 81 GS, 24.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 53.1 FG%, 73.2 FT%
1990-91: 82 GP, 81 GS, 25.6 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 55.2 FG%, 76.2 FT%
1991-92: 68 GP, 68 GS, 23.2 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 55.1 FG%, 70.1 FT%
1992-93: 82 GP, 82 GS, 23.4 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 50.1 FG%, 73.2 FT%
1993-94: 80 GP, 80 GS, 29.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 50.7 FG%, 74.9 FT%
1994-95: 81 GP, 81 GS, 27.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.9 APG, 53.0 FG%, 77.4 FT%
1995-96: 82 GP, 82 GS, 25.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 51.6 FG%, 76.1 FT%
1996-97: 6 GP, 6 GS, 17.7 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 50.0 FG%, 65.4 FT%
1997-98: 73 GP, 73 GS, 21.6 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 51.1 FG%, 73.5 FT%
1998-99: 49 GP, 49 GS, 15.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 50.9 FG%, 65.8 FT%
1999-2000: 80 GP, 80 GS, 17.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 51.2 FG%, 72.6 FT%
2000-01: 80 GP, 80 GS, 14.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 48.6 FG%, 74.7 FT%
2001-02: 78 GP, 78 GS, 12.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 50.7 FG%, 68.1 FT%
2002-03: 64 GP, 64 GS, 8.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 46.9 FG%, 71.0 FT%

The Basketball Hall of Fame will elect its class of 2009 in the very near future. With that in mind, the Zone will profile several candidates who should be among that class. The first profile is of former Utah Jazz great John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in both assists and steals.

John Stockton was born March 26, 1962 in Spokane, Washington. He spent his entire formative years at home, first at Gonzaga Prep School (1976-80) and then at Gonzaga University, where he put the small college on the basketball map, scoring 20.9 PPG and shooting an astonishing 57% from the field as a senior. Stockton was among the star-studded 1984 NBA Draft (which featured future stars Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, as well as solid long-time players like Sam Perkins, Kevin Willis and Alvin Robertson), where he was selected by the Utah Jazz as the 16th pick of the draft.

Stockton spent his early years in Utah as a backup to Rickey Green, an All-Star selection in 1984. Even as a reserve, Stockton showed he was a great facilitator; he average better than seven assists in two of his first three seasons backing up Green. By the 1987-88 season, Stockton supplanted Green as a starter, and in his first full season as a starter, he led the NBA in assists with 13.8 APG. He would not be displaced as the league leader in that category until 1996-97, as Stockton rewrote the record books with nine straight years leading the league in assists. His best year was 1990-91; his 1,164 assists set a league record for a single season (his 14.2 APG average was second only to his 14.5 average in 1989-90), and he had his best single game (regular season) total with 28 assists against San Antonio on January 15, 1991. But what Stockton will be best remembered for was his teaming with Karl Malone to form one of the NBA's greatest duos.

"Stockton to Malone" was the call many Jazz fans heard for almost two decades and the duo used the old-fashioned pick-and-roll to perfection. While Malone became the NBA's second leading scorer (entering the 2008-09 season), Stockton eventually became the NBA's all-time leading assists man in 1994-95 and in steals in 1995-96. Stockton was selected to ten All-Star games (1989-97, 2000) and was co-MVP with Malone, ironically enough, in the 1993 game at the Jazz' home arena in Salt Lake City. Stockton helped the Jazz to five division titles, eleven 50+ win seasons and two NBA Finals; his dramatic three in game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals is considered his defining moment as a player and sent the Jazz to their first NBA Finals, though they lost to Chicago in six games in both Finals appearances.

Stockton eventually retired from the Jazz after the 2002-03 season at age 41, becoming one of the few players to finish his career with one team. When his career was over, he had missed only 22 games with injury, had amassed 16,781 points (13.3 PPG career) and 13,790 assists (11.0 APG, second in average only to Magic Johnson's 11.2). He was named to two All-NBA 1st teams (1994-95) and to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He is eligible for election to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and his number 12 was retired by the Jazz in 2004.

Season-by-Season Statistcal Review:
1984-85: 82 GP, 5 GS, 5.6 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 5.1 APG, 47.1 FG%, 73.6 FT%, 18.2 3P%
1985-86: 82 GP, 38 GS, 7.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 7.4 APG, 48.9 FG%, 83.9 FT%, 13.3 3P%
1986-87: 82 GP, 2 GS, 7.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 8.2 APG, 49.9 FG%, 78.2 FT%, 18.4 3P%
1987-88: 82 GP, 79 GS, 14.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 13.8 APG, 57.4 FG%, 84.0 FT%, 35.8 3P%
1988-89: 82 GP, 82 GS, 17.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 13.6 APG, 53.8 FG%, 86.3 FT%, 24.2 3P%
1989-90: 78 GP, 78 GS, 17.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 14.5 APG, 51.4 FG%, 81.9 FT%, 41.6 3P%
1990-91: 82 GP, 82 GS, 17.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 14.2 APG, 50.7 FG%, 83.6 FT%, 34.5 3P%
1991-92: 82 GP, 82 GS, 15.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 13.7 APG, 48.2 FG%, 84.2 FT%, 40.7 3P%
1992-93: 82 GP, 82 GS, 15.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 12.0 APG, 48.8 FG%, 79.8 FT%, 38.5 3P%
1993-94: 82 GP, 82 GS, 15.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 12.6 APG, 52.8 FG%, 80.5 FT%, 32.2 3P%
1994-95: 82 GP, 82 GS, 14.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 12.3 APG, 54.2 FG%, 80.4 FT%, 44.9 3P%
1995-96: 82 GP, 82 GS, 14.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 11.2 APG, 53.8 FG%, 83.0 FT%, 42.2 3P%
1996-97: 82 GP, 82 GS, 14.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 10.5 APG, 54.8 FG%, 84.6 FT%, 42.2 3P%
1997-98: 64 GP, 64 GS, 12.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 8.5 APG, 52.8 FG%, 82.7 FT%, 42.9 3P%
1998-99: 50 GP, 50 GS, 11.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 7.5 APG, 48.8 FG%, 81.1 FT%, 32.0 3P%
1999-2000: 82 GP, 82 GS, 12.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 8.6 APG, 50.1 FG%, 86.0 FT%, 35.5 3P%
2000-01: 82 GP, 82 GS, 11.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 8.7 APG, 50.4 FG%, 81.7 FT%, 46.2 3P%
2001-02: 82 GP, 82 GS, 13.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 8.2 APG, 51.7 FG%, 85.7 FT%, 32.1 3P%
2002-03: 82 GP, 82 GS, 10.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 7.7 APG, 48.3 FG%, 82.6 FT%, 36.3 3P%

In the Zone's continuing look at past NBA Finals, today we look back at the end of an era in the NBA. The end of fast-break offenses dominating the league, and giving way to defensive-minded teams. This happened in the 1989 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons. Though short, the tide had been turned for good.

The Detroit Pistons were the NBA's definition of losers for much of their early history. They had some good teams during their first 40 years of playing in the league, but they had never won an NBA title; they were the only team in the league that had played since 1950 and not won the title. At the beginning of the 1980s, they finished a league-worst 16-66. They weren't expected for greatness.

That same year, the Los Angeles Lakers won their second NBA title in L.A. by beating Philadelphia 4 game to 2. With the combination of Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leading the way, the Lakers became the team of the decade, winning four more titles. Their fifth title in 1988 came at the expense of the Pistons in a phenominal seven game final where the Lakers won the last two game by a total of four points. As the 1988-89 season began, these two teams were the favorites to play again in the Finals, even as the NBA began expansion by adding the Charlotte (now New Orleans) Hornets and the Miami Heat. But for the Lakers, it was extra special; Abdul-Jabbar decided to make this season (his twentieth in the league) his final one. He was celebrated at every arena, and the Lakers wanted badly to give him one more title.

The Lakers proceeded to run off one of the best win streaks in playoff history; they won all three series in sweeps, dispatching Portland 3-0, Seattle 4-0 (including a dramatic comeback in the clincher) and Phoenix 4-0 to make their eighth trip to the Finals in the decade. The Pistons swept both Boston (3-0) and Milwaukee (4-0), then ran into trouble with the upstart Chicago Bulls. Led by Michael Jordan, the Bulls stole game 1 and eventually led 2-1 before the Pistons won the series in six games. Before their duel with Chicago, the Pistons were the favorites, but sentiment shifted before the Finals, as L.A. was now the favorite.

Before the series even began, the Lakers suffered a severe blow, as Byron Scott tore his hamstring during a practice (establishing a theme). The Lakers, who had gone most of the playoffs without using much of their bench, had to do so in this game, as the fouls piled up on them early in the game; Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, A.C. Green, and Orlando Woolridge all had three fouls during the first half. The game remained close at halftime (the Pistons led 55-48) before the Pistons opened up in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 24-18 to take a 79-66 lead, then shot 82% from the field in the 4th to put the game away 109-97, handing the Lakers their first playoff loss. Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Vinnie Johnson scorched the Lakers for 65 points, also establishing a trend. Game 2 saw Magic Johnson come out with a vengence, scoring 18 points and dishing 9 assists through the four minute mark of the third quarter when disaster struck; Johnson pulled his hamstring and was gone for the game. The Lakers were tied with Detroit at 75 at the time of the injury, but went on a late 15-6 run to lead 92-84 after three. The Pistons' vaunted defense suddenly shut down L.A., limiting them without a field goal until 3:38 remained in the fourth. Trailing 102-95, the Lakers went on a late-game surge, closing to within 106-104 late in the game. After forcing a 24 second violation with 8 seconds left, they drew up an isolation play for James Worthy, who was fouled with 2 seconds left. However, Worthy missed the first free throw, then hit the second after trying to intentionally miss, and Thomas hit two free throws to clinch the game 108-105.

With game 3 on the horizon, Lakers fans wondered if Magic would play in the game. The Lakers kept mum on the subject until gametime, when Magic was introduced in his normal position in the intros. However, with a heavily bandaged hamstring, it was clear he wasn't himself. After only five minutes, one assist and no points, he left the game, and would not return for the rest of the Finals. Without Johnson and Scott, the Lakers played Cooper all 48 minutes, and Kareem saved one last vintage performance for this game; the all-time leading scorer had 24 points and 13 rebounds, keeping L.A. in the game. The Lakers led 88-86 after three despite Dumars scoring 21 points in the period, but Detroit rallied to lead 109-104 late in the game. The Lakers fought back, reducing the defecit to 113-110 after a foul on a jump ball and a forced jump ball. Needing three to tie the game, L.A. tried to find Worthy, but Dennis Rodman blanketed him, forcing L.A. to turn to reserve PG David Rivers, who played just 8 total minutes prior to this game. Rivers tried to shoot a three, but Dumars blocked the shot and saved the ball to Bill Laimbeer, whose free throw iced the game at 114-110. The Lakers were now down 3-0, and had no hope of coming back to win the series; no team in NBA history had ever come back from such a defecit.

Game 4 was dominated early on by Worthy, who scored 17 points in the first en route to scoring 40 points for the game. L.A. built a 35-23 1st quarter lead, but the Pistons cut into the lead steadily, eventually cutting the lead to two after three quarters. Behind strong 4th quarters by Dumars and James Edwards, the Pistons outscored the Lakers 29-19 to win the game 105-97 to complete a four game sweep. Dumars won Finals MVP with an average of 27.3 PPG, and the Pistons won their first ever NBA title, ending not only their streak of futility, but ending the Lakers' Showtime-era run. Abdul-Jabbar recieved a long standing ovation from the Forum crowd and even from the Pistons as his career finished with six NBA titles and over 38,000 points. The 1989 Finals signaled a changing of the guard; defense was now the order of the day, and in the future, to win a title, you now had to play physical defense to win. The "Bad Boys" now ruled the NBA.

1989 NBA Finals leaders: Points per game
Detroit: Dumars, 27.3 PPG; Thomas, 21.3 PPG; V.Johnson, 17.0 PPG
L.A. Lakers: Worthy, 25.5 PPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 12.5 PPG; Cooper, 12.0 PPG

1989 NBA Finals leaders; Rebounds per game
Detroit: Rodman, 10.0 RPG; Mark Aguirre, 6.0 RPG; Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn, 5.3 RPG
L.A. Lakers: Green, 9.3 RPG; Woolridge, 5.3 RPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 5.0 RPG

1989 NBA Finals leaders: Assists per game
Detroit: Thomas, 7.3 APG; Dumars, 6.0 APG; V. Johnson, 2.8 APG
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 8.0 APG; Cooper, 6.8 APG; Worthy, 2.8 APG

The most noteworthy players from the old American Basketball Association (ABA) are players like Julius Erving and George Gervin. But the last two players from the league to play in the NBA were recent profilee Moses Malone (1995) and today's profilee, Caldwell Jones, who retired in 1990. Jones may not have had the stats of Malone, but in his own way, he carved a niche in the ABA and the NBA. Here's the profile.

Caldwell Jones was born August 4, 1950 in McGehee, Arkansas. After attended high school in McGehee, Jones followed family tradition by attending Albany State University. Jones had a good college career, averaging 20.5 PPG and 20.3 RPG during his four years there (under the guidance of his dad, Oliver; all four of his brothers played there at some point and also played in the NBA). The Philadelphia 76ers selected Jones with the 14th pick of the second round (32nd overall) in the 1973 NBA Draft, but Jones instead decided to play for the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA.

Jones made an impact in his first ABA season, averaging 15 PPG and 13.9 RPG in helping San Diego make the playoffs. His second season with them produced his best statistical season, with 19.5 PPG and 14.1 RPG. His third year (1975-76) was the last for the ABA, and he jumped from the Conquistadors (who folded) to the Kentucky Colonels to the Spirits of St. Louis, while maintaining a double-double average. After the league folded, Jones' rights were picked up by the Sixers, who retained their draft rights to him.

Jones' role changed in Philadelphia; with such stars as Julius Erving, Darryl Dawkins, George McGinnis, and Doug Collins, he became a defensive-minded center, which the Sixers needed. Jones' best PPG season for the Sixers was 9.3 in 1978-79, but he averaged at least eight RPG in five of his six seasons there, was named All-NBA Defensive 1st Team in both 1980-81 and 1981-82, and even received a vote for league MVP in 1981. The Sixers reached the Finals twice during his tenure, but lost both time to the Los Angeles Lakers. After the second loss in 1982, Jones was traded to the Rockets along with a first round pick as compensation for the Sixers signing Moses Malone.

Jones enjoyed two solid stats seasons with the Rockets, averaging over 9 PPG and 7 RPG in both years, but the Rockets went just 14-68 and 29-53 (worst in the West both times) and Jones became a journeyman center. He signed with the Chicago Bulls, where he played just 42 games for the young Bulls (and a rookie named Michael Jordan), then joined the Portland Trail Blazers for a four year stay (1985-89). During this time, Jones was frequently called on for spot starts in the place of oft-injured center Sam Bowie and helped Portland reach the playoffs each year. His final season saw him play for the San Antonio Spurs, where he backed up David Robinson and was the oldest player in the NBA at 39 years of age. When he retired after the 1989-90 season, he scored 6,589 NBA points (3,652 in the ABA; 6.2 PPG and 15.8 PPG, respectively) and grabbed 7,663 rebounds (7.2 RPG in NBA; 3,022 rebounds and 13.1 RPG in ABA) and was the next-to-last former ABA player to play in the NBA. Very quietly, Caldwell Jones performed his role for whatever NBA team he was on, and did so without needing the glory that most players need to be effective.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1973-74 (ABA): 79 GP, 15.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 46.5 FG%, 74.3 FT%
1974-75 (ABA): 76 GP, 19.5 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 48.9 FG%, 78.8 FT%
1975-76 (ABA): 76 GP, 13.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 47.0 FG%, 75.3 FT%
1976-77: 82 GP, 6.0 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 50.7 FG%, 55.2 FT%
1977-78: 80 GP, 5.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 47.1 FG%, 62.7 FT%
1978-79: 78 GP, 9.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 47.4 FG%, 74.7 FT%
1979-80: 80 GP, 7.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 43.6 FG%, 69.7 FT%
1980-81: 81 GP, 7.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 44.9 FG%, 76.7 FT%
1981-82: 81 GP, 47 GS, 7.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 49.7 FG%, 81.7 FT%
1982-83: 82 GP, 82 GS, 9.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 45.3 FG%, 78.6 FT%
1983-84: 81 GP, 73 GS, 9.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.2 FG%, 83.7 FT%
1984-85: 42 GP, 32 GS, 3.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, 46.1 FG%, 76.6 FT%
1985-86: 80 GP, 19 GS, 4.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 49.6 FG%, 82.7 FT%
1986-87: 78 GP, 37 GS, 4.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 49.6 FG%, 78.2 FT%
1987-88: 79 GP, 77 GS, 4.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 48.7 FG%, 73.6 FT%
1988-89: 72 GP, 40 GS, 2.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.1 FG%, 78.7 FT%
1989-90: 72 GP, 2 GS, 2.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 46.5 FG%, 70.4 FT%

Today in the Zone, I decided to unveil a new feature to the Player Profiles section. Now, the profiles will include recaps of past NBA Finals! The first one is a profile of one of the best NBA Finals of all time. It is the 1984 Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

In the NBA, one of the greatest team rivalries is between the L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The two legendary teams met seven times in the Finals between 1959 and 1969. However, it was one of the most onesided rivalries; Boston won all seven Finals, three times in the deciding game 7. After the drafting of superstars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the anticipation of a renewed Lakers/Celtics rivalry increased. But the matchup never happened in their first four years; though the teams won three of the titles awarded during that span, none were won against each other. Then, during the 1983-84 season, things were changed.

The Celtics, coming off getting swept in 1983 by the Milwaukee Bucks, thrived after K.C. Jones replaced Bill Fitch as coach. They won 62 games, outpacing the defending champion 76ers by ten games in the Atlantic Division. Larry Bird enjoyed his first MVP season, averaging 24.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG and 6.6 APG. Meanwhile, the Lakers went 54-28 to claim the West's best record, as Johnson averaged 17.6 PPG and 13.1 APG (leading the league in assists) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The road to the Finals wouldn't be easy for either team; the playoffs were expanded from ten teams to sixteen, and even the division champs would play the first round. The winning team would have to win 15 games for the first time in NBA history, but that wouldn't stop L.A. or Boston.

The Lakers roared through the Western Conference playoffs, sweeping the Kansas City Kings 3-0, whipping the Dallas Mavericks 4-1, and outlasting the Phoenix Suns 4-2 to win their third straight Western Conference final. The Celtics beat the Washington Bullets 3-1, survived a grueling seven game series with the New York Knicks (each team won their games on the home floor), and gained a measure of revenge by stomping the Bucks 4-1 to regain the Eastern Conference throne. Finally, the league had a Lakers/Celtics, Magic/Bird Final, and anticipation ran high.

Before game 1 of the series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar complained of migraine headaches, but when gametime rolled around, he gave Boston fits, scoring 23 points in the first half and helping L.A. to a 64-52 lead. Though Boston closed the gap to 92-88 by the fourth quarter, L.A. never let up, eventually winning 115-109. Abdul-Jabbar scored 32 points to lead all scorers, while Kevin McHale scored 25 to lead Boston. Game two started with the Celtics getting off to a 37-26 1st quarter lead, but behind strong performances by James Worthy (who finished with a game high 29 points) and Jamaal Wilkes, the Lakers closed it to 62-59 at the half. The Lakers eventually took the lead late in the game 113-111, and after McHale missed two free throws, the Lakers called time. Needing only to dribble out the clock, Worthy instead threw the ball away to Gerald Henderson, whose layup tied the game. Then, Magic forgot the time on the clock, and the Lakers never got a chance to win in regulation. Boston took the lead for good on a Scott Wedman jumper, and won 124-121 to even the series.

Game 3 never was as close as game 2; after Boston took a brief 40-35 lead in the second quarter, L.A. took the lead by eleven at the half, then scored a Finals record 47 points in the third, leading by 25 after the period, and rolling 137-104 to take a 2-1 lead. Abdul-Jabbar led a balanced attack with 24 points, and Johnson set a Finals record with 21 assists. Although Bird scored 30 to lead the Celtics, he fumed afterwards, saying to reporters that "we (the Celtics) played like a bunch of women tonight" and calling himself and his team "sissies". The message was sent, and game 4 bore the fruit of his diatribe. Initially, the game was similar to game 3; L.A. led 68-58 after two periods, and were ahead 76-70 when the turning point (in many people's minds) occured; McHale clothselined Kurt Rambis, nearly inciting a brawl, and shortly thereafter, Bird and Abdul-Jabbar had bitter words. The team exchanged the lead until L.A. led 113-108 with less than a minute remaining. It was at that point that Abdul-Jabbar fouled out. The Lakers lost the lead, and nearly the game in regulation, when Robert Parish stole a bad pass from Magic, but the Celtics didn't convert, forcing another overtime game. In the late moments, Magic made another mistake, missing two free throws. Worthy then missed another pair with ten seconds remaining. A Bird jumper, two Dennis Johnson free throws, and an M.L. Carr dunk helped Boston win 129-125. The series had now turned in the Celtics' favor.

Game 5 saw both team feel the heat... literally. The temperature at courtside was 97 degrees at tipoff. Bird shook it off, hitting 15 of 20 attempts, scoring 34 points, and grabbing 17 rebounds, and the Lakers never were in the game, as many of their players were succumbing to the heat by using oxygen tanks. The Celtics rolled past the Lakers 121-103 for a 3-2 series lead. With their season on the line, L.A. bounced back in game 6, as Abdul-Jabbar recovered from another migraine to lead all scorer with 30 points and also had 10 boards. The Lakers even decided to retaliate with the physical Celtics; Worthy pushed Cedric Maxwell into the basket support, causing another near fight. The Lakers won the game 119-108, but even their coach, Pat Riley, thought they weren't in the right frame of mind as the Finals went seven game for the first time since 1978.

Game 7 was defined by Maxwell, who told his team before the game "Get on my back fellas, and I'll take us home". Maxwell scored 11 points from the free throw line as he attacked the lane frequently. Boston led by as much as 11 points before taking a 58-52 halftime lead. L.A. led briefly 72-71 before Boston responded with a 20-6 run to lead 90-78 after three. L.A. made one last run late in the fourth; with Boston ahead 105-97, L.A. scored five straight to cut the lead to three. When they stopped the Celtics the next possession, Magic made one more critical mistake, losing the ball to Dennis Johnson, who made two free throws that put the game out of reach. The Celtics won 111-102 to win the series 4-3 and remain undefeated against the Lakers in the Finals. Bird was named Finals MVP, and he finally got his revenge against Magic, though he said in the postgame celebration that he had already gotten over that. It was the Celtics' fifteenth NBA title.

Series Leaders: Points per game
Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 26.6 PPG; Worthy, 22.1 PPG; E. Johnson, 18.1 PPG
Celtics: Bird, 27.4 PPG; D. Johnson, 17.6 PPG; Parish, 15.4 PPG

Series Leaders: Rebound per game
Lakers: E. Johnson, 7.7 RPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 7.4 RPG; Rambis, 6.4 RPG
Celtics: Bird, 14.0 RPG; Parish, 11.4 RPG; McHale, 5.9 RPG

Series Leaders: Assists per game
Lakers: E. Johnson, 13.6 APG; Michael Cooper, 5.3 APG; Abdul-Jabbar, 4.4 APG
Celtics: D. Johnson, 4.7 APG; Henderson, 4.0 APG; Bird, 3.6 APG

Today is Valentine's Day. And in that mold, the Zone has decided to spread a little love in the air. Actually, it's a profile of one of the great players from the early history of the Chicago Bulls. He is Bob Love!

Bob Love was born December 8, 1942 in Bastrop, Louisiana. He starred at Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Love attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, he became a two-time All-American (1963 and 1965). He was selected in the fourth round (29th player selected overall) in the 1965 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals, but didn't make the team. He spent the 1965-66 season with the Eastern Basketball League, where he won their Rookie of the Year with a 25 PPG average.

One year later, Love tried out again with the Royals, and this time, he stuck. His two years in Cincinnati (as a reserve) produced only modest statistics; he averaged 6.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG during his tenure. After the 1967-68 season, Love was exposed and selected in the Expansion Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Later that season, the Buck traded him to the Chicago Bulls, where he would begin to build a legacy as a high scorer as the Bulls began to become a contender in the Western Conference.

Love's first full season in Chicago (1969-70) saw him average over 20 PPG for the first of six straight seasons (career best of 25.8 PPG in 1971-72). He made the first of three All-Star teams in 1971 (he also made it in 1972 and 1973), and also averaged at least 6 RPG each year in Chicago. Love also was a solid defender, making the All-Defensive 2nd Team in 1974 and 1975. Love led the Bulls to the Western Conference Finals in 1975, the last time the team made the conference finals until 1989.

Love spent his final season on three teams, as the Bulls traded him to the New York Nets, who then sent him to the Seattle Supersonics, where he finished the 1976-77 season before retiring. For his career, he scored 13,895 points (17.6 PPG career) and grabbed 4,653 rebounds (5.9 RPG), and his number 10 was retired by the Bulls (the second one retired by the franchise).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1966-67: 66 GP, 6.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 42.9 FG%, 63.3 FT%
1967-68: 72 GP, 6.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.4 FG%, 68.4 FT%
1968-69: 49 GP, 5.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.3 APG, 39.7 FG%, 74.0 FT%
1969-70: 82 GP, 21.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 46.6 FG%, 84.2 FT%
1970-71: 81 GP, 25.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 44.7 FG%, 82.9 FT%
1971-72: 79 GP, 25.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 44.2 FG%, 78.4 FT%
1972-73: 82 GP, 23.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 43.1 FG%, 82.4 FT%
1973-74: 82 GP, 21.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 41.7 FG%, 81.8 FT%
1974-75: 61 GP, 22.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 42.9 FG%, 83.0 FT%
1975-76: 76 GP, 19.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 39.0 FG%, 80.1 FT%
1976-77: 59 GP, 7.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 37.9 FG%, 82.6 FT%