Today, the Zone does its first coach-only profile. The profilee is best known for coaching the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back titles as the mn in charge of the "Bad Boys" and coaching the original "Dream Team" to gold in 1992. He won 638 games as a coach and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He is Chuck Daly.

Chuck Daly was born July 20, 1930 in in St. Mary's, Pennslyvania. Daly grew up in nearby Kane, Pennslyvania, and attended St. Callistus Catholic High School and two colleges; St. Bonaventure and Bloomsberg University (PA). After he stopped playing the game, Daly stepped into the coaches ranks.

Daly's first coaching job came at Punxsutawney (PA) High School, where he went 111-70 record (61% win percentage) from 1955-63. He then became an assistant at Duke University from 1963-69, which also featured future NBA coach Hubie Brown as a fellow assistant. Daly got his first college head coaching job in 1969 at Boston College, but he made his biggest impact in college at the University of Pennslyvania (Penn), where he coached from 1971-77. Daly won four Ivy League titles and made two NCAA regional finals in 1971 and 1972. Overall, Daly went 151-62 (70.9% winning percentage) as a college head coach.

Daly joined the NBA initially as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1978, serving under Billy Cunningham for three seasons. In 1981-82, he was given his first head-coaching job with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the team was on the verge of bankruptcy and traded players frequently, which had a big role in Daly going only 9-32 as their coach. After returning to the Sixers during the 1982-83 season, Daly got another chance to be a head man, as the Detroit Pistons were in need of a new coach.

Daly took the previously moribund Pistons back to the playoffs for the first time since 1977 with a 49-33 record. Daly led the Pistons to at least 46 wins each of his first three seasons, as the Pistons were among the highest scoring teams in the league. But playoff success eluded them; they won only one playoff series during that time. Changes were needed to make the team a title contender.

Enter the "Bad Boys" era; the team traded scorers like Kelly Tripucka away, while drafting defensive players like Dennis Rodman and John Salley. Combined with Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars and Vinnie Johnson, among others, the Pistons redefined the league with their physical, roughhouse style. They made the conference finals in 1987, then advanced to the NBA Finals the following year, before claiming two straight NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. These victories put Daly among the greatest coaches in NBA history; he is one of only seven coaches (John Kundla, Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson and Rudy Tomjanovich are the others) to win back-to-back NBA titles.

Daly coached the Pistons until the 1991-92 season, finishing with the most wins in Pistons history (467 regular season and 71 playoff wins). He then coached the original "Dream Team" to the gold medal during the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, never calling a timeout during the team's run. He went on to coach the New Jersey Nets (1992-94) and the Orlando Magic (1997-99) before retiring with a record of 637 wins and 437 losses (59.3% winning percentage) and a 75-51 playoff record (59.5% win percentage). He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and was selected as one of the Ten Greatest Coaches in NBA History in 1996-97.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review (Coach):
1981-82 Cleveland: 9 Wins, 32 Losses (replaced after 43 games)
1983-84 Detroit: 49 Wins, 33 Losses (2-3, lost conference 1st round)
1984-85 Detroit: 46 Wins, 36 Losses (5-4, lost conference semifinals)
1985-86 Detroit: 46 Wins, 36 Losses (1-3, lost conference 1st round)
1986-87 Detroit: 52 Wins, 30 Losses (10-5, lost coference finals)
1987-88 Detroit: 54 Wins, 28 Losses (14-9, lost NBA Finals)
1988-89 Detroit: 63 Wins, 19 Losses (15-2, NBA Champions)
1989-90 Detroit: 59 Wins, 23 Losses (15-5, NBA Champions)
1990-91 Detroit: 50 Wins, 32 Losses (7-8, lost conference finals)
1991-92 Detroit: 48 Wins, 34 Losses (2-3, lost conference 1st round)
1992-93 New Jersey: 43 Wins, 39 Losses (2-3, lost conference 1st round)
1993-94 New Jersey: 45 Wins, 37 Losses (1-3, lost conference 1st round)
1997-98 Orlando: 41 Wins, 41 Losses (did not make playoffs)
1998-99 Orlando: 33 Wins, 17 Losses (1-3, lost conference 1st round)

Throughout sports history, there have been many players who have excelled on the court, but had no filter off of it. Today's profilee was among the greatest scorers in NBA history, and in fact is the only man who can claim an NCAA, ABA and NBA scoring title. He led the Golden State Warriors to an improbable title in 1975, but likely lost league MVP because of his personality. That same trait manifested itself as a broadcaster, and has prevented him from getting coaching work in the NBA. He is Rick Barry.

Rick Barry was born March 28, 1944 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He played his high school ball at Roselle Park High School, where he was twice named all-state, then attended the University of Miami, where, in three seasons, he averaged 29.8 PPG, the highlight coming as a senior in 1964-65, when he led the NCAA with a 37.4 PPG average. Although the Hurricanes didn't make an NCAA tournament (they were on probation at the time), Barry became the first player to have his number retired by the school. After his senior season, he was selected #2 overall (behind Fred Hetzel) in the 1965 NBA Draft by the San Francisco Warriors.

As a rookie, Barry was magnificent; he averaged 25.7 PPG and 10.6 RPG, easily winning Rookie of the Year and helping the Warriors double their win total. In his second season, Barry won the scoring title with a 35.6 PPG average, making his second straight All-Star team (the others in the NBA came from 1973-78) and winning game MVP honors after scoring 38 points. Barry led the Warriors to the NBA Finals where, despite the Warriors losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in six games, Barry dominated the best team in the NBA, scoring 40.8 PPG in the series (a record that wasn't broken until Michael Jordan surpassed it in 1993). But things weren't all rosy in San Francisco.

After getting into a contract dispute with Warriors owner Franklin Mieuli, Barry jumped to the Oakland Oaks in the new American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967. The Warriors successfully blocked Barry from playing in 1967-68 by going to court, but Barry joined the Oaks for the 1968-69 season. Despite missing 43 games with a knee injury, Barry won the scoring title with a 34.0 PPG average, and helped the Oaks win the title over the Indiana Pacers in five games. Barry moved with the team to Washington D.C. as the Capitols the following year, then was traded to the New York Nets in 1970 for a draft pick and cash. In two years with the Nets, Barry averaged better than 29.4 PPG each year, and helped the Nets reach the 1972 ABA Finals. It was after that series that the courts intervened again; a U.S. District Court judge ruled Barry couldn't play for any team except the Warriors after the Nets let him go. New York released Barry, and he returned to the now-Golden State Warriors in 1972.

Barry played soldily upon his return to the Warriors, averaging 22.3 PPG and 8.9 RPG in his first season back, then eventually raised his average to 30.6 PPG in 1974-75, in addition to leading the NBA in steals per game (2.85 steals per game). That season, the Warriors, after trading future Hall of Fame center Nate Thurmond and expected to do little, won the Pacific division, then beat Seattle and Chicago to reach the NBA Finals against the heavily favored Washington Bullets. But the Warriors leaned on Barry, and used their depth, to pull off a shocking four-game sweep to win the NBA title. Despite getting passed over for league MVP in favor of Bob McAdoo, Barry was named Finals MVP.

Barry played well for the Warriors the following year, leading them to a league-best 59 games, but they lost in the conference finals to Phoenix in a stunning upset. Barry played two more years for the Warriors before being traded to the Houston Rockets for John Lucas in 1978. There, he set a record (broken by Calvin Murphy in 1980-81) with a 94.7 FT% in 1978-79. Indeed, Barry became well known for his free throw shooting style; seven times he shot better than 90% in a season, and he averaged 90% for his career, with an underhand style that has never been mimicked because players don't think it's manly looking. Barry retired in 1980 having scored 18,395 NBA points (23.2 PPG NBA career) and 6,884 ABA points (30.5 PPG ABA career) and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1965-66: 80 GP, 25.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 43.9 FG%, 86.2 FT%
1966-67: 78 GP, 35.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 45.1 FG%, 88.4 FT%
1967-68: did not play (court injunction)
1968-69 (ABA): 35 GP, 34.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 51.1 FG%, 88.8 FT%, 30.0 3P%
1969-70 (ABA): 52 GP, 27.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.4 APG, 49.9 FG%, 86.4 FT%, 20.5 3P%
1970-71 (ABA): 59 GP, 29.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 46.9 FG%, 89.0 FT%, 22.1 3P%
1971-72 (ABA): 80 GP, 31.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 45.8 FG%, 87.8 FT%, 30.8 3P%
1972-73: 82 GP, 22.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 4.9 APG, 45.2 FG%, 90.2 FT%
1973-74: 80 GP, 25.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 6.1 APG, 45.6 FG%, 89.9 FT%
1974-75: 80 GP, 30.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 46.4 FG%, 90.4 FT%
1975-76: 81 GP, 21.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 43.5 FG%, 92.3 FT%
1976-77: 79 GP, 21.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 6.0 APG, 44.0 FG%, 91.6 FT%
1977-78: 82 GP, 23.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 45.1 FG%, 92.4 FT%
1978-79: 80 GP, 13.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 46.1 FG%, 94.7 FT%
1979-80: 72 GP, 12.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 42.2 FG%, 93.5 FT%, 33.0 3P% 

In the history of the NBA, there have been many players who thrived in the clutch. Some of those include Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. One of the greatest clutch players of the 1990s played in a relatively small market, but he saved his best for the playoffs. He is today's profilee, Reggie Miller.

Reggie Miller was born August 24, 1965 in Riverside, California. In his youth, he suffered from a hip deformity, but that eventually was compensated for by increased leg strength, allowing Reggie to compete with his highly athletic family, which included brother Darrell (a future Major League Baseball catcher) and sister Cheryl, considered one of the greatest female basketball player of all-time. Reggie went to Riverside Polytechnic High School, then attended the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), where he gained a reputation as a top scorer. Miller averaged 17.2 PPG (high of 25.9 PPG as a junior in 1985-86) and 4.2 RPG during his four-year career, helping the Bruins win the 1985 NIT title, and led them to a Pac-10 regular season and tournament title as a senior. He left the school as the second all-time leading scorer (behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). After his senior year, he was selected with the eleventh pick of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. The selection wasn't popular with Pacer fans, who prefered local Indiana player Steve Alford, and they booed Pacers president Donnie Walsh for making the pick. In time, they wouldn't boo anymore.

As a rookie, Miller played behind veteran John Long and played respectfully, averaging 10 PPG and 2.3 RPG during the 1987-88 season. The following year, even before Long was traded to Detroit, Miller became a starter, and by year three, he not only led the Pacers to the playoffs, he earned his first All-Star berth with an average of 24.6 PPG (he earned four other All-Star game appearences in 1995-96, 1998 and 2000). Miller continued to produce stellar offense as the Pacers struggled to earn respect in the early 1990s; Miller averaged at least 20.7 PPG each year from 1990-91 to 1992-93, but the Pacers were eliminated in the first round each year. Then, in 1993-94, Miller emerged as the league's deadliest clutch shooter. Miller helped the Pacers reach the conference finals before losing to the New York Knicks, but not before Miller left an inprint on the game. During game 5 of the series, Miller exploded for 25 fourth quarter points in a 93-86 win; the 25 points were only four short of an NBA record for a playoff quarter. He also engaged in a animated verbal joust with movie director and Knicks fan Spike Lee, leading the New York press to blame Lee for the Knicks losing.

In 1994-95, Miller led the Pacers to their first division title in their NBA history, as well as a return trip to the conference finals, where they lost to the Orlando Magic. Miller had another classic moment at the Knicks' expense during their second round matchup; with Indiana traling 105-99, Miller drained a three, stole the inbound pass, sunk another triple, gained a rebound after the Knicks missed two free throws, and hit the winning free throws, as the Pacers won game 1 of their series 107-105, and won the series. The Pacers then struggled the next two years; they were upset by Atlanta in round one in 1996 (which Miller missed all but the deciding game 5 with an eye injury), then missed the playoffs entirely in 1997. Change eventually came with the hire of Larry Bird as coach in 1997-98, and the Pacers soon returned to the top of the Eastern Conference.

In 1997-98, the Pacers once again made the conference finals, this time against the Chicago Bulls. In game 4, with the Bulls ahead 2 games to 1 and in the lead in that game 94-93, the Pacers needed another clutch shot. Miller, who was limited by an ankle injury, took the inbound pass with less than 3 seconds left and sank a triple, giving the Pacers a 96-94 win. They pushed Chicago to seven games (only the second time the Bulls were pushed to seven during their run) before losing.

After another trip to the conference finals in 1998-99 (where they lost in six games to the Knicks), the Pacers broke through in 1999-2000; they defeated the Knicks 4 games to 2 in the conference finals, en route to facing the Los Angeles Lakers for the title. Though the Lakers won the title 4 games to 2, Miller finally had his moment in the Finals sun; he averaged 24.3 PPG in the series. Miller had one last sparkling clutch moment during the 2002 playoffs against the New Jersey Nets. In the deciding fifth game, Miller banked in a game-tying triple to force overtime. There, he tied the game once again with a driving dunk, forcing a second overtime. Though New Jersey won 120-109, Miller showed he could still bring it. Miller played for three more seasons beofre retiring on May 16, 2005, after game six of their second round series against Detroit. He finished with style, leading the Pacers with 27 points and getting a long standing ovation from not just his teammates and Indiana fans, but also from the Pistons, showing that, even though he had a big mouth, Reggie Miller had big game to back it up. He currently works for TNT as a basketball analyst.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1987-88: 82 GP, 1 GS, 10.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 48.8 FG%, 80.1 FT%, 35.5 3P%
1988-89: 74 GP, 70 GS, 16.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 47.9 FG%, 84.4 FT%, 40.2 3P%
1989-90: 82 GP, 82 GS, 24.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 51.4 FG%, 86.8 FT%, 41.4 3P%
1990-91: 82 GP, 82 GS, 22.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 51.2 FG%, 91.8 FT%, 34.8 3P%
1991-92: 82 GP, 82 GS, 20.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.8 APG, 50.1 FG%, 85.8 FT%, 37.8 3P%
1992-93: 82 GP, 82 GS, 21.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 47.9 FG%, 88.0 FT%, 39.9 3P%
1993-94: 79 GP, 79 GS, 19.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 50.3 FG%, 90.8 FT%, 42.1 3P%
1994-95: 81 GP, 81 GS, 19.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 46.2 FG%, 89.7 FT%, 41.5 3P%
1995-96: 76 GP, 76 GS, 21.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 47.3 FG%, 86.3 FT%, 41.0 3P%
1996-97: 81 GP, 81 GS, 21.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 44.4 FG%, 88.0 FT%, 42.7 3P%
1997-98: 81 GP, 81 GS, 19.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7 FG%, 86.8 FT%, 42.9 3P%
1998-99: 50 GP, 50 GS, 18.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 43.8 FG%, 91.5 FT%, 38.5 3P%
1999-2000: 81 GP, 81 GS, 18.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 44.8 FG%, 91.9 FT%, 40.8 3P%
2000-01: 81 GP, 81 GS, 18.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 44.0 FG%, 92.8 FT%, 36.6 3P%
2001-02: 79 GP, 79 GS, 16.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 45.3 FG%, 91.1 FT%, 40.6 3P%
2002-03: 70 GP, 70 GS, 12.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 44.1 FG%, 90.0 FT%, 35.5 3P%
2003-04: 80 GP, 80 GS, 10.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 43.8 FG%, 88.5 FT%, 40.1 3P%
2004-05: 66 GP, 66 GS, 14.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 43.7 FG%, 93.3 FT%, 32.2 3P%

Today's profile is of the 1976 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics were gunning for their 13th NBA title, while Phoenix was seeking their first. Little did anybody realize that a game for the ages would occur.

The Boston Celtics were the NBA's gold standard for excellence; they had won twelve NBA titles, including eight straight during the 1960s. By 1975-76, however, cracks began appearing in their veneer. John Havlicek turned 36 during the season, Don Nelson was about to retire, and the team lost during the conference finals in 1975. Could they bounce back one more time?

While the Celtics were wondering about regaining their form, the Phoenix Suns were simply seeking to be among the elite. The Suns had made the playoffs just once since entering the league in 1968, despite having two seasons with more than 48 wins. They had just missed drafting Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to the Bucks in 1969 and, while Alcindor led the Bucks to an NBA title in his second season, the Suns had never won a playoff series. Could things change in 1976?

The Celtics showed their age at times during the regular season, but when the season was over, they still finished 54-28, the best record in the Eastern Conference. Havlicek and Dave Cowens made the All-NBA 2nd team, and it appeared that the Celtics were still near the top of their game. The Suns struggled for most of the season, but got hot late and finished 42-40, good for third in the West behind the Seattle Supersonics and the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Not much was expected of them.

In the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Celtics beat the Buffalo Braves 4 games to 2 in their first playoff series, then dispatched the East's Cinderella team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 games to 2 to earn another trip to the Finals. The Suns beat the Sonics 4 games to 2 in their opening round series, then stunned the Warriors in a tough seven game series to win the West, with the clincher coming on the road. So, for Boston to win a 13th title, they had to beat another Cinderella.

Game 1 was played at the famed Boston Garden, and the Celtics used a balanced attack (four players scored at least 15 points, led by Cowens' 25) to counter the Suns' attack led by Paul Westphal (who had been traded by the Celtics that offseason for Charlie Scott) and Rookie of the Year Alvan Adams. Havlicek overcame a painful heel injury to play 40 minutes and score 16 points and grab six rebounds and six assists. Adams scored 26 to lead the Suns, but other than him, no one else scored more than 13, as defense ruled the day, with Boston emerging on top 98-87. Game 2 wasn't close for very long; after the Suns led 25-24 through one quarter, the Celtics outscored them 56-32 to take a 23 point lead into the fourth and eventually won 105-90. Havlicek, rushed into the game again, scored 23 points to lead the team, while Westphal led Phoenix with 28. Adams had 19 points and 15 rebounds, but with no help other than Westphal, most experts believed the Celtics would sweep the series.

Game 3 saw Adams explode for 12 points in the first five minutes of action; the ROY finished with 33 points for the game. The Suns led 26-17 after one, and behind Adams and Westphal, led 52-39 at halftime, which saw the ejection of Ricky Sobers and Kevin Stacom for fighting. The Celtics rallied behind Jo Jo White's 24 points and a 13-point, 17 rebound effort from Cowens before he fouled out. The Celtics came within two before Westphal and Adams scored six straight points to seal a 105-98 win. Game 4 was close throughout, with the biggest lead being five points. Again, Westphal and Adams led the way; Westphal scored 28 points, and Adams had 20 points, six boards and seven assists. Cowens (22 points, 12 rebounds) and White (25 points) led the Celtics attack, as the game came down to a wild finish. With Phoenix leading 109-107, Don Nelson was called for a player-control foul, giving Phoenix a chance to milk some more clock. When Keith Erickson missed a shot, Boston had a chance to win, but White missed an off-balance jumper, giving Phoenix a 109-107. The series was now tied at 2, setting the stage for what is considered "the Greatest Game Ever Played".

Game 5 saw the scene shift back to Boston, and the early indicator was that this would be a blowout; with Havlicek starting for the first time in the series, Boston raced out to a 36-18 first quarter lead, and led by as many as 22, as Phoenix coach John MacLeod called a bunch of timeouts. However, the Suns didn't quit, and by the end of regulation, they were tied at 95. There was controversy at the end; the Celtics were not called for a technical foul when Paul Silas called for time without having one, and regulation ended tied. The first overtime yielded no winner, setting the stage for a second overtime. There, with Boston ahead 109-106, a legendary sequence occured; Dick Van Arsdale and Curtis Perry scored consequtive field goals to take a 110-109 lead with five seconds left. In the Boston huddle, coach Tom Heinsohn called a play for his former teammate, Havlicek. "Hondo" delivered, scoring an apparent game-winner; the clock showed zero seconds. But, as the Celtics celebrated in their locker room, chaos developed; referee Richie Powers and Sun Curtis Perry fought with fans, and there was actually one second left. Westphal called a timeout despite not having one, causing a technical foul, but allowing the ball to be advanced to mid-court (the rule has since been changed). White made the freebie, giving Boston a two-point lead, but on the Suns' inbound, Garfield Heard sank a jumper to force a third overtime. In the end, little-used Celtic reserve Glenn McDonald became a hero, scoring several huge baskets down the stretch, as Boston hung on to win 128-126 in triple overtime. The weary team headed back to Phoenix for game 6 on two days rest.

Game 6 was ragged after such a taxing affair in game 5; Boston led 38-33 at the half. Boston led by eleven during the third before Phoenix took a 67-66 lead with 7:25 left in the game. But Scott, who had been ineffective during the series, scored nine points in the quarter and finished with a game-high 25 points, and Boston won 87-80 to win the series 4 games to 2. White, who averaged 21.7 PPG to earn Finals MVP honors. The Celtics wouldn't return to the Finals for five years, while Phoenix remains without an NBA title.

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Points per game
Boston: White, 21.7 PPG; Cowens, 20.5 PPG; Havlicek, 15.5 PPG
Phoenix: Adams, 23.0 PPG; Westphal, 20.8 PPG; Sobers, 14.2 PPG

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Rebounds per game
Boston: Cowens, 16.3 RPG; Silas, 13.8 RPG; Scott, 6.0 RPG
Phoenix: Adams, 10.2 RPG; Heard, 9.3 RPG; Perry, 7.7 RPG

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Assist per game
Boston: White, 5.8 APG; Havlicek, 4.5 APG; Cowens and Scott, 3.3 APG
Phoenix: Westphal, 4.8 APG; Adams, 4.7 APG; Sobers, 3.3 APG

Sometimes in life, injuries can cause the most gifted of us to not be able to live up to the expectations people have with us. Today's profilee was able to get into the Basketball Hall of Fame despite missing three full seasons and chunks of other seasons with chronic foot problems. He was considered one of the most versitile big men to ever play the game, and despite his health problems, he won a regular season MVP, Finals MVP, a Sixth Man award, and two NBA titles. He is Bill Walton.

Bill Walton was born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California. He was a star for Helix High School in his hometown, and at age 17, he played for the United States in the 1970 FIBA World Championships. From there, he attended UCLA, where he succeeded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in college basketball history. Walton led the Bruins to two NCAA titles during his three seasons there, with his best performance coming in the second title game against Memphis State, when he scored 44 points on an incredible 21 of 22 field goal attempts, in what is considered one of the best performances in NCAA basketball history. Walton averaged 20.3 PPG and 15.7 RPG during his college days, and won three Naismith awards and three USBWA College POY awards, as well as the Sullivan award in 1973 as the nation's top athlete, and played on the 1972 U.S. Olympic team.

Despite having problems with injuries during his high school and college days, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Walton as the #1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. Walton got off to a blazing (no pun intended) start, averaging 16 PPG, 19 RPG, 4.4 APG and 4 blocks a game in his first seven games, before the first of a series of injuries happened, as he suffered from foot injuries, limiting him to only 35 games and averages of 12.8 PPG and 12.6 RPG. Walton missed 31 games the following year, as the Blazers continued to underachieve. But by the 1976-77 season, the Blazers hired Jack Ramsay to replace Lenny Wilkens as coach, and Ramsay's philosophy meshed well with Walton's. Although he missed another 17 games that season, Walton led the Blazers to 49 wins and their first NBA playoff berth, leading the NBA in rebounds per game and blocked shots per game. The Blazers rolled to the NBA title that season, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 to claim the title. Things looked promising for the young Blazers.

The following year, Portland was streaking through 60 games, and Walton was rolling, averaging 18.9 PPG, 13.2 RPG and 5 APG in 58 games (he also played in his only All-Star game, although he was selected to the West squad in 1977) before being forced to the sidelines with another foot injury. Although he missed the rest of the season, he was still named regular season MVP, and Portland finished with the best record in the league at 58-24. When their first playoff series against Seattle rolled around, Walton injected a painkiller into his foot prior to game 1, and played well despite losing the game and looking hobbled. Then, during game 2, X-rays revealed a broken navicular bone in his left ankle. Walton was lost for the series, and the Blazers lost to the Sonics. The rift that developed between Walton and the Blazers never healed; Walton eventually sued (the case was settled out of court) the team for poor medical treatment, and after missing the entire 1978-79 season, he was traded to the San Diego Clippers.

The Clippers paid a heavy price for Walton; they were forced to trade Kermit Washington, Kevin Kunnert, a 1st round pick and cash. Walton himself didn't want Washington to be traded, and star guard World B. Free compared the trade to a death in the family. Clippers management banked on Walton's star power to make the newly transplanted team more profitable. However, injuries popped up again; Walton reinjured the navicular bone, and played just 14 games that year, and then he missed the next two seasons entirely with the injury. Teammates called him a malingerer.

Walton, however, wasn't about to quit yet. He had radical surgery to repair the foot, and by 1982-83, he was back on a limited basis, playing one game per week. He then played 55 and 67 games over the next two years, but the Clippers eventually moved to Los Angeles (Walton would blame himself for the move), and were nowhere near being a competitive team. That's when Walton requested a trade to either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics. The Lakers were hesistent to take the risk of reinjury, but Boston was very willing to do so. Clippers owner Donald Sterling delayed the deal for weeks, trying to get more out of the deal. Eventually, the Clippers got Cedric Maxwell and a 1st round pick for Walton (Sterling was out of the country at the time). It was the start of a dream season for Walton and the Celtics.

In his first season with the team, Walton was spectacular as a reserve for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, averaging 7.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.1 APG in only 19 minutes of action per game. Walton played a career-high 80 games, and was rewarded with the Sixth Man of the Year award as the Celtics won a league best 67 games (including a staggering 40-1 home record) and won the NBA title for the 16th time. While Walton's foot injuries eventually forced him off the court for good after only ten games in 1986-87 (he retired offically in February 1990),  he left such an impact on basketball observers that he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He has since become a broadcaster, working for NBC (1990-2002), the Clippers, and ABC/ESPN (since 2002).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1974-75: 35 GP, 12.8 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 51.3 FG%, 68.6 FT%
1975-76: 51 GP, 16.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 47.1 FG%, 58.3 FT%
1976-77: 65 GP, 18.6 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 52.8 FG%, 69.7 FT%
1977-78: 58 GP, 18.9 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 52.2 FG%, 72.0 FT%
1978-79: did not play (injury and protest of team)
1979-80: 14 GP, 13.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 50.3 FG%, 59.3 FT%
1980-81: did not play (injury)
1981-82: did not play (injury)
1982-83: 33 GP, 32 GS, 14.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 52.8 FG%, 55.6 FT%
1983-84: 55 GP, 46 GS, 12.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 55.6 FG%, 59.7 FT%
1984-85: 67 GP, 37 GS, 10.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 52.1 FG%, 68.0 FT%
1985-86: 80 GP, 2 GS, 7.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 56.2 FG%, 71.3 FT%
1986-87: 10 GP, 0 GS, 2.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 38.5 FG%, 53.3 FT%
1987-88: did not play (injury)

In the NBA, many players are very conscious of their image and won't give teams any bulletin board material. Today's profilee is not one of those people. He was his biggest self-promoter, but nonetheless was a key defender and rebounder for five NBA title teams, and won two Defensive POYs and seven consequitve rebounding titles. He is "the Worm", Dennis Rodman.

Dennis Rodman was born May 13, 1961 in Trenton, New Jersey. His father left the family when Rodman was three, and the young man eventually grew up in the ghetto of Dallas, Texas, where he was listed on the high school team of South Oak Cliff High School, but rarely played. Rodman would attend Cooke County Community College, but he flunked out due to poor grades, and then attended Southeastern Oklahoma State, where he was a three-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American, averaging 25.7 PPG and 15.7 RPG. When he won MVP of the Portsmouth Invitational following his college days, he caught the eye of the Detroit Pistons, being selected with the third pick of the second round (27th overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft.

Rodman joined the Pistons at a critical time, as the team transformed from a finesse, offense-oriented team, to a tough, defensive minded team known as the "Bad Boys". Rodman had a pedestrain rookie season, with averages of 6.5 PPG and 4.3 RPG, and made more waves for calling Larry Bird overrated because he was white than for his play. Rodman steadily improved over time; he averaged 11.6 PPG (a career best) and 8.7 RPG in year two, and was a defensive standout off the bench during the Pistons' first title run in 1988-89. By his fourth year, Rodman got serious recognition, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1989-90 and earning his first of two All-Star selections (the other was in 1992), and helping Detroit repeat as champions.

In 1990-91, Rodman won his second straight Defensive POY, but the Pistons lost in the conference finals to the Chicago Bulls. As the aging "Bad Boys" began to decline, Rodman started to become a fearsome rebounder. In 1991-92, he averaged a staggering 18.7 RPG (the highest average since Wilt Chamberlain pulled in 19.2 RPG in 1971-72) and made his second All-Star team. However, by 1992-93, things began to fall apart personally for Rodman. The first blow came when coach Chuck Daly resigned in May 1992, causing Rodman to lose the man he looked at as a surrogate father. He then married and soon after divorced Annie Bakes, and by May 1993, he was found in his car with a loaded rifle. While this served as an epiphany for him personally, his relationship with the Pistons soured, and he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Sean Elliott.

Rodman played well on the court for the Spurs, winning the rebounding title in each of his two years there, and earning All-NBA 3rd Team honors in 1994-95. But he soon strained his relationship with Spurs management, and after that season, he was traded again, this time to the Bulls for Will Perdue and cash. Rodman gave the Bulls the needed toughness and rebounding void left by former Bull Horace Grant, even though his behavior left something to be desired; he appeared in a wedding dress to hype his autobiography, and headbutted a referee in March 1996, though he wasn't suspended. Rodman won yet another rebounding title with 14.9 RPG and helped Chicago to the greatest season in NBA history, with a record 72 regular season wins and another NBA title.

Rodman's next two seasons were less than ideal in many respects. He was suspended 11 games for kicking a camerman in Minnesota during January 1997, and he was less than effective during the 1996-97 season, despite another rebounding title. He also made several sabbaticals to wrestle for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) alongside pal Hulk Hogan, which earned him some scorn from people who thought he should focus on basketball. Still, Rodman remained a factor as the Bulls won two more NBA titles. After leaving the Bulls after the 1997-98 season, Rodman bounced around in his final two seasons, playing 23 games for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1998-99 and 12 games for the Dallas Mavericks the following year before NBA teams lost interest in him. While Rodman's bizarre behavior may turn some people off, there's no doubt that he will be remembered as a fierce rebounder and defensive presence who won five NBA titles and was a key cog on two of the greatest teams of all-time.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1986-87: 77 GP, 1 GS, 6.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.7 APG, 54.5 FG%, 58.7 FT%
1987-88: 82 GP, 32 GS, 11.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 56.1 FG%, 53.5 FT%
1988-89: 82 GP, 8 GS, 9.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.2 APG, 59.5 FG%, 62.6 FT%
1989-90: 82 GP, 43 GS, 8.8 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 58.1 FG%, 65.4 FT%
1990-91: 82 GP, 77 GS, 8.2 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 49.3 FG%, 63.1 FT%
1991-92: 82 GP, 80 GS, 9.8 PPG, 18.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 53.9 FG%, 60.0 FT%
1992-93: 62 GP, 55 GS, 7.5 PPG, 18.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 42.7 FG%, 53.4 FT%
1993-94: 79 GP, 51 GS, 4.7 PPG, 17.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 53.4 FG%, 52.0 FT%
1994-95: 49 GP, 26 GS, 7.1 PPG, 16.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 57.1 FG%, 67.6 FT%
1995-96: 64 GP, 57 GS, 5.5 PPG, 14.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 48.0 FG%, 52.8 FT%
1996-97: 55 GP, 54 GS, 5.7 PPG, 16.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 44.8 FG%, 56.8 FT%
1997-98: 80 GP, 66 GS, 4.7 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 43.1 FG%, 55.0 FT%
1998-99: 23 GP, 11 GS, 2.1 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 34.8 FG%, 43.6 FT%
1999-2000: 12 GP, 12 GS, 2.8 PPG, 14.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 38.7 FG%, 71.4 FT%

Today's NBA Finals review takes us back to the 1996 Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Seattle Supersonics. These two teams combined for the most wins ever by opponents in the Finals (136 regular season wins between them), but who would emerge as champion? Let's find out!

The Chicago Bulls were the preeminent team of the early 1990s, winning three straight titles from 1991-93 behind the brilliance of Michael Jordan. Then, Jordan retired from the team, and the Bulls slipped a notch. By the middle of the 1994-95 season, they were barley above average when Jordan decided to return to the game. Jordan sparked the Bulls into the second round of the 1995 playoffs, but made critical mistakes as the Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in six games. Could Jordan and his mates rebound in 1995-96?

Meanwhile, the Seattle Supersonics had demons of their own. After coming within one game of the 1993 NBA Finals, the Sonics had been eliminated from the postseason in round one in each of the two previous years. In 1994, they were the first #1 seed ever eliminated by the #8 seed (Denver Nuggets), then squabbled and floundered in losing to the Los Angeles Lakers a year later. Could Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton lead their team from under such a dark cloud?

Both teams responded with brilliant campaigns in 1995-96. The Bulls set a new NBA record with a sizzling 72-10 regular season, bettering the previous record for wins (the 1971-72 Lakers) by three wins. Jordan won the scoring title for a record eighth time with a 30.4 PPG average and also won All-Star game and regular season MVP honors. Three Bulls (Jordan, Scottie Pippen and newcomer Dennis Rodman) were All-NBA 1st Team Defensive players, and Rodman won his fifth straight rebounding title. The Sonics weren't too shabby, either, winning a Western Conference best 64 games. Payton won the Defensive Player of the Year award, and Kemp averaged a then-career best 19.6 PPG and 11.4 RPG (fifth in rebounds).

In the playoffs, the Bulls were barely challenged; they rolled over the Miami Heat 3-0, stomped the New York Knicks 4 games to one, and in a rematch with the Magic, the Bulls showed no mercy, sweeping them 4-0 and basically ending the Magic's run of dominance over the East, as Shaquille O'Neal would leave the team after the series. The Sonics beat the Sacramento Kings 3-1 in round one, swept the two-time defending champion Houston Rockets 4-0, and beat the Utah Jazz in a tense seven-game series to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1979.

In game 1 of the Finals, the Bulls used an early 14-4 run to take a nine point lead. The Sonics rallied, but Jordan then went to work, scoring 12 points in the finals 7 1/2 minutes to secure a 53-48 halftime lead. The third quarter saw an ugly incident as Frank Brickowski was ejected for arguing a flagrant foul he committed against Rodman. But the Sonics rallied behind a combined 23 points in the period by Kemp and Detlef Schrempf to cut Chicago's lead to two. But the Bulls started the 4th with 14-5 run, with ten of the points scored by Sixth Man of the Year Toni Kukoc, to seal a 107-90 victory. Game 2 was an ugly affair; after a first half which saw the Bulls ahead 46-45, Kukoc and Rodman had excellent third quarters, as Kukoc hit two big three pointers, and Rodman had eight points and ten rebounds (seven offensive) in the period, giving the Bulls an eleven point lead. The Sonics were kept in it as Jordan struggled from the field and the Bulls missed 14 of their 42 free throws. With Kemp leading the way with 29 points, the Sonics closed within three late in the game, but they couldn't control a rebound of a Pippen missed free throw, and Rodman hit a freebie to seal the game for the Bulls 92-88. The Bulls now had a 2-0 lead going back to the Pacific Northwest.

Game 3 was dominated by Chicago for the most part, as Jordan attoned for his poor game 2 with 12 points and five assists in the 1st period. Kukoc, starting the game for the injured Ron Harper, wasn't as hot as he had been the previous games, but did score 14, and Luc Longley had 19 points and seven rebounds as the Bulls led by 24 at halftime (62-38). The Sonics briefly rallied to within 14 by the end of three, but didn't get no closer as the Bulls won in a rout 108-86. The game saw Brickowski get ejected once again for arguing a flagrant foul he committed against Rodman, and it looked grim for the Sonics. With visions of a sweep in many people's heads, the Sonics rallied for an inspiring win in game 4. Payton had his first big offensive game with 21 points, and Kemp had 25 points and 11 rebounds as the Sonics led 53-32 at halftime. The Bulls would get no closer than 14 the rest of the way as Seattle won 107-86 to stave off elmination. But Seattle faced the reality that no team had ever won an NBA playoff series down 3-0. Could they break that trend?

Game 5 saw the Sonics' defense shine; Chicago shot a horrific 3-23 from three point range, and shoot just 29-77 form the field the entire game. Nonetheless, the game was tight throughout until the fourth, when the Sonics made an 11-0 run to take a thirteen-point lead. The Bulls did cut the lead to 84-78, but Jordan missed a chance to cut into the lead further, and Seattle hung on to win 89-78. But game 6 saw the end of the Sonics' hopes for a miracle; Jordan scored 6 points, grabbed 6 boards, and had 3 assists as Chicago led 24-18 after one quarter. The Bulls led by as many as 12 during the second despite Jordan and Pippen being held scoreless for the period. After leading by seven at the half, the Bulls used a 12-2 run during the third to take a 64-47 lead before the Sonics rallied to trail by only nine after three. But they wouldn't overtake the Bulls, especially after Kemp fouled out with 4:39 to go in the game. The Bulls won 87-75 to claim their fourth NBA title in six years. Jordan won Finals MVP and became the first player since Willis Reed in 1970 to win all three major MVP awards in the same season. And once again, the NBA faced a dreaded scene; the Bulls were back on top of the NBA mountain!

1996 NBA Finals leaders: Points per game
Chicago: Jordan, 27.3 PPG; Pippen, 15.7 PPG; Kukoc, 13.0 PPG
Seattle: Kemp, 23.3 PPG; Payton, 18.0 PPG; Schrempf, 16.3 PPG

1996 NBA Finals leaders: Rebounds per game
Chicago: Rodman, 14.7 RPG; Pippen, 8.2 RPG; Jordan, 5.3 RPG
Seattle: Kemp, 10.0 RPG; Payton, 6.0 RPG; Schrempf, 5.0 RPG

1996 NBA Finals leaders: Assists per game
Chicago: Pippen, 5.3 APG; Jordan, 4.2 APG; Kukoc, 3.5 APG
Seattle: Payton, 7.0 APG; Schrempf, 2.5 APG; Kemp, 2.2 APG

Today's profilee is proof that there are second acts in life. This man exploded out of the gates, winning Rookie of the Year, three scoring titles, and a league MVP. Then, he was left practically for dead, as he was considered too accustomed to losing. Then, he finished his NBA career with two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is Bob McAdoo.

Bob McAdoo was born September 25, 1951 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He attended Ben Smith High School in Greensboro, which he led to the state semifinals. McAdoo then attended Vincennes Junior College because he wasn't a great student. After two years there, McAdoo finally made the grade and joined the University of North Carolina, where he average 19.5 PPG and 10.1 RPG in his lone season there, earning 1st Team All-America honors. Declaring early for the NBA, he was selected #2 overall (behind LaRue Martin) in the 1972 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves, a team in desperate need of a spark.

McAdoo flourished in new coach Jack Ramsay's system, even as the Braves continued to struggle on the court. He averaged 18 PPG and 9.1 RPG, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The next season, he was even better; McAdoo led the league in scoring for the first time with a 30.6 PPG average, and made the first of four All-Star teams (the other years were 1975-77) and led the Braves to their first ever playoff berth. His third season was the best of his career; he won another scoring title with a career-best 34.5 PPG and was selected as the NBA's regular season MVP (the only man ever to win the award with the Braves/Clippers) and took Buffalo to a still team record 49-33 record. It seemed that McAdoo and the Braves would have nowhere to go but up.

However, McAdoo's career soon took a southernly turn. During the 1975-76 season, he and Braves owner Paul Synder feuded (Synder even suspended McAdoo for a game when he refused a second opinion on a back injury) and despite winning a third straight scoring title (31.1 PPG), the relationship never healed. By the middle of the next season, he had been traded to the New York Knicks with Tom McMillen for John Gianelli and cash. McAdoo's tenure in New York lasted only two years before he was traded in 1978-79 to the Boston Celtics. The move was done secretly by Celtics owner John Brown, which nearly made Red Auerbach resign as general manager and take the Knicks' GM job. McAdoo was used sparingly by the Celtics before being happily dumped onto the Detroit Pistons as compensation for signing M.L. Carr in 1979.

By the 1980-81 season, McAdoo's reputation was in tatters; the Pistons waived him after one season and six games of the next, and after he and the New Jersey Nets couldn't agree on a contract for the 1981-82 season, it appeared that his career was over, and people considered him a troublemaker and unable to play for a championship team. However, fate intervened; when Los Angeles Lakers PF Mitch Kupchak suffered a devestating knee injury after 26 games in 1981-82, Lakers management gambled and acquired McAdoo's rights from the Nets for a second round draft pick. While many questioned the move, it proved to be a brilliant move; McAdoo averaged 9.6 PPG during the regular season, then averaged a sizzling 16.7 PPG as L.A. went 12-2 and won their second NBA title of the 1980s. In his four seasons with the Lakers, he averaged over 10 PPG three times, and his 13.1 PPG in 1983-84 led all non-starters in the NBA. McAdoo contributed to another Lakers title in 1984-85 before being cast aside for younger players.

McAdoo closed out his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1985-86, but his basketball career wasn't over quite yet. He signed with Tracer Milan in 1986, and led the team to two FIBA European Champions Cups; his first season showed he still had game, with averages of 26.1 PPG and 10.2 RPG. He then played for Filanto Forli (1990-92) and Teamsystem Fabriano (1992-93) before retiring at age 42. McAdoo was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, and currently is in his eleventh season as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat. His career stat line is 18,787 points (22.1 PPG) and 8,048 rebounds (9.4 RPG).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1972-73: 80 GP, 18.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 45.2 FG%, 77.4 FT%
1973-74: 74 GP, 30.6 PPG, 15.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 54.7 FG%, 79.3 FT%
1974-75: 82 GP, 34.5 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 51.2 FG%, 80.5 FT%
1975-76: 78 GP, 31.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 48.7 FG%, 76.2 FT%
1976-77: 72 GP, 25.8 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 51.2 FG%, 73.8 FT%
1977-78: 79 GP, 26.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 52.0 FG%, 72.7 FT%
1978-79: 60 GP, 24.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 52.9 FG%, 65.6 FT%
1979-80: 58 GP, 21.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 48.0 FG%, 73.0 FT%
1980-81: 16 GP, 10.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 43.3 FG%, 70.7 FT%
1981-82: 41 GP, 0 GS, 9.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 45.8 FG%, 71.4 FT%
1982-83: 47 GP, 1 GS, 15.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 52.0 FG%, 73.0 FT%
1983-84: 70 GP, 0 GS, 13.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 47.1 FG%, 80.3 FT%
1984-85: 66 GP, 0 GS, 10.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 52.0 FG%, 75.3 FT%
1985-86: 29 GP, 0 GS, 10.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 46.2 FG%, 76.5 FT%

Well, I still don't have my new high-speed up yet (that will come on Friday), but I'll still do my player profile tonight. Throughout the Boston Celtics' rich history, they've had great centers, from Bill Russell to Robert Parish. The middle man (no pun intended) between Russell and Parish had a stellar career as well. He is "Big Red", Dave Cowens.

Dave Cowens was born October 25, 1948 in Newport, Kentucky. He attended Newport Central Catholic High School in his hometown, but quit after his freshman year because of a conflict with his coach. He eventually returned as a junior, and after averaging 13 PPG and 20 RPG as a senior, he was highly sought after by Ohio Valley Conference schools. Cowens would have preferred to go to Kentucky, but when the Wildcats didn't recruit him, he chose Florida State University despite the fact that the Seminoles were on probation and would not be on TV or in the NCAA tournament. Cowens thrived at Florida State, averaging 19 PPG and 17.2 RPG, earning second-team All-America honors as a senior in 1970. Although many people felt he'd be too small to play center in the NBA, the Boston Celtics chose him fourth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft.

Cowens had an excellent rookie season, averaging 17 PPG and 15 RPG, leading the Celtics to a ten win improvement over the previous season, and earning co-Rookie of the Year honors with Portland's Geoff Petrie. He led the Celtics to a division title the following year, and in 1972-73, he had his best pro season, with averages of 20.5 PPG and 16.2 RPG (both would be career highs) and helping Boston win a still-franchise record 68 games. For this, Cowens was named league MVP, the first Celtic to do so since Bill Russell in 1965. Cowens eventually led the Celtics to two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, with his best work coming during the first title, when he defended Kareem Abdul-Jabbar solidly and was big in the clinching game 7 with 28 points as the Celtics won 102-87.

Cowens made his reputation in the NBA for being one of the fiercest competitors the league has ever seen; the scene that displays this trait comes from the 1974 NBA Finals, when he dived on the floor to snatch the ball away from Oscar Robertson. Cowens also had a flaky side, as well; he slept on a park bench in Boston after winning his first NBA title, and during the 1976-77 season, he left the team for a sabbatical to drive a taxi cab because he was feeling burnout. But Cowens produced even as the Celtics declined as a team in the late 1970s; he averaged a double-double in eight of his ten seasons, and was an All-Star seven times (1972-78, with an All-Star MVP in 1973). During the 1977-78 season, when the Celtics won only 32 games, he led the team in scoring (18.6 PPG), rebounds (14.0 RPG), assists (4.6 APG), steals (102 steals) and blocks (67 blocks), which has only been done by two players since (Scottie Pippen and Kevin Garnett). It showed just how versitile Cowens was, and why Boston fans loved him.

Cowens played for the Celtics through the 1979-80 season (playing with rookie Larry Bird) before he retired. After two seasons in retirement, he was lured back into the league by the Milwaukee Bucks, who gave up Quinn Buckner as compensation (the Celtics still owned his rights, so compensation was required). Cowens played the season with the Bucks before retiring. Cowens would eventually coach the Charlotte Hornets and the Golden State Warriors, with some success in Charlotte (54 wins in 1996-97) before settling into an assistant job with the Detroit Pistons. When he called it quits as a player, he had scored 13.516 points (17.6 PPG career) and had 10,444 rebounds (13.6 RPG career), and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. Dave Cowens is proof that, in the NBA, sometimes, size doesn't matter.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1970-71: 81 GP, 17.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42.2 FG%, 73.2 FT%
1971-72: 79 GP, 18.8 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 48.4 FG%, 72.0 FT%
1972-73: 82 GP, 20.5 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 45.2 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1973-74: 80 GP, 19.0 PPG, 15.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 43.7 FG%, 83.2 FT%
1974-75: 65 GP, 20.4 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 4.6 APG, 47.5 FG%, 78.3 FT%
1975-76: 78 GP, 19.0 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 46.8 FG%, 75.6 FT%
1976-77: 50 GP, 16.4 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.4 FG%, 81.8 FT%
1977-78: 77 GP, 18.6 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 4.6 APG, 49.0 FG%, 84.2 FT%
1978-79: 68 GP, 16.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 48.3 FG%, 80.7 FT%
1979-80: 66 GP, 14.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 45.3 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1980-81: did not play (retired)
1981-82: did not play (retired)
1982-83: 40 GP, 34 GS, 8.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 44.4 FG%, 82.5 FT%

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to get stuff onto the site recently; my internet is being upgraded to higher speed and will take time. I'll try to post tomorrow if I can, so stay tuned!