I went to take the eye test, but I am really blinded and am unable to write my post today (my dad is writing this in my stead). So, I WILL get the profile in tomorrow. I'm so sorry about this!

I said on May 22nd that there would be a new profile here soon. Well, shortly after I said that, my modem crashed and broke, and today I just got and installed my new one. I'm sorry to regular Zone readers for that, but sometime tomorrow (after my eye test) I'll post my latest profile. Please stay tuned!

There hasn't been a profile in over a week here in the Zone, but I assure everybody that I haven't forgotten about the profiles. I'll have a fresh one up tomorrow! Stay tuned!

Today's profilee came a long way to make his name in the NBA. From his beginnings as a soccer player in Nigeria to winning a regular season and two Finals MVPs, his grace defined the Houston Rockets of the mid-90s. He is Hakeem Olajuwon.

Hakeem Olajuwon was born January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria. In his youth, Olajuwon was a soccer goalkeeper and handball player, games that he credits with giving him the agility and footwork to become a great NBA center. He was introduced to basketball at age 15, and immediately, he knew this was the game he wanted to play. Olajuwon soon emigrated to the University of Houston, where, after redshirting and playing sparingly as a freshman, he worked out with then-Houston Rocket center Moses Malone. His game grew immensely, and as a sophmore and junior, Olajuwon led the Cougars to two straight NCAA title games. Despite losing both games (including a heartbreaker to North Carolin State on a last-second dunk in 1983), Olajuwon was named tournament MVP in 1983, the first losing player so honored. After the 1984 season, Olajuwon declared for the NBA Draft, believing that the Rockets would select #1 overall and select him. He was correct, and he joined the Rockets (over such notables as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton).

Olajuwon joined a team that already had seven foot four center Ralph Sampson, which created a "Twin Towers" alignment that few had ever seen in the NBA. He helped the team return to the playoffs after a two-year layoff, improving the team's record from 29-53 in 1983-84 to 48-34 in 1984-85, as Olajwuon averaged 20.6 PPG and 11.9 RPG, finishing as the runner-up to Michael Jordan in the Rookie of the Year voting. His second year was even better, as the Rockets advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time ever. Olajuwon averaged 26.9 PPG and 11.8 RPG in the playoffs, and the future seemed bright for the Rockets.

But Sampson eventually was felled with injuries, and was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 1987-88. Olajuwon was the team's undisputed leader, but the Rockets were stuck in neutral; despite Olajuwon leading the NBA in rebounds in both 1989 and 1990, getting a quadruple-double in a game in 1990, and becoming the first player since blocks became a stat in 1973-74 to average 14 RPG and 4.5 BPG (in 1989-90), the Rockets won only one playoff series between 1987 and 1992. But after Rudy Tomjanovich replaced Don Chaney as coach in 1992, the Rockets became a championship contender.

In 1993, Olajuwon led the Rockets to a division title and a second-round series appearance. The following year, the Rockets finally broke through, beating the New York Knicks for their first ever NBA title. Olajwuon became the first foreign-born player to win the regular season MVP, and the first ever to win that award, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. The following year, they made a miracle run as the sixth seed to a repeat championship, the lowest seeded team ever to win an NBA title. Olajwuon averaged 33 PPG and 10.3 RPG, repeating as Finals MVP. This was Olajuwon's professional peak, the time when he was considered among the best, if not the best, center in the game.

Olajwuon remained a solid player for Houston through the late 1990s (he made the last of his twelve All-Star Games in 1997; the others were 1985-1990 and 1992-96) before departing after the 2000-01 season. He played one more season with the Toronto Raptors before retiring in 2002. He finished with 26,946 points (21.8 PPG career; eight all-time) and 13,748 rebounds (11.1 RPG; 11th all-time) and is the all-time leader in blocks (3,830; 3.1 per game average) and was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1984-85: 82 GP, 82 GS, 20.6 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 53.8 FG%, 61.3 FT%
1985-86: 68 GP, 68 GS, 23.5 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 52.6 FG%, 64.5 FT%
1986-87: 75 GP, 75 GS, 23.4 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 50.8 FG%, 70.2 FT%
1987-88: 79 GP, 79 GS, 22.8 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 51.4 FG%, 69.5 FT%
1988-89: 82 GP, 82 GS, 24.8 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 50.8 FG%, 69.6 FT%
1989-90: 82 GP, 82 GS, 24.3 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 50.1 FG%, 71.3 FT%
1990-91: 56 GP, 50 GS, 21.2 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 50.8 FG%, 76.9 FT%
1991-92: 70 GP, 69 GS, 21.6 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 50.2 FG%, 76.6 FT%
1992-93: 82 GP, 82 GS, 26.1 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 52.9 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1993-94: 80 GP, 80 GS, 27.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 52.8 FG%, 71.6 FT%
1994-95: 72 GP, 72 GS, 27.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 51.7 FG%, 75.6 FT%
1995-96: 72 GP, 72 GS, 26.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 51.4 FG%, 72.4 FT%
1996-97: 78 GP, 78 GS, 23.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 51.0 FG%, 78.7 FT%
1997-98: 47 GP, 45 GS, 16.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 48.3 FG%, 75.5 FT%
1998-99: 50 GP, 50 GS, 18.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 51.4 FG%, 71.7 FT%
1999-2000: 44 GP, 28 GS, 10.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 45.8 FG%, 61.6 FT%
2000-01: 58 GP, 55 GS, 11.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.2 APG, 49.8 FG%, 62.1 FT%
2001-02: 61 GP, 37 GS, 7.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 46.4 FG%, 56.0 FT%

 

 

Last night, the Denver Nuggets had a chance to finish off the Dallas Mavericks for the franchise’s first ever sweep, ABA or NBA. Instead, they lost 119-117 as they now go home to try and finish Dallas off in the thin air. While many analysts still believe the Nuggets will finish the job eventually (history doesn’t lie; no NBA team has ever come back from 3-0 down), the loss did raise an old issue with this team; how mature are the Denver Nuggets?

It was a given before the game that these two teams had no love lost for each other, and boy did it show last night; seven technical fouls and two flagrant fouls say plenty of their feelings. All of this coming in the wake of Mavs owner Mark Cuban making insensitive comments towards Kenyon Martin’s mother (depending on what you heard, he called Martin a punk or a thug; Cuban has since apoligized to Martin’s mother). There was one incident, however, that makes me very concerned, and it involves Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony.

In the second quarter, Anthony and Antoine Wright battled under the basket for a rebound, and their arms got entangled. After Wright seemed to refuse to untangle, Anthony let loose a shot that, on replay, connected to Wright’s face. While it didn’t appear to be an outright punch, this only raises the issue of Anthony’s attitude. Remember, Anthony nearly started a riot in New York when he sucker punched another player, and was promptly suspended by the league. The Nuggets can ill afford to lose their best scorer for any length of time. More importantly, this is not the way the supposed leader of the team should be acting in what amounts to an inconsequential playoff game.

But the real reason for the post is this; today, while listening to the hacks on ESPN, they bounced around the idea that the Nuggets were distracted from winning because they were only concerned with Cuban’s comments. If so, then the Los Angeles Lakers or Houston Rockets shouldn’t have much problem in the conference finals. Because if a team allows itself to get preoccupied with an owner’s words, they aren’t championship material. Admittedly, Anthony, Martin and Nuggets coach George Karl were heavily talking about Cuban before the game. Cuban must be a master manipulator if that caused Denver to lose.

Will Anthony get suspended? I don’t really know for sure, but if a flagrant two foul is hitting a player in the face, then at the very least, give him a fine. But more importantly, if the Nuggets want to show that they are true contenders, they need to better handle adversity. If they’re letting one person’s words get to them, what will happen if they lose to  the Lakers because Phil Jackson said that he agrees with Cuban and that they are thugs? Or if Rick Adelman said the same thing? Show some mettle, Denver! And Chauncey Billups (the commander-in-chief for the offense, as TNT showed in their broadcast) must assume command, because it appears Anthony isn’t ready for that role yet.

This blog appeared on the basektball-related site "The Basketball Oracle". Visit www.thebasketballoracle.wordpress.com to see this and other great basektball articles!

In the NBA, as in other sports, some players can have tremendous potential as players, but never quite live up to those expectations. Today's profilee was the first NBA draft pick direct from high school in 1975 (following Moses Malone going to the ABA), and while he had his moments with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, his reputation exceeded his stats. He is "Chocolate Thunder" Darryl Dawkins

Darryl Dawkins was born January 11, 1957 in Orlando, Florida. At Maynard Evans High School, Dawkins led his team to the Florida state championship as a senior and was dubbed as "probably the best high school player ever and one of the best people I've ever met" by his coach, Fred Pennington. Ironically, Dawkins won his state title the same year as Moses Malone became the first ever player to skip college entirely for the pros by signing with the American Basketball Association's Utah Stars. Following in Malone's footsteps, Dawkins declared for the 1975 NBA Draft as a hardship case. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Dawkins fifth overall in that draft.

Realizing that Dawkins needed time to develop, the Sixers didn't play him much as a rookie; he only played in 37 games, averaging 2.4 PPG and 1.3 RPG in under five minutes of action per game. By year two, Dawkins began to emerge as a solid reserve, averaging 5.3 PPG and 3.9 RPG as the Sixers reached the NBA Finals. Despite losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, Dawkins was more than respectable in the stats column, raising his averages to 7.3 PPG and 5.4 RPG. But during the 1977-78 season, new coach Billy Cunningham gave Dawkins an expanded role, and he responded well, with 11.7 PPG and 7.9 RPG, playing over 25 minutes per game and helping Philadelphia reach the conference finals.

Dawkins' big break occured the following year, when George McGinnis was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Now a starter, Dawkins had the best two-year stretch of his career. In 1978-79, he averaged 13.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG, and the following year, he had his best pro season, with averages of 14.7 PPG and 8.7 RPG, helping the Sixers return to the NBA Finals. In the process, Dawkins forever etched his persona into the league with two rim-shattering dunks during the season. In November 1979, he completely shattered the glass backboard in a game against the Kansas City Kings, and then three weeks later, he tore the rim off the backboard against the San Antonio Spurs, turning him into a cult hero (the league shortly thereafter instituted a rule saying that anyone who breaks the backboard would get fined and suspended). "Chocolate Thunder" had arrived, but almost as quickly, he left.

After another productive season in 1980-81 (14 PPG and 7.2 RPG), Dawkins missed 34 games the following year, and though the Sixers reached the Finals for a third time, their repeated failures against the Los Angeles Lakers forced Sixer management to rethink their center position. In further irony, the man they chose to pursue was the man Dawkins followed into the NBA, Moses Malone. The Sixers traded Dawkins to the New Jersey Nets for a first-round pick before acquiring Malone from the Houston Rockets for Caldwell Jones and another first-round pick. While Malone led the Sixers to an NBA title, Dawkins had a respectable first season in New Jersey. with averages of 12 PPG and 5.3 RPG in helping the Nets reach the playoffs.

In 1983-84, Dawkins had his highest scoring season ever, with a 16.8 PPG average, despite setting a league record with 386 personal fouls, and gained a measure of revenge on his old team by helping the Nets beat the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs. But during the following season, Dawkins began to become beset by injuries. He was limited to 34 games in 1984-85, and 51 games the following year, during which he suffered a back injury that all but ended his career. Dawkins played just 26 games between 1986-87 and 1988-89, bouncing from the Nets to the Utah Jazz and finally the Detroit Pistons before being forced to retire after the 1988-89 season. Dawkins would play several seasons in Italy for Torino, Olimpia Milano and Telemarket Forli, and attended training camps with the Denver Nuggets in 1994 and the Celtics in 1995 before finally calling it quits. He had scored 8,733 points (12 PPG) and grabbed 4,432 rebounds (6.1 RPG), but it was more potential than substance for the man from "Lovetron".

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1975-76: 37 GP, 2.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.1 APG, 50.0 FG%, 33.3 FT%
1976-77: 59 GP, 5.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 62.8 FG%, 50.6 FT%
1977-78: 70 GP, 11.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.2 APG, 57.5 FG%, 70.9 FT%
1978-79: 78 GP, 13.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 51.7 FG%, 67.2 FT%
1979-80: 80 GP, 14.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 52.2 FG%, 65.3 FT%
1980-81: 76 GP, 14.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 60.7 FG%, 72.0 FT%
1981-82: 48 GP, 36 GS, 11.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 56.4 FG%, 69.5 FT%
1982-83: 81 GP, 81 GS, 12.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 59.9 FG%, 64.6 FT%
1983-84: 81 GP, 80 GS, 16.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 59.3 FG%, 73.5 FT%
1984-85: 39 GP, 30 GS, 13.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 56.6 FG%, 71.1 FT%
1985-86: 51 GP, 3 GS, 15.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 64.4 FG%, 70.7 FT%
1986-87: 6 GP, 2 GS, 9.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 62.5 FG%, 70.8 FT%
1987-88: 6 GP, 0 GS, 1.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG, 22.2 FG%, 40.0 FT%
1988-89: 14 GP, 0 GS, 1.9 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.1 APG, 47.4 FG%, 50.0 FT% 

 

 

Today's Finals review looks at the 1980 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. Could the Sixers win a title for Julius Erving, or would L.A. have "Magic" in the air? Let's see:

The Los Angeles Lakers had fallen on some lean years in the late 1970s. Despite landing superstar center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from Milwaukee in 1975, the Lakers had not reached the Finals during his first four years there, and had won only two playoff series during that time. With Jabbar aging (he turned 32 during the 1979-80 season) and with a rookie head coach (Jack McKinney), could the Lakers turn things around and contend?

Philadelphia fans had a different kind of frustration. After landing Julius Erving from the Nets in 1976, 76ers fans expected a championship. Though "Dr. J." led the Sixers to the Finals in his first season there, they too had no titles to show for their acquisition. Both teams looked for changes in 1979-80. But the Lakers had an ace up their sleeve.

The Lakers, behind #1 draft pick Earvin "Magic" Johnson, went 60-22 to have the West's best record despite coach McKinney being forced out early in the season with an injury, elevating assistant Paul Westhead to the top spot. Jabbar averaged 24.8 PPG and 10.8 RPG, winning his record sixth regular season MVP. Meawhile, Johnson averaged 18 PPG and 7.3 APG and was runner-up to Larry Bird for Rookie of the Year.

Meanwhile, the Sixers went 59-23 to finish second behind the Boston Celtics in the East. Erving had another great year, with a NBA-career best 26.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG. The Sixers were determined to put their past failures behind them as the 1980 playoffs began.

In the playoffs, the Lakers rolled past the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 1, then smashed the defending champion Seattle Supersonics 4 games to 1 to advance to their first Finals since 1972. The Sixers had a slightly longer road; they beat the Washington Bullets 2 games to zero in a preliminary round series, then beat the Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 1, then had a surprisingly easy time beating the Celtics 4 games to 1. That set up a matchup of Jabbar and Erving, which was expected to be the featured attraction.

Game 1 saw the Sixers get out to a 39-30 lead in the 2nd quarter, but the Lakers eventually rallied to tie the game at 53. With Darryl Dawkins saddled with foul trouble, the Lakers took control in the third period. Philadelphia shot just three of their twenty attempts from the field (including two layups), and Erving was held to just one point in the period, as L.A. took a 84-70 lead into the fourth when the Sixers made a comeback attempt. With the Lakers ahead 78-62, Philadelphia rallied behind Erving (11 points in the fourth) to come within 92-88 with six minutes left. Norm Nixon hit Mark Landsberger with a layup, though, and Philly came no closer as the Lakers won 109-102. Game 2 saws Maurice Cheeks get hot for the Sixers, hitting each of his first eight shots to get Philly rolling. A defensive switch by Sixers coach Billy Cunningham (he put Dawkins on PF Jim Chones and Caldwell Jones on Jabbar) helped Dawkins emerge with 25 points and seven rebounds as the Sixers led by as many as 20 in the first half and by 18 after three periods at 89-71. That's when L.A. made a run to close within 105-104 with 30 seconds left in the game. The Sixers got a huge basket from Bobby Jones, though, to push the lead back to three, and when Nixon missed a three-pointer, the Sixers emerged with a split with a 107-104 win.

Game 3 saw the Lakers, who had lost nine straight times at the Spectrum, race out to a 31-18 1st quarter lead, as Johnson (who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds) and Abdul-Jabbar (33 points, 14 boards) dominate the Sixers, who had no answer for the duo. L.A. led by 14 after two and 19 after three, and held off the Sixers 111-101. Three Lakers (Jabbar, Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes) finished with a double-double. Game 4 saw one of the series' (and NBA's) greatest moments when, in the 3rd quarter, Erving spun around the backboard, got past three Lakers defenders, and hit a layup to send the Philly crowd into a frenzy. Caldwell Jones and Dawkins held Jabbar in check; though he scored 23 points, he shot 11 of 27 from the field. Still, L.A. had a chance to tie late in the game, but Johnson's inbound pass was stolen by Bobby Jones, preserving a 105-102 Sixer win and a 2-2 series.

Game 5 looked like L.A. would put the Sixers out of their misery, as Jabbar once again looked dominant against Dawkins. He had 26 points through 2 1/2 quarters when he stepped on another players' foot and sprained his ankle. Despite this, the Lakers outscored the Sixers 14-8 to finish the period up eight. Jabbar would return despite the injury, and he helped L.A. to a 12-point lead before the Sixers made their move. Once again, Erving led the way, scoring 16 in the fourth and 15 of the Sixers' final 19 points. Erving eventually tied the game at 103 with 43 seconds left, but then Abdul-Jabbar scored on a dunk and was fouled. After he hit a free throw, the Lakers led 106-103. After Henry Bibby stepped out of bounds on an attempted three, L.A. hit two freebies to seal a 108-103 lead. The Lakers now led 3 games to 2, but Abdul-Jabbar chose to sit out game six to rest his ankle. Everyone expected a game 7 in L.A. Everyone, that is, except Magic Johnson.

In game 6 at Philadelphia, Westhead allowed his rookie PG to start at center in Abdul-Jabbar's place. The move facilitated the change of pace from a half-court style to a fast-breaking style, and the Sixers weren't initially ready for it. But the first half would be close throughout, as the game was tied at 60 at the half. However, L.A. scored the first 14 points of the third, taking a 74-60 lead and provoking boos from the Philadelphia crowd. Wilkes scored 16 of his 37 points in the period, as he and Magic (who scored 22 in the first half and 20 in the second) dominated the scoring for the Lakers. The Sixers eventually cut the lead to two points on three occasions in the fourth period, but after doing it again at 103-101, they would get no further, as they fell prey to the relentless fast break. The twenty-year old Johnson finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists as L.A. won the title with a 123-107 victory, and in the process, won the Finals MVP. That game established the Lakers as a team to be feared in the West in the 1980s, and helped establish Magic as more than just an energenic player, but as one of the best in the NBA. The era of "Showtime" had begun.

1980 NBA Finals Leaders: Scoring per game
L.A. Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 33.4 PPG; Johnson, 21.5 PPG; Wilkes, 21.3 PPG
Philadelphia: Erving, 25.5 PPG, Dawkins, 20.2 PPG; Cheeks, 14.7 PPG

1980 NBA Finals Leaders: Rebounds per game
L.A. Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 13.6 RPG; Johnson, 11.2 RPG; Wilkes, 7.7 RPG
Philadelphia: C. Jones, 8.3 RPG; Erving, 7.0 RPG; Dawkins, 6.0 RPG

1980 NBA Finals Leaders: Assists per game
L.A. Lakers: Johnson, 11.2 APG; Nixon, 7.0 APG; Michael Cooper, 3.3 APG
Philadelphia: Lionel Hollins, 8.8 APG; Cheeks, 6.7 APG; Erving, 5.0 APG