Today, I begin a new series on my blog; Random NBA Thoughts, a quick-hitting series of thoughts that will question things about the NBA. Here goes!

-Byron Scott was fired by the Hornets recently. It's a shame, because Scott didn't have the guns to fire with the team operating like a thrift store. The lesson learned; don't win Coach of the Year!

-The Bulls had a win wiped out on replay. Think that Bud Selig was scared stiff by that lol!

-After that game, Chauncey Billups criticized the Bulls' premature celebration, comparing it to an NCAA Sweet 16 celebration. Guess you can't be happy that you (thought that you) won.

-People are wondering if Shaq and LeBron can work in Cleveland. Let's see...in May & June! Calm down, already!

-The Lakers and Celtics have looked very good in their title defense so far, and the Nets have stunk. Ah, the good old days are back.

-Back to LeBron; he recently said he won't talk about his free agency anymore. Thank God for that!

And finally...

-There have been rumblings about LeBron wanting to play with Kobe Bryant in L.A. or Dwayne Wade somewhere (maybe Miami). The chances of that happening are as possible as the Clippers winning the NBA title!

There, that's good for now. See you guys next time for some more Random NBA Thoughts!
 
 
Now let's preview the Western Conference:

Western Conference
Cream of the Crop

1. Los Angeles Lakers: The defending champs are primed for another run, and expect Ron Artest to be on his best behavior and provide a nasty factor that the Lakers need. But any team with Kobe Bryant will be a contender, and L.A. should be near the top again. Record: 66-16
2. San Antonio Spurs: I have compared the Spurs to Freddie Kreuger, and this year is no exception; the additions of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, plus rookie DeJuan Blair, give San Antonio more depth than they've had in some time. This allows Gregg Popovich to rest his Big 3 more, and if Manu Ginobili stays healthy, they will give L.A. fits. Record: 62-20
3. Denver Nuggets: With Chauncey Billups on board for a full year, the Nuggets will continue to contend despite not adding significant pieces. Still, it's hard to believe they will get over the top unless Carmelo Anthony has another starburst season. Record: 57-25

Run of the Mill
4. Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers have the best chance to vault into the cream of the crop triad assuming Greg Oden continues to look more spry. Andre Miller (assuming he's in shape) should give Portland its best point guard since Terry Porter, and Brandon Roy continues to improve. A little more maturity makes the Blazers a good-potentially-great team. Record: 53-29
5. Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs made a few good additions in Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden give Dallas more depth, but they're still getting older, and I don't see Dallas getting beyond the hump this year. Expect one more good year, and then look out. Record: 48-34
6. Utah Jazz: With Carlos Boozer on the verge of being traded, things aren't looking great in Salt Lake City. The ship has set sail on this team, and we'll have to see how much longer Jerry Sloan will coach this team. Record: 44-38

Not That Good
7. Houston Rockets: Same song here; Yao Ming is out for the year, Tracy McGrady is damaged goods at best, and Ron Artest is gone. This team will play hard and possibly make the playoffs in the West, but other than Luis Scola and newcomer Trevor Ariza, there's not much game-changing talent. Record: 42-40
8. New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league, but his team is regressing around him. Tyson Chandler is gone finally, but Emeka Okafor isn't the player Chandler could be, and perennially injured Peja Stojakovic will try a less-strenuous bench role. Too bad this team couldn't cash in their chips two years ago. Record: 41-41
9. Phoenix Suns: The team may be harmonious now that run-and-gun coach Alvin Gentry has the full-time job, but he's relying on aging vets such as Steve Nash and Grant Hill, and a returning-from-injury Amare Stoudemire. The Suns will score plenty, but it looks like another season without playoffs. Prediction: 39-43

Now We're In Trashville
10. Los Angeles Clippers: Yet again, the Clipper curse has hit; Blake Griffin is out six weeks with a knee injury. Griffin's presence would've lifted Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon et al to a playoff contender. As it is, the Clips will be on the fringe at best. Record: 36-46
11. Oklahoma City Thunder: Yep, the second year in OKC will see an uptick in wins, as Kevin Durant continues to get better, and Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are a nice duo to have next to him. Expect the Thunder to be on the fringe, with great things to come in 2011. Record: 34-48
12. Minnesota Timberwolves: How did rookie coach Kurt Rambis' Wolves get here? Because they have harmony! Seriously, the Wolves have some decent pieces like Al Jeffeson (assuming he's ready following last year's injury) and Kevin Love (whose already injured), but it will take at least two years to get back into contention. Record: 25-57

Lottery-Bound
13. Memphis Grizzlies: Here's the good news; Allen Iverson is injured and won't play for a couple weeks. The bad news: AI will be back, and his poisonous behavior could affect O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, and Mike Conley. I hope they sack him, but with or without him, the Grizz will be irrelevent. Record: 22-60
14. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Jackson wants to be traded, Monta Ellis hates rookei Stephen Curry, and the team is generally miserable. Otherwise, they're in great shape! The Warriors have given away all of the good will the Oakland faithful gave them a few years ago, and hopefully Don Nelson gets out after the season ends. Record: 19-63
15. Sacramento Kings: A less-talented team you won't see in the West. Kevin Martin is at best a second option on a contender, but he's all the Kings really have right now. Rookie Tyreke Evans gives them hope for the future, but the present is very bleak for the Kings as new coach Paul Westphal adjust to the NBA for the first time in nearly eight years. Record: 15-67
 
 
Well, the NBA begins its new season in a couple of hours, and just like every NBA fan, I'm ready to resume my ranting, er, talking about the NBA! Here are my predictions for the upcoming season, conference by conference.

Eastern Conference
Cream of the Crop

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: If any year is going to be their year, it's this year. Shaquille O'Neal won't be the Shaq of even five years ago, but he gives them their biggest post presence in many years, and he'll be ready come playoff time. Expect LeBron to challenge for another MVP, and for Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker to bolster the bench. Record: 63-19
2. Boston Celtics: The C's have one more year as legit contenders before age sets in. The addition of Rasheed Wallace will definately help Kevin Garnett (returning from injury) and Kendrick Perkins, especially with Glen Davis injured to start the season. Otherwise, expect the C's to be the team version of Shaq and coast until the playoffs. Record: 57-25
3. Orlando Magic: The tradeoff of Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter is small, but noticeble; Carter isn't nearly the passer Turkoglu is, nor is he the defensive presence (yikes!). But that may be a blessing, since Dwight Howard might get more looks inside. Otherwise, the Magic will have a healthy Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis after his suspension is up, and the Magic will have a solid year. Record: 54-28.

Run of the Mill
4. Atlanta Hawks: Maybe newcomer Jamal Crawford will finally sniff the playoffs! But seriously, other than Crawford and well-worn veteran Joe Smith, the Hawks haven't changed much, and while that should be good enough to compete for home-court in the 1st round, they won't get very far once that round is over. Record: 50-32
5. Washington Wizards: A real wild-card pick, but if Gilbert Arenas stays healthy (stop laughing!), the triad of Arenas, Antawn Jamison (who is hurt; uh oh) and Caron Butler is very good, and Mike Miller and rookie JaVale McGee are potentially good additions. New coach Flip Saunders has a great track record with bad teams, but we'll see once the season gets going, though. Record: 47-35
6. Toronto Raptors: Hedo Turkoglu should provide them with some solid play, but Chris Bosh isn't quite Dwight Howard, though Bosh is darn solid. But there are no defensive specialists on this team, which means that the Raptors will have great fantasy players, but not a great team in reality. Record: 43-39

Not That Great
7. Philadelphia 76ers: New coach Eddie Jordan has the same conundrum that the previous coach did; how to integrate Elton Brand into a fast-break oriented team. With Andre Miller gone, it will be even tougher to do. Expect a season's worth of struggles as the Sixers fight the old Clipper curse. Record: 41-41
8. Miami Heat: It's the Dwayne Wade show! Other than adding the extremely well-traveled Quentin Richardson, the Heat added nobody. And they weren't well-equipped last year, so hoping that oft-injured Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy and be productive is a stretch. Fear Wade's free agnecy! Record: 39-43
9. Chicago Bulls: The Bulls put on a memorable show in last year's playoffs, pushing the Celtics to the brink of 1st round elimination. Alas, that would be quite an accomplishment this year; Ben Gordon is gone, and with him goes a lot of their offense. Expect Derrick Rose's PPG to go up, but for the Bulls' wins to go down. Record: 36-46

Now We're In Trashville
10. Detroit Pistons: The Pistons sure did hit the wall last year, and now Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess are gone, along with team cancer Allen Iverson. But adding Ben Gordon is strange, since he and Richard Hamilton are essentially the same player, and Charlie Villanueva is a poor man's Rasheed, so how exactly have they improved. New coach John Kuester has a lot of work to do. Record: 33-49
11. New York Knicks: Now we've gotten to the "Teams waiting for the season to end" list; the Knicks will once again be entertaining, but lose aplenty. At least they added Darko Milicic...wait, never mind! Expect David Lee to have another good year, and for Nate Robinson to be lifting off, but no playoffs. Record: 26-56
12. Indiana Pacers: Hard to believe a team could still be reeling from an incident five years ago, but the Pacers still haven't recovered from the Ron Artest fiasco. Mike Dunleavy won't play initially with a bad knee, and the team still doesn't have a legit second player to go with Danny Granger. Roy Hibbert could become a good post player, but good guys don't always win you games. Record: 24-58

Lottery-Bound
13. Charlotte Bobcats: Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor; trading an injured big for an injured big. Sounds like a push at best. With ownership issues and Raymond Felton wanting a new deal, Larry Brown might be ready to jump ship...again. Record: 20-62
14. New Jersey Nets: The Nets want badly to escape Jersey, but they won't for the forseeable future. With Vince Carter gone, Devin Harris could have a career-year scoring wise, but other than him and Brook Lopez, the next-best player is...Rafer Alston. Yikes! Record: 17-65
15. Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks' slogan is "Work Hard...Play Hard". Great slogan, but less-talented hard workers rarely win, and the firesale purged them of Richard Jefferson, Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva, among others. Expect Michael Redd to be dealt by at least mid-season, and for the Bucks to have the worst record in the East. Record: 14-68
 
 
Today's Finals review takes us back to the 1987 NBA Finals. It was the last time Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced off for the NBA crown, and the last Lakers/Celtics Final for 21 years. Who would win and take the "rubber match" of the 1980s?

The Los Angeles Lakers had already cemented their place as one of the NBA's premier teams of the 1980s, winning three NBA titles by 1986. But in the 1986 Western Conference Finals, they were upset by the young Houston Rockets in five games. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar turning 40 during the season and the Twin Towers of Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon looming, could Showtime bounce back in 1987?

The Boston Celtics had a much better time in 1986, winning their 16th NBA title over those Rockets. But their challenge nonetheless was daunting; no NBA team had repeated as champs since 1968-69. Could three-time MVP Larry Bird break the string of bad luck?

The Lakers entered 1986-87 determined to attone for their failures and responded in grand fashion, winning a league-best 65 games. Earvin "Magic" Johnson had his best statistical season, winning his first regular-season MVP with averages of 23.9 PPG (which would be his career high), 6.3 RPG and 12.2 APG (which led the league), while Kareem still posted very healthy numbers of 17.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG. James Worthy also averaged over 19 PPG, and Showtime was as healthy as ever. Healthy wasn't a word you could use for Boston, however; despite winning 59 games to lead the East, the Celtics lost Bill Walton and Scott Wedman for huge portions of the season, forcing K.C. Jones to use four of his five starters (Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Dennis Johnson) over 37 minutes per game. Could thw weary champs even make it to attempt a repeat?

The Lakers faced little challenge in reaching the Finals; they swept the Denver Nuggets 3 games to 0 in round 1, smashed the Golden State Warriors 4 games to 1 in round two, then swept the Seattle Supersonics 4 games to zip to advance. Boston faced a much rougher road; after sweeping the Chicago Bulls in 3 in the first round, they went the full seven games against both the Milwaukee Bucks in round 2 and the Detroit Pistons in round 3, the latter seeing Bird save the Celtics' bacon in game 5 by stealing Isiah Thomas' inbound and passing to Johnson for the winning layup. Clearly, L.A. was the favorite to claim the title in this, the third Finals matchup of the decade between the bitter rivals.

Game 1 saw the Lakers' Showtime offense at its best; they scored 35 fastbreak points in the first half. Behind Magic's strong 11-point 1st quarter and Worthy's 15-point 2nd, L.A. rolled out to a 51-30 lead during the first half en route to a 69-54 lead. Boston came within thirteen early in the third, and after L.A. pushed the lead back to 21, the Celtics cut it down to 12 in the fourth before a 11-2 run put the game out of reach, as the Lakers won 123-113. Worthy led the Lakers with 33 points and was one rebound shy of a triple-double, while only Bird (28) had more than 16 points for Boston. Game 2 had a similar feel; this time, L.A. had a 36-2 1st half fast-break points edge, and were led by Defensive Player of the Year Michael Cooper, who had a hand in a 20-point run in the second quarter (he set a Finals record with 8 assists in the period). Cooper also set a Finals record (since passed by Kenny Smith and Scottie Pippen) with six three-point field goals. L.A. led by the score of 75-56 at halftime, and the Celtics got no closer than 15 the rest of the way, eventually losing 141-122. To make matter worse, McHale reinjured his foot. Things looked really bleak for the champions.

Game 3, however, saw the luck of the leprechaun return in the old Boston Garden. After L.A. jumped out to a 29-22 1st quarter lead, the Celtics stormed ahead 60-56 at the half, led by the 2nd quarter scoring of Dennis Johnson (12 points in the period) and Bird (14), plus the unlikely contribution off the boards by reserve Greg Kite (he had 9 boards in 22 minutes of action). All told, three Celtics had over 20 points in this game, and after some late surges by L.A., Boston hung on to win 109-103 to cut the series lead to 2 games to 1, setting up a historic Game 4. The game didn't start out looking like an all-time classic, however; the Celtics led 29-22 after one and led by as many as fifteen in the third. The Celtics had a 8-0 run late in the game to take a 103-95 lead when the Lakers came back with nine straight points to take the lead. Then, a classic sequence occured; Bird, with Worthy hanging off his jersey, drilled a three-pointer to give Boston the lead back. The Lakers then went to Kareem, who was fouled, and he split the free throws before the ball bounced off McHale. Magic took the ball after the timeout, and proceeded to hit his "junior sky-hook" to give L.A. the lead back. After Bird missed a corner jumper, L.A. took a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Game 5 wouldn't see the coronation of a new champion, however; after a close 1st quarter, L.A. had a 9-1 run to take an eight-point lead, but the Celtics closed the half outscoring the Lakers 37-14 run to take a 15-point halftime lead. A hot 3rd quarter by Danny Ainge (14 in the period including 4 three-pointers) and a equally hot 4th by Dennis Johnson allowed Boston to stave off defeat with a 123-108 win. But back at the "Fabulous" Forum for Game 6, there would be no reprieve. Though the Celtics led by seven after one quarter and five at the half, their worn-out bodies couldn't keep up with the Lakers, who outscored them 18-2 to take a 69-58 lead. Parish collected his fifth foul in the 4th as he was no match for Jabbar (who led the Lakers with 32 points), and the Celtics would threaten no more, as the Lakers wrapped the title with a 106-93 win. Magic won his third Finals MVP, and the Lakers had won the "rubber match" with their most hated rival.

1987 NBA Finals Leaders: Points Per Game
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 26.2 PPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 21.7 PPG; Worthy, 20.7 PPG
Boston: Bird, 24.2 PPG; D. Johnson, 21.0 PPG; McHale, 20.5 PPG

1987 NBA Finals Leaders: Rebounds Per Game
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 8.0 RPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 7.3 RPG; Worthy, 5.3 RPG
Boston: Bird, 10.0 RPG; McHale, 9.0 RPG; Parish, 6.5 RPG

1987 NBA Finals Leaders: Assists Per Game
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 13.0 APG; Cooper, 4.7 APG; Worthy, 4.0 APG
Boston: D. Johnson, 9.3 APG; Bird, 5.5 APG; Ainge, 5.0 APG
 
 
Today's profile highlights one of the NBA's greatest leapers...and one of its best all-around players. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star, was selected to the All-NBA 1st Team in 1992, and played a key role on three NBA Finals-bound teams with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets. Here's Clyde "the Glide" Drexler!

Clyde Drexler was born June 22, 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He went to Ross Sterling High School in Houston, Texas, then stayed home to attend the University of Houston. Teaming with Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Young and Larry Micheaux, the Cougars became known as "Phi Slamma Jamma". Drexler helped the Cougars reach two Final Fours and the 1983 NCAA championship final before graduating, averaging 14.4 PPG and 9.9 RPG during his college career. Drexler was eventually selected 14th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, behind such busts as Russell Cross and Ennis Whatley.

Drexler came to Portland at a time when Jim Paxson was established as the team's starting shooting guard, but he still put up respectable numbers of 7.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG as a rookie. Drexler became a part-time starter at small forward in his second year and saw his averages jump to 17.2 PPG and 6 RPG. By 1985-86, Drexler became an All-Star for the first time, averaging 18.6 PPG and 5.6 RPG and a solid 8 APG. By this point, he had supplanted Paxson as the team's best player.

In 1986-87, Drexler joined Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as the only players to average better than 21 PPG (21.7 PPG), 6 rebounds (6.3 RPG) and 6 assists (6.9 APG) that season. The next year, Drexler finished fifth in  leagueMVP voting, leading the Blazers to 53 wins. But despite Drexler's brilliance, the Blazers won only one playoff series between 1984 and 1989. But the nucleus of Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey and Kevin Duckworth began to emerge when Rick Adelman became coach and Buck Williams was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Nets.

By 1989-90, the Blazers emerged as a great team, and Drexler was the leader. Averaging 23.3 PPG and 6.9 RPG, Drexler led the Blazers to their first NBA Finals since 1977, losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games. The Blazers would win the Pacific Division title each year from 1990 to 1992, and Drexler's 1991-92 season was his personal best, as he finished the runner-up to Michael Jordan for league MVP and made his sixth All-Star team (the other years were 1986, 1988-91, 1993-94 and 1996-97, missing the 1997 game with an injury). He also became the second Portland player ever to make the All-NBA 1st Team, and though the Blazers lost to Jordan's Bulls in six games in the Finals, Drexler would join Jordan in winning an Olympic gold medal as part of the famed "Dream Team" in the 1992 Olympics.

But the Blazers and Drexler fell off over the next season and a half, and by the 1994-95 trade deadline, Drexler wanted to be traded. Portland obliged, trading Drexler to the Houston Rockets for Otis Thorpe. Drexler was now re-teamed with college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, but as the Rockets struggled to a 47-35 finish and the sixth seed, they didn't seem like a legit threat to win an NBA title. But the Rockets shocked everyone by winning the title in a four-game sweep of the Orlando Magic. Drexler averaged 20.5 PPG, 7 RPG and 5 APG (which increased to 21.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 6.8 APG in the Finals sweep). Drexler finally had an NBA title in his adopted hometown.

Drexler enjoyed three more productive seasons with the Rockets before retiring after the 1997-98 season to become a coach of his alma mater in Houston. He retired having scored 22,195 points (20.4 PPG), along with 6,677 rebounds (6.1 RPG) and 6,125 assists (5.6 APG). He was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1983-84: 82 GP, 3 GS, 7.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 45.1 FG%, 72.8 FT%, 25.0 3P%
1984-85: 80 GP, 43 GS, 17.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 49.4 FG%, 75.9 FT%, 21.6 3P%
1985-86: 75 GP, 58 GS, 18.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, 47.5 FG%, 76.9 FT%, 20.0 3P%
1986-87: 82 GP, 82 GS, 21.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.9 APG, 50.2 FG%, 76.0 FT%, 23.4 3P%
1987-88: 81 GP, 80 GS, 27.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.8 APG, 50.6 FG%, 81.1 FT%, 21.2 3P%
1988-89: 78 GP, 78 GS, 27.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 5.8 APG, 49.6 FG%, 79.9 FT%, 26.0 3P%
1989-90: 73 GP, 73 GS, 23.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.9 APG, 49.4 FG%, 77.4 FT%, 28.3 3P%
1990-91: 82 GP, 82 GS, 21.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.0 APG, 48.2 FG%, 79.4 FT%, 31.9 3P%
1991-92: 76 GP, 76 GS, 25.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, 47.0 FG%, 79.4 FT%, 33.7 3P%
1992-93: 49 GP, 49 GS, 19.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 42.9 FG%, 83.9 FT%, 23.3 3P%
1993-94: 68 GP, 68 GS, 19.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.9 APG, 42.8 FG%, 77.7 FT%, 32.4 3P%
1994-95: 76 GP, 75 GS, 21.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 46.1 FG%, 82.4 FT%, 36.0 3P%
1995-96: 52 GP, 51 GS, 19.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, 43.3 FG%, 78.4 FT%, 33.2 3P%
1996-97: 62 GP, 62 GS, 18.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.7 APG, 44.2 FG%, 75.0 FT%, 35.5 3P%
1997-98: 70 GP, 70 GS, 18.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 42.7 FG%, 80.1 FT%, 31.7 3P%
 
 

With the 2009 NBA Finals finished and the Los Angeles Lakers finishing this decade the way they started it (NBA champions), let's look at the first Laker title team this decade. Yes, it's a review of the 2000 NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Indiana Pacers!

The Los Angeles Lakers were the chic pick every year in the mid-to-late 1990s to be the breakthrough team in the Western Conference. The addition of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 1996 heighten those expectations, but the team could never break through, as they were beaten in five game by Utah in 1997, and suffered sweeps in 1998 and '99, leading many to question the maturity of the team. Would that change in 2000?

The Indiana Pacers had questions of their own entering 2000; the team had made four conference finals between 1994 and '99, only to lose all four times, twice to their hated rivals, the New York Knicks. With a host of veterans in their twilight years (Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson and Rik Smits, among others), and Larry Bird set to leave the bench after the season, the Pacers knew they had little time left to get to the NBA Finals.

Even before the 1999-2000 season began, the Lakers showed how serious they were about winning a title by hiring former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson as their new head coach. Jackson, unlike his predecessors in L.A., had a championship pedigree, winning six NBA titles with the Bulls. He immediately commanded respect, and he decided to make Shaq the beacon of the offense. Shaq responded with a career year, averaging 29.7 PPG (a career best) and 13.6 RPG, winning a share of the All-Star Game MVP and the outright regular season MVP. Bryant, despite missing 16 games with an injury, joined O'Neal as an All-Star with averages of 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 4.9 APG as the Lakers rolled to a 67-15 record.

The Pacers, meanwhile, got the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. Miller remained an solid scorer (18.1 PPG) and was aided by a breakthrough year from Jalen Rose (a team best 18.2 PPG, allowing him to win Most Improved Player honors). The playoffs would be a fierce struggle for both teams.

The Lakers were pushed to five games by the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings before winning 3 games to 2 (the first time ever a Jackson-coached team was pushed to the first-round limit), then defeated the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 1, before meeting the Portland Trail Blazers in a classic Western Conference Finals. Portland forced a seventh game in L.A. and led 75-60 in the 4th quarter before L.A. stormed back to win 95-79 and reach their first NBA Finals since 1991. The Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 3 games to 2 in round one, dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2, and finally defeated the Knicks 4 games to 2 to become the second former American Basketball Association team (after the San Antonio Spurs) to reach the NBA Finals.

Most experts felt that the key to the series was how the Pacers would handle O'Neal. In game one of the series, they had no answer for the league's MVP; he hit 21 of his 31 field goal attempts, finishing with 43 points and 19 rebounds while forcing Smits to foul out. O'Neal and Bryant powered a 16-6 2nd quarter run that offset Austin Croshere's nine point, four rebound performance in the period and produced a 55-43 lead. Miller struggled the entire game, finishing with an abysmal 1-16 shooting performance and only 7 points for the game. The Pacers eventually cut the lead to 71-69 in the 3rd before O'Neal and Rick Fox scored all the points in a 13-2 4th quarter run to put the game away, as L.A. won 104-87. Game two saw Bryant leave the game with a sprained ankle, but veteran Ron Harper stepped up in his absence, scoring 21 points (a series high). But O'Neal remained the focus, and coach Bird decided to employ the infamous "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy of fouling O'Neal and forcing him to shoot free throws. O'Neal set a new Finals record with 39 free throw attempts (he hit only 18), but despite this strategy, the Pacers couldn't take the lead. They came within 99-96 late in the game, but O'Neal avoided another hack and found Robert Horry for a layup and foul. Horry's conventional three-point play sealed the Lakers' 111-104 win, as they took a 2 games to none lead back to the Pacers' new arena, the Conseco Fieldhouse.

Game three saw the Pacers take advantage of Bryant missing the game with the ankle injury; Miller hit 11 of his 22 shots and score 33 points, and Rose added 21 points. Meanwhile, O'Neal continued to struggle from the line, hitting only three of his thirteen attempts and finishing with a "subpar" 33 points. There also was no balance, as no other Laker scored more than 14 points. Indiana led 53-42 at halftime, and withstood a late Laker rally to win 100-91. Game four was a classic; Indiana led 23-22 early as Smits scored eight points in the period. The game remained tight throughout, with L.A. withstanding foul trouble for O'Neal and Bryant for most of the second half, before the game ended tied at 104. In overtime, the Pacers appeared to get a huge break when O'Neal fouled out with 2:33 left, but all that did was make Bryant the focus of the rest of the game. Bryant scored six points after O'Neal fouled out (including a spectacular reverse layup) to help L.A. secure a 120-118 victory. The Lakers were now one win away from another NBA title.

Determined to avoid losing the Finals on their home court, the Pacers saw great performances from Miller (25 points, 7-12 from the field including five straight in the 1st quarter) and Rose (32 points, 12-18 from the field) as Indiana never looked back after the 1st, leading 39-28 after one and eventually winning 120-87, the second-worst Finals loss ever for the Lakers. Other than O'Neal, who scored 35 points, no one else scored more than 11. But the blowout only served to delay the coronation at the Staples Center in game six, though the Pacers fought valiantly. Indiana fought to a 26-24 1st quarter lead, and even raised that lead to 42-32 in the middle of the 2nd quarter. But O'Neal scored 15 points in the period to eventually cut the lead to three at halftime. Indiana led 84-79 after three before the unlikely hero, Horry, stepped forward. Horry scored eight points in the period, and eventually put L.A. up to stay with five minutes to go at 105-103. The Lakers held off the Pacers the rest of the way, and won the game 116-111 to claim their seventh title in Los Angeles. O'Neal was the unanimous MVP of the Finals (he became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1996 to claim at least a share of all three MVP awards). And the Lakers had finally broken through and proved the O'Neal/Bryant combo could indeed win an NBA title. The best seemed yet to come.

1999-2000 NBA Finals Stats Leaders (Points Per Game)
Indiana: Miller, 24.3 PPG; Rose, 23.0 PPG; Croshere, 15.2 PPG
L.A. Lakers: O'Neal, 38.0 PPG; Bryant, 15.6 PPG; Glen Rice, 11.5 PPG

1999-2000 NBA Finals Stats Leaders: (Rebounds Per Game)
Indiana: Dale Davis, 10.0 RPG; Croshere, 6.0 RPG; Jackson, 5.3 RPG
L.A. Lakers: O'Neal, 16.7 RPG; Horry, 5.2 RPG; Bryant, 4.6 RPG

1999-2000 NBA Finals Stats Leaders: (Assists Per Game)
Indiana: Jackson, 7.7 APG; Miller, 3.7 APG; Rose, 3.0 APG
L.A. Lakers: Harper, 4.8 APG; Bryant, 4.2 APG; Derek Fisher, 3.8 APG

 
 

I know it's been a long while since I posted a profile here, so let me explain. The 2009 playoff bracket got screwed up when I tried editing it on my computer, so I'll have to go to a faster connection to do that bracket. And I thought it was unfair to the people who actually like this page to go on without a full playoff bracket. But today, the profiles are back with a profile of the all-time great power forward of the Washington Bullets and Houston Rockets, Elvin Hayes.

Elvin Hayes was born November 17, 1945 in Rayville, Louisiana. Hayes initially wasn't spectacular at basketball in high school, but eventually he developed into an elite talent in leading Britton High School to a state championship in 1964, averaging 35 PPg during his senior year. He then moved on to the University of Houston, where he and Don Chaney were the school's first ever black basketball players. Hayes averaged 31 PPG and 17.2 RPG over his college career, and led the Cougars to three NCAA tournament appearences and two Final Fours, and he was a central figure in the first-ever nationally televised college basketball game, scoring 39 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in leading Houston to a 71-69 win over UCLA and Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to end the Bruins' 47-game winning streak. After graduating, Hayes was chosen first overall in the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets, and he chose to sign with them instead of the ABA's Houston Mavericks.

Hayes made an immediate impact on the second-year Rockets; Hayes helped San Diego win 22 more games than in their expansion debut, and the 37-45 record was good enough to make the playoffs for the first time. Hayes led the league in scoring (28.4 PPG, 2,327 points), the first rookie to do so since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960, and was fourth in rebounds. Things looked bright for the young team, but the Rockets never returned to the playoffs with Hayes, even as he continued to fill the stat sheet. In 1969-70, Hayes led the NBA in rebounds, and in 1970-71, he averaged 28.7 PPG (a career best) and 16.6 RPG. But the Rockets struggled at the box office, and even a move to Houston in 1971 did little to help. After the 1971-72 season, a disgruntled Hayes was traded to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin and future considerations.

The trade worked brilliantly, as Hayes moved from center to power forward alongside future Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld. Hayes helped the Bullets win the Central Division title in his first season with the team, averaging 21.2 PPG and 14.5 RPG. The following season, after the Bullets moved to Washington D.C. and became the Capital Bullets (they were renamed the season after to the Washington Bullets), Hayes led the NBA in rebounds for the second time  with 18.1 RPG (the average is the third highest in the years since Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973), leading the Bullets to another division title.

In 1974-75, Hayes helped the Bullets reach their second NBA Finals in team history, averaging 25.5 PPG in the postseason, but the Bullets were swept by the Golden State Warriors in a major upset. Hayes continued to play well the next two seasons, but the Bullets never got past the second round of the playoffs. Finally, in 1977-78, the Bullets broke through, beating the Seattle Supersonics for the NBA title. Hayes averaged 21.8 PPG during those playoffs, and after ten seasons of frustration, he finally had an NBA title.

Though Hayes and the Bullets never repeated as champions (losing the 1979 Finals in a rematch to Seattle), Hayes played well in his final three seasons in Washington; at age 35 in 1980-81, he led the Bullets in scoring (17.8 PPG), rebounding (9.7 RPG), and blocks (171 blocks). After that season, Hayes finished his career where it started, as the Bullets traded him to the Rockets for two second-round draft picks. Hayes played his final three seasons with Houston before retiring after the 1983-84 season. He finished with 27,313 points (21.0 PPG; seventh all-time entering the 2009-10 season) and 16,279 rebounds (12.5 RPG; fourth all-time). He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, and in 1996, he was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1968-69: 82 GP, 28.4 PPG, 17.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 44.7 FG%, 62.6 FT%
1969-70: 82 GP, 27.5 PPG, 16.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 45.2 FG%, 68.8 FT%
1970-71: 82 GP, 28.7 PPG, 16.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 42.8 FG%, 67.2 FT%
1971-72: 82 GP, 25.2 PPG, 14.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 43.4 FG%, 64.9 FT%
1972-73: 81 GP, 21.2 PPG, 14.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 44.4 FG%, 67.1 FT%
1973-74: 81 GP, 21.4 PPG, 18.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 42.3 FG%, 72.1 FT%
1974-75: 82 GP, 23.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 44.3 FG%, 76.6 FT%
1975-76: 80 GP, 19.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 47.0 FG%, 62.8 FT%
1976-77: 82 GP, 23.7 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.1 FG%, 68.7 FT%
1977-78: 81 GP, 19.7 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 45.1 FG%, 63.4 FT%
1978-79: 82 GP, 21.8 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 48.7 FG%, 65.4 FT%
1979-80: 81 GP, 23.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 45.4 FG%, 69.9 FT%
1980-81: 81 GP, 17.8 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 45.1 FG%, 61.7 FT%
1981-82: 82 GP, 82 GS, 16.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 47.2 FG%, 66.4 FT%
1982-83: 81 GP, 43 GS, 12.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 47.6 FG%, 68.3 FT%
1983-84: 81 GP, 4 GS, 5.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 40.6 FG%, 65.2 FT% 

 
 

Here is a post from my Fox blog page. It's a comedy where I have some fun and poke the NBA. It's a "Survivor" parody. Enjoy!

  Disclaimer: The following post is purely a parody. If the NBA or anybody feels offended, it's pure fun; no infringement is intended. All names and property belong to their owners. Now, yet the games begin!

The Beginnings of the Story

Sitting in his office in New York, NBA commissioner David Stern was discontented. The NBA Finals had been, in his opinion, a complete disaster, and now it was the offseason. Determined to become the dictator of the world, Stern decided to make the NBA relevant in the off-season. He bought the rights to the show "Survivor" and decided to stock a new season of it with NBA players, past and present. The result is "NBA Survivor" sponsored by Kia Motors! Let's head to the field!

(The host, named David Downs, walks in)

Downs: It's time for NBA Survivor!

(jingle): "sponsored by Kia Motors!"

Downs: Now then, let's meet the teams! First, it's the NBA Stars of Today team.

NBA Stars of TodayKobe Bryant
LeBron James
Shaquille O'Neal
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Allen Iverson
Chauncey Billups
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Paul Pierce
Yao Ming
Tracy McGrady
Manu Ginobili
Gilbert Arenas

Downs: And now, the NBA Stars of Yesterday team!

NBA Stars of YesterdayMichael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Julius Erving
Isiah Thomas
Charles Barkley
Elgin Baylor
Moses Malone
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West
Scottie Pippen
Willis Reed

Downs: You've now met the teams, so let's begin our game. At the end of today, one of these 30 players will be gone. The teams will compete as a unit until we whittle down the competition. You guys ready?

LeBron: I was born ready.
Kobe: You arrogant piece of...
LeBron: Look who's talking!

Downs: O.K., guys; you sound like those damn annoying puppets!
(jingle): sponsored by Nike!Downs: Oh boy; this will be hell. Let's begin with out first challenge. It's a good old-fashioned game of HORSE.
(jingle): sponsored by Geico!Downs: You guys know how to play. Pick two members from each team.

(The Stars of Yesterday choose Magic and Bird, saving Jordan for a later challenge. The Stars of Today choose Kobe and LeBron.)

Downs: We flipped a coin...
(jingle): Sponsored by the U.S. Mint!Downs: ...and the Stars of Today won, so they get the first shot of the day.
(jingle): sponsored by Budweiser!

Kobe: O.K., Bron. I got the first shot!
LeBron: Oh, no you don't; I've got it!
Kobe: Me!
LeBron: ME!!!

(the two begin to fight each other, the ball slips out of their hands at mid-court, takes two bounces, and goes in the hoop. All the participants are stunned.)

Downs: All right, Magic and Larry, you gotta do it.

(Magic and Bird tussle, but the ball takes three bounces, giving LeBron and Kobe the lead.)

Downs: Back to LeBron and Kobe for the second shot.
(jingle): Sponsored by Red Bull!

Kobe: Just give me the damn ball.
LeBron: I'm the chosen one!
(they resume fighting, and run out of time)

Downs: Sorry, guys. You forfeit one letter. It's a tied game.
(to add insult to insult, Joey Crawford calls a technical just out of habit!)

Downs: Magic and Bird, you're up.

(Magic does a behind-the-back dribble before pulling up 3/4 court and hitting a three. LeBron rips the ball out of Kobe's hand, does the same thing...and it air-balls)

Kobe: Dammit, Bron; I just won a title! Stop fooling around!
LeBron: You are the fool!

(Magic and Bird eventually win the game after LeBron and Kobe refuse to allow the other the shoot. They forfeit the remaining three letters.)

Downs: Chalk one up for the Legends team. Magic and Larry win immunity for today as their prize.
(jingle): Sponsored by Vagisil!Downs: Let's move on to our next challenge. It's a game where whoever grabs the most coconuts wins.
(jingle): Sponsored by Mounds and Almond Joy!Downs: Pick your teams, people!

(The Legends select Chamberlain and Jabbar. Curiously, the Stars of the Today choose only Dwight Howard.)

Downs: Today's Team, why did you choose only one player?
Team: Because we have a secret!
Downs: O.K. Gentleman, let's get started.
(jingle): Sponsored by Minute Maid Orange Juice!Downs: Go!

(Chamberlain and Jabbar barely get started when Howard rips off his Magic jersey to reveal...he's actually Superman! He leaps up to the top of the tree and plucks off all of the coconuts, winning the game.)

Downs: Wow! Dwight Howard is the winner and gets immunity!

(jingle): Sponsored by Bayer!Downs: Well then, get some rest, and we'll be back after a word from our many sponsors!

(The ads are, in order, promos for Wipeout, I Survived a Japanese Game Show, The Closer, and 50 thousand ads for cars, beer and impotence. After all of that, Downs returns)

Downs: It's time for the team challenge!
(jingle): Sponsored by the Army!Downs: Pick five members of the team to play this game.

(The Legends choose Jordan, Barkley, West, Thomas and Russell. Today's team choose Wade, Shaq, Arenas, Garnett and Iverson.)

Downs: O.K. Start the obstacle course!
(jingle): Sponsored by Ikea!Downs: Start!

(Iverson and Thomas begin the game by climbing through the cave. Iverson takes a big lead before getting startled when Thomas says he's quitting Florida International to join Iverson’s new team to trade him. They're even when they tag off to West and Arenas.)

Arenas: Hey, Jerry. Still think LeBron’s the best player in the lea…

(Arenas, en route to going up the hill, tears up his knee. Thomas is forced to carry Arenas to the next station, where they trail by a bunch. Fortunately for Today’s Team, Barkley is waddling through the third leg, allowing Garnett to catch up.)

Garnett: Anything is possibleeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Barkley: That’s just turible!

(Barkley and Garnett are even when they pass the wooden bridge and tag off to Russell and Shaq.)

Russell: Oh, Shaq’s nothing! I stopped Wilt; I can stop him!

Shaq: That would be Shaq-tastic for you, but I’m the real Superman!

(Russell and Shaq approach the treadmill. While Russell makes it up with ease, Shaq simply bulls it over, saying “I don’t ever use treadmills!”. After that, they reach the b-ball court, where each has to dunk, then hand off to Jordan and Wade.)

Wade (stares at Jordan): My idol!

Jordan: That stuff doesn’t work on me!

(The final obstacle is a doozy; each goes to the court, where big Manute Bol lies. They must hit a jumper over him, without driving by him. Wade gets there first, but his shot gets easily swatted away.)

Bol: You…cant…do…tat!

(Bol smiles, but it’s quickly obliterated when Jordan, using his powers from Space Jam, turns into Stretch Armstrong, stretching his arms over Bol, and throwing the ball in. Jordan easily crosses the finish line.)

Downs: The Legends win the game! The entire team is safe for the next episode! Today’s team, one of you will go.
(jingle): Sponsored by Avis!
Downs: Today’s Team, we’ll see you at tribal council tonight!

(Today’s team, except for Howard, who has immunity, slumps off to their cabins. The Legends go back as well, except for Jordan and Barkley, who decide to go to the golf course to gamble on who can lose the worst.)

(Night falls on the camp)

Downs: Alright, teams. Let’s get to the council square.
(jingle): Sponsored by Wheat Thins!
Downs: Today’s Team will vote on who they want to get rid of, and that person must leave. Only Dwight Howard is immune from elimination today. The Legends will also vote, and their majority winner will receive one vote. Let’s get started!
(jingle): Sponsored by the Black-Eyed Peas!

(The Legends vote. It comes out eight for Kobe, seven for LeBron, and one that’s not legible because there’s a giant ketchup stain.)

Downs: Who had ketchup on their ballot?
(jingle): Sponsored by Heinz!
Barkley: Sorry, guys. I had to have 15 hamburgers before I voted!
Downs: Anyway, Kobe gets one cumulative vote. Today’s Team, now you vote.

(The team votes.)

Downs: Here are the results!
(jingle): Sponsored by George W. Bush!
Downs: The results are 14 votes for Arenas (shown in a cast), and one for LeBron.

(LeBron stares at the team, screaming “I need help, guys!”. Kobe smirks privately; he cast the vote against LeBron. Arenas tried to walk away in his cast, but falls over, breaking his ankle and ribs. He yells back “I’m used to not playing and getting paid!”.)

 Downs: All right campers, that’s it for Opening Night!
(jingle): Sponsored by Hyundai!
Downs: See you viewers next time for more NBA Survivor!
(jingle): Sponsored by Kia Motors!

Note: I know Chamberlain isn't alive. This is a parody, so pretend that these guys are all in their prime!


 
 

After a lengthy absence, the profiles are back! And this week, we pay homage to the NBA Finals with posts devoted to great Lakers and Magic players. Today's profilee was one of the greatest NBA players of the 1960s and early 1970s, winning a scoring title, making twelve All-Star teams, and helping L.A. win the 1972 NBA title. He is Jerry West.

Jerry West was born May 28, 1938 in Cheylan, West Virginia. The young West lived in poverty, but he developed a passion for basketball, and starred for East Bank High School, making the All-State team from 1953-56 and was named the state player of the year and an All-American in 1956. After graduating, West chose to attend West Virginia University and put the school on the basketball map, leading the team to the NCAA finals in 1959, earning two Southern Conference player of the year awards and two All-America honors. After leading the United States to a gold medal (co-captaining the team with Oscar Robertson) in the 1960 Rome Olympics, West was drafted second overall behind Robertson by the Lakers, shortly before the franchise moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.

As a rookie, West was solid after Fred Schaus (his coach at West Virginia) moved him from forward to guard, averaging 17.6 PPG and 7.7 RPG as the Lakers made the playoffs. Soon after, he and Elgin Baylor became one of the league's most dominant scoring duos; both averaged 30+ PPG in 1961-62 (West's second year) and would average over 24 PPG in ten of twelve full seasons together. In 1961-62, they made the first of six NBA Finals in the decade, but the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games, starting a trend that would continue throughout the decade.

Despite coming up short against Boston, West remained brilliant for the team throughout the 1960s. West averaged over 25.9 PPG each year from 1961-62 to 1970-71, and earned the first of 13 selections to the All-Star team as a rookie in 1961 (he played in 12 games from 1961-73, missing the 1969 game, and was game MVP in 1972). West's best stats year came in 1969-70, when he won his only scoring title (the first year it was awarded on per game average) with 31.2 PPG, along with 4.6 RPG and 7.5 APG. Despite his individual success, the Lakers lost five NBA Finals in the 60s, all to the Celtics, though West was outstanding in their last matchup in 1969, scoring 42 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out 12 assists in the Lakers' game seven matchup, becoming the only player in NBA history to claim Finals MVP without winning the title (in fact, West was the first-ever Finals MVP). After the Lakers lost to the New York Knicks in the 1970 Finals, many felt the Lakers' best days were over.

In 1971-72, however, the Lakers united under new coach Bill Sharman, and even with Baylor retiring early in the season, they roared, winning a then-record 69 games, as West finished seventh in scoring (25.8 PPG) and led the league in assists (9.7 APG), as L.A. finally got the brass ring that year, beating the Knicks in five games for their first L.A. title (and first for the team since 1954). With the burden lifted from his shoulders, West played two more seasons, making another Finals appearence, before retiring in 1974. West then briefly coached the team from 1976-79 before jumping into the front office, building the Showtime Lakers into a power in the 1980s, winning five NBA titles. West also built the early 2000s Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant that won three straight titles from 2000-02 before joining the Memphis Grizzlies, where from 2002-07, West built the team into a playoff team, making three postseasons on a team that hadn't made any prior to his arrival. He retired from that capacity in 2007. For his playing career, he scored 25,192 points (27.0 PPG career; 14th all-time after the 2008-09 season) and had 5.376 rebounds (5.8 RPG), was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1960-61: 79 GP, 17.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.2 APG, 41.9 FG%, 66.6 FT%
1961-62: 75 GP, 30.8 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 44.5 FG%, 76.9 FT%
1962-63: 55 GP, 27.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 5.6 APG, 46.1 FG%, 77.8 FT%
1963-64: 72 GP, 28.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.6 APG, 48.4 FG%, 83.2 FT%
1964-65: 74 GP, 31.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.9 APG, 49.7 FG%, 82.1 FT%
1965-66: 79 GP, 31.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 47.3 FG%, 86.0 FT%
1966-67: 66 GP, 28.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.8 APG, 46.4 FG%, 87.8 FT%
1967-68: 51 GP, 26.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.1 APG, 51.4 FG%, 81.1 FT%
1968-69: 61 GP, 25.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.9 APG, 47.1 FG%, 82.1 FT%
1969-70: 74 GP, 31.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 7.5 APG, 49.7 FG%, 82.4 FT%
1970-71: 69 GP, 26.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 9.5 APG, 49.4 FG%, 83.2 FT%
1971-72: 77 GP, 25.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 9.7 APG, 47.7 FG%, 81.4 FT%
1972-73: 69 GP, 22.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 8.8 APG, 47.9 FG%, 80.5 FT%
1973-74: 31 GP, 20.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.6 APG, 44.7 FG%, 83.3 FT%



 
 

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!