Tag Archives: 1980s

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Michael Jordan

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Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan determinedly emerging from the vice-like defense of the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons is the perfect photo to recapture the essence of his career. Emerging from the fiery trial of battling Detroit, Jordan captured six NBA titles. Before that emergence he was simply another in a long wave of surefire talents, but not necessarily among the handful of all-time legends.

From the vantage point of 2013 that seems absurd Jordan never was considered among the handful of all-time legends, but in 1990, Jordan’s career was incomplete and his true status unknown. In his first six seasons, Jordan had won four scoring titles, an MVP award, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. The Bulls as a team, though, had suffered three losing seasons and only one campaign over 50 wins.

But in 1990 they had pushed the Detroit Pistons to a decisive 7th game. In that do-or-die contest, Jordan rose to the occasion with 31 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds. But the Bulls were demolished by 19 points. That defeat marked the third straight year Chicago lost to Detroit. And Jordan’s 9 assists in that game were stunning given that his teammates shot a woeful 15-63.

And, yet, from the 2013 vantage point, this Herculean effort for naught is generally forgotten. Torching Portland, deceiving Phoenix, flummoxing Utah, searing Seattle, and steamrolling Los Angeles are what we now remember. What made this possible was Jordan’s own maturation from a man throwing down 37 points a game to a more measured offensive approach that buttressed his teammates. And teammates that were capable of reciprocating the effort. Without the talents of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and others, Jordan could have been a frightening force but not the generation defining player he became.

It’s not just that Jordan ultimately won the number of championships, MVPs, and scoring titles he did. It’s how he did them. His gargantuan hands made him one of the strongest defenders and finishers at the rim basketball has ever seen. His agility, footwork, and flair permanently branded a bevvy of highlight plays into our collective memory and led players to proudly brag they’d never been humiliated by Jordan.

Unfairly, numerous NBA legends are labeled as failures for their inability to capture a title. Michael Jordan’s championship run of the 1990s safely rescued him from that ignominy. However, it’s not that far-fetched that year-after-year he could have had efforts like Game 7 in 1990 that made him personally look great for the moment, but sully his overall career. It takes not just the individual talent, but the team concept to fully unfurl and let fly the reign of Air Jordan.

Seasons Played:
1985 – 1993
1995 – 1998
2002 – 2003

Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls

Accolades

NBA -
6x Champion (1991-’93, 1996-’98)
6x Finals MVP (1991-’93, 1996-’98)
5x MVP (1988, 1991-’92, 1996, 1998)
Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
3x All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
Rookie of the Year (1985)

10x All-NBA 1st Team (1987-’93, 1996-’98)
All-NBA 2nd Team (1985)
9x All-Defensive 1st Team (1988-’93, 1996-’98)
14x All-Star (1985-’93, 1996-’98, 2002-’03)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1985)

Statistics

NBA – 1072 Games
30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 49.7% FG, 32.7% 3PT, 83.5% FT
10x PPG Leader (1987-’93, 1996-’98), 3x SPG Leader (1988, 1990, 1993)

3rd All-Time Points, 3rd All-Time Steals, 4th All-Time FGs Made
5th All-Time FTs Made  22nd All-Time Minutes Played, 37th All-Time Assists
1st All-Time PPG, 4th All-Time in SPG, 15th All-Time MPG

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Larry Bird

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larry-bird

When you have a career as illustrious as Larry Bird’s it’s hard to find any proper place to begin. The number 3, however, would be an appropriate place to start the assessment of the Hick from French Lick.

Number of NBA titles? 3!

Larry Bird helped resuscitate the moribund Boston Celtics in the 1979-80 season. After a late 70s swoon, the Celtics were ripe for resurrection with Dave Cowens holding on from the mid-70s glory days, veteran Nate Archibald looking for his first taste of team success, and a young Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell bringing an efficient post game. This first cast got Boston to 61 wins in 1980 after an abysmal 29 victories in 1979. The first title arrived in 1981 and two more would be added in 1984 and 1986 as Bird teamed with other legends like Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, and Bill Walton, and other damn fine players like Scott Wedman, Reggie Lewis, and Danny Ainge.

Number of MVPs? 3!

That tremendous team success was buttressed by Bird’s three-straight MVPs from 1984 to 1986. That streak places him in the company of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as the only players to win three straight MVPs.

His statistics those years were mind-boggling:
26.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 50.4% FG, 39.2% 3PT, 88.9% FT

But they aren’t that far off from his career averages:
24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 49.6% FG, 37.6% 3PT, 88.6% FT

The man was simply possessed with tremendous court-vision, a dead-eye jumper, deceitful athleticism, and a passion to hustle. Plus he’d let you know about it with some of the best trash-talk in NBA history.

What shot did he talk a lot of trash about? The 3!

At the 1986 3-Point Shootout, Larry Bird strutted into the locker room and asked the other contestants, ”Who’s coming in second tonight?” True to his bravado, Bird went out and smoked the competition. For kicks he went into a game against the Portland Trail Blazers that year and devastated the opponent with left-handed shots all night. Naturally, he scored 47 points while also dropping a triple-double.

One could continue to go on and on about Bird’s abilities, but I’ve said enough, just watch for yourself:

Seasons Played: 1980 -1992

Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

Accolades

NBA -
3x MVP (1984-’86)
3x Champion (1981, 1984, 1986), 2x Finals MVP (1984, 1986)
9x All-NBA 1st Team (1980-’88)
All-NBA 2nd Team (1990)
3x All-Defensive 2nd Team (1982-’84)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1980), Rookie of the Year (1980)
12x All-Star (1980-’88, 1990-’92)

Statistics

NBA – 897 Games
24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 49.6% FG, 37.6% 3PT, 88.6% FT
4x FT% Leader (1984, 1986-’87, 1990)
10th All-Time in FT%, 13th All-Time in MPG
17th All-Time in PPG, 25th All-Time in SPG
22nd All-Time in FGs Made, 30th All-Time in Points
31st All-Time in Steals, 35th All-Time in Assists

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Clyde Drexler

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Clyde Drexler (Manny Millan/SI)

Clyde Drexler (Manny Millan/SI)

To pull out an old writing trick… Webster’s Dictionary defines “glide” as the following:

: to move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly

: to go or pass imperceptibly

It’s a term that connotes ease, that signifies freedom from agitation. Clyde Drexler as a basketball player encapsulated these attitudes and mores. Despite being one of the more exciting players in the NBA during the 1980s and 1990s, it was quite often an understated excitement, if possible.

His dunks came about in such a gliding ease. He rose majestically and flowed seamlessly through the atmospheric fluid flushing home the jam. Seemingly lacking even less effort was the way Drexler could extend  and wind his way into gorgeous finger rolls and scooping layups that no man should ever have any business of taking, let alone making.

Well, after viewing Drexler’s highlight package, it’s kind of clear that not all of his dunks were done devoid of invigorating passion. The man could throw down a hammer on opponents.

There was so much more to Drexler’s game than the dunks and flashy layups though. He was an extraordinary passer from the big guard spot, was great on cleaning up the defensive glass and was magnificent at anticipating woeful passes to steal. Combining all of those traits with his flair for dunking and Drexler became perhaps the most feared player on the fastbreak during his era.

He possessed great handles for a man 6’7″ tall, even if he dribbled with his head down. The tunnel vision drive, though, just made the ultimate outcome of his forays even less in doubt. He was going to glide in stride and leave you embarrassed at the end of the occasion.

His assortment of abilities led him to play in the NBA Finals three different times (twice in Portland, once in Houston) and delivered a membership on the Dream Team in 1992. However, when it comes to naming great shooting guards in the NBA’s history, Drexler’s name can often glide by without notice.

Well, let this serve as a reminder to always remember the magnificent ride of Clyde the Glide.

Seasons Played: 1984 – 1998

Accolades

NBA -
Champion (1995)
All-NBA 1st Team (1992)
2x All-NBA 2nd Team (1988, 1991)
2x All-NBA 3rd Team (1990, 1995)
10x All-Star (1986, 1988-’94, 1996-’97)

Statistics

NBA – 1086 Games
20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 47.2% FG, 78.8% FT
7th All-Time in Steals, 10th All-Time in SPG
27th All-Time in Assists, 28th All-Time in Points
26th All-Time in FGs Made, 37th All-Time in FTs Made

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Maurice Lucas

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Maurice Lucas (ESPN)

Maurice Lucas (ESPN)

Lucas, the fearsome ABA enforcer, is another vegetarian, in addition to being one of the most complete power forwards in the league; at times [Bill] Walton appears stunned when, high over the backboard, he glances across the rim to witness Lucas ripping another rebound asunder and scattering the bodies below him. “Bill’s a gorilla until the fight starts. Then he goes in hiding while I straighten things out,” Lucas says.

That Sports Illustrated article accurately surmised Maurice Lucas in 1977. After decking 7’2″ Artis Gilmore in an ABA game his rookie season, the 6’9″ Lucas became the most feared enforcer in the basketball. The reputation never dissipated as Lucas continued to angrily confront other players for their transgressions against Lucas or his teammates. In fact, Lucas’ spirited confrontation with Darryl Dawkins is credited with helping swing the 1977 NBA Finals from Philadelphia 76ers to the Portland Trail Blazers.

35-year old Maurice Lucas scuffles with a young Hakeem Olajuwon in 1987 (Seattle Times)

35-year old Maurice Lucas scuffles with a young Hakeem Olajuwon in 1987 (Seattle Times)

As that SI article noted, however, Lucas was one of the most complete power forwards in basketball, not just some goon to physically intimidate opponents. As a scorer, Lucas was never likely to overwhelm but you certainly had to respect what he was capable of lest he did overwhelm you. As a rebounder he was second-to-none. The same goes for his defense. Never mind the blocks or steals totals, the man would get up in the opponent’s face, muscle him up, and force bad shots.

His dogged, determined play on both ends of the court endeared Maurice to teammates, even if that blustery attitude sometimes caused headaches for management. But Luke was never one to kowtow to authority. He was a rabble-rouser and committed to his class compatriots, his other four mates on the hardwood.

He was the man you despised playing against, and genuinely loved having on your side.

Seasons Played: 1975 – 1988

Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers

Accolades

ABA - 
All-Star (1976)

NBA -
Champion (1977)
All-NBA 2nd Team (1978)
All-Defensive 1st Team (1978)
All-Defensive 2nd Team (1979)
4x All-Star (1977-’79, 1983)

Statistics

ABA - 166 Games
15.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 46.3% FG, 77.5% FT

NBA - 711 Games
14.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 47.3% FG, 76.3% FT

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Marques Johnson

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Bucks Nuggets Basketball

The Milwaukee Bucks were a perennial contender during the late 1970s and 1980s. The Bucks possessed one of the league’s best and most versatile lineups that largely grew from the presence of three men: coach Don Nelson who found creative ways to mix and match talent, guard Sidney Moncrief, and the slinky forward Marques Johnson.

Johnson joined the Bucks in the 1977-78 season as a rookie and was an instant sensation. At 6’7″, Johnson had a great height for a small forward but was also incredibly quick on the go. He didn’t possess a tremendous range on his jump shot, but from about 18 feet in he was a marksman.

Perhaps most disheartening for opponents though was Marques’ ability to crash the offensive glass. After playing a possession of good defense and forcing a missed shot, Bucks opponents would be crushed by Johnson getting second-chance points. He was also a beast in the post, although not on post ups. Johnson was a master at spinning off his defender, catching lob passes and finishing with a dunk or layup.

Being a small forward, Marques didn’t neglect other skills. He was a superb passer, could rise up to challenge shots, and was a very good defender. In his rookie season, Marques led the Bucks to the playoffs and carried them to the semi-finals where they lost to the Denver Nuggets in seven games. Johnson was magnificent averaging 24 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2 blocks on 55% shooting. As the Bucks assembled a better-balanced squad over the ensuing seasons, Marques wouldn’t be required to unleash that kind of titanic performance time and time again.

As with most careers, Johnson’s did experience its bumpy roads. His holdout in the 1981-82 season lasted through training camp, the preseason and the first 18 games of the 1981-82 season. Johnson did ultimately receive the raise he wanted, but the lost time meant a lackluster season.  A trade to the  Los Angeles Clippers allowed Johnson to “enjoy” yet another lost season of sub-par play in 1984-85.

Keep in mind these below-average seasons meant Marques scored around 16 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished 3.5 assists a game.

He rebounded tremendously in 1986 snagging his 5th and final All-Star appearance. The next season, though, Johnson collided with teammate Benoit Benjamin. The resulting neck injury effectively ended his career much too soon as he played in just 10 more games in a failed comeback in the 1989-90 season with Golden State.

Despite his brief  nine-year career, Johnson presaged many of the tall ball-handling small forwards we’ve become accustomed to over the years from Scottie Pippen to LeBron James. Meanwhile his tenacious offensive-rebounding and second-chance scoring was reincarnated a generation later by the slithering small forward Cedric Ceballos.

Marques Johnson is proof that few things are ever truly new. Usually we just refinement and progress what’s come before us. Many of today’s small forwards owe that progressive, refined debt to Johnson, even if they don’t realize it.

Seasons Played: 1978 – 1987

Milwaukee Bucks 70s 80s

Accolades

NBA -
All-NBA 1st Team (1979)
2x All-NBA 2nd Team (1980-’81)
5x All-Star (1979-’81, 1983, 1986)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1978)

Statistics

NBA – 691 Games
20.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 51.8% FG,  73.9% FT

ProHoopsHistory HOF: George Gervin

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George Gervin

George Gervin

One of the smoothest players to ever lace up a pair of Nikes, George Gervin was an effortless scoring machine. Nothing ever seemed to rattle, faze, or perturb the Ice Man. Inspired by Elgin Baylor’s litany of acrobatic and scooping shots, Gervin patented the finger roll to stunning results.

The shot was a so unorthodox and yet so effective it couldn’t help but make Gervin a star. His offensive arsenal went beyond the finger roll, though. He had a stellar, if gawky, jump shot. His skin-and-bones frame meant post ups were out of the question, but Gervin was constantly able to squirm and sliver through defenses to attack the rim.

He couldn’t play a lick of defense but when you snag 4 scoring titles in 5 years, on outstanding field goal percentages, your team figures out how to make due.

The San Antonio Spurs, whether in the ABA or NBA, certainly made the most of Gervin’s career as they missed the playoffs just once and advanced to the 2nd round seven times including three trips to the Conference Finals.

Gervin’s offensive deluges were aided by players like James Silas and Larry Kenon early in his career, and Johnny Moore, Mike Mitchell and Artis Gilmore toward the end. These players handled the passing, the defense, and the rebounding while Ice handled the scoring. Dick Motta in 1982 summed up defensive strategies for Gervin:

“You don’t stop George Gervin. You just hope that his arm gets tired after 40 shots. I believe the guy can score when he wants to. I wonder if he gets bored out there.”

At the tailend of his career when the ice began to melt, Spurs Cotton Fitzsimmons broached Gervin with the idea of being a sixth man. Gervin retorted, “I ain’t no John Havlicek.” Indeed he wasn’t. Havlicek was an all-around player while Gervin was “singular, comet-like” to use Terry Stembridge’s words.

Even if singular, his talent was awe-inspiring and it was enough to ensure that the San Antonio Spurs were a viable enough franchise to be absorbed by the NBA when the ABA finally collapsed in 1976. Future Spurs legends may have hung the title banners, but Gervin’s presence is what kept the franchise alive instead of having it permanently put on ice.

Seasons Played: 1973 – 1986

San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio Spurs

Accolades

ABA -
2x All-ABA 2nd Team (1975-’76)
3x All-Star (1974-’76)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1973)

NBA -
5x All-NBA 1st Team (1978-’82)
2x All-NBA 2nd Team (1977, 1983)
9x All-Star (1977-’85), All-Star Game MVP (1980)

Statistics

ABA- 269 Games
21.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 48.0% FG, 83.1% FT
7th All-Time in PPG, 12th All-Time in FT%
9th All-Time in Blocks, 15th All-Time in Steals
NBA - 791 Games
26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 51.1% FG, 84.4% FT
4x PPG Leader (1978-’80, 1982)
9th All-Time in PPG

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Gus Williams

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Gus Williams

Gus Williams

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, few, if any, guards could match the greatness of Gus Williams.

From 1978 to 1985, Gus averaged 20 points, 6 assists and 2.3 steals a game. At 6’2″, Williams was able to play either guard position. He was at his best busting out on the break and creating sublime scoring opportunities on the run. As time wore on and his team’s needs changed, Gus became more and more of a play-maker topping off with 8.5 APG in 1984.

Williams’ heyday was certainly with the Seattle SuperSonics, but his illustrious career began in Golden State.

Drafted by the Warriors in 1975, Williams was a sturdy backup in his first two years (1976 and 1977). That Warriors squad should have been a perennial contender in the late 1970s. Rick Barry was moving just a touch past his prime but with Williams, Jamaal Wilkes, Phil Smith, Clifford Ray and Robert Parish, that team initially had more than enough talent to contend. Indeed, The Warriors won the NBA title the year before Gus showed up (1975) and they reeled off an NBA best 59 wins in his rookie season (1976).

Ultimately, the Warriors fell apart in the 1976 postseason, losing the Western Conference Finals to 42-win Phoenix, and never recovered. Overlooked as a prized asset, the Warriors let Gus leave and sign with the Sonics after the 1976-77 season. One man’s afterthought is another’s franchise cornerstone.

Williams was inserted into Seattle’s starting lineup and his career truly took off. With Dennis Johnson playing alongside him, Williams wasn’t a full-time point guard or a full-time shooting guard. He just went out and played in the backcourt to stunning results. The Sonics made the NBA Finals in 1978, losing to the Washington Bullets in 7 games. The next year, Seattle returned to the Finals in a rematch with Washington. This time they captured the title in just 5 games with Gus averaging 29 points in the series.

Much like the Golden State year’s though, Gus’s time in Seattle was marred by a team that fell apart at the seams and didn’t maintain its greatest potential. Gus was no bystander in the Sonics’ fall. Offered a 3-year, $1.5 million deal by management, Williams rejected the deal and held out in the summer of 1980. The hold out continued into the fall. Then into the new year. The contract dispute ending up lasting the duration of the 1980-81 season.

Finally, Gus and Seattle agreed to a deal that paid him $700,000 a year, but the Sonics won just one more playoff series through the rest of Williams’ tenure with the club. In the summer of 1984, he was traded to the Washington Bullets where enjoyed one final campaign of brilliance in 1985 before the undefeated Father Time began to take his toll on Gus.

Gus Williams’ career unfortunately gets lost in what is sometimes perceived as the NBA’s doldrums, the late 1970s. His Sonics were a top-shelf contender in 1978, 1979, and 1980, losing in the NBA Finals, winning the title, and losing in the Western Conference Finals, respectively. But they lost in the WCF to the Showtime Lakers who ran away with the West, and the subsequent media attention, for the 1980s leaving Gus and his accomplishments in the dust.

However, it’s never too late to appreciate greatness. Memory may not instantly recognize Gus Williams and his Sonics of the era as great, but the history shows that indeed they were and indeed he was.

Seasons Played: 1976 – 1987

Seattle SuperSonics

Seattle SuperSonics

Accolades

NBA -
Champion (1979)
All-NBA 1st Team (1982), All-NBA 2nd Team (1980)
2x All-Star (1982-’83)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1976)

Statistics

NBA - 825 Games
17.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.7 RPG,  2.0 SPG, 46.1% FG, 75.6% FT
11th All-Time in SPG, 23rd All-Time in Steals,

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Charles Barkley

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Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley

Gregarious, opinionated, and larger-than-life, Charles Barkley has been one of the NBA’s most dominant media personalities since he retired from playing in 2000.  This isn’t surprising given that during his playing days, Sir Charles was also one of the NBA’s most dominant personalities.

Oh, and he was a hell of a basketball player too.

Generously listed at 6’6″, the rotund Barkley in actuality barely edged 6’4″ in height. What he lacked in vertical stature, he made up with boundless energy and strength. He’s the shortest player to ever lead the NBA in rebounds per game for a season. He could sky high for spectacular blocked shots. His tremendous power in the post allowed him to mercilessly back-down defenders. The dexterous Barkley was also a remarkable passer able to whip wrap-around and behind-the-back passes with ease.

Most excitingly, Barkley was an  absolute freight train on the break. Not a soul alive would plant their feet firmly in the paint to take a charge from the Barkley locomotive.

Best known for his days in Phoenix where captured the 1993 MVP award and led the Suns to the NBA Finals, but Barkley’s beginning was in Philadelphia. He broke into the league alongside sage veterans like Andrew Toney, Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Julius Erving, and most importantly for Barkley, Moses Malone. A ferocious rebounder himself, Moses helped show Barkley the ropes of being a big man in the NBA.

Unfortunately for Charles, he caught these sage vets toward the end of their careers. Erving and Jones retired soon after his arrival. Toney succumbed to injuries. Moses was prematurely traded to the Washington Bullets. Philly went from the Eastern Conference Finals in 1985 (Barkley’s rookie year) to the Eastern Semis in ’86 to the 1st Round in ’87 to out of the playoffs in ’88.

The slide reversed in 1989 as Charles loaded the Sixers on his back and carried them to three-straight postseasons, but ultimately the effort proved fruitless. By 1992, Charles successfully demanded a trade from Philly to Phoenix.

While in the Valley of the Sun, Charles submitted some truly amazing games. Just in the 1993 postseason, he tortured San Antonio with a 28-point, 21-rebound effort including a series-winning jumper in Game 6. Against the Seattle SuperSonics, he had a 43/15/10 performance in Game 5 and 44 points and 24 rebounds in the decisive Game 7 to send Phoenix to the Finals. The next year, Barkley eviscerated the Golden State Warriors with 56 points in Game 3 of their opening round series.

However, the good times in Phoenix slowly crumbled too. In back-to-back seasons the Suns lost tough 7-game series against the Houston Rockets in the Western Semis. After a trade to the Rockets, Barkley again enjoyed immediate team success, a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 1997. Thereafter, the Rockets slowly succumbed to age and injury as Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Clyde Drexler trudged to the end of their careers.

Unlike Olajuwon and Drexler, Barkley may never have won a title, but his 16-year career was still a tremendous success by any reasonable measure. 11 times an all-star, an MVP, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a never-ending stream of monstrous rebounding and scoring games.

Simply put, Charles Barkley has always been and always will be irrepressible.

Seasons Played: 1985 – 2000

Accolades

NBA -
MVP (1993)
5x All-NBA 1st Team (1988-’91, 1993)
5x All-NBA 2nd Team (1986-’87, 1992, 1994-’95)
All-NBA 3rd Team (1996)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1983)
11x All-Star (1987-’97), All-Star Game MVP (1991)

Statistics

NBA - 1073 Games
22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 54.1% FG, 73.5% FT
RPG Leader (1987)
12th All-Time in Free Throws Made, 18th All-Time in Rebounds, 21st All-Time in Steals, 23rd All-Time in Points
19th All-Time in RPG, 21st All-Time in FG%, 26th All-Time in PPG

ProHoopsHistory HOF: James Worthy

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James Worthy (Corbis Images)

James Worthy (Corbis Images)

Looking at James Worthy’s stats in a vacuum can give off the impression that he wasn’t that good of a basketball player. His career average in points was 17.6. Not bad by any means, but it’s not going to blow you away. The field goal percentage of 52.1% is pretty notable and piques one’s interest. Cut to the postseason, however, and Worthy’s numbers bump to 21.1 points a game on 54.4% shooting.

I suppose that’s why they call him Big Game James.

Worthy was absolutely dynamite when the heat was on in the playoffs. Here are some stats of his from series-clinching games from the 1988 postseason:

Round 1, Game 3: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists
Round 2, Game 7: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
Western Conference Finals, Game 7: 28 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
NBA Finals, Game 7: 36 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists

Getting a triple double in a Game 7 of the Finals certainly qualifies as a big game and the performance earned Worthy the Finals MVP of the 1988.

The genius of Worthy’s game was very simple: he possessed perhaps the quickest first step in the history of basketball. After leaving opponents in the dust, he would finish at the rim with either a patented one-hand slam or do some Connie Hawkins’ type moves where he would swing the ball around and around before releasing a layup.

The Showtime Lakers cabal surely had a hand in making Worthy the success he was in the NBA, but his presence helped keep Showtime as well. He was the first acquisition in the 2nd Showtime wave that included players like Byron Scott, A.C. Green, and Mychal Thompson, which kept Los Angeles a contender through 1991.

And whenever the big games rolled around, you can believe James was ready to roll.

Seasons Played: 1983 – 1994

Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

Accolades

NBA -
3x Champion (1985, 1987-’88), Finals MVP (1988)
2x All-NBA 3rd Team (1990-’91), All-Rookie 1st Team (1983)
7x All-Star (1986-’92)

Statistics

NBA - 926 Games
17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 52.1% FG, 76.9% FT

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Robert Parish

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Robert Parish (Celtics Pride)

Robert Parish (Celtics Pride)

Robert Parish’s NBA career lasted longer than any player in history. He strung together 21 seasons and played in 1795 games between the regular season and playoffs. Naturally, luck plays a role in anyone being able to play for that long, but also credit Parish’s stringent training, yoga, and vegetarian diet for keeping him spry year after year.

Most of those years, of course, were spent with the Boston Celtics. From the 1980-81 season through the 1993-94 campaign, the Chief called Boston home. His presence alongside Larry Bird and Kevin McHale created what many think is the best frontcourt trio in NBA history. They have a good case given the trio of titles they captured together.

Parish, no doubt, was the lowest key of the three. He didn’t say much to begin with and his game was perhaps even quieter. He wasn’t prone to dazzling displays of athleticism, he never averaged over 20 points a game, and he didn’t swat shots into the 5th or 6th row.

But what Parish delivered certainly was constant and consistent. In his second NBA season (with the Golden State Warriors) in 1978, Parish scored 12.5 points per game. 16 years later in 1994, Parish at the age of 40 was still scoring 11.7 points a night. His defense and rebounding followed a similar ever-ready suit. Opposing centers rarely got the upper hand of the Chief who resolutely patrolled the paint and registered stifling resistance night after night.

If there was anything “flashy” about Parish it was his insanely high-arching turn-around jumper. Already 7’0″, Parish lofting a shot from such a perch was impossible to block and he hit the shot an absurd amount. That shot enabled Parish to have games like a 31-point demolition of Detroit in the 1987 playoffs while making 10 of his 12 field goals, plus 11 of his 12 free throws.

The other patented Parish move was his one-handed, always-in-stride dunk. The Chief was an underrated finisher on the break since he never ran that fast, but he never stopped running so he could get down the court and finish with authority.

Notice how unfast Parish was running in that clip, but he kept a-movin’ and got the jam.  And at the age of 43 Parish was still doing his unfast floor trot to slam home dunks…

That’s the kind of ceaseless determination that makes a man a Hall of Famer.

Seasons Played: 1977 – 1997

Accolades

NBA –
4x Champion (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997)
All-NBA 2nd Team (1982), All-NBA 3rd Team (1989)
9x All-Star (1981-’87, 1990-’91)

Statistics

NBA - 1611 Games
14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5. BPG, 53.7% FG, 72.1% FT
1st All-Time in Games Played, 11th All-Time in Minutes Played
7th All-Time in Rebounds, 24th All-Time in Points, 10th All-Time in Blocks