New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[jadis]

You and Phil really know your NBA history but more importantly I remember those good old days. The league is really different now in every way. I began following the NBA in the early years of Larry O’Brien’s reign. It’s a totally different game now.

Steve, one can truly feel how different the game is now, with Silver at the helm. Old timers like us will not necessarily say it's better.

 

[jadis]

if Shaq had to play a game of 21 with Wilt it would end as 21-0 - Shaq would have 100% of his shots blocked and couldn't stop Wilt for his life

That got me into imagining it, with the old 1 on 1 contest in the 70s in mind.

I can imagine Shaq being blocked but maybe not all the time. Shaq has the slick spin move and the near field bank shot. Both will fare horribly in foul shots though. There will be no perimeter jump shots.

 

[DLS]

That got me into imagining it, with the old 1 on 1 contest in the 70s in mind.

I can imagine Shaq being blocked but maybe not all the time. Shaq has the slick spin move and the near field bank shot. Both will fare horribly in foul shots though. There will be no perimeter jump shots.

I assume most here know of Wilt, at 43 years old, taking on Magic Johnson in 1980 pickup game. Magic called goal tending on Wilt and Wilt objected. He settled it playing a one on one game to 12. Magic never got a shot off; EVERY shot attempt was blocked. Now I am one who believes that Magic was the best basketball player of all time because he made everyone around him better, was 6'9" and could play all 5 positions at a first team, all-nba level, a feat not even MJ could achieve. He was not the athlete that MJ was, not the shooter that Bird was, and not the dominant force that Wilt was, BUT, I've seen an awful lot of basketball from the late 1960's until today (35 year season ticket holder to Knicks) and Magic was the best I ever saw. So that says something about Wilt. Love Shaq but please... if I'm picking a team to play for the fate of the planet, there are three centers I would take ahead of him.

BTW - nice Knicks game tonight - complete shut down of Orlando.

 

[jadis]

I assume most here know of Wilt, at 43 years old, taking on Magic Johnson in 1980 pickup game. Magic called goal tending on Wilt and Wilt objected. He settled it playing a one on one game to 12. Magic never got a shot off; EVERY shot attempt was blocked. Now I am one who believes that Magic was the best basketball player of all time because he made everyone around him better, was 6'9" and could play all 5 positions at a first team, all-nba level, a feat not even MJ could achieve. He was not the athlete that MJ was, not the shooter that Bird was, and not the dominant force that Wilt was, BUT, I've seen an awful lot of basketball from the late 1960's until today (35 year season ticket holder to Knicks) and Magic was the best I ever saw. So that says something about Wilt. Love Shaq but please... if I'm picking a team to play for the fate of the planet, there are three centers I would take ahead of him.

BTW - nice Knicks game tonight - complete shut down of Orlando.

3 centers - Wilt, Bill, and Kareem?

 

[Steve Williams]

I assume most here know of Wilt, at 43 years old, taking on Magic Johnson in 1980 pickup game. Magic called goal tending on Wilt and Wilt objected. He settled it playing a one on one game to 12. Magic never got a shot off; EVERY shot attempt was blocked. Now I am one who believes that Magic was the best basketball player of all time because he made everyone around him better, was 6'9" and could play all 5 positions at a first team, all-nba level, a feat not even MJ could achieve. He was not the athlete that MJ was, not the shooter that Bird was, and not the dominant force that Wilt was, BUT, I've seen an awful lot of basketball from the late 1960's until today (35 year season ticket holder to Knicks) and Magic was the best I ever saw. So that says something about Wilt. Love Shaq but please... if I'm picking a team to play for the fate of the planet, there are three centers I would take ahead of him.

BTW - nice Knicks game tonight - complete shut down of Orlando.

I feel your loyalty and 35 yers of a Knicks fan, you've seen the very very best, some long lean year, now a great coach who is building a great team. They caught jy attention because as usual Julian Randle was an early choice of the Lakers who had great potential but didn't develop quickly enough and was traded I enjoyed his play. But 35 years is loyalty . I bet Phil has 35 years with the Celtics. Mine started a Lakers fan was when I moved to SoCal in '78 so 45 years . I too have seen the great years a long time of lean years and now they have some talented young kids. Seems the team likes him and no LeBron hostility.I am so happy towelcome D'Lo back as he too suffered the same Lakers fate where he was a talented kid who got himself Into trouble with some childish acts and was traded. As I type and watch Bucks vs Lakers D'Lo is 4/4 from 3 point land and Reeves is hot and lead in the 2nd with 5:49 in the half

Lakers 53-45

 

[GSOphile]

Meaningless drivel..... if Jordon played today without anyone being able to touch him, he'd average 60; if Shaq had to play a game of 21 with Wilt it would end as 21-0 - Shaq would have 100% of his shots blocked and couldn't stop Wilt for his life; if Russell played for the last 13 years he would've won 13 rings instead of the 11 he did; and if Ewing had Scottie Pippen in the 90's instead of Jordan having him, we'd all say Jordan was great but couldn't win the big one and Ewing was the most dominant player ever.

BTW, IF the Knicks get OG, Randle and Robinson all back before the playoffs, and IF they are healthy, they will beat anyone in the East. Celts have no heart and Porzingis will break down in tough series, Bucks short on defense, Cavs about to fall apart, Miami short on talent, Pacers and Orlando not quite ready for prime time, Sixers are done.

Just my humble Knicks fanboy opinion...

When I was in school in the Bay Area I saw the Warriors with Chamberlain play the Celtics with Russell at the Cow Palace. Due to Russell's USF roots, it was essentially a neutral court with the crowd evenly divided. I think the Celts won, but the Chamberlain/Russell battle was something to see! I think Chamberlain had about 5 inches and 50 pounds on Russell, but every shot Wilt took was contested. I think Chamberlain scored about 35 points, but took a lot of fall-away jump shots and, as usual, missed half his free throws. The Celtics defined team greatness then, and won the game.

 

[Steve Williams]

Lakers are actually playing a half decent game tonight without LeBron

67-63 Lakers lead at the half

 

[Steve Williams]

To answer the question of "who is (was) the greatest center, as much as Jokic is top of the heap right now, my vote goes to Wilt. To me he was the best . Will triple digit scoring ever happen in the league again....difficult for me to imagine

 

[Steve Williams]

Oh, and IIRC it was the New York Knickerbockers against whom Wilt had his 100 point game

He also had a very much discussed second award discussed in his book "A View From Above" where he discussed his sexual promiscuity with 20,000 women

I remember him from his first year with the Globe Trotters as he wanted to turn pro but couldn't until he finished college and he wanted to be a pro. The only other thing I vaguely remember about him was that he shot free throws underhanded as he was such a bad shot from the line

 

[Steve Williams]

a very entertaining game and close with Lakers lead most of the game until Bucks tie the Lakers at 103. Lakers then take a 5 point lead only to lose that with back ad forth lead changes . Lillard makes a 4 point play to put the Bucks up by 5 with 2:00 left. D'Lo hits his 9th 3 of the game to bring Lakers to within 2......with under 1:00

D'Lo scores 44 points (career high 52) and down by 1 Lakers have the final shot with 23.2 on the clock. D'LO scores to take a 123-122 lead with 5.9 seconds left.......

Final Lakers 123-122

ALL WITHOUT LE BRON

D'Lo was the star of the game. Bucks played tough but Lakers played better

Doc did not look happy

 

[jadis]

a very entertaining game and close with Lakers lead most of the game until Bucks tie the Lakers at 103. Lakers then take a 5 point lead only to lose that with back ad forth lead changes . Lillard makes a 4 point play to put the Bucks up by 5 with 2:00 left. D'Lo hits his 9th 3 of the game to bring Lakers to within 2......with under 1:00

D'Lo scores 44 points (career high 52) and down by 1 Lakers have the final shot with 23.2 on the clock. D'LO scores to take a 123-122 lead with 5.9 seconds left.......

Final Lakers 123-122

ALL WITHOUT LE BRON

D'Lo was the star of the game. Bucks played tough but Lakers played better

Doc did not look happy

Amazing show by D Lo. Unstoppable! Who needs you know who.

 

[Steve Williams]

Amazing show by D Lo. Unstoppable! Who needs you know who.

They play more as a team without him. D’Lo and Reaves are my favorite Lakers. Their bench is maturing as they’ve more floor time without LeBron

 

[DLS]

Lakers are actually playing a half decent game tonight without LeBron

67-63 Lakers lead at the half

Don't they always? Lebron is incredible but has never been fun to watch or, I imagine, fun to play with.

 

[DLS]

To answer the question of "who is (was) the greatest center, as much as Jokic is top of the heap right now, my vote goes to Wilt. To me he was the best . Will triple digit scoring ever happen in the league again....difficult for me to imagine

I think the Mount Rushmore here is Wilt, Kareem and Russell. Shaq and Hakeem were wonders to behold but couldn't reach that level. I will root for them but I very much doubt either Jokic or Embiid will be able to achieve it.

 

[jadis]

I assume most here know of Wilt, at 43 years old, taking on Magic Johnson in 1980 pickup game. Magic called goal tending on Wilt and Wilt objected. He settled it playing a one on one game to 12. Magic never got a shot off; EVERY shot attempt was blocked. Now I am one who believes that Magic was the best basketball player of all time because he made everyone around him better, was 6'9" and could play all 5 positions at a first team, all-nba level, a feat not even MJ could achieve.

I heard that Magic and Wilt bit only here. Thanks for the info. I live 5000 miles away from NBA country. And up until 1986 would just rely on a few '''delayed telecast' of NBA games and 100% of the time, NBA news came from the Sports Page of a local broadsheet. 1986 onwards, we had the privilege of getting NBA and other US sports games via the Clark Air Base Far East Network of the USAF via a special UHF antenna. I did not grow up with Wilt nor Bill, but saw some Celtics games and the only name I knew or kept hearing and seeing was Sam Jones. If I could trace back, that would be the first moment I became a Celtics 'fan'. I watched a lot of Knicks games too, against the Bullets in the East and against the Lakers in the Finals. I would have been a Knicks fan for in late grade school , I would spend by break writing down the starting Fives of the Knicks, which till today I remember very well. That should be around 1970-73. Then the Celtics vs Suns Finals of 1976 cemented by Celtic Cap. And a few years of sleepy Finals (Bullets and Sonics) then the age of awakening in the NBA happened, Bird vs Magic. The rest is history. So technically speaking, I've been a Celtics fan for about 54 years.

As for Magic being at the top of whatever is the highest mountain in basketball, I agree. I've mentioned that in the early pages of this thread. And totally agree he made people around him better. Plus that he led a Jabbar-less Lakers in the clinching game of the Finals by scoring 42 points and some boards in his rookie year. That, to me, is an impact player.

 

[Steve Williams]

I heard that Magic and Wilt bit only here. Thanks for the info. I live 5000 miles away from NBA country. And up until 1986 would just rely on a few '''delayed telecast' of NBA games and 100% of the time, NBA news came from the Sports Page of a local broadsheet. 1986 onwards, we had the privilege of getting NBA and other US sports games via the Clark Air Base Far East Network of the USAF via a special UHF antenna. I did not grow up with Wilt nor Bill, but saw some Celtics games and the only name I knew or kept hearing and seeing was Sam Jones. If I could trace back, that would be the first moment I became a Celtics 'fan'. I watched a lot of Knicks games too, against the Bullets in the East and against the Lakers in the Finals. I would have been a Knicks fan for in late grade school , I would spend by break writing down the starting Fives of the Knicks, which till today I remember very well. That should be around 1970-73. Then the Celtics vs Suns Finals of 1976 cemented by Celtic Cap. And a few years of sleepy Finals (Bullets and Sonics) then the age of awakening in the NBA happened, Bird vs Magic. The rest is history. So technically speaking, I've been a Celtics fan for about 54 years.

As for Magic being at the top of whatever is the highest mountain in basketball, I agree. I've mentioned that in the early pages of this thread. And totally agree he made people around him better. Plus that he led a Jabbar-less Lakers in the clinching game of the Finals by scoring 42 points and some boards in his rookie year. That, to me, is an impact player.

I was at that game and will never forget it. We were sitting a few rows behind the Lakers bench at the Forum . I was with my wife who bought the tickets for my birthday. She too, remembers that game well to this day. Magic was also scoring with "sky hooks" in the absence of Kareem

 

[Steve Williams]

it's plays like this why Austin Reaves is my favorite Laker along with the 44 by D'LO making him my 2nd favorite.

Austin Reaves rips Giannis to end the 3rd quarter - ESPN Video

Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't see Austin Reaves coming as he steals the ball away and gets the layup to end the 3rd quarter.

www.espn.com

 

[Steve Williams]

Last night's win by the Lakers made a huge jump in the standings for the Lakers as they go from 10th place to 9th , just a 1/2 game ahead of the Warriors who have 3 games in hand and are playing really well

 

[Steve Williams]

I continue to marvel at the speed and finesse of OKC . Simply put, as good as the Wolves, Nuggs nd Clippers are the Thunder find themselves once again in the 1 spot also just 1/2 game ahead of Wolves. with the Nuggs knocking on both their doors at 1 game behind. This for me has always been the best part of the season (after All Star break) and OKC stats are beyond excellent and they cannot be ignored. Their only downside is their youth and playoff inexperience, but the are fast and very skilled scoring machine who happy n to be 8-2 in their last 10 games

 

[jadis]

it's plays like this why Austin Reaves is my favorite Laker along with the 44 by D'LO making him my 2nd favorite.

Austin Reaves rips Giannis to end the 3rd quarter - ESPN Video

Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't see Austin Reaves coming as he steals the ball away and gets the layup to end the 3rd quarter.

www.espn.com

Reeves may not be the modern-day super athletic player in the mold of Ja Morant but he gets the job done at both ends of the court.