Playoff Histories: Western Conference

04/17/2011

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As always, I try and keep things in perspective. So here is a recap of the previous meetings between this year's playoff participants.

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies

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Tim Duncan swatting Pau Gasol
Previous Meetings
2004 Western First Round: #3 San Antonio 4 - #6 Memphis 0

In their third year after moving from Vancouver – moment of silence – the Grizzlies franchise made their first playoff appearance in 2004 and got a date with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Things did not go well for Memphis. Coach Hubie Brown and 3rd-year forward Pau Gasol coaxed 50 wins during the regular season from the team but zero in this series as the Spurs and Tim Duncan beat down Memphis by an average of 14 points. As these teams set to square off once again, Memphis is still seeking its first playoff victory having been swept in three straight series.

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Playoff Histories: Eastern Conference

04/16/2011

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As always, I try and keep things in perspective. So here is a recap of the previous meetings between this year's playoff participants.

#1 Chicago Bulls vs. #8 Indiana Pacers

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Previous Meetings
1998 Eastern Finals: (1)Bulls 4 - (3)Pacers 3

As far as I can find, this is the one previous meeting between Chicago and Indiana. It was quite the matchup, too. The teams finished with the two best records in the East and for my money this was the toughest opponent the Bulls endured during their 6 championships. The series went the distance and was won mainly by the Bulls being able to control the glass in Game 7 50 to 34 en route to eking out an 88-83 victory. Having finished with just 4 more wins in the regular season than the Pacers was fortuitous. The home team won every game in the series.
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Hall of Fame Snubs: Bernard King

04/14/2011

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Bernard King (1978 – 1993)
Regular Season: 874 games, 22.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.3 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 51.8% FG, 73.0% FT
Playoffs: 28 games, 24.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.2 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 55.9% FG, 72.9% FT
Accolades: 2x All-NBA 1st Team (1984-85), All-NBA 2nd Team (1982), All-NBA 3rd Team (1991), All-Rookie 1st Team 1978), 4x All-Star (1982, 1984-85, 1991)

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    Bernard King is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He didn’t do much else particularly well, but when you excel at a singular talent so well, it deserves recognition. And his determination to continue his career in the face of troubling personal failings (alcoholism and a sexual assault conviction) and hellish injury (destroying his right ACL) add more to his legacy.
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Carl Lewis to run for US Senate, gives me excuse to embarass him

04/11/2011

 
Ed. note: Lewis is running for the New Jersey state senate not the U.S. Senate

Carl Lewis has declared his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey. Well, this is basketball news because nearly 20 years ago, Carl gave us all something to remember at New Jersey Nets basketball game.
Uh-oh is right, Carl. Anyhoo, if you enjoyed that vocal exposition, you'll love Carl's big 80s hit, "Break it Up".
 

Hall of Fame Snubs: Sidney Moncrief

04/07/2011

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Sidney Moncrief (1980 – 1991)
Regular Season: 767 games, 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 50.2% FG, 83.1% FT
Playoffs: 93 games, 16 PPG, 5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 47.5% FG, 81.1% FT
Accolades: 2x Defensive Player of the Year (1983 – 84), All-NBA 1st Team (1983), 4x All-NBA 2nd Team (1982, 1984 – 86), 4x All-Defensive 1st Team (1983 – 86), All-Defensive 2nd Team (1982), 5x All-Star (1982 – 86), AP All-America 1st Team (1979)
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    Looking just at the total career numbers, Sidney Moncrief appeared to be nothing more than an above average shooting guard in the NBA. But when you zoom in on a 5-year period (1982-1986), you’ll see a player who made the All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive teams every year and garnered two Defensive Player of the Year awards.  During this peak, Moncrief averaged 21 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game as his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, averaged 54 wins, clinched the Central Division title each season and made the Eastern Conference Finals three times. His coach at the time, Don Nelson described Sid the Squid best: “Nothing stands out with Sidney, and everything does. It's not one minute, it's 48. It's not one play, it's every play.”
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Hall of Fame Snubs: Bobby Dandridge

04/05/2011

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Bob Dandridge (1970 – 1982)
Regular Season: 18.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 48.4% FG, 78% FT
Playoffs: 20.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 48% FG, 76.1% FT
Accolades: 2nd Team All-NBA (1979), 1st Team All-Defensive (1979), 1st Team All-Rookie (1970), 4 ASGs (1973, 1975-76, 1979), 2 NBA Championships (1971, 1978)

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     Some of Hall of Fame snubs are well-known travesties or controversies, but others are merely swept under the rug and forgotten. Bob Dandridge is a player who definitely falls into the second category as he was one of the best small forwards of the 1970s. It's understandable that people years removed from Dandridge’s heyday don’t appreciate his game, but even during his prime he wasn’t quite recognized making only one All-NBA and one All-Defensive team, both in 1979 at the tail end of his career. Perhaps they were recognition that Bob “the Greyhound” had been unjustly overlooked his entire career despite his efficient offense and stifling defense.

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Hall of Fame Snubs: Spencer Haywood

04/04/2011

 
Spencer Haywood (1970 – 1983)
Regular Season: 20.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 46.9% FG, 79.6% FT
Playoffs: 19.6 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 47.9% FG, 80.6% FT
Accolades (ABA): MVP (1970), ROY (1970), All-ABA 1st Team (1970), ASG (1970)
Accolades (NBA): 2 All-NBA 1st Team (1972-73), 2 All-NBA 2nd Team (1974-75), 4 ASGs (1972-75)

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     Spencer Haywood was an offensive terror on the court as an agile, explosive PF who could also fill in at center for a spell. In his lone season at the University of Detroit, Haywood delivered an astonishing 32 points and 22 rebounds per game on 56.7% shooting from the field on his way to the AP All-America 1st Team. The next year in his lone ABA season he nearly replicated his collegiate performance with 30 points and 19.5 rebounds per game. His phenomenal one-and-done stints in college and the ABA were a result of his on-court talent and courtroom legal battle with the NBA.