Kawhi breaks news in the middle of the night.
Paul George and Kawhi join forces (not that L.A.).
Earthquake halts Zion vs. R.J. Part I.
Coco does it again!!!!
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Throughout the history of the NBA, the center position has always been vital to the success of an NBA franchise. As the game of basketball has evolved, the prototypical center has changed. In today’s NBA, the position is not as important as it used to be. NBA teams used to build around a center who could dominate at both ends of the floor. This list is meant to rank the Top Ten NBA Centers of All-Time.
Honorable Mention
Patrick Ewing, Dave Cowens, Walt Bellamy, and Wes Unseld.
10.) George Mikan (Mr. Basketball)
6 NBA Seasons – 22.3 points, 13.4 rebounds, 40.1 FG%, 78.4 FT%
4x All-Star, 5 NBA Championships
George Mikan was truly an innovator. He was Russell before Russell, and Wilt before Wilt. He was the centerpiece to the NBA’s first dynasty; the Minneapolis Lakers of the 1950’s. They won 4 NBA Championships in 5 years. Mikan was known as a hard nosed player on both ends of the floor, and was known to play through broken bones. As time goes on, his name fades into the background, but we must pay homage to those who helped paved the way for the future. Without the innovation of George Mikan, there is no telling what superstars the NBA would have missed out on.
9.) Elvin Hayes (The Big E)
16 NBA Seasons – 21.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 45.2 FG%, 67.0 FT%
12x All-Star, 1 NBA Championship
Elvin Hayes was Bret Favre and Deion Sanders wrapped into 1 player. He did it all. Over his 16 year career, Hayes only missed 9 games. He was also a great two way player, with his tenacious defense and consistent scoring. Hayes is still top 10 in points scored, rebounds, and field goals made. What’s most impressive about those numbers is that Hayes is the shortest center on this list, standing just 6’9″ tall.
8.) David Robinson (The Admiral)
14 NBA Seasons – 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 51.8 FG%, 73.6 FT%
10x All-Star, 1x NBA MVP, 2 NBA Championships, 1990 Rookie of the Year , 1x Defensive Player of the Year
He was the definition of an all around player and as consistent as they come. Standing at a lean 7’1″ tall, Robinson posed a threat at both ends of the floor. If it weren’t for that guy Dikembe Mutumbo, there is no telling how many Defensive Player of the Year awards he would have won. Robinson made up one half of the twin towers, along side Tim Duncan, en route to 2 NBA championships. Robinson’s rise to stardom had to wait as he honorably served in the NAVY for 2 years prior to the start of his playing career. Robinson’s all around talents produced one of the most impressive performances of all time. On February 17th, 1994, Robinson became only the 5th player ever to record a quadruple double (34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks).
7.) Willis Reed (The Captain)
10 NBA Seasons – 18.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 47.6 FG%, 74.7 FT%
7x All-Star, 1x NBA MVP, 2 NBA Championships, 2x NBA Final’s MVP, 1965 Rookie of the Year
Willis Reed was “The Captain” before Derek Jeter was even born. Reed proved to be a leader and a clutch performer throughout his career. As an undersized center, at 6’10”, Reed was able to bang with the best of them under the boards. Offensively, he showed a rare combination of power and finesse around the rim. This style of play led to many battles with Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers. The first of these battles came in the best year of Willis Reed’s career; 1970. He was in the prime of his career, he won the regular season MVP, and was carrying his team through the playoffs. Then he got hurt. Up until that moment, Reed had dominated the first 4 games of the NBA Finals (averaging 31.75 points per game). What transpired next turned Reed into a living legend. Reed famously hobbled from the locker room during game 7 to score 4 of the most courageous points in NBA Final’s history.
6.) Moses Malone (Chairman of the Boards)
19 NBA Seasons – 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 49.1 FG%, 76.9 FT%
12x All-Star, 3x NBA MVP, 1 NBA Championship, 1x NBA Final’s MVP
In 1974, Moses Malone became the first player to be drafted to the NBA directly out of high school. After 2 seasons with the ABA, Malone transitioned to the NBA. Over the next 19 seasons, Malone proved to be one of the best scorers and rebounders the game has ever seen. Upon entering the league, Malone was an undersized 6’10”, 215 pounds, but that didn’t stop him from averaging 13.4 rebounds that year. When Malone retired in 1995, he ranked in the top 10 in points scored, rebounds, games played, minutes played, and free throws made.
5.) Hakeem Olajuwon (The Dream)
18 NBA Seasons – 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 51.2 FG%, 71.2 FT%
12x All-Star, 1x NBA MVP, 2 NBA Championships, 2x NBA Final’s MVP, 2x Defensive Player of the Year
Here’s one #1 overall draft pick that lived up to the hype. Hakeem Olajuwon possessed a unique skillset that may never be seen again from a ‘true’ center. His smooth offensive game was a thing of beauty, while at the same time, he became the NBA’s most prolific shot blocker (he is still the career blocks leader in the NBA). He is also the only player in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, NBA MVP award, win a championship, and be named the NBA Final’s MVP in the same season (1994). The only knock on Olajuwon is that he only won a championship when Michael Jordan was on hiatus from the NBA. Other than that side note, Hakeem The Dream was everything you’d wish for in a center.
4.) Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq, The Diesel, Shaq Fu, Shaq Daddy, Superman)
19 NBA Seasons – 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 58.2 FG%, 52.7 FT%
15x All-Star, 1x NBA MVP, 4 NBA Championships, 3x NBA Final’s MVP, 1993 Rookie of the Year
The Diesel. Enough said? Shaq was easily the most physically dominant force the NBA has ever seen. He was like an unstoppable wrecking ball that could only be slowed (or ‘hack a shaq’d’), but couldn’t be stopped. Watching Shaq play in his prime was something special. He showed an amazing amount of offensive skills for a man of his size. Also, his 58.2% shooting from the field is the third highest mark in NBA history. But most importantly, he may be the #1 interview of all time.
3.) Bill Russell (Bill)
13 NBA Seasons – 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 44 FG%, 56.1 FT%
12x All-Star, 5x NBA MVP, 11 NBA Championships
Bill Russell will always be known as the ultimate winner. He was part of the Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1950’s and 60’s that won 11 championships in 13 seasons. While he played with some great teammates over the years, he is regarded as the best defensive center of all time. He is also one of the best rebounders in the history of the game (ranking 2nd all time). It was Russell’s intangibles, such as his leadership, that made him stand out. During Russell’s era, they didn’t keep track of NBA Final’s MVP’s, however by my research, I believe he would have won 4 NBA Final’s MVPs. They also did not record blocks in Russell’s playing days, but it is said that Wilt and Russell would have had double digit blocks every night. In an era when Wilt Chamberlain was the NBA’s best player, it shows how impressive Bill Russell’s run of championships was. He continuously went head to head with Wilt Chamberlain and came out on top.
2.) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Cap)
20 NBA Seasons – 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks, 55.9 FG%, 72.1 FT%
19x All-Star, 6x NBA MVP, 6 NBA Championships, 6x NBA Finals MVP, 1970 Rookie of the Year
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the centerpiece of the Lakers championships in the 1980′s. He was part of all 5 of their championship titles in the 80′s, and also won a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970’s. Kareem still holds the record for winning the most NBA MVP awards (6), while also remaining the NBA’s all time leading scorer. He was a true innovator to the game of basketball. During his career, he perfected an unstoppable move called the sky hook. Kareem was a star from the second he entered the league and was the runaway Rookie of the Year in 1970 (averaging 28.8 points and 14.4 rebounds). He was an outstanding all around player, showcasing his offensive and defensive skills throughout his 20 year career.
1.) Wilt Chamberlain (Wilt The Stilt)
14 NBA Seasons – 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 54 FG%, 51.1 FT%
13x All-Star, 4x NBA MVP, 2 NBA Championships, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 1960 Rookie of the Year
One of the most difficult decisions I had to make was Kareem vs. Wilt. It is difficult to definitively state who the best center in the history of the NBA is, but Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most dominant forces in NBA history. He famously holds the record for most points scored in a game (100), a record that I believe will NEVER be broken. During the 1961-62 season, Chamberlain averaged over 50 points for the entire season, another feat that will probably never happen again (he didn’t even win the NBA MVP that year!). It’s a shame that MVPs were usually given to a member of the championship team, because no one knows how many MVP’s Wilt would have won otherwise. Even with that obstacle, Wilt still managed to win 4 NBA MVP awards. The different era’s of the NBA vary greatly, but I if you put Wilt in today’s NBA, he would undoubtedly be the best center in the league (sorry Dwight). And, if all that isn’t impressive enough, Wilt led the NBA in total assists for an entire season!! Oh yeah, and Wilt just happens to be the NBA’s all time rebounding leader as well. These things make Wilt the greatest center to ever play in the NBA.
Please leave your comments or post your own list in the comment section below. Thanks!!
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
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Coming soon: My list of the Top Ten NBA Centers of All-Time
Also, check back for my breakdown of the New York Knicks less than stellar start to the 2014 NBA season.
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
The wait is over!! The most anticipated sports story possibly of all-time has culminated in 3 simple words: “I’m Coming Home.” As you all know, these words were spoken today by basketball’s best player, Lebron James. This announcement came not in the form of an ego driven, poorly thought out press conference, but in an essay, written for Lebron, by Lee Jenkins via SportsIllustrated.com. The essay can be found here: http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers There is so much to dissect and express from this situation it is hard to know where to start, but let me try starting with Lebron the player.
Lebron James is the best player in the world and has been for quite some time now. Lebron James would have been welcomed with open arms anywhere he decided to go, except for maybe Cleveland (which is what some of us thought before this decision). We now know that is untrue. Despite the most complicated player-city relationship in the history of sports, despite the burning of his jerseys, despite the angriest letter (compliments of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert) we’ve ever seen, and despite The Decision 4 years ago, every person in Cleveland seems to be ecstatic, and there is a 100% approval rate that Lebron is returning to Cleveland. Maybe I’m being too negative, or maybe I’m not giving people enough credit, but I’m SHOCKED that there isn’t ONE person that is pumping the brakes and saying, woah woah woah, you may be great, but we aren’t about to forget what you did to us just 4 short years ago. Trust me, I understand the expression: ‘Forgive, but never forget’, but it seems like Cleveland has already done both instantaneously. Now I also understand that Cleveland is not a city rich in championships, and they are a passionate sports city that would do virtually anything to end that drought, but where is the self-respect? Do none of you remember those feelings of hatred and anger that filled your souls in 2010? Again, Lebron James is the best player in the world and this move makes The Cleveland Cavaliers instant competitors, but something about it leaves an uneasy feeling in my stomach. As far as where the Cavaliers stand now, the Las Vegas odds makers have already thrown Cleveland to the top of the favorites to win the 2015 NBA championship list (they are going off at 3-1 as of right now).
Next, let’s talk about Lebron James the man. By all accounts he seems like a really good guy. He came straight out of high school to the NBA (which doesn’t always end so well) and adjusted to that seamlessly. He has never been arrested. He isn’t running around drinking, partying, and getting in trouble all the time. He seems to be all about basketball all the time. And for those reasons, I, along with the rest of the sports world, love and appreciate his passion and dedication to the game. When it’s all said and done he will be one of the top 10 players of all-time and potentially top 3 of all-time. However, I am seeing a different side of this story than virtually everyone else in the world. Sports writers, sports radio hosts, ESPN insiders, and just about everyone in the world are calling this a great day for sports. I’m here to tell you why I’m not buying it. Go ahead everyone, start killing me for it; I don’t mind.
Obviously this is certainly an amazing day for the Cleveland Cavaliers, that’s a no brainer. There is just something about Lebron James, the actor, that doesn’t sit right with me. I think that The Decision 4 years ago was a horrendous, slow-motion train wreck that should have been avoided. It was a selfish act by the self-proclaimed king, who cared more about getting the ‘win an NBA title’ monkey off his back, than he did loyalty. I know real loyalty doesn’t really exist in sports, but it does when you’re born and raised somewhere, drafted in that city, and then marked as the savior there as well. I see today as a selfish act as well. I think his essay was calculated from the title, all the way down to every last dotted i and crossed t. He said what he had to say to Miami to keep them from jumping down his throat for leaving, and he definitely told Cleveland everything they wanted to hear for why he is “returning home.” I believe he cares more about his image here than anything else. If he truly cared as much about Cleveland as he claims, he wouldn’t have left in the first place. Yes, everyone makes mistakes, which even he acknowledged, but I know what it’s like to have an allegiance and loyalty to your home, and I can’t picture ever leaving. And I am not Lebron James (shocker I know). I don’t effect my towns economy and the state of mind of every person in it. Even a selfish, misguided, immature 25 year old can understand that. As for the basketball moves he’s made over the past 4 years, first he said I can’t win a title by myself. Okay fine, maybe that one isn’t so bad. Almost no one has won an NBA championship by themselves, but did he really need to create his own personal all-star team just to capture his elusive first title? And what I see today, rather than let me try to win a title for my city, is now that I finally have my own championship rings, let me make my way back home where suddenly my hometown is good enough for me again. Again, maybe I’m reaching, nitpicking, and scrutinizing Lebron James’ every move too much, but I’m sorry, I’m just not buying what Lebron James is selling.
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the end of the work week (for most of us). Every Friday, I like to infuse a little humor into everyone’s lives. Here you will find the past week in sports wrapped up in one line, and one line only. Enjoy!!
No no no, it’s okay Lebron take your time, your decision probably doesn’t effect anyone else but yourself…..
Do you think that Chandler Parsons wakes up every morning and throws darts at a picture of Lebron James’ face?
Side note that is almost related to what we are talking about: Do you think Chris Bosh knows he is the ugliest man in the world??
All you could muster up was 41 consecutive scoreless inning pitched, Clayton Kershaw??
Man do you suck.
I just want to say something, I’m gonna put this out there, if you like it you can keep it and if u don’t just throw it right back, “I am ready to take Masahiro Tanaka’s spot in the Yankees rotation.”
Still wondering how someone can win a fight in just 16 seconds???
I would explain it to you, but I figured I’d just let Ronda Rousey show you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kp1iYmbWCo
Wait, you are going to subject us to more soccer??
NO!!!!!!!!
Which was worse, watching a 7-1 rout or watching probably the most poorly played World Cup Semifinal match in history resulting in 0 goals in 120 minutes??
Surprise Surprise, MLB has changed the format of The Home Run Derby….again.
They change The Home Run Derby more times than Richard Pryor changed wives (this guy got married 9 different times)!!!!
No story was more entertaining this past week than the fat bastard Yankees fan who is suing the Yankees and ESPN for $10 million because he decided to take a nap at a baseball game.
I’d continue to make fun of him, but I think his picture says it all:
Well this has been another edition of One Liner Fridays. I hope you enjoyed them. If you have a One Liner of your own you’d like to add, please leave one in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!!
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
It’s funny how in the world of Social Media and the instantaneous reaction it feels like we’ve been enduring the process of NBA Free Agency for forever now, but in reality, teams have only legally been allowed to talk to players for 9 days. And players are only allowed to officially ink deals as of today, July 10th at 12:01 a.m. It only seems like forever since Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James opted out of their contracts because we talk about it every second of every day. Between sports talk radio, twitter, and the nonstop “updates” from Chris Broussard, Brian Windhorst, and Marc Stein on ESPN every 4 minutes, we have had Lebron speculation shoved down our throats all day long. And that’s all this is; speculation. Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and the rest of this years free agents are taking their time with their decisions, and rightfully so, as this is potentially the biggest decision of their lives.
We all know the rumors swirling around Lebron, Melo, and Chris Bosh: Lebron could return “home” to Cleveland (believe it or not Akron and Cleveland are not the same place), Chris Bosh could return “home” by going to the Houston Rockets (he’s actually from Dallas), and Melo can do the only thing he was ever going to do and stay in NY. There are many other outside possibilities of what is going to transpire, but I unlike the rest of the world, am going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. That show should start today when Melo re-signs with the Knicks. I mean, cbssports.com already prematurely broke the story that Melo will be re-signing with the Knicks, but hey maybe he’ll go play for the coach-less Lakers (because that’s a real option).
The most unfortunate part in all of this is that when someone wins (as in winning their free agent of choice), someone else has to lose. And this is the part where you can bust out your violin for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland is probably being duped once again. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice……you know how the rest of that one goes. Not only is Cleveland banking on Lebron’s desire to return home, but they are clearing cap space to ensure that they have enough money to sign Lebron James. Let me just say that the only way Lebron is going back to Cleveland is if Kevin Love somehow gets traded there this week and agrees to sign a long term deal. Good luck. As much fun as all this speculation is, we are just going to have to take a chill pill and wait out these decisions. Once again, if you actually pull out the calendar, we haven’t been waiting that long. The funniest part to all this is we are most likely going to watch all of this hype suddenly fizzle out when every major free agent ends up staying put. That would be funny wouldn’t it?
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Well, who saw that coming? Who expected an offensive explosion from the often anemic Indiana Pacers offense? I know I didn’t. The Pacers starting five averaged just shy of 38 minutes each and all scored in double digits (yes, even Roy Hibbert scored in double digits). This helped lead The Pacers to a 107-96 win Sunday afternoon over The Miami Heat. History usually dictates that when Dwyane Wade plays well, the Heat win, however, it appears that just Lebron James and Dwyane Wade isn’t enough to beat a Pacers team when firing on all cylinders. With that being said, let us talk about what The Pacers accomplished in Game 1.
The Pacers managed an astounding 42.1% shooting from 3-point range. Their regular season average from downtown was only 38.2%. They also only averaged 92.5 points per game during the regular season, so the 107 points they put up in Game 1 was also somewhat of an anomaly. The entire Pacers roster played well, and they do have the size to counteract The Miami Heat’s smaller, more athletic lineup, however, I don’t foresee The Pacers sustaining this level of offensive efficiency. I also don’t believe that Chris Bosh will score only 9 points per game and continue to go 0 for the century from downtown (he went 0-5 from 3-point range in Game 1). The Heat also have a very solid track record when losing the 1st game of a playoff series. In the 2013 playoffs, they lost the 1st game in 2 out of their 3 series (against The Chicago Bulls and The San Antonio Spurs). The Heat went on to sweep the rest of The Bulls series and they went on to beat The Spurs as well to capture their 2nd straight NBA Championship.
Today, most people will be overreacting to The Miami Heat’s Game 1 loss, but I, as I’m sure you have already figured out, will not be. As much as I would enjoy The Heat losing in The Eastern Conference Finals, not only for my own personal enjoyment but for the mass hysteria that would cause, I just don’t see it happening. I believe Lebron James (aka the best player on the planet) will put his team on his shoulders, and on Wednesday morning, everyone will be seated (with arms and legs inside the vehicle) securely BACK on The Miami Heat bandwagon. You can catch Game 2 of The Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night @ 8:30 P.M. on ESPN. Can’t wait to watch more basketball until then? Then tune into TNT tonight @ 9:00 P.M. to catch The Oklahoma City Thunder take on The San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of The Western Conference Finals. That should be a highly competitive, fun series to watch as well. Enjoy!
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Monday night marked the beginning of the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs. Within the first 2 games, there were 2 emphatic statements made. One was better than good, while the other was ehhh for lack of another word, worse than bad. And Tuesday night, the other 2 games will get under way. Let’s start with The Good:
Chris Paul, and his Los Angeles Clippers, marched into Oklahoma City and sent a clear message to Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Chris Paul sent another message that I’m pretty sure his critics heard loud and clear as well. Paul put his Clippers on his back and led them to a decisive 122-105 victory to grab a 1 game to none lead in the series. Paul hit 8 three-pointers, that’s right, EIGHT three-pointers!! Yes, Paul went 8 of 9 from downtown and also added 10 assists to his stat line. He essentially contributed in half of his teams points Monday night. Paul, without a doubt will not continue to drain three’s at such a frenetic pace, however, he should be able to maintain his elite level of play throughout the entire 2nd round. This would get the monkey off his back and would land him in his first Conference Finals of his career. The MVP to be, Kevin Durant, may have something to say about that though, as I expect a bounce back performance in Game 2 from Durant and his trigger happy side-kick Russell Westbrook. By the way, imagine if Robin turned to Batman and said, “You know what Batman, I think we should change the name of this movie to Robin Returns.” Batman would have picked up Robin and put him back in his closet. Durant needs to man up and tell Westbrook to give him the damn ball and get out of his way! Anyone who knows basketball has been saying this for years, but I guess Durant doesn’t want to listen. Now, let’s move on to the bad….THE VERY BAD:
Roy Hibbert, oh poor Roy Roy. The stat line says it all: 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 5 fouls (in 18 Minutes). What in the blazing saddles is going on here?? Roy Hibbert is listed at 7’2″. 0 Rebounds?!?!?! You should get at least one rebound by accident….from the bench….when you’re 7’2″. I, along with the rest of the world do not understand what has happened to Roy Hibbert, but he better figure it out quick or else his Pacers will be watching the Heat steamroll the Wizards rather than having that dubious pleasure themselves. And last but not least, the unknown:
Only time will tell what will happen in the rest of the series’ that have yet to start, but the big conversation of the 2nd round thus far has been the Miami Heat vs. the Brooklyn Nets. A lot of people are jumping on the Brooklyn bandwagon because they swept the regular season series with the Heat this year (4-0). I for one am not buying into that. Yes, winning 4 straight games, no matter how close they were, against the two time defending champions is an outstanding feat, however, this is not the regular season anymore. The Miami Heat rest their players throughout the regular season, and from time to time honestly just don’t try sometimes. Come playoff time, Lebron, Wade, and company are all business, all the time. And frankly, they are just a better team than Brooklyn. The other question is, as a Knicks fan, if you had to root for one of these teams, who do you root for? This is not an easy question to answer, but I would have to root for the Heat. Despite what some delusional Knicks fans think, the Knicks and the Heat don’t have a rivalry anymore. The Knicks and Nets don’t have a rivalry yet either, but fuel will definitely be thrown on the fire if the Nets can somehow dethrone the Heat. Plus, Knicks fans can’t root for a team that employs Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (come on now!).
Stay tuned for my predictions going forward in these NBA Playoffs.
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Thank you for reading and leave a comment in the section below.
So far, the 2014 NBA Playoffs have been nothing short of spectacular. There have been 8 overtime games (including 4 in a row in the Memphis Grizzlies/Oklahoma City Thunder Series), and we still haven’t gotten out of the 1st round. More importantly, The Los Angeles Clippers and their fans showed up for Game 5 last night in L.A. and showed their support for the team. The Clippers held off the Golden State Warriors, winning the game 113-103 and now have a 3 games to 2 lead in this best of 7 series. As I mentioned earlier, The Grizzlies and Thunder did what they do, and played a 4th consecutive overtime game. The Grizzlies eked out a 100-99 victory over The Thunder to take a 3 games to 2 lead in that series as well. Another series concluded last night with The Washington Wizards defeating The Chicago Bulls and advancing to their first 2nd round appearance since 2005. Behind the youth of John Wall and Bradley Beal and the leadership of Nene, the Wizards will look to continue their run through the playoffs against the winner of the Atlanta Hawks/Indiana Pacers series. Side note: Roy Hibbert, why are you terrible at basketball? Anyway, outside of the Wizards series and the Miami Heat/Charlotte Bobcats series (that has been over for some time now), every other series has been ultra competitive and every game has been fun to watch. The biggest surprise of the 1st round has to be The Dallas Mavericks hanging in there with the battled tested San Antonio Spurs. And even though there have been 8 overtime games, I personally believe the best game so far has come from that series as well. Vince Carter’s buzzer-beater in Game 3 on Saturday was just the icing on the cake of an exhilarating final minutes of a great basketball game. In the final Minute and forty-six seconds The Mavericks and Spurs went a combined 7 for 8 from the field. Monta Ellis put forth an outstanding effort (scoring 29 points on 12-22 shooting), singlehandedly keeping his team in the game. And despite Manu Ginobli and Boris Diaw’s best efforts, Vince Carter put the nail in the coffin of Game 3 with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner. This series is now tied 2-2, and Game 5 will be played tonight in San Antonio.
Another important news story that has been completely overshadowed thanks to Donald Sterling, is the passing of Dr. Jack Ramsay. It’s a shame that a story as pathetic as Donald Sterling’s can overshadow the remembrance of one of the greatest NBA coaches of all-time. But, let’s see if we can pay the proper respects to a man who was so vital to the progress of the NBA. Dr. Jack Ramsay coached in the NBA for 20 years, and is currently 13th on the all-time wins list. He won an NBA Championship in 1967 as the General Manager of the Philadelphia 76ers and also won a Championship in 1977 as the Coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. After retiring from coaching in 1988, Ramsay got into Broadcasting where he did play-by-play for The Philadelphia 76ers and The Miami Heat for 9 years. Ramsay was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 capping off a truly memorable career.
If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!
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Today, April 29th, 2014, marks a historic day in NBA history. Adam Silver, the NBA’s new commissioner, held a press conference banning Los Angeles Clippers Owner, Donald Sterling, for LIFE from the NBA. Silver has also enforced a fine of $2.5 Million; the biggest possible fine allowable by the NBA. Despite Adam Silver’s obvious nerves and shaky voice in his press conference, I say AMEN to you Adam Silver. He simply did what HAD to be done. I honestly did not expect Silver to bring a lifetime ban upon Donald Sterling, but I couldn’t be happier that he did. There is NO place in the NBA, make that the world, for animals like Donald Sterling. Now, the other important tidbit of information we received today from this press conference is that the other majority owners in the NBA have the authority to force Sterling to sell The Clippers. In order to do this there must be a 75% vote amongst the other 29 owners in the NBA (this would translate to 22 out of these 29 owners). I say that Adam Silver has basically forced the hand of the owners to do just that; force him OUT!!
While the result of this press conference is a tremendous step in the right direction, there is more to this situation than meets the eye. This situation is about equality. It is about self-respect and human decency. And now that the NBA has done its part in banning Donald Sterling for life, the players and fans of the great NBA must stand up and do what’s right. The tough question that you must be asking yourself at this very moment is: What is the right thing to do as a fan or player? To that I have my opinion that I will express here. Sports, and basketball more specifically, while just a game, represents much more than that. Basketball gives people hope and creates unity among many different groups of people. Every player in the NBA, whether black, white, or any other color, can band together to create change. The players in the NBA can make a difference if they stick together. I don’t know individual players opinions in the NBA, but I’d like to think that most human beings feel that Sterling’s point of view is completely irrational and unacceptable in any walk of life. I believe that the players of the NBA need to stand up together and make an even stronger statement than Adam Silver and the NBA already did. Every player in the playoffs should take time before every game to lock arms and stand together as one. They should show bigots like Sterling that they are above the scum of the earth like him. They should show everyone in the world that blacks, whites, and any other race of people can and should live together in harmony. Anyone and everyone in the public eye should stand up to people like Sterling and voice their opinions.
Now, we wait for Sterling’s response (if he has one). What he should do is sell his team tomorrow, move to the middle of nowhere, and die, out of the public eye. What he will probably do is sue the ex-girlfriend (no I will not mention her name because she is simply a prostitute with no values) who leaked the tapes, and fight this to the bitter end. Either way, he will die in the near future as a hated racist. Today, as I said earlier, is a historic day in NBA history. I applaud Adam Silver and his team of people for doing the right thing today. He has forced the hand of the owners to rid the league of Donald Sterling. Don’t think so? Trust me. If any of the 29 other owners in the NBA vote NOT to force Sterling out, they will be in a world of hurt and viewed in a very negative light. Bye-Bye Donald Sterling. Enjoy your extra warm seat next to John Rocker and Marge Schott for eternity.
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Dave Talks Sports 