Worship the Game

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, nothing like worshipping how the game is supposed to be played. I have been watching some Bird, Michael and Magic videos lately - and these guys are actually better than I remembered them. Often when you look back 25 to 35 years - guys aren't as good as today's players but these guys were truly special.

You First Night fans - respectfully this is what you are missing - when these things are done in a competitive game - when back in the day someone would try to take you out to win the game. Yet somehow these three guys consistently pulled off great plays.

And of course, Chief was Chief - a proud warrior - enough said.

 

[Gringo]

And of course, Chief was Chief - a proud warrior - enough said.

I didn't know you were a Golden State fan Chief. Quite frankly you should appreciate Steph Curry's game more.

 

[sdhusky]

[QUOTE="Chief00, post: 1773758, member: 707"

You First Night fans - respectfully this is what you are missing - when these things are done in a competitive game - [/QUOTE]

I suggest this year after First Night, we play a schedule of competitive games and a post season tourney.

Then its not all about first night.

 

[nomar]

If only First Night had the intensity of the 1984 NBA Finals.

 

[champs99and04]

Last night I was watching Celtics-Bulls '86 game 2 (MJ's 63 point game) on NBA TV.

Heard one of the commentators mention that it was a Bulls team that had lost 50 games? Can somebody explain that to somebody who wasn't around back then? I'm assuming less teams/higher % of teams in the playoffs?

I think that was the year Jordan only played 18 games, so they were probably masquerading as a 50+ win team. Tough draw for the Celtics.

 

[Penfield]

Are we planning to use Diarra as an enforcer in the scrimmage this year?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Impressive reel, but Magic was and is the greatest passer.

 

[Hoophound]

Magic was an incredible passer but some of those passes Bird made were just nuts. The over the head, backward bounce pass into the low post was ridiculous.

 

[Chief00]

Last night I was watching Celtics-Bulls '86 game 2 (MJ's 63 point game) on NBA TV.

Heard one of the commentators mention that it was a Bulls team that had lost 50 games? Can somebody explain that to somebody who wasn't around back then? I'm assuming less teams/higher % of teams in the playoffs?

I think that was the year Jordan only played 18 games, so they were probably masquerading as a 50+ win team. Tough draw for the Celtics.

Just remember it took MJ 7 years to win a championship. There were some really great teams - Celtics, Lakers and Pistons during that period.

 

[Chief00]

Magic was an incredible passer but some of those passes Bird made were just nuts. The over the head, backward bounce pass into the low post was ridiculous.

From a coaches perspective the amazing thing is Bird knew where everyone was on the floor and where everyone would be 1 or 2 seconds later. That's a gift that fortified with practice.

 

[nomar]

Last night I was watching Celtics-Bulls '86 game 2 (MJ's 63 point game) on NBA TV.

Heard one of the commentators mention that it was a Bulls team that had lost 50 games? Can somebody explain that to somebody who wasn't around back then? I'm assuming less teams/higher % of teams in the playoffs?

I think that was the year Jordan only played 18 games, so they were probably masquerading as a 50+ win team. Tough draw for the Celtics.

Yep. I think the Celts went 40-1 at home that year, so they were fine, but yeah, that wasn't a 30-win team.

There were only 11 Eastern Conference teams and 3 managed to stink more than the MJ-less Bulls.

 

[mauconnfan]

Magic was an incredible passer but some of those passes Bird made were just nuts. The over the head, backward bounce pass into the low post was ridiculous.

Larry was as good as Magic passing the ball, the vision was unbelievable, but he just wasn't a PG and didn't have the amount of time to showcase it. They were both great passers and there are others including Steve Nash, the ability to see the play before it happens combined with terrific peripheral is a pleasure to watch.

 

[Huskybass]

That Celtics frontcourt was amazing. The Chief, McHale and Bird may be the best frontcourt trio of all time.

 

[mauconnfan]

That Celtics frontcourt was amazing. The Chief, McHale and Bird may be the best frontcourt of all time.

Yes and if you watch those video's the other bigs and the guards knew when Larry was backing or diving on the floor if you cut to the basket he will find you of there's an opening. I mean that's pretty much the deal with basketball in general but he could thread the needle like no one else.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yes and if you watch those video's the other bigs and the guards knew when Larry was backing or diving on the floor if you cut to the basket he will find you of there's an opening. I mean that's pretty much the deal with basketball in general but he could thread the needle like no one else.

One of the funny things is that modern NBA scouts would be very wary of his lack of athleticism and supposed inability to guard speedy wings. You'd wonder where he might get drafted. They constantly undervalue intangibles. And so GS picks up Draymond Green in the 2nd round. I hope it might be changing a bit with the success of GS.

 

[Hoophound]

Dirk Nowitski was a modern Bird in the eyes of many. The big white guy that can shoot and put the ball on the floor. Then, you watch the intangibles of Bird and the passing and you realize, Dirk is a HOF'er and still, he's no Larry Bird.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

My obligatory post whenever Bird is mentioned