Everybody roots for David, nobody pulls for Goliath.

[rawr123456787654]

Everybody roots for David, nobody pulls for Goliath.

------The Background-----

I remember Wilt's 100 point game. I mean, not literally - I wasn't there, I was just an eleven year old kid back then, an Italian kid in a nice neighborhood who had a knack for sneaking into downtown San Jose to try my luck on the courts. But when I came home, my dad was enamored. Franklin Mieuli - the second son of Italian immigrants and a Bay Area radio mogul - and my father was preparing to buy the very same Philadelphia Warriors, where he'd bring them to the Bay. I remember thinking - how could someone score 100 points? This guy must be insane.

Basketball was my passion. When I'd spend holidays at my grandparents on Long Island, I'd often hop onto the LIRR in order to catch games at Madison Square Garden - my grandfather would begrudgingly take me, muttering under his breath amidst clouds of cigar smoke and idle chatter about how the Yankee games were -sooo- much better. We drove down to Syracuse March 22nd for a family outing to the final game in the Syracuse Nationals-Philadelphia Warriors series; the teams were tied 2-2 a piece, and the winner would move into the finals against the dominating Bill Russell led Boston Celtics. Paul Arizin played great, scoring 24 on 50% shooting with 6 rebounds. Guy Rodgers had 15 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds. But Wilt... WILT! He had 56 points and -35- rebounds, alongside what must've been 100 combined steals and blocks (total exagerration; they didn't record those stats back then) in a game that saw him play 48 entire minutes. This guy played at a level I'd never seen - literally INSANE!

Insane was an understatement. Wilt Chamberlain was the best basketball player of all time. Bill Russell can take a hike, because man, the way Wilt played... unbelievable. The entire court was his to do with as he pleased. The following year, when my father bought the team, dad made sure I had my chance to meet him. "You want to be in the NBA? Well remember - three things. One. They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. Find a balance, maximize yourself. Two. Everything is habit forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing. Three. The man who won't loan money isn't going to have many friends - or need them. And one more just for kicks - because this one's most important of all. Everybody roots for David. Nobody pulls for Goliath." He went on to drop 50 points alongside 41 rebounds in what was the most marvelous show of my life. And that was only the second game of the season.

I spent most of my childhood at those games. Guys like Wilt, Nate Thurmond, Al Attles, Paul Neumann, Jeff Mullins, and of course, the Miami Greyhound, Rick Barry, became my -idols-. Joe Fulks, who worked closely with the team following his retirement, was like another father to me. When the team traded Wilt in 1965- his cocky attitude and habits of "freezing out" teammates and staff he didn't like and want to work with had made him hard to work with to say the least - I literally cried. At fourteen! I cried like a baby. My father said it best - ""He's a good friend of mine. But the fans in San Francisco never learned to love him. I guess most fans are for the little man and the underdog, and Wilt is neither. He's easy to hate, and we were the best draw in the NBA on the road, when people came to see him lose." The team made the shift from the San Francisco Warriors to the Golden State Warriors in 1971, and after a weak few years following Chamberlain leaving, quickly regained their playoff form following a four year tenure in the ABA by Barry.

In 1969, I joined the basketball world myself, joining the John Wooden led UCLA Bruins. Lew Alcindor - aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - had just entered the NBA after winning 3 championships in a row, but the team was still a powerhouse. As a 6-1 pointguard, I played along beasts like Curtis Rowe and Sidney Wicks my first year in my few minutes off the bench, and we won the school's 6th NCAA title in seven years. The next year we won again - and then again the year after that, as sophomore Bill Walton exploded alongside back-up Swen Nater and forwards Keith Wilkes and Larry Farmer. By my senior year in 1972, I was looking at a future in the NBA.

I tore my ACL in three different places in the third game of the season. To make things worse, I tried to force myself back into the game towards the end of the season - worried about my draft stock of all things - and messed it up even more. I didn't play for the rest of the season, despite us winning again, and I graduated with four championships and a dismal basketball future. Luckily, dad had a job for me. I joined the Warriors as an assistant coach initially, but quickly moved into management. I helped the unbelievable championship run in 1975, as we upset the heavily favored Washington Bullets in a four game sweep that no one saw coming. And at the begining of the 1976-1977 season, dad gave me the reigns. A lot of people called it nepotisim - I called it the start of a beautiful career.

My name's Peter Mieuli. I'm the 25 year old kid who should be lacing up his cleats, but instead is flipping through depth charts in an Oakland office as I prepare for my first season as the general manager of the Golden State Warriors. This is my story - because everybody roots for David. Nobody pulls for Goliath.

[rawr123456787654]

--------- 1976-77 Golden State Warriors

August 26th. My first day on the job. Charles Dudley, Marshal Rogers, Charlie Johnson, Sonny Parker, Derrek Dickey, Lary McNeill, Dwight Davis, Robert Parish, Phil Smith, George Johnson, Clifford Ray, Gus Williams, Jamaal Wilkes, Rick BARRY!, and the coaching staff - Al Attles, Johnny Bach, Joe Fulks, and newly recruited Wilt Chamberlain- all had passed through my office introducing themselves with small banter, and already my trial was over. It was time to get to work, right away, and I had a few moves in mind.

First and foremost was Fly Williams. The 6-5 shooting guard had been taken by the 76ers in the ABA draft but had gone unsigned, despite averaging 29.4 points his freshman year of college in 1972, just a few years prior. While he'd been known for his showmanship in St. Louis, I figured under the leadership of Al Attles he could be knocked back into form.

Sonny Parker and Marshall Rodgers were both sent down to the D-League team. In the D-League draft, I helped out with picking the guys; Adam Geyer, a 21 year old 7-5 center from Chicago State, and Darryl McDaniel, a 19 year old 6-8 power forward (weighing 365 pounds!) from Ohio State were among some of the notable picks.

This marked the first year the playoffs would shift into a 16-team (8 per conference) playoff seeding system, following the ABA-NBA merger that saw the New York Nets, the Indiana Pacers, the Denver Nuggets, and the San Antonio Spurs join the league (alongside stars from folded teams like Artis Gilmore, Maurice Lucas, Julius Erving, and Moses Malone) pushing it's numbers to 22. "Fame" by David Bowie belted out of a tin-crafted radio on the corner of my paper-riddled desk as I picked up the folder I'd been dreading the most - the depth chart. I'd asked Attles to help with restructuring the line-up following a let-down season the year before, and here was my shot at proving myself.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 298-224 record, 5 playoffs (2 conf finals, 1 championship).
- A former Warriors player who made his career early playing second-man to the dominant Wilt Chamberlain. He spent his eleven year career playing for the team, known for his loyalty, tenacity, and aggressiveness on the court (often called "the Destroyer" due to his defensive specialties and for once punching a player in the jaw) though he never won a championship playing. He became one of the first African American coaches in the league early, retiring from the court to become the head coach of the team where he rebuilt them under Rick Barry's mantle, becoming the second African American to win a NBA championship in '75. He brings experience to the team, loyalty, and above all, raw discipline and a sharp eye for talent.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 23, 2nd year in the NBA, 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 11.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.1 rpg (1.3 d, 0.8 o), 1.8 spg, 0.3 bpg.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team.
- A young clutch player who steps up and shows no conscience shooting the ball when the game's on the line. Capable of hitting the midrange jumper consistently, alongside his legitimate lead guard skills, yo-yo handles, and solid passing ability. Despite his young age, he seems more than capable of becoming a solid lead on the team, and a reliable figurehead for the offense.

- Starting SG: Phil Smith - #20
- 6-4, 185 lbs, 24, 3rd year, 29th pick in the 1974 draft, San Francisco.
- Career 14.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 4.6 rpg (3.0 d, 1.6 o), 1.3 spg, 0.2 bpg.
- 1976 All-Star.
- An excellent athlete with a good touch, Smith is a good looking long-range shooter with impressive "quiet" mechanics, nice elevation, and good rotation with the soft ball at the rim. He was a fundamental bench player his rookie year alongside fellow rookie Jamaal Wilkes in the crucial 1975 championship run, and looks to be improving with age.

- Starting SF: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 3rd year, 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 16.0 ppg, 2.1 apg, 8.5 rpg (6.1 d, 2.4 o), 1.3 spg, 0.3 bpg.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star.
- The fledgling star of the team, set to take-over as Barry graced into age. A tough competitor who plays hard and isn't afraid of taking big shots, he's got great shooting form and has range out to three point distance, though only consistently to about 18 feet. He can be a relentless scorer, having shined in his early years in the league and in the Warriors championship run his rookie year, while also having exceled in his time at UCLA, having won another two championships towards the end of John Wooden's career there, making him fast friends with his fellow UCLA alumni general manager.

- Starting PF: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 7th year (11th professionally), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 26.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 7.9 rpg (7.3 d, 0.6 o), 1.2 spg, 0.2 bpg.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 6x All-Star (66, 67, 73-76), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), All NBA Second Team (1973), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- Rick Barry - the Miami Greyhond. One of the best players to don a Warriors jersey, and certainly one of the most explosive scorers in the league. While his prime was coming to an end, there was still no shortage of skill in his play, and he seemed capable of leading the team into his age as a capable veteran and reliable offensive option, despite playing out of his natural small-forward position.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 1st year, 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- N/A (Rookie)
- A big guy with solid court awareness, quick hands and feet, and the athleticism to make him into a potential lockdown defending elite. Parish has a high ceiling, and its hard to ignore his dominance on the court. Having proven himself in the summer camps, he comes into the season starting over reigning team center Clifford Ray - but can he prove hes worth the hype?

- 6th Man: Clifford Ray (C) - #44
- 6-9, 230 lbs, 6th year, 45th pick in the 1971 draft, Oklahoma.
- Career 8.2 ppg, 2.8 apg, 10.7 rpg (8.7 d, 2.0 o), 0.6 spg, 0.9 bpg.
- 1972 All-Rookie 1st team.
- An excellent rebounder who's limited offensively, with little range on his shot past twelve feet (although it's greatly improved the past year). While his defensive numbers don't pop out, watching him play it's clear to see he plays tough defense. A reliable defensive anchor, and a crucial part of the second unit.

- Important back-up: Fly Williams (SG) - #35
- 6-5, 195 lbs, 1st year, 152nd pick in the 1976 draft, Austin Peay.
- N/A (Rookie)
- One of the best streetballers of his age, Fly Williams is a player with tons of potential and a rotten attitude. He's yet to develop the competitve drive he showed flashes of in college, but with practice and discipline, perhaps his insane vertical and flashy handling can be put to use.

- Other notable bench players- Charles Dudley (PG), Derrek Dickey (PF/SF), George Johnson (C/PF).

The first game - October 17th - saw the Warriors play the New York Knicks at home. While Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Phil Jackson, and Bob McAdoo were a force to be reckoned with, the Warriors managed to hold a steady lead at half, 60-50. Rick Barry had 15, while Fly Williams had 11 off the bench having shot 3-6 from the 3. Barry fouled out with 6:15 left in the 4th with 23 points and 3 steals - but by then the Warriors were leading 102-77. They won 112-83, outscoring their opponents in every quarter of the match-up. Gus Williams had a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists, alongside 5 rebounds and 2 steals, while rookie Robert Parish had 14 points and 6 rebounds in his first game in the league. Barry had 27 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in the Warriors next 105-78 point win over the Buffalo Braves, before dropping 34 points, 6 assists, and 16 rebounds in their third game, a 101-80 point win over Cleveland. The team looked good.

---- The San Francisco Chronicle November 9th, 1976 ----

Bad news for basketball fans. After an impressive 7-3 start, the Warriors are in hot water after losing Rick Barry to a broken wrist. In a lay-up that many would assume should be easy, the star took a rough hit from New Orleans Jazz rookie Rich Kelley, sending him smashing into the floor. Despite the rough injury, he still managed to knock down two free throws - his flashy underhand style at work - and the Warriors went on to do their best, Robert Parish and Derrek Dickey combining for 16 points, before ultimately losing to the Jazz 109-104 behind Pete Maravich's 50 point explosion. Barry is likely to be gone for some time, leaving the team without their most impressive attraction. While many hope the young starpower of Jamaal Wilkes, Phil Smith, Gus Williams, and Robert Parish is enough, things will certainly be tough for this team. This is Iljin Cho with your latest in Warriors news.

---------------------

It was 9 A.M. on November 23rd. Peter Frampton blasted from the radio on my desk - "Baby I Love Your Way" - as I hung up the phone, having just been told by the team doctor that the break was going to require a surgery. God damn it, Barry. The team was 9th in the West at 7-10, having lost 7 straight including a loss to a then 3-12 New York Nets, who had lost Nate Archibald to a torn knee tendon, as well as a 35 point 115-80 loss to Detroit at home, in a game that saw Marvin Barnes drop 26 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, plus Bob Lanier's 22 point 19 rebound explosion.

If I wanted to put together an impressive start to the season, I'd have to do something, and fast. I called up Dolph Schayes, the general manager for the Buffalo Braves.

Phil Smith, George Johnson, our 1978 1st round pick, and the 2nd round picks for '77 and '78 for Buffalo's 79 2nd round pick and 6-9 power forward John Shumate, a 3rd year player who'd made the 1975 NBA All-Rookie 1st team and was averaging 17.7 points per game and 7.9 rebounds on a team that didn't know how to use him. Hopefully he could make up for our losses; Fly Williams would move into the starting line-up, and Clifford Ray would take up more of the weight off the bench. I also picked up William Smith, a 27 year old 7 foot center who had last played in the NBA 4 years prior, having done two seasons with Portland.

----

The move saw immediate success. The Warriors won their next two matches with confidence - beating Buffalo 122-113 on November 26th, despite Phil Smith dropping 42 for the other team - and went on to beat the top-of-the-West Lakers to close out the month, with a 10-11 record going into December. By the New Year, we were 19-16, 5th in the West behind the 27-6 Lakers, the 28-10 Trailblazers, the 26-11 Pacers, and the 21-14 Nuggets.

It was at a New Years party in Boston held by one of my old UCLA team mates, Sidney Wicks, that I first met Red Auerbach. The living legend - he'd taken Bill Russell and the Celtics to 10 championships. We shared a few drinks and he gave me a few good stories before turning his attention to business. "What do you want for Parish?" I chuckled at the thought. "Nothing. He's not on the market." Auerbach smiled. "We'll see. I'll ask you in a few months." Lighting up a hefty cigar, he took a deep inhale before glancing at me with the same grin. "You've got a good team, Mieuli. Let's see what you can do with it."

The next few games were all about Barry. In his return, he had 45 points alongside 11 rebounds and 7 assists. By late January, he was averaging 30 points a game and had led the Warriors back up to a 26-19 record - by the end of January, that had improved to 31-20. The team was 4th in the West, behind the 43-8 Los Angeles Lakers, the 38-16 Indiana Pacers, and the 35-18 Portland Trailblazers. In a February 1st 101-90 point win over Philadelphia at Oracle Arena, Julius Erving had a hard foul on Barry that saw him hit the ground hard, leaving the game in the second quarter much to everyones fear. But he came back in the 4th quarter, dropping 17 points, and the train kept rolling - Barry was here to stay.

Around that first week of February, things really started to get heated between the Warriors and the Jazz. When asked about a reporters comments looking at fledgling center Robert Parish and himself, New Orleans coach Elgin Baylor was quick to brush off any comparisons. "They're lucky. They've had a relatively easy schedule, and yeah, they've had some impressive games. But let's not get ahead of ourselves and start calling themselves a serious team, am I right?" Al Attles was quick to respond. "You want a Pete Maravich style circus, sure, I'll start having Barry chuck up 40 shots a night, he'll start averaging -40- points a game. We don't care about that star mentality - we care about wins."

Luckily, the All Star Weekend came around, always a good distraction from the seasons activities. Charles Dudley managed to win the dunk contest in the first of the league's All-Star Weekend events, going up head to head with team mate Fly Williams in the preliminary round as well as the final contest. Milwaukee's Kevin Restani bested Lou Dampier and Tom Abernethy in the three point contest, while Phoenix's Alvan Adams stole the spotlight in the Rookie-Sophomore game, dropping 41 points alongside 12 rebounds. Rick Barry represented the Warriors in the highlight event, dropping 17 points on 6-10 shooting in his 28 minutes on the court, but the East took home the glory, with Pete Maravich winning MVP honors with 48 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Notable trades had included Cleveland shipping Dick Snyder alongside their 1979 1st round pick and their 1977 1st round pick to the New York Nets for Jan Van Breda Kolff and New York's 1979 first round pick, as well as Detroit sending Cornelius Cash and George Trapp plus their 1977 first round pick for New Orlean's Jim McElroy and their 1978 2nd round pick, and the Phoenix Suns trading Gar Heard for Houston's John Lucas, as well as the Suns trading Ira Terrell, Keith Erickson, and their 1977 1st round pick for Philadelphia's '77 and '79 1st round picks alongside 7th year veteran Steve Mix. Portland also traded Larry Steele for Seattle's Fred Brown and a 2nd round pick.

On March 22nd, Pete Maravich made history. He went 10-10 from the 3 and shot 35-41 overall, scoring an incredible 88 points, just 12 shy of Wilt's legendary 100 in a 124-85 point slaughter of the San Antonio Spurs. The league was shocked. When asked about his thoughts, Rick Barry had a great response. "Inspirational, right? Guess now I've got to try and go for 90."

The Jazz faced the Warriors the next night, at Oracle Arena. Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" boomed loudly in the locker room before the game, as Jamaal Wilkes bobbed his head, a large grin on his face. I was surprised to see him so relaxed before such a big match up. "Barry's gonna go off, man. Barry's gonna go off." He didn't hit 90 - but Barry did have a career high 49 points, alongside 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals in a 114-90 point rout of the giddy New Orleans Jazz. Maravich did drop an impressive 38 points, but the rest of the team couldn't come through.

The team finished up the season 54-28, ranked 4th in the West behind the 63-19 Lakers, the 58-24 Trailblazers, the 55-27 Pacers, and ahead of the 45-37 Nuggets, the 41-41 Phoenix Suns, the 39-43 Seattle Supersonics, and the 35-47 Kansas City Kings. The Bullets led the East at 54-28, ahead of the Hawks at 46-36, the Knicks at 45-37, the Celtics at 45-47, the Spurs at 44-38, the Cavaliers at 43-39, the Jazz at 43-39, and the 76ers at 42-40.

The Warriors swept the Nuggets in the first round. Barry averaged 29.3 points in the 4 games, while Parish averaged 14.8 points and 11.8 rebounds, alongside 2.2 blocks. In their next round, they faced up against the Los Angeles Lakers. Jamaal Wilkes took control in the first game at the Forum, dropping 29 points on 11-12 shooting alongside 5 steals, despite Kareem's 17 rebound 10 assist 34 point game, as the Warriors won 111-105. The Lakers struck back in Game 2, as Kermit Washington dropped 16 points and 17 rebounds, the Lakers winning 89-74. It was Rick Barry who took back control in Game 3, dropping an insane 54 points plus 4 assists, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in a 97-69 point win over the Lakers at Oracle Arena. The crowd cheered his name - they could feel victory coming.

Unfortunately, the Lakers took the next two straight. Kareem was back in form in Game 5, dropping 36 points, 5 assists, 21 rebounds, and 10 blocks in his second triple double of the series as the Lakers won 107-91. In Game 6, he had 36 points and 16 rebounds. The Lakers won the game 112-98, winning the series in 6.

But I wasn't disappointed. Blasting "The Boys are Back in Town", I spent the last few minutes of my time in the office shuffling papers around my desk, thinking about the incoming summer, and what I had to do next. Victory wasn't far - I'd made it to the second round, nearly forcing my way into the conference finals. And I wasn't even started.

Our D-League team had an even more successful season, making it all the way to the finals before losing to the Bronx Shield, 110-102 in a 2-1 series. Demarcus Phelan, their 7-9 star player, looked fit for the NBA, dominating the entire series, but Darryl McDaniel proved a beast himself. There was a bright future for sure.

The Knicks faced off against the Celtics, and the Suns faced off against the Lakers in the respective conference finals. The Lakers beat the Suns in 6, while the Knicks beat the reigning NBA champions in 7, Bob McAdoo leading the charge. In the finals, the dominating Lakers faced off against 3rd seed New York in a true battle of David vs Goliath. New York managed to win the first game, impressing all of its doubters, but Los Angeles took over after that. They won the next four straight, crushing New York in Game 5 102-84 as Jerry West and Kareem lifted up the team's second championship in 5 years. Kareem won Finals MVP honors - the league was his oyster.

I watched that last game with my father. A lot of people call it favoritism - and yeah, I'm sure if Franklin Mieuli wasn't my father, I wouldn't be in charge of this team - but still, of course I'm worried about how he thinks I'm doing. But much to my relief, he was absolutely ecstatic. "Keep it up, Petey, and I think there's another finals win in our near future."

The lottery followed shortly after the finals wrapped up. Houston won the first pick, Milwaukee the second, New Orleans the 3rd - thanks to their trade with Detroit-, Buffalo the 4th, Chicago the 5th, and the New York Nets the 6th. Alongside his Finals MVP, Kareem won the regular season MVP, while Portland's Bill Walton won Defensive Player of the Year. Washington's Phil Chenier won 6th man of the year, Philadelphia's Julius Erving won Rookie of the Year, Los Angeles's Lucius Allen won Most Improved Player, Indiana's Slick Leonard won Coach of the Year, and Phoenix's Jerry Colangelo won Executive of the Year, while Darryl McDaniel won D-League MVP and defensive player of the year.

- Seattle's Slick Watts, New Orlean's Pete Maravich, Philadelphia's Julius Erving, Denver's Bobby Jones, and Los Angeles's Kareem made up the 1st All League team.
- Los Angeles's Lucius Allen, Denver's David Thompson, Indiana's Billy Knight, Washington's Elvin Hayes, and Portland's Bill Walton made up the 2nd team.
- Boston's Jo Jo White, Washington's Phil Chenier, Atlanta's John Drew, San Antonio's Larry Kenon, and New York's Bob McAdoo made up the 3rd team.
- Indiana's Don Buse, San Antonio's George Gervin, Philadelphia's Julius Erving, Denver's Bobby Jones, and Portland's Bill Walton made up the 1st All Defense team.
- Seattle's Slick Watts, San Antonio's Mike Gale, Golden State's Rick Barry, Washington's Elvin Hayes, and Los Angeles's Kareem made up the 2nd team.
- Indiana's Don Buse, Denver's David Thompson, Philadelphia's Julius Erving, Denver's Bobby Jones, and Chicago's Artis Gilmore made up the 1st All Rookie team.
- Phoenix's John Lucas, San Antonio's Mike Gale, Indiana's Billy Knight, San Antonio's Larry Kenon, and Denver's Dan Issel made up the second team.

Season Leaders---

PPG
- Pete Maravich (36.7, NEW).
- Randy Smith 2nd (29.9, BUF), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3rd (28.3, LAL), Julius Erving 4th (28.1, PHI), Billy Knight 5th (27.9, IND), Rick Barry 6th (27.5, GSW), David Thompson 7th (26.0, DEN), Bob McAdoo 8th (24.4, NY), Wes Unseld 9th (23.9, WAS), Slick Watts 10th (23.9).

APG
- Jo Jo White (8.9, BOS)
- Slick Watts 2nd (8.5), Lucius Allen 3rd (8.2, LAL), Walt Frazier 4th (8.0, NYK), Don Buse 5th (7.8, IND), Nate Archibald 6th (6.8, NYN), Brian Taylor 7th (6.4, KAN), Lionel Hollins 8th (6.4, POR), Norm Van Lier/Gus Williams 9th (CHI/GSW, 5.7), Pete Maravich/David Thompson 10th (5.6).

RPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15.0)
- Bob Lanier 2nd (14.2, DET), Bill Walton 3rd (13.5, POR), Bob McAdoo 4th (13.0), Elvin Hayes 5th (12.7, WAS), Swen Nater 6th (11.8, MIL), Artis Gilmore 7th (11.2, CHI), Dave Cowens/Kermit Washington 8th (BOS/LAL, 11.1), Maurice Lucas/Rudy Tomjanovich 9th (POR/HOU, 10.6), Mickey Johnson/Moses Malone 10th (CHI/HOU, 10.2).

BPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (4.2)
- Bill Walton 2nd (3.5,), Elvin Hayes 3rd (2.9), George Johnson 4th (2.4, BUF), Billy Paultz 5th (2.3, SAN).

SPG
- Don Buse (2.9)
- Rick Barry 2nd (2.6), Julius Erving 3rd (2.2), Bobby Jones/Larry Kenon 4th (DEN/SAN, 2.1), Slick Watts/Brian Taylor 5th (2.0).

TOPG
- Randy Smith (4.3)
- Brian Winters 2nd (4.1), David Thompson 3rd (4.0), Slick Watts 4th (3.9), Mike Gale 5th (3.8, SAN).

3-P Made
- Earl Monroe (237)
- Slick Watts/Pete Maravich 2nd (182), Paul Westphal 3rd (175, PHO), Gary Brokaw 4th (165, MIL), Kevin Restani 5th (164, MIL), World B. Free 6th (156, PHI), Robert Hawkins 7th (147, NYN), Calvin Murphy 8th (143, HOU), Fred Carter 9th (141, MIL), Mike Gale 10th (138).

--------------

Another year, another exciting end to an incredible season. This year, it was the Lakers that stole the show, and I'm sure we'll hear stories of Kareem and his incredible push through the playoffs all summer long. But every year teams go under the radar - their stories powerful, inspirational, and often just as challenging given their own circumstances as winning a championship itself. This year, to mark the start of "Inside a Team", we'll be visiting my old team the Phoenix Suns. I'm Connie Hawkins - stay tuned.

~~~~~

It's October 16th, and I'm sitting in the backyard of Jerry Colangelo, the young and ambitious GM of the Phoenix Suns. It's a beautiful sunny day, and we've been catching up and discussing his hopes for the team this season. "There's a lot of competition in the West. I think I heard the pundits predict us to fall in at 11th in the conference. But I've got faith. Paul Westphal - he's incredible. And MacLeod's a smart coach." He pauses to take a long sip of his drink, before flashing me a wink. "Besides - who doesn't love an underdog story?"

The Phoenix Suns. Formed in 1968 as Karl Eller and Jerry Colangelo's pet project, the team came into the league with little expectations and struggled to remain competitve. Their sour luck continued into the post-season, as they lost a coin flip to Milwaukee that could've seen them land Lew Alcindor - aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out of UCLA. I was apart of those early years, and they weren't exactly pretty, but I tried to keep my head up - the fans were great, and so was the city. In the 75-76 season, the team picked up Paul Westphal and drafted Alvan Adams alongside Ricky Sobers. The team also sent John Shumate to Buffalo for Gar Heard, a trade that would benefit them in ways they could never comprehend at the time. There was a bright future ahead.

Flash forward to 76-77. Phoenix won their first game of the season. Westphal had 26 points, and Gar Heard had 13 points and 14 rebounds plus a buzzer beater dunk in a 121-119 point win over the New York Nets. I caught up with Heard in the locker room after the game - he was all smiles. "It's gonna be a good season, am I right?"

By November, the team was 3-2. They lost 6 straight. Point guard Ron Lee struggled to keep possession and make plays, while Garfield Heard and rookie Alvan Adams struggled to find a balance as forwards. Assistant coach Ernie Johnson was much harsher about things, screaming at the bench amidst a 111-133 blow-out loss to the Indiana Pacers. "Is this what you want?! To watch your season fall apart?!"

On November 12th, Paul Westphal held a players only meeting before a late night game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. That game, Alvan Adams blew up for 29 points, while center Dennis Awtrey had 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Westphal had 32 alongside 13 assists in a 127-111 point win over their opponent. The team was back on track. Westphal seemed to shrug it off as I asked him about his expectations the next day. "Let's keep winning before we get our hopes up."

They did. 103-88 over Detroit in their next game, then 122-105 over Kansas City in the one after that. A close 104-100 point win over Chicago marked their last game on the road, a game most notable for Gar Heard and Artis Gilmore getting into a brawl on the court that saw both players ejected, likely the only reason Phoenix won after trailing 68-52 at the half. Shortly after that, Heard was traded for Houston's John Lucas, a young 23 year old point guard selected first in the year's draft, out of the University of Maryland. The team shaped up quick after that.

But December was an injury plagued spell for the team. Westphal was out for three weeks with issues with his back, while Adams sprained his ankle and Curtis Perry strained his ankle. By the new year, they were 16-22, 10th in the West. Head coach John MacLeod wasn't happy. "This is about proving people wrong, and we're not doing a good job so far. We need to shape up." When asked about the trade, he was blunt. "If this kid's supposed to change our franchise, then let's see it. Because so far, I think we were better off before."

They finished off the month by shipping Ira Terrell, Keith Erickson, and their 1977 1st round pick for Philadelphia's '77 and '79 1st round picks alongside 7th year veteran Steve Mix. In a match-up against Philadelphia shortly after, Alvan Adams had 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals along side 16 points and 7 rebounds in just 23 minutes off the bench from Steve Mix in a 123-108 point win. Jerry Colangelo knew his ****.

March 17th marked the biggest game of the season thus far. Kareem and his Lakers were coming to Phoenix for the team's biggest game of the season thus far, and despite their home court advantage, pundits still had the slowly rising Phoenix Suns as sure losers. But Paul Westphal took the bait; he had 32 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 4 steals in a 111-101 win over the Lakers, Phoenix outscoring Los Angeles 41-22 in the 4th quarter. When interviewed after the game, he was eager to send a message. "People act like, "oh, they can't do it, they haven't done it." But this is a game about proving people wrong, am I right? And if I don't do that every night - prove myself to all of the doubters - then I haven't done a good job. This is just one more in the bucket."

A few days later, I'm sitting in the locker room watching Westphal from afar when Tom Van Arsdale - 3x All-Star, and the twin brother of fellow team mate Dick Van Arsdale (also a 3x All-Star), though there were subtle nuances that gave them away - takes a seat next to me. "He's really turned this locker room around, y'know." I glance at him, sliding my notebook out from my back pocket as he widens his grin, pausing to slick back a few lashes of hair from across his brow. "People think we're just players, that we shouldn't pay attention to the media or what they think, but it hurts. Paul's just the kind of guy that takes that hate and uses it as... like... well, fuel, y'know?"

Flash forward a month ahead, and it's April 11th, a few days before the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Phoenix Suns - projected at the bottom of their conference - have finished the season at .500, going 41-41 to secure a 6th place seed in the western conference line-up. The first match-up would see them up against the Indiana Pacers, a team who's coach had taken them far beyond expectations. When asked about the Suns before their match-up, Indiana head coach Slci kLeonard had nothing but praise for the team. "Paul Westphal and John MacLeod do a great job of leading a team of young guys into the kind of form you -hope- to see in veteran calibur players. It's gonna be a good series."

Good was an understatement. In Game 1 at Market Square Arena, Indiana took control off the bat. Billy Knight had 35 and young rookie point guard Don Buse had 15 points and 12 assists in a 122-96 point overkill of the Suns. When asked on his thoughts about the teams performance - having been apart of a rather impressive Milwaukee squad himself in his early years in the league - Curtis Perry was completely apathetic. "It's just not acceptable. This kind of lax defense is not how you win series. You can't just rely on a hot hand. Not in games like this."

Whether his words resonated with the team or if Alvan Adams just happened to have a good game, Phoenix came back, with force. They won 113-100 in their next game out, Adams dropping 28 points and 14 rebounds, before winning again in Game 3 in overtime, Alvan Adams this time notching 42 points and 10 rebounds as the Suns smashed the Pacers into submission 130-124. Game 4 was much of the same - Adams with 23 points and 11 rebounds, Westphal with 26 points and 6 assists, a Phoenix win 104-88 - but in Game 5 Indiana regained its focus. Buse had 31 points and 8 assists as Lucas was left stumbling across the court, Indiana sneaking away in the 4th quarter to win 123-115. Game 6 was essential - getting a win in Game 7 at Market Square Arena would be nearly impossible. Lucky for them, John Lucas had taken the loss to heart. He had 29 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals in the Phoenix 115-106 point win over Indiana, as the Suns won the series, successfully fighting their way into the second round.

"I... I guess I'm just happy to prove 'em wrong. The people who didn't think we had it in us." Lucas was all smiles after the game, and no one could blame him. While their next series would see them take on Portland, who had just beaten Slick Watt's Seattle Supersonics in just 5 games, for now they could afford to cheer for the little things - like this kind of win. I mean... ****. It was nuts. "Anyways. A big shout out to Paul - he's put this team on his shoulders, man, and that ain't an easy weight to carry. Next stop, Portland, am I right?"

Portland proved easier than expected. Westphal and Lucas were unstoppable in the first time games, combining for 41 in the first game and 53 in the second, Phoenix winning 126-113 and then 131-116. When Portland seemed to be making a come back in Game 3, star forward Maurice Lucas took a nasty fall following a rough charge into Alvan Adams - he tore a tendon in his knee, and the rest of the series was history. Phoenix won in 4. They'd made it to the Western Conference. Ricky Sobers was ecstatic to say the least. "It's like I'm on top of the WORLD!"

The world wasn't flat though (sorry Kyrie) and this road was full of humps and turns. Games 1 and 2 were all about Kareem - he had 34 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds, and 4 blocks in the first 124-105 point win over Phoenix at the Forum, alongside Lucius Allen's 14 point 15 assist outing and Tom Abernethy's 24 point explosion of the bench. He had 22 points and 15 rebounds in Game 2, while Kermit Washington raked in 32, as the Lakers won once more, 113-95. Adams and Westphal kicked it up a notch in Game 3 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, combining for 48 points as Phoenix won 113-106, outscoring the Lakers 34-25 in the 4th quarter. It was much of the same in Game 4, as Phoenix won 110-99, and when the Lakers stole Game 5 back in Los Angeles - Kareem dropping 35 points, 25 rebounds, and 6 blocks in a 105-93 win - Phoenix still had hopes of pushing it to 7 with a win at home. Kareem had other plans, however; he had 48 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 blocks in the Game 6 111-93 dismantling of the Suns at home. The season was over.

Flash forward a couple of weeks, and the Lakers are all but set to win the Finals, having brought the Knicks to a 3-1 lead. I'm sitting in a box suite with Jerry Colangelo shortly before tip-off, and surprisingly, he's all smiles. "Can you blame me? We took a team that was at the very bottom - the very bottom! - of the league's expectations. We struggled to hit .500. And we made it to the Western Conference Finals. And we almost -won-." His smile widened as he paused to take a sip of his drink, waving down at the court below. "Believe me. We'll be there soon enough."

This is Connie Hawkins, with "Inside a Team - the Phoenix Edition." Signing off.

[PointGuard]

Great dynasty story concept. Enjoying it!

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1977-78 Golden State Warriors ------

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Nate Thurmond was short, sweet, and an excellent opportunity at networking. Nearly every big whig in the league was there, and I felt an undescribable sense of pride seated a few rows back from the front knowing that I - there both as apart of this league and as a Warriors fan - had entered the world I'd revered for so long. Thurmond was grateful to everyone who assisted him in his 15 year career - 11 of those in Golden State - and was optimistic about the future of the league. "I see opportunity - for these young players, for the new teams, and most importantly, for fans of basketball across the nation." Opportunity - I liked that.

Bernard King went first in the draft, to the Houston Rockets. Marques Johnson went second, to the Bucks, while Kent Benson went 3rd to the Jazz. At that point, I got a call from Ray Patterson - he wanted to send Houston's 2nd round pick, the 27th overall, for Larry McNeill. I jumped on it right away. Buffalo took Tom LaGarde 4th, Chicago took Walter Davis 5th, the Nets took Tate Armstrong 6th - right after Seattle sent Dennis Johnson and Bruce Seals to Philadelphia for Doug Collins and the 32nd pick - and Kansas City took Greg Ballard 7th. Seattle then sent their 8th pick and Larry Steele to Phoenix, for Ricky Sobers and the 10th overall pick. The Suns picked up Jack Sikma at 8, Philadelphia took Ray Williams at 9, and Seattle still got Cedric Maxwell at 10, a player originally projected to go in the top 5.

Kenny Carr went 11 - to New Orleans - Bo Ellis went 12 to the Nets, Robert Reid went 13 to the Spurs, Norm Nixon went 14 to the Knicks, Eddie Johnson went 15 to the Celtics, Rickey Green went 16 to the Nuggets, James Edwards went 17 to the Hawks, and then it was our pick. I took Otis Birdsong, out of Auburn, a 6-3 shooting guard with amazing mechanics and shooting range. Joey Hassett went to Washington at 19, Tree Rollins to Indiana at 20, Eddie Jordan to Portland at 21, and Ben Poquette to the Lakers at 22 to round out the first round. Toby Knight went to the Braves at 23, Mark Landsberger to the Bulls at 24, Bob Elliott to the Nets at 25 - at which point the Spurs shipped Mark Olberding for Philadelphia's World B. Free - Brad Davis to the Pistons at 26, and then it was our pick once more. For whatever reason, Ernie Grunfeld had fallen through the cracks; I hopped on the opportunity right away, drafting the 6-6 small forward out of Tennessee, a long time friend of 1st overall pick Bernard King. Charlie Criss went 28 to Milwaukee, T.R. Dunn went 29 to Boston, Jeff Wilkins 30 to Portland, and that rounded out most of the notable choices.

The summerleague squad looked strong enough. Joe Fulks was coaching the team, and a young studded cast of Gus Williams, Otis Birdsong, Ernie Grunfeld, Darryl McDaniel, and Robert Parish seemed likely to impress. We won the first game against Chicago 96-87, Birdsong with a team high 19 points, though we lost the next to the Kings. The team got back in form for the third game, a 101-82 win over Denver, and the 4th with a 92-71 point win over Indiana. Game 5 was a much closer battle, a 118-113 point win over Milwaukee that saw Robert Parish drop 33 points and 10 rebounds. They'd made it to the summer league playoffs; as small of a victory as it was, the young team was eager.

We lost to Atlanta in the first round. Armond Hill had 23 points and 2 steals, alongside Joe Meriweather's 23 point 6 rebound display, enough to send the team home with a win despite Birdsong going for a career high 28 points. They lost to Philadelphia in the next round, who went on to win the Summer League tournament against Kansas City, 103-91, behind excellent all around play from Dennis Johnson, Ray Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Caldwell Jones, Joe Bryant, and Mark Olberding. Summer games were over; it was free agency.

18 million in cap. I'd released William Smith and Derrek Dickey, but still I had this daunting number ahead of me. In order to resign Shumate, Dudley, and Wilkes, that's the sort of damage I'd be looking at. That would leave me in a rough spot at getting free agents, but I had to bet on it. Wilkes and Shumate both came back right away, while Dudley waited until the 26th - I was only 5 million over the cap, with 13 players on roster. I could gamble with some exceptions. And I found one - Dean Meminger for a 4 year 34,400,000 contract. It might be on the higher side of things later in, but for now it gave me another vital bench player. Lastly, Fly Williams came back for an insanely low two year 6,639,000 contract after his attempts at stealing a larger contract fell through. The team was looking better than ever.

Ernie Grunfeld and Marshall Rogers both went down to the D-League to start the season off. The whole coaching staff returned, with Joe Fulks taking the focus on offense and Johnny Bach focusing on defense, while Wilt handled player development. The starting line-up looked fairly similar, but this was a totally different team than the one a year prior.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 352-252 record, 6 playoffs (2 conf finals, 1 championship).
- Attles continues to excel in his coaching duties. As his tenure with the team increases, he's gained the trust and respect of all executive branches, giving him a degree of flexibility in terms of decisions on roster moves and the like that many other coaches would love to have. A certain figurehead in the Warriors organization for years to come.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 24, 3rd year in the NBA, 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.7 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.6 rpg (2.0 d, 0.6 o), 1.6 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.7 topg.
- 34 point game high, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5 steals, 9 double-doubles, 5 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve.
- Coming into his third year in the league, expectations for Williams are at an all time high. The score-first guard out of USC has shown he can handle the pressures of the post-season while playing at a high level, but he's yet to prove he has the leadership qualities seen in top-notch point guards. While he's shown he's capable of big time scoring outbursts, his free throw shooting needs to improve, and his ability to read the floor needs to stay consistent.

- Starting SG: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 24, 4th year, 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 14.3 ppg, 2.3 apg, 7.5 rpg (5.2 d, 2.2 o), 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.1 topg.
- Career high 36 points, 9 assists, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 8 steals, 3 double doubles, 4 p.o.t.gs.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star.
- Wilkes has shown he's got the potential to be an All Star, but he's yet to take it to that next level. His ability at understanding how to create shots for himself combined with his incredible leaping range makes him a deadly threat in the paint, especially given how great he is at drawing fouls and converting from the free throw line. While his jumpshot off the dribble is a work in progress, he certainly seems well on his way to becoming a seasoned star.

- Starting SF: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 33, 8th year (12th professionally), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 26.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 7.8 rpg (7.1 d, 0.7 o), 2.5 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.5 topg.
- Career high 54 points, 9 assists, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 10 steals, 20 double-doubles, 39 p.o.t.gs, 1 player of the week.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 7x All-Star (66, 67, 73-77), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), All NBA Second Team (1973), All Defense Second Team (1977), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- The Miami Greyhound continues to flourish. Barry seems to be aging gracefully, having averaged 27.5 points per game the season before, the 3rd highest in his NBA career. As the focal point of the Warriors offense, it's important he continues to improve his outside shot, despite his talents as an on-target shooter from the midrange, possessing probably the best high-rise jumper form in the league. Expectations are high, and most of that weight falls on Barry.

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 25, 4th year, 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 12.9 ppg, 1.5 apg, 7.7 rpg (5.8 d, 1.9 o), 1.1 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.1 topg.
- Career high 31 points, 4 assists, 18 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5 steals, 9 double-doubles, 1 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team.
- Shumate has proven to be a solid trade so far, allowing Barry to flourish in his natural position while Wilkes adjusts to a more scoring oriented role. Shumate himself is a solid all around player, capable of throwing down thunderous dunks thanks in large part to his above average ball skills for his height. An excellent rebounder who hits the glass hard, his solid court awareness makes him an excellent fit in the post.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 23, 2nd year, 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 11.9 ppg, 0.5 apg, 7.3 rpg (5.5 d, 1.8 o), 0.9 spg, 0.7 bpg, 0.8 topg.
- Career high 25 points, 3 assists, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 16 double-doubles, 3 p.o.t.g.
- Parish has grown, and quickly. The seven footer has developed a good form shooting the ball with a quick release, which, combined with his great ability at positioning himself in the post, has resulted in a large increase in efficiency evident in his growth last season. As the team's expectations grow, so too should the pace of development for Parish; with luck, he'll be an All Star in no time.

- 6th Man: Clifford Ray (C) - #44
- 6-9, 230 lbs, 28, 7th year, 45th pick in the 1971 draft, Oklahoma.
- Career 8.3 ppg, 2.4 apg, 10.0 rpg (8.0 d, 2.1 o), 1.2 spg, 1.6 bpg.
- 1972 All-Rookie 1st team.
- Clifford continues to lead the second unit, aging well into his role. What he lacks most is great vision and passing ability, but with the increased reliance on guards from the bench, his weaknesses should soon become invisible among better passers on the court. As he continues to provide valuable relief, it's important to note he's definitely no longer starting calibur, in case of any serious injuries to Parish.

- Back-up Guard: Dean Meminger (SG) - #7
- 6-0, 175 lbs, 7th year, 16th pick in the 1971 draft, Marquette.
- Career 6.3 ppg, 2.5 apg, 2.6 rpg (2.0 d, 0.7 o), 1.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 0.9 topg.
- Career high 33 points, 9 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6 steals.
- An impressive guard who'd been apart of the Knicks championship team in the early 70s, while Meminger has struggled with productivity coming into the latter half of his career, he's an excellent pick-up for the bench none-the-less. With a nice change of speed with the ball in his hands and excellent slashing and vision, his intermediate jumpshot helps make him a solid all around scoring threat for the second unit.

- Back-up Forward: Fly Williams (SG/SF) - #35
- 6-5, 195 lbs, 24, 2nd year, 152nd pick in the 1976 draft, Austin Peay.
- Career 7.8 ppg, 1.6 apg, 2.9 rpg (2.5 d, 0.4 o), 1.1 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.5 topg.
- Career high 25 points, 5 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 steals.
- Williams seems to have knocked off his issues with discipline, having shown that he can be a solid bench player as well as a starting guard when the team needs it. There's high hope he continues to grow, and he seems more than happy to stay with the team for the long run, having taken a significant pay cut to stay aboard compared to what he could've gotten with other teams.

- Other notable bench players- Charles Dudley (PG), Otis Birdsong (SG/SF), Charlie Johnson (SG), Dwight Davis (PF/C), Sonny Parker (SF/PF).

~~~~~~~~

October 17th - the first game of the season, a match-up against the Buffalo Braves at Oracle Arena. The Braves had signed Curtis Perry from Phoenix, Brian Winters from Milwaukee, and Norm Van Lier from Chicago, and despite an abysmal 12-70 season the year before, seemed poised to make a run at the playoffs behind their three new pick-ups, draftee Tom LaGarde, and the offensive power of Adrian Dantley. They took the lead early, Dantley dropping 11 in the first quarter to bring the Braves to a 29-21 point lead. That lead continued to grow as Barry struggled to produce, leaving Gus Williams to handle the offensive load; when he fouled out early in the 4th quarter with a 83-72 point, things seemed grim. But Dean Meminger was ready to impress; he dropped 18 points in just the 4th quarter, combining with John Shumate to produce 33 of the 41 points the Warriors scored in the 4th, winning on a Meminger deep distance haul up three to end the game 113-111.

The locker room was ecstatic - we might as well have won the championship. "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac belted out the locker room radio as Charles Dudley boogied away atop one of the benches. Rookie Otis Birdsong - who had 6 points in his first 12 minutes in the NBA - was keeping the beat with his foot, clapping his hands along, and the whole team was cheering raucously. I cleared my throat as everyones eyes turned, Wilkes reaching back to turn off the radio. "I'll keep this short. You guys looked great. We talked a few weeks ago about expectations - well let this be a lesson. They're high. No more buzzer beater games. We need to focus." The room was quiet- I didn't mean to be a buzzkill, but the message had to be clear. "Anyways... c'mon, Dudley. I'll give you a run for your money in a dance off."

The party continued on, but the message seemed to resonate. The next night out, we won 106-85 against the newly-relocated New Jersey Nets in another home game. Parish had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Barry led the team with 21 points. The streak continued on for the rest of their home game stretch, beating Atlanta and Indiana before losing to San Antonio 83-104 in their first game on the road, as Rick Barry sat out with a bruised sternum. By the end of the first week in November, they were 7-2, having lost a Saturday night match-up against the Kings in their first loss at home for the season.

That night, I got a call from my one of my scouts, Jeff Mullins, a 3x All Star in his time with the team and a member of the 1975 championship squad - he was trustworthy, definitely the best of my scouts. "There's a lot of talent in this draft class, Pete. The kind of talent you've gotta plan ahead for. Just keep that in mind later on in the season - a top ten pick would be crucial. This might be the best class of the decade." Young talent was always good - but what he was implying certainly meant giving up some of the key talent on this squad. I'd have to wait and see where we stood around the All Star break. The next day, however, would prove to be an absolute **** storm.

------ The San Francisco Chronicle, November 7th, 1977 ------

There's gonna be subpoenas at the arena after a November 6th match-up against the Knicks saw Spencer Haywood knock John Shumate completely unconscious. The fight started shortly after a late 4th quarter dunk from the forward - who at that point was pushing the Warriors forward to a 108-83 point win over the then 8-0 Knicks - saw Shumate clip Bob McAdoo a little too hard in the chest. As the Knicks center reeled back, Haywood was quick to charge forward, pushing Shumate across the court as referees began to whistle away. Haywood ignored them, pushing through team mate Walt Frazier before striking away at Shumate. The two traded blows for some time - Knicks team mate Norm Nixon also at one point striking out at the forward from the side before being grabbed by team veteran Earl Monroe, who'd come off the bench - with Haywood ultimately knocking Shumate unconscious with a nasty hook to the jaw. He was thrown out of the game, likely to face suspension, and the Knicks team was showered with boos, struggling to finish the remaining minute of the quarter before sprinting to their locker room in shame. In a game the Knicks will surely regret, we hope for a speedy recovery for Shumate, and of course we ultimately abhor violence here at the Chronicle - but boy do we love our boys in blue. This is Iljin Cho, stay tuned for updates.

----------------------------------------

We continued to struggle a lot with minor injuries that beginning stretch. First that Barry injury, than Shumate for a week following the brawl, followed by Gus Williams for 11 days, Jamaal Wilkes for a game, then Dean Meminger for close to two weeks all before the end of November. By the 29th, we were 15-4, 1st in the West ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (at 14-6), the Phoenix Suns (at 15-8), and the Portland Trailblazers (at 11-6). We were at the Louisiana Superdome for our next game out, our first of four matches for the season against the team that had quickly become our biggest rival. Their record was 15-6, Maravich averaging 36.2 points per game with 3 50 plus point games so far for the season; Elgin Baylor had showed he could build an offense around a star, and this year, New Orleans looked fierce.

We were missing Gus Williams and Meminger, while they boasted a healthy squad and the home court advantage in the league's largest stadium that, thanks to a record-low ticket price event, saw a sold out 32,161 people in attendance. Charles Dudley was faced off against 5x All Star Gail Goodrich, Wilkes against young rookie hot shot Kenny Carr, Shumate against equally talented rookie Kent Benson, Parish against one of the best offensive centers in the league, Rich Kelley, and in a match-up that had become a must see in the league, Barry vs Maravich at shooting guard. This wasn't going to be easy.

By the end of the first quarter, the Warriors led 27-21, Wilkes leading the team with 10 points on 5/6 shooting, while Barry successfully held Maravich to just one three pointer for the quarter, the guard going 1/8 in a full 12 minutes played. The Jazz took their first lead 2 minutes and 42 seconds into the 2nd, Rich Kelley making an and-one to take a 31-30 lead as the Warriors bench unit struggled to produce. The Jazz seemed to be taking off half way into the quarter, at one point leading 42-34 behind Rich Kelley's 15 point/11 rebound dunk-a-thon, before Barry came back in at the same time as Maravich. He continued to play amazing defense on the guard, Maravich scoring just 2 3s for 6 points in the half on 2/10 shooting, while also managing to drop 11 points in just 4 minutes and 52 seconds, stealing back the lead in the last minute as the Warriors went into half-time leading 50-48. Barry had to leave the game about half-way through the third after a hard foul from E.C. Coleman saw him wheezing, Coach Attles concerned about him re-injuring his abdomen, giving Maravich just the opportunity he needed. He took another eleven shots in the 3rd quarter, connecting with 8 of them for a 22 point explosion, hoisting his team up to a 80-77 point lead.

Attles made the call to put Barry back in the game - he was leading the team with 23 points after Wilkes went cold, now at 6-11 with 4 free throws to bring him up to 16, and these guys needed this win. 3 minutes into the 4th, the team took a time out; New Orleans had broken out to a 87-79 point lead, and they needed to focus. "These fans - they laugh at us. They jeer at us. They call us names, they mock us, and it's up to us to shut them the hell up." Attles speech was short and straight to the point; this was about more than just a regular season win. Barry immediately hit a three pointer coming out of the time out, and the Warriors flame was reignited. Barry hit a pair of free throws with seven minutes left to tie it back up at 86-86, but the Jazz continued to rough them up with physical d, taking a commanding 94-87 point lead with four minutes left after Charles Dudley botched his second free throw, allowing Maravich to set up a fast break Kent Benson dunk.

With a minute left, the Warriors still trailed 93-100; but finally Wilkes stepped up. After Barry botched a three, Wilkes caught the offensive rebound for a resounding slam dunk. On New Orleans inbound, he lunged into action, catching the inbound pass before passing it to Barry, who took a face full of Maravich on his way to the hoop. The league's leading free-throw shooter wasn't about to botch this; the Warriors made both of the shots, before Wilkes ended up getting called for what was an absolutely bull **** call on the other end of the court, with 32 seconds left. Carr sunk both free throws; Dudley managed to convert a quick basket on the other side, before Shumate was forced to draw a foul on Maravich, who sunk both of them. Dudley tried to sink a quick three with 16 seconds left, but his shot bounced off the rim. He drew a quick foul on Goodrich as he inbounded it, but it was hopeless; he sunk both of the free throws, and Dudley missed the half court three - not that it would have mattered. The Warriors lost 106-99.

Pete Maravich was the obvious player of the game, having dropped another 10 points in the 4th quarter for a total of 38 on 12-24 shooting alongside 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Rich Kelley had 23 points and 17 rebounds, while Kent Benson had 18 points and 5 rebounds. Barry led the Warriors with 30 points on a less-than-average 7-18, plus 4 steals, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists while Dudley was second in points with 24, having done his best to will the team back to life in the 4th quarter, to compliment his 7 assists. Wilkes racked in 13 rebounds, but finished with just 18 points in a game that really could have benefitted more from him, while the rest of the team were under double digits (Birdsong, Williams, and Shumate combining for 73 minutes with just 10 points on 3-17 shooting). But Coach Attles wasn't angry. "You guys played your heart out. Sometimes you have bad nights - and luckily for us, this is one we can just look at as a learning experience. Now let's get the hell out of here, I can taste the stink of this place in the back of my mouth."

Our next game - a home game against the reigning league champion and second place conference contender, the Los Angeles Lakers - ended in another loss. Kareem and Lucius Allen had 30 and 26 respectively, while Barry had just 16, Shumate leading the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Warriors lost 89-99, trailing for nearly the entire second half. The team rallied back in their next game, another one at Oracle, as Gus Williams returned, dropping 14 points and 8 assists in a 110-99 point win over Detroit. By Christmas Eve we were 21-13, after a spell of road losses to Portland, Seattle, Indiana, Kansas City, and Portland, having fallen to 5th in the West behind the Lakers, the Kings, the Trailblazers, and the Suns. "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffet boomed loudly from my car radio as I made my way towards KeyArena from the airport to watch the Warriors take on the Supersonics in what would be the last game of 1977 - one we'd win 99-94, after a clutch 4th quarter from Wilkes that saw him drop 9 points (for a total of 26) and 2 steals (for a total of 3). I could go for a margarita - I could go for a vacation.

January 3rd saw a heated home game against the Celtics erupt into fists; John Shumate and Dave Cowens had to be pulled apart by my old team mates Curtis Rowe, Sidney Wicks, and Parish from our side. Cowens left the game with a split lip, while Shumate was ejected - we still won 118-99, as Barry dropped 32 on 15-20 shooting. They had a much needed week off after that - perfect, as that next game out was their rematch against the Jazz. Expectations were high, and tensions were even higher. This time, the Warriors had the home court advantage; this time, they were gonna win.

------ The San Francisco Chronicle, January 11th, 1978 ------

It was a career night for Jamaal Wilkes, in a game that was all about vendetta. The shooting guard had 53 points on 21-29 shooting, going a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line alongside 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 steals as the Warriors reaped revenge, besting their rivals 133-99. Barry had 22 while Gus Williams notched a double-double, with 12 assists and 13 points. Maravich led the Jazz in points with 24 as Barry held him to a 9-25 night of shooting in one he probably certainly wishes he could try again. This brings the season series to 1-1, with 2 more matches to go for the season - I'm sure they'll be good ones. This is Iljin Cho, stay posted for future Warriors updates.

---------------

The Warriors won 12 in a row between December 22nd and January 21st, ultimately losing to the Suns at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 96-90. They rallied back to beat them the very next day at a rematch at Oracle Arena, Shumate dropping 27 points alongside 9 rebounds as the Warriors won 109-81. A loss to New York at the end of the month - Walt Frazier notching up a triple double, with 29 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds - gave them a 34-16 record coming into February, one win shy of 35-15 Portland for first in the West. By the All Star break, they'd risen up to 38-18; still shy of Portland's 40-17, but ahead of the Lakers at 38-20, the Pacers at 38-21, the Suns at 36-24, the Kings at 34-23, the Pistons at 32-26, and the Bucks at 32-30. The conference was more competitive than ever, with every team looking at the playoffs over .500; things were going to get interesting.

The trade deadline occured February 8th. Trades for the season included:
- The Bulls sending Cliff Pondexter, John Laskowski, and their 1978 and 1980 second round picks to San Antonio for Billy Paultz.
- The Nets sending Rich Jones and Cleveland's 1979 1st round pick to Buffalo for Ernie DiGregorio and the 1978 Golden State 1st round pick as well as sending their 1978 first round pick for San Antonio's George Karl -and- a move that saw them send Al Skinner and Robert Hawkins to Buffalo alongside their '78 and '80 second round picks for Tom LaGarde, Curtis Perry, their '78 second round pick and their 1979 first round pick.
- Kansas City sending Bob Bigelow and their 1978 2nd round pick to New Orleans for Austin Carr, as well as Brian Taylor to Seattle for Doug Collins and a 1978 second round pick -and- Billy Robinzine and another 1978 second round pick for New Jersey's Ernie DiGregorio right at the deadline.
- Denver sending Alvin Scott for New York's Butch Beard.
- The Bullets trading their 1978 1st round pick for Detroit's Ron Behagen.
- The Knicks sent Don Smith, Luther Burden, Spencer Haywood, and their first round picks for 1978 and 1980 to Milwaukee for Quinn Buckner, Junior Bridgeman, and Milwaukee's second round picks for '78, '79, and '80, as well as shipping Norm Nixon and their own 1978 2nd round pick alongside Jim McMillian for Washington's 1980 1st round pick and Mel Davis right at the deadline.
- The Pacers sent Wil Jones to Houston for Chris Ford and a 1978 second round pick.
- Philadelphia sent Terry Furlow, Henry Bibby, and a 1978 2nd round pick to San Antonio for Mike D'Antoni and Mike Gale right at the deadline.

All-Star weekend was held in Atlanta. Fly Williams won the dunk contest, besting Portland's Bob Gross and Philadelphia's Dennis Johnson in the preliminaries before beating Charles Dudley in a rematch of the year before in the final round, while Billy McKinney from cleveland won the 3-point contest, besting Quinn Buckner and Charles Kupec in the finals. The team celebrated with a lively party that night, no one playing in the following day's rookie-sophomore match-up, which saw the sophomores win 157-131 as Marvin Barnes won MVP honors with 26 points. The All-Star game was the true highlight, however; it was a hard fought battle, with leads constantly changing in a match of pure offense, but the west eventually won 151-149, Slick Watts taking home MVP honors behind his 36 point 11 rebound game. Rick Barry was the only Warrior to represent the team; something Mieuli felt was sure to change in the near future.

Their first match-up after the break was one of the most heated - another match-up against New Orleans. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Barry went out shortly into the second quarter with a sprained ankle, and Maravich took the opportunity to do his thing; he had 37 points alongside 7 rebounds and 3 steals as the Jazz won 118-101, leading for nearly the entire game. The team still stayed afloat; led by Wilkes, they went on to nab two double digit wins over Houston and then Philadelphia on the road, before losing to Cleveland at Richfield Coliseum 107-101, thanks in large to an insane 57 point outing from shooting guard Randy Smith. The team continued to struggle with minor injuries leading into March, losing Fly Williams for several games to a strained knee and Clifford Ray for a week after he sprained his finger coming down on a hard dunk in a 96-104 point loss to San Antonio at Oracle. I thought Attles should gamble a bit more with putting guys in for limited minutes, but he was insistent; the playoffs was most important, it didn't matter if we were the first seed or the fifth.

Luckily for the fans, Barry -did- care. He had 34 in his first game back, a 120-115 Warriors win against Detroit at Cobo Arena, and then dropped 31 in the next one, a 119-114 win over Atlanta at the Omni, before really stepping it up a notch - dropping 60 points alongside 5 assists, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 4 steals in a 120-98 Warriors win over the 11-55 New Jersey Nets. By March 25th they were an impressive 9-3 for the month, with a slight edge for first place in the conference at 49-23 over the 48-23 going into their third match-up of the year. They'd lost the first two, 99-113 in Portland in mid-December and then 94-109 at Oracle Arena a few days before Christmas (and right before they started their 12 game streak). In a game that was absolutely vital, Barry showed up; he had 13 in the first quarter, shooting 4-8 alongside 2 steals, while absolutely dominating third year player and 1977 All-Star Bob Gross, limiting him to just 6 points (while he averaged 20.4 for the season). He finished the game with 36 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 6 steals as Golden State won 120-103.

The next day the team would have a rematch at Oracle Arena. The team was riding the high- "A Taste of Honey" by Boogie Oogie Oogie bumped loudly in the team bus as we made our way to the airport that night after the game, and you could feel it in the air. These guys were championship hungry. Unfortunately for them, you can never predict everything. Portland broke out to a 32-29 point lead coming out of the first quarter, Bill Walton absolutely dominating with 5 blocks and 8 rebounds in just 9 minutes played, but Shumate stepped up to the plate. He held the center to just 4 points and 3 rebounds in the second quarter, dropping 8 points and 5 rebounds himself, before exploding for another 12 in the third quarter. With 11 minutes left in the fourth, the score was 93-89, and on a rough attempt at planting a charge, Shumate was knocked over by rookie forward Jeff Wilkins, smashing into the floor as his face twisted into absolute agony, his ankle kicking out from under him as he tried to stand. The obvious would be confirmed shortly after the game; his ankle was broken. Meminger went on to drop another 12 points in the 4th alongside Barry's 11 as the Warriors outscored Portland 32-24 in the 4th, winning 119-115. But everyone knew that this was bigger than just a game. They were in trouble.

Still, they were good enough to cover their losses. In the April 1st final match-up against New Orleans, Barry had 34 points and 8 rebounds while Fly Williams dropped 25 in a close 117-110 win. When asked about his confidence in the teams ability to keep it together in the post-season, Barry seemed optimistic. "Look - these guys are all hard workers. We know how to practice, and we're working on accounting for our weak spots. I'm just as confident as I was in October."

By the post-season, they were atop of of the West, at 56-26. Portland was second, tied by record at 56-26, while the Lakers were 3rd at 52-30, tied with the Suns who came in at 4th. Kansas City was 5th at 45-37, Milwaukee 6th at 43-39, and Detroit 7th at 41-41, tied with 8th seed Indiana. Shumate was recovering fast, and 8th seeded Indiana seemed like an easy sweep. Slick Leonard was one of the best in the league and had done a good job at building a solid line-up around All-Star Billy Knight with Don Buse, Dan Roundfield, and Tree Rollins, but when it came down to offense, the Warriors - who had been 4th in points per game at 106.8, compared to Indiana's 95.3, with field goal differences of .470 vs .422 - Golden State had it in the bag.

But then Indiana won Game 1, 112-94. Barry took two technicals in the first half, Gus Williams had a hard fall in the 3rd and went out with a concussion, and Billy Knight and the Pacers had their way. Jamaal Wilkes was all to blame; in a game that saw him post a personal post-season record high of 41 points alongside 13 rebounds, he had a ridicolous -16 turnovers- in his 41 minutes played, turnovers that gave Indiana an easy route to a giant win on the road. He was speechless after the game. "I let the team down. I let the guys down. The spotlight, the pressure, when that's on you and you don't live up to it... man. It's on me."

The next game went a little more as expected. Barry had 35 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 4 steals on 14-23 shooting, while Wilkes had 24 with only 1 turnover. Relief point guard Charles Dudley had 16 points, 11 assists, and 3 steals, and Otis Birdsong dropped 19 from the bench in a 113-98 point Warriors win. They stole a win at Market Square in the next game - a 106-88 point win behind Barry's 31. Billy Knight, who was averaging 29.3 in the series, was eager to shower his opponents in praise. "They mesh, they click, and their unreadable on the floor. This is one of the most challenging opponents I've faced in awhile."

His words rang true. Despite Knight going for 45 - alongside rookie Tree Rollin's 24 point 16 rebound 9 block monster game - Barry had 37 in just 29 minutes played, as the Warriors coasted to a 105-98 point win, playing the second unit for most of the 4th quarter. By the beginning of Game 5, you could feel it in the Oracle Arena vibe - this series was over. Parish had 21 points, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and 17 rebounds alongside Dean Meminger's 22 off the bench and Barry's 23 as the Warriors won 116-104, closing out the series in 5. The first round proved competitive across the league as not a single series ended in a sweep and two match-ups - the Knicks/76ers and Kansas City/Phoenix - went to 7 games, with Philadelphia and Phoenix winning the respective series.

The second round saw the Warriors up against the 4th seed Phoenix Suns. Jerry Colangelo had parted ways with John Macleod and brought in his old friend, Johnny Kerr, to coach the team, with incredible results. The Suns had jumped from 41-41 the season before to 52-30 in an increasingly competitive league, blowing their doubters out of the water. John Lucas, Paul Westphal, free agent signee Truck Robinson, rookie Jack Sikma, and 1976 Rookie of the Year and All-Star Alvan Adams made up a fierce starting line-up, and the Warriors expected a battle. But the first two games at home were surprisingly one-sided, Golden State winning 106-96 in Game 1 and then 111-87 in Game 2, a game that saw 0 lead changes from the Warrior's first basket on. The team was playing their absolute hardest, and the results were clear.

Game 3 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum was much closer than the two prior - Phoenix outscored the Warriors in the 4th quarter 49-34, breaking away to a 6 point lead with a minute left. But Gus Williams managed to hit his first three of the game, shooting 1-5 from outside, and Fly Williams had his third steal of the night as John Lucas tried a pass to Truck Robinson, ending with a lay-up and a foul that gave him an and-one attempt, one which he made with ease. Phoenix had the ball with 35 seconds left, and for whatever reason, they rushed it. Adams heaved up a shot from the free throw line, hoping to draw a foul, and nabbed his 16th miss of the night, going 8-24 (alongside an impressive 14 rebounds and 4 blocks) as Parish lunged for the rebound, his 11th of the night. Gus Williams brought the ball up the court, and when Truck Robinson hesistated for a moment too long, Jamaal Wilkes tore into the open lane, landing an easy lay-up with 4 seconds left. Phoenix tried to pass it to Westphal, who heaved up a long range three, but it hit air- the Warriors won, 94-92.

Still, the Suns weren't going down without a fight. Alvan Adams and Westphal combined for 67 in Game 4, holding the Warriors to just 13 in the 3rd as they won 110-99. In Game 5 back at Oracle Arena, Westphal dropped 37, going 13-22, while Truck Robinson raked in 17 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 25 points, and John Lucas hit 24 plus 9 assists. Barry had an ugly night, going 7-26 for 19 points, and the whole team struggled with fouls - Gus Williams fouled out in the 3rd, Fly Williams in the 4th, and the Suns managed to go 38-44 from the FT line (compared to Golden State's 20-30) as the Warriors lost 95-109.

But the Warriors had no plans on gambling with a Game 7 - Barry had 26 points, 5 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals, holding Westphal to just 14 points as the Warriors took off to a dominating 23 point lead to close out the half, 58-35. John Lucas and Jack Sikma did their best to rally their team back in the second half, at one point coming within single digits of the Warriors, but it wasn't enough; Golden State closed out the series in 6, winning 94-84 in Arizona. The second round proved equally exciting across the league; Portland beat Los Angeles in 6, while the Philadelphia-Washington/New Orleans-Atlanta series both went to 7, New Orleans and Philadelphia each winning their final games.

The conference finals - boy had they had to slave away to get this far. Shumate was back in action, and Rick Barry was averaging an impressive 26.7 a game, fourth in the post-season ppg leaderboard behind Maravich, Knight, and Kareem. If the Warriors won this series and New Orleans won theirs, the finals would feature one of the most insane rivalry match-ups in a long time. They just had to get through Portland - and MVP Bill Walton. Jack Ramsay and his staff had one of the hottest rosters in the league, with Lionel Hollins, Fred Brown, Bob Gross, Maurice Lucas, Bill Walton, Jeff Wilkins, Eddie Jordan, and Corky Calhoun making up probably Portland's best team to date. In a press conference before the game, point guard Gus Williams sounded wary of his opponent. "These guys don't mess around - Walton might be on the marque, but it's the rest of that line-up that really lights it up."

Impressive or not, the Warriors knew how to handle them. In the Game 1 match-up - which saw Portland playing without Maurice Lucas for a game - John Shumate stole the show, notching 22 points, 2 assists, 13 rebounds, and a career high 6 blocks, while Parish had an amazing game covering Walton as he fouled out towards the end of the 3rd quarter limited to 16 points and 5 rebounds, the Warriors winning 97-78. Jack Ramsay came into Game 2 with a healthy squad, and Lionel Hollins, riding a 26 point 11 assist 5 steal game, carried Portland to a 120-110 point victory at Oracle. In Game 3, the Warriors stood poised to steal back a win on the road - they led 122-116 halfway through the 4th, Rick Barry leading the team with 33 points. But a hard foul from Bob Gross sent him reeling back, and as he tried to move, it became clear by the look on his face and the way he lay frozen on the floor - he'd broken his foot. Portland rallied back as Bob Gross exploded for 14 straight points, Portland ultimately winning 142-138 behind his 35 point 7 assist 7 rebound 4 block 4 steal game.

The worst possible outcome had happened - Barry was out with an injury, and suddenly all hopes of a championship seemed to disappear. Critics had Golden State losing the next 2, the series all but over - but these guys weren't about to just keel over and lose. In Game 4, we fought our way to a 21 point lead at the half, up 67-46. Bill Walton exploded in the second half as did Gross, the two combining for 65 to finish the game alongside 28 rebounds, but Parish and Gus Williams were relentless. They had 26 and 27 respectively, alongside 15 rebounds for Parish and 13 assists for Gus as the Warriors clinched the win, 113-110. Portland struck back in Game 5, Walton with 30 points, 23 rebounds, and 4 blocks as the Trailblazers won 110-101, and suddenly the Warriors faced elimination - on the road. Gus and Shumate tried to hold the team together, going for 20 and 28 respectively (alongside Williams 14 assists) but Wilkes and Fly Williams both failed to produce, combining for 16 as the Warriors lost the series in 6, 101-113.

The year before, the second round elimination hadn't been so bad. There was optimism, signs of what was to come. But -this- was supposed to be there game. In the waning moments of that 1977-78 season, the locker room was completely silent. "The Groove Line" by Heatwave belted from the locker room speaker for a couple of minutes before Jamaal Wilkes finally noticed it, disgruntedly slamming his hand on the switch to turn it off. The silence continued. And then after about ten minutes, Al Attles cleared his throat and stood up - the sounds of cheering in Memorial Coliseum making it almost hard to hear him. "You guys played your god damn best. You gave everything out there, and for that, I'm more than proud. Things happen that we can't control, but as far as I'm concerned, if this had been a healthy match-up, we could've taken them in 5." That managed to stir a few smiles out of some of the guys, and Al Attles grinned back at them. "Sure, we lost. But think about it this way - now that we know how this feels, this kind of loss... well, ****, I sure as hell won't be in this same position next year, I don't know about you guys." He cleared his throat, pacing towards the doors leading to the tunnel, before turning back to them with fire in his eyes. "We're going to win next year. We're going to do it, and we're going to do it big. I'm sick of being the underdog. This time, we're gonna be the bad guys."

Maravich and the Jazz didn't make it either. Philadelphia won in 6 - led by the amazing offensive duo of Julius Erving and George McGinnis - and the finals were set, in what could've been the Warriors shot at revenge for their finals loss to Philadelphia a decade prior in 1967. Portland won the first game, before the 76ers stole the next one at Memorial Coliseum behind 48 points from Erving and the first of the games back at the Spectrum in Philadelphia with a 20-15 double-double from McGinnis. Erving continued his relentless attack in Game 4, going for 46, but Walton managed to will Portland to a victory on the road, dropping 22 points and 26 rebounds to win 113-108. The win was short-lived, as Erving nearly grabbed a triple double, dropping 37 points, 9 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 104-101 point Philadelphia win. He had 33 to finish off the series back at home, as Philadelphia won 115-104 to a sold out home crowd, winning the series in 6 and their 3rd franchise championship.

That year, I didn't watch the finals with dad, and I wasn't there as finals MVP Julius Erving - who'd averaged a ridiculous 38 points per game in the finals - and I honestly barely paid attention as the television rambled on, coach Gene Shue going on a long rant about gratitude and humility. I was busy at work already, scanning stat sheets and player reports by the hundreds, crammed into my office with about three dozen boxes full of papers. So we hadn't won this year - 1979 was a new year, a new season, and a new shot; and this time, I wasn't going to miss it.

In the annual draft lottery, Houston won the first pick despite being 6th in likelihood to get it. The Nets got pick #2, the Bulls #3, the Nuggets #4, the Supersonics #5, and the Braves - who would become the San Diego Clippers that off season - got number 6. Bill Walton was named MVP, as well as defensive player of the year for the second consecutive year, averaging 19.4 points per game alongside 12.5 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. New Jersey's Billy Robinzine won sixth man of the year honors, dropping 13.7 points per game off the bench, while Atlanta's James Edwards was named rookie of the year, averaging 15.6 points per game, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Kansas City's Phil Johnson was named Coach of the Year for his work in reshaping the team, while Philadelphia's Leo Ferris was named Executive of the Year. Golden State's Ernie Grunfeld was named D-League MVP, averaging 25.1 points, 6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 7.2 rebounds per game, while Jeff Clark was the D-League's defensive player of the year.

- The First All-League team was composed of Nate Archibald (NJN), Pete Maravich (NEW), Adrian Dantley (BUF), Larry Kenon (SAN), and Bill Walton (POR).
- The Second All-League team boasted Jo Jo White (BOS), David Thompson (DEN), Rick Barry (GSW), Kermit Washington (LAL), and Bob Lanier (DET).
- Making the Third All-League team were John Lucas (PHO), Randy Smith (CLE), Julius Erving (PHI), Elvin Hayes (WAS), and Sam Lacey (KAN).
- The All-Defense First team had Don Buse (IND), Randy Smith, Julius Erving, Elvin Hayes, and Bill Walton.
- The Second All-Defense team had the likes of Lionel Hollins (POR), George Gervin (SAN), Rick Barry, Larry Kenon, and Wes Unseld (WAS).
- The All-Rookie First team showcased Brad Davis (DET), Walter Davis (CHI), Bernard King (HOU), Ben Poquette (LAL), and James Edwards (ATL).
- The All-Rookie second team had Ray Williams (PHI), Eddie Johnson (BOS), Cedric Maxwell (SEA), Kenny Carr (NEW), and Tree Rollins (IND).

Season Leaders---

PPG
- Pete Maravich (37.7, NEW).
- Julius Erving 2nd (27.6, PHI), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3rd (27.5, LAL), Billy Knight 4th (26.9), Rick Barry 5th (25.2, GSW), David Thompson 6th (24.3, DEN), Adrian Dantley 7th (23.3 , BUF), Marvin Barnes 8th (22.8, DET), Bob McAdoo 9th (22.0, NY), Randy Smith 10th (21.5, CLE), Sam Lacey 11th (21.2, KAN), Bob Gross 12th (20.7, POR).

APG
- Walt Frazier (10.4, NY)
- Nate Archibald 2nd (9.1, NJN), Jo Jo White 3rd (8.3, BOS), Gail Goodrich 4th (8.0, NEW), Don Buse 5th (7.8, IND), John Lucas 6th (7.7, PHO), Foots Walker 7th (7.4, ATL), Lucius Allen 8th (7.2, LAL), Gus Williams 9th (6.7, GSW), Lionel Hollins 10th (6.3, POR), Calvin Murphy 11th (5.9, HOU), Dave Bing 12th (5.6, WAS).

RPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14.2)
- Bob Lanier 2nd (13.1, DET), Bill Walton 3rd (12.5, POR), Artis Gilmore 4th (12.4, CHI), Bob McAdoo 5th (12.2), Kermit Washington 6th (12.0, LAL), Moses Malone 7th (11.7, HOU), Dave Cowens 8th (10.6, BOS), George McGinnis 9th (10.2, PHI), Maurice Lucas/Mike Bantom 10th (10.1, POR/SEA), Swen Nater 11th (9.9, MIL), Marvin Barnes 12th (9.8).

BPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3.6)
- Bill Walton 2nd (3.2), Tree Rollins 3rd (3.0, IND), Elvin Hayes 4th (2.8, WAS), Artis Gilmore 5th (2.5), Dan Roundfield 6th (2.4, IND).

SPG
- Julius Erving (2.7)
- Brian Taylor/Don Buse/Randy Smith 2nd (2.6, SEA/IND/CLE), Rick Barry 3rd (2.4), George McGinnis 4th (2.3), Larry Kenon 5th (2.1), Billy Knight/Lionel Hollins 6th (1.8, IND/POR).

TOPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Nate Archibald (3.8)
- Walter Davis/Jo Jo White 2nd (3.5, CHI/BOS), Walt Frazier/Randy Smith 3rd (3.2, NY/CLE), Foots Walker/David Thompson 4th (3.1, ATL/DEN), Ron Boone/Lucius Allen 5th (3.0, KAN/LAL), Rudy Tomjanovich/Bob McAdoo 6th (2.9, HOU/NY).

MPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36.5)
- Pete Maravich 2nd (36.3), Julius Erving 3rd (36.2), Walt Frazier/Don Ford 4th (35.8, NY/LAL), Mickey Johnson/Bob Lanier 5th (35.7, CHI/DET), Adrian Dantley 6th (35.4).

3-P Made
- World B. Free (229)
- Kevin Grevey 2nd (225, WAS), Pete Maravich 3rd (191, NEW), Earl Monroe 4th (186, NY), Doug Collins 5th (172, KAN), Slick Watts 6th (164, SEA), Calvin Murphy 7th (161, HOU), Walter Davis 8th (149, CHI), Bob Gross 9th (145, POR), Mike D'Antoni 10th (139, PHI), Lionel Hollins 11th (138, POR), Tom Abernethy 12th (134, LAL).

--------------

And so another season goes down in the record books. The Philadelphia 76ers win the NBA finals in a thrilling fashion, and now as fans prepare for a long barren summer of baseball and good weather, but there's one city where basketball will continue to stay at the forefront of everyone's mind - New York City, the mecca of basketball, where you can prove your worth on the hundreds of street courts scattered through out the vibrant city or you can sit the heck down. After making the NBA Finals last season, many had high hopes for this year - when asked about their expectations coming into the season, the general consensus was Frazier and Red would likely lead them to a repeat of 1973. Instead, we saw a battle for relevance as one of the greatest teams in the league fell victim to controversy, injury, and the worst offender of all - bad luck. This is Connie Hawkins and you're here with "Inside a Team - the New York edition."

~~~~

On the night of June 2nd, 1977, not an hour after the Knicks lost a devastating Game 5 to Los Angeles 84-102 in the playoff finals, Bill Bradley announced in a press conference at the Forum that he was retiring from the world of basketball. The long time fan favorite and Knicks legend had bigger plans, and basketball - while it would always have a spot in his heart - was not among them. That night, Walt Frazier tells me, he couldn't help but cry. "It was the beginning of the end. I was the last of that 1970 squad - christ, I didn't even know if we were gonna keep Earl."

It's mid-July now and I'm doing my first team interview with Walt in one of the most casual settings yet - a bench in central park on a busy summer day, as people stop to gawk and smile at us, Walt greeting them with the same friendliness and jubilance he showed on the court. The Knicks were going through a relatively stagnant summer thus far, unable to attract any big name free agents (though they had drafted Norm Nixon 14th in the draft) having signed an aging Don Smith from Buffalo. Frazier still seems optimistic, or at least he's doing a good job of faking it. "But hey man, the end doesn't have to be so bad, right? Who's to say we don't go out with a bang?"

Flash forward a few months to early October - the Knicks would manage to sign Jan Van Breda Kolff, a 26 year old small forward who'd averaged 8.8 points per game coming off the bench in Cleveland and seemed like he could be a good replacement for Bradley - and the team was ready to go. Offensive coach Willis Reed thought the team was all but set for a repeat of the year before. "45-37 isn't hard to beat. This year, we go 50-32, and this year we win."

For awhile that looked very -very- plausible. In their first game of the season against the Washington Bullets at Madison Square Garden, the team dominated nearly from the second quarter on, at one point leading by 26. McAdoo had 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals, while Frazier dropped 24 alongside 9 assists as the Knicks won 92-74. The starting line-up of Frazier, Monroe, Breda Kolff, Spencer Haywood, and Bob McAdoo looked good, while Lonnie Shelton, Butch Beard, the McMillan brothers, and Norm Nixon seemed set to become a great second-unit. The Knicks would go on to start the season at a ridiculous 8-0, McAdoo averaging 24.3 points and 11.8 rebounds and Frazier averaging 18.2 points and 9.8 assists as they led the team to the eastern conference's most impressive start.

And then, disaster. "I've never seen anything like it. Disgusting." I'm in the office of Mike Burke, the general manager for the New York Knicks. Time is short - he's due for a meeting with team owner Ned Irish in what's sure to be a brutal one-on-one - but I can tell how he feels about the matter from the way he's pacing the room. On November 6th, 1977, Spencer Haywood had attacked Warriors forward John Shumate amidst a blow-out loss, and the media was in a frenzy. Him, rookie Norm Nixon (who had taken a cheap jab from the side at Shumate in a move he defended as backing up the team) and relief center Neal Walk - who had at one point shoved Warriors wing Rick Barry away from breaking up the fight - would all face a minimum one game suspension, and Haywood would likely face far worse. In an interview with the press a few days after the event, Haywood apologized right away. "That was unprofessional of me, and I can't begin to express how much I regret it."

It didn't matter. He was suspended for 60 days - 26 games - and as far as Burke was concerned, he was done. Fighting in the league would persist - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaking his hand punching Milwaukee center Swen Nater early on in the season, while team mate Kermit Washington would later severely injure Rudy Tomjanovich in a December match-up - before eventually commissioner David Stern decided to prioritize it, adding a third referee and automatic suspensions for involvements in any on-court brawls. The Knicks, meanwhile, would go on to lose 5 straight, coming back to win Houston in a sold out home game on November 16th 114-80 (behind Earl Monroe's season high 37 points) before losing another -twelve- straight for a 9-17 record.

On December 14th, McAdoo resolved to end the streak. The Knicks were down 70-54 coming into the 4th quarter against the Spurs, and many fans had begun to leave already when he began his 7-bucket streak. Yes, ten straight baskets, finishing with an impressive 37 points on 14-21 shooting, alongside 19 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. The team went into overtime tied 95-95, before Frazier exploded, finishing with 20 points and 10 assists as the Knicks won 111-108. They finished December 13-21, struggling for playoff contention and relevancy in a season that by all rights should've been theres.

On January 7th, the Knicks lost to Cleveland 94-101. They went on to lose the next 6 straight - including an overtime loss to Denver at home - and soon enough, Red Holzman knew he needed change. On January 17th, 1978, he and Burke made the call to ship Don Smith, Luther Burden, Spencer Haywood, and their 1978 and 1980 first round picks for Milwaukee's Quinn Buckner, Junior Bridgeman, and their second round picks from 1978-1980. It didn't do much help. The streak continued to -11 straight- before finally the team managed to salvage a win against Milwaukee in Bridgeman's first match-up against his old opponent; he had 36 in his first big break-out game since joining the team, as the Knicks won a closely contested match-up at Mecca Arena, 102-97. The team went on to win 4 in a row - including an 83-70 win against the Lakers at the forum and a 101-91 win over the Warriors that saw Frazier steal a triple-double with 29 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds- showing signs of cohesiveness.

It seemed like they were back on track. Early into February, Red made his boldest move of the year, shipping first round pick Norm Nixon, their 1978 second round pick, and Jim McMillian for Washington's 1980 1st round pick and Mel Davis in a move aimed at finally balancing the team chemistry. It worked - they finished up the season 38-44, just good enough to sneak into the playoffs as the 7th seed, 2 games behind Cleveland and 2 games ahead of San Antonio.

The first round saw them up against Philadelphia. Frazier, Monroe, Bridgeman, Lonnie Shelton, and Bob McAdoo made up the impressive starting line-up, while Buckner, Breda Kolff, Earl Williams, and Alvin Scott - who had been traded for Butch Beard early in the season - had become a solid second unit. The 76ers - second in the East at 48-34 - would be their ultimate test.

They never led in Game 1. Mark Olberding finished with a Philadelphia high of 24 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds as they won 95-76. Game 2 was much of the same; Erving had 29, and again Philadelphia led for the entire game, winning afront a sold out home arena 102-81. Game 3 was even worse- while the Knicks contested early, Philadelphia rookie and breakout star Ray Williams had an easy steal late in the first quarter on Frazier that saw him get into a shouting match with a ref, resulting in his ejection and an easy 87-73 Philadelphia win behind Joe Bryant's 22 point 15 rebound game. After the game, Erving called the series "an absolute given. If we don't win in 4, I'll wear a god damn dress."

In game 4, the tension was so thin you could cut it with a knife. Tom McMillen had been put into the starting line-up over Shelton, and everyone hoped for an upset - one sign in the crowd stood out. "Send him home in a dress." McAdoo did just that - he finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 blocks, alongside Frazier's 19 point-17 assist masterpiece, leading the Knicks to a 98-86 point win as they tore away in the second half. Erving didn't show up to Game 5 in a dress, but the Knicks won anyways; this time McAdoo had 36 and 13, winning 102-87 in front of an angry Spectrum arena. In Game 6 back at the arena, he kept the baskets coming, dropping 44 alongside 14 rebounds as he forced the series into a Game 7, the Knicks winning 104-94.

Erving really should've worn the dress. Game 7 in the Spectrum was a completely different atmosphere than that Game 1 - which felt like months ago - and this time the pressure was surreal. Vegas actually predicted the underdog Knicks to win, but George McGinnis had no plans on letting that happen. Having just returned from a broken foot, the forward had 28 points, 8 assists, and 10 rebounds, out-scoring McMillen by 20 points. Bridgeman had 22, but Frazier put up just 6 and McAdoo 14 as the Knicks lost 85-105. The season was over.

I met up with Frazier a couple of months later. Again, we caught ourselves strolling through Central Park on a mid-summer day, fans just as eager to try and snag autographs as ever. Walt was as fly as ever, sporting a funky denim jacket and his always-contagious smile. "Hey man. We made the playoffs, right? You've gotta find some happiness in it all." And isn't that the truth. Because for as messy as a team this New York Knicks squad was - they still brought the ultimately champion Philadelphia 76ers a 7 game series amidst the rigorous pressures of the post-season. And that's just god damn impressive. This is Connie Hawkins, with "Inside a Team - the New York edition."

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1978-79 Golden State Warriors ------

The draft was held in New York City, and I was ready to look for any trade opportunities that might put us in a better position for the following year.
-Houston took Michael Ray Richardson with the first overall pick, while Mike Mitchell went to New Jersey at 2. San Diego traded up for the third pick, sending their 6th, 23rd (1st in the second), New Jersey's 1980 second round pick, and a 1979 Cleveland first round pick to Chicago, which they used to select Mychal Thompson as the Clippers first franchise draft pick. Denver picked up Phil Ford next, and then in another trade up, Boston sent their 10th and 32nd (10th in second round) picks alongside one of their best players, Curtis Rowe, and Anthony Roberts in return for the 5th pick and Jim Ard. Auerbach, in a move that was technically allowed but no one saw coming, then selected a player who had announced his intentions on staying in school - Larry Bird - with the 5th overall pick.
- John Long went to Chicago at 6, Reggie Theus to San Antonio at 7, Billy Ray Bates to Milwaukee at 8, Jeff Judkins to Cleveland at 9, and Wayne Cooper to Seattle at 10.
- Indiana picked up James Hardy at 11, Maurice Cheeks to Detroit at 12, Jerome Whitehead to Atlanta at 13, Marty Byrnes to Milwaukee at 14, and Purvis Short went to Detroit at 15.
- Kenny Higgs went to Kansas City at 16, Gerald Henderson to Philadelphia at 17, Terry Tyler went to the Suns at 18, the Lakers took George Johnson at 19, and the Jazz took 1978 Naismith Player of the Year Butch Lee at 20. Portland took Ron Brewer at 21, at which point I sent Marshall Rogers, Sonny Parker, and our 1979 2nd round pick to San Antonio for Mack Calvin and the 22nd pick - which I used to select
- Notable second round picks included Pat Cummings to Chicago at 23, Dave Corzine to San Antonio at 24, Freeman Williams to Denver at 25, Roger Phegley to New Jersey at 26, Rick Robey to Indiana at 28, Jeff Cook to Washington at 30, Marc Iavaroni to Cleveland at 31, and Keith Herron to Atlanta at 35.

Other trades during the draft included:
- The Suns sending Butch Feher to Cleveland for Chuckie Williams.
- Washington sending Joey Hassett to Portland for Wally Walker.
- Portland sending Robin Jones, Dave Twardzik, Eddie Jordan, and their 1979 first round pick to New York for Earl Monroe.
- Detroit sending their 1979 and 81 first round picks alongside Phil Smith and Leon Douglas to Milwaukee for their 1979 first round pick and Swen Nater.

The Summer League team was coached by Chamberlain. Ernie Grunfeld, Santa Cruz Spartan 2-way signee Darryl McDaniel, Ernie Grunfeld, Michael Cooper, and Otis Birdsong made up the notable players on the roster. We lost the first game in a close match-up, 78-83, before losing the second even worse, 73-81 despite Grunfeld's 33 point outing. The team came back to win the next one against Houston 88-63, Darryl McDaniel posting 23 points and 8 rebounds with Birdsong notching 19 points, as well as the 4th 95-89 - rookie Michael Cooper this time getting 26 points and 10 rebounds - and then the 5th, Cooper, Grunfeld, Birdsong, and McDaniel combining for 74 points in a 95-76 point. While the team didn't make the playoffs, they all showed they could handle the stress of the court. In the tournament finals, the undefeated Lakers went up against the undefeated Spurs - Reggie Theus, Robert Reid, and Dave Corzine led the Spurs to a dominating win as Theus dropped 32 winning 101-86 despite an excellent season from the Tom Abernethy/George Johnson/Earl Tatum/Dwight Lamar led Lakers. No free agents left in the off-season - Barry re-signing for 3 years, Gus for 5 - while the only notable "splash" signing was relief forward Ron Behagen out of Washington, who'd made the 1974 All-Rookie first team in Kansas-City and had averaged 9.3 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game in his 6 year career. Ernie Grunfeld and Michael Cooper both went down to the Spartans - not for lack of talent, but simply to better help them develop - and soon enough I was ready. The regular season was in sight, and I had very big plans.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 408-278 record, 42, 7 playoffs (3 conf finals, 1 championship), 20 years w team (11 as player, 9 as coach)
- Attles has made a solid argument for top 5 coaches in the league, and looks to build on recent success. With Rick Barry now coming into the twilight years of his career, its important for Al to capitalize on the current momentum the teams riding these past couple of seasons, and try to translate that energy into a post-season win. If not, it might be some years before the Warriors can try again.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 25, 4th year in the NBA (4th w. team), 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.8 ppg, 5.2 apg, 2.7 rpg (2.1 d, 0.6 o), 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.8 topg.
- Last season 13.1 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.7 rpg (2.3 d, 0.4 o), 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.6 topg.
- 34 point game high, 14 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 steals, 20 double-doubles, 1 triple-double, 9 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve.
- This is Gus's year. He finished 10th in efficency among point guards in the league last season, tied for youngest with breakout sensations Lionel Hollins and John Lucas amongst the top guards in the league. As guys like Lucius Allen, Jo Jo White, Walt Frazier, and Gail Goodrich begin to enter the dwindling, suddenly the idea of an All-Star year for guys like Williams don't seem too far-fetched. The point guard needs to work on his consistency, but if he can show some of the elite playmaking he demonstrated in the post-season prior, an invitation come February doesn't seem too far out of the question.

- Starting SG: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 25, 5th year (5th w. team), 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 14.1 ppg, 2.4 apg, 7.0 rpg (5.0 d, 2.0 o), 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.3 topg.
- Last season 13.4 ppg, 2.9 apg, 5.7 rpg (4.2 d, 1.5 o), 1.7 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.5 topg.
- Career high 53 points, 11 assists, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, 8 steals, 13 double doubles, 9 p.o.t.gs.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star.
- Riding the coat-tails of last season, Wilkes looks to take a more commanding lead of the team this season as they prepare for a championship campaign. Barry is now 34, and it's unrealistic to assume he'll continue to produce at an elite level for much longer - the only good part of this is the fact that soon enough Wilkes may find himself back into his natural small forward position. His time as a shooting guard has benefited his shooting immensely however, and Wilkes will continue in his role as one of the most versatile players on the team as long as possible.

- Starting SF: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 34, 9th year (13th professionally, 9th w team), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 26.6 ppg, 4.6 apg, 7.6 rpg (6.8 d, 0.8 o), 2.6 spg, 0.8 bpg, 2.7 topg.
- Last season 25.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 6.4 rpg (4.6 d, 1.8 o), 2.4 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.5 topg.
- Career high 60 points, 10 assists, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 10 steals, 37 double-doubles, 78 p.o.t.gs, 3 player of the week.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 8x All-Star (66, 67, 73-78), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), 2x All NBA Second Team (1973, 1978), 2x All Defense Second Team (1977, 78), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- Barry finished last season with a humilating broken foot in the crucial moments of a decisive conference finals against Portland. Had he stayed healthy, it's likely the Warriors could have continued on to another NBA finals appearance - it's even likely they would have won. But they didn't, and here we are now. Health is a major concern for Barry, this being his second broken bone in two seasons (having broken his wrist early on in 76-77) but while there's reason for concern, his stats otherwise show little sign of slowing down. Having averaged 25.2 points per game the season before while leading the league in free throw percentage (with an insane .960) Barry's game looks like it should age fairly well, which is excellent for a team with a ton of fledgling players and not enough minutes to go around.

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 26, 5th year (2 1/2 yrs w team, 3rd season), 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 14.2 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7.4 rpg (5.5 d, 1.9 o), 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.2 topg.
- Last season 16.4 ppg, 2.0 apg, 6.9 rpg (5.0 d, 1.9 o), 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.3 topg.
- Career high 36 points, 8 assists, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 30 double-doubles, 12 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team.
- Shumate has gone beyond expectations, becoming arguably the third option on offense the previous season while maintaining his rebounding and defensive skills. While injuries continue to be a nuisance, it seems realistic that if Shumate can continue to display aggressive defense and excellent creativity on the court, that he's likely to be apart of this team for years to come.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 25, 3rd year (3rd w. team), 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 12.2 ppg, 0.8 apg, 7.6 rpg (5.6 d, 2.0 o), 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg, 0.9 topg.
- Last season 12.5 ppg, 1.2 apg, 7.9 rpg (5.8 d, 2.1 o), 1.1 spg, 1.7 bpg, 1.1 topg.
- Career high 29 points, 5 assists, 17 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals, 46 double-doubles, 9 p.o.t.g.
- A strong center with incredible decision-making abilities and the unique trait of almost never rushing a play, Parish has shown he has what it takes to become an elite defensive player. The question is, at what point does he reach that level - consistently? If the Warriors are going to make it through the post-season, it's absolutely vital that he steps up, but regardless of whether that happens this season or next, soon enough Parish may very well be among the top centers in the league.

- 6th Man: Fly Williams (SG/SF) - #35
- 6-5, 195 lbs, 25, 3rd year (3rd w. team), 152nd pick in the 1976 draft, Austin Peay.
- Career 7.7 ppg, 1.8 apg, 3.0 rpg (2.6 d, 0.4 o), 1.1 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.4 topg.
- Last season 7.7 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.1 rpg (2.8 d, 0.3 o), 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.3 topg, 22.0 mpg.
- Career high 33 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 1 double-double, 2 p.o.t.g.
- All-Star Slam Dunk contest participant (1977, 1978), All-Star Slam Dunk contest champion (1978).
- Fly Williams can fly. Exceling on the offensive end of the floor with his scoring ability, the shooting guard can both shoot the 3 as well as flush in transition, seeing plays before they develop while running the lane efficiently, often drawing fouls in crucial moments of the game. With the talent to start on most other teams - having done well in his 28 starts the past two years and even better in his games off the bench - Williams prepares for a more serious role with the team looking forward towards Barry's retirement, but for now is content to make a run at a 6th man of the year campaign.

- Back-up Center: Clifford Ray (C) - #44
- 6-9, 230 lbs, 29, 8th year (5th w. team), 45th pick in the 1971 draft, Oklahoma.
- Career 7.9 ppg, 2.3 apg, 9.5 rpg (7.4 d, 2.1 o), 1.1 spg, 1.3 bpg.
- Last season 5.3 ppg, 0.7 apg, 5.3 rpg (3.4 d, 0.1 o), 0.9 spg, 1.1 bpg, 0.8 topg, 19.5 mpg.
- 1972 All-Rookie 1st team.
- Clifford's game is a perfect fit for the bench, though the Warriors center strives for more; as his career averages slowly plummet, the reality of Parish's seizure of the center role makes the likelihood Ray ever takes back his starting position all the more unrealistic. Still, he's shown he can lead the bench, and with any luck he'll finish this season with another ring under his belt and good enough stats to potentially pursue a more agreeable contract coming out of the last year on his Golden State deal.

- Back-up Guard: Otis Birdsong
- 6-3, 190 lbs, 24, 2nd year in the NBA (2nd with team), 18th pick in the 1977 draft, Houston.
- Career/Last season 7.4 ppg, 1.9 apg, 3.2 rpg (2.0 d, 1.2 o), 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.1 topg, 19.0 mpg.
- Career high 20 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 steals.
- An excellent scorer with strong mental toughness, Birdsong looks to be one of the steals of the draft, something many analysts saw coming in a draft that initially looked like he'd go in the lottery. The young guard has shown his consistency from an early start, more than capable of exploding for impressive performances off the bench while demonstrating a raw ability to force plays unseen in most guards his age. While the team struggles to juggle shooting guards, Birdsong remains the one with the most potential; hopefully he's here for the longhaul.

- Other notable bench players- Charles Dudley (PG), Dean Meminger (SG), Ron Behagen (PF), Mack Calvin (PG).

The sun was shining brightly in downtown Los Angeles October 17th and it felt absolutely great to be alive; I'd rented a hot red 1977 Chevy Corvette Convertible for the duration of my three day vacation trip, which would soon come to an end, and the intoxicating "Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh" of Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stone's "Miss You" sung loudly into the downtown sprawl of LA's Mission Road as I zoomed my way towards the airport. For the first time in two years we had the opening night off - our first game pushed back until the 20th, in a road match against the Boston Celtics - and I was enjoying the last few hours before the grueling season began. But boy was I ready.

~~~~~~

Coming into that fast game, we were cocky. Boston had a decent enough roster - having given up a handful players, including my former team mate Curtis Rowe, as well as draft picks for Larry Bird, who hadn't even declared for the draft (but was eventually signed onto the team in a bizarre combo that would also allow him to play in the NCAA, a loophole the NCAA and NBA would subsequently ban the following year) but appeared to have an excellent future in the league. We thought we'd beat them at home - instead the rookie exploded for 32 points in just his third game in the league alongside 9 rebounds, ultimately leading his team to a 118-104 point victory. It was a wake-up call - the next game we were back in form, winning 112-86 at home against the Washington Bullets as Parish brought in 23 points and 8 rebounds. They finished the first month with a 5-2 record, including a closely fought 101-97 point win over New Orleans at the Superdome (Maravich dropping 35, Parish dropping 28 points and 12 rebounds) and seemed posed for a great season; the team looked good.

But injuries remained persistent. Rick Barry took an elbow from Rollins late in the 3rd at a Market Square Arena game against Indiana and went out with a concussion, missing a week in what was quickly becoming a regular occurence for the multi-time All Star as the Warriors lost their second match-up of the year against the Pacers 101-94. They gave up another three over the next couple of weeks - first to the Lakers, who were missing Kermit Washington and Joe Bryant 118-107 behind newly acquired World B. Free's 34 points - then a a game against San Antonio at Hemisfair Arena, 109-101 behind rising star George Gervin's 26, and lastly a humilating 97-95 point loss against the then 2-15 Chicago Bulls (forward Mickey Johnson dropping 30 points, 23 rebounds, and 4 blocks). They finished the month 15-9, 4th place behind the Trailblazers, Pacers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Boston's Larry Bird continued to light it up, dropping 52 in a 126-121 win over New Orleans that saw Maravich drop 55 of his own, in the rookies 22nd game of the year. Boston was 13-10, 3rd in the East behind San Antonio and Philadelphia; they had some crinkles, but man were they looking good.

I called in Al and the coaching staff for an immediate that weekend. We juggled a few different ideas - Wilt thought we should push Otis into the starting line-up and bring Wilkes onto the bench, Fulks thought we should aim at having Gus and Parish run the offense with the wings taking a secondary focus, but me and Al decided instead of focusing less on Jamaal, we'd run the entire god damn offense through him. He would become our next Rick Barry. He'd already been showing signs of age - down to just 13.3 points per game, having gone 0-4 for 0 points in a December 4th game against Philadelphia - and it would have to happen sooner or later anyways. I hoped he'd improved - after all, our playoff hopes practically depended on it - but in the mean time, we had to look at our next man up, and Wilkes was without a doubt that guy.

Still, we really struggled to stay relevant that December stretch. As Portland, Philadelphia, and Indiana dominated the headlines, we continued to juggle through the lower half of the playoff bracket, losing first to Los Angeles 95-79 at the Forum as Kareem went for 18 points, 13 rebounds, and blocks, and then again against Milwaukee 108-116 at the Mecca December 11th as Marques Johnson pulled down a 22 point triple double. We rallied back for a win over Denver, 106-86, and then another 111-104 win over Kansas City as Parish nearly grabbed a triple-double, posting 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 blocks, but then we gave up another easy home win, losing 97-102 to Milwaukee again as Spencer Haywood came in clutch in the waning moments of the 4th quarter, landing a crucial block on Robert Parish before following up the court into a slam dunk and an and-one, putting Milwaukee up 100-97 with 30 seconds left. They lost two more to first place Portland after that - first 109-97 at home, then 117-107 at Memorial Coliseum in Portland - and things didn't look great. While they rallied back to win the Christmas Eve second yearly rivalry match-up against New Orleans, Wilkes dropping 21 points and 7 assists as the Warriors won 124-108, they still went into Christmas 20-15. That was not the record of a team that was going to win the finals.

I spent Christmas evening catching up with two old UCLA team mates, Andy Hill and Boston Celtics point guard Henry Bibby, at a bar in downtown San Francisco. We'd just charged out to a 124-108 point win over the Celtics - Rick Barry regaining old form with 33 points and 8 rebounds - and I'd spent the morning with family. Bibby, who'd gone 1-6 with just 7 points and 0 assists in his 13th start of the season, covering for the injured Jo Jo White who was out with a broken finger, was drunk as a skunk, and myself and Andy were well on our way there. "Shame" by Evelyn Campagne King sung out loudly from a jukebox in the corner, and I couldn't help but dance, worries for the team aside. "I think it's gonna be alright, Petey." I glanced over at Andy, who'd been quiet for some time, as he flashed me a smile. "You've got one of the best defenses in the league. Stop focusing so much on what you don't have and embrace what you do. Young talent isn't everywhere."

And he was absolutely right - in a team stacked with guys, I'd really been spreading my minutes out just too far. The very next morning, I made a difficult decision, but one I knew was important for the team; I sent Dean Meminger, Ron Behagen, and our 1980 2nd round pick to Indiana for Houston's 1980 first round pick, Indiana's 1979 first round pick, and power forward Darnell Hillman. I signed Harvey Catchings, a 5th year player who'd been averaging 16.6 points per game and 13.8 rebounds in his time in the D-League so far, to help fill out the roster, and fleshed out the bench, focusing more on Birdsong and Fly Williams while pushing back minutes into the starting unit. Meminger had brought us a great scorer off the bench, but Birdsong and Williams could easily handle that on their own - and now he'd brought us two picks too. Suddenly the future seemed brighter.

We won the next two to close out the year - including a 111-86 point win over San Antonio at home behind Gus William's 24 point-7 assist-4 steal game, and a closely fought 102-99 point win over Kansas City at Kemper Arena as Wilkes scored 34. While we were eight games back from third in the conference - the Lakers at 26-7, behind the 30-7 Pacers and the 32-6 Trailblazers - the team was shifting into crunch time. 1979 was our year.

January 7th I got called into the team office by Attles. Wilkes and Hillman had gotten into a heated argument during a practice that had nearly exploded into blows - he wanted me to solve it. I told Hillman he needed to straighten up or face the consequences - but it didn't seem to phase him. He didn't even seem to want to be here. And it soon enough, things hit the fan.

------ The San Francisco Chronicle, January 22nd, 1979 ------

Another night on the road saw the Warriors bench explode into violence. Darnell Hillman flipped a chair amidst a blow-out third quarter by Phoenix into the court, striking forward Truck Robinson, who immediately charged the relief forward. The two fell to the ground, several blows being exchanged before Clifford Ray and Phoenix player Steve Mix managed to seperate them. Hillman was ejected, as was Truck, but Phoenix went on to win none-the-less, riding Westphal's 29 points to a 93-84 point lead. This kind of violence isn't new; just last year, John Shumate and Spencer Haywood got into a similar scuffle. We hope these things become a thing of the past soon enough - in the meantime, expect discipline for Hillman. As the Warriors move forward with a 33-16 record, stay posted here for more Warriors updates. This is Iljin Cho, signing off.

---------------

I was pissed off. This was a professional organization, and I wouldn't let Hillman dick me around, not in my court. He was suspended for 40 games, and I immediately moved him to the inactive on the roster, signing forward Larry McNeill to replace him. I wouldn't let this derail us - in a team meeting following the incident, I had Attles relay a message just so the team knew I was clear. Fair, disciplined basketball. That's what we wanted here. And it worked - the team took off, gaining form, focus, and momentum. By the All-Star break we were 42-18, still 4th in the West but gaining speed on the competitive 47-13 Portland Trailblazers, the 46-12 Los Angeles Lakers, and the 49-10 Slick Leonard coached Don Buse/Dean Meminger/Billy Knight/Elvin Hayes/Tree Rollins Pacers.

The All-Star weekend was held in Detroit to a sold out crowd through-out the weekend. Indiana's Slick Leonard was set to coach the Western team, while Rex Hughes from San Antonio would coach the Eastern, while Philadelphia's Gene Shue coached the Rookie and Los Angeles's Jerry West coached the Sophomore. Fly Williams lost in the Slam Dunk championship contest to Detroit's rookie Maurice Cheeks, while Los Angeles's Tom Abernethy beat out Terry Furlow and John Lucas in the three point shoot out. Rookie Larry Bird seized the spotlight in the rookie-sophomore match-up with 35, winning 141-125 despite Bernard King dropping 31 points against him. In the main event, Moses Malone brought the East home, dropping 29 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 5 steals as they won 144-139. No Warriors made the team, Wilkes and Barry being snubbed out by Cedric Maxwell, Mickey Johnson, Maurice Lucas, Elvin Hayes, and Alex English. No matter; more fuel in the engine.

Trades for the season included:
- Kansas City traded their 1979 first round pick for New Jersey's George Karl only a few days into the season.
- Nuggets traded Jim Price, Ted McClain, and their 1979 2nd round pick for Chicago's Billy Paultz early on in the season.
- Phoenix sending Alvan Adams to New Jersey for Dave Wohl, Jim Fox, and Curtis Perry -and- Phoenix sending Terry Tyler for Kansas City's 1979 2nd round pick and George Karl.
- San Antonio sending rookie sensation Reggie Theus to Atlanta for point guard and team star Foots Walker alongside San Antonio's 1979 first round pick and Atlanta's 1981 second round pick.
- The Bullets sent Jim McMillian, Otto Moore, and their 1979 2nd round pick to Houston for Wil Jones.
- Houston traded Kevin Kunnert to Detroit for Dave Robisch and their 1979 2nd round pick towards late December.
- The Lakers sent Bob Poquette to New Jersey for their 1981 1st round pick, San Diego's 1979 1st round pick, and Mel Daniels.

On February 23rd, we faced up against the power house in the West, the Indiana Pacers, who'd taken the mantle from Portland as reigning MVP Bill Walton began suffering a string of injuries. In a game Vegas predicted Indiana to win in by double digits, Wilkes surprised an Oracle crowd with 35 points to go along with 8 assists, as Gus Williams dropped 11 assists in a 102-89 Warriors win. They beat New Jersey on the road their next game out, 94-83, before closing out the month in the Garden, beating New York 89-69 as Shumate went for 24 and 9 rebounds.

That streak kept going. By the time we lost to Seattle March 26th, we'd won a league high -19 straight-, pushing us into 3rd in the West behind the 62-13 Pacers and the 61-14 Lakers. Slick Watts had 28 points, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds in the Seattle win, but the team wasn't even mad; they looked great, obviously behind the two power houses in the West but in an arguably better position riding the momentum of their dominant streak. We lost the next game out as well - a close 96-99 point loss to Phoenix at Oracle Arena - but came back after that with a 116-107 point win over Atlanta at Omni Coliseum. The next game out was a 117-103 point win behind 27 points and 8 rebounds from Rick Barry, and then a 112-100 point win over Portland on the road. Gus Williams strained his calf in that game, despite an excellent 23 point 8 assist game, but the future still looked good - the team was already 59-20, better than both of their previous seasons, and they'd already clinched the 3rd seed in the West. They closed up the season with two losses on the road to Indiana then Phoenix, but still finished up with a 60-22 record, an impressive growth from the year before.

The first series of the year saw them up against the Seattle Supersonics. Head coach Lenny Wilkens had whipped his team back into post-season form, having missed the playoffs the season before, and they looked good. All-Star Slick Watts had led Bill Wilkerson, Cedric Maxwell, Mike Bantom, and Curtis Rowe into a good position for the playoffs. With Bob Love, Wayne Cooper, and Brian Taylor riding the bench, this was a match the Warriors expected to win - but one that would require focus none-the-less. April 15th marked the kickoff of the match - as I stepped out of the shower and began to get ready, I couldn't help but dance as the hearty voice of Joe Tex sung out at me "Saw me and ran in another direction - I'll teach you to play with my affeeeection~" as "I Gotcha" hummed out through out my apartment. We had this in the bag - my gut told me so.

It was all about Jamaal in Game 1. He had 34 points, 8 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals as the Warriors won a close one at home, 108-104, despite Slick Watt's near 22 point triple double, 1 rebound shy. We made sure to extend the margin in Game 2, as Robert Parish had 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks along side Gus Williams 17 point 13 assist game in a 106-89 point Warriors win. In Game 3, the Supersonics flipped the script; Cedric Maxwell had 21 points, 3 assists, and 13 rebounds, while Brian Taylor had 14 points and 8 assists in just 19 minutes off the bench, Seattle stealing a win 91-69 in a decisive change of pace. Wilkes went down with a sprained ankle early on, and Rick Barry led the team with a meager 13 points; but they couldn't afford to mess around. It was crunch time. Otis Birdsong was brought into the line-up to replace Wilkes, much to the shock of Fly Williams, but he quickly proved he could handle the pressure. Game 4 was a return to form, as Barry dropped 33, 3 assists, and 12 rebounds alongside -7 steals-, teaming up with Parish - who had 22 points, 2 blocks, and 16 rebounds - to bring the Warriors back to form with a 101-70 point win. In Game 5, Barry put the knife in and twisted; the Warriors won the series 4-1 with a 109-94 point win back at Oracle Arena, Barry dropping 26 points on 11-17 shooting alongside 7 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals. Round 1 was in the record books - the Lakers awaited.

Los Angeles was coming off an excellent season that saw them go 63-19, despite losing Kareem for 26 games to minor injuries throughout the season, and were coming off a hot game 6 series against the Bob Lanier/Maurice Cheeks/Purvis Short/Marvin Barnes Detroit Pistons, led by newly hired coach Chuck Daly. Before the series began, in an interview likely designed to start conflict, Los Angeles shooting guard World B. Free was quoted as calling the Warriors "a team that made a lot of lucky shots." When asked to expand on his team mates comments, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did his best to clarify. "They're on a hot streak, and it's impressive, but it's a streak that's ultimately going to end - because we can expose those weaknesses, and we can make it hurt."

Make it hurt? Rick Barry didn't think so. Game 1 of the series in Los Angeles saw him drop -50- points, going 22-30 alongside 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Gus Williams had 14 and 11 assists, but it still wasn't enough as a 4th quarter scoring run from World B. Free - who finished with 35 - and a near triple double from Kareem, with 12 rebounds, 29 points, and 8 assists, led the Lakers to a 116-111 point win. In Game 2, Parish took the helm. He finished the game with a personal post-season high 36 points to go along with his 14 rebounds and 2 steals, as the Warriors snuck away with a win at the end - Rick Barry sinking a buzzer beater midrange shot from the top of the key - winning 96-94 on the road. They pushed the bar even farther in Game 3 - Barry, Parish, and Birdsong combining for 78 points highlighted by Barry's 33, and the Warriors won in a dominating 112-93 point game to seize a commanding 2-1 going into Game 4 of the series.

But Los Angeles had no intentions of losing - not if Jerry West had anything to say about it. In Game 4, he went back to the team's roots, running pick and rolls with Lucius Allen and Kareem almost exclusively throughout much of the first half tio seize a commanding 64-54 point lead. In the third quarter, small forward Tom Abernethy had one of the quarters of his career, scoring 21 of his 26 points of the game in just 7 minutes on the floor - the Lakers ultimately won 108-100, despite John Shumate's 24 point 8 assist 8 rebound game. Headed back to the Forum tied for Game 5, Jerry West seemed confident. "We regained our rhythm. Let's close this out."

The team took that to heart. In the locker room before the game, Gus Williams made a vow to his team mates- win here, win the series. He finished the heated Game 5 with 17 points, 3 steals, and 15 assists to go along with Rick Barry's 36. The most prominent moment of the game - when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who finished the third quarter with 17 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 28 points, was ejected with number six following an offensive foul on Harvey Catchings. He erupted into fury, going into an arguing match with the referee that resulted in another technical foul and 2 easy free throws for Barry - the Warriors won 105-88. The next game out back at Oracle Arena, Gus Williams kept his promise; he finished with 27 points, 7 assists, and teamed up with Barry's 32 to bring the Warriors to a 111-107 point win, and a 4-2 win in the series, bringing them to their second consecutive conference finals. The locker room was ecstatic - I was ecstatic. The Lakers had been tough, but Indiana would be easy - they'd fought two grueling rounds against Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, and rookie Phil Ford's Denver Nuggets as well as Bill Walton's Trailblazers, but had lost Elvin Hayes to a broken arm late in the second round. The Warriors might make the finals after all.

They lost Game 1. It was probably their ego - Parish and Shumate had both gone out the night before Game 1 in Indiana, and it showed in their play, the two combining for just 26 points and 11 rebounds as Billy Knight's 34 carried Indiana to a 100-92 win. In Game 3 at Market Square Arena, Parish was focused on redeeming himself; he finished with 24 points and 8 rebounds, alongside Barry's 29, as the Warriors won 115-101. They won the next three straight - Barry had 35 in their 109-101 win over Indiana in Game 3, Parish had 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks in their 99-89 point win in Game 4, and then 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks in their 115-108 point win to close out the series in Game 5. In the Finals they were set to face off against Pete Maravich and the Jazz - their old rivals, and what looked to be one of the most excellent match-ups in years, despite the odds being strongly in Golden State's favor. New Orleans had battled through Washington's Dave Bing led Bullets, Julius Erving, George McGinnis, and newly acquired Wes Unseld's Philadelphia 76ers, and Foots Walker, George Gervin, and Larry Kenon's San Antonio Spurs in order to reach the finals as Maravich averaged a ridiculous 38.1 points per game - this was going to be one helluva series.

Game 1 was all about Parish. Him and Rich Kelley got into a heated argument early on in the first quarter - Kelley having successfully held Parish to just 1-3 shooting at the time - but Parish exploded throughout the rest of the game, finishing with 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 9 rebounds, and a personal high of -40 points-, holding Kelley to just 18 with 4 rebounds. Maravich managed to continue his excellent form, dropping 31 as Barry hit 23, but the Warriors sped away with a 118-103 lead. In Game 2, Parish stayed in shape - this time, he held Kelley to just -11- points and 8 rebounds, finishing the game with 3 blocks, 10 rebounds, and 27 points to go alongside Jamaal Wilkes's 29 in his return game, the Warriors finishing 112-92. Elgin Baylor needed to rile these guys up - in his post-game interview, he called his team a bunch of "guys who could have it, but haven't shown they want it."

Maravich finished the next game with 32 - not bad, but nothing insane given his recent numbers. But Kenny Carr had 14, Paul Griffin 13, Rich Kelley 19, and Ernie DiGregorio 22 and 11 assists as the Jazz sped away to their first win of the series at home, finishing 121-114. The next game was even worse - this time Maravich had 46 points, 6 assists, and 7 rebounds as the Jazz sped away 119-96. Going into Game 5, Gus Williams tried to stay humble. "These guys play hard day in and day out. What, you think they just made the finals by chance?" But Wilkes was still confident. "I'm a little rusty, but watch - we've got this."

In Game 5 at Oracle, it was Wilkes who ate his words. He finished with just 12 points, as Maravich exploded for 36. Barry finished with a reasonable 24, but the Jazz again ran away with the win, this time on the road, going home 104-102 as Barry's buzzer beater three missed the rim. In Game 6, Barry came hungry for vengeance; he had 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists to go along side Wilke's 24 point 7 rebound 11 assist game as the Warriors stole a win at the Superdome, 115-90. They'd forced a Game 7 on the road in one of the NBA's fiercest rivalries. Stakes were at an all time high.

I tried to stay cool the night before Game 7. Andy Hill and I - my old team mate from UCLA I'd caught up with at Christmas, who I'd since hired as one of my assistant GMs - spent hours watching footage of New Orlean's previous series, chain smoking joints as Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" boomed loudly from the speaker in the corner. I wasn't used to dope - sure, I'd tried it, but it always gave me anxiety. But ****, the finals gave me anxiety. For now I was focused on Pete Maravich - the guy who'd more or less single handedly taken his team to the Finals (alongside some impressive coaching from Elgin Baylor and some great defense from Rich Kelley). He'd taken down Dave Bing's Bullets, Julius Erving's 76ers, George Gervin's Spurs... if we lost here, it'd be a cindarella story for the ages. Apart of me wanted it to happen.

But the team sure as hell didn't. Game 7 at Oracle was as crazy a crowd as I'd ever seen, 21,640 fans filed into an overcapacity arena that pushed the gray areas of safety regulations and straight up destroyed the barriers of fan and court. The horde - because this was no crowd - screamed and jeered at Maravich, DiGregorio, Carr, Griffin, and Kelley as they took the court. They wouldn't leave here with a trophy, not in this arena. They started off hot - finishing the first quarter with a 5 point lead, 23-18, behind some excellent defense from Kelley and a surprisingly hot start for Paul Griffin, having shot 4-4 including a 3. But Rick Barry took control in the second quarter - the Warriors outscored New Orleans 32-13, as Barry held Maravich to 1-11 shooting for the quarter as the Warriors came into the second half leading 50-36. He kept the pressure up throughout the game, and by the end Maravich had shot an insane 15-39, including a horrendous 3-19 from the 3. He finished with 37 points, while Barry finished with 26, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. The Warriors won 108-95, closing out the series in a decisive Game 7, securing their second finals victory in just 5 years, and the first under my management. I was **** ecstatic.

Robert Parish was the one who decided to pick me up, I'm sure of it. One second I'm tearing onto the court screaming, leaping on top of Gus Williams, and the next thing I know I'm getting pulled off the court by a crowd of Parish, Shumate, and Clifford Ray. We were all screaming, the crowd was screaming - confetti was falling! And as I looked over at my father, standing there with a bigger smile than anyone, for the first time since I'd taken the job I truly felt it - pride. And that was the best fuckin' prize of all.

Houston's Moses Malone won MVP honors - controversial, as Maravich finished second for the third consecutive year, unable to secure the award yet again, but Malone's 22.4 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game saw him win it over Pete's impressive 32.9 points, 4.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. Tree Rollins won defensive player of the year - something no one saw coming from the second year player who'd gone 20th in the draft as he quietly averaged 14.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and a ridiculous 4.1 blocks per game. Larry Bird won Rookie of the Year to no one's surprise - averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game while also leading his college team to a NCAA championship (yo its a video game, I know its unrealistic but cmon, Magic and Bird need that NCAA finals for the rivalry). Dan Roundfield from Indiana was named sixth man of the year - averaging 9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game in just 22.4 minutes played - while Jerry West was named Coach of the Year for his work with the Lakers, having held them together despite injuries - that off season, Bill Sharman would be moved up to president of operations for the Lakers, while Jerry West would take over as general manager. Ernie Grunfeld won D-League MVP honors for the second time, while Jeff Clark was named D-League defensive player of the year. Rick Barry had been named Finals MVP - the second of his career - and while I thought for sure I'd be a contender for that Executive of the Year award, the honors instead went to Boston's Red Auerbach.

We were atop the world - the question was, for how long?

PPG
- Pete Maravich (32.9, NEW).
- David Thompson 2nd (28.5, DEN), Adrian Dantley 3rd (26.9, SD), Julius Erving 4th (25.0, PHI), Bernard King 5th (24.7, HOU), Larry Bird 6th (24.5, BOS), World B. Free 7th (24.4, LAL), Sam Lacey 8th (23.6, KAN), Alex English 9th (22.6, PHO), Moses Malone 10th (22.4, HOU), Cedric Maxwell/Maurice Lucas 11th (22.1, SEA/POR), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 12th (21.6, LAL), Marvin Barnes 13th (21.0, DET), Bill Walton 14th (20.8, POR).

APG
- Nate Archibald (11.3, NJN)
- Jo Jo White 2nd (8.8, BOS), John Lucas 3rd (8.6, PHO), Walt Frazier/Lionel Hollins 4th (8.0, NY/POR), Ernie DiGregorio 5th (6.9, NEW), Gus Williams/Foots Walker 6th (6.8, GSW/SA), Lucius Allen 7th (6.6 LAL), Ray Williams 8th (5.9, PHI), Armond Hill/Dave Bing 9th (5.7, ATL/WAS), World B. Free 10th (5.5), Phil Ford/Don Buse/George Karl 11th (5.4, DEN/IND/PHO), Slick Watts/Campy Russell 12th (5.1 SEA/CLE), Billy Knight 13th (5.0, IND), Norm Nixon 14th (4.6, WAS).

RPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13.6)
- Bill Walton 2nd (13.2), Moses Malone 3rd (12.7, HOU), Bob Lanier 4th (12.4, DET), Bob McAdoo/Artis Gilmore 5th (11.8, NY/CHI), Jack Sikma 6th (11.5, PHO), Dave Cowens 7th (10.2, BOS), Kermit Washington 8th (10.1, LAL), Marvin Barnes/Mickey Johnson 9th (10.0, DET/CHI), Maurice Lucas 10th (9.7, POR), Truck Robinson 11th (9.6, PHO), Elvin Hayes/George McGinnis/Robert Parish 12th (9.4, IND/PHI/GSW), Mitch Kupchak/Mike Bantom/Tree Rollins/Rich Kelley 13th (9.3, WAS/SEA/IND/NEW), Dan Issel 14th (9.2, DEN).

BPG
- Bill Walton 4.2
- Tree Rollins 2nd (4.1, IND), Kareem 3rd (3.9, LAL), Moses Malone 4th (3.5, HOU), Elvin Hayes 5th (2.8, IND), Bobby Jones 6th (2.7, DEN), Sam Lacey/Artis Gilmore 7th (2.5, KAN/CHI).

SPG
- Julius Erving (2.7)
- Randy Smith 2nd (2.5, CLE), Don Buse 3rd (2.0, IND), Brian Taylor/George McGinnis 4th (1.9, SEA/PHI), Larry Bird 5th (1.8), Rick Barry/Slick Watts/Adrian Dantley/Robert Reid/Bob Gross 6th (1.7, GSW/SEA/SD/SA/POR), Bill Walton/Jamaal Wilkes/Ray Williams 7th (1.6, POR/GSW/PHI).

TOPG
- Nate Archibald (3.6)
- Randy Smith 2nd (3.4), Brian Winters 3rd (3.3, SD), David Thompson 4th (3.2), Mitch Kupchak/Kareem/Jo Jo White 5th (3.0, WAS/LAL/BOS), Alex English/Slick Watts 6th (2.9, PHO/SEA), Foots Walker 7th (2.8, SA).

MPG
- Bernard King (38.2, HOU)
- David Thompson 2nd (37.1), Nate Archibald 3rd (36.8), Adrian Dantley 4th (36.5), Pete Maravich 5th (36.3), World B. Free 6th (36.2), Moses Malone/Alex English 7th (36.0, HOU/PHO)

3-P Made
- World B. Free (265)
- Ricky Sobers 2nd (239, IND), Campy Russell 3rd (223, CLE), Tom Abernethy 4th (222, LAL), Pete Maravich 5th (218, NEW), Adrian Dantley 6th (172, SD), Alex English 7th (170, PHO), Bo Ellis 8th (167, NJN), Armond Hill 9th (161, ATL), Charles Kupec 10th (157, NEW), Bob Gross/Dave Bing 11th (150, POR/WAS), John Williamsom 12th (144), Calvin Murphy 13th (142), David Thompson/Kevin Grevey 14th (140, DEN/CLE).

--------------

What a series. Rick Barry closes out a Game 7 in a year that will go down as arguably the most heated match-up of the decade, comparable only to the New York Knicks-Los Angeles Lakers match-up of 1970 or the Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks series in 1974. New Orleans closes out their basketball saga with a heavy game 7 loss, and the Warriors show everyone that sometimes team basketball is more important than star power or high-volume scoring. But what about the guys who didn't make the post-season this year? What about the guys who went unnoticed? This year, we traveled with one of the more obscure teams of the league - the Kansas City Kings. And in our time, we found out that not only are these some of the most underrated workers in the league - but they're also some of the hidden gems. This season on "Inside a Team - the Kansas City edition." I'm Connie Hawkins - stay tuned.

~~~~

Joe Axelson was not, what I would consider, a well loved general manager. The 51 year old, most notable for some of his (what fans consider) horrendous trades, shipping players like Norm Van Lier, Jerry Lucas, Nate Archibald, and most prominently, Oscar Robertson. But for all of the flack he took, he cared about this team. "Sure, I didn't know basketball too well when I took this job over. But I care about my job - who doesn't?" For what it's worth, he's recognized his weaknesses - assistant coach Bob Cousy is responsible for much of the player oversight and day-to-day activities, while head coach Phil Johnson, the recipient of last season's coach of the year award, does an excellent job of handling disclipine. Axelson had a quiet summer - his most notable move had been signing Nick Weatherspoon, a decent enough small forward coming into his 6th year after coming off the bench for Seattle the year before, having put up a mediocre 6.8 points per game the season before as a starter. But if the team was going to make up for the loss of Ernie DiGregorio, Billy Robinzine, and Brian Taylor, they needed to be active. They needed to be resilient.

Instead, they coasted. Game 1 at Kemper Arena saw San Antonio's Larry Kenon drop 34 points and 11 rebounds on them, Sam Lacey leading the Kings with just 20. Lacey stepped it up, doubling his points for a Game 2 road win over Washington at US Airways Center, going for 41 points and 6 rebounds but finishing with 0 assists, Ballard coming in second with just eleven. October 22nd marked another road win - this time against Chicago - but this one was even closer, Kansas City sneaking away with a 107-105 point win as Lacey dropped 33, Doug Collins and Richard Washington dropping 17 a piece. The starting unit of Doug Collins, Ron Boone, Greg Ballard, Jim Chones, and Sam Lacey didn't seem cohesive; they could barely move the ball around. Coach Phil Johnson needed a real point guard - he talked to Axelson, and demanded a trade.

The next day, the Kings sent their 1979 first round pick to New Jersey for journey man point guard George Karl. Karl had started on the Spurs in the ABA, and since coming to the league, had gone from the Spurs to New Jersey, and now here; he was an on and off player, showing incredible on the court intelligence with very limited athleticism. Still - he was exactly what Phil Johnson had wanted. His first game with the team - a close 107-102 point loss to Seattle - saw him drop 9 assists, 3 steals, and 9 points with just 1 turnover in 32 minutes. He looked to be an excellent fit.

I got my first real conversation with Karl and Sam Lacey at a jazz club in downtown Kansas City a few days after he'd arrived. The guys had gone out for a much needed day off, and I'd been eager to check out the much heralded jazz and blues Missouri was so famous for. Lacey had been talking about his top five players in the league - Kareem, Walton, Maravich, Erving, and Bob Lanier, a decent enough group, but one in which I'd definitely replace Erving and Lanier with Malone and Dantley - when I finally got around to hitting Karl with some questions. He was from Pittsburgh, having played for Dean Smith at UNC, with an appreciation of music, and an obsession with hard work. His expectations for the season? "Well, these guys made the first round last year, right? Let's skip a step and go straight to the conference finals." Optimistic, sure, but who knows - could their play live up to his hype?

A week and a half later, they were 7-2 going into an on the road game in Houston at the Summit. Karl had been excellent to start the season, averaging 7.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 8.8 points, while Lacey held the team together, averaging an incredible 28.9 points per game. But Moses Malone refused to be beat; despite Karl's 12 point-8 assists and Lacey's 20 point-12 rebound-2 blocks, hot shot Bernard King had 4 of his 9 made baskets in the 4th quarter, and Houston tied it up 107-107 to force an overtime. Ron Boone did his best to try and keep the time afloat that period - he finished the game with 27, 19 of those scored in the 4th and overtime periods alone, but the Rockets wouldn't be beat. King finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, TomJanovich with 11 rebounds and 22 points, rookie Michael Ray Richardson with 5 assists and 16 points, relief point guard Calvin Murphy with 20 points and 8 assists off the bench, and Moses Malone with a dominating 41 point 11 rebound 6 block explosion as Houston won 129-121. After that their confidence just... vanished.

They lost another 5 games, making it 6 straight, with 4 of those at home. November 29th gave a glimmer of hope - Lacey going off for 30 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals as Kansas City crushed New Jersey at home 87-69 - but then the streak continued for another 5. Doug Collins didn't try to hide the anger - "We fuckin' suck, man."

Offensive coach Bob Cousy seemed to think it was a lack of motivation. "Sam Lacey's putting this team on his back. Last season, we were competitors; this season, sometimes we're lucky to make it through a practice without someone throwing a fit." And he was right- just a few days later, second year player Greg Ballard and shooting guard Ron Boone had to be physically separated after Greg made an under the breath comment calling the guard "washed up garbage". It was strange; this was a city where fans came out, cheered, and actually gave a crap about the team. But to these guys, it was inevitable; they sucked, they couldn't make it, give up.

By January, the team had practically split apart. They'd won just twelve games, floating at the bottom of their conference and with enough tension to drive any coach mad. Karl and Phil Johnson wanted them to step it up, double practices, do whatever had to be done to get this team back into drive - while Axelson, Lacey, and the rest of the guys seemed to think the season was over. Why risk overexerting themselves - for what, a crappier selection in the draft? "Magic Johnson, man. We could get -Magic Johnson-." I was catching up with Jim Chones - a 6-11 back-up center who was coming into his second year on the team, having spent the first three years of his career in Cleveland. "What's the point in fighting for scraps, when there's a better buffet ahead?" I didn't have the heart to remind him the sad reality - that Kansas City's pick for that off-season had already been traded away, and would ultimately get Phoenix Cliff Robinson, no Magic Johnson but a better prospect than basically the entire Kansas City team.

Still - Karl wasn't resigned to lose so gracefully. In a January 21st match-up, a night where tickets had been half off resulting in the Kings first sold out crowd since October, Kansas City faced off against San Diego. The Clippers - who would finish the season 26-56 - had been struggling to remain relevant in a league full of contenders, behind the excellent play of small forward Adrian Dantley. In a game that nearly came down to blows, Dantley dropped 33 - team mate Brian Winters going for 24 in regulation, alongside rookie Mychal Thompson's 12 points and 5 rebounds - forcing an overtime as the Clippers tied the game 104-104. But Dantley fouled out early into the 5th quarter, and Sam Lacey exploded - he finished with 38 points and 17 rebounds, thanks in large to Karl's excellent playmaking ability. George finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds in arguably his best game to date; but still, the high from the victory was short-lived. The team still... well, sucked.

And it was becoming a pretty big issue among the guys. George Karl had started to really hammer away at the guys, citing them for their lack of work ethic and drive, even going after Lacey at one point - and Joe Axelson couldn't have a locker room that wasn't cohesive to his star. Just days after Karl's second big game against Detroit February 5th (the guard going for 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals) Axelson made the call to send him to Phoenix alongside their 1979 second round pick, in return for small forward and 18th pick in the 1978 draft, Terry Tyler. Karl-mania was over.

Phil Johnson was furious, but the decision was final. The team continued on it's ways - at one point losing nine straight in the month of February going into March - but there were glimmers of hope. Lacey made the all star team, and while he wasn't incredible by any stretch, Tyler proved to be an excellent push off the bench, averaging 7.3 points per game in 20.6 minutes played for that first month or so. But still - it was the Kings. They finished the season with 6 losses straight, finishing the season with a blow-out 127-104 point loss to the 30-52 Denver Nuggets, who would use the win to scrape by the 29-53 Milwaukee Bucks for the 8th seed in the playoffs.

A few days later, Phil Johnson resigned. The season was over. I tried to get an interview with Joe Axelson, but he was busy - probably trying to convince team owner Louis Jacobs not to fire him - so I finished up the year grabbing barbecue with Sam Lacey. Was he regretful about the season? "Of course. Who wants to lose? But could I have done much differently... no, probably not." The center - who would finish the season having averaged a career high 23.6 points per game, alongside 2.6 assists, 8.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 2.5 blocks - had played his body to shreds, having sprained a finger, strained a hamstring, pulled his groin, and sprained his wrist throughout the season, despite playing an impressive 79 games. "Next year, man. Next year. I'm gonna miss Phil, but shiiit... he's gonna regret leaving." I certainly hope the best for the center - we'll see if his words ring true. This is Connie Hawkins with "Inside a Team - the Kansas City edition." Thanks for tuning in.

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1979-80 Golden State Warriors ------

We extended Al Attles for 7 years - at -8 million a year-. An insane price for sure, but money couldn't buy success, and I was more than happy to see him milk my dad for anything he could. Joe Fulks stayed on as offensive coach, while Wilt Chamberlain moved up to defensive coach replacing Johnny Bach who'd taken a job as the head coach in New Jersey, and Bob Love came on as the head of player development. I also kept Andy Hill on as my assistant GM and Jeff Mullins as my head scout. The Lakers had won the first pick in the draft, having traded Ben Poquette to New Jersey for San Diego's first round pick, while Chicago ended up second, Phoenix third, New York 4th, Cleveland 5th, and Detroit 6th.

- The Lakers took Magic Johnson first, to no one's surprise, while Chicago took David Greenwood second. Cliff Robinson went to Phoenix 3rd - with a pick they'd gotten from New Jersey for Alvan Adams (and one that New Jersey had gotten from Kansas City), while Johnny Moore went to New York 4th. Cleveland took Calvin Natt 5th and Bill Laimbeer went to Detroit 6th to round up the lottery.
- Atlanta took Greg Kelser 7th, Denver took Phil Hubbard 8th, Houston took Sidney Moncrief 9th, Washington took Bill Cartwright 10th, Milwaukee took Jerry Sichting 11th, San Diego took Roy Hamilton 12th, and Portland took James Donaldson 13th with Seattle's pick from a trade that saw Ron Brewer go to the Supersonics for the pick and Mike Evans.
- Boston took Reggie King 14th, Phoenix took Allen Leavell 15th, New Orleans - which had announced it would be moving to Utah that off-season, much to the fury of the players and fans - took Jim Paxson 16th. Phoenix then took Jim Spanarkel 17th, and then Atlanta took James Bailey 18th. The Knicks selected Kyle Macy with the 19th pick, and then it was our pick. I shipped it to Los Angeles for the 21st pick, alongside our 26th pick, also securing the Lakers 1st round for 1981. They took Vinnie Johnson, who I'd knew would be a steal - but jeez, I had enough guards already. So with the 21st pick, I took Charles Jones. Geoff Huston went to Indiana at 22nd, and that rounded out the first round.
- Notable second round picks included Sly Williams to Chicago at 23, Dudley Bradley to New York at 24, Clint Richardson to New Jersey at 25, Earl Cureton to Los Angeles at 26, Paul Mokeski to Atlanta at 29, Ollie Mack to Houston at 31, and Abdul Jeelani to New Jersey at 37.

I let Bob Love take charge of the summer squad, composed of Michael Cooper, Otis Birdsong, 2-way player Darryl McDaniel, and draft pick Charles Jones, alongside a handful of random guys including former third string guard Marshall Rogers. We lost the first game by nearly 30 points - McDaniel posting a team high 19 points alongside 13 rebounds, while Birdsong went for 13 and 11, as Indiana's Terry Furlow dropped 28, leading his team to a 95-68 win. Birdsong didn't want that to happen again - the next game out, against Detroit, he exploded for 32 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds, leading the team to a narrow 84-81 point win. In Game 3 of the season, he pushed that number even higher, going off for 37 points, 4 assists, and 14 rebounds as we beat the then-undefeated Chicago Bulls 99-78, holding John Long to 8-32 shooting. The next game out, it was Cooper who took the intiative, finishing with 26 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals as we won 84-65. Game 4 was another one - Birdsong going for 18 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, as we beat Milwaukee 81-70 despite rookie Jerry Sichtings 16 point 10 assist 6 rebound game. The next game out, we faced off agaisnt 4-1 Houston in the first round of the Summer League closing tournament - Houston rookie Sidney Moncrief went off for 27 points, while D-League Rio Grande star Casper Clay finished with 11 assists, but Michael Cooper kept the Warriors alive, with 23 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds, closing the game out 103-99. The next game out we faced up against the Atlanta Hawks, who'd knocked us out of the tournament the year before - it was all about Cooper yet again, as he finished with 26 points, 3 assists, and 9 rebounds. The finals, up against the New York Knicks, seemed all but ours; but New York rookie point guard Johnny Moore exploded, playing excellent defense while also finishing up with 22 points, 18 assists, and 2 steals, as New York won 85-67 to win the tournament.

We lost a few good guys that off-season trying to keep the core together. Parish signed on to a 5 year deal, but Clifford Ray went to Boston, Darnell Hillman to Seattle, Dean Meminger had settled in with Indiana (having been traded the season before), Darryl McDaniel had signed on with the 76ers, while Fly Williams went to the Lakers. We re-signed Harvey Catchings, Mack Calvin, and added Wil Jones, Herm Gilliam, and Dwight Jones onto the line-up to try and make up for the losses, but it was obviously a very different roster than the year before. I hoped the additions of Grunfeld and Cooper to the starting line-up might help change the pace. Elsewhere in the league, massive changes had occured, several contenders arising early on as the likely favorites. Pete Maravich, angered by the teams move to Utah, had left the Jazz to join up with Bob Lanier, Marvin Barnes, Maurice Cheeks, and Purvis Short in Detroit in what looked to be one of the most explosive offenses in the league, under the guidance of head coach Chuck Daly and GM Jack McCloskey. Dave Bing had joined up with Jo Jo White, Sidney Wicks, and Dave Cowens in Boston, under the leadership of young sophomore Larry Bird and new head coach K.C. Jones. George McGinnis had gone back to his old team in Indiana, while the Lakers addition of Fly Williams alongside rookie Magic Johnson made their Johnson-Free-Williams-Washington-Jabbar line-ups one of the hottest looking teams in the league. Adrian Dantley had teamed up with rookie Johnny Moore, Walt Frazier, Lonnie Shelton, and Bob McAdoo in New York, while San Antonio - having signed Moses Malone to compliment their Walker-Gervin-Reid-Kenon line-up, looked even better. I had to bank on my guys to stay competitive - because if we could repeat... man... I'd be on top of the fuckin' world.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 468-300 record, 43, 8 playoffs (3 conf finals, 2 championship), 21 years w team (11 as player, 10 as coach)
- With his second championship of his career, Attles has entered the realm of coaching legends. A tremendous leader who was arguably the biggest reason for last season's win, with his contract renewal it's likely he'll be here in Golden State for years to come.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 26, 5th year in the NBA (5th w. team), 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.4 ppg, 5.6 apg, 2.8 rpg (2.2 d, 0.5 o), 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.4 topg, 28.7 mpg.
- Last season 11.0 ppg, 6.8 apg, 3.0 rpg (2.5 d, 0.5 o), 1.4 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.6 topg, 32.3 mpg.
- 34 point game high, 16 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 steals, 32 double-doubles, 1 triple-double, 14 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve, 1 title won.
- Gus has finally emerged as a contender for the team's "that guy". Barry's coming into his 14th year playing professional basketball at 35; while his game has aged well, it becomes absolutely vital for the trio of Gus-Wilkes-Parish to step up, and they have. If this roster can hold it together, there's no realistic reason they shouldn't be back in the playoffs in a good position come April - and Gus's playmaking just might be the most vital part of that plan.

- Starting SG: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 26, 6th year (6th w. team), 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 14.4 ppg, 2.7 apg, 6.7 rpg (4.9 d, 1.8 o), 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.7 topg, 32.3 mpg.
- Last season 15.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 5.4 rpg (4.2 d, 1.2 o), 1.5 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.1 topg, 31.8 mpg.
- Career high 53 points, 11 assists, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, 8 steals, 22 double doubles, 25 p.o.t.gs.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star, 2 titles won.
- Wilkes needs to take control of this team this season. As serious conference competitors emerge in Detroit, Indiana, Los Angeles, and a handful of teams in the east, it's important not to let this team become a one hit wonder. With a revamped squad, Wilkes could likely turn these Warriors into a regular finals match-up if he stays in form; because while his scoring isn't always there, he's shown that he can handle the stresses of running plays and posting up opponents time in and time out, making him the likely future face of this franchise.

- Starting SF: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 35, 10th year (14th professionally, 10th w team), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 25.5 ppg, 4.3 apg, 7.3 rpg (6.4 d, 0.9 o), 2.3 spg, 0.8 bpg, 2.2 topg, 36.5 mpg.
- Last season 17.0 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5.4 rpg (3.9 d, 1.5 o), 1.7 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.7 topg, 31.4 mpg.
- Career high 60 points, 10 assists, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 10 steals, 47 double-doubles, 105 p.o.t.gs, 3 player of the week, 2 titles won.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 8x All-Star (66, 67, 73-78), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), 2x All NBA Second Team (1973, 1978), 2x All Defense Second Team (1977, 78), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- For the first time in his career last season, Barry averaged under 20 points. It was a big wake-up call to the incoming effects of age, but one Rick took with grace; he was still efficient, and still led the team in scoring, proving that old or not, he was a formidable opponent on the court. As he comes into the last stretch of his career, expect his game to remain consistent - slower, maybe, but still as smooth as ever, as the Miami Greyhound gets ready for one of the last rides of his career.

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 27, 6th year (3 1/2 yrs w team, 4th season), 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 14.0 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7.2 rpg (5.3 d, 1.9 o), 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.2 topg, 28.6 mpg.
- Last season 13.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, 6.5 rpg (4.9 d, 1.7 o), 1.2 spg, 1.4 bpg, 1.4 topg, 28.0 mpg.
- Career high 36 points, 8 assists, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 44 double-doubles, 21 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team, 1 title won.
- After helping his team win a title, Shumate is on top of the world. A hard worker who's quick off his feet and day in and day out blankets defenders with his long arms quick feet, John continues to show time in and time out why he was an excellent addition to the team, well worth Phil Smith, George Johnson, and the picks he was traded for.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 26, 4th year (4th w. team), 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 12.9 ppg, 0.8 apg, 8.2 rpg (6.2 d, 2.0 o), 1.1 spg, 1.6 bpg, 1.1 topg, 29.5 mpg.
- Last season 14.4 ppg, 1.0 apg, 9.4 rpg (7.3 d, 2.1 o), 1.2 spg, 2.3 bpg, 1.3 topg, 28.1 mpg.
- Career high 40 points, 5 assists, 18 rebounds, 8 blocks, 5 steals, 85 double-doubles, 27 p.o.t.g.
- As the defensive foundation of this team, Parish has exceled in his role as an enforcer, easily one of the leagues most talented man-to-man defensive threat. With the go-to scoring ability to take over late in games as one of the most athletic players in pro basketball, he needs to look to improving his ball handling and playmaking abilities in order to really enter that top 5 center in the league contest.

- 6th Man: Otis Birdsong (SG/SF) - #10
- 6-3, 190 lbs, 25, 3rd year in the NBA (3rd with team), 18th pick in the 1977 draft, Houston.
- Career 7.1 ppg, 1.7 apg, 3.0 rpg (1.9 d, 1.2 o), 0.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.0 topg, 18.5 mpg.
- Last season 6.8 ppg, 1.5 apg, 2.9 rpg (1.7 d, 1.1 o), 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.0 topg, 18.1 mpg.
- Career high 20 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5 steals.
- Birdsong showed up last year in the playoffs, starting in 15 of 22 games while helping the Warriors seize a commanding victory in the series he played in. With good range and accuracy, he's got a great fake and hesitation package and picks up a lot of steals with speed and anticipation. His ability to read the floor makes him a likely replacement for the starting line-up once (or if) Barry ever retirse, but in the meantime, expect him to be a good candidate for 6th man of the year.

- Back-up Forward: Ernie Grunfeld (SF/PF) - #18
- 6-6, 210 lbs, 3rd year in the NBA (3rd w. team - did 2 years D-League), 27th pick in the 1977 draft, Tennessee.
- Career 27.7 ppg, 7.4 apg, 7.4 rpg (5.6 d, 1.8 o), 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.8 topg, 35.5 mpg (D-League)
- Last season 30.5 ppg, 8.8 apg, 7.7 rpg (5.7 d, 2.0 o), 1.5 spg, 0.9 spg, 2.7 topg, 35.1 mpg (D-League)
- Career high 44 points, 16 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 3 double-doubles, 1 triple double, 75 p.o.t.g, 2 titles won (1 NBA, 1 D-League).
- 1978 + 1979 D-League MVP, 1978 + 1979 All-D-League First team, 1979 All-D-League First Defense team.
- A big guy who can consistently hit the three when left open, Grunfeld comes into the league with high expectations. I've let the kid play and excel in the D-League for two years now, so I hope he's ready for the harsh realities of the league - he'll need to keep exploding for big scoring nights off the bench, and with hope, he'll quickly become one of our most reliable options on the court.

- Back-up Guard: Michael Cooper - (PG/SG) - #21
- 6-5, 170 lbs, 2nd year in the NBA (2nd w. team - did 1st in D-League), 22nd pick in he 1978 draft, New Mexico.
- Career/Last Season 13.8 ppg, 5.3 apg, 5.8 rpg (4.3 d, 1.4 o), 1.4 spg, 0.8 bpg, 2.1 topg, 35.8 mpg.
- Career high 25 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals, 3 p.o.t.g, 1 title won.
- 1979 All D-League First team, 1979 All D-League First Defense team.
- An athletic guard with great leaping ability, and a tremdous explosiveness and strength that allows him to consistently outrebound and outgrind bigger and taller players than himself, Cooper comes into the season having trained and conditioned himself into a good season form. He could use work on his outside shot, which is solid but needs improvement, but is well on his way into becoming a solid and reliable shooting guard.

- Other notable bench players- Charles Dudley (PG), Wil Jones (PF), Harvey Catchings (C), Herm Gilliam (SG), Dwight Jones (PF/C), Mack Calvin (PG).
----------------------

We lost our first game of the season to New York at MSG. Adrian Dantley had a great night, with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and a perfect 10-10 from the line, and despite Wilkes and Parish teaming up for 55 points, we fell short, losing 105-113. I didn't look too far into it - the Knicks were bound to have a great season, and it was still early on. We won the next two at home - first against Atlanta 106-89 as Wilkes had 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Robert Parish had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and then against the Spurs, with Wilke's 32 point 5 assist 7 rebound game proving essential in a win over the Walker-Malone Spurs (Gervin being out with a sprained ankle) as the Warriors finished 113-106. We lost the next game - an on the road rematch against San Antonio at Hemisfair Arena, Malone dropping 29 points and 19 rebounds as the Spurs finished 107-95 - but came back in good form, finishing 106-96 against Cleveland, 118-85 against Kansas City, and then 103-70 against Chicago.

A November 1st game saw the Warriors up against the 5-0 Portland Trailblazers. Barry was explosive, with 14 points in the first quarter on 5-9 shooting, going 4-4 from the free throw line, but a rough foul from Maurice Lucas early in the second saw him stumble back and into the ground, his arm smashing into court as his face strained in pain - later reports would confirm a broken arm, the same arm he'd broken his wrist on in 1976. Portland exploded to a 120-116 point lead late in the 4th, but Wilkes went off for ten points in two minutes; the team finished with a 134-126 point win, Wilkes finishing with 35, alongside Parish's 27 points and 12 rebounds, plus Gus William's 15 points and 12 assists. Barry would be out for at least a couple of months, so Attles decided to push Wilkes up to small forward, bringing Otis Birdsong into the starting line-up. He had a rough game out his first start of the season - shooting 2 for 9 for just 4 points in a game against the Nate Archibald/John Williamson/Alvan Adams led New Jersey Nets, but Wilkes came through with 30 points on 11-19 shooting, while Ernie Grunfeld had a season high 17 points off the bench, along side 4 assists.

After our first yearly match-up against rival Utah on November 15th - which, despite their opponents being a league low 1-12 at the time, the team still managed to lose as Rich Kelley went for 31 points and 11 rebounds - we were 10-6, with losses to Chicago, Atlanta, and Indiana to go along with the others. By the end of the month, we'd brought that record up to 16-8, with Wilkes playing some of the best basketball of his life as the team struggled with a string of minor injuries, including losing Shumate for nearly three weeks, and losing Charles Dudley for two.

A November 24th match-up saw us on the road in Boston, with our first yearly match-up against the Boston Celtics. They were quickly becoming one of the strongest teams in the east - still behind the San Antonio Spurs and the Philadelphia 76ers, but with rumors abound of conference changes that would see Houston and the Spurs move west as Dallas came into the league in an expansion this summer, it seemed likely the Celtics were en route to regaining their former glory. And in the game, it showed; Williams had 19 and 10 assists, Wilkes had 22, and Shumate dropped a then season high 32 points and 10 rebounds, but Bird's 32 point 6 assist 10 rebound game (alongside Sidney Wicks 19 points 10 rebounds 4 blocks and Dave Cowens 20 points 14 rebounds 2 blocks) saw the Celtics tear away in the 4th, outscoring us 36-27 as they won the game 116-108. We had a loss to conference powerhouse Indiana two days after that - this time in Oracle Arena, as a tightly fought game featuring -18- lead changes against Billy Knight, Elvin Hayes, Tree Rollins, Ricky Sobers, George McGinnis, and former Warriors player Dean Meminger saw us ultimately losee 109-114, with Wilkes's 26 and William's 22 not enough.

We finished the month with three straight wins at home - including a 109-79 point win over Philadelphia (who had lost Erving for the entire season to a torn ACL) a 105-83 win over New Jersey, and a 11-76 point win over San Diego as Wilkes went for a season high 43 points. He pushed that number farther, dropping 46 just 3 days later in our first match-up against Detroit for the year, but newly recruited Piston Pete Maravich and explosive forward Marvin Barnes combined for 56 as the Pistons won 129-121, outscoring the Warriors 46-32. We were simply getting too tired in the 4th - Ernie Grunfeld looked great off the bench, but things just weren't meshing with the other guys. Something had to happen.

Our next game out, Shumate went down again, straining his knee and putting himself out for at least a couple of weeks. It was a damn shame too - he'd been having the game of his life, dropping a career high 44 points, along side 3 blocks, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 9 rebounds in 39 minutes played as he held Celtics forward Sidney Wicks to just 4 points for the night. Towards the end of the 4th quarter, however, as we pushed the lead higher (at one point up by 27 points) he took a nasty fall; Eddie Johnson exploded after that, bringing the Celtics up and fast. We still won 122-108, much to the pleasure of the Oracle Arena fans (Wilkes finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists - but more impressively, successfully holding Bird to just 9 points for the night on 4-14 shooting) but Johnson's impressive 31 points off the bench was something I needed. Grunfeld was reliable as hell, averaging 13.7 points per game, but he'd only hit 20 once - it was time to start thinking trades.

On December 31st, to close out the year, I made the call. I rang Charles Dudley before anyone else - he'd been with us since 1974-75, having won two rings and having been one of our most consistent role players in years - and let him know the bad news. He was upset, for sure, but understandable. "Curtis Rowe, huh? Damn. I mean... damn. I get it, I guess. All's fair in business, right?" The words hurt, but this was the reality of running a team; you couldn't keep everyone happy. That night, we submitted the trade and it became official - Charles Dudley, rookie Charles Jones, veteran forward Wil Jones, and our first round pick for 1980 along side the Lakers pick we had for '81 (having gotten it from the Lakers draft night trade they conducted to skip up a spot) while still retaining our 1980 1st round pick from Houston we'd gotten in the Meminger-Behagen for Hillman trade with Indiana the year before.

The electrifying keyboard of a-ha's "Take on Me" made it hard hard to hear as I stood near the catering table at my father's grand end-of-the-70s party. Practically the entire team was there - I saw Wilkes spinning around a girl on the floor, Gus Williams and Parish pounding drinks around a table of enamoured spectators, and saddest of all, Charles Dudley, Rick Barry, and Al Attles seated solemnly at a table in the corner. My old UCLA team mate, close friend, and new signee Curtis Rowe put a hand on my shoulder from behind, noticing my gaze just on cue. "You think he blames me?" I took a long sip from my drink, Dudley noticing my gaze from across the room as he quickly averted his eyes. Rowe shrugged. "I mean, ****. Probably. I don't see Wil Jones or that kid Charles here, at least Dudley showed up." I nodded, then shrugged. Dudley had started his career in Seattle, having played a year there. "Yeah... this team probably meant a lot to him. But ****, you know what? He'll survive." I slammed down my drink, and made a B-line to the dance floor; there were ladies to impress, and I'd be damned if I was going to let guilt ruin my night.

And Rowe clicked. Our first game in January - and his first with the team - he had 12 from the bench, along side Michael Coopers 11 and Grunfeld's 9 as we bested Houston at the Summit 118-91, Wilkes leading the charge with 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals. We lost our next match-up in Detroit 105-97 - Maravich going for a season-high 46 points and 7 rebounds - but rallied back after that with a major win over San Antonio at Hemisfair Arena, Parish pulling down 23 baskets, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks, as Grunfeld dropped 12 and Curtis Rowe hit 16 from the bench. We won 114-104, pulling away in the fourth quarter despite reigning MVP Moses Malone's incredible 24 point 12 rebound 10 block triple double. We were 5th in the east, 27-16, just two losses behind the 26-14 Phoenix Suns and not too far back from 33-9 Los Angeles, 32-9 Indiana, and 27-11 Portland. I felt good - for the first time that season, I felt relaxed.

The season grinded on. Wilkes had taken Grunfeld under his wing - with some hiccups, of course, as they got into a couple of nasty arguments following close losses to Atlanta in overtime (John Drew finishing with -48- as Atlanta won 134-127) and then Portland at Oracle Arena, Bill Walton going for 27 and 11 as Portland won 129-122 - but for the most part we stayed on track, finishing the month with a major 125-120 win over Boston at the Garden, Barry finishing with a season high 35 points. By the All-Star break, we were 40-20, now 4th in the west, with a a vengeful 137-119 point win over Atlanta at home (Shumate with 30) and a 121-103 point routing of the Pacers, Gus Williams with 11 assists and 28 points.

Philadelphia's Dennis Johnson won the slam dunk contest - besting Detroit's Maurice Cheeks and the Laker's Fly Williams in the first round, and San Diego's Sly Williams in the finals - while Philadelphia's Tom Abernethy won the three-point contest, beating Washington's Charles Kupec and San Antonio's Dean Meminger in the first round. Larry Bird bested Magic in the Freshman-Sophomore match-up, being named MVP of the match for the second straight year with Slick Leonard coaching him and the sophomore class while Billy Cunningham took control of the Freshman; it was a tightly contested game, with 11 lead changes, as the sophomores won 156-153, Bird finishing the game with 39 points and a personal high of 12 assists, while Magic finished with (I kid you not) 38 points and 15 assists. Jamaal Wilkes was named the starting small forward for the Western All Star team (averaging a personal high of 25.7 ppg) while Parish and Gus were both barely edged out, by Bill Walton and Magic Johnson respectively. Paul Westhead coached the West - in his first year in charge of the Lakers he'd led them out to an impressive 47-13 to lead the conference - while Rex Hughes from San Antonio coached the East. Wilkes had 13 points in the game, alongside 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and an embarassing game high 7 turnovers as John Lucas's 21 points and 8 assists secured the Western team both the win and an All-Star Game MVP award.

Trades for the season included:
- Chicago sending Sly Williams and Dennis Boyd, and their 1980 first round pick to San Diego for Norm Van Lier and their 1980 and 1982 first round picks.

- Trailblazers send Fred Brown and Joey Hassett to Cleveland for Billy Robinzine and their 1980 second round pick in early December.

- Washington sends their 1980 second round pick to Indiana for veteran point guard Gail Goodrich.

- Indiana also sends James Hardy and Dean Meminger to San Antonio for Sonny Parker and their second round pick.

- They ALSO sent Geoff Huston to San Diego for the Clipper's second round pick and Nick Weatherspoon, late December.

- And in a FOURTH trade for the season, they sent Ron Behagen alongside their 1980 second round pick, Washington's, and Golden State's to Washington for Jan Van Breda Kolff.

- And in a FIFTH YES A FIFTH TRADE Indiana sent Henry Bibby to Atlanta (his fifth team in three years, the 7th of his career at just 9 seasons played and 30 years old) for Fred Boyd and Atlanta's second round pick for 1980 right at the deadline.

- Kansas City sent Kenny Higgs, Kevin Porter, John Laskowski, James Silas, and their 1980 second round pick for New Jersey's Charlie Scott in late December.

- Boston sent their first round pick for 1980 to Cleveland for Cornell Warner and their 1982 2nd round pick right at the deadline, needing a center as Dave Cowens went out with a broken arm.

- They also shipped Reggie King to Atlanta at the end of January for Atlanta's 1980 1st round pick.

- New York sent Eddie Jordan and their 1980 2nd round pick for Denver's Rickey Green right at the deadline.

Looking ahead to the last two month span, I was optimistic about our team's chances. We won four straight after the All-Star break going into our 3rd game of the season series against the Lakers. They still loomed atop the conference at 50-14, but Attles had spent weeks preparing for this game. While Magic, Free, Williams, Washington, and Abdul-Jabbar were a fierce line-up, there was a weakness to exploit; and that weakness, as sad as it was to say, was Fly Williams. We'd played with him, practiced with him - we'd practically rebuilt him into the dude he was today. The game was fierce and rugged, with hard fouls jabbed out from both sides, but we played some of the best god damn defense of the season, limiting World B. Free to a team high of 16 points (though 6 players finished in double digits) as Wilke's 30 points and Gus William's 13 assists gave us the win, much to the applause of our cheerful fans, beating the Lakers 114-100.

We were on fire for the rest of the season stretch. There were a few bad losses in there - including a 124-112 point loss to Detroit (Maravich with 30; he was basically our teams enemy #1), a 103-93 point loss to Boston (that saw former Warriors player Clifford Ray drop a season high 25 points along side 9 rebounds), and a 115-90 point loss to Portland, despite losing Corky Calhoun to a torn MCL and Bill Walton to a broken leg early in March, and a crushing 95-126 loss to the Lakers on April 5th - but by the end of the season, we sat at 55-27, tied with the Phoenix Suns but unfortunately pushed down into 5th due to the season series record.

In the West the teams were as followed:

- At 1, the 59-23 Los Angeles Lakers. While falling short of their 63-19 record from the year before, the league had become much more competitive this season with the formation of a handful of competitors. Rookie Magic Johnson proved an incredible addition to the team, and while the loss of sharpshooter Tom Abernethy and several bench players including Cazzie Russell, Don Chaney, and emerging star Ben Poquette proved hard to adjust to, new signee Fly Williams and draft pick Vinnie Johnson were both excellent replacements. Under the leadership of new coach Paul Westhead, Kareem's career had gone back into the limelight as he won the season's MVP award; a championship seemed almost inevitable.

- In 2nd, tied with the Lakers (but having lost the season series) were the Portland Trailblazers. With the losses of Bill Walton to a broken leg and Corky Calhoun to a torn MCL, the playoff chances of this team seems slim - but Bob Gross, Walter Davis, John Wilkins, Lionel Hollins, and Maurice Lucas have stepped up to the plate, doing their best to keep the dream going. Theoretically, Walton could return as soon as early to mid-May; if they could push their way into the conference finals, the re-emergence of him might be enough to push them over the competition. As Coach Jack Ramsay prepares for the battle of a lifetime, this is certainly an underdog to look out for.

- In 3rd - but not by much - were the dominant Indiana Pacers, coming in at 58-24. The team had lost Don Buse and a handful of role players in the off-season, but the addition of former ABA Pacers star George McGinnis had been enough to keep them at the top of the conference. With an aging Elvin Hayes still dominating on defense along side an emerging defensive superstar Tree Rollins, can the offensive might of Billy Knight and Ricky Sobers prove enough? The team posted a went a record 69-13 the year before, but ultimately lost to the Warriors in the conference finals; perhaps the addition of McGinnis will be enough to help coach Slick Leonard force them over that final hump into the NBA finals.

- In 4th - and our first match-up of the playoffs - the Phoenix Suns. John Lucas was having his best season yet, proving to Ray Patterson and the folks in Houston that they'd been dumb to trade him (having been sent from Houston for Garfield Heard his rookie year). Head coach Johnny Kerr continues to prove he's one of the better coaches in the league, with his third straight 50+ win season, the team matching it's record from the year before of 55-27. Truck Robinson has proved he's star material, while Paul Westphal - in his 5th season with the team - has continued to prove his detractors wrong, despite suffering from a string of injuries including some nasty sprains early on in the season as well as a broken finger. But it's Alex English who's arguably had the best start yet; the two-time All-Star had his second season averaging over twenty points a game, and as he continues to grow (just 25 in his 4th year in the league) he looks to be a likely long-time part of this Phoenix squad.

- We came in at 5th, tied with Phoenix at 55-27. While certainly not where I wanted to be nor expected, the team looked strong, and with Wilkes having emerged as a true leader along side the excellent play of Gus Williams (who'd make the second All NBA team and second All Defense) and Robert Parish, it didn't seem too unrealistic to make it to the finals once more.

- At 6 were the Detroit Pistons at 51-31. Chuck Daly had given the team an additional 12 wins over their 39-43 record the year before, showing that with a healthy and talented squad, he could compete. The Maurice Cheeks - Pete Maravich - Purvis Short - Marvin Barnes - Bob Lanier had proven to be less effective than expected, but growth took time, and with a solid bench unit including Bill Laimbeer, Darryl Dawkins, Brad Davis, Jim McElroy, and Don Adams, this time looked to be well on it's way to solid contenders.

- Down in 7th were the Seattle Supersonics, still with a winning record at 43-39. This season had been all about Slick Watts and Cedric Maxwell; they'd averaged 19.5 and 25.6 points respectively, with Watts also coming in at 8.4 assists and 1.8 steals. Veteran player and former Lakers forward Cazzie Russell - a signing in the off season - said it best; "We're the guys that people don't notice until we're up 35 points and Watts is dribbling out the clock." Watts and coach Lenny Wilkens continued to prove why it was dangerous to overlook them - while they hadn't made it through the first round the previous few years, Portland looked like an upset they could handle.

- In last - but not least - were the Denver Nuggets, at 33-49. Larry Brown was a great coach stuck with a not so great team, but he refused to give up on these guys. For the third time in four years they made the playoffs, led by the young point guard Phil Ford, former Pistons sharpshooter M.L Carr, defensive hound Bobby Jones, and the jack-of-trades center Dan Issel. The Lakers looked daunting - but maybe they could pull it off.

In the East, meanwhile, the teams consisted of:

- The San Antonio Spurs at #1, with a 62-20 personal season record, their franchise best. Angelo Drossos had formed one of the best teams in the league, and he'd made it look easy. Having traded for Foots Walker the season before and having signed guys like Demarcus Phelan, Robert Reid, and Dave Corzine, Moses Malone made the choice to leave Houston only to join a team 200 miles away. The reigning MVP had an amazing season none-the-less, finishing second in MVP voting (having missed 14 games through-out the season to injury) while George Gervin finally developed into the consistent All-Star people had expected him to become. With Rex Hughes in command, the team coasted to the league's best record; now how far can that take them?

- The Philadelphia 76ers at #2, posting a 55-27 record for the season despite losing Erving to a torn ACL early on. I think a lot of people expected them to plummet - hell, I wondered if they'd make the playoffs - but instead, Billy Cunningham has proven the detractors wrong. With excellent play from point guard Ray Williams, relief forward Tom Abernethy, and both 4th year forward Mark Olberding as well as former Washington Bullets center Wes Unseld, this team has gone far where many saw them failing.

- The Boston Celtics coming in at #3 with a 48-34 record, and boy do they look good. With the return of Dave Cowens April 9th just in time for the post-season, it's likely the Celtics play well beyond their skill level. As Larry Bird has shown every indication he's got what's needed for becoming one of the premire league attractions, look to this team to go far; at the very least, second round, at best, the god damn NBA finals. Also take note; with the team losing both Eddie Johnson and Dave Bing to injury, expect John Havlicek to continue starting for the squad.

- At #4, the New York Knicks with a 45-37 season record, 21 games higher than the season before. The addition of Adrian Dantley had done -wonders- for the team, and while they'd still struggled early on with finding a rhythm, as rookie Johnny Moore became more comfortable with his shot and Dantley learned how to lead the team, they nearly pushed their way into the third seed, just barely missing out late in the season. Red Holzman has confidence in this team none-the-less; they made it to the finals in '77 with Shelton, McAdoo, and Frazier, and the team's only gotten better.

- 5th were the Washington Bullets, a good distance down the ways at 37-45. Consistently a solid enough team, having made the playoffs the past three seasons, they seemed to always lack the final touch for pushing them through the ranks. Dick Motta was doing his best, relying on long-time franchise player Phil Chenier, Mitch Kupchak, Norm Nixon, former New Orleans starter E.C. Coleman, and rookie Bill Cartwright to get the job done, along with Charles Kupec, Ron Behagen, Gail Goodrich, and Jeff Cook off the bench. But still - while their consistency was to be admired, few saw them as a team that'd get past even the first round match-up against New York. All the better to prove them wrong.

- At 6, the Utah Jazz, who despite losing Maravich had proven that they didn't need to rely on one scoring option to win. With a 36-46 record, they certainly struggle with scoring, but with excellent defense from 3rd year player Kent Benson and (now that Maravich was gone) franchise star Rich Kelley alongside reliable play from Butch Lee, Paul Griffin, Campy Russell, and Ernie DiGregorio, coach Elgin Baylor has kept this team alive. They knew they couldn't afford to miss the post-season, not after making the finals the year before - and while depth in the playoffs seemed unlikely, crazier things had happened.

- At #7, the San Diego Clippers. In his first year as head coach, Phil Johnson had brought the Clippers back into relevance, going 35-47 as he improved the team's record by 9 wins, despite the loss of Adrian Dantley. While that loss was huge for sure, by bringing on George Karl - who he'd worked closely with in Kansas City - he gave the team an intelligent floor leader, as Karl managed to play and start in all 82 games of the season, posting 12.1 points per game along side a career high 8.8 assists and 1.7 steals. With Al Skinner, Brian Winters, rookie Mychal Thompson, and 4th year player and 1979 6th man of the year Dan Roundfield, Johnson and Karl managed to lead a team that many expected to plummet back into relevancy. But could they capitalize on it?

- And at #8, just barely scraping their way into the playoffs, the Houston Rockets with a 33-49 record. Despite losing Moses Malone the year prior, the team managed to stay on its feet, going down just 4 games from the season before behind excellent play from sophomore Michael Ray Richardson, 3rd year player Bernard King (who led the league in scoring at just 24), long-time franchise player and former All-Star Rudy Tomjanovich, as well as court enforcer and defensive anchor Swen Nater who they'd signed to replace Malone. While Malone and the Spurs prove a daunting foe, this team is motivated to show Moses why he should've stayed; after all, there can only be one best team from Texas.

Teams that didn't make the playoffs included the 28-54 Nate Archibald led Nets, the 19-63 Spencer Haywood led Milwaukee Bucks, the 19-63 Sam Lacey led Kansas City Kings, the 31-51 Joe Meriweather led Cavaliers, the 13-69 Artis Gilmore led Chicago Bulls, & the 28-54 John Drew led Atlanta Hawks.

This was our first time seeing Phoenix in the post-season since 1978. Everyone knew better than to overestimate them; this could very well be the hardest match-up we saw that post-season. In Game 1, Alex English and Wilkes went head to head; Jamaal finished with 37 points, 6 rebounds, and an insane 8 steals, but English's 32 - along side a near triple double from John Lucas with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists - pushed Phoenix over the edge in front of the cheering Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum crowd, Phoenix winning 116-103. We brought it back in Game 2- Wilkes and Barry held English to just 12 points, and though Phoenix center Jack Sikma charged out to a 30 point 19 rebound 5 block game, Wilke's 36 and Parish's 18 point 12 rebound game was enough to send the Warriors home with a 116-108 win. Game 3 at Oracle was much of the same; Wilkes led the way with 27 points and 8 rebounds, holding English to 15 for an easy 98-89 point win - Game 4, it was Parish's turn, as he charged out to 18 points and 19 rebounds, John Shumate leading the team with 23 points (Wilkes with 20) as the Warriors won 101-84.

By Game 5, many expected the Warriors to finish them off on the road - but Sikma and Westphal weren't about to give up easily. They finished with 32 and 26 respectively, Lucas dropping 17 points and 11 assists on the side to help catapult Phoenix to a 116-93 point win. Game 6 had us a little worried; they looked great, and the Warriors were struggling to beat them on the rebound game. But just on cue, John Shumate came up to the plate, finishing Game 6 with 20 points, 4 blocks, 4 steals, and 12 rebounds. English went out with a sprained ankle late in the first - having scored 0 points for the night - and we sped away to a 86-70 point win, closing out the series at home.

In round 2, we matched up with the Los Angeles Lakers. We'd beat them the year before in this same round - Kareem's now infamous "they're on a hot streak but we can make it hurt" motivating the sometimes lackluster Warriors squad to a 4-2 win, but this was an even better Lakers team (despite a worse record) with the season's MVP, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, more motivated than ever. He dominated in Game 1 - dropping 28 points, 3 blocks, 11 assists, and 16 rebounds for a triple double - while rookie Magic Johnson had 20 points and 6 assists, and shooting guard World B. Free took 'em home, dropping 43 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks to give the Lakers a 124-115 point win at home. Sophomore George Johnson, the 19th pick in the '78 draft, filled in the line-up for the temporarily injured Fly Williams, and while we tried to expose the weakness - Wilkes and Shumate combining for 66 - we fell short. It wouldn't happen again in Game 2.

Wilkes came out shooting hot. He shot 17-29 for the night, with 39 points, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and 15 rebounds, holding forward George Johnson to just 6 points on 3-8 shooting. While B. Free had another hot night, dropping 36 points on 5-11 3 point shooting, Gus Williams had a crazy night of his own, going for 25 points, 12 assists, and a career high 8 steals as the Warriors beat the Lakers at the Forum, 117-98. Coming into Game 3 at Oracle Arena, Wilkes made some regretful pre-game comments himself. "The Lakers are a great team, a great team. But we're a great team too. Compare our post-season last year to their's in 1977; who looks better?"

Wilkes finished Game 3 with a post-season low 12 points, with 6 turnovers. Barry had 29, Parish 19 (with 14 rebounds) and Gus Williams 21 (with 10 assists) but the Lakers made Wilkes eat his words, B. Free exploding -again- for 31 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 6 steals, going 7-14 from the 3 and giving the Lakers a 125-109 point win. In Game 4, the Warriors took back the momentum yet again; Parish had a post-season high 31 points, Jabbar missing the game with a sprained toe as he held relief center Joe Bryant to just 2 points for the night on 1-8 shooting, the Warriors winning in a dominating 127-114 game to close out their home-court advantage. If they could win Game 5, they could win this series - Al Attles knew it, the players knew it, I knew it, **** the Lakers probably knew it.

But it wasn't easy. Rick Barry started off hot - shooting 7-11 for 14 points - but got into foul trouble early on. Ernie Grunfeld had a great game off the bench in his place, dropping 17 points in just 17 minutes played, and Gus Williams led the charge, hitting basket #10 on a great 10-12 night that saw him drop 23 points alongside 16 assists, and suddenly we were up, 116-115. But Free quickly hit another 3 - his 6th of the night - and soon the Lakers had a 118-116 lead. Wilkes tried to drive the ball down the court, but missed, hitting the rim, and when Joe Bryant (Kareem still out, as was Fly Williams) came down to convert a hard dunk and Wilkes fell short yet again - finishing with just 20 points for the night - I knew we were done. The Lakers didn't even bother dribbling out the ball, they ran back down the court and slammed another, Magic Johnson hitting basket #10 as well for 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists on the night. John Shumate hit one more mid-range, but by then there was just 2 seconds left; the Lakers won, 122-118.

Still - we really wanted that win. Wilkes didn't want to eat his words, and Parish didn't want to keep getting overlooked for more offensive-based centers like Abdul-Jabbar. He had 29 points in Game 6 at Oracle, along side 3 blocks, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists, and we managed to force a Game 7, 119-103. But Kareem came back in Game 7, and he was every bit the MVP who'd shined season long; he finished with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 blocks, blowing us out of the water 109-95, despite Wilkes leading the game in scoring with 33. The loss didn't even feel real at first - I swear, for the first couple of minutes I was like, alright, whatever, we'll get them that next game out.

The Lakers went on to duke it out again in the conference finals, #3 Indiana taking them to 7 once more as Slick Leonard, Ricky Sobers, Elvin Hayes, Billy Knight, Tree Rollins, and George McGinnis tried to fight their way into the finals in what was likely their last year in the West, but Kareem continued to dominate, at one point dropping 49 points, 26 rebounds, and 8 blocks in a 137-107 Game 5 win that was only made crazier by Magic Johnson's 40. They matched up with Red Holzman's Knicks in the Finals, led by Adrian Dantley, Walt Frazier, Lonnie Shelton, Bob McAdoo, and rookie Johnny Moore, a repeat of the 1977 finals, and their 5th finals match-up for the decade. But Magic Johnson wasn't going to let rookie Johnny Moore outshine him; he averaged 24.4 points, 9.6 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals for the 7 game series, dropping 42 in a thrilling 129-123 Game 7 win over the Knicks. He was named Finals MVP, the first rookie to ever win the award, as Los Angeles won it's 3rd NBA championship (8th if you count the Minneapolis ones).

That year, I started a tradition, making my dad come down to the clubhouse to watch the final game with the team and staff. Even the Santa Cruz guys were there, having missed the post-season for the first time in some years but having still finished off the year with an impressive 20-4 run as Oscar Robertson was brought in mid-season to takeover the squad. I think he felt a little uncomfortable, my dad, but the guys made him feel welcome, Robert Parish cracking jokes the whole time - "Hey Franklin, how about covering the beer, eh?" - while Al Attles spent most of the night shmoozing, likely eager to gamble with luxury tax this next season. I finished up the night smoking a joint with Andy Hill, my assistant GM. We were both bummed - maybe not bummed, but silent certainly, having just watched the Lakers win the same title we'd gotten the year before. But then it hit me. "**** man. Kareem's 33. How much longer can it possibly last?"

Oh how naive I was - and how quickly I'd learn just what a god damn icon Kareem was going to become. He was named both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, posting 23.5 ppg, 4.0 apg, 12.8 rpg, 2.0 spg, and 3.7 bpg, his 6th MVP award and first time as defensive player of the year. Magic Johnson was named Rookie of the Year (with 20.0 ppg, 5.6 apg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg, & 0.7 bpg), while Indiana's George McGinnis won 6th man of the year (with 11.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 6.5 rpg, 1.3 spg, and 0.5 bpg). Paul Westhead won coach of the year, becoming the third Lakers coach to win the award in less than a decade (Bill Sharman in '72, Jerry West in '79) while San Antonio's Angelo Drossos won Executive of the Year. Most improved player went to John Lucas (boosting his ppg by 5 with 15.5 ppg, his assists by 1 with 9.7 apg, his rebounds by 1 with 4.3 rpg, and his steals by almost 1 with 1.4 spg), the scoring title to Bernard King (with 30.3 ppg), and meanwhile:

- The All-League 1st Team consisted of John Lucas (Pho), World B. Free (LAL), Larry Bird (BOS), Maurice Lucas (POR), and Kareem (LAL).
- The All-League 2nd Team consisted of Gus Williams (GSW), George Gervin (SA), Jamaal Wilkes (GSW), Bobby Jones (DEN), and Moses Malone (SA).
- The All-League 3rd Team consisted of Slick Watts (SEA), Ricky Sobers (IND), Adrian Dantley (NY), Marvin Barnes (DET), and Tree Rollins (IND).
- The All-Defense 1st team consisted of Ray Williams (PHI), World B. Free, Larry Bird, Bobby Jones, & Kareem.
- The All-Defense 2nd team consisted of Gus Williams, Randy Smith (CLE), Terry Tyler (KAN), Dan Roundfield (SD), & Tree Rollins.
- The All-Rookie 1st team consisted of Magic Johnson (LAL), Sidney Moncrief (HOU), Calvin Natt (CLE), David Greenwood (CHI), & Bill Cartwright (WAS).
- The All-Rookie 2nd team consisted of Johnny Moore (NYK), Jim Paxson (UTA), Sly Williams (SD), James Bailey (ATL), & James Donaldson (POR).

The All-Star composite consisted of:

- Western All Stars: John Lucas (PHO, PG), Pete Maravich (DET, SG), Kareem (LAL, C), Maurice Lucas (POR, PF), Jamaal Wilkes (GSW, SF). Bench: Ricky Sobers (IND, SG), World B. Free (LAL, SG), Bill Walton (POR, C), Alex English (PHO, SF), Marvin Barnes (DET, PF), Cedric Maxwell (SEA, SF), Magic Johnson (LAL, PG).

- Eastern All Stars: Nate Archibald (NJN, PG), George Gervin (SAN, SG), Moses Malone (SAN, C), Dan Roundfield (SD, PF), Larry Bird (BOS, SF) Bench: Adrian Dantley (NY, SF), Rich Kelley (UTA, C), Alvan Adams (NJN, PF), Foots Walker (SAN, PG), Bernard King (HOU, SF), Reggie Theus (ATL, SG), John Drew (ATL, SF).

League leaders for stats included:

PPG
- Bernard King (HOU, 30.3)
- Larry Bird 2nd (BOS, 29.3), Pete Maravich 3rd (DET, 26.0), Cedric Maxwell/Adrian Dantley 4th (SEA/NY, 25.6), Jamaal Wilkes 5th (GSW, 25.4), George Gervin 6th (SA, 25.1), David Thompson 7th (DEN, 24.7), John Drew 8th (ATL, 24.3), Ricky Sobers 9th (24.1, IND), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10th (LAL, 23.5), Reggie Theus 11th (23.3, ATL), Alex English 12th (23.2, PHO), World B. Free 13th (LAL, 22.4), Randy Smith 14th (21.3, CLE), John Long 15th (21.1, CHI), Moses Malone 16th (21.0, SA).
* Julius Erving would've been 7th with 24.9 but missed all but 14 games for the season.

APG
- Nate Archibald (10.9, NJN)
- Foots Walker/John Lucas 2nd (SA/PHO, 9.7), Norm Nixon 3rd (9.0, WAS), George Karl/Gus Williams 4th (8.8, SD/GSW), Ray Williams 5th (8.5), Slick Watts/Lionel Hollins 6th (8.4, SEA/POR), Jo Jo White 7th (BOS, 7.6), Kevin Grevey 8th (CLE, 7.4), Johnny Moore 9th (NY, 7.3), Phil Ford 10th (DEN, 6.7), Michael Ray Richardson 11th (6.5, HOU), Armond Hill 12th (6.3, ATL), Magic Johnson 13th (5.6, LAL), Butch Lee 14th (5.5, UTA), Ernie DiGregorio 15th (5.2, UTA).

RPG
- Moses Malone (13.8)
- Kareem 2nd (12.8), Bob Lanier 3rd (11.8, DET), Bill Walton 4th (11.3, POR), Bob McAdoo 5th (10.9, NY), Artis Gilmore 6th (10.7, CHI), Jack Sikma/Dan Roundfield 7th (PHO/SD, 10.6), Dave Cowens/Tree Rollins 8th (BOS/IND, 10.4), Maurice Lucas 9th (10.0, POR), Marvin Barnes 10th (9.9, DET), Larry Bird 11th (9.7, BOS), Sidney Wicks 12th (9.6, BOS), Mike Bantom 13th (9.5, SEA), Mickey Johnson/Rich Kelley/Robert Parish 14th (9.2, SEA/CHI/UTA), Ben Poquette/Bobby Jones 15th (NJN/DEN, 9.0).

BPG
- Tree Rollins (4.6)
- Bill Walton/Kareem 2nd (3.7), Moses Malone 3rd (2.9), Sam Lacey 4th (KAN, 2.6), Swen Nater 5th (HOU, 2.5), Joe Meriweather/Robert Parish 6th (CLE/GSW, 2.4), Terry Tyler/Dan Roundfield/Bob Lanier/Artis Gilmore 7th (KAN/SD/DET/CHI, 2.3), Ben Poquette 8th (2.1, NJN).

SPG
- Randy Smith (2.3, CLE)
- Ray Williams 2nd (2.1, PHI), Kareem/Bobby Jones 3rd (2.0, LAL/DEN), Larry Bird/Gus Williams 4th (1.9, BOS/GSW), Brian Taylor/Walter Davis/Lionel Hollins/Ricky Sobers/Slick Watts/World B. Free 5th (SEA/POR/POR/IND/SEA/LAL, 1.8), George Karl/John Drew 6th (SD/ATL, 1.7), Jamaal Wilkes/Sam Lacey/Brian Winters 7th (GSW/KAN/SD, 1.6), Norm Nixon/Phil Smith/M.L. Carr/Phil Ford 8th (WAS/MIL/DEN/DEN, 1.5).
* Julius Erving would leave with 2.5 but missed most of the season.

TOPG
- Ron Boone (4.4, KAN)
- Slick Watts 2nd (3.6, SEA), Randy Smith 3rd (3.5, CLE), Larry Bird 4th (3.4, BOS), Bernard King/Kareem 5th (3.2, HOU/LAL), Nate Archibald/Magic Johnson 6th (3.1, NJN/LAL), Alex English 7th (3.0, PHO), Mitch Kupchak/Ray Williams/Jo Jo White/John Long 8th (2.9, WAS/PHI/BOS/CHI).

MPG
- Alex English (36.8)
- Adrian Dantley 2nd (36.5, NY), Pete Maravich 3rd (36.1), Bob McAdoo 4th (36.0, NY), John Drew 5th (35.9, ATL), Bernard King 6th (35.8), Kareem 7th (35.7), John Lucas/Ray Williams 8th (35.6, PHO/PHI).

3-P Made
- Ricky Sobers (279, IND)
- Kevin Grevey 2nd (240, CLE), World B. Free 3rd (229, LAL), Armond Hill 4th (191, ATL), Ron Boone 5th (189, KAN), Tom Abernethy 6th (186, PHI), Charles Kupec 7th (180, WAS), Norm Van Lier 8th (174, CHI), Bo Ellis 9th (172, NJN), Pete Maravich 10th (166, DET), Adrian Dantley 11th (159, NY), Johnny Davis 12th (158, POR), Campy Russell 13th (157, UTA), Paul Westphal 14th (146, PHO), Terry Furlow 15th (144, SA).

The season was over - but fuckin' A did I have a lot of work to do.

[rawr123456787654]

One more season in the record books. In the 5th time the two teams met in the finals in just 10 years, the Lakers successfully closed out the final series against New York 4-3, repeating their success from 1977. But while the Knicks proved a valiant match-up, there was another team that almost made it in - and another team that, if a season series record is any indication, may have managed to pull off the win if given the chance. This year we take a trip to the NBA's most seasoned franchise - the Red Auerbach Boston Celtics. I'm Connie Hawkins with "Inside a Team - the Boston edition."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On April 24th, 1979, Larry Bird went 10-26, grabbing 4 steals, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists with 31 points scored through an amazing effort almost never seen in a rookie player. The young Bird - who would be named Rookie of the Year - had done his best to win the series, tied 3-3 against the 5th seed Cleveland Cavaliers. But when Dave Cowens had been injured the game prior, with a left ankle bone spur, and Darryl Dawkins ended up dominated by Cleveland center Joe Meriweather. Billy McKinney, Campy Russell, and Bingo Smith just overpowered the Celtics defense with shots, and meanwhile the Celitcs defense struggled to click. They lost Game 7 at home, in front of nearly 15,000 cheering fans. Havlicek took Bird aside after that game and told him point blank. "Don't let this happen again. Not at the Garden."

That off-season, the team went through a few changes. They drafted Reggie King and Jason Bailey, signed Dave Wohl, Dave Bing, and Clifford Ray - and arguably most importantly at all, replaced coach Tom Heinsohn (who at the time announced his retirement, though he'd later be drawn back to the game) with assistant coach K.C. Jones - and suddenly the Celtics were reborn. They were competitors, they were explosive, but most importantly at all, they were confident.

The first game out saw the team head to Phoenix for an opening night match-up against the Suns. Cowens and Wicks were all smiles on the bus to the arena, laughing and joking about something that had happened in practice a few days prior, but I noticed Bird was completely quiet. "He's getting his head in the game. Does it all the time. Don't try and mess with him before tip off - he's gone a routine, see?" Eddie Johnson chimed in from behind - coming into his third season with the team - and I immediately changed my mind about trying to catch a few words with Bird before the game. "He's got a lot of pressure on him, the poor dude. People and the media calling him the "White Hope", fans expecting him to turn the team back into contenders. I feel for the kid." But Bird didn't look like the pressure bothered him too much - he was focused. He was ready to shine.

He had 24 points in that first game, going 7-16, along side 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. Jo Jo White had 11 points and 13 assists, Sidney Wicks had 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Dave Bing and Cowens were held to just 8 and 11 points respectively, as Boston lost 101-111 thanks in large to Truck Robinson's 28 point 14 rebound 4 block 4 steals domination, along side Jack Sikma's 27 point 14 rebound game. They lost the next game out as well - this time at home in Boston Garden against the San Antonio Spurs, with Gervin dropping 27 points - but came back to win their third game at home, Jo Jo White finishing with 18 points and 14 assists alongside Dave Cowens 20 point 5 assist 7 rebound game. The team had young potential but it also had a solid cast of veterans - John Havlicek was coming into what was probably his last season, doing more mentorship to the young Bird than any actual playing, while Dave Bing, Dave Wohl, and Jo Jo White - teaming up for nearly 3 and a half decades of experience between the three of them - made up an intelligent and seasoned point guard string lineup, with the playmaking ability to give way to the scoring talent spread out throughout the roster. Dave Cowens, Sidney Wicks, and Clifford Ray each brought in an array of experience themselves - Ray coming off a championship year in Golden State, Cowens having been apart of the championship Boston teams in 1974 and 76 - and the young guys on the team like Eddie Johnson, Reggie King, and Larry Bird had a seasoned and capable cast from which to grow from.

November 1st saw Bird take on Philadelphia, in their first season match-up. As both conference and divison rivals, this would be an absolute must-win at home for the fans, and Bird was happy to oblige. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds, as Jo Jo White dropped 20 points and 7 assists, guiding the Celtics to a closely contested 98-93 point win (Erving outscoring Bird by 1 point, finishing with 25). The very next day they were on the road towards Philadelphia - the plane was having issues, so early that morning I found myself boarding the team bus with the guys, ready for the long 5 hour haul to Philly.

I sat with Havlicek for the first couple of hours of the trip, eagerly picking his mind about some of the great Celtics teams of the late sixties and seventies. This was a guy coming into his 18th - yes -18th- season in the league, all of which he'd spent with Boston. If there was such a thing as team player, it was this guy - and now that he was homing in on 40 (he'd hit the milestone just in time for the playoffs) his retirement seemed inevitable. So why had he stayed for one more season? "Bird, of course." He chuckled, but I knew it was only half a joke. "He looks like he could be the future of this franchise. Hell - the future of this league. I've felt like more of a coach than a player this season, frankly, but hey - it's working, right? The kid looks great." When asked about his thoughts on a post-season victory this year, he was optimistic, but realistic. "I think George Gervin might finish this season leading the league in scoring. Malone might win his second consecutive MVP. Foots Walker might be the best damn point guard in this league. But can we win?" He paused, and shrugged. "Wilt Chamberlain was the best god damn player I've ever seen, and he lost plenty of times. I think anyone can do it any year - and hell, how good of an ending would it be if I helped bring Boston one more banner?"

They just barely lost that game in Philadelphia. Bird was on fire, going for 31 points leading late in the 4th (with an ugly 8 turnovers as well) before he tried to plant for a charge, drawing a defensive foul as Gerald Henderson tried to juke him coming towards the basket. He fouled out - Eddie Johnson coming into the game in his place - and Philadelphia went nuts. Former D-League star Darryl McDaniel had a great dunk with less than a minute left in regulation to tie it up 94-94, and Dave Bing's buzzer beater attempt fell short. In overtime, Jo Jo White and Sidney Wicks both tried to keep their team alive - White finishing with 15 points and 11 assists, Wicks with 18 and 7 rebounds - but Unseld and third year guard Ray Williams were unstoppable, teaming up for 14 in overtime as Philadelphia won 113-110. After the game, Erving - who had been held to just 15 points with some stellar defense from both Larry Bird and Sidney Wicks - was more than happy to throw praise on his opponents. "They beat us yesterday, and they also marched in here and beat us again at home. Hell man - they keep playing like this? It's gonna be hard to keep control of the East, that's for sure."

Towards the later half of November came the big match-up of the season - their first look at the Los Angeles Lakers. To describe their rivalry... well. Have you paid any attention to basketball? -7- finals match-ups (one while the Lakers were in Minneapolis), countless season battles, and now, arguably most notable of all - the Bird-Magic rivalry. These guys had -battled- in college, Magic ultimately stealing the spotlight with a NCAA tournament win over Bird, and now that battle had exploded into the league. The question on everyone's mind - who's the better young prospect? On November 23rd, downtown at the Forum, the Celtics prepared to answer that question.

Bird tried his god damn best. The Lakers had him double-teamed the entire game, as he shot a season low 2-12 through regulation, snagging 6 rebounds and 2 assists as Fly Williams and Magic held onto him for most of the match. But Wicks was on fire - he held the team afloat, coming in with 7 crucial blocks through out the game along side 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 23 points on 10-17 shooting. Jo Jo White hit a jaw-dropping lay-up to end regulation, and the two teams went into overtime, tied 108-108. Both Magic Johnson and Williams had fouled out at that point (Magic finishing with 4 steals, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 19 points on 6-12 shooting and a perfect 6-6 from the FT line) - but so had Boston's Dave Cowens. Clifford Ray came back into the line-up for overtime, and for awhile the Celtics kept it close, but Lucius Allen was all over White, and when he fouled out with three minutes left, I figured it was over.

Not even close. The teams went back and forth for nearly the entire three minute stretch - Joe Bryant slams a dunk, Eddie Johnson comes back with a floater. World B. Free blows a wide open three - Kareem gets the offensive rebound and slams it home for an and-one. Dave Bing runs it back up the court - outlet pass to Bird. He sinks the wide open basket from the corner! But it wasn't a three, Celtics are still down; Allen goes in for the lay-up... and... misses! Boston with the drive down, Bing ends up taking a three - why! He misses! Lucius Allen with the beautiful pass to B. Free - he hits the three! Forty seconds left. Boston with the ball... Bird is driving... he flicks it out, beautiful pass to Wicks in the lane! Wicks hits it - he hits it! The game is tied, twenty two seconds left! The Lakers are holding the ball... oh, Allen with the beautiful in-bound pass to Kareem, he's probably gonna drive - no, he passed it out! He passed it out! B. FREE HITS THE THREE! THE LAKERS JUST WON ON A GOD DAMN TOTALLY UNNECESSARY THREE! WHAT A GOD DAMN SHOOOW!

The crowd went insane. Magic leaped on top of Free, and the Lakers fans started screaming, some of them attempting to charge the court. I looked over at Bird - he was staring at them celebrating, seemingly oblivious to Wicks attempting to pull him back over towards the teams tunnel. Magic glanced over at Bird, and for a second I thought they were going to shake hands - but what I saw in Bird's eyes wasn't appreciation for his opponent. It was absolute anger - and drive. He'd finished shooting 3-15 (with an impressive 18-20 from the free throw line) ending the game with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 24 points. He turned around and briskly made his way back towards the tunnel, and right then and there I knew it; the Lakers weren't going to beat Boston, not anytime soon.

By the end of November, the team was 14-7. Bird was growing fast - with 5 40+ point games so far already - and White and Cowens had demonstrated they could stay competitive as the looming threat of age hovered near. But it was K.C. Jones who was impressing me the most - he'd been an assistant coach with the team for a handful of years before taking over, but it was really incredible how he took control. He had two of the best playmaking guards in the league in his hands with Bing and White, and running them both in the starting line-up had allowed Bird to absolutely flourish. His trick? "What trick? You think this is some kind of video game, son? These guys are playing their asses off. What your seeing is just damn good basketball."

And it continued to flourish. The team went 11-7 over the next month or so, struggling with minor injuries that saw them lose both Cowens and White for extended periods of time. Bird continued to flourish - he was averaging 27.6 by the new year - and third year guard Eddie Johnson was an absolute gem off the bench, averaging 15.9 points per game in just 24.6 minutes played, having dropped 31 points -twice- so far for the season by early January, and looked more than capable of taking on a starting role on the team either later that season or by next year; basically, this team was meshing. I'd definitely pegged them out as a great team with lots of potential coming into the season - but what I was seeing was the birth of champions. And it all banked on Bird.

January 11th marked their rematch with the Lakers. They'd have one more game to finish up the season series - one more game to seize victory, if they could win here - but all of the pressure was on this one. Boston Garden was sold out, and the boos raining down on the Lakers as they took to the court were some of the most vicious and hateful things I'd ever heard said to any player anywhere. The game was close for the first half - Boston stole away to a small lead late in the first, but the Lakers came back, tearing away to a 9 point lead half-way through the second quarter; however Bird exploded for 18 points in the second quarter, and the Celtics went into the third 72-70. He pushed the throttle even harder, finishing the game with the second highest scoring output of his career, 49 points (he had 52 his rookie season in a shot-for-shot contest against Pete Maravich and the Jazz) alongside 3 steals, 6 assists, and 10 rebounds. White had 23, Doug Collins 18 off the bench, and Boston won 137-128, despite Magic's 21 point 9 assist 7 rebound game and Kareem's 39 point 4 assist 7 rebound domination. The rivalry was definitely alive, as I quickly realized this was likely to be a finals match-up in the near future. God damn did both of these teams look good.

By the end of the month, the Celtics were 30-19, 3rd in the East behind the exciting Philadelphia 76ers and the power-house San Antonio Spurs at 38-13 and 43-9 respectively. January 31st had marked the team's 3rd match-up against the Lakers, this one also at the Garden; Bird had gone off for 29 points, 7 assists, and 13 rebounds, holding Magic to just 14 points in an excellent game that saw Bird put the team on his back, following a Dave Cowens injury early in the first quarter (that the team would later discover, much to their disdain, was a broken arm) to bring them to a 131-119 win, finishing the season series 2-1.

Clifford Ray came into the line-up, immediately showing that he was more than capable of handling the stress of the job in game 1, finishing with a season high 12 rebounds and 21 points in 30 minutes played. Before signing on with Boston this summer, Clifford had played 5 seasons in Golden State - 3 of which he started in - and 3 in Chicago, where in the 1973-74 he averaged a career high 12.2 rebounds a game. He'd won two rings in his time with the Warriors, one in '75 and one in '79, and carried himself with true gravitas. "Am I better then Dave Cowens? Multi All-Star 1970-71 Rookie of the Year Dave Cowens? What're you, nuts? But is there a part of me - I mean, a small part of me - that digs the opportunity to get some real playing time for this last stretch of the season? Of course. No one in their right mind wouldn't be happy."

On February 9th, the team went up against the Western powerhouse Indiana Pacers, who, if the rumors of Dallas's expansion proved true, might invade the East the following season. Bird tried his best again to take the game - he finished with 27 points, shooting a poor 6-24 for the night but nailing 15 of 15 free throws - but it was Wicks who shined again, finishing with 3 blocks, 25 points, and 14 rebounds. Clifford Ray had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Havlicek's explosive season high 23 points off the bench (having begun to play more serious bouts of time in lieu of Cowens absence) helped force the monolith Pacers into an overtime at Market Square. But Billy Knight, Ricky Sobers, and bench man - as well as clear 6th man of the year winner - George McGinnis proved beastly, finishing with 88 points between the 3 of them as the Pacers swept away in overtime, 132-124. Bird was bummed out - he'd spent the entire game jabbering away at the opponents, and I think apart of him felt like he went too far and amounted to too little. But I saw John take him aside after the game, pointing out at the cheering Pacers fans. "Focus on that pain. That's the kind of stuff that motivates champions."

The team lost 7 straight after that, going on an 8 game streak before a 120-116 point win against the 11-51 Eric Money/Phil Smith/Bob Dandridge/Spencer Haywood saw them finally catch some relief. Milwaukee's coach Don Nelson called the game close "a close one we nearly had." The team wasn't happy about that. They were friggin' livid. The streak had really boiled down to a handful of factors - Cowens was out, obviously, and Jo Jo White had missed a handful of games there as well with a strained abdominal. Wes Unseld had a monster game for Philadelphia, with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 119-106 point win at the Spectrum, they'd played the Spurs twice, with Moses Malone reeking havoc, finishing first with 18 rebounds then with 21, and they'd lost a god damn overtime match against Kansas City (putting their season overtime record at 3-5) because of unfair fouling that saw them lose both Bird and White at vital times. Simply put - they were having crummy luck.

But still, they rallied, finishing the month of March with a 12-6 record. Dave Bing went out with a broken foot on March 25th - though Eddie Johnson looked at this point to be a better candidate for starting anyway - but the team was already missing Cowens. When Eddie Johnson broke his wrist April 1st, things got desperate - but still... they did have one guy, likely in his last season, who could put some juice in the engine. In came John Havlicek. They were one game ahead of New York going into their last match-up of the season against them April 3rd, at 44-33, and if they wanted to keep the 3rd seed, this was a must win. They led the season series 2-1 already, but this game - at Madison Square Garden - was heavily favored for New York. Still, Havlicek went into game mode right away, finishing with a modest 12 points in his first start in ages, while Larry Bird exploded for 43 points, 6 assists, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 4 steals, putting the entire team on his back to carry them to a 106-94 win. They went 3-1 over the last 4 games of the season - losing one to New Jersey at home - before entering the post-season an impressive 48-34.

They matched up with Utah in the first series - and while the Jazz were fighting for recognition, the Celtics still had their number. Cowens had just returned to the line-up, playing in the last two games of the regular season, and his effort was more than enough to give Boston the edge they needed. While they lost Game 1 92-105, they came rallied back to win the next 4 straight, going 116-112 (Bird with 40), 106-101 (Bird with 30 points, 8 assists, 11 rebounds), 114-107 (Bird with 32 points and 18 rebounds; Havlicek with 19), and then 125-115 to close out the series, Bird dropping 36 at Salt Palace much to the dismay of the Utah fans.

The second round saw them up against Philadelphia - who had made it impressively far behind the power of third year guard Ray Williams, Gerald Henderson, Wes Unseld, Darryl McDaniel, Mark Olberding, and Tom Abernethy- but Bird was going to light them up. Erving would've been a tough match-up, arguably the best defensive small forward in the league - but Tom Abernethy? Boston won the first game in Philly 102-95 (Bird with 39), the second game 103-93 (Bird w 34), the third game back at the Garden 113-102 (Bird w. 43), and then the 4th game at home 111-94, Bird dropping 36 points and 14 rebounds to close out the series sweep. New York awaited them in the conference finals - their opponents having incredibly beaten San Antonio in Game 7 at Hemisfair Arena, Frazier dropping a season high 33 points, 5 assists, and 10 rebounds in the win - but they had won the season series 3-1, and were heavily favored to make it to the finals. A Bird-Johnson rematch of the NCAA finals the year before seemed all but inevitable.

Game 1 was in Boston - thanks to that 3rd seed advantage - and coach K.C. Jones sought to take advantage of it. Boston held the lead for most of the game - Larry Bird nearly grabbing a triple double, with 8 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, and 30 points for the night - but when Bird fouled out a third of the way through the 4th quarter, the Knicks took advantage. Adrian Dantley exploded, dropping 16 of his 29 points in just 8 minutes, also nabbing 5 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals as the Knicks stole Game 1, 93-86. The locker room was sour, bitter, but focused after the game. No one spoke for that ten minute period it took for players to change and head for the showers - and when K.C. Jones finally spoke, it was simply to turn to me with almost a glare on his face. "Please. Get out. Players only."

The meeting went on for two hours. I couldn't get a word in with any of the players after it was over, but assistant coach Satch Sanders filled me in on his way out. "They're mad, at eachother, at injuries, at fatigue. But Bird can't do it alone, and he's the one who seems to be the least phased. He always keeps it together - crazy discipline." That discipline was in full effect Game 2 - Bird had only 24 points, but broke out with 4 blocks, 6 steals, 8 assists, and 11 rebounds, teaming up with Jo Jo White - who had 27 points and 9 assists - and Sidney Wicks - who had 21 points and 8 rebounds - to push the Celtics into a dominating 117-95 point lead that saw Bruce Jenner play 20 minutes off the bench the Knicks were so far down (at one point losing by 32). That time, it was the Knicks that went cold assassin mode; they came back to win the next two games straight, Dantley dropping 30 points in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, and then 33 in Game 4, the Knicks winning 103-92 and then 100-90.

Game 5 in Boston. The pressure was surreal. Jo Jo White, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Sidney Wicks, and Dave Cowens were back together, and they knew they had to step it up on D. White was surprisingly the most motivated of all - he finished the game with 3 blocks, 1 steal, 14 assists, and 27 points, alongside Havlicek's 9 point 4 steal game and Clifford Ray's 20 point 11 rebound game off the bench. Bird had a relatively cold start - finishing regulation with just 11 points - but when Dave Bing hit his first 3 of the game to send the Celtics into over time, he stepped it up, going 4-4 in OT to finish the game with 19 points as the Celtics won 118-111. They were still alive - for now.

But Game 6 was the end. Larry Bird got back on track, knocking down 27 points for the night, but no one else on the team hit 20; Clifford Ray came in second with 17, playing extra minutes as both Wicks and Bird hit foul trouble early on, but ultimately, Dantley's 34 and McAdoo's 17 rebounds and 33 points were too much. The Knicks won 108-98. I looked around for Havlicek and Bird - expecting another teaching moment - but I didn't see either of them, they were long gone. Confetti fell from the roof, and the Spurs all left the floor, Dave Wohl and Sidney Wicks the only two to bother walking over to congratulate their opponents. I stopped to take in the moment - because I wasn't sure when I'd see it again. In my eyes, it was as clear as day; the Celtics were the future of the Eastern Conference.

The season had come to an end, but man had that team grown. With the #6 pick in the draft - thanks to an amazing late season trade that saw them ship Reggie King to Atlanta for their first round pick - it seemed likely they'd only get better. Finally finding a few minutes to sit down with Bird after the season, we watched Game 5 of the finals - a match-up that saw the Lakers win, largely because of Magic Johnson's incredible 32 point 4 steal 3 block 11 assist 9 rebound game - and I saw Bird smiling. We'd talked basketball logistics, head to head hypotheticals, even compared childhoods, and this was the first time I'd seen him really grin. When he noticed my stare, he laughed. "You caught me. What can I say? He's good. Real good. And hell - who doesn't love a good competition?"

I'm Connie Hawkins, with "Inside a Team - the Boston edition." Thanks for tuning in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE 70'S DECADE SPECIAL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Connie Hawkins here - back again already, I know. To celebrate the end of the 1970's we've decided to do a short treat, taking a look at the best squads each team fielded for the decade, as well as coming up with an "All-Time Starting 5" for the decade, plus a sixth man of course. So without further adieu...

The Atlanta Hawks - 1969-70 (48-34)
- The Hawks finished at the top of the eastern conference this year, going 48-34 amongst competitive teams like New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. Walt Bellamy, Lou Hudson, Joe Caldwell, Jim Davis, and Walt Hazzard (now an assistant coach for Boston) helped carry Atlanta to it's most exciting season in years, which hadn't been easy after Bob Pettit retired in '65. While they won their first round of the playoffs against the Rockets 4-2, they ultimately lost to the Lakers in the division finals, nearly getting swept 4-1. The team would dramatically shift over the next few years - picking up Pete Maravich in that draft who would stick with the team for several years, as well as John Drew in '74 - but they've struggled to this day to reclaim their former glory. Having gone 28-54 this season (one win better than their 27-55 of the year before) it's still to be seen whether or not they can improve - especially when they keep doing dumb things like trading away potential lottery draft picks.

The Boston Celtics - 1973-74 (56-26, Champ)
- It's hard to say which championship team is 100% better, this one or 75-76, but this was really Havlicek in his prime. The Celtics squad - including much younger Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Paul Westphal, Don Chaney, and Jo Jo White - finished with a 56-26 record to end the season, and bested first the Ernie DiGregorio/Bob McAdoo/Dave Wohl/Gar Heard led Braves 4-2, then the Walt Frazier-Earl Monroe-Willis Reed-Phil Jackson-Bill Bradley-Jerry Lucas-Henry Bibby led Knicks 4-1, before winning the NBA finals against the Kareem-Lucius Allen-Bob Dandridge-Curtis Perry-Cornell Warner led Bucks, 4-3. Havlicek was named Finalps MVP - an honor Jo Jo White would steal in '76 - and the team showed they could remain competitive without Bill Russell. Now with the rising stardom of Larry Bird, history seems like it will inevitably repeat itself.

The Chicago Bulls - 1971-72 (57-25)
- Having finished the last 3 seasons 20-62, 28-54, a record setting 9-73, and then 13-69 this most recent season (as Jerry Sloan's Chicago tenure comes to an end with a terrible all time of 50-196 record) I'm sure Bulls fans are starting to feel nostalgic. Not that long ago, in the 71-72 season, this was a team that went 57-25 in just it's 7th season in the league. Led by Bob Weiss, Jerry Sloan, Clifford Ray, Tom Boerwinkle, Norm Van Lier, Chet Walker, and a prime Bob Love, this was a team to marvel at for it's impressive growth and development. Maybe the start of the eighties will bring something similar to Chicago; otherwise, they can keep on trying to set loss records.

The Cleveland Cavaliers - 1975-76 (49-33)
- In just their 6th season in the league, the Cavaliers went 49-33, second in the east, winning the conference semi-finals against Washington 4-3 before losing to the inevitable champion Boston Celtics 4-2. Bill Fitch - who coached the entire 70's for Cleveland, finally resigning this past season as Nate Thurmond comes on board to give it a shot - won coach of the year, and Butch Beard, Austin Carr, John Lambert, Campy Russell, Bingo Smith, Nate Thurmond, and Foots Walker showed the world they could compete at the next level. Cleveland has flirted with contention the past few years, this past season being their first time missing the post-season since 74-75; but should they truly wish to reach the next level, they'll need a coach as strong as Fitch to help bring discipline to what's now a talented but ultimately just-out-of-reach team, so that they can truly contend.

The Denver Nuggets - 1976-77 (45-37)
- As an incoming ABA team, there was a lot of pressure on the Nuggets to adjust to the flows of the NBA game. With a great coach in Larry Brown, they tried their best in that premiere season, going 45-37 behind excellent play from David Thompson, Bobby Jones, and Dan Issel. But that core trio has stagnated - they've yet to make it through the first round in the playoffs, and without a good star to truly weave the team around, they'll never capitalize on what's an otherwise talented roster. If Larry Brown wants to show the world he's an incredible coach, he needs to step it up.

The Detroit Pistons - 1979-80 (51-31)
- Pete Maravich, the scoring machine, came to town in '79, and helped transform this squad into a serious threat. While the Pistons juggled injury concerns through-out the season, they've got a butt load of talented youth - including Maurice Cheeks, Purvis Short, Brad Davis, Bill Laimbeer, and two-way signee Monchito Cruz - and look posed to take over in the eighties. With Chuck Daly at the helm, it seems all but a given that this team will contend for at least the next few years, likely to break their 51-31 season record for the past year sooner rather than later.

The Golden State Warriors - 1978-79 (60-22, Champ)
- Their second NBA championship of the decade, this team had it all, going 60-22 in the regular season en route to a dominating post-season that saw them take out the dominating Indiana, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New Orleans in the finals match-up. With Gus Williams, Jamaal Wilkes, Robert Parish, and John Shumate having break-out seasons, along side what was likely the last particularly productive (compared to past performances anywho) season by Barry, this was the Warriors team of awe. With Al Attles as head coach - and likely to remain so for years to come - we'll keep our eyes open for any new versions that could potentially give this one a run for it's money.

The Houston Rockets - 1974-75 (41-41)
- The Rockets haven't had much luck since entering the league. Their all time best record remains 41-41, the 74-75 season, the only time they've hit at least .500 in the 13 years they've been in the league thus far. That team - led by Rudy Tomjanovich, Calvin Murphy, Mike Newlin, Ed Ratleff, Dave Wohl, Don Smith, and Kevin Kunnert looked like it had a lot of potential, the team struggled to ever play consistently enough to do anything with it. While the loss - or abandonment as many fans would call it - of MVP Moses Malone was hard to handle, the team looks poised to improve, with the young talent of Bernard King and Michael Ray Richardson.

The Indiana Pacers - 1978-79 (69-13)
- Having come into the league from the ABA in the 76-77, it's remarkable how quick Slick Leonard was able to transform this team into such a dominating powerhouse. While the team continued to light it up this season with the addition of former ABA Pacers star George McGinnis, it was last season - that saw Elvin Hayes join the team - where they shined brightest, posting an incredible 69-13 record behind stellar play from Elvin Hayes, Ricky Sobers, Billy Knight, Dan Roundfield, Don Buse, Wilbur Holland, and defensive player of the year Tree Rollins. It's likely they'll continue to dominate, but this may go down as one of the most impressive seasons in Indiana history - too bad, however, that the team ultimately fell short to the Warriors in the finals, thanks in large to a string of bad injuries and bad plays.

The Kansas City Kings - 1974-75 (44-38)
- Kansas City has struggled to perform as of late, but just a few years back they were a team on the rise, at 44-38. Nate Archibald and a much younger Sam Lacey led a string of guys including Jimmy Walker, Nate Williams, Mike D'Antoni, Ron Behagen, Rick Adelman, and Ollie Johnson to the teams first successful season in years. Under coach Phil Johnson, Nate Archibald proved he could lead a team as the go-to guy, something he's kept up amiss a string of terrible seasons, still putting up some of the best stats of any point guard in the league. Still - even though it was solid, it says a lot that a 44-38 season is Kansas City's best for the decade. With luck, they'll improve in the next few years.

The Los Angeles Lakers - 1979-80 (59-23, Champ)
- The Lakers come in as the second team to field their best team last season, meaning the future is ripe with potential. With an impressive 59-23 record for the season along side their third NBA championship for the decade, this team - Magic Johnson, World B. Free, Fly Williams, Lucius Allen, Joe Bryant, Kermit Washington, George Johnson, and most impressive of all, 6x MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - seem fit to take over the league, with a dynasty that might very well rival the Bill Russell team of old. Lucky for us - and parity - there's plenty of other competitive teams around to keep things interesting.

The Milwaukee Bucks - 1970-71 (66-16, Champ)
- For a team that finished up the decade so poorly (at 19-63) it's interesting that they started so strong. In the '70-71 season, MVP Lew Alcindor - who would later change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - led a team composed of UCLA and future Lakers team-mate Lucius Allen, Bob Boozer, Bob Dandridge, and future hall of famer Oscar Robertson to it's first and so far only NBA championship, going 66-16 for the season. While Kareem ultimately left, he'll still be remembered in Milwaukee for eternity as the dude who really brought it down, and for that season especially, the Bucks were on top of the world.

The New Jersey Nets [formerly New York Nets] - 1979-80 (28-54)
- The third team to have it's best team from this most recent season, though I wouldn't exactly mark this down as an indicator of good things to come. Still - at the very least, they can really only go up, right? With a slowly developing core now composed of Nate Archibald, Bo Ellis, Alvan Adams, John Williamson, Mike Mitchell, Ben Poquette, and Tom LaGarde, this honestly should be a good team soon enough. Having struggled with it's emergence into the league from the ABA, the Nets continue to juggle coaches, now on their 4th coach already - but this one, Tom Heinsohn (who returned from retirement after getting bored) has shown he can lead a team to greatness. Maybe it's time for the Nets to get their spot in the limelight.

The New York Knicks - 1972-73 (57-25, Champ)
- Winning their second championship in just 4 years, this Knicks squad stands out over the 60-22 69-70 squad purely because of who they faced in the finals: Wilt god damn Chamberlain, as well as Gail Goodrich, Jerry West, Pat Riley, and a fairly stacked Los Angeles squad. That Knicks team - composed of guys like Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Dave Debusschere, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed, Jerry Lucas, Dick Barnett, Phil Jackson, Henry Bibby, Dean Meminger, and probably most importantly of all, coach Red Holzman - will be remembered forever. While the Knicks will inevitably win more championships (having made it to the finals just this past season) this squad will forever go down as one of the greatest. I mean, really - has any champion been as stylish as Clyde?

The Philadelphia 76ers - 1977-78 (48-34, Champ)
- While they had better season records, it's hard to beat a NBA championship, and in '78 Philly got it's first one since 1967. That team - highlighted by great coaching from Gene Shue, amazing play from Julius Erving, and excellent efforts from George McGinnis, Charlie Scott, Mike D'Antoni, Dennis Johnson, Caldwell Jones, Joe Bryant, Mike Dunleavy, Terry Furlow, and rookie Ray Richardson - continues to excel into today's day and age, having come in second in the eastern conference this past season despite losing Erving to a torn ACL. While that's a hard injury to recover from, if Erving can come back even half as good as he was, this time is set for a successful stretch.

The Phoenix Suns - 1975-76 (42-40, NBA Finals)
- While some might argue that the Suns are now better than ever - having posted 50+ wins the past 3 seasons under coach Johnny Kerr - it was the '75-76 team that nearly beat Boston in the finals, led by Alvan Adams, Paul Westphal, Curtis Perry, Dick Vanarsdale, Garfield Heard, John Shumate, Pat Riley, Dennis Awtrey, and Ricky Sobers - that stands out as most dominant. They had an underdog run in the playoffs, beating the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors and the Supersonics, though they ultimately lost to Havlicek's Celtics. Still - the future is bright, and as this team continues to flourish, expect another NBA finals appearance in their near future.

The Portland Trailblazers - 1979-80 (59-23)
- The Trailblazers looked like serious contenders all the way up to the end of this season, with a solid core of Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Bob Gross, Lionel Hollins, Corky Calhoun, Johnny Davis, and James Donaldson - but major injuries to Walton and Calhoun shortly before the post-season saw their hopes basically dry out. While they battled away none-the-less, they unfortunately lost to the Pacers in the second round, with Lucas and Hollins unable to will the team themselves. With Jack Ramsay as head coach - and likely here for the long haul - the Trailblazers future is bright, though in a conference as competitive as the west, it'll remain to be seen whether or not they can mirror the success of this season. Sometimes, these seasons are a sign of whats to come - but often times too, they're just a plateau.

The San Antonio Spurs - 1979-80 (60-22)
- And for the fifth time, we see a team from last season. The acquisition of Moses Malone was HUGE for this team, but smart moves and trades the season before really set it up. This last season, we saw the potential of a team who's former MVP is just 25 years old. With a core cast of Foots Walker (29), George Gervin (28), Robert Reid (26), Larry Kenon (28), and Moses Malone (25), along side an excellent staff consisting of manager Angelo Drossos, head coach Rex Hughes, offensive coach Tex Winters, defensive coach Rod Thorn, and assistant coach Greg Poppovich, this team looks to be right up there with Los Angeles for future power houses of the league.

The San Diego Clippers [formerly Buffalo Braves] - 1974-75 (49-33)
- In his second-to-last game in Buffalo, Bob McAdoo had a career season, averaging 34.5 ppg, 14.1 rpg, along side 1.1 steals and 2.1 blocks, guiding the Braves to their best record of the season. Coach Jack Ramsay had his second shot at leading a team (having started in Philadelphia, later moving on to Portland where he is today) while Randy Smith, Garfield Heard, Ernie DiGregorio, and Jim Mcmillian helped push this time into playoff contention, unfortunately losing in the first round to the Washington Bullets, 4-3. Adrian Dantley brought excitement to this team a couple of years later as McAdoo moved to New York, but after a terrible 26-56 season under Doug Moe in '78-79 (not nearly as bad as Cotton Fitzsimmons 12-70 in 76-77), he too left for New York, following in McAdoo's foot steps. But with two time coach of the year Phil Johnson now in control of the team and a young duo in sophomore Mychal Thompson and rookie Joe Barry Carroll, the future looks bright - or maybe that's just the San Diego weather.

*** mandatory 4th wall breakage to let you know Buffalo just beat the Colts in a beautiful snowy as all hell overtime game go watch highlights if you didnt see ***

The Seattle Supersonics - 1974-75 (43-39)
- While it wasn't their best season record of the decade, the Supersonics had a great playoff run this season, ultimately losing to the future NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the semifinals 2-4 to the dominant Golden State Warriors. Bill Russell had handled an off-season that saw a lot of roster moves with grace, while Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown, Tom Burleson, Archie Clark, Jim Fox, and sophomore Slick Watts brought the team to life in their first franchise post-season having missed the playoffs the first 7 years. The Supersonics continue to flirt with contention, and Slick Watts has only gotten better; with Russell now as general manager and Lenny Wilkens as head coach, it's likely this team continues to grow.

The Utah Jazz [formerly New Orleans Jazz] - 1978-79 (54-28, NBA Finals)
- Maravich averaged 32.9 points per game, Rich Kelley with 17 and 9.3 rebounds, and even guys like Paul Griffin, Charles Kupec, Kenny Carr, and Kent Benson hit double digits under the well dictated and precise coaching of Elgin Baylor. They even forced their way through the playoffs as a 3 seed, beating teams like the Bullets, the reigning 76ers, and the George Gervin/Larry Kenon Spurs before ultimately losing to rival Golden State in the finals. While Maravich left the team this past season - just as the team left New Orleans - the team remained composed, building around Rich Kelley and proving they didn't need Pistol Pete to still contend as they snuck into the playoffs this past year as the 6 seed. Who knows what the future holds for Utah - but I'd bet they'll do just fine.

The Washington Bullets - 1976-77 (54-28)
- A lot of people thought the Bullets were going to the finals that 76-77 season, having finished first in the East behind excellent play from Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, Phil Chenier, Truck Robinson, Dave Bing, Mitch Kupchak, and Kevin Grevey as the team came just 3 games short of tying their all time franchise best. But while they ultimately fell short - losing to Havlicek's 4th seed Celtics in the second round in a surprising upset - their future still seemed bright. Unfortunately, the core fell apart, with Mitch Kupchak and Phil Chenier the only remaining players from that 76-77 season. Still, they've stayed strong, bringing in guys like Norm Nixon, E.C. Coleman, and 1979 10th round pick Bill Cartwright to remain competitive. As Dick Motta leaves the team for newly established Dallas and former New Jersey head coach (and Golden State defensive coordinator) Johnny Bach comes in, we can only hope their luck persists.

~~~~~~~~~~

Last, but not least, the All-Time team for the decade.

(PG) - Walt Frazier - New York
- Walt Frazier led one of the most exciting squads of the 1970s. There has never been a more enthralling backcourt than Clyde and the Pearl, and their ingenious styles were balanced by bedrock pros like Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere and the Captain, Willis Reed. Their mantra was simple: Find the open man. But they somehow managed to turn the simple act of making the extra pass into an exercise of communal cool. When it all clicked, the Knicks flowed like the deadline poetry that was emanating from the press box. It was Frazier's incredible insight and vision that gave way to this, and as his game ages like fine wine, we see the team evolve - but evolve under his watch. Johnny Moore is already exhibiting many of his traditional styles and moves, and if this last season was any indication, Clyde might steal one more championship before he ultimately retires.

(SG) - Pete Maravich - Atlanta/New Orleans/Detroit
- Maravich showed throughout the 70s that he might very well be the most explosive scorer ever born. After averaging a ridiculous 44.2 points per game in college, he came into the league strong, averaging over 20 points per game in all but one of his eleven seasons played so far while leading the league in three of them - posting 32.9, 36.7, and an insane 37.7 in '77-78 for the Jazz. With an array of awards under his belt, we hope his game ages well, because man has this been a guy to watch.

(SF) - Julius Erving - New Jersey/Philadelphia
- Dr. J isn't just symbolically important as a harbinger of the newer physically aggressive play we see so commonly today: he was a two-time ABA champion and won the last three MVPs of the ABA. Erving then reeled off a Rookie of the Year award, multiple All Star awards, All Teams, and a NBA championship. As he melds exciting play and quality in a way that reels fans in and never lets them go, we see one of the best dunkers and aggressive scorers in his prime - and man has it been a ride so far. We considered other forwards like Havlicek, more notable in their awards, but ultimately, Dr. J is here to stay.

(PF) - Elvin Hayes - Washington/Indiana
- Hayes is one of Kareem's true rivals. Hayes was responsible for stopping UCLA's amazing college streak when it was Lew Alcindor manning the middle, later coming to the dominant Pacers just in time to prove a thorn in Kareem's side, following him West as they battled it out through-out some rugged season match-ups and some exciting playoff performances. An All-Star in all but two seasons (which he missed for injuries not lack of effort) Hayes has shown he can contend - but can he win a championship before it's all said and done?

(C) - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Milwaukee/Los Angeles
- Kareem won six of the 10 MVPs awarded in the between the '69-70 season and the '79-80, made the All-Star team every year, and only missed All-NBA first team three times in the decade. A high scorer and rebounder, the purveyor of the Sky Hook and a thoughtful off-court presence, Kareem continues to serve as the face of the league. He's one of the most interesting elite athletes ever, and continues to dominate in nearly every facet of the game.

6th Man - Rick Barry (SF)
- So might Barry, who bounced between the ABA and NBA before leading the Warriors to the '75 and '77 titles. In the 1970s Barry claimed six NBA All-Star bids, three ABA All-Star bids and three All-NBA first team nods. He was never the best player in either league -- Dr. J and Kareem ensured that -- but he was always in that second tier as a really great scorer. He's also the best player to ever win a championship while wearing a toupée.

Thanks for checking out our "Decade Special". I'm Connie Hawkins - I'll see you next time.

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1980-81 Golden State Warriors ------

I'd never been a Boston fan growing up - ****, I think I cheered against them in nearly every single one of those famed Bill Russell finals - but when I got invited to John Havlicek's Hall of Fame ceremony, I knew I had to go. -he gets hired as Kansas City GM replacing widely hated Joe Axelson-

On June 20th, the expansion draft occured. My dad had been a big proponent of the move - the league was growing in popularity, and he saw an opportunity for growth. Personally, I could care less; how was Dallas going to field a competitive team when teams like the Houston Rockets were just barely scraping their way into the playoffs? But I went along with it - I could only protect 8 players, so Mack Calvin, Harvey Catchings, Herm Gilliam, and Dwight Jones were all up for grabs. Luckily, no one got taken; the Mavericks took Billy Robinzine from Portland, Kyle Macy from New York, Billy Ray Bates from Milwaukee, Roger Phegley from New Jersey, Ollie Mack out of Houston, Steve Mix from Phoenix, Bob Wilkerson from Washington, Phil Hubbard from Denver, Caldwell Jones from Philadelphia, Charles Jones from Seattle - who we'd taken in the draft the year before but traded for Curtis Rowe - and Paul Mokeski from Atlanta. Dick Motta was brought on as head coach, while Kevin Loughery, Dave Wohl - who retired that season - and Charlie Johnson were brought on as coaching staff.

- San Diego took Joe Barry Carroll at 1. Mike Gmniski went to Kansas City at 2, and then Boston traded Eddie Johnson and their 6th pick to Phoenix for Allen Leavell and the 3rd pick - which they used to take Kevin McHale. Kiki Vandeweghe went to Utah at 4, Darrell Griffith went to Milwaukee at 5, Larry Drew went to Phoenix at 6, Jeff Ruland to Cleveland at 7, and then with the 8th pick I chose to take Darwin Cook, a point guard.
- Bill Hanzlik went to Denver at 13, Rory Sparrow went to Chicago at 10, Kurt Rambis to Dallas at 11, Larry Smith to New York at 12, Mike Woodson to Seattle at 13, Rick Mahorn to Milwaukee at 14, Kelvin Ransey to Cleveland at 15.
- Michael Brooks to Detroit at 16, Andrew Toney to Philadelphia at 17, Mike O'Koren to Phoenix at 18, Kurt Nimphius to Seattle at 19, Ronnie Lester to Houston at 20, Lowes Moore to Portland at 21, Louis Orr to Los Angeles at 22, Jawann Oldham to San Antonio at 23.
- Notable second round picks included Wes Matthews to Dallas at 24, Reggie Johnson to Indiana at 25, Don Collins to New Jersey at 26, Butch Carter to Denver at 27.

Trades during the draft not mentioned included:
- The Lakers traded Vinnie Johnson and Chris Tucker to Denver for Eddie Jordan and the 32nd pick.

- Indiana traded Rick Robey and Jeff Clark to San Antonio for James Hardy.

The only players who were up for summer league were Otis Birdsong, Michael Cooper, and Darwin Cook - Birdsong especially was insistent. "What can I say? I want to win another championship - even if it is just a summer league tournament." Chamberlain took the lead as coach again, and they were off. Birdsong had 44 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, as the Warriors beat Mike Bratz and 2nd pick Mike Gmniski's Kansas City 85-95, 27 in Game 2, beating Gerald Henderson and the 76ers 85-105 (Cooper with 25), 31 in Game 3, beating Kansas City again 94-91, 34 in Game 4, defeating 4th overall pick Kiki Vandeweghe and Jim Paxson's Utah Jazz 105-91, 28 in Game 5, their first loss of the season to the Reggie King-James Bailey-Jerome Whitehead-Billy McKinney Atlanta Hawks (who'd beaten them in the tournament playoffs the past two years), before closing out the summer league regular season with a career high (though it wouldn't count for stats) 46 points in an 86-82 win over Philadelphia again. They beat Allen Leavell and Kevin McHale's Boston Celtics in a close 115-113 win behind Birdsong's 35 point game (as well as Cooper's 17 points and 12 assists plus rookie Darwin Cook's 27 points), and then went on to beat Milwaukee 109-85, Birdsong dropping 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals. In the finals, they faced off again against the Atlanta Hawks, but this time the Warriors brought the pain; Birdsong had 36 points and 13 rebounds while Michael Cooper had 28 and 9 assists, as the Warriors won the Summer League championship 97-90, finally besting Atlanta in the tourney.

Free agency was pretty quiet - we had most of our players signed on through the year anywho. While Ernie Grunfeld did leave for the Celtics, citing a desire to play closer to home (and a shot at starting), we managed to pick up veteran forward Don Adams as well as center Otto Moore, giving us two vets to help for locker room morale. I also hopped on the opportunity to extend Birdsong's contract, not wanting to potentially lose him the next year the same way we'd lost Ernie. We sent Darwin Cook down to the D-League - I had to decide if Michael Cooper was worth keeping around as a potential back-up guard, and he'd impressed me in Summer League - and soon enough, the season was at hand.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 523-327 record [55-27 previous season], 44, 9 playoffs (3 conf finals, 2 championship), 22 years w team (11 as player, 11 as coach)
- Attles continues to serve as the quasi-brains of the team, responsible for excellent chemistry, fast-paced highscoring ball, and 5 consecutive 50+ win seasons. With pressure to win another championship with this core before it's too late, Attles prepares for another grueling season, ready to make the sometimes hard but never questioned choices that have brought him to this point so far.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 27, 6th year in the NBA (6th w. team), 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.4 ppg, 6.4 apg, 2.9 rpg (2.4 d, 0.5 o), 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.4 topg, 30.0 mpg.
- Last season 12.5 ppg, 8.8 apg, 3.5 rpg (2.9 d, 0.6 o), 1.9 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.7 topg, 34.4 mpg.
- 34 point game high, 20 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 8 steals, 65 double-doubles, 2 triple-double, 16 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve, 1980 NBA All-League Second Team, 1980 NBA All-League 2nd Defense, 1 title won.
- Gus Williams is now the second in command on a team that's flirting with contention in a league of juggernauts. As he, Parish, and Wilkes continue to flourish together, having achieved excellent chemistry, it's important to remain aggressive; he was probably a top 5 point-guard in the league, but with guys like John Lucas, Slick Watts, Ray Williams, Lionel Hollins, Foots Walker, Michael Ray Richardson, and sophomore Magic Johnson, the competition was tough; it was more essential than ever to step up and play his heart out.

- Starting SG: Otis Birdsong (SG/SF) - #10
- 6-3, 190 lbs, 26, 4th year in the NBA (4th with team), 18th pick in the 1977 draft, Houston.
- Career 7.3 ppg, 1.7 apg, 3.1 rpg (1.9 d, 1.2 o), 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.1 topg, 19.1 mpg.
- Last season 7.2 ppg, 1.7 apg, 3.2 rpg (1.9 d, 1.3 o), 0.6 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.2 topg, 19.8 mpg.
- Career high 20 points, 9 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5 steals.
- As Rick Barry struggles with injury at the end of his career, he and Attles both made the call to play him off the bench going forward, at-least until later on in the year. While this is a shame for many, for Birdsong this means a shot at finally starting; having proven himself as the 6th man off the bench the season before, Attles looks to Birdsong to up his scoring this season. On a team with one of the fastest offenses in the league, this is gonna be Birdsong's make or break - can he fit in with the high-paced style of Gus Williams, Jamaal Wilkes, and Robert Parish, or is the team better off with third year player Michael Cooper?

- Starting SF: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 27, 6th year (7th w. team), 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 16.4 ppg, 3.0 apg, 6.9 rpg (5.1 d, 1.8 o), 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.9 topg, 32.9 mpg.
- Last season 25.4 ppg, 4.8 apg, 8.1 rpg (6.6 d, 1.5 o), 1.6 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.8 topg, 35.1 mpg.
- Career high 53 points, 11 assists, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, 8 steals, 54 double doubles, 65 p.o.t.gs.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star, 1980 All-Star Starter, 1980 All-League 2nd team, 2 titles won.
- Wilkes is now the face of this team. A clutch player who steps up and shows no conscience shooting the ball when the game is on the line, Wilkes's hard work has seen his shot improve as he demostrates unselfish play combined with excellent court vision. Through overwhelming pressure, he's emerged as the prime candidate for being the face of this team through-out the 80s, capable of high scoring outbursts and incredible defense.

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 28, 7th year (4 1/2 yrs w team, 4th season), 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 14.5 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7.3 rpg (5.4 d, 1.9 o), 1.0 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.3 topg, 28.9 mpg.
- Last season 16.1 ppg, 1.8 apg, 7.7 rpg (5.9 d, 1.7 o), 0.8 spg, 1.2 bpg, 1.3 topg, 30.1 mpg.
- Career high 44 points, 8 assists, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 73 double-doubles, 29 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team, 1 title won.
- A tall hard-working forward with a feathery touch from the key, Shumate has shown he can fit the gameplan and work to improve. As someone who sees the floor well, Shumate serves as a capable passer in the half court, serving as a good ball handler with impressive one on one skills as well as a reliable rebounder and defensive stalwart. If his play continues this year, he should be one of the better parts of this team for the next few years at least.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 26, 5th year (5th w. team), 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 14.1 ppg, 0.9 apg, 8.5 rpg (6.5 d, 2.0 o), 1.0 spg, 1.8 bpg, 1.3 topg, 29.5 mpg.
- Last season 16.8 ppg, 1.0 apg, 9.2 rpg (7.1 d, 2.1 o), 0.9 spg, 2.4 bpg, 1.6 topg, 29.5 mpg.
- Career high 40 points, 5 assists, 21 rebounds, 8 blocks, 5 steals, 137 double-doubles, 41 p.o.t.g.
- Parish is one of the top centers in the league, easily. A big guy with an aggressive scorer's mentality, he maintains elite defensive play while serving as an underrated passer, with good vision and unselfish play. As a 7 footer with good ball handling ability (almost second nature), he's a contest threat in the open court, with the ability to break away on a fast break or to fill the lane at any point. With his absolutely jaw dropping physicality (in terms of his combined size, length, strength, athleticism, and mobility) this is the year for Parish to shine; can he become an All Star? Can he lead this team to one more ring?

- 6th Man: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 36, 11th year (15th professionally, 11th w team), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 24.6 ppg, 4.1 apg, 7.2 rpg (6.2 d, 1.0 o), 2.2 spg, 0.8 bpg, 2.1 topg, 36.2 mpg.
- Last season 15.7 ppg, 2.5 apg, 5.4 rpg (3.8 d, 1.6 o), 1.3 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.2 topg, 33.5 mpg.
- Career high 60 points, 10 assists, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 10 steals, 48 double-doubles (since 76-77 for this and the following minus titles), 110 p.o.t.gs, 3 player of the week, 2 titles won.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 8x All-Star (66, 67, 73-78), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), 2x All NBA Second Team (1973, 1978), 2x All Defense Second Team (1977, 78), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- Age is real, and Barry knows it. In what's likely to be his last season with the team, Rick Barry prepares for arguably his hardest challenge yet having missed nearly half of the previous season to a broken arm - coming off the bench. But it's likely his production off the bench does wonders for this team, for while it's sad to see his athleticism slow down with the wear and tear of age, Barry's effortless shoorting stroke and perfect free throw form remains as sharp as ever. In the farewell tour of one of Golden State's greatest - can Barry help grab one more ring to make it three?

- Back-up Guard: Michael Cooper - (PG/SG) - #21
- 6-5, 170 lbs, 25, 3rd year in the NBA (2nd w. team - did 1st in D-League), 22nd pick in the 1978 draft, New Mexico.
- Career/Last season 4.0 ppg, 1.6 apg, 1.7 rpg (1.4 d, 0.3 o), 0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg, 0.9 topg, 14.0 mpg.
- Career high 25 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals, 3 p.o.t.g, 1 title won.
- 1979 All D-League First team, 1979 All D-League First Defense team.
- An underrated passer with good vision, unselfish play, and a bright future ahead, it remains to be seen if Cooper's going to reach that next level of elite play, but he's already shown the signs of at the very least being a very successful role player in the years to come. As a good option for point or shooting guard, Cooper can pass all around the court, but when he scores, the points come in bunches - making him an excellent force off the bench, but with some work down the line, perhaps even an offensive threat from the starting line-up. For as young as he is, the future looks bright for Michael Cooper.

- Back-up Forward: Curtis Rowe - (PF/C) - #41
- 6-7, 225 lbs, 31, 10th year in the NBA (1st and a half w. team), 11th pick in the 1971 NBA draft, UCLA.
- Career 11.1 ppg, 1.8 apg, 7.4 rpg (5.5 d, 1.9 o), 0.9 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.4 topg, 31.0 mpg.
- Last season 7.2 ppg, 1.9 apg, 6.7 rpg (4.5 d, 2.2 o), 0.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 0.8 topg, 20.3 mpg.
- Career high 38 points, 11 assists, 20 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 54 double doubles, 22 p.o.t.gs.
- 1976 NBA All-Star.
- While age has come fast for Curtis, there's no denying what an illustrious career he's had. Following in the footsteps of fellow UCLA team mate and #2 1971 pick (as well as future rookie of the year and 4x All-Star) Sidney Wicks, Curtis spent much of his years trying to prove himself. When in 1976, he nabbed an All Star invitation, he finally thought he'd done it; but injuries (including a broken leg in '78), younger prospects (Mike Bantom!), and a handful of trades saw his career plateau, and now he finds himself in Golden State playing off the bench. But if anything can be said about Curt, it's that he's a team player - while he always wants to take the big shot, he's more than willing to handle the defensive load for the second unit, coming into every game with a warrior's mentality (ba ta ba tsh). While his steals and blocks may seem lacking, his incredible on the ball defense isn't something that can be gauged by numbers so easily, and as he comes into the end of his career, I'm proud to have him as a part of this team, having played along side him over a decade ago at UCLA.

- Other notable bench players- Dwight Jones (PF), Herm Gilliam (SG), Otto Moore (C), Don Adams (SF), Mack Calvin (PG), Harvey Catchings (C), Darwin Cook (PG - in D-League, only needed in lieu of injury).

-----------

We started off the season with a 120-109 home victory against the heavily favored San Antonio Spurs. Jamaal Wilkes had 35 points on 13-23 shooting along side 7 rebounds, while Gus Williams dropped 24 with 13 assists. Moses Malone was held to just 24 points (along side 15 rebounds) and I was impressed - hey, maybe we could pull something off after all. We lost our next game out, an on the road match-up against the Magic Johnson-World B. Free-George Johnson-Kermit Washington-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Lakers. Fly Williams had a particularly flashy dunk on Michael Cooper towards the end of the 3rd - with the Lakers up by 8 - and tempers flared, the two shoving each other as shouting erupted, but they were seperated quick and the Lakers won 114-100, Magic dropping a game high 30 points. This is more along the lines of what I expected - tough competition, rising super teams.

We won the next two - a 124-117 point win over the newly relegated-to-the-west Utah Jazz and a 114-103 point win over Portland - before losing in Dallas in an embarassing 111-97 point fashion against the league's latest expansion team. Dallas point guard Butch Lee had a game high 35 points along side 8 assists, while Caldwell Jones managed 10 points and 12 rebounds; Parish was probably the best thing happening on our team, with 13 points and 10 rebound, as no one hit 20 (Wilkes with a team high 18). Attles was furious. We made sure to beat Dallas in our next match-up - this time at home, winning 102-87 - but losses kept coming, including a 84-113 loss to Phoenix, a 123-105 point loss to Portland, a 119-105 point loss to the Lakers, and a 124-104 point loss to San Antonio. By November 15th, we were 7-6 (with a narrow 123-121 point win over San Diego on the road, Parish with a season high 30 points and 19 rebounds) tied for 7th in the West. Things had to change - and fast.

Attles and the team rolled out to 7 consecutive wins, for a 9 game winning streak, with a 35 point 15 rebound game from Wilkes sending us home with a 105-97 point win over New Jersey at Brendan Byrnes Arena. Our record was now up to 15-6, thanks in large to stellar play from the Williams-Wilkes-Parish triumvirate. Bob Love, our head of player development, had been working closely along side these guys over the summer to boost their play in training camp, and it was showing. We lost our next game at home - Clippers coach Phil Johnson edging his team to a terrific win behind an excellent 15 point 7 assist 7 rebound 5 steal game from Karl - but quickly rallied back for a home win against our heated rival, Utah, Barry dropping a season high 24 off the bench as we sped away in the third, winning 110-102. After the game, Attles wasn't scared to throw praise on his team. "This is how I expect us to play. Handle the easy stuff with grace, play the hard games with that extra drive."

Utah didn't take those remarks too easily - for while Maravich's departure had hurt them, Rich Kelley, Campy Russell, and Ernie DiGregorio didn't consider themselves "easy stuff". Michael Cooper started at the point (Gus out after a mild concussion following a nasty elbow to the head from Kelley) and DiGregorio made an absolute mess of him, pulling down a season high 24 points and 12 assists to go along with 4 steals - all off of Cooper, who finished the game with 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers - while Kelley had 36 points and 11 rebounds. The Jazz sped away early on in the first quarter, and the Warriors never managed to catch up. Elgin Baylor's press conference after the game was quoted in newspapers across the country - "these teams seem to think they've got it all figured out. Well we're the guys proving these all-star riddled teams that they're wrong - that it's team basketball that wins games, not showmanship."

Michael Cooper was relegated to the bench in the next game, and 8th overall pick Darwin Cook was brought up from the D-League for his first NBA game, in his first start. His performance against San Diego was... tepid at best. In 30 minutes played, he had 3 points - going 1-5 and 1-2 from the free throw line - along side 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 5 fouls (plus 4 turnovers). Wilkes had 32, Barry had 16, and Parish 26 along side 5 blocks and -16- rebounds, but Brian Winters exploded for 39 points, tying his career high, and Dan Roundfields 20 points and 19 rebounds helped bring San Diego to the win, 108-103. Cook did a little better in the next game - with 6 points and 8 assists, as the Lakers won 115-100 at Oracle, Kareem going off for 32 points and 12 rebounds - but he was young. We lost to Phoenix in the next game, 115-109 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, before finally grabbing a win against Seattle in a December 11th home game, Wilke's 30 points bringing us to a resounding 30 point 115-85 win.

December 13th was our first look at Philadelphia all season. Julius Erving - who had torn his ACL the previous year in November - had returned November 19th (dropping -48- in his first game in a 130-138 overtime loss to Utah) and had been on a tear ever since. He'd broken 40 points 5 times already in the 11 games since his return, and 3 of those he'd gone over -50-, setting a career high 53 points against Seattle December 8th, only to break it with 62 the very next night in a closely fought 137-142 point loss to Los Angeles at the Forum. I knew this game was going to be hard - but our guys needed to start playing harder. There were too many good teams now to remain content with anything less than perfection.

The game started off close. Wilkes sunk his first three baskets straight, Birdsong playing some incredible defense on Ray Williams as the Warriors managed to stay competitive, despite Darryl McDaniel, Wes Unseld, and Julius Erving playing rough. When Erving spun out with a steal right as Parish drove down the lane, resulting in a break away dunk, things got messy. Shoves and hard elbows flew from both sides, as Philadelphia center Unseld was quoted after the game, calling it "a battle of who's bigger and badder, not who's better." Philadelphia won 127 - 104, their coach Billy Cunningham riding Unseld's comments with glee. "Of course it wasn't about who's better. I think the score makes that clear."

------ The San Francisco Chronicle, December 25th, 1980 ------

Trouble in paradise. While the Warriors sit at 21-14, just one game behind the 4th placed Portland Trailblazers, all is not well in the locker room of the 1979 NBA champions. Rumors say that Michael Cooper is demanding a larger position on the team, that Rick Barry is considering sitting out the rest of the season, and worst of all, with John Shumate out for the next couple of months at least with a broken elbow, Curtis Rowe has struggled to fit in with the high-paced offense of the Williams-Wilkes-Parish trio. The clubs are still singing "WWP, get with me", but the team seems dishelved - I'm sure hoping they get their act together. This is Iljin Cho - stay posted for more updates as the season goes on.

-------------------------------

The reports were true - we were in a rut. Gus, Wilkes, and Parish were all playing their hearts out, but the rest of the team was seriously lacking; with Shumate out (again) with a broken elbow, I'd hoped Curtis Rowe could step up to handle the weight, but alas, he wasn't living up to par. Attles and I talked about moving Barry up into the starting role but decided not to, instead resolving to whip this team into shape. Phoenix, San Antonio, Portland, Los Angeles, Houston, and Denver made up some of our most challenging opponents in the west, while Philadelphia, Indiana, New York, Boston, and Detroit ran the race in the East. It wouldn't be too hard to creep into the top 4 - Bill Walton had just broken his leg, and Portland was struggling to stay afloat already. Julius Erving led the league with 36.5 points per game (though he'd played half as many games as many others) though Bird wasn't too far behind at 30.7; Wilkes, for all of our teams problems, came in at an impressive 5th, with 26.5 as Gus Williams meanwhile ranked 2nd in assists per game, behind Nate Archibald and Norm Nixon's 10.3 and Parish 8th in rebounds with 10.8.

We closed out December with one more loss - an overtime 135-137 nailbiter at McNichols Sports Arena, with David Thompson sinking his third three of the game for 38 points and a crushing win - and then an easy 111-77 point win over Chicago. January opened up with a 19 point loss to Indiana at home, 126-107. Slick Leonard continued to showcase why he was one of the best coaches in the league, as Tree Rollins and George McGinnis combined for 48 points. Don Buse had returned to the starting line-up - having missed the following year to injury - and with Elvin Hayes, Jan Van Breda Kolff, Marcus Collins, and Alvin Scott leading the secondary unit, this was a team to watch out for. Meanwhile we, were.. well...

By February 9th, we were 29-24, 6th place in the West (ten games behind the first placed 40-14 San Antonio Spurs) and struggling to keep up. The hypnotizing strum of Gary Richrath's guitar, REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You", helped me focus as I stared down at my desk, thinking. I could field some phone calls, but honestly trying to trade for anyone big at this point wouldn't even be particularly productive. We were going to have to ride it out... and... and what? Gus Williams, Jamaal Wilkes, and Robert Parish were all young and solid candidates for this year's All Star contest; if I could form a better core around them, we theoretically -should- be able to compete with the likes of San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, and Philadelphia - but even Wilkes wasn't quite that big next generation "star". Perhaps the answer was... the draft? I mean, with Barry leaving...

It was all too much. I lit up a joint and just on cue, Andy Hill waltzed into the room - my assistant GM. "Scouting report in from Mullins - ooo, may I?" I passed it, exhaling a plume of smoke as Juice Newton's "Queen of Hearts" came on the radio next. He took a long hit, his face tearing a flush of pink, before blowing it out with a couple of light coughs. "W... whew. Good ****. Anyways... there's a lot of guys in here, but March is coming up quick. You just want a top 6 favorites, or...?" I nodded, and Hill rubbed his hands together with a grin. "Cool. Let me hit that thing a couple more times first."

- 1st and foremost is a 6-6 small forward out of DePaul, Mark Aguirre. He won the Naismith award last year, he's probably going to win College Player of the Year this year, and as a freshman in '79 he single handedly took the Demons to the final four, losing to Larry Bird's Indiana State. He's an elite scorer, and while I know we've got Wilkes, he's the kind of kid you can't afford to miss out on him if you've got the chance.

- Another forward second. 6-10 University of Utah power forward Tom Chambers, the second best scoring option in this draft class in my opinion. Not only can he score, but he can jump, he can grab boards, and he can play defense; the kid's got a lot of work handlewise, but he's already showing huge potential. I like the looks of him.

- Third, we shrink down a little. 6-1 Isiah Thomas, a sophomore out of Indiana. I know, he's young, but man, this kid looks fuckin' fantastic. ****, am I sounding repetitive? The dope, I swear. He teamed up with Seattle rookie Mike Woodson in 1980, winning the Big Ten for the Hoosiers and taking his team to the Sweet Sixteen, and this year he looks even better. I'm not saying it's a given the Hoosier's win the tournament this March... but I'm damn well gonna choose 'em for my pick.

- 4th, just to keep things fun, I'll jump over to a 6-6 shooting guard - Rolando Blackman. Now, I'm not saying this kid is the 4th best in this draft class, he's far from it, but damn, if you get the chance, do -not- pass it up! He would've started for the 1980 Olympic team if not for the boycott, he's an explosive scorer, he was the Big Eight conference player of the year... just watch out for him, for real. He might go deep, look for him as a gem to nab.

- 5th - because we need a center right? - is Danny Schayes. Coming out of Syracuse, he's a 6-11 center who's been absolutely tearing it up on defense, at times leading the NCAA in rebounding. He's got some work ethics issues, he can be a bit of a troublemaker, and he's not the fastest guy on the court - but hey, he scores like a beast in the paint, so what's not to love? He should fall around ten to fifteen.

- Last but not least - probably the most intimidating guy in this entire draft class - Buck Williams. The 6-8 power forward is a junior out of Maryland, with some of the best on the ball defense I've seen in ages out of someone his age. He's tough, he's quick, and he's aggressive. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year in '79, would've been on the Olympics team, and he's been in a couple of fights that would've made Ali proud.

I take one last drag of the joint - it was practically at the crutch by now - before flicking it into an ashtray on my desk, coughing loudly into my elbow as I started fanning my hand through the air, leaning back prop the window open more. Hill smiled, setting the folder down on the desk. "There's that for you. I'll see you soon, Pete." Fuckin' A. I was sick of seeing him - I was sick of seeing everyone. I needed a vacation.

The All-Star festivities were hosted at Richfield Coliseum in Cleveland. Adrian Dantley won the dunk contest - going head to head with Dennis Johnson in the finals - while Tom Abernethy won the three-point contest for the third time in just 5 appearances, beating out Gus Williams and Charles Kupec in the finals. Paul Westhead successfully led the rookies over the sophomores, beating Billy Cunningham as Kurt Rambis exploded for 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks for the MVP honors. For the first time Parish and Williams made the All-Star squad, joining Wilkes as they helped propel the West to a dominating 148-132 point win as sophomore Magic Johnson won MVP honors. For their part, Williams, Parish, and Wilkes combined for 52 of the West's points, over a third.

Trades for the season included:

- Philadelphia sent Tom McMillen to Utah for Neal Walk and their 1983 1st round pick in late October.
- Utah sent Paul Griffin to New York for Quinn Buckner and their 1981 second round pick in early December.
- Los Angeles sent George Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Isaac Stallworth, Brad Onderea, and their 1981 1st round pick to Utah for Campy Russell and Jim Ard the day after Christmas.
- Chicago sent their 1981 1st round pick to Boston for Allen Leavell in early January.
- They also sent their 1981 second round pick to New Jersey for Dennis Awtrey just a couple of weeks later.
- Washington sent their 1981 1st round pick for New York's Rickey Green in mid-January.
- San Antonio sent Terry Furlow and Glen Gondrezick to Utah for Quinn Buckner (the second time this season he was traded) right at the deadline.
- Detroit sent Jim McElroy to Washington for the Bullet's E.C. Coleman and their 1981 second round pick right at the deadline.
- Indiana sent Sonny Parker to Cleveland for Fred Brown and their 1981 second round pick right at the deadline.

The team looked revitalized after the break, at-least for awhile. We beat Portland at Memorial Coliseum 130-129 in our first game post-break, Parish exposing their weakness (Walton still out with his broken leg) by outplaying Jeff Wilkins for 38 points and 16 rebounds. They beat Cleveland the next game - Wilkes dropping 30 in a casual 121-112 point win in front of the home fans. The next game was even bigger, as we squared up with San Antonio; but luckily, Moses Malone was sitting out with a strained knee. Wilkes dominated Robert Reid and George Gervin, dropping 35 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals along side Parish's 25 points and Gus William's 22 (Demarcus Phelan and Foots Walker both held to single digits). San Antonio lost 103-116, despite George Gervin's season high 42 points. We'd started out March in great form.

Of course, luck was not always on our side. We lost the next game to Los Angeles 86-109, the combined force of Magic, Free, Campy Russell, Kermit Washington, and Kareem just too much to handle, but remained confident. Then we lost 4 more times - including a 135-131 overtime loss to the Knicks at home (Dantley dropping 45 on us). We won the next four straight - relatively easy match-ups including Kansas City, New Jersey, Milwaukee, and then Denver - and brought our record to 39-31, 5th in the West behind San Antonio, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Portland. Shumate came back the 5th of March, and that did us wonders - Curtis Rowe was showing signs of age, and John's energy on the defensive side of things was the big difference we needed to rile this team up.

We went 9-3 for the last stretch of the season - culminating with 5 straight, including a 43 point game from Wilkes in a 107-95 win over Dallas, a 45 point game from him in a win 129-109 over San Diego, and 29 points along side 9 rebounds to bring home a win for the Warriors over the Lakers at the Forum (former team mate Fly Williams making his 10th start for the season, subbing in for Free - Campy Russell had been the go to starting SF, and Williams had struggled to secure time). They went into the post-season with the 4th seed, 48-34, behind the 49-33 Phoenix Suns (led by John Lucas, Paul Westphal, Alex English, Truck Robinson, Cliff Robinson, and Jack Sikma), the 60-22 Los Angeles Lakers, and the 61-21 San Antonio Spurs. Portland was after us at 47-35, Denver 6th at 46-36, Houston 7th (having lost Bernard King for the entire season to a torn MCL in late February) at 41-41, and Utah 8th at 39-43 to round out the West. The Pacers were 1st in both the East and the league with a 62-20 record, Philadelphia second at 60-22, Detroit 3rd at 52-30, New York 4th at 46-36, Boston 5th at 45-37, Cleveland 6th at 39-43, New Jersey 7th at 34-48, and Washington 8th at 26-56.

Our first round match-up saw us up against the Portland Trailblazers. Parish vs Walton, Williams vs Hollins, and Shumate VS Lucas - three amazing match-ups in what was sure to be a hard fought series. But while Bob Gross was talented, having benefited from Jack Ramsay's coaching immensely, Wilkes was our -guy-; he had 29 points, 3 assists, and 6 rebounds in our first 116-108 win over Portland at Oracle, and 32 in our next game - a close 129-124 loss to Portland as Walton went for 27 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Portland rode that momentum, Walton dropping down in points - with 24 in the next game - but up in rebounds, with 18, along side 6 blocks and 2 steals as the Trailblazers won 98-85 (Wilkes nearly dropping a triple double with 26 points, 8 assists, and 10 rebounds). From then on, it was our house - Gus Williams had 19 points and 12 assists, along side Wilkes 40 point 6 assist 15 rebound in the Game 4 126-114 win over Portland at Memorial Coliseum. In Game 5, it was Parish who shared the weight, with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks alongside Wilke's 30 point 5 assist 10 rebound 3 block 2 steal extravaganza. The Portland fans were ravenous going into that Game 6 on the road - and as much as they wanted the win (Walton dropping 28 points and 16 rebounds) we were too much, Wilke's 32 points sealing the series in 6 as we won 111-102 on the road. Corky Calhoun said it best in the press conference after Game 6 - "Those cats can -ball-."

Jim Paxson had a handful of incredible games, and Elgin Baylor did his best to run a struggling offense through Rich Kelley, but Utah was unable to win more than one against the Spurs, and so we faced big #1 in the second round. Moses Malone was as cocky as ever, declaring the series "money in the bag". He had 29 points, 4 assists, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the first 111-105 win at Hemisfair Arena - Wilkes led the game with 40, while Parish had 20 and 10 rebounds. The Spurs won 111-105. In Game 2, we played even better; Gus Williams dished out 9 assists along side a post-season high 29 points, while Shumate had 23, Rick Barry with 16, Parish with 14, and Wilkes with a game high 34. But Gervin tied Wilkes in points with 34 of his own, and Malone's 24 points and 8 rebounds helped the Spurs slide away to a 121-119 point win, pulling away in the 4th with a Gervin mid-range jumper sinking in as the clock hit 10 seconds, all but securing the win. Still - those had been road games. Going back to Oracle, we were worried, but confident - if not in our ability to win, at the very least, in our desire to put up the best damn fight possible.

Game 3 was yet another nailbiter. Wilkes had 33 points on 12-21 shooting while Parish had 20 and Barry with 28 off the bench, but Gervin's 46 point 11 rebound game was all San Antonio needed; they slipped away 123-112, keeping the lead the entire second half. In Game 4, we came for blood; Rick Barry made the start over Shumate, as we all knew damn well that could be his very last game at Oracle Arena. Again, the Spurs led for much of the game - but when Moses Malone fouled out (despite a monster 27 point, 4 block, 4 assist, 21 rebound game) mid-way through the fourth, we found hope. Barry went off, finishing with 29 points and an incredible fade-away three to tie it up 115-115. We were going into overtime. Unfortunately, for while Barry and Parish did their best to expose Malone's absence, Barry finishing with 33, Gervin was unstoppable, grabbing steals and landing absurd buckets over Birdsong (who finished with just 3 points on an embarassing 1-11 shooting display) and finishing with 41 points. The Spurs won 135-128, completing the sweep. We had lost.

The Spurs went on to beat out the Lakers in a riveting 7 game series that saw a surprising hero in Larry Kenon emerge as the real difference maker, dropping 33 in a career defining Game 7 at home. They matched up against Indiana, who had gone through the Norm Nixon/Phil Chenier/Charles Kupec/Mitch Kupchak/Bill Cartwright Washington Bullets in 5, the Larry Bird/Sidney Wicks/Dave Cowens/Ernie Grunfeld/Jo Jo White Boston Celtics in 7, and a surprisingly easy 5 game series against the powerful Julius Erving/Tate Armstrong/Andrew Toney/Mike Gale Philadelphia 76ers (missing Ray Williams to a bad ankle sprain and Wes Unseld to back pains earlier in the post-season) that saw the team's configuration change into a Ricky Sobers-Billy Knight-George McGinnis-Elvin Hayes-Tree Rollins line-up following a tragic elbow broke to point guard Done Buse in Game 5 of the Boston series. And it was Indiana who emerged the surprising victor, despite their injury woes; George McGinnis had the series of a lifetime, Elvin Hayes stepped up beautifully, and Ricky Sobers showed he was one of the most explosive guards in the league. Indiana won in 6; McGinnis was named Finals MVP. Moses Malone won his second season MVP, Tree Rollins his second Defensive Player of the Year, Atlanta's John Drew most improved player, Cleveland's Richard Washington 6th man of the year, Milwaukee's Rick Mahorn as rookie of the year, Indiana's Chuck Barnes as executive of the year, while Philadelphia's Billy Cunningham won Coach of the Year.

- The All NBA first team consisted of the Laker's Magic Johnson, San Antonio's George Gervin, Golden State's Jamaal Wilkes, Portland's Maurice Lucas, and San Antonio's Moses Malone.
- The All NBA second team consisted of San Diego's George Karl, Los Angeles's World B. Free, New York's Adrian Dantley, Denver's Bobby Jones, and Los Angeles's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- The All NBA third team consisted of Philadelphia's Ray Williams, Chicago's John Long, Boston's Larry Bird, San Diego's Dan Roundfield, and Indiana's Tree Rollins.
- The All NBA first defense team consisted of George Karl, World B. Free, Kansas City's Terry Tyler, Bobby Jones, and Tree Rollins. (Funny as Kansas City had actually shipped George Karl to Phoenix for Tyler in early 1979).
- The All NBA second defense team consisted of Indiana's Don Buse, Cleveland's Randy Smith, Larry Bird, Dan Roundfield, and Kareem.
- The All Rookie first team consisted of Phoenix's Larry Drew, Milwaukee's Darrell Griffith, Utah's Kiki Vandeweghe, Milwaukee's Rich Mahorn, and Cleveland's Jeff Ruland.
- The All Rookie second team consisted of Chicago's Rory Sparrow, Philadelphia's Andrew Toney, Detroit's Michael Brooks, Dallas's Kurt Rambis, and Kansas City's Mike Gminski.

League leaders for stats included:
[u]PPG[/u]
- Julius Erving (PHI, 33.4)
- Larry Bird 2nd (BOS, 31.0), Adrian Dantley 3rd (NY, 27.6), Jamaal Wilkes/Reggie Theus 4th (GSW/ATL, 26.5), George Gervin 5th (SA, 24.1), Bernard King 6th (HOU, 24.0), World B. Free/Pete Maravich 7th (LAL/DET, 23.5), Maurice Lucas 8th (POR, 23.2), Cedric Maxwell 9th (SEA, 23.0), John Long 10th (CHI, 22.9), Moses Malone 11th (SA, 22.8), David Thompson 12th (DEN, 22.7), Ricky Sobers 13th (IND, 22.3), John Drew 14th (ATL, 22.2), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 15th (LAL, 21.8), Rich Kelley 16th (UTA, 21.2), Magic Johnson 17th (LAL, 21.0), Alex English 18th (PHO, 20.9).

APG
- Nate Archibald/George Karl (NJN/SD, 10.0)
- Norm Nixon 2nd (WAS, 9.3), Gus Williams 3rd (GSW, 8.2), John Lucas/Phil Ford 4th (PHO/DEN, 7.4), Ray Williams 5th (PHI, 7.2), Armond Hill 6th (ATL, 7.1), Ernie DiGregorio 7th (UTA, 7.0), Foots Walker 8th (SA, 6.7), Butch Lee/Slick Watts/Johnny Moore 9th (DAL/SEA/NY, 6.5), Lionel Hollins 10th (POR, 6.2), Magic Johnson 11th (5.9), Billy McKinney 12th (CLE, 5.1), Michael Ray Richardson 13th (HOU, 5.1), Don Buse 14th (IND, 5.0), Jamaal Wilkes 15th (4.7).

RPG
- Jack Sikma (PHO, 13.1)
- Moses Malone 2nd (12.9), Kareem 3rd (12.2), Bob Lanier 4th (DET, 12.1), Dan Roundfield/Artis Gilmore 5th (SD/CHI, 11.0), Maurice Lucas 6th (10.7), Bill Walton/Larry Bird 7th (POR/BOS, 10.5), Tree Rollins 8th (IND, 10.3), Robert Parish 9th (GSW, 10.0), Bob McAdoo 10th (NY, 9.9), Sidney Wicks/Mike Bantom 11th (BOS/SEA, 9.8), George McGinnis 12th (IND, 9.7), Swen Nater 13th (HOU, 9.5), Marvin Barnes 14th (DET, 9.4), Bobby Jones/Julius Erving/Cedric Maxwell/Mickey Johnson 15th (DEN/PHI/SEA/CHI, 9.3), Truck Robinson 16th (PHO, 9.2).

BPG
- Tree Rollins (4.7)
- Bill Walton 2nd (4.5), Kareem 3rd (3.7), Swen Nater 4th (3.2), Moses Malone 5th (2.7), Darryl McDaniel 6th (PHI, 2.7), Robert Parish 7th (2.5), Julius Erving/Terry Tyler/Artis Gilmore 8th (PHI/KAN/CHI, 2.4), Ben Poquette/Sam Lacey/Clifford Ray/Sidney Wicks 9th (NJN/KAN/BOS/BOS, 2.3).

SPG
- Julius Erving (2.4)
- George Karl/Michael Ray Richardson 2nd (SD/HOU, 2.3), Don Buse/Larry Bird 3rd (IND/BOS, 2.2), Randy Smith 4th (CLE, 2.1), Brian Taylor/Walter Davis 5th (SEA/POR, 1.9), Kareem/John Drew/Ray Williams 6th (LAL/ATL/PHI, 1.8), Bob Gross/Lionel Hollins/Tree Rollins/George McGinnis 7th (POR/POR/IND/IND, 1.7), Bobby Jones/Jamaal Wilkes/Bernard King/Ricky Sobers/Slick Watts/World B. Free 8th (DEN/GSW/HOU/IND/SEA/LAL, 1.6), Marques Johnson/M.L Carr/Sidney Moncrief/Robert Reid/Reggie Theus 9th (MIL/DEN/HOU/SA/ATL, 1.5).

TOPG
- David Thompson (DEN, 3.7)
- Butch Lee 2nd (DAL, 3.6), Slick Watts 3rd (SEA, 3.4), Kareem 4th (3.2), George Gervin/George Karl/Nate Archibald/Larry Bird 5th (SA/SD/NJN/BOS, 3.1), John Long 5th (CHI, 3.0), Alex English/Adrian Dantley 6th (PHO/NY, 2.9), Ernie DiGregorio/Mitch Kupchak 7th (UTA/WAS, 2.8), Reggie Theus/Ray Williams/Marques Johnson/Magic Johnson 8th (ATL/PHI/MIL/LAL, 2.7), Bo Ellis/Michael Ray Richardson 9th (NJN/HOU, 2.6).

MPG
- George Gervin (36.5)
- Purvis Short/John Long 2nd (DET/CHI, 36.4), World B. Free 3rd (36.3), Adrian Dantley/Bobby Jones 4th (NY/DEN, 36.2), Norm Nixon 5th (WAS, 35.8), Jack Sikma 6th (35.7), David Thompson/Walter Davis/Alex English/Larry Bird 7th (DEN/POR/PHO/BOS, 35.6), Bob McAdoo/Phil Ford 8th (NY/DEN, 35.3), Kareem 9th (LAL, 35.2).

3-P Made
- Kevin Grevey (CLE, 210)
- Tom Abernethy 2nd (PHI, 207), Sam Smith 3rd (HOU, 193), World B. Free 4th (191), Ricky Sobers 5th (186), Ernie Grunfeld 6th (BOS, 177), Adrian Dantley 7th (NY, 172), Pete Maravich8th (DET, 170), Bo Ellis 9th (NJN, 166), Walter Davis 10th (POR, 163), Slick Watts 11th (SEA, 161), Norm Van Lier 12th (CHI, 157), Bob Wilkerson 13th (DAL, 155), Armond Hill/Alex English 14th (ATL/PHO, 154), Butch Lee 15th (DAL, 149).

The lottery picks went Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Boston (with the pick they'd gotten from Chicago in the Allen Leavell trade - man Chicago was blowing it), then Milwaukee, Seattle, and San Diego to round it off.

The Dunk and 3-point contests boasted:

- Dunk: Dennis Johnson (PHI, PG, Finalist), Adrian Dantley (NY, SF, Champ), Brand Ondera (SF, UTA), Maurice Cheeks (PG, DET).

- 3-Point: Gus Williams (PG, GSW, F), Charles Kupec (SF, WAS, F), Brian Winters (SG, SD), Steve Mix (DAL, SF), Tom Abernethy (PHI, SF, Champ), Sonny Parker (CLE, SF), Terry Furlow (SG, UTA), Kyle Macy (PG, DAL).

The Rookie/Sophomore game teams contained:

- Rookies (164): Larry Drew (Pho, S. PG), Darrell Griffith (MIL, S. SG), Kiki Vandeweghe (UTA, S. SF), Kurt Rambis (MVP, DAL, S. PF), Jeff Ruland (CLE, S. C), Michael Brooks (DET, SF), Joe Barry Carroll (SD, C), Mike Gminski (KAN, C), Rick Mahorn (MIL, PF), Kevin McHale (BOS, PF), Rory Sparrow (CHI, PG), Andrew Toney (PHI, SG). Head Coach: Paul Westhead (LAL).

- Sophomores (159): Magic Johnson (LAL, S. PG), Sidney Moncrief (HOU, S. SG), Calvin Natt (CLE, S. SF), Cliff Robinson (PHO, S. PF), Bill Cartwright (WAS, S. C), David Greenwood (CHI, PF), Charles Jones (DAL, C), Reggie King (ATL, SF), Bill Laimbeer (DET, C), Kyle Macy (DAL, PG), Jim Paxson (UTA, SG), Johnny Moore (NYK, PG). Head Coach: Billy Cunningham (PHI).

The All-Star composite consisted of:

- Western All Stars (148): Magic Johnson (MVP, LAL, S. PG), World B. Free (LAL, S. SG), Jamaal Wilkes (GSW, S. SF), Maurice Lucas (POR, S. PF), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (LAL, S. C), George Gervin (SA, SG), Gus Williams (GSW, PG), Moses Malone (SA, C), Robert Parish (GSW, C), Dan Roundfield (SD, PF), Alex English (PHO, SF), Bernard King (HOU, SF). Head Coach: Rex Hughes (SAN).

- Eastern All Stars (132): Ray Williams (PHI, S. PG), John Long (CHI, S. SG), Julius Erving (PHI, S. SF), Alvan Adams (NJN, S. PF), Tree Rollins (IND, S. C), Ricky Sobers (IND, SG), Adrian Dantley (NYK, SF), Bob Lanier (DET, C), Marvin Barnes (DET, PF), Nate Archibald (NJN, PG), Marques Johnson (MIL, SF), Larry Bird (BOS, SF). Head Coach: Slick Leonard (IND).

It hadn't been our best season, but man, in a league that was getting better faster than I'd ever anticipated, I was just happy to be along for the ride.

----------------

Indiana wins in an exciting fashion, defying the odds and expectations of fans across the country to solidify themselves as the 1981 NBA champions. This year we head back to the West - or the Midwest, more aptly described, as this year's program takes us to the quaint and mountainous Colorado in "Inside a Team - the Denver edition". I'm Connie Hawkins - let's check it out.

~~~~~~~~~~~

On April 23rd, 1980, World B. Free had a record post-season high 39 points in an absolute demolition of the Nuggets. He'd shot an incredible 11-17 for the night, going 15-16 from the free throw line along side 5 assists and 7 rebounds. Sophomore Phil Ford - who'd finished the game with 20 points and 10 assists, and had done a majority of the guard work on Free for the night, was so upset that towards the end of the game he left the bench and went to the locker room, with a minute thirty still on the clock. The Lakers ultimately won 126-105, sealing the series 4-2, and the Nuggets lost in Round 1 for the 3rd time since coming into the league in 1976. Head coach Larry Brown called it a "disappointing end to a beautiful series we nearly stole." Nuggets small forward M.L. Carr was more poignant. "We fucked up. Free was hot in Game 2 - 37 points - and we lost that one too. We should've... god damn man. Whatever. We should've could've would've, but at the end of the day, we lost." Should've could've would've - the Nuggets way.

The team drafted Bill Hanzlik with the 9th pick of the draft, and Butch Carter with the 27th. They shipped Eddie Jordan and a late 2nd round pick to Los Angeles for Vinnie Johnson and Chris Tucker, and signed on Len Elmore and Mike Dunleavy in the off-season. The training camps were rigorous, but by the time I met up with Larry Brown and the Nuggets in early October, they seemed poised and ready for the league's festivities, following an exciting summer league rally from Phil Ford and Hanzlik that saw them nearly reach the finals (losing to Atlanta, who'd go on to lose to Golden State). Brown was confident in this squad - "These guys work hard, they play hard, and I'll be damned if I'm not excited to see them get the recognition they deserve."

By mid-November they were 8-6. David Thompson was having a stellar season, averaging 20.9 points on 40% shooting along side 6 rebounds and nearly 3 assists, while Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, and M.L. carr had formed one of the league's toughest defensive triumvirates. Phil Ford, now comfortable in his starting role, had finally shown he was worth taking 4th overall averaging 16.1 points and 7.9 assists per game, and Larry Brown was as crafty as ever, showcasing himself as one of the greater coaching minds in the league.

A November loss to division rival Houston however showed that they still lacked depth. The bench had just 10 points for the night, as Phil Ford's 16 and M.L. Carr's 26 weren't enough to seal the win, losing 78-100. "The should've could've would've blues" a Denver columnist called the loss after the game - that stung. Denver went on to win 4 in a row, David Thompson and Dan Issel both playing incredible ball, before losing to San Antonio, only to rally back and win 5 more. They had an amazing win over the Erving-fueled 76ers at the Spectrum in a game that saw Bobby Jones drop a career high 38 points along side 8 rebounds, and by Christmas they were 21-12 following a major 109-97 point win at McNichols Sports Arena on Christmas Eve, beating out Reggie Theus and the Hawks in an explosive game that saw Ford drop 26 points and 10 assists. Denver general manager Vince Boryla called it "the team I always imagined." Ford had gone 4th - notably before Larry Bird, John Long, Reggie Theus, and Purvis Short among others - but he was finally living up to the expectations laid out for him, and Denver was finally exciting to watch.

Then in late January, things took a sour turn. Moses Malone sent out a rough elbow into David Thompson's side as he went up for a basket and the guard wobbled, falling into and over him as he slammed down into the court, wrenching up in pain. The injury prognosis was "severe back pains", but as simple as that sounded, he'd be out for the better part of a month. Vinnie Johnson came into the starting line-up for the first time all year - and expectations were high. The 25 year old sophomore had been drafted by the Lakers late in the first round in 1979, but the Nuggets had traded for him with high hopes, and he'd shown hints of great potential. Having won a ring with Los Angeles his rookie year playing limited minutes off the bench, Vinnie and team mates Mike Dunleavy and Darryl Dawkins (who'd both won a ring with Philadelphia in '78) as the only champions on the team. And what did he think about his teams chances now? "Hey... I'm not saying it's gonna happen today. ****, probably not even this season. But this team is gonna click, man. We're gonna do somethin' special."

He came to play his debut game, dropping 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists as Denver beat Portland 106-99 at Memorial Coliseum. Things weren't so bad after all. In what was an absolute snub, no one on the team made the All-Star team despite excellent play from Bobby Jones, Phil Ford, and Dan Issel (Thompson still out because of his back) but I still found time to watch the games highlights with Larry Brown and his staff - including former New York legend Phil Jackson, former New York legend Willis Reed, and former Lakers legend George Mikan - and was amazed by his insight into the game. "Brown's the first to say it, but he's easily the most underrated coach in the league" Mikan remarked bluntly mid-way through the third quarter. Bob Lanier had just dropped an insane dunk over Alex English, and George Gervin was bringing the ball up the court. "You give him a half-way decent roster - you give him the Warriors, for example. No way they don't repeat!" Brown quickly waved his hand through the air, laughing. "My guys are great. I wouldn't give 'em up for the Warriors - I wouldn't give them up for the Lakers. I'm happy here."

That's not entirely what I heard. Bobby Jones - who'd been with the team since 1974, tagging along from the ABA when the two leagues merged in '76 - described a lack of faith from general manager Vince Boryla and team owner Frank Goldberg, and a reluctance to invest money into the team. Denver remained one of four teams to stay above the luxury tax the past four years, and its highest paid player - Dan Issel at 22 million - was a player coming into the tail end of a lofty salary. This was a team who's two best players were 25 and 26 (Ford and Thompson) and who should've had no problem nabbing someone like Malone in '79 or Ernie Grunfeld the previous summer - but instead, they'd relied solely on the draft. And I knew that Brown was feeling it.

Flash forward to mid-March and Thompson has still yet to return, the prognosis now looking more likely April, perhaps even as late as playoffs. Vinnie was averaging a decent enough 11.2 points per game in his absence, but the team was hurting, struggling to remain competitive at 40-33, now 6th in the West behind San Antonio, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, and Golden State. But there was hope in the locker room - the should've could've would've Denver Nuggets had become a united force of persistence, with guys like M.L. Carr and Bobby Jones frequently breaking into powerful half-time speeches that often enough snapped the guys into incredible form, as they pulled wins over dominating teams like Indiana, Philadelphia, and Phoenix coming into the post-season.

March 18th they went up against the Warriors - in a match that could help them sneak up in the playoffs, Bobby Jones found himself absolutely helpless. He dropped an impressive 33 points and 11 rebounds, but M.L. Carr had just 2, while Vinnie Johnson dropped 6. Dan Issel and Phil Ford had 18 and 17 respectively, but still they lost at home, Jamaal Wilkes's 44 carrying the Warriors over Denver in a dramatic fashion. If they were going to do anything in the post-season, they had to step their act up.

The next game out, Dan Issel gave it his all - he went head to head with Moses Malone, not only outscoring him 25-14, but also pulling down a season high 20 rebounds as the Nuggets came back to close it in 92-92 at the end of the 4th. Unfortunately, Foots Walker had brought his A-game; not only did he have 19 points and 12 assists, but the guard also brought in 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 4 blocks, absolutely dominating Ford in the overtime period as the Spurs pulled ahead for a narrow 104-103 win. Still, the close game invigorated the Nuggets - they -could- do this.

They won the next 6 straight, losing the last two games in close match-ups to 5th placed Portland and 3rd place Phoenix as they finished up the season 46-36, in 6th place in the West. The first round would see them up against Johnny Kerr's Phoenix Suns - Thompson had come back just in time for the last game of the season against Portland, dropping just 11 in limited minutes, but still, the team had faith. Maybe they could pull this one off.

Game 1 was in Phoenix. Jack Sikma - who'd led the league in rebounds with a monster 13.1 per game - was unstoppable, outplaying Issel at every turn. He finished the game with 32 points and 15 rebounds, holding Dan to just 14 points and 6 rebounds as the Suns won 104-75, despite Thompson's 29 points on 13-20 shooting. The next game, however, Dan struck back - he made a point of staying on Sikma like freakin' glue. He brought in 21 points, 19 rebounds, and 2 blocks, while Bobby Jones had 23 and 14, and M.L. Carr 17 and 10. Sikma had just 14 points and 5 rebounds. Revenge was a dish best served cold.

The next game in McNichols Sports Arena was even more important. In order to keep this going, they had to seize momentum with the home court advantage, and Dan knew that. As the veteran of the team, he made sure to stay in form with 22 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, while Thompson's 23 and Jone's 18 helped push the Nuggets to a 101-90 win, despite John Lucas's 12 point 11 assist 10 rebound triple double. The next game wasn't so easy - Sikma and English were both on fire, teaming up for 48 points and 22 rebounds between the two of them. While Mike Dunleavy had an impressive 14 off the bench to help push the Nuggets into a 3 point lead to end the 3rd, Phoenix swept back into the lead in the 4th, ultimately winning 94-85. English kept it going in Game 5 - he had 24 points, 6 assists, and 10 rebounds, and the Suns won 93-82 to take a 3-2 series lead.

It was make or break, and now was the time to shine. Going back to Denver, it wasn't M.L. Carr that stood up to make a speech, but instead the young point guard, Phil Ford. "If we're going to lose this, we're going to do it with dignity. No **** way they come into our house and take this away from us." His words sent tremors down my back, as he was usually one of the quietest and most soft spoken - but his feelings were shared with the team. Murmurs of agreement spurred an uproar, and I knew for one thing - Denver wasn't losing tonight.

They didn't. Issel had 27 points, 4 assists, and 10 rebounds, while Thompson's 17 and Ford's 13 points and 11 assists helped propel the Nuggets to a 89-74 point win, incredible defense helping secure a lead for the entirety of the game. While journalists for the most part predicted Phoenix with the win, they went into that Game 7 as confident as ever - and it showed. Ford had 16 points and 10 assists, Issel had 16 points and 7 rebounds, and David Thompson finally fell back into form, dropping a post-season high 37 points along side 2 steals - but unfortunately, the Suns were just in perfect form. Sikma had 20 and 14, John Lucas 14 points and 9 assists, and Alex English a commanding 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks to go along side sophomore Cliff Robinson's impressive 18 off the bench, a post season all time high for the kid. The Suns won 99-90.

Bobby Jones was named to the All-League second team and the All-Defense first, reaffirming his title as the league's most relentless defensive forward. While many felt Brown deserved Coach of the Year for his efforts despite the loss of his star player, Philadelphia coach Billy Cunningham nabbed the award instead, much to the dismay of Nuggets fans. But as I closed up my interviews with the team, I couldn't help but feel like despite all of their hardship - and despite a disappointing first round exit yet again - they'd still showed the league something impressive. That they had will. Persistence. And that the should've could've would've Denver Nuggets sure as hell weren't rolling over for anyone.

"****, man. Post-season next year... hell, that's less than a year away, am I right?" Vinnie Johnson's smile is all the answer I need - these guys found their groove. I'm Connie Hawkins with "Inside a Team - the Denver edition."

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1981-82 Golden State Warriors ------

Don Adams and Herm Gilliam both left that summer, retiring after having spent 25 seasons in the league between the two of them. Lou Hudson - having tried to keep his career going at 36 by switching teams for the first time in his career to New York - retired as well, having missed 3/4ths of the previous season to a string of injuries. His #23 was retired by Atlanta, and he was quickly hired as the incoming general manager for the Milwaukee Bucks, replacing Wayne Embry (who'd been fired after a disappointing 125-203 record throughout his time with the team).

- Atlanta took Larry Nance with the 1st overall pick, Kansas City took Tom Chambers 2nd, Dallas took Mark Aguirre 3rd, Boston took Isiah Thomas 4th, Milwaukee took Orlando Woolridge 5th, Seattle took Herb Wiiliams 6th, and San Diego took Al Wood 7th to round out the lottery.
- New York took Buck Williams 8th, Utah took Kelly Tripucka 9th and then Eddie A. Johnson 10th (both small forwards, surprisingly), Cleveland took Frank Johnson 11th, Houston took Jay Vincent 12th, the Knicks took Frank Brickowski 13th, and then I shipped our 17th pick, Harvey Catchings, and Michael Cooper to Boston for T.R. Dunn, the 14th overall pick, and the 36 overall pick. I grabbed Danny Schayes, a 6-11 center who could score and grab boards, who could hopefully learn how to play down to power forward. I saw a lot of potential in this kid.
- Denver grabbed Danny Vranes at 15, Milwaukee took Jeff Lamp 16th (trading Dave Meyers and their 1983 1st round pick along side the 28th overall pick for 16, 39, Jeff Wilkins, and Portland's 1983 1st round pick), Boston Danny Ainge at 17, Phoenix Alton Lister at 18, Milwaukee Steve Johnson at 19, Seattle Rolando Blackman at 20, Philadelphia Gene Banks at 21, San Antonio Darnell Valentine at 22, and then I grabbed small forward Albert King out of Maryland at 23 with the last pick of the first round.

Bob Love served as head of the Summer League team for the first time, with a roster composed of Darwin Cook, Albert King (drafted at 23), Mel Bennett, Claude Gregory (drafted 29th), Danny Schayes (drafted 14th), Adam Geyer, Clinton Wheeler (drafted 36th), and Linton Smith (drafted 40th) among others.

We lost our first game against New York 92-109 - Buck Williams dropping a game high 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Clinton Wheeler had 18 for the Warriors off the bench - but rallied back to win the next one by 15, beating Washington 89-74 as Danny Schayes went off for 19 points, 3 blocks, and 19 rebounds. We played them again the next game, with Albert King dropping 22 for the win as we beat the Bullets 104-93, before losing to the Knicks -again-, this time to Frank Brickowski as he led the game with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. We beat the Celtics 95-87 in the next game - Darwin Cook with 17 points - before losing to the Rockets the next game out 91-105, Keith Herron dropping 24 points for Houston to seal the deal with no tournament entry. Atlanta made it to the Summer League finals -again-, but ultimately lost to Utah, 91-71, as Kelly Tripucka was named Summer League MVP.

I signed on Claude Gregory, but decided not to pick up Clinton Wheeler or Linton Smith, the point guard and small forward I'd taken late in the second round. Going into free agency, we had 12 players signed, more or less securing our team, though we could use a shooting guard and center. We re-signed Barry to a two year contract, the last year a player option contingent on him not retiring this next summer (he'd decided to stick around after his hot post-season play and the disappointment of the San Antonio sweep) while veteran guards Don Smith and center Dennis Awtrey were brought on to flesh out the squad/for injury relief. I sent Albert King and Claude Gregory to the D-league team - Oscar Robertson was searching as Head Coach again - and suddenly things looked good. I was hyped.

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 571-361 record [48-34 previous season], 45, 10 playoffs (3 conf finals, 2 championship), 23 years w team (11 as player, 12 as coach)
- Attles continues to serve as the quasi-brains of the team, responsible for excellent chemistry, fast-paced highscoring ball, and 5 50+ win seasons the past few years. With pressure to win another championship with this core before it's too late, Attles prepares for another grueling season, ready to make the sometimes hard but never questioned choices that have brought him to this point so far.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 28, 7th year in the NBA (7th w. team), 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.6 ppg, 6.5 apg, 3.1 rpg (2.5 d, 0.6 o), 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.5 topg, 30.7 mpg.
- Last season 13.8 ppg, 8.2 apg, 3.9 rpg (3.2 d, 0.7 o), 1.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.0 topg, 34.9 mpg.
- 34 point game high, 20 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 8 steals, 83 double-doubles, 2 triple-double, 17 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve, 1980 NBA All-League Second Team, 1980 NBA All-League 2nd Defense, 1981 All-Star Game, 1 title won.
- An excellent all around scorer with great court vision and reaction speed to find open teammates, Gus is a hustle guy who's not afraid of diving on the floor or in the stands for loose ball. A strong defender, capable of racking up steals thanks in large to his good anticipation ability and quickness, as he ages into his prime, it's incredible how far along the on-court chemistry of himself, Parish, and Wilkes has come. With any luck, it'll continue to blossom into another championship in the near future.

- Starting SG: Jamaal Wilkes - #52
- 6-6, 190 lbs, 28, 8th year (8th w. team), 11th pick in the 1974 draft, UCLA.
- Career 17.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, 6.9 rpg (5.2 d, 1.8 o), 1.5 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.8 topg, 33.1 mpg.
- Last season 26.5 ppg, 4.7 apg, 6.9 rpg (5.3 d, 1.6 o), 1.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, 2.2 topg, 34.6 mpg.
- Career high 53 points, 12 assists, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, 8 steals, 76 double doubles, 93 p.o.t.gs, 2 player of the weeks, 1 player of the month.
- 1975 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1975 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star, 1980 All-Star Starter, 1980 All-League 2nd team, 1981 All-Star Game starter, 1981 NBA All-League 1st team, 2 titles won.
- With a shot as steady as Supertramp's jivin' keyboard in 1979's "Goodbye Stranger", Wilkes has set himself up as an arguable top ten player in the league. With good basketball disposition, usually disciplined in situations his team mates get frustrated or out of control, his leadership and basketball IQ assists greatly in his ability to make good passing decisions and even better shots. That solid court awareness is bolstered by his strong defense, and his willingness to take that last shot, no matter the pressure.

- Starting SF: Rick Barry - #24
- 6-7, 205 lbs, 37, 12th year (16th professionally, 12th w team), 4th pick in the 1965 draft, University of Miami.
- Career 23.6 ppg, 3.9 apg, 6.9 rpg (6.0 d, 1.0 o), 2.1 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.0 topg, 35.1 mpg.
- Last season 11.8 ppg, 1.2 apg, 4.3 rpg (3.0 d, 1.3 o), 1.0 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.6topg, 23.5 mpg.
- Career high 60 points, 10 assists, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 10 steals, 50 double-doubles (since 76-77 for this and the following minus titles), 111 p.o.t.gs, 3 player of the week, 2 titles won.
- 1966 Rookie of the Year, 1966 All-Rookie 1st team, 8x All-Star (66, 67, 73-78), 5x All-NBA First Team (66, 67, 74-76), 2x All NBA Second Team (1973, 1978), 2x All Defense Second Team (1977, 78), NBA Scoring leader (1967), NBA Steals leader (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975).
- Folks, this is it (for real this time). The last stop on the 1965-1982 Rick Barry train. In the duration of this guys career, Nixon has been impeached, the Vietnam war has been fought, John Lennon has been shot, Robert Kennedy murdered, and the budding rivalry of Bird-Magic has taken the league full throttle. Pushing Barry back into the starting line-up is a move I feel we have to make - out of respect to him, and more so, because who doesn't want to push Rick's all-time points with the Warriors over 20K?

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 29, 8th year (5 1/2 yrs w team, 4th season), 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 14.6 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7.4 rpg (5.5 d, 1.9 o), 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.2 topg, 29.3 mpg.
- Last season 16.0 ppg, 2.0 apg, 8.0 rpg (6.1 d, 1.9 o), 0.7 spg, 1.6 bpg, 1.3 topg, 31.7 mpg.
- Career high 44 points, 9 assists, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 88 double-doubles, 31 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team, 1 title won.
- A reliable big man with solid shooting mechanics and fundamentals, as one of the best dunkers in the league, Shumate is a solid free throw shooter who's managed to improve every year. He's got excellent court vision, as a good rebounder who knows how to establish position and use his long arms to snatch boards. Despite playing hard and applying himself on defense, his tendencies to lose the ball or miss big plays on that side of the court are definitely noticable, but with hope he'll have a solid enough year.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 27, 6th year (6th w. team), 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 14.9 ppg, 1.0 apg, 8.8 rpg (6.6 d, 2.1 o), 1.0 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.3 topg, 29.2 mpg.
- Last season 19.1 ppg, 1.2 apg, 10.0 rpg (7.6 d, 2.4 o), 0.8 spg, 2.5 bpg, 1.7 topg, 27.9 mpg.
- Career high 40 points, 5 assists, 26 rebounds, 8 blocks, 5 steals, 177 double-doubles, 53 p.o.t.g.
- 1981 All-Star Game.
- A big man with great mechanics and form, always capable of reading exactly when to pull up. While he sticks to playing in the post (where he dominates most of the opposition) he's an excellent free throw shooter as well and should look to get to the line more often. He especially excels at squaring up from around 12 feet and taking on big players off the dribble, always surprising people with the things he can do in the post and on the open floor. With decent passing skills, Parish has now established himself as one of the league's premiere big men, having grabbed his first All-Star award the previous season. With any luck, he'll get another, but man are there a lot of good centers in the league.

- 6th Man: Otis Birdsong (SG/SF) - #10
- 6-3, 190 lbs, 27, 5th year in the NBA (5th with team), 18th pick in the 1977 draft, Houston.
- Career 8.7 ppg, 1.9 apg, 3.3 rpg (2.1 d, 1.2 o), 0.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.3 topg, 21.1 mpg.
- Last season 13.2 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.9 rpg (2.7 d, 1.3 o), 1.3 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.8 topg, 28.0 mpg.
- Career high 28 points, 9 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 steals, 1 double-double, 1 player of the game.
- Birdsong. He's definitely good, but just not quite all there. With the offensive abilities to take over games, he's usually good about calling for the ball when he's feeling it - the only problem, often times hes not. While he plays well under control, he's quick to lose his temper, often messing with his otherwise great decision making abilities. As a guard who anticipates passes well, often forcing a ton of steals with his ball pressure, hopefully he starts to show more of that drive we're looking for.

- Back-up Guard: Darwin Cook - (PG) - #2
- 6-3, 184, 23, 2nd year in the NBA (2nd w. team), 8th pick in the 1980 NBA draft, Portland State.
- Career/Last Season (only 8 pro games) 5.5 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.7 rpg (1.4 d, 0.3 o), 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.1 topg, 17.8 mpg.
- Career high 31 points, 18 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 13 p.o.t.gs (from D-League)
- 1981 D-League All Defense 1st team, 1981 All D-League 2nd team.
- Cook is a good passer, always running fast on the floor while pushing the ball well. He's also a surprisingly decent rebounder for a pointguard, with quickness and anticipation that helps him spring at openings and opportunities. While he's not the best scorer, he's great at the team game and with his court vision, looks to grow with time. Hopefully this is his season to show he's on his way to becoming an elite guard.

- Back-up Forward: Curtis Rowe - (PF/C) - #41
- 6-7, 225 lbs, 32, 11th year in the NBA (1 and a half w team), 11th pick in the 1971 NBA draft, UCLA.
- Career 10.5 ppg, 1.8 apg, 7.3 rpg (5.4 d, 1.9 o), 0.8 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.3 topg, 30.6 mpg.
- Last season 5.9 ppg, 1.5 apg, 6.8 rpg (4.6 d, 2.2 o), 0.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, 0.8 topg, 24.5 mpg.
- Career high 38 points, 11 assists, 20 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 64 double doubles, 22 p.o.t.gs.
- 1976 NBA All-Star.
- He's not getting any younger, but Curtis Rowe still isn't afraid to take that big shot. As a guy who isn't afraid to take the ball inside, he can pass well, even when double-teamed in the post. A solid ball handler who doesn't over dribble, while he's not the best leaper, his raw athleticism, even with his age, helps him continiously get to the rim without problem. He continues to play hard every game, applying himself to defense, and is an excellent part of this second unit.

- Other notable bench players- Mack Calvin, T.R. Dunn, Don Smith, Danny Schayes, Dennis Awtrey, Albert King + Claude Gregory (D-League, if needed due to injury).
-----

Our first game of the season pitted us up against the Phoenix Suns in Arizona. Wilkes spent the better part of a week drilling the guys to get ready, and they played great at first - Gus did a fantastic job of shutting down John Lucas, holding him to just 7 points and 7 assists, but Alex English was all over the boards and a 13 point quarter from sophomore Larry Drew off the bench helped push Phoenix ahead in the 3rd. They finished with a 110-83 point victory, Wilkes leading the game in scoring with 19 points on a poor 7-19 shooting night. We won the next game, a home victory against San Diego 111-93 as Wilkes, Shumate, and Parish teamed up for 66 points, 27 rebounds, and 6 steals, and then a close 108=105 win over Portland (Wilkes dropping 36 along with the buzzer beater win).

I sat in my office early morning October 25th, sifting through team scouting reports and a few early recruit reports - Dominique Wilkins, Terry Cummings, Fat Lever, Sleepy Floyd, Derek Smith, James Worthy, Mark Eaton, Ricky Pierce, Rod Higgins - this was a pretty good class. 3 freshmen and a sophomore had caught my eye too - Michael Jordan out of North Carolina, Hakeem Olajuwon out of Houston, Charles Barkley from Auburn, and John Stockton (the sophomore) out of Gonzaga, as well as junior Ralph Sampson, sophomore Byron Scott, junior Thurl Bailey, junior Jeff Malone, and sophomore Clyde Drexler. Abba's "The Winner Takes It All" belted out of the radio on my desk - The winner takes it alllllllllll - as a knock on my door snapped me out of my gaze, Al Attles popping his head in with a grin. I'd called him in for a very specific reason, and I wasn't confident he was going to love it.

"You want us to... get worse? On purpose?" His face was one of confusion, disgust, and disappointment. "I don't know about that, Peter. I don't see our guys getting on board with that." I shrugged, sliding my circled list of potential recruits across the table. "We've got a great team here, Al, but we've got to think about the future. Wilkes, Parish, and Williams are about to hit their prime. If we could find a way to trade into a lottery pick, that might help us pull in another fringe star. Birdsong and Shumate are great, sure, but not -championship- great." Attles sighed, and shook his head - we'd already been arguing for the better part of thirty minutes. "Alright, Peter. We'll try it. Barry comes into the starting line-up, Birdsong goes back to the bench. But I'm not doing this to "tank" - I'm doing it out of respect for Rick. We'll call it the farewell tour, I suppose." Farewell to one team - but if all went well, we'd be looking at the start of a new dynasty soon enough anyways.

That night we matched up against Magic and Kareem's Los Angeles Lakers at the Forum. They took a commanding 16 point lead coming out of the first half, but Wilkes nearly willed us back - he finished with a team high 25 points, as Magic's 32 points, 6 assists, and 12 rebounds helped solidify the Los Angeles 107-97 win. We won the next two games against Dallas and Denver, both on the road, finishing up October with a 5-2 record, in a 3 way tie with Portland and Phoenix but behind San Antonio and Los Angeles (both at 6-1). Our next few games weren't terrible either - while we lost a closely fought battle against Utah at home 118-121 (Rich Kelley with a monster 25 point 4 block 17 assist assault), we rallied back to win big over Seattle and then San Antonio. We were leading by 11 against the Clippers at the San Diego Sports Arena closing out the second quarter too, when disaster struck - Parish took a heavy hit from Mychal Thompson, and next thing you knew he was on the ground, clenching his leg in absolute agony. Doctors would later rule it a fracture - our team lost all of its momentum. Rookie Danny Schayes did a decent job as substitute, finishing with 12 points and 5 rebounds but Thompson was an animal, finishing up with 36 points and 8 rebound along side George Karl's 22 point 14 assist masterpiece. We lost 119-106.

The absolute worst case scenario had happened. With Parish hurt, myself and Attles were both pushed into an unfortunate spot. My dad was a reasonable guy, but things weren't getting better, and with our luck they'd only get worse. But Wilkes wouldn't have it - he helped us win four in a row, dropping 22, 23, and then an absolutely unreal 44 against Portland as we won at Memorial Coliseum, 119-112. After the game, the press barraged him with questions - with Barry leaving, can you bring the team to similar feats of success? Are you the next big thing? Barry, in a joking fashion, prodded him after the interview. "Next thing I know, you're gonna start taking my records." The next night, Wilkes scored an even crazier 61 points on 25-35 shooting, edging out Barry's previous record of 60. The guy was motivated.

Still, we weren't perfect. An embarassing home loss to Dallas saw rookie Mark Aguirre drop 40 points on us, Dallas beating us 107-101 despite their embarassing 3-15 record at the time, and despite rallying back to beat Phoenix the next game out, we then went on to lose 4 in a row. By December 17th we were 16-13, 5th in the West while struggling to stay in shape. Wilkes was 4th in the league in points per game with a career high 28.9, behind Julius Erving, Larry Bird, and Adrian Dantley, and rumors were abound that the situation in Golden State was quickly becoming a one-person show. It was totally ludicrious - Gus Williams, while not the flashiest guard in the league, was as good as ever, and Rick Barry was quietly averaging 15.7 points per game in his final season in the league. But that night, Gus showed he could put the team on his back - in a home game against the struggling Seattle Supersonics, Wilkes took a forearm to the head pushing up and under the basket against Herb Williams. He fell back and cracked his head on the court, and the entire team erupted into wildfire as Danny Schayes charged towards Herb, the play having been excessively rough. He and Mike Bantom got into a shoving match and even the aging Rick Barry found himself amidst the scuffle, but it was Gus Williams who cooled the team - and who carried it with him to a win. The Warriors went on to outscore Seattle 59-45 in the second half, sealing the win 109-87 behind Gus's 21 point 11 assist 9 rebound 3 steal game. But for whatever reason as the game winded down and I looked towards Wilkes on the bench - smelling salts under his nose, an ice pack held underneath a towel against his now bandaged head - I saw him glaring. He and Gus had never gotten along, and I wasn't sure if they ever would, despite their amazing on court chemistry.

The next few months flew by. Parish returned January 8th in an away game at Madison Square Garden, dropping an incredible 35 points along side two blocks and 13 rebounds (8 of them offensive) in a 122-100 point win. That stretch saw us post a season high 9 game winning streak, ultimately losing to Kansas City in an embarassing 114-105 home loss as rookie Tom Chambers went off for 25 points and 14 rebounds (Phil Chenier also dropping 28, while Wilkes led with a game high 32) before coming back to win against Atlanta the next night out. January 30th saw us close out the month with a home game against the second placed Eastern conference Boston Celtics - Larry Bird, who was averaging an incredible 30.9 points per game, vs Wilkes was a match-up the entire league had been dying to see. The two controlled the first quarter, going back and forth for 11 points for Bird and 9 for Wilkes, but Bird took control in the second quarter. He went to the line 5 times and nailed four baskets, finishing the first half with 29, and the Celtics took a commanding 65-35 lead. We rallied back in the second half - Gus Williams and Jamaal Wilkes combining for 51 with 26 and 25 respectively - but couldn't pull through in the end, ultimately losing 104-114. After the game, Attles called Bird one of the most explosive forwards he'd ever seen, maybe the best. Wilkes didn't take it too kindly.

The All-Star weekend rolled up in February, and while Wilkes and Parish both made the line-up, Wilkes starting at small forward for the third consecutive year, Gus Williams was notably snubbed. He was a basket away from qualifying for the three-point contest finals, and had to sit with me and my father for the main event, dad having rented out a box at Brendan Byrne Arena (the events were in New Jersey) for the Rising Stars challenges and the All Star main event. Danny Schayes did a solid job on defense in his role off the bench for the rookie team, dropping 8 points and 6 rebounds before fouling out with just 19 minutes played, his team ultimately losing in a narrow victory 140-142 thanks in large to Darrell Griffith's massive 49 point game, a Rising Stars record. Bird was snubbed for Erving again but managed to steal the spotlight off the bench none-the-less, nearly dropping a triple double with 23 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds along side 2 blocks and 3 steals as the East won 147-118, Bird securing MVP honors while Wilkes and Parish finished with 15 and 19 respectively.

The Dunk and 3-point contests boasted:

- Dunk: Maurice Cheeks (PG, DET, CHAMP), Gene Banks (SF, PHI, Finalist), Toby Knight (SF, SD), Sly Williams (SF, SD).

- 3-Point: Don Buse (PG, IND, Champ), Campy Russell (SF, LAL, Finalist), Jim McElroy (PG, Dallas, Finalist).

The Rookie/Sophomore game teams contained:

- Rookies (140): Isiah Thomas (BOS, S. PG), Rolando Blackman (SEA, S. SG), Mark Aguirre (DAL, S. SF), Buck Williams (NY, S. PF), Frank Brickowski (NY, S. Center), Eddie A. Johnson (UTA, SF), Frank Johnson (CLE, PG), Lewis Lloyd (KAN, SG), Danny Schayes (GSW, C), Larry Nance (ATL, PF), Kelly Tripucka (UTA, SF), Orlando Woolridge (MIL, SF). Head Coach: Rex Hughes (SA).

- Sophomores (142): Larry Drew (MIL, S. PG), Darrell Griffith (PHO, S. SG, MVP), Kiki Vandeweghe (UTA, S. SF), Kurt Rambis (DAL, S. PF), Joe Barry Carroll (SD, S. C), Mike Gminski (KAN, C), Kevin McHale (BOS, PF), Mike O'Koren (DEN, SF), Louis Orr (LAL, SF), Larry Smith (NY, PF), Rory Sparrow (CHI, PG), Andrew Toney (PHO, SG). Head Coach: K.C. Jones (BOS).

- *Notable statlines included Mark Aguirre with 31 points, 2 blocks, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds with 0 turnovers on 11-18 shooting, Isiah Thomas with 28 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds on 11-16, Rolando Blackman with 24 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal on 9-17, Kiki Vandeweghe with 22 points, 6 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, and 3 rebounds on 10-15, Joe Barry Carroll with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists on 9-15, Darrell Griffith with 49 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, and 2 steals on 20-32, Larry Drew with 13 points, 2 blocks, 6 rebounds, and 18 assists on 4-8, and Kevin McHale with 14 points, 1 block, 3 assists, and 9 rebounds off the bench on 6-12.

The All-Star composite consisted of:

- Western All Stars (118): Magic Johnson (LAL, S. PG), George Gervin (SA, S. SG), Jamaal Wilkes (GSW, S. SF), Maurice Lucas (POR, S. PF), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (LAL, S. C), Mark Aguirre (DAL, SF), Slick Watts (SEA, PG), Robert Parish (GSW, C), Dan Roundfield (SD, PF), Bernard King (HOU, SF), Tree Rollins (DEN, C), Sidney Moncrief (HOU, SG). Head Coach: Paul Westhead (LAL).

- Eastern All Stars (147): Dennis Johnson (PHI, S. PG), John Long (CHI, S. SG), Julius Erving (PHI, S. SF), Marvin Barnes (DET, S. PF), Bill Laimbeer (DET, S. C), Ricky Sobers (IND, SG), Adrian Dantley (NY, SF), John Drew (ATL, SF), Alvan Adams (NJN, PF), Tom LaGarde (NJN, C), Larry Bird (BOS, SF, MVP), Maurice Cheeks (DET, PG). Head Coach: Chuck Daly (DET).

- Notable stat lines included Magic Johnson with 23 points, 3 blocks, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds on 8-15, Robert Parish with 19 points, 1 assist, and 7 blocks on 8-13 off the bench, Slick Watts with 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 7 assists on 3-8 off the bench, Marvin Barnes with 26 points, 2 blocks, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds on 13-17 shooting, Alvan Adams with 16 points, 1 steal, and 4 rebounds on 8-11 shooting off the bench, and Larry Bird with 23 points, 2 blocks, 3 steals, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds on 8-13 off the bench.

Attles took the break to make sure the team was whipped back into shape, beating Cleveland on the road 110-87 (Parish with 30 points and 15 rebounds) before losing a narrow road game to Chicago 114-115 (Parish with 32 points and -23- rebounds) only to rally back and win 5 straight going into a March 7th match-up against Denver at McNichols Sports Arena. We'd had quite a few hard fought battles against Denver the past few years, and our guys wanted to win this bad - we needed to win it. But Phil Ford and David Thompson came to play, and they played hard - Ford was one rebound shy of a triple double, with 26 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds, while Thompson finished with 27 points on 7-10 shooting; Wilkes led the Warriors with a game high 22 points, but we lost none-the-less. For a season in which we were still a competitive 4th in the West, things just weren't staying chipper. Wilkes's chemistry was way down, and for the first time in ages, I found myself wondering - what if he left?

We lost the next game to San Antonio 93-107 - Parish carrying the team with a game-high 28 - but rallied back with a few major wins, going 11-4 for the month of March, closing it out with a giant overtime win over Houston at Oracle that saw Wilkes and Bernard King exchanging baskets with insane accuracy, Wilkes finishing up with 40 points and King 44 as we swept away in the final OT period to win 125-115. King and Wilkes - both two of the most explosive scoring forwards in the league - had become bitter rivals, and if we managed to sneak up and cut out Portland for 3rd place in the West, it'd be either them or Phoenix we saw in the post- season. But we'd be ready.

We finished up the last few games of the season with arguably our hardest part of the schedule, but managed to steal 3rd place with some crucial wins over Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Diego, losing to the Lakers once as well at the Forum along side Seattle and San Antonio. Gus Williams had gone out with an ankle sprain late in our match-up with San Antonio April 6th, but he'd be back by the second round, and Darwin Cook looked to be a solid enough back-up in his place. Finishing up the season 52-30, we narrowly edged out the also 52-30 Portland Trailblazers thanks to our season series, behind only the 61-21 Los Angeles Lakers and the 56-26 San Antonio Spurs. The Nuggets came in at 5th, the Rockets 6th, the Suns 7th, and the Clippers 8th, while in the East it was Chuck Daly's Detroit Pistons at 1 with a 58-24 record, the Boston Celtics at 2 with a 54-28 record, the Philadelphia 76ers in 3rd also with a 54-28 record (having lost the season series to Boston thanks in large to a crucial 130-127 point win at the Spectrum by Boston towards the end of the season April 5th, Bird dropping 41 points, 6 assists, and 15 rebounds), while reigning champion Indiana was 4th, New York 5th, Milwaukee 6th, Atlanta 7th, and Cleveland 8th.

Round 1 saw us up against the Houston Rockets. Michael Ray Richardson, Sidney Moncrief, Bernard King, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Swen Nater had formed one of the most elite group of enforcers in any starting line-up, and we knew this was going to be a physical match-up; with a bench including Calvin Murphy, Earl Tatum, Demarcus Phelan, an aging Garfield Heard, and Darnell Hillman,who'd left us for Seattle after half a season off the bench despite winning a ring. Houston coach Bill Fitch called us "an amazing team that's past it's prime. It's gonna be a good series, but these guys want it. These guys deserve it." Houston hadn't been through the first round since 1975 - we were experienced. Too old? Wilkes, Gus, and Parish were in their prime. Our guys took the comments in stride - fans for the flame. It was go time.

Game 1 saw us show up with every intention of proving them wrong. In Game 1 at Oracle, Wilkes helped boost us up to a 18 point lead coming out of the first quarter. While Houston flirted with a comeback in the 4th, Nater absolutely dominating in the post, Wilkes closed it out, finishing with 33 points, 6 assists, and 10 rebounds as we won 108-102. In Game 2, we showed up expecting to do much of the same - instead, Michael Ray Richardson absolutely exposed our weakness at the PG, sneaking in with a 15 point, 12 rebound, 10 assist, 3 steal triple double. Darwin Cook was by no means terrible - while he had 5 turnovers, he managed a personal post-season high 18 points, along side a steal, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds, and Wilkes himself tried to push us into contention, keeping the game close through much of the first 4 quarters as he dropped 38 points - but ultimately, Bernard King, Swen Nater, and Richardson were just too much. Nater and King teamed up for 56 points, and Houston pulled away at the end, winning 115-109.

The loss was upsetting, but one we ultimately felt we could come back from. Instead we lost the next two straight, first 81-108, Bernard King leading the game with 21 points along side Nater's 14 point 14 rebound 3 block low post domination, Wilkes leading the Warriors with just 13, and then 89-103, Wilkes boosting his score up to 23 this time but with little help from his team mates, the Warriors unfortunately still losing as King had 25 points, 8 assists, and 11 rebounds. Looking at a potential Game 5 outing seemed unfathomable - we'd won a god damn championship just 3 years prior - but it looked like it could happen. But thank the god damn heavens, Gus Williams came back. He had 24 points and 9 assists in his return, which along side Wilke's 30 point 7 rebound 4 assist game, helped push us over Houston 120-113, despite King's 39 points. We were going to Game 6 at Houston, and gods be damned, we were winning.

It was a rough physical first quarter. Williams managed to notch up 3 fouls in the first 8 minutes played, grabbing 4 assists and 6 points in his time played, but Wilkes was more than happy to dominate on his own, dropping 12 points with 5 successive baskets. King was on his own rampage, teaming up with Moncrief for 30 points in the first quarter as the Rockets out-scored the Warriors 38-34. The second quarter was all about Barry - his mid-range stroke was as fresh as ever, and as he wedged his way past Nater and Tomjanovich with a dunk late in the second, I turned towards Attles and jokingly whispered "maybe he -shouldn't- retire." We managed to outscore Houston 28-19 in that quarter, going into the second half with a 62-57 lead, Wilkes leading all scorers with 19 points. Houston came back in the third, Bernard dropping 19 in the quarter as the Rockets tied it up 85-85, but Wilkes refused to be beat - he finished up the game with 30 points, 6 assists, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks, to go along side Rick Barry's 18, Gus Williams 15 points 8 assists, and Robert Parish's 17 points 9 rebounds as we won the game 115-112, Wilkes's last basket of the game pushing the score up by 2 at the buzzer.

What happened after the game - at least in my opinion - would go on to define the future of the Warriors for the rest of the playoffs. For the rest of the year. ****, for the foreseeable future. And I don't think he meant it as harshly as it came out either - the guy was exhausted, having just carried his team to a narrow win at the Summit, and he was caught off-guard. But when a reporter asked Wilkes if there was anything he thought the team needed to change to close out the series at home on Saturday, he smiled and said in a tone that to me sounded light-hearted but to many spiteful, "Well.. hell. The other guys could show up and help out. That might be nice." And suddenly everything exploded - because while I thought everything had been fine, and Attles thought everything had been fine, Wilkes's ego and flirtations with leaving had alienated his teammates much already, and this had been the last straw.

We didn't win Game 7. Instead, the team broke down into absolute chaos. Parish, Gus Williams, and Otis Birdsong adopted a personal mantra of not passing Wilkes the ball. By the time Attles put it together and called a time-out, screaming at them to grow up and prove Wilkes wrong, it was too late; Wilkes finished with just 14, while Barry had 17, Parish 24, and Gus Williams 15, Bernard King's 32 taking Houston to a 121-109 point victory. They'd go on to face San Antonio, losing in 5 (which, in reality, we very well could have as well, having gone 1-4 against them over the course of the season) in a series that George Gervin took complete control of. The Spurs faced off against the Lakers in the conference finals, who'd beaten out San Diego and then Denver, in a 6 game series that Magic Johnson and World B. Free ensured the Lakers had control of. Unfortunately for them, starting small forward Campy Russell had broken his hand in Game 5 of their match-up against the Spurs, but they went into the finals confident none-the-less. Across from them, the long-time rival Boston Celtics, who'd beaten out Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Detroit in order to make it to their first NBA finals since 1976.

It was an incredible run, with Bird dropping a 38 point triple-double in Game 1 (exposing the Louis Orr small forward weakness, the rookie no match for Bird) before Paul Westphal brought Lucius Allen back into the line-up, bumping Magic up to small forward to guard Bird. He did a great job, dropping 24 that second game and then 32 the third (along side 4 assists, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 9 steals!) as the Lakers took a 2-1 lead, only to get beaten out the next one, Bird dropping 28 to win in overtime despite Magic's 29 point 10 assist 13 rebound triple double. Kareem stole the show in Game 5, dropping 42 to give the Lakers the series lead at home, but Bird's 39 at the Garden in Game 6 sent the series to 7. And that game was just unreal - while the Lakers led early, Magic's 40 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists along side Kareem's 37 points and 16 rebounds giving them a comfortable 14 point lead mid-way through the third, Bird could not be stopped, exploding for 26 points in the 4th quarter to tie it up 118-118. Magic fouled out early, and Bird took advantage of it, riding Louis Orr for 16 more in OT regulation - the Celtics won 141-134, Bird finishing with a playoffs record 60 points, 4 assists, 4 blocks, and 10 rebounds, as Boston lifted up the 1982 NBA championship trophy having closed out the series in 7.

Washington got the first pick in the draft, Chicago the second, Dallas the third, Kansas City the 4th, New Jersey the 5th, Seattle the 6th, and Utah with the 7th in te lottery. Philadelphia's Julius Erving was named both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year (his stealing and on-the-ball defensive tenacity simply unmatched), while Dallas's Mark Aguirre won Rookie of the Year and Boston's Dave Cowens 6th Man. Most improved player went to Philadelphia's Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird Finals MVP, Coach of the Year went to Detroit's Chuck Daly, and Executive of the Year to Detroit's Jack McCloskey as the Pistons jumped from 7th in the East to 1st in just 3 years.

- The All NBA first team consisted of the Warrior's Gus Williams, San Antonio's George Gervin, Philadelphia's Julius Erving, Detroit's Marvin Barnes, and the Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- The All NBA second team consisted of Phoenix's John Lucas, Chicago's John Long, Boston's Larry Bird, Portland's Maurice Lucas, and Detroit's Bill Laimbeer.
- The All NBA third team consisted of Houston's Michael Ray Richardson, Los Angeles's World B. Free, Golden State's Jamaal Wilkes, San Diego's Dan Roundfield, and San Antonio's Moses Malone.
- The All NBA first defense team consisted of Michael Ray Richardson, World B. Free, Julius Erving, Denver's Bobby Jones, and Denver's Tree Rollins.
- The All NBA second defense team consisted of Indiana's Don Buse, Cleveland's Randy Smith, Larry Bird, Indiana's Elvin Hayes, and Houston's Swen Nater.
- The All Rookie first team consisted of Boston's Isiah Thomas, Seattle's Rolando Blackman, Dallas's Mark Aguirre, Kansas City's Tom Chambers, and Seattle's Herb Williams.
- The All Rookie second team consisted of New Jersey's Wes Matthews (despite originally being drafted 24th in 1980, he'd spent a year sidelined to injury), Kansas City's Lewis Lloyd, Milwaukee's Orlando Woolridge, New York's Buck Williams, and New York's Frank Brickowski.

League leaders for stats included:
PPG
- Julius Erving (PHI, 33.3)
- Larry Bird 2nd (BOS, 31.9), Bernard King 3rd (HOU, 28.8), Adrian Dantley 4th (28.0, NY), George Gervin 5th (27.0, SA), Reggie Theus 6th (26.9, ATL), John Long/Jamaal Wilkes 7th (CHI/GSW, 26.5), Ricky Sobers 8th (IND, 26.1), John Drew 9th (ATL, 25.6), Mark Aguirre 10th (24.2, DAL), Moses Malone 11th (24.0, SA), Sidney Moncrief 12th (22.9, HOU), World B. Free 13th (22.5, LAL), Robert Parish 14th (22.3, GSW), Billy Knight 15th (22.1, IND), Alex English 16th (22.0, PHO), Cedric Maxwell 17th (21.1, SEA), Alvan Adams 18th (20.8, NJN), Marvin Barnes/David Thompson 19th (DET/DEN, 20.7), Magic Johnson 20th (LAL, 20.0).

APG
- George Karl (SD, 9.2)
- Gus Williams 2nd (8.7, GSW), John Lucas 3rd (8.6, PHO), Norm Nixon 4th (8.3, WAS), Nate Archibald 5th (7.9, NJN), Phil Ford 6th (DEN, 7.8), Slick Watts 7th (SEA, 7.6), Michael Ray Richardson 8th (HOU, 7.1), Johnny Moore 9th (NY, 7.0), Magic Johnson 10th (LAL, 6.9), Foots Walker 11th (6.4, SA), Lionel Hollins 12th (POR, 6.0), Armond Hill 13th (ATL, 5.8), Larry Drew 14th (MIL, 5.4), Billy McKinney/Ernie DiGregorio 15th (CLE/UTA, 5.2)

RPG
- Moses Malone (13.2, SA)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2nd* (12.2, LAL), Robert Parish 3rd (11.3, GSW), Jack Sikma 4th (11.1, PHO), Tree Rollins 5th (10.9, DEN), Bill Laimbeer 6th (10.5, DET), Bob McAdoo 7th (10.4, NY), Artis Gilmore 8th (10.3, CHI), Larry Bird/Marvin Barnes 9th (BOS/DET, 10.0), Dan Roundfield 10th (9.9, SD), Dan Issel 11t (9.8, DEN), Maurice Lucas/Kermit Washington 12th (POr/LAL, 9.4), Julius Erving 13th (9.3, PHI), Mickey Johnson 14th (CHI, 9.2), Kevin Kunnert/Mike Bantom 15th (DAL/SEA, 9.0), Bill Cartwright/Sidney Wicks 16th (WAS/BOS, 8.9).
- Would've been Bill Walton 2nd with 12.7 but he only played 27 games for the season, after playing only 25 the season before, and 115 the two seasons before that.

BPG
- *Tree Rollins (DEN, 4.0).
- Moses Malone 2nd (SA, 3.3), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3rd (3.0, LAL), Swen Nater 4th (2.9, HOU), Julius Erving 5th (2.7, PHI), Terry Tyler 6th (2.6, KAN), Artis Gilmore 7th (2.5, CHI), Bobby Jones 8th (2.4, DEN), Darryl McDaniel 9th (2.3, PHI), Bo Ellis/Herb Williams/Robert Parish 10th (NJN/SEA/GSW, 2.2).
- Would've been Bill Walton with 4.8 but he only played 27 games.

SPG
- Michael Ray Richardson (HOU, 2.9)
- Julius Erving 2nd (2.8, PHI), Don Buse 3rd (2.7, IND), George Karl 4th (2.5, SD), Larry Bird 5th (2.4, BOS), Randy Smith 6th (2.3, CLE), Walter Davis 7th (2.2, POR), Ray Williams 8th (2.1, PHI), John Drew 9th (2.0, ATL), Bobby Jones/John Long/Lionel Hollins 10th (DEN/CHI/POR, 1.9).

TOPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3.8)
- David Thompson 2nd (3.6, DEN), Larry Bird 3rd (3.5, BOS), George Gervin 4th (3.4, SA), Nate Archibald/Mark Aguirre 5th (NJN/DAL, 3.3), Darrell Griffith/Lewis Lloyd 6th (PHO/KAN, 3.2), Alex English/John Long 7th (PHO/CHI, 3.1), Reggie Theus/Slick Watts/John Williamson/George Karl 8th (ATL/SEA/NJN/SD, 3.0), Billy Knight 9th (2.9, IND), John Drew/Paul Westphal/Butch Lee 10th (ATL/WAS/DAL, 2.8).

MPG
- Bernard King (HOU, 37.2)
- Gus Williams 2nd (36.7, GSW), Jamaal Wilkes 3rd (36.6, GSW), Reggie Theus 4th (36.4, ATL), Bob McAdoo/Paul Westphal 5th (36.3, NY/WAS), Adrian Dantley/David Thompson 6th (NY/DEN, 36.2), Julius Erving 7th (PHI, 36.0), George Gervin 8th (SA, 35.9), Marques Johnson/John Long 9th (MIL/CHI, 35.7), Bobby Jones/Billy Knight/Alex English 10th (DEN/IND/PHO, 35.6).

3-P Made
- Ricky Sobers (IND, 266)
- World B. Free 2nd (LAL, 206), Paul Westphal 3rd (WAS, 183), Ernie Grunfeld 4th (181, WAS), Adrian Dantley 5th (NY, 175), Sonny Parker 6th (171, CLE), Campy Russell 7th (166, LAL), Slick Watts 8th (SEA, 165), Mike D'Antoni 9th (159, NY), Bo Ellis 10th (157, NJN), Johnny Davis/Butch Lee 11th (147, POR/DAL), Armond Hill 12th (141, ATL), Lewis Lloyd/Don Buse 13th (139, KAN/IND), Walter Davis 14th (136, POR), George Gervin/Pete Maravich 15th (SA/DET, 135).

The 1981-82 season had come to an end, and with it so had an era of Golden State basketball - Rick Barry was on his way out, and with Wilkes a free agent, I couldn't say for sure if this team would ever be the same. All I knew looking forward - it had been a helluva ride.

--------------------

It's the second season of a brand new decade, and man things are starting to get exciting. In what's going to go down as one of the wildest NBA finals in history, the underdog Boston Celtics edge out an incredible seven game series win over the dominating Los Angeles Lakers behind mindboggling play from small forward Larry Bird. That Boston team showed it was serious, and that while injuries had derailed it midway through the season, that it didn't matter, it was here to stay. But one team narrowly changed that narrative forever - one underdog team, who many analysts had pegged as an 8th seed at best, pushed their way into the second round of the NBA playoffs in one of the most exciting series all year. I'm Connie Hawkins; tag along as we visit Wisconsin in this year's "Inside a Team - the Milwaukee edition."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

On April 2nd, 1981, Don Nelson stepped down as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after 3 consecutive seasons of not making the playoffs (having made just 1 in the 5 years he coached the team). The Bucks had just gone 24-58, 5 games up from an abysmal 19-63 record in the 79-80 season but certainly not looking like they were in any position to contend. While rookie power forward Rick Mahorn had posted an impressive 11.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in just 29.6 minutes played for 82 starts to mark his debut season (winning him Rookie of the Year honors) the team had otherwise remained lackluster; veteran Spencer Haywood, who we last saw in New York, had struggled at small forward while Marques Johnson struggled with injury, playing only 55 games before tearing a tendon in his knee. Eric Money failed to live up to expectation, and while Rookie Darrell Griffith, selected 5th in the draft, had shown he was comfortable scoring (posting 14.4 points per game with just 44 starts for the season) the team had still seemed lackluster. Griffith had been selected 5th overall and had been heavily overshadowed by Mahorn (who'd been picked 14th). But while most of the league couldn't see it, what happened those last few games of the season under assistant coach and interim head coach Larry Staverman was absolutely essential looking forward - because that's when Milwaukee developed an identity. The scrappy physical force that a year later would take the league by fire - Mighty Milwaukee.

The first step was finding a replacement for Don Nelson. Cue 11x All-Star and 10x All-NBA 1st Team Elgin Baylor. Baylor posted a 227-183 record in his time with the New Orleans/Utah Jazz, having been fired from the team despite making the playoffs 5 years in a row, including a conference finals run in '78 and a finals run in '79. He brought on Bill Blair, who'd coached under Red Holzman in New York and then Phil Johnson in San Diego, to serve as the offensive coordinator and Bernie Bickerstaff, who'd worked with Larry Brown in Denver and then Gene Shue in Atlanta, as defensive coordinator while keeping Sam Crawford as head of player development. During the draft, general manager Lou Hudson shipped Dave Meyers and their 1983 1st round pick along side the 28th overall pick for the 16th pick, the 19th, Jeff Wilkins, and Portland's 1983 1st round pick. They grabbed Orlando Woolridge with the 5th pick, Jeff Lamp at 16, and then Steve Johnson with the 19th pick, a solid enough rookie group.

In free agency, they re-signed Marques Johnson and Ron Lee, and soon enough the team was all but complete - or so I thought. But just when I thought Hudson couldn't pull anything else out of the bag, he sent young point guard Jerry Sichting and the 1984 Milwaukee 1st round pick for Indiana's 1982 1st round, their 1982 second round, their 1984 2nd round, and 4th year player power forward James Hardy. I was baffled - I mean sure, Milwaukee had guards to spare with the trio of Eric Monkey, Mike Bratz, and Ron Lee (minus Sichting) but Jerry had looked good. But in a follow-up interview with Hudson, he made his case, and while it still seemed crazy, I got where he was coming from. "Now we've got less reason to lose." Hudson, who had retired the previous summer after a 14 year career in Atlanta finished off with a one year stint in the Big Apple, had been hired to replace widely loved Wayne Embry (who'd gotten the team the likes of Oscar Robertson and Lew Alcindor - aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and he knew he had an upward battle to win the support of this fanbase. "But I know we've got the guys we need. And while yeah, a few guys could make us better, that's not important right now. What's important is teaching these guys how to win. We've got to be strong. We've got to be mighty."

That first game October 17th, 1980, saw them up against the New Jersey Nets at Brendan Byrnes Arena. Elgin Baylor decided to play Phil Smith and Darrell Griffith - both typically shooting guards - as the starting one and two for the beginning of the season after Ron Lee and Eric Money both struggled to rise to the occassion in training camps. Rookie Orlando Woolridge came in, replacing the 32 year old Spencer Haywood at the 3, while sophomore Rick Mahorn and Portland tradee Jeff Wilkins started at center, him and Mahorn's height advantages pushing Haywood onto the bench. It was a slow start to the game - Phil Smith struggled to make passes, with 2 major turnovers in the first three minutes, but as Nets center Bo Ellis continued to miss Milwaukee finished off with a 20-16 point lead. From there on out, that lead only grew - Mahorn finished with a game high 23 points and 8 rebounds, though Woolridge contributed with 18 while Phil Smith and Eric Monkey finished with 16 a piece, and the Bucks won 107-94.

And there they did look good - well, sort of. But despite some excellent play from Mahorn and Woolridge, Baylor struggled to rile the team to life. By November 21st, they were 7-10 going into a major game against the daunting Philadelphia 76ers at home. Phil Smith was out with a sprained wrist (an injury no one on the team wanted to take lightly after he'd broken it for the second time the previous year) while Darrell Griffith was sitting with a sprained toe and Orlando Woolridge a strained knee, so most people expected the game to end in a blowout. It was anything but. Spencer Haywood had 24 points and 6 rebounds, Jeff Wilkins 19 and 12, Eric Money a career high 37 points 13 assists, and Rick Mahorn a career high 40 points, 9 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 137-125 Milwaukee win that saw Mahorn absolutely dominate in overtime. Julius Erving - who fouled out with shortly into the final period, finishing with 54 points himself - called Mahorn and this team "the underdogs to look out for."

Still, for as impressive as some of these guys were playing, Hudson and Baylor both recognized what this team needed. "We had the scoring, we had the defense... we needed brains. And now we've got 'em." Baylor was all smiles as I sat down in his office with him early December 5th. The day before they'd shipped Darrell Griffith, their 1984 second round pick, and their 1982 second round pick (successfully ensuring they'd have none of their own picks for the next few years) for Phoenix's Larry Drew, a sophomore who'd had just two career starts in his 102 games played. While he certainly looked good, having made the NBA All-Rookie 1st Team in '81, Griffith had looked much better. What made it even stranger was that Drew himself had been picked -right after- Griffith in the draft, Darrell going 5 and Larry 6. Baylor simply shrugged. "Lou and I weren't here for that. Just watch."

Drew didn't start in his first game (though he played 17 minutes with 16 points and 5 assists in his debut), nor did he start in the next three, but on December 12th Baylor gave him the okay as Smith sat out again with a sprain. He dropped 27 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals as the team won 115-94, Mahorn's 29 points, 5 assists, and 11 rebounds helping take the team over the top. The locker room was absolutely crazy after the game - it was like they'd won a finals. "And I'm huuuuungry like the wolf!" Rick Mahorn was belting along to the radio - Duran Duran's 1980 classic hit playing loudly - as he swung Drew through the air in a large bear hug, the rest of the team laughing merrily. In just one game, they'd gained something monumental - a little bit of hope.

By the All-Star break they were 30-34, 6th in the East behind Indiana but well ahead of the 22-38 Cleveland Cavaliers at 8th. A playoffs spot seemed inevitable. Marques Johnson returned from injury in late January, and soon enough the Larry Drew-Phil Smith-Marques Johnson-Rick Mahorn-Jeff Wilkins line-up seemed formidable, with the likes of Orlando Woolridge, Spencer Haywood, Eric Money, Wayne Cooper (a back-up center Milwaukee had gotten from Seattle alongside their 1982 second round pick for under-used James Hardy), and Ron Lee. Mahorn sat out of the Rookie-Sophomore game but Larry Drew made the start, playing along side San Diego's Joe Barry Carroll, Utah's Kiki Vandeweghe, Dallas's Kurt Rambis, and the guy who'd quickly become his biggest rival in the league (even if it wasn't their fault), Darrell Griffith. They both had amazing games in their own right - Griffith stole the show with 49 points (on 20-32 shooting) but Drew held his own, dropping 13 points and 6 rebounds while dishing out a ridiculous 18 assists as the sophomore class narrowly won 142-140 despite missing arguably their best player so far. No one one the team made the marquee event, despite impressive seasons from Marques Johnson, Phil Smith, and Mahorn. No matter - chips on the shoulder was just fuel in the tank.

But things weren't so simple. They hadn't been exactly healthy, and while they continued to rank in the top 5 of defenses among the league, their lackluster offense sometimes made it impossible to take advantage of clutch stops. Minor injuries continued to plague the team as they lost 5 in a row towards the end of March, coming back with an absolutely clutch 4 game winning streak against one of their hardest stretches of the year to finish up the season, beating Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and Philadelphia, before closing out the season with a loss to Indiana to finish up 35-47, 6th in the East. Yes - 6th. For the first time since '77-78, the Bucks were going to the playoffs. And it was god damn fate, because right across from them in 3rd at 54-28 were their heated rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers. When asked about his thoughts on their chances going into the series, Milwaukee coach Elgin Baylor said something that would solidify him in the halls of heroes in Wisconsin forever. "This team isn't just impressive... this team is powerful. Strong-hearted, resilient, persistent, relentless. These guys are mighty... this -team- is mighty. And we're gonna push our luck as far as it goes, whether thats Game 4 or the Finals."

They pulled away with a win in Game 1. Marques Johnson was held to just 13, Wilkins 6, and Larry Drew 7, but Mahorn finished with 21 and Orlando Woolridge exploded for 25 off the bench, their defense impeccable as they held the soon-to-be-crowned MVP Julius Erving to just 14 points for Game 1, winning 105-95 at the Spectrum. Erving came back for revenge, dropping 36 points in Game 2 as the 76ers edged out the Bucks 109-103 (Phil Smith with a team high 34 for Milwaukee) but Milwaukee was far from done. Mahorn had 30 points and 15 rebounds in his next game, Phil Smith dropping 30 as well, as the Bucks won 116-100 in their first game back at Mecca Arena. In Game 4 it was Larry Drew who shined - he had 24 points, 12 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks to help boost Milwaukee up to a 3-1 lead going back to Philadelphia. Everyone was ecstatic - the Mighty Bucks had been embraced to the fullest, with shirts, hats, and banners flooding the streets in Milwaukee and beyond. They were suddenly the bandwagon team to follow, the underdog, and even Julius Erving admitted they were "blowing us out of the water."

But Erving didn't win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for no good reason. In Game 5 back at the Spectrum he had 38 points, 6 assists, 5 blocks, and a post-season high 19 rebounds, teaming up with Dennis Johnson (who had 28 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals) to push Philadelphia to a dominating 108-85 win. When he pushed that lead even further back at Mecca Arena - dropping 22 points, 9 assists, 4 steals, and 12 rebounds in just 30 minutes played while blowing out the home team 123-102 - suddenly the narrative was gone. The vast majority of people expected Philadelphia to move onto the next round, the marquee match-up of Bird vs Erving likely to be the most exciting series thus far. But they were wrong - the Mighty Bucks weren't done yet. Phil Smith had one of his clutchest games to date, dropping a post season high 43 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals, teaming up with Rick Mahorn - who had 25 points, 3 blocks, and 14 rebounds - to push his team to a dominating 110-86 point lead for a Game 7 victory in front of thousands of disgruntled Philadelphia fans. The team was ecstatic - Rick Mahorn picked up Phil Smith on his shoulders, stopping mid-way across the court to embrace Julius Erving in one of the most awkward three-way hugs ever seen. The Mighty Bucks were moving on - next stop, Boston.

Game 1 didn't go as smoothly as the team hoped. Marques Johnson led with a team high 18 points (on an ugly 7-23 shooting) as Bird finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 assists next to veteran guard Jo Jo White's 20 points and 10 assists. Boston won 100-80, and of course the media hammered away. Should this team be worried about containing Bird? Was Mahorn too young for this kind of pressure? Despite dropping 23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals in Game 2, these kinds of questions continued to plague him as Boston came away with a 2-0 series lead, Bird's 42 points and 12 rebounds giving his team a 116-107 win. And then in Game 3 it looked to be happening again - Boston led at the half 65-49, and the hopes of the home-court Mecca Arena crowd were starting to dwindle. But Marques Johnson stepped up in the second half - he finished in the third quarter with 29 points, 18 of them scored in the second half, as Milwaukee brought the deficit to 79-87. Mahorn's defense and Larry Drew's smart play helped edge them out into over time, the two dominating in terms of rebounds and assists respectively, and a clutch 3 pointer from Phil Smith on the buzzer beater saw the team head into overtime. He finished the game with 31, dropping 8 in OT, as Milwaukee edged out the win 124-117. Mighty Buck mania was back in full throttle.

They went on to win Game 4 even stronger. Smith had 36 points and Jeff Wilkins a post-season high 19 as the team tied up the series 2-2, Bird with 39 points in his team's loss. Now, suddenly, the narrative had shifted back their way. Do you guys really think you have what it takes to beat these guys? Is this team worse than their ranking suggests? If rookie Isiah Thomas wasn't injured and Boston wasn't starting Michael Cooper at the 2, would Phil Smith be able to outplay Isiah Thomas? I think this time it worked in Boston's favor - Bird had 38 in the Game 5 Boston win back at the Garden but the other guys did just as much work; Sidney Wicks had 22, Kevin McHale 26, and Michael Cooper a personal post-season high 21 as Boston won 128-113. Milwaukee won Game 6, Orlando Woolridge the hero off the bench yet again as he finished with a career high 32 points, teaming up with Phil Smith for 64 as Milwaukee escaped with a narrow win for the home crowd, 105-100.

Game 7 looked impossible, but maybe just because they were underdogs or maybe because of how they kept on pulling off the impossible, the fans were still in full swarm as Milwaukee went back to the garden. While the arena was all green, Bucks fans surrounded the outskirts and streets, cheering loudly as the bus pulled by. At one point in the game, Milwaukee even led, Larry Drew and Phil Smith's combined 56 giving the Bucks a glimpse at a victory - but just as quick Bird took it back, finishing up with 34 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 4 steals as Boston won 122-112. The series was over, Boston moving on to match up with the 1st seed Detroit Pistons.

"Nah. It's not so bad." Larry Drew, Rick Mahorn and I are talking over drinks, the second game of the Lakers - Boston series playing on the TV above the bar, Kareem dominating with 25 points already half-way through the third. "I mean, hell. I came onto this team expecting the worst. Instead we've got a great future - guys like Rick, Orlando, Marques... it's lookin' good." Rick grins, quickly chiming in. "Plus, and he's not gonna say it, but he's pretty happy about how the post-season went anyway. After all, Phoenix and Griffith finished off 7th in the West, we finished up 6th - and they lost to the Spurs in the first round." I glanced towards Drew, raising a brow as he shrugged with a meek smile. "Eh. That is pretty nice. Wasn't no one calling the suns "mighty"."

I'm Connie Hawkins, thanks for stopping by for "Inside a Team - the Milwaukee edition."

[rawr123456787654]

----- 1982-83 Golden State Warriors ------

The Hall of Fame class was the biggest in years, with Gail Goodrich (who'd made his career with the Lakers), Walt Frazier (with the Knicks), and our very own, Rick Barry, all being inducted at the same time. I was especially touched when Barry included me with those he thanked in his acceptance speech - the legend finished his career with 20241 points, 6006 rebounds, and 3254 assists in 894 games played, the leading scorer above Chamberlain in Warriors history. Goodrich was hired as the general manager for Cleveland, convicing Nate Thurmond to bring in Rick Barry as an assistant coach, while Walt Frazier for Kansas City. Other notable retirees included Steve Mix, Kevin Restani, Harvey Catchings, Mel Davis, Mack Calvin, and Don Smith (who was hired on to serve as general manager for the Clippers).

For the first time since I'd joined the team, my dad said we needed to make budgeting a focus. The first victim was Wilt - I couldn't entice hime to stay on as an assistant coach as he left for Philadelphia, much to my dismay (both because he was one of my childhood heroes but also more importantly because of how beneficial he'd been to the team). I brought on Brian Hill, an assistant coach from Lehigh University just 35, to replace him as our defensive coordinator, opting to keep Bob Love as head of player development instead of promoting him. Kansas City fired Don Nelson, bringing on former Buffalo Braves head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons on to replace him, while in a much more dramatic move the Lakers fired Paul Westhead, likely for the loss in the finals. Assistant coach Pat Riley was promoted to the head of the team in his place, while Westhead moved on to New Jersey, replacing Tom Heinsohn as the team's 5th coach in 7 seasons. Heinsohn's success in Boston just a few years prior was enough to convince Chicago general manager Pat Williams to sign him on as the head coach of Chicago, replacing Gene Shue, while Tom Nissalke got his first job as head coach since leaving Houston in '79 with the Utah Jazz, replacing Bob Kloppenburg after the team failed to make the playoffs.

The draft was a good one.
- To start things off, Chicago sent 1980 10th overall pick Rory Sparrow, the 27th pick, and the 2nd overall pick to Washington for Mike Newlin and the 1st pick, which they used to grab Dominique Wilkins. Washington grabbed Terry Cummings with the 2nd pick, Dallas grabbed Quintin Dailey at 3, Kansas City Lasalle Thompson at 4, New Jersey Mark McNamara at 5, Seattle Clark Kellog 6, Utah Keith Edmonson 7, Cleveland LaFayette "Fat" Lever 8th, Portland Derek Smith 9th, and Phoenix James Worthy 10th.
- Paul Pressey went to Chicago 11th, John Bagley to Phoenix 12th, Rob Williams to Houston 13th, Mark Eaton to Milwaukee 14th, Audie Norris to New York 15th, Cliff Levingston to Denver 16th, Rod Higgins to Washington 17th, and then I grabbed Mike Sanders out of UCLA, a small forward with what I saw as good potential, at 18th.
- Corny Thompson went to Chicago 19th, Ricky Pierce to Philadelphia 20th, Brook Steppe to San Antonio 21st, Sleepy Floyd to Detroit 22nd, and Lester Conner to the Lakers 23rd.
Other trades not mentioned included:
- San Antonio shipping Tom Henderson and Jawann Oldham to Kansas City for Sam Lacey and the 25th pick pick.
- Portland sending Jim Chones and Dusty Hancock to Detroit for E.C. Coleman and the 29th pick.
- Chicago sending Pat Cummings and their 1984 second round pick to Boston for Sidney Wicks, the 19th pick pick, the 42nd pick, and Cornell Warner as well as sending Charles Jones to San Diego for Geoff Huston.
- San Diego sending Robert Hawkins and Al Wood to Portland for Terry Furlow and the 34th pick.
- Washington sending Jim Chones and the 9th overall pick to Portland for their 1984 1st round pick, the 17th pick, their 1983 1st round pick, and Dave Meyers.

Bob Love took lead for the Summer League squad again, though Brian Hill helped him out to get into the swing of things. Albert King, Claude Gregory, Danny Schayes, David Thirkill, and Mike Sanders made up the guys I sent down, and they did decent enough. We lost the first game to Boston by 10, 89-99, as Celtics rookie Cole Baldino dropped 22 (despite Schayes 18 point 11 rebound double-double), but went on to steal the next win 97-93 as Danny Schayes had 29 points and 12 rebounds against Dallas. We lost the two after that - 113-103 against Chicago (#1 overall pic Dominique Wilkins dropping 27 but Schayes matching him with 27 of his own alongside 10 rebounds) and then 106-73 to Houston, Jay Vincent with 19 to bring Houston to an easy win. We got some revenge after that, Schayes with 26 points, 3 blocks, and 13 rebounds in a 114-91 game against Boston at home, and then closed the season off with a 104-98 win against Dallas (Schayes this time with 25 points and -15- rebounds) but unfortunately, we didn't make it into the playoff bracket. Washington beat Denver and the Hawks to make it into the finals against Houston (who'd gone through rival San Antonio and Chicago) but ultimately lost, Jay Vincent and Rob Williams proving too much to handle. Vincent was subsequently crowned summer league MVP, and the attention shifted to free agency.

And what a free agency it was. The Celtics broke the water early on in July when they announced they'd reached a 4 year deal with the rival Laker's Fly Williams, bringing the shooting guard onto his 3rd potential championship roster in a move that saw him finally secure a starting shooting guard role. The Kings brought in journeyman center Joe Meriweather, who'd averaged a career high 19.2 points and 9.7 rebounds 4 years prior, signing him onto a largely lauded as dumb contract for 5 years to replace Sam Lacey, who'd been traded to the Spurs. Speaking of the Spurs, they took arguably the biggest hit when Moses Malone opted to team up with his good friend Julius Erving in Philadelphia, signing onto a massive 5 year contract having now spent 3 years in Houston and 3 years in San Antonio following his entry into the NBA. George McGinnis signed on with Seattle, and again Indiana lost their hometown hero. Mychal Thompson, who'd been taken 3rd in 78, signed on to a four year contract with Atlanta, unable to figure out a deal with San Diego having recently played from the bench behind Joe Barry Caroll, while Dennis Johnson signed a 3 year contract with Utah. And then, in probably the biggest free agency move behind Malone, Jamaal Wilkes stabbed me in the back. He signed a 4 year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, fleshing out one of the strongest line-ups I'd ever seen (Magic, Free, Wilkes, Kermit, and Kareem). Part of me had expected it - though gods be damned I'd tried to do everything in my power to prevent it - but ultimately, the urge to win beat us out. In the press conference following the Lakers announcement, he called his time with Golden State "something I'll cherish forever. But as I grow and look forward, I know this is the move necessary for maximizing my NBA potential." Tuh. This organization made you, kid. I signed on Marcus Collins, Charles Kupec, Ron Boone, and Cornelius Cash to fill up the empty spots (opting not to re-sign Dunn, while losing Barry and Mack Calvin to retirement) and tried to look ahead as optimistically as I could. I mean hell - we still had Gus and Parish, right?

- Head Coach: Al Attles
- 623-391 record [50-32 previous season], 46, 11 playoffs (3 conf finals, 2 championship), 24 years w team (11 as player, 13 as coach)
- One of the NBA's wisest. Attles continues in his long tenure with the team, having spent most of his life with this organization, and he continues to show why he's great at his job. This will be a challenging season for him for sure with the loss of Wilkes, but I'm eager to see what he accomplishes with this core.

- Starting PG: Gus Williams - #1
- 6-2, 175 lbs, 29, 8th year in the NBA (8th w. team), 20th pick in the 1975 draft, USC.
- Career 12.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.2 rpg (2.6 d, 0.6 o), 1.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.6 topg, 31.6 mpg.
- Last season 14.5 ppg, 8.7 apg, 4.1 rpg (3.4 d, 0.7 o), 1.8 spg, 0.8 bpg, 2.1 topg, 36.7 mpg.
- 34 point game high, 20 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 8 steals, 104 double-doubles, 2 triple-doubles, 19 player of the games.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 1977 Sophomore Game Reserve, 1980 NBA All-League Second Team, 1980 NBA All-League 2nd Defense, 1981 All-Star Game, 1 title won.
- Gus Williams is now the defacto leader of this time. With hard work and poor moves by former team mates, he's been thrust into the position of salvaging the Warriors stretch of elitism. While his playmaking abilities continue to improve, he'll need to learn how to shoot confidently if this team is going to succeed. Balls in your court, Gus.

- Starting SG: Otis Birdsong - #10
- 6-3, 190 lbs, 28, 6th year in the NBA (6th with team), 18th pick in the 1977 draft, Houston.
- Career 9.3 ppg, 1.9 apg, 3.4 rpg (2.2 d, 1.2 o), 0.9 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.4 topg, 21.5 mpg.
- Last season 11.5 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.7 rpg (2.5 d, 1.3 o), 0.9 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.7 topg, 22.8 mpg.
- Career high 28 points, 9 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 steals, 2 double-double, 1 player of the game.
- Otis is back in the starting line-up, and this time he's looking to stay. He looked great in training camp - he's got a great shooting touch, especially as a strong one on one player who creates off the dribble. And while he needs to improve his consistency from around the perimeter, his excellent defensive abilities allow how to easily defend guys with more weight and hustle. He shows excellent desire, and hopefully he's around for the long run.

- Starting SF: Curtis Rowe - #41
- 6-7, 225 lbs, 33, 12th year in the NBA (2nd and a half w team), 11th pick in the 1971 NBA draft, UCLA.
- Career 10.0 ppg, 1.7 apg, 7.1 rpg (5.2 d, 1.9 o), 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.2 topg, 30.6 mpg.
- Last season 4.7 ppg, 1.1 apg, 4.9 rpg (3.2 d, 1.7 o), 0.4 spg, 0.8 bpg, 0.6 topg, 17.0 mpg.
- Career high 38 points, 11 assists, 20 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 69 double doubles, 22 p.o.t.gs.
- 1976 NBA All-Star.
- Rowe finds himself back into the starting line-up for the first since since his trade to the Warriors. While he's settled in nicely to both his role on the bench as well as the growing pains of aging, we've yet to find anyone that could do much better. He's not much of an offensive player anymore, but his defensive consistency and smart on-the-court IQ should help keep this team alive.

- Starting PF: John Shumate - #34
- 6-9, 235 lbs, 30, 9th year (5 1/2 yrs w team), 4th pick in the 1974 draft, Notre Dame.
- Career 14.4 ppg, 1.8 apg, 7.3 rpg (5.5 d, 1.8 o), 1.0 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.1 topg, 29.4 mpg.
- Last season 13.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 7.1 rpg (5.5 d, 1.6 o), 0.9 spg, 1.7 bpg, 1.4 topg, 30.3 mpg.
- Career high 44 points, 9 assists, 18 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals, 107 double-doubles, 33 p.o.t.g.
- 1976 NBA All-Rookie 1st team, 1 title won.
- John Shumate. When I traded for him, it ultimately helped win us a championship, but man, I'll admit, he never quite broke out into the star I expected him to be. But here's his chance; he's coming into the end of his prime, Wilkes is gone, and the team needs him more than ever. Can he step up to the plate? We'll have to wait and see.

- Starting C: Robert Parish - #00
- 7-0, 230 lbs, 28, 7th year (7th w. team), 8th pick in the 1976 draft, Centenary.
- Career average 15.8 ppg, 1.0 apg, 9.1 rpg (6.8 d, 2.2 o), 1.0 spg, 2.0 bpg, 1.4 topg, 29.4 mpg.
- Last season 22.3 ppg, 1.2 apg, 11.3 rpg (8.2 d, 3.1 o), 1.1 spg, 2.2 bpg, 1.7 topg, 30.9 mpg.
- Career high 40 points, 5 assists, 26 rebounds, 8 blocks, 5 steals, 212 double-doubles, 69 p.o.t.g.
- 1981 All-Star Game, 1982 All-Star Game.
- Like Gus, the spotlight now shines towards Parish. With Wilkes gone, it's up to him to lead by example, and thankfully he's coming off his most dominating season yet. If he can continue to play at an All Star level, expect him to flourish into one of the top centers in the league in the months to come. He's always been a beast, but can that athleticism and physicality translate into smart play making on the hardwood? We'll have to wait and see.

- 6th Man: Danny Schayes (C/PF) - #34
- 6-11, 235 lbs, 24, 2nd year (2nd w. team), 14th pick in the 1981 draft, Syracuse.
- Career/last season average 7.0 ppg, 1.1 apg, 5.3 rpg (3.9 d, 1.4 o), 0.3 spg, 0.6 bpg, 0.8 topg, 18.9 mpg.
- Career high 23 points, 5 assists, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals, 11 d-ds.
- 1982 Rookie-Sophomore game reserve player (Rookie team).
- Schayes is young, but with a bright future. His greatest strength, which is surprising for a center, is shooting. With a very soft touch and a very smooth gamestyle in the post, he positions himself well for rebounds, excelling off the offensive glass, and is very good at setting up fast break plays. He'll surprise you with the things he can do both in the post as well as the open floor, and was one of the most athletic players in all of college basketball. Watch out for him to become a fundamental part of this team.

- Back-up Guard: Darwin Cook - (PG) - #2
- 6-3, 184, 24, 3rd year in the NBA (3rd w. team), 8th pick in the 1980 NBA draft, Portland State.
- Career/Last Season 5.5 ppg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 rpg (1.2 d, 0.3 o), 0.9 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.0 topg, 16.4 mpg.
- Career high 31 points, 18 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 13 p.o.t.gs (from D-League)
- 1981 D-League All Defense 1st team, 1981 All D-League 2nd team.
- Cook still hasn't quite grown out of some of his rougher growing pains (his free throw shooting being especially bad) but he continues to show good vision and great passing ability. With a solid half court and full court game, he can handle hard situations and pressure, and is a great back-up to Gus. Maybe this will be the year he finally hits form.

- Back-up Forward: Charles Kupec - (SF/SG) - #44
- 6-6, 29, 7th year (1st w. team), undrafted, University of Michigan.
- Career 9.1 ppg, 1.7 apg, 2.2 rpg (1.9 d, 0.3 o), 0.3 spg, 0.1 bpg, 0.4 topg, 17.2 mpg.
- Last season 14.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 3.0 rpg (2.6 d, 0.4 o), 0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg, 0.7 topg, 25.8 mpg.
- Career high 33 points, 9 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 3 steals, 3 double-doubles, 2 p.o.t.gs, 1 title (w. LA in '77).
- An incredible perimeter shooter who's been a regular face in the long distant shootout the past few years, Kupec is a great push off the bench. He can change the pace of the game with his lights out shooting and has proven time and time again that he can not only knock down shots from outside with consistency, but also take big shots in big game situations. He does a good job of passing when doubled, great at seeing team mates on the wing, and crashes the post hard when needed. While his rebounding and defensive abilities are a big weakness, he's a great fit for off the bench play, and should be an excellent asset for this team.

- Other notable bench players- Ron Boone (SG), Dennis Awtrey (C), Cornelius Cash (PF), Marcus Collins (PG), Albert King (SF), Claude Gregory (PF) + Mike Sanders (SF) D-League.

------------------

We lost our first game of the season, 108-86. It's like our guys had forgotten how to score; all of the plays we'd drilled into them fell short, and we were unable to force the defense through Parish as Tree Rollins absolutely man-handled him, finishing up with an insane 20 points, 12 rebound, 11 block triple double (insanely enough, Bill Walton also dropped a 22 point 21 rebound 12 block triple double the very same night in a Portland 104-88 win against Kansas City at Kemper Arena) as the Nuggets rolled over us at home. That same night, Wilkes scored a game high 30 points alongside 10 rebounds in the Lakers opening night game against Phoenix at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the Lakers winning 98-80. Man.

We went down state to San Diego Sports Arena for Game 2, dropping another crushing loss 116-100 as the Clippers pulled away at the end of the 1st, maintaining the lead the rest of the game while outscoring us for all 4 quarters. Gus had 15 and 11 assists, Birdsong 16, and Parish 36 points and 10 rebounds, but Joe Barry Carroll's 28 points and George Karl's 19 points and 12 assists was enough to sweep away. Luckily, we came back for a win at home in the third game against Houston, Parish absolutely dominating Swen Nater for 27 points and 13 rebounds as we won 119-115, playing our bench for nearly the entire 4th quarter (Charles Kupec with an impressive 22 in 25 minutes played off the bench). It was hard dealing with the loss of Wilkes, but Gus and Parish were doing their best. We had another good win in our next game at home, a 119-110 rout of the Seattle Supersonics as Gus, Otis, Shumate, and Parish all crossed finished with over 20, Gus taking home MVP honors with 21 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Seattle sophomore Rolando Blackman had been especially hard to contain - while Gus managed to shut down the usually impressive (albeit aging out of his prime) Slick Watts and Parish handled sophomore Herb Williams, Blackman went for 28 points on 11-18 shooting. He'd boost that up to a career high 42 in the next game, a narrow 103-101 Seattle win over Dallas, showing everyone - myself included, as I'd taken Danny Schayes at 14 - that we'd been fools to miss out on him.

The rest of the month was ugly. San Antonio beat us 118-110, which wasn't the worst in the world (they'd solidified behind the hot stroke of George Gervin, still playing at an excellent level despite the loss of Malone) but the next night out we lost to Kansas City, then 0-6, 118-116 as Joe Meriweather snagged a triple double with 22 points, 10 assists, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks. "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Croft was playing on the radio in my car that night on my drive home, and I found myself absent-mindedly thinking - had I not done enough that summer?

November 4th marked our first match-up against the Lakers. Gus Williams managed 10 points and 12 assists, Parish going for a team high 36 along side Otis's valiant 26 point effort, but we had no shot at winning despite our homecourt advantage. Wilkes had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, teaming up nicely with World. B Free (28) and Magic Johnson (41 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals) for a dominating 133-123 point win. Despite the bad blood between us, our guys kept it relatively cool with Wilkes during the day though after that 4th quarter buzzer went off the entire arena erupted into boos. One angry fan threw a beer at Wilkes from the bleachers overlooking the tunnel - he was reprimanded, of course, but the message was clear: we didn't like these guys. We hadn't before, and we certainly didn't now. Something had to change.

We played average at best over the next couple of weeks. A loss to Seattle, a win over San Diego and then Dallas, then another loss to first Denver then Phoenix, coming back with a brief glimpse of hope after a 112-100 point win over Portland at Memorial Coliseum saw Parish go for 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks, and then a win over San Antonio, 118-102 (Parish again leading the team with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals) but then reality came crashing back, the team losing first to Seattle and then to the Lakers, Wilkes's 28 in the 118-113 Lakers win more than anyone on the losing Warriors squad (though the team did alright, Gus with 22, Parish with 26, and relief forward Danny Schayes with 25, Shumate out with a concussion). I knew we had to do something, but I didn't have too much to work with. Well... or so I thought.

"Two picks. Both first-round. And not this season either, I want '84 and '85." I was on the phone with Walt Frazier, in his first year as general manager of the Kansas City Kings. He'd been given full reign of the lackluster squad and I'd heard rumors he was making moves. My target - Terry Tyler, who'd made the All-Defense 1st team in '81 and the All-Defense 2nd team in '80 (getting edged out in '82 by Erving and Bird). He was an unreliable offensive threat, but his ability to contest shots and force turnovers was exactly what we needed. Two picks though... it was a lot to ask for. I was potentially screwing this team over, especially if we couldn't keep guys. But man... one more season of contention...

"Do it. This team needs it." As soon as Al Attles was on-board, it was history. Terry Tyler for our 1984 and 1985 1st round picks, along side Dennis Awtrey. Tyler was a 27 year old 6-7 small forward in his 5th year in the league, selected 18th in the 1978 NBA draft behind guys like Jeff Judkins, Marty Byrnes, Kenny Higgs, and Billy Ray Bates - guys who were either out of the league or well on their way. While he wasn't a reliable scorer, his defensive talent also gave him the ability to take what the defense gave him, knowing almost exactly when to pull up, when to drive, or when to pass. He'd make a great locker room presence, and while he was coming into the last year of his contract, I hoped a good season with the team could convince him to stick around.

We won 4 straight. Tyler played limited minutes in our first game against rival Utah at home, grabbing 2 rebounds, 2 points, and a block in 18 minutes played, but Robert Parish's 39 points, 5 blocks, 3 steals, and 16 rebounds was more than enough to beat out the struggling Utah squad 117-99. In his second game, he looked a little better- this time, we faced the dominant Detroit Pistons at the Pontiac Silverdome in a road game even we expected to lose. But Parish continued to shine, with 28 points and 9 rebounds, and Curtis Rowe's 17 off the bench along side Tyler's 8 points, 3 blocks, and 6 rebounds in just 25 minutes played helped us overcome the Pistons 107-95, Parish holding Laimbeer and Lanier (Marvin Barnes out with a broken hand) to just 12 and 2 points respectively. And in the third game, Tyler got the start, and boy did he take advantage. Up against the Indiana Pacers, Tyler managed to hold Indiana hot shot Billy Knight to just 11 points on 3-17 shooting, racking in 7 points, 5 blocks, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 10 rebounds in his debut start. Parish had 20 points, 2 blocks, and 23 rebounds, absolutely man-handling Indiana center Tom Burleson who finished the game with 0 points and 6 rebounds as we stole another road victory 99-86. The 4th game was even -better-, as Tyler held Knicks star Adrian Dantley to just 10 points on 4-15 shooting, bringing in 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 7 points. Gus Williams had 23 points and 11 assists, Robert Parish had 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks, and we beat the 3rd in the East New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, 92-88, putting us at our first positive record in weeks at 11-10.

December brought us our first shot at redemption. We were 12-13 going into our third season match-up with the Lakers, and coming off a great 96-73 home win against the Clippers (Gus Williams with 27 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals) but still, journalists called the game an "easy home game" for the Lakers. Instead Tyler had his best match yet. It was no surprise the team had spent a lot of time preparing for these match-ups, and they knew Wilkes better than anyone else. And boy did Tyler dominate him - in his 32 minutes played, he had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals, and -8- blocks, while Wilkes in his 34 minutes played he went just 1-17, grabbing 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and 5 turnovers along side his meager 2 points. Gus had 20 points and 12 assists, Birdsong 21, and John Shumate a season high 25 and 15 rebounds as the Warriors won 109-101, despite World B. Free's 37. The Forum was stunned - but we were ecstatic. Victory was sweet.

We faltered a bit after that. Parish had a hard foul on Swen Nater in a match-up against the Rockets at the Summit, and on his next drive down Nater jammed an elbow out, catching him in the face. He fell back in pain, and was later diagnosed with a broken jaw. John Shumate stepped up in his absence, with 17 points and 9 rebounds to help secure a 106-92 win none-the-less - but while I've mentioned him a couple of times recently, don't think he was doing us too many favors. Shumate's numbers were down to 13 points per game on 36% shooting, (down from 17 and 48% 79-80) and he was struggling to stay competitive. We lost three straight after that, to Portland, Boston, and then Chicago, rallying back to beat Utah again before losing to Dallas. But the team was motivated - after falling to 10th in the West, we won 4 straight including another 97-85 win over the Lakers at home (Tyler with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 9 steals, along side Danny Schayes 24 points and 12 rebounds) and closed out 1982 with a 19-18 record.

The next few games weren't bad. Otis Birdsong had 33 in a 103-84 win over Atlanta at home, having shown this season that he was finally capable of handling the pressure of the starting line-up. He stepped up again in a road game against Denver at McNichols Sports Arena, dropping 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals in a 102-90 point win, forcing 7 turnovers on David Thompson. We bounced back and forth with a few tough losses, including a 126-120 overtime loss to Chicago at home (John Long with 36 points, despite Gus William's 24 point 10 assist 15 rebound triple double) and an 85-94 loss to Philadelphia at home that saw John Shumate and Moses Malone erupt into a fury, Paul Griffin, Gene Banks, Danny Schayes, Terry Tyler, and Gus Williams all getting caught up in the enswarming riot. But we weren't bad - we stayed in the playoff conversation, and that was important.

In early February while at my sister's engagement party, my father pulled me aside to confess his concerns about the team. "We're falling behind, Petey." He was lighting a cigar on the back balcony of the hotel it was being hosted at, struggling to strike a match in his drunken stupor. "There's teams like the Lakers, like the 76ers, like the Celtics, like the Knicks, ****, like the -Suns-... they've got the star power. They grab the headlines, and even if we keep winning, ticket sales are hurtin'." I knew that wasn't entirely true, as fans had been as loyal as ever, but I also knew finances weren't great. "Don't worry, pops. We're going to turn this around. This season is going to finish good." He took a long drag from his cigar, before looking at me with a smile. "I know, Petey. I trust you."

By the All-Star weekend we were 31-29, despite a 108-115 overtime loss to New Jersey on the road (Alvan Adams with 45 points and 10 rebounds, though Charles Kupec had a nice season high 28 off the bench) right before the break. We were 7th in the West behind San Diego, San Antonio, Portland, Denver, Phoenix, and the Lakers, but we'd gotten the tougher part of our schedule out of the way and the last 20 games looked to be comparatively easy - plus the standings were super close, with third placed Denver at 34-26 and second placed Phoenix at 38-23 (first placed Los Angeles waay ahead at 51-10). Parish had returned in early February, coming back with a bang as he grabbed 11 rebounds and 26 points in their win over Washington. All in all, the team was exceeding expectations.

The weekend's events were being hosted at the Forum, fitting as Los Angeles had been absolutely dominating, which was a nice place to spend a weekend either way. Charles Kupec and Gus Williams both featured in the 3-point contest. While Gus had managed some solid performances, it was here he shined, sinking 20 of the 30 shots in the first round and then 26 to seal the deal for his first 3 point contest win, though Kupec was impressive as well, hitting 21 of 30 in the first round and then 20 of 30 in the finals. Danny Schayes made the Rookie-Sophomore game, starting in lieu of the injured Frank Brickowski in a game that saw him drop a mediocre 4 points and 3 rebounds in what could've been a great chance to turn some heads. Robert Parish made the Western conference All-Star starting line-up alongside Bernard King, Magic Johnson, George Gervin, and good ol' Jamaal Wilkes. Surprisingly, they got along well, Parish admitting to the team that they'd gotten lunch and caught up. Wilkes was enjoying his time in Los Angeles, having fit into their offensive scheme perfectly, and he was equally impressed with how good the Warriors had become readjusting their offense. Gus Williams, who also made the All-Star team from the reserves, was not so courteous, refusing to pass his old team mate the ball at any point during the game. Parish finished with 12 points as did Gus, while Bernard King scored 24 to bring the Western team to a 146-127 point lead, Larry Bird scoring a team high 23 for the Eastern team. I watched the game with my dad, like I often did, though I was a little thrown off by how stressed out he'd been lately - money troubles, as these things often were. "Don't worry about it" he said with a grin. "You guys are gonna take us far. I won't have to be worried for long."

~~~

The Dunk and 3-point contests boasted:

- Dunk: Calvin Natt (SF, CLE, Champ), Cole Baldino (SG, BOS, Finalist), Reggie King (SF, ATL), Sly Williams (SF, SD)

- 3-Point: Gus Williams (PG, GSW, Champ), Charles Kupec (SF, GSW, Finalist), Quinn Buckner (SG, SA, Finalist), Phil Smith (SG, MIL), Mike D'Antoni (SG, NY), Terry Furlow (SG, SD), Mike Dunleavy (PG, KAN), Doug Collins (SG, MIL)

The Rookie/Sophomore game teams contained:

- Rookies (138): Fat Lever (CLE, S. PG), Derek Smith (POR, S. SG), Dominique Wilkins (CHI, S. SF), Terry Cummings (WAS, S. PF), Mark Eaton (MIL, S. C), John Bagley (PG, PHO), Clark Kellog (PF, SEA), Mark McNamara (NJN, C), Ricky Pierce (PHI, SG), Paul Pressey (DEN, SG), LaSalle Thompson (KAN, PF), James Worthy (PHO, SF). Head Coach: Billy Cunningham (PHI).

- Sophomores (149): Isiah Thomas (BOS, S. PG, MVP), Danny Ainge (BOS, S. SG), Mark Aguirre (DAL, S. SF), Tom Chambers (KAN, S. PF), Danny Schayes (GSW, S. C), Wes Matthews (NJN, PG), Larry Nance (ATL, PF), Buck Williams (NYK, PF), Herb Williams (SEA, C), Kelly Tripucka (UTA, SF), Al Wood (DAL, SG), Orlando Woolridge (MIL, SF). Head Coach: Johnny Kerr (PHO).

- *Notable statlines included Dominique Wilkins with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 20 points on 8-17 shooting, Terry Cummings with 9 rebounds and 17 points on 8-11 shooting, Fat Lever with 8 assists and 7 points on 3-5 shooting, John Bagley with 7 assists and 18 points off the bench on 7-13 shooting, Ricky Pierce with 16 points on 6-8 shooting, Mark Aguirre with 4 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, and 18 points on 5-12 shooting, Kelly Tripucka with 15 points off the bench on 4-5 shooting, and Isiah Thomas with 8 assists and 31 points on 9-20 shooting for the game MVP honors.

The All-Star composite consisted of:

- Western All Stars (146): Magic Johnson (LAL, S. PG), George Gervin (SA, S. SG), Bernard King (HOU, S. SF, MVP), Jamaal Wilkes (LAL, S. PF), Robert Parish (GSW, S. C), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (LAL, C), Gus Williams (GSW, PG), John Lucas (PHO, PG), Mark Aguirre (DAL, SF), Tree Rollins (DEN, C), Sidney Moncrief (HOU, SG), Cliff Robinson (PHO, PF).

- Eastern All Stars (127): Johnny Moore (NYK, S. PG), John Long (CHI, S. SG), Larry Bird (BOS, S. SF), Rick Mahorn (MIL, S. PF), Moses Malone (PHI, S. C), Phil Smith (MIL, SG), Billy Knight (IND, SF), Adrian Dantley (NYK, SF), Marvin Barnes (DET, PF), Ernie Grunfeld (WAS, SG), Isiah Thomas (PG, BOS), Bill Laimbeer (DET, C).

- Notable stat lines included Bernard King with 5 assists and 24 points on 11-14 shooting, Kareem with 14 off the bench on 5-7, John Lucas with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 13 points off the bench on 4-5, Larry Bird with 2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 23 points on 5-9 shooting, Moses Malone with 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 17 points on 7-10 shooting, Marvin Barnes with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 15 points off the bench, and Ernie Grunfeld with 18 points on 9-12 shooting off the bench.

Trades for the season included:
- Detroit sending Sleepy Floyd, their 1983 second round pick, their 1984 second round pick, and their 1985 second round pick for Chicago's David Greenwood, it's 1985 1st round pick, and it's 1983 1st round pick shortly before the season.
- New Jersey sending Mike Mitchell, Roy Hamilton, Kareem Amaker, and their 1985 and 83 second round picks to San Antonio for Robert Reid, the Spur's 1983 1st round pick and the Spurs 1985 1st round pick in early October.
- Denver sent Marvin Webster to Milwaukee for Ron Lee and Milwaukee's 1985 1st round pick before the season began.
- Phoenix sent Truck Robinson and their 1983 second round pick to Cleveland for Richard Washington, Sonny Parker, and Cleveland's 1985 1st round pick a few games into the season.
- Atlanta sent Greg Kelser to Indiana for Jerry Sichting and a 1983 second round pick in early November.
- Chicago sent Mike newlin, Michael Brooks, and their 1985 second round pick to Dallas for Kevin Kunnert mid-November.
- Golden State sending their 1985 1st round pick and Dennis Awtrey to Kansas City for Terry Tyler late November.
- Cleveland sending Kelvin Ransey to the Clippers for Billy Robinzine and a 1983 second round pick late November.
- Philadelphia sending Clint Richardson to Kansas City for Tom Henderson and a 1983 second round pick at the end of November.
- The Lakers sending Earl Cureton, Lester Conner, their 1983, 84, and 85 second round picks to Indiana for Wilbur Holland and Indiana's 1985 first round pick right mid-December.
- Denver sending Mike O'Koren and a 1984 second round pick to Chicago for Paul Pressey and Danny Vranes and a 1985 second round pick to San Diego for Charles Jones right before Christmas.
- Cleveland sent Glenn Mcdonald, Marc Iavaroni, and their 1984 1st round pick to Denver for Ron Lee, a 19815 1st round pick, and Bill Hanzlik in early January.
- New York sent Frank Brickowski, their 1983 and 85 1st round picks, and their 1983 and 85 second round picks for Dallas's Kurt Rambis and a 1985 second round pick in early February.
- Portland sent James Donaldson to Utah for George Johnson and a second round pick right around the deadline. They also sent Al Wood to Dallas for Phil Hubbard.

The post-All Star stretch was where we played at our best. We were 12-5 for the month of March, dominating opponents with only a string of losses to San Diego, Kansas City, Denver, Phoenix, and the Lakers - though we beat them once as well, Robert Parish with 35 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in our 101-84 point win at home. By April we were 43-34, 5th in the West behind the Spurs with a good chance of overtaking them and perhaps Phoenix -and- Denver for either the second, third, or fourth spot in the West. Gus Williams had gone out with a badly bruised sternum in a March 25th win over San Antonio (part of why we lost to Los Angeles the next game out) but Darwin Cook was doing a solid enough job in his place, dropping 16 points and 7 assists in a March 28th 113-98 win over Portland at Memorial Coliseum. I'd expected to go into this season in a panic, but instead I was starting to get comfortable with where this team was headed. Sure, we weren't the Lakers - but we were the god damn Warriors. We were resilient.

We won 6 games straight to close out the year, in a desperate bid to get as high as we could in the standings. While we couldn't steal second or third place from Denver and Phoenix, that end of the season run pushed us right over Portland for 4th place and home court advantage in the first round of the post-season. A lot of people hadn't expected us to make the playoffs after Wilkes leaving - this was awesome. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" echoed throughout the locker room closing out that final 102-101 victory over Seattle at the end of the season - Parish had successfully challenged Cedric Maxwell on the shot, his last second three pointer hitting the rim and flying off into the crowd - and even coach Al Attles caught himself hitting the shimmy as the room roared with excitement. Parish, who had 44 points, 4 blocks, 4 steals, and 11 rebounds in the last game, had been the definitive leader of this squad for the year, and a lot of the props went to him. Despite this being his 7th year in the league, he'd only be 30 next year - ample time to still lead this time. But next year didn't matter, not yet - now was time to focus on the playoffs.

The standings were pretty exciting, with quite a few different squads looking more than fit for making a run. In the West, the teams consisted of:

- The Lakers in 1st, at 69-13, tied for their best season to date with the 1971-72 Elgin Baylor-Wilt Chamberlain-Gail Goodrich-Pat Riley-Happy Hairston-Jerry West squad. With Pat Riley as the new coach (and doing a phenomenal job thus far) and Magic Johnson, World B. Free, Jamaal Wilkes, Kermit Washington, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the starting line-up and Campy Russell, Louis Orr, Lucius Allen, Wilbur Holland, T.R. Dunn, Marty Byrnes, Austin Carr, and Joe Bryant on the bench, this was one of the most versatile and strongest NBA roster's ever assembled. They led the league in least points allowed at 94.6, while simultaneously ranking 3rd in points made per game at 108.2. Needless to say, they were the easy favorites for the NBA championship.

- In second place, the Denver Nuggets at 48-34. Larry Brown and assistant coach Phil Jackson have built one of the crafiest line-ups in the league around Phil Ford, David Thompson, M.L. Carr, Bobby Jones, and Tree Rollins, with Dan Issel and Vinnie Johnson playing a majority of the minutes off the bench (though Charles Jones, Paul Pressey, Tom Barker, Bob Wilkerson, and Marc Iavaroni had each managed to shine on their own as well) to create a surprisingly talented team for a squad that wasn't expected to raise eyebrows. While the Lakers look a hard team to beat (Denver having gone 0-5 against them in the regular season) this team should still go far none-the-less.

- The Phoenix Suns at 47-35 for 3rd. Having beat us out in the regular season for the 3rd placed seed, Johnny Kerr's team seems to be better than ever. John Lucas, Darrell Griffith, Alex English, Cliff Robinson, and Jack Sikma are a strong starting line-up, and James Worthy, Richard Washington, John Bagley, Andrew Toney, Monchito Cruz, and Eddie Johnson are an excellent bench. Definitely a threat for the post-season.

- We're in 4th. Expectations are low, but we plan on shattering 'em.

- In 5th, at 45-37, the Portland Trailblazers. A team that might very well be first if it hadn't struggled so much with injuries, their not exactly the easiest match-up for the first round. Lionel Hollins, Walter Davis, Bob Gross, Maurice Lucas, and Bill Walton - still struggling with injuries, but having played his longest season since 79-80 with 51 games - look to be a formidable group of contenders. Parish vs Walton will be a helluva match-up.

- The Spurs came in at 6th, also at 45-37 though having lost the regular season series to Portland. Oh how the mighty had fallen - though, to be fair, they'd done an excellent job at managing without Malone. Foots Walker, George Gervin, Mike Mitchell, Larry Kenon, and Darryl Dawkins made up the starting line-up while Quinn Buckner, Sam Lacey, Dave Corzine, Brooke Stepp, Dean Meminger, and Darnell Valentine made up the bench. Rex Hughes was still head coach, though many questioned for how long as he struggled in the latter half of the season to keep the squad fresh and focused. Their odds at an upset against Phoenix? Slim, but crazier things have happened.

- In 7th, one of the more interesting NBA squads, the Houston Rockets at 42-40. Michael Ray Richardson, Sidney Moncrief, Bernard King, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Swen Nater were a strong starting line-up, but off the court problems between head coach Bill Fitch and Moncrief (as well as Fitch and King) had made it hard for them to really mesh. Despite a strong bench with Demarcus Phelan, Ray Williams, Jay Vincent, Calvin Murphy, Casper Clay, and Garfield Heard, this time just consistently gave up major leads much to the dismay of their fans. While their chances against Denver aren't great, they're definitely possible, especially with how explosive this offense can be - still, unlikely they ever match the talent of the Lakers squad.

- Lastly, in 8th place, the Seattle Supersonics at 41-41. Lenny Wilkens continues to struggle to show the world Seattle can contend, though this year injuries were working against them, with Cedric Maxwell missing significant time to a broken hand and George McGinnis to a major ankle sprain. Still, the Slick Watts-Rolando Blackman-Cedric Maxwell-George McGinnis-Herb Williams squad is by no means weak, with the Mike Bantom, Brian Taylor, James Hardy, Clark Kellog, Jim Spanarkel bench more than competent. Their shot vs the Lakers in the first round? Well... it'd make for a helluva underdog story.

In the East, meanwhile:

- In 1st place, the Boston Celtics at 62-20, not too far behind their rival Los Angeles Lakers. This has got to be the best Celtics team in years - sophomore Isiah Thomas, Fly Williams, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Dave Cowens, with Jo Jo White, Clifford Ray, Michael Cooper, Pat Cummings, Danny Ainge, Bingo Smith, Earl Monroe, and Darnell Hillman on the bench. How can this team get much better? (Well - a good center, maybe). As the reigning champs, expect them to more than likely make a stab a repeat - though it won't be easy, with teams like Philadelphia and Milwaukee in their way.

- In 2nd, the Philadelphia 76ers at 53-29. With Ray Williams, Gerald Henderson, Julius Erving, Paul Griffin, and Moses Malone at the starting line-up and Sam Smith, Mark Olberding, Darryl McDaniel, Gene Banks, Wes Unseld, and Ricky Pierce riding the bench, this team has hit their highest point in the past decade - ridiculous, as they won just 6 years seasons prior. Billy Cunningham has emerged as one of the best young coaches in the league while Leo Ferris's smart management moves have resulted in an incredible two MVP core with ample young talent. If they don't make a run at it this year, watch out for them in the near future.

- In 3rd, the New York Knicks at 47-35, thanks to their regular season series against Milwaukee. You'd think after losing Walt Frazier this team would show signs of slowing down, but they just keep on finding their way back to the top of the standings. The biggest reason for that? Adrian Dantley. Dantley leads a squad consisting of himself, Johnny Moore, Mike D'Antoni, Bob McAdoo, and Buck Williams, with Larry Smith, Kurt Rambis, Tom Abernethy, Lonnie Shelton, and Butch Beard backing them up as an excellent secondary unit. Red Holzman continues to serve as one of the league's greatest coaches, and this team seems fit to keep contending for years to come.

- In 4th, the Mighty Milwaukee Bucks at 47-35. They didn't make too many changes from the year before, instead relying on growth and development to keep them moving forward. Larry Drew, Phil Smith, Marques Johnson, Rick Mahorn, and Jeff Wilkins are still an incredible core, but the bench of Orlando Woolridge, rookie Mark Eaton, Marvin Webster, Eric Money, Doug Collins, Spencer Haywood, and Wayne Cooper has just been amazing so far this season. Elgin Baylor continues to demonstrate why Utah were absolute idiots in firing him (especially as they fire their third coach in two seasons after his departure) and the Bucks look like potential underdogs for the finals, especially given how well they match-up with the Celtics.

- In 5th, more so because of injuries (to Marvin Barnes especially, who'd played only 44 games for the season) than anything else, the Detroit Pistons. Maurice Cheeks, Pete Maravich, Purvis Short, Marvin Barnes, and Bill Laimbeer make up a fierce starting line-up, while Bob Lanier, Brad Davis, David Greenwood, Jim Chones, Allen Leavell, Dasean McBridge, Charlie Scott, and Dave Bing bring in the bench. Coach Chuck Daly has turned this group of guys into an All-Star team, with a 45-37 record and a ton of attitude to show for it. Watch out for 'em.

- In 6th, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Fat Lever, Randy Smith, Calvin Natt, Truck Robinson, and Jeff Ruland have shown their ready to enter the league as contenders, despite what critics may have to say. Kevin Grevey and Billy Robinzine serve as two of the most productive bench players in the league, while Jon Davis, Frank Johnson, Tate Armstrong, Ron Behagen, Bill Hanzlik, Ron Lee, and Billy McKinney make up a pretty formidable bench. Nate Thurmond continues to impress with coaching, and all in all, despite coming into the post-season in 6th, Cleveland looks like it could turn some heads.

- In 7th, unfortunately though ultimately to no one's particular surprise, the Indiana Pacers at 42-40. Having won the finals just 2 years prior on one helluva run, the Pacers have struggled with age and the loss of two of their biggest players, Tree Rollins and George McGinnis. Don Buse, Ricky Sobers, Billy Knight, and Elvin Hayes still field the starting line-up, along side Tom Burleson, but age has been hard to fight. Reggie Johnson, Earl Cureton, Jan Van Breda Kolff, Bruce Jenner, Greg Kelser, Peter Gudmundsson, and Lester Conner make up a decent enough bench while Slick Leonard continues to serve as an excellent coach, but ultimately this teams flare seems to be on its way out. It was still an epic ride.

- Coming in at 8th are the Atlanta Hawks, the only post-season team under .500 at 36-46 in one of the most competitive seasons to date. With head coach Butch van Breda Kolff (yes, the father of the mentioned-above Jan) having successfully whipped this team back into shape despite losing Reggie Theus for the first half of the season, 37 games, as well as star John Drew for 26 games throughout the season. The starting line-up - Armond Hill, Reggie Theus, John Drew, sophomore Larry Nance, and Mychal Thompson - might not be turning any heads, but watch out for them in the next few years; with Reggie King, James Bailey, Jerry Sichting, Eddie Jordan, Curtis Perry, Jose Farley, and Keith Herron on the bench, they stand a good chance at growing in the years to come.
Our first match-up in the post-season pitted us up against the Portland Trailblazers, bolstered by a finally healthy Bill Walton (though Lucas would miss most of the series with back spasms) and with a flare to win. Despite heading into Game 1 with a home-court advantage, the absence of Gus Williams, who'd miss the entire first round with a bad ankle sprain, left us struggling to make plays. Birdsong finished with a team high 19, and we had just 14 assists in the game (compared to our team average 22.8) resulting in a Portland 113-100 win, Bob Gross finishing the game with 24 points, 8 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 block (while Hollins had 21 points and 12 assists). We rallied back in Game 2, Tyler taking on some of the burdens of leadership from the young Darwin Cook with a team high 6 assists along side 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 5 blocks, and 18 points, and Otis Birdsong's 29 points gave us a much needed 120-102 win. Parish came in clutch the next game, with his first post-season triple double dropping 16 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocks, while the 5-2 Marcus Collin's had 17 off the bench making an absolute mess of Portland rookie Derek Smith who struggled to contain him in our 106-99 win.

Portland did manage to win a couple more, Walton with a monster 23 point 4 assist 25 rebound 8 block 3 steal game for a surprisingly narrow 103-92 win (Birdsong again leading the game with 26) before Johnny Davis had the game of his career, covering for the injured Lionel Hollins (out with a concussion) with 41 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, and 3 steals to guide Portland to a 116-112 victory at Oracle. But as soon as the Lakers finished off Seattle in a 4-1 series, we knew we couldn't lose - we had to face them in that next round. Parish dropped 25 points and 20 rebounds in our Game 6 108-96 point win at Memorial Coliseum, and then carried the team even farther, pulling off a nailbiter 124-122 win at home in Game 7 with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, and 4 steals (Tyler with 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, and 24 points) despite the team missing Birdsong, Gus, -and- 6th man Curtis Rowe to minor injuries. We'd face up against Los Angeles in the next round, while Phoenix and Denver both moved on (beating San Antonio and Houston respectively) on the opposite side of the bracket - the odds were against us, but we were ready.

The day before the series began, I was asked a question in a press conference on my thoughts about Wilkes leaving - I'd yet to sit down and give much more than a couple of one liners about it, and was still hesistant to discuss it. But I was honest. "I can't blame him for wanting to do what's best for his career - but I can blame him for abandoning his team. And while a lot of people are going to argue he's got every right to do what he want's as a free agent, and they're absolutely right, I don't particularly care. He behaved selfishly, so I'll behave childishly."

The Lakers won Game 1 in one of the most physical games of the year. Kermit Washington was a beast on the boards, sending out vicious elbows and nasty jabs through out the game (causing Gus Williams to go out with a head wound early in the first - though he'd come back with stitches later on in the game) while Kareem was in prime form. He had 21 points, 5 assists, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 3 steals - but it was Wilkes who really hammered it down. With 26 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 9 rebounds, he showed no remorse, hammering away at his former team mates with rough fouls the whole game, playing 44 minutes and continuing to pick away at the lead late into the 4th. After the 109-78 point win, Wilkes was all smiles in the post game conference. "Was that childish enough for you?"

That was sort of the nail in the coffin. Magic Johnson had a triple double in the next game, 30 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds, the Lakers winning 103-99, and while we managed to win the first game back at home (Gus Williams with 32 points and 9 assists for a 101-95 win) we lost the next two in a row, first 94-79 and then 117-110, John Shumate going an ugly 4-19 in the last game, something that would haunt him the rest of the summer. The Lakers went on to face the Suns, who'd beaten #2 Denver in a 6 game series, beating them out in a 5 game sweep, and were very much looking forward to a rematch with the Celtics.

It didn't happen. The Celtics lost to Philadelphia in the conference finals, having fought through Atlanta and another 7 game series against Milwaukee to get there. Larry Bird played great but injuries to Dave Cowens -and- Clifford Ray left them unable to handle Moses Malone, and when Isiah Thomas was suspended for two games following an accumulation of technicals, Philadelphia managed to take the lead, winning the series against the reigning NBA champions in just -5- games. Funny enough, they lost in that same time frame - Erving played great, but couldn't match the might of Magic and Kareem, winning one game at home but ultimately losing 4-1. Magic Johnson was named Finals MVP for the second time in his career, and Los Angeles lifted up it's 3rd NBA championship since 1977. The Lakers had reached the realms of "elite" - some even called them the best team ever assembled. But funny enough, for a lot of the guys, the win didn't even matter; surely it wasn't comparable to 1980. Because while they'd won again, they still hadn't gotten revenge - they still hadn't beat the Celtics.

Boston's Larry Bird finally won MVP, after being a strong contender the past couple of years, and Denver's Tree Rollins won Defensive Player of the Year for the 3rd time. Milwaukee sophomore Orlando Woolridge won 6th man of the year, Seattle's Rolando Blackman won most improved player, and Chicago's Dominique Wilkins won Rookie of the Year in a tight contest between him and Cleveland's Fat Lever. Los Angeles's Pat Riley won Coach of the Year, while Los Angeles's Jerry West won Executive of the Year.

- The All-NBA 1st team consisted of Magic Johnson (LAL), Rolando Blackman (SG), Larry Bird (SF), Rick Mahorn (PF), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (LAL).
- The All-NBA 2nd team consisted of John Lucas (PHO), George Gervin (SA), Adrian Dantley (NYK), Larry Kenon (SA), and Moses Malone (PHI).
- The All-NBA 3rd team consisted of Gus Williams (GSW), Phil Smith (MIL), Julius Erving (PHI), Alvan Adams (NJN), and Bill Laimbeer (DET).
- The All-Defense 1st team consisted of Magic Johnson (LAL), World B. Free (LAL), Terry Tyler (GSW), Bobby Jones (DEN), and Tree Rollins (DEN).
- The All-Defense 2nd team consisted of Don Buse (IND), Otis Birdsong (GSW), Larry Bird (BOS), Dan Roundfield (SD), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (LAL).
- The All-Rookie 1st team consisted of Fat Lever (CLE), Ricky Pierce (PHI), Dominique Wilkins (CHI), Terry Cummings (WAS), and Mark Eaton (MIL).
- The All-Rookie 2nd team consisted of Sleepy Floyd (CHI), Derek Smith (POR), James Worthy (PHO), LaSalle Thompson (KAN), and Robert Wingfield (NYK).

Statistical leaders were as followed:
PPG
- Larry Bird (BOS, 30.1)
- Julius Erving 2nd (PHI, 28.5), John Drew 3rd (ATL, 28.3), Adrian Dantley 4th (NYK, 28.0), Bernard King 5th (27.9, HOU), George Gervin 6th (26.2, SA), Robert Parish 7th (24.9, GSW),Ricky Sobers 8th (24.8, IND), Mark Aguirre 9th (24.7, DAL), Dennis Johnson/Moses Malone 10th (PHI/UTA, 24.6), Rolando Blackman 11th (SEA, 23.7), Phil Smith 12th (MIL, 23.5), Alex English/Jong Long 13th (PHO/CHI, 22.8), Reggie Theus 14th (ATL, 22.7), Magic Johnson/Maurice Lucas 15th (LAL/POR, 22.3), Alvan Adams 16th (21.7, NJN), Billy Knight 17th (21.4, IND), David Thompson 18th (DEN, 20.9), Ernie Grunfeld 19th (WAS, 20.7), World B. Free 20th (LAL, 20.2).

APG
- Foots Walker (SA, 9.9)
- Johnny Moore 2nd (NYK, 9.3), John Lucas 3rd (PHO, 8.9), George Karl 4th (SD, 8.7), Gus Williams 5th (GSW, 8.0), Phil Ford 6th (7.8, DEN), Norm Nixon 7th (WAS, 7.7), Slick Watts 8th (SEA, 6.9), Nate Archibald 9th (NJN, 6.5), Sleepy Floyd/Magic Johnson 10th (CHI/LAL, 6.3), Armond Hill/Ray Williams 11th (ATL/PHI, 6.2), Michael Ray Richardson/Larry Drew 12th (HOU/MIL, 6.1), Lionel Hollins/Fat Lever 13th (POR/CLE, 6.0), Dennis Johnson 14th (UTA, 5.6), Butch Lee/Henry Bibby 15th (DAL/KAN, 5.3).

RPG
- Moses Malone (13.2, PHI)
- Bill Walton 2nd (POR, 12.6), Robert Parish 3rd (GSW, 11.7), Bill Laimbeer 4th (DET, 11.5), Bob McAdoo 5th (NY, 10.9), Jack Sikma 6th (PHO, 10.7), Kareem 7th (LAL, 10.6), Dan Roundfield 8th (SD, 10.5), Tree Rollins/Sidney Wicks 9th (DEN/CHI, 10.4), Dave Cowens 10th (BOS, 9.8), Rick Mahorn/Larry Kenon 11th (MIL/SA, 9.7), Joe Barry Carroll 12th (SD, 9.6), Bill Cartwright 13th (WAS, 9.5), Larry Bird 14th (BOS, 9.4), Bobby Jones 15th (DEN, 9.3), Kevin McHale 16th (BOS, 9.2).

BPG
- Tree Rollins (DEN, 4.3)
- Bill Walton 2nd (POR, 4.2), Moses Malone 3rd (PHI, 3.8), Kareem 4th (LAL, 3.3), Terry Tyler 5th (3.2, GSW), Swen Nater 6th (HOU, 2.9), Joe Barry Carroll 7th (SD, 2.8), Robert Parish 8th (GSW, 2.6), Joe Meriweather 9th (2.5, KAN), Kevin McHale 10th (BOS, 2.4).

SPG
- Don Buse (IND, 2.8)
- Michael Ray Richardson 2nd (HOU, 2.5), Larry Bird 3rd (2.4, BOS), John Long 4th (CHI, 2.3), Julius Erving 5th (2.1, PHI), Bobby Jones 6th (DEN, 2.0), Magic Johnson 7th (1.9, LAL), George Karl/Lionel Hollins/Gus Williams/Walter Davis 8th (SD/POR/GSW/POR, 1.8), John Drew/World B. Free/Sidney Moncrief 9th (ATL/LAL/HOU, 1.7), Terry Tyler/Calvin Natt/Bernard King 10th (GSW/CLE/HOU, 1.6).

TOPG
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3.6)
- Mark Aguirre/Adrian Dantley 2nd (DAL/NY, 3.4), Bernard King 3rd (HOU, 3.3), David Thompson/Larry Bird 4th (DEN/BOS, 3.2), George Karl 5th (SD, 3.1), George Gervin 6th (SA, 3.0), Nate Archibald 7th (NJN, 2.9), Alex English/Reggie Theus 8th (PHO/ATL, 2.8), Darrell Griffith/Slick Watts/John Long 9th (PHO/SEA/CHI, 2.7), Foots Walker/Norm Nixon 10th (SA/WAS, 2.6).

MPG
- Bernard King (HOU, 37.7)
- Bob McAdoo 2nd (NY, 36.9), George Gervin 3rd (SA, 36.8), Adrian Dantley 4th (NY, 36.7), Purvis Short 5th (DET, 36.6), Rolando Blackman 6th (SEA, 36.5), Phil Smith 7th (MIL, 36.3), Alex English 8th (36.2, PHO), David Thompson 9th (36.0, DEN), Gus Williams/John Lucas/Mark Aguirre/Al Skinner 10th (GSW/PHO/DAL/SD, 35.9).

3-P Made
- Ricky Sobers (IND, 310)
- Kevin Grevey 2nd (CLE, 270), World B. Free 3rd (LAL, 209), Ernie Grunfeld 4th (195, WAS), Mike D'Antoni 5th (NY, 177), Henry Bibby 6th (KAN, 176), Paul Westphal 7th (166, WAS), Armond Hill 8th (160, ATL), Adrian Dantley 9th (NY, 158), Alex English 10th (152, PHO).

Towards the end of that season, I'd gotten optimistic - and I still was, don't get me wrong, I didn't think we were in any sort of panic. But watching the game with my dad as per usual wasn't the same, not at all. He was stressed out, he seemed restless, and worst of all, he seemed disinterested. Money was becoming an increasingly big issue and while I'd done a good job at managing the budget (perhaps not intentionally - missing out on Wilkes saved pops a ton) I knew the team was still generating far less than he'd planned. But luckily, finances weren't what I'd been hired to focus on - the team was. And as far as I could tell, the team was lookin' gooood.