by rawr123456787654 » Sat Jun 17, 2017 3:16 am
1984 - YEAR 5
The Hall of Fame ceremony for Bob Lanier was sweet and warming. Dave Bing - riding a several year broadcasting contract - came to speak at his former team mate's ceremony, sharing a ton of memories dating back to 1970. Lanier - who came back the previous season to finish his career in Detroit - did a physical "passing of the torch" ceremony as young star Bill Laimbeer happily shook his hand on stage.
Cleveland fired their entire coaching staff. Billy Cunningham, despite an incredible playoffs performance, found himself on the hunt for a job once again. Golden State followed suit, as Bill Russell found himself without a job after just one year with the team. New Jersey also fired young coach Mike Krzyzewski, while Portland took perhaps the most drastic measure, firing their entire staff, including GM Bill Walton as well as Don Nelson. Seattle finished construction on their new arena, Cray Arena, and San Diego officially moved to Los Angeles, playing in the Staples Center alongside the Lakers. Sidney Wicks would take over as Portland's GM, while in a move that devastated Philadelphia fans, Billy Cunningham signed on as the New Jersey head coach. Golden State picked up Jack Ramsay, and Cleveland signed Mike Krzyzewski. Don Nelson signed on with New Jersey as an assistant coach, while Al Attles signed with Golden State and Bill Russell signed with Cleveland (as assistant coaches), while Portland signed former player Rick Adelman as head coach.
Lehner worked out a handful of rookies, including Stockton, Jay Humphries, Vern Fleming, Alvin Robertson, Michael Jordan, Michael Holton, Charles Barkley, Leon Wood, Othell Wilson, Danny Young, Steve Colter, and Ralph Jackson. The media was centered -all around- the young trio of Jordan, Barkley, and Olajuwon. Magic called Jordan a "future all star in this league, no doubt." When asked about Hakeem, Moses showered him with praise. "He's a great rebounder, a great post player. I don't see why he wouldn't go #1." Drexler had played with Hakeem in Houston, while Worthy had played with Jordan in North Carolina, so both were quick to testify to the talent of those players. And boy did Houston love Hakeem, coming off his ridiculous Phi Slamma Jamma season. His predictions ran true; Houston took Hakeem Olajuwon at 1, and Chicago picked Michael Jordan at 2. Golden State grabbed Charles Barkley at 3, and so Lehner found himself with a wide variety of options at 4. He went with his gut; John Stockton, the 6-1 point guard out of Gonzaga. Dallas selected Lancaster Gordon out of Louisville, a move draft commentators called absolutely bizarre, while Rick Carlisle went to Portland at 6. Chicago shipped their 7th pick and Michael Cooper for Indiana's Louis Orr, Lonnie Shelton, and a 1986 first round pick, which Indiana used to pick up Kevin Willis. Cleveland picked up a Turkish center, Ya'kub Ihsanoglu, a 23 year old 7'1 player, while Stuart Gray went to San Diego at 9. New York shipped George McGinnis and a 1st round pick for New Jersey's Bob Gross, and Detroit took Otis Thorpe at 10- a player projected to go much higher, though incidents with police officers soured him on others. Alvin Robertson went to Seattle at 11, and Vern Fleming went to Denver at 12. Chicago shipped Lonnie Shelton right away - alongside Billy Knight and Ken Richardson, for Detroit's Geoff Huston and a second round pick, and then drafted Jerome Kersey. New Jersey took Michael Cage, Los Angeles shipped Randy Wittman and Dirk Minniefeld for Alton Lister, and Kansas City took Sam Bowie at 15. Sam Perkins went to Seattle at 16, while Tony Campbell went to Atlanta at 17 and Jay Humphries went to Utah at 18. Ben Coleman went to Atlanta again, at 19, and Tim McCormick went to Washington at 20. Mel Turpin went to Milwaukee at 21, Michael Holton to Golden State at 22, and Ron Anderson to Boston at 23. The rest of the draft was relatively unexciting- Kansas City traded Craig Ehlo for Indiana's Terry Teagle, Los Angeles gave up Darren Daye for Cleveland's Bob Hansen- but this class would be remembered as one of the most loaded for ages to come.
Lehner had found a new starting point guard. Larry Drew, while a consistent and great asset to the team, had served his purpose. The summer team, led by Stockton and Worthy, had decent success, going 2-2. Stockton had 14 points with 15 assists in his first game, 13 points and 9 assists in his second, 13 points and 13 assists in his third, and 13 points and 13 assists in his 4th. He was perfect. Free agency was a bore; Dallas signed Darryl Dawkins, Monti Davis, and Gerald Henderson, perhaps eager to learn Philadelphia's secrets, while Houston signed Joe Meriweather, Washington signed Wayne Robinson. Philadelphia re-signed bench riders Reggie Carter, Scott May, and Joey Hassett, Indiana signed Campy Russell, and Boston signed an aging Nate Archibald to a one year contract (perhaps looking to follow in Jo Jo White's lead). The Jazz signed Mark Eaton, in potentially the biggest move of the free agency, to a 3 year contract, while the Lakers picked up Jawann Oldham for a year contract.
Going into training camp, Larry Drew fought hard to prove he deserved to be a starter. Adam actually felt bad. But Stockton was just -such- a naturally talented passer. Philadelphia grabbed free agent Paul Westphal (having aged through his prime, now 34 years old) and moved into the season with high aspirations. Before the season started, with sad reluctance- but wishing to give him the best chance to flourish in his career- Lehner sent Larry Drew and a second round pick to Houston for Keith Herron and Houston's 1985 plus 1987 first round pick. After three years with the team, he was gone.
It was a new era for the NBA. David Stern had taken over as commissioner, succeeding Larry O'Brien. The Lakers were expected to win again, with the addition of former Kansas City power forward Buck Williams, while Boston looked to dominate the East, having added Eddie A. Johnson from Milwaukee to their roster. In Chicago, an exciting saga was set to begin behind the efforts of young rookie Michael Jordan, while in Houston, a scorned Larry Drew began practicing with rookie Hakeem Olajuwon as they began preparing for the new year as Houston came off a 32-50 season. Golden State looked good, despite finishing near the bottom of the league the year before at 25-57; the combined squad of Bernard King, Doc Rivers, Joe Barry Carroll, Ricky Pierce, and Charles Barkley seemed absolutely dominant.
Starting line-up:
Coach Chuck Daly
- 206-152* (.575; 4th highested among coaches), 1 championship, 2 playoffs.
- A fly guy with a flash for style, and a tendency towards riding his players hard, Daly relies on a deep bench, running 9-10 players typically, while working a strong guard to center based offense. He's all about rebounds, and focuses less on zone defense and more on isolating the other team's best players, and holding them out. A big fan of Malone, he's liked by the whole team and revered in the league as "Daddy Rich", thanks to his fashion and swagger.
*- (win-loss records for coaches post 1980)
PG: John Stockton
- 6-1, 22, R, 4th pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, from Gonzaga University.
- N/A
- N/A
- N/A
- Stockton is an archetypal pass-first point guard. With great vision, incredible quickness, and tons of potential for his ball handling ability, he's capable of handling 1-on-1's with defenders effortlessly. Looking to cement his role in the franchise his rookie season, Stockton joins a seasoned cast; hopefully he grows quick enough to keep up. His passing and stealing, by far his strongest skills, will be vital on a team that needs to learn how to run the offense at a more planned out rate.
SG: Clyde Drexler
- 6-7, 23, 1 year experience, 3rd pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, from Houston University.
- Career-best 32 points, 10 assists, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, 8 steals.
- 9 double-doubles, 2 p.o.t.gs.
- Last season's stats: 82 games (82 started), 33.0 mpg, 13.1 ppg, 4.0 apg, 5.0 rpg (3.5 d, 1.4 o), 2.0 spg, 0.7 bpg, 1.9 topg.
- Coming into this season, Drexler's All Defense 1st team selection (in his rookie year!) helps solidify him as one of the premiere defensive guards in the league right now. When he sets his mind to shutting down an opponent, he's capable of limiting even the most explosive players in the league to low scoring numbers. An underrated three point shooter, he's also a reliable scorer, and a great third option on offense.
SF: Julius Erving
- 6-7, 34, 8 years experience in the NBA, 12th pick in the 1976 draft, from the University of Massachussetts-Amherst.
- Career-best 64 points, 11 assists, 19 rebounds, 7 blocks, 11 steals.
- 93 double-doubles, 197 p.o.t.gs, 31 player of the weeks, 8 player of the months, 3 All-Star games, 5 triple doubles.
- Last season's stats: 82 games played (82 started), 33.4 mpg, 24.9 ppg, 3.5 apg, 5.1 rpg (4.2 d, 0.9 o), 2.5 spg, 2.0 bpg, 1.8 topg (a career low!)
- Erving is aging. It's finally happened, and the decline has started, albeit at a relatively slow rate. The captain of a powerful squad, Erving still is more than capable of leading the team both with his play and his strategic mindset. An explosive scorer, he's a serious threat at any point in the game, and undoubtedly Philadelphia's most coveted player.
PF: Frank Brickowski
- 6-9, 27, 3 years experience in the NBA, 14th pick in the 1981 NBA draft, from Penn State.
- Career-best 34 points, 8 assists, 18 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals.
- 96 double-doubles, 7 p.o.t.gs.
- Last season's stats: 82 games played (82 started), 30.2 mpg, 12.0 ppg, 2.5 apg, 9.2 rpg (a career high- 7.2 d, 2.1 o), 1.4 spg, 2.0 bpg, 1.3 topg.
- With a competitive spirit and a knack for making his team better, Brickowski is for sure of the most underrated steals from 1981's draft (with guys like Lewis Lloyd and Jay Vincent, being drafted ahead of him). A consistent rebounder with a flare for scoring, his height allows him to play power forward with ease, where at times, he drifts around the court with the handling skill of a guard. Coming into his prime, Brickowski is another excellent member of the team, and one who Lehner hopes to keep for the duration of his career.
C: Moses Malone-
- 6-10, 29, 8 years experience in the NBA, undrafted, from the ABA.
- Career-best 50 points, 8 assists, 23 rebounds, 8 blocks, 6 steals.
- 274 double-doubles, 149 p.o.t.gs, 16 player of the weeks, 7 player of the months, 4 All-Star Games.
- Last season's stats: 75 games played (75 started), 33.5 mpg, 24.4 ppg, 1.4 apg, 9.8 rpg (6.3 d, 3.9 o), 1.3 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.1 topg.
- An incredible athlete with a knack for bad decision making, Malone has shown himself to be at a MVP level, though struggled the season before with a series of minor injuries that brought down his statistical output significantly. Coming into this season, Malone hopes to capitalize on his size and increase his rebounding output back into double-digits, while remaining a consistent scoring option. Just because he was a little rusty the season before doesn't make him arguably the best center in the league still; he was voted to the All-League 2nd team the year before none-the-less, and was an All Star Game starter. The second go-to on the offense, and the heart of the defense.
6th Man: Kermit Washington
- 6-8, 33, 12 years experience in the NBA, 5th pick in the 1972 NBA draft, from American University.
- Career-best 38 points, 11 assists, 20 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 steals.
- 106 double doubles, 18 p.o.t.gs, 1 All Star appearance, 1 triple double.
- Last season's stats: 82 games played (0 started), 22.9 mpg, 11.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, 6.1 rpg (4.3 d, 1.8 o), 0.6 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.4 topg.
- The aging Washington remains an excellent go-to option off the bench. A player good enough to start on several teams, he's the perfect charge to help accelerate the bench, and a reliable rebounder for an otherwise sparse defensive second option bench.
7th: James Worthy
- 6-9, 24, 2 years experience in the NBA, 10th pick in the 1982 NBA draft, from University of North Carolina.
- Career-best 31 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals.
- 1 p.o.t.g.
- Last season's stats: 82 games played (35 started), 23.5 mpg, 10.0 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.2 rpg (2.5 d, 0.7 o), 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.2 topg.
- The largest issue with James Worthy is that he's going to get good; a rhythmic shooter (not the best spot-up, making most of his shots moving towards the basket) who can get to the line well. He's got the versatility to guard on the perimeter and the post, and knows how to read a defense well, knowing when to pull up, when to drive, and when to pass. As he grows in skill, the issue of either putting him into a starting role (over Drexler, Erving, or Brickowski though? not likely) or trading him to another team grows more and more of a concern. Lehner loves the guy, but he definitely doesn't want to impede his growth- and he'd definitely be a valuable trade piece.
8th: Mickey Johnson
- 6-10, 32, 10 years experience in the NBA, 31st pick in the 1974 NBA draft, from Aurora University.
- Career-best 32 points, 5 assists, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 4 steals.
- 32 double doubles, 12 p.o.t.gs.
- Last season's stats: 81 games played (0 started), 12.9 mpg, 6.0 ppg, 0.6 apg, 2.8 rpg (1.8 d, 1.0 o), 0.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 0.4 topg.
- A good bench player acquired from Milwaukee, Johnson can provide solid minutes of relief while playing consistent defense and holding down the court. Very good at scoring in the low block, with a great touch, he's a good on the ball defender and even better at anticipating passing lanes thanks to good fundamentals and a great understanding of the game. A seasoned veteran, reliable option.
9th: Jim McElroy
- 6-3, 31, 10 years experience in the NBA, 37th pick in the 1974 NBA draft, from Central Michigan University.
- Career-best 25 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals.
- Last season's stats: 82 games played (1 started), 12.9 mpg, 2.4 ppg, 2.4 apg, 0.9 rpg (0.8 d, 0.1 o), 0.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 0.9 topg.
- The biggest risk on the court, but unfortunately, the team's only other option, McElroy will have to play decent this season in order to help the young rookie Stockton grow and flourish. A mediocre back-up, McElroy is a hard team player none-the-less and a great locker-room presence, having been on 5 different teams in his career and having played with some of the best players in the league. Never appears tired, with great conditioner and work ethic for his age, but could use some work in terms of his handling abilities.
Other bench players: Scott May, Paul Westphal, Keith Herron, Joey Hassett, Reggie Carter.
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Game 1 went exactly as planned. Daly called it "the perfect start to what's going to be a perfect season". Malone had 22 points with 11 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 steals. Erving dropped 21 and 8, Brickowski dropped 12 and 13, Drexler had 11, 6, and 4, and Stockton had 11 points with 13 assists in 35 minutes during his first game in the NBA. That same day, rookie Charles Barkley dropped 6 points with 15 rebounds in a Golden State 102-94 win over Portland, while the Lakers lost their first game of the season in a Western conference finals rematch against Utah; Griffith had 23, Dantley had 20, and Nancy dropped 17. "World B. Free will be out for another three and a half months" Coach Riley was quoted as saying after the game. "We're working with a new cast [in reference to new starting forward Buck Williams- John Drew had taken over the shooting guard position, and Cliff Robinson had dropped down to small forward] and we're figuring things out." Coach Baylor, meanwhile, was ecstatic. "This is our year- just you wait. This is our year!" Boston won it's first game of the season, Bird dropping 26 points with 10 rebounds in a 118-107 win over Detroit, as Toney hit 28 while Thomas went 15 and 11. New addition Eddie A. Johnson had 25 points in his first start with the game. The next day, rookies Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan each hit jaw-dropping milestones of their own, as Olajuwon dropped 18 points, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and -21 rebounds- (the most ever recorded by a rookie in his starting game) in a 110-90 win over cross-town rival San Antonio, while Jordan dropped 35 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds in his own first appearance in a 124-94 win over Atlanta at home in Chicago.
In a November 10th match-up against his former team, Mark Eaton had 12 points and -24 rebounds- in a 101 - 80 Utah win over Phoenix at the Salt Palace. NBA viewership was at an all time high. The rest of the month was equally exciting; narratives developed around the fledgling Chicago Bulls, led by team veteran Reggie Theus, young rookie Michael Jordan, reliable wing man Louis Orr, veteran center Artis Gilmore, and rookie Kevin Willis, as well as many other teams, including the Detroit Pistons - Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Andrew Toney, rookie Otis Thorpe, and Phil Hubbard making it rain in the East-, the Golden State Warriors (who's squad of Barkley, Carroll, Pierce, King, and Rivers was doing an equally good job in the East), the Los Angeles Clippers - a team new to the L.A. scene, but who behind team captain Swen Nater was making themselves competitve again in the West -, the Utah Jazz (featured prominently in Inside a Team the year before, who were flourishing with new center Mark Eaton), and the Houston Rockets, who behind a combined front-court of Hakeem Olajuwon and Alvan Adams alongside newly added point guard Larry Drew were doing their best to make basketball competitive in Houston again. And of course, the continued domination of Boston and Los Angeles continued, while Philadelphia fought to stay competive. The stage was set for the season; glory awaited.
Philadelphia held it's own. As Magic and the Lakers thrived in the West (alongside the notable Utah Jazz following closely behind, as well as the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Clippers), Boston thrived in the East- Detroit, a new team to the show, fought hard for second, and Philadelphia floated around third. Boston was actively trying to ship young thriving rookie Ralph Sampson; they offered him to Lehner for Clyde Drexler (a move he shot down). The Kings sent Trent Tucker, Bernard Thompson, Danny Vranes, and Jeff Cook for Seattle small forward Abdul Jelani, alongside a second round pick. The season rolled on. On December 22nd, 1984, in a 93-116 point loss to Los Angeles at the Staples Center (behind Magic's 19-12-11 triple double), Erving shot 7-27 for 26 points. Yes, he could score, but he was getting older; the team needed to expand. Drexler needed to shoot more, and Stockton needed to control the tempo better. He said as much to Dixon, who briefly floated the idea of firing Daly- "We -need- to make the most of this talented squad"- though Lehner shot that idea down. The next day, Stockton dropped 28 points, with 11 assists, 5 rebounds, and a steal on 12-13 shooting. The kid wasn't even that good of a shooter- it was just a sign from fate. The torch was passing on to the next generation. Drexler had 20, on 9 for 14 shooting, while Erving had 22- on 10 for 24. Lehner contemplated something crazy, something that could destroy the chemistry of the team- benching Erving for Worthy? It seemed too radical for now, but definitely something to consider.
By the beginning of the new year, the league was beginning to look entirely new. Gone were names like the New Jersey Nets, the Denver Nuggets, or the San Diego Clippers; Boston sat at the top of the East at 25-4, with Detroit second at 22-10, and Philadelphia third at 20-10. Indiana was 4th, at 19-12, while Cleveland was 5th at 17-13. Chicago, behind the forces of Reggie Theus, Louis Orr, Artis Gilmore, and a young rookie Michael Jordan, had fought their way back into the playoff picture in 6th place at 13-18, while the Knicks were next up at 12-17. Atlanta was 8th, at 12-18, while Washington, Milwaukee, and New Jersey hovered in the bottom (Washington with an 8-23 record). In the West, the Lakers continued to reign king at 26-4, while the Jazz fought for contention with a close 23-6 for second. Golden State, 3rd at 21-10, had found success with Barkley, Pierce, Rivers, Carroll, and King, while Hakeem Olajuwon and Alvan Adams (who signed with Houston in the off-season) were tearing it up alongside Larry Drew to put Houston in at 4th. Seattle followed at 5th, with a 15-15 record, while the newly moved Los Angeles Clippers sat at 15-16. San Antonio, down from the usual second, was in at 14-16, while Portland hovered in eigth at 12-17. Denver, Kansas City, Dallas, and Phoenix all sat in the bottom (Dallas with a 7-24 record, Phoenix a 6-24).
The league was on fire, and that fire burned for Magic Johnson. His face was everywhere, as the 25 year old reigning MVP came into January averaging 25.4 points per game, alongside a league-high 12.3 assists, and a career high 10.1 rebounds per game - yes, averaging a -triple double-. He had 18 in the season thus far, with 52 games to go. Larry Bird led in scoring, with 30.3 points per game, while Utah's Mark Eaton dominated the rebounds and blocks category, with 15.0 and 4.3 respectively. Erving - 10th in scoring behind names like Milwaukee's Phil Ford, Indiana's Herb Williams, Golden State's Ricky Pierce, Utah's Adrian Dantley, Detroit's Isiah Thomas, Seattle's Dominique Wilkins, and Los Angeles's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - might not even make the All Star game at this rate.
Age, man. What a trip.
On January 10th, 1985, at the Staples Center, Milwaukee power forward Rick Mahorn got into a punching match with Los Angeles center Swen Nater during a 98-90 win over the home Los Angeles Clippers team. Both were ejected from the game. Two days later during a Utah-Houston game, Utah back-up center Joe Cooper had to be physically pulled off Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon after a nasty foul saw the two beginning to brawl on the floor. David Stern was angry about the violence in the league. The fans loved it.
On , Chicago came to the Spectrum for an on the road game. While Philadelphia dominated them in the first half, an explosion by a young Michael Jordan late in the second saw Chicago leading 50-49 going into the half. Daly was empassioned once they reached the locker room. "Are you going to let these guys take this from us? A bunch of misfits led by an overhyped rookie? Are we really going to play like this? Why has Reggie Theus been to the line 6 times already? Why aren't you containing Jordan, Drexler? Don't answer me- just go out there and play. For real this time." Unfortunately, with 7:44 left in the 4th down 75-71, Stockton fouled out. In went Worthy. Philadelphia took a lead following a 8 point explosion from him, up 83-81 with 0:44 left. Kevin Willis had fouled out, and victory was all but assured- until Jordan (who had 5 steals in the game) stole a pass, and sent the ball up to Reggie Theus who took a hard foul. After sinking both free throws, Worthy tried to run down the clock again, but with 14 seconds left Jordan got another steal, running the ball up the court before a pass to Mike Harper and a last second three all but sealed the deal. Erving tried to run the ball up the court, but couldn't get a shot off as the buzzer sounded off, signalling the end of the 86-83 defeat. The locker room was silent, until suddenly, Erving just screamed, storming off. He'd had 28 on 10/20 shooting, a fairly good game, but had been one of the worst defensively, posting a +/- of -9.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer
January 24th, 1984 - Titans Meet; Kareem Shines
In a match-up of the two respective East and West conferences, Boston and Los Angeles met at the Staples Center today for one of the most exciting games of the year. While Boston led going into the 4th, a dominant performance by Abdul-Jabbar saw the Lakers tear away in the 4th, winning 115-101. Kareem, who posted an impressive 20 point, 8 assist, 16 rebound, 2 steal, and -10 block- triple double, is currently 37 years old, the second oldest player in the league behind Elvin Hayes, yet he's still playing at an All Star level. Simply incredible.
Magic Johnson, who nearly recorded a triple double of his own with 27 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds, called the performance "legendary". Boston's coach, Phil Jackson, agreed that the performance was one of the greatest he'd seen all year.
Philadelphia will need to find a secret weapon to take on this squad. With World B. Free finally starting to play some minutes again following the long recovery from his torn achilles, this is a team that may go 70-12, with the combined star power of Kareem, Magic, World B. Free, John Drew, Cliff Robinson, Buck Williams, and role players such as Alton Lister, Jawann Oldham, Junior Bridgeman, and Billy McKinney making for an incredible team. Coach Pat Riley really has perfected one of the most incredible basketball squads of all time.
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All Star Weekend was held in Indiana. Coming in at second in the East (with Indiana, Chicago, and Detroit following closely behind) behind Boston, the team used the weekend to try and rest up for a rigorous remaining season. Wes Matthews won the dunk contest for the second time, while former 76er Monti Davis took home the 3 point honors. Clyde Drexler became the first two-time MVP award winner in the Rookie-Sophomore game, dropping 47 points as the Sophomore class took home the victory in an exciting 129-127 point win (John Stockton also dropped an impressive Rookie-Sophomore game high 20 assists to go along with 27 points). The All Star game came amidst a young generation laced with potential; this could be the last game for many playing in the East, and so they played with their entire hearts. Erving had 17 points in his start, while Malone had 14. Rookie starter Michael Jordan had 10, while Phil Ford had 22. Kevin McHale led the starters with the first ever All Star game triple double, posting an insane 39 points, with 2 assists, 15 rebounds, and 10 blocks. Bill Laimbeer had 10 off the bench, Atlanta's Otis Birdsong 7, Atlanta's Mark Aguirre had 3, Washington's Rolando Blackman had 13, Cleveland's Kelly Tripucka had 3, while Sleepy Floyd and Cliff Levingston failed to score (though neither took a shot). The East won 138-122, never giving up the lead after a dominating 45-31 second quarter. Magic led the West in scoring, with 24 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Ricky Pierce, Kareem, Alvan Adams, and Dominique Wilkins made up the other starters. George Gervin came off the bench, as did Adrian Dantley, rookie Hakeem Olajuwon, Swen Nater, Tom Chambers, Fat Lever, and Justin Johnson.
There had been quite a few trades, as per usual; the Nuggets had sent Steve Hawes and a 1st round pick for Seattle's James Bailey. The Clippers gave up a first round pick for Boston's Randy Breuer. The Suns sent former All Star Brad Davis to Indiana for Kevin Grevey, while the Kings sent a 1st round pick and Reggie King for New York's Bob Gross (still being traded around, poor Bob). Portland sent Calvin Natt and a 1st round pick for New Jersey's 1st round pick in 85 and Maurice Lucas, while Phoenix made another move, sending Mike Bratz and a 1st round pick for Dallas's Darrell Walker and Lancaster Gordon. Utah sent Jay Vincent and Wayne Cooper for Los Angeles's 1st round pick (courtesy of Kansas City) and their own 1st round pick in 86 as well as Terry Teagle, while the Bulls shipped Mike Harper for Milwaukee's Mike Bantom and a 2nd round pick. Detroit sent Phil Hubbard to Atlanta for Caldwell Jones and a 2nd round pick, while Indiana sent David Greenwood to New York for Scott Wedman and a 2nd round pick. Finally, the Bulls sent Rory Sparrow and a 2nd round pick for New York's Peter Gudmundsson.
Boston's Clark Kellog was set to return from a broken hand relatively soon, by the end of February, as was Detroit's Andrew Toney (from a broken arm). Alvan Adams was out with severe back pains, while Hakeem had suffered a pretty nasty concussion. Kansas City's Justin Johnson had a broken leg, while recently acquired Bob Gross had come with a broken wrist, set to return at the end of March. New Jersey's Bob McAdoo had a broken wrist, while sophomore Cliff Levingston had a broken leg (having actually been selected for the All Star game originally). San Antonio's Gene Banks had a torn achilles, and Seattle's Jeff Malone had a broken arm.
On February 23rd, 1985, Philadelphia played the Los Angeles Clippers. Erving had 40 points, while Malone had 24; towards the end of the game, amidst a 40-20 point 4th quarter (in a 108-140 point win over Los Angeles) Swen Nater had a hard foul on Malone (who had done something similar to him in 1980, causing him to go out for nearly a year with a torn ACL) sending him sliding across the floor with a look of pain. Both benches erupted, and Kermit Washington punched Tom Abernathy so hard he hit the court unconscious. He was suspended for eight games.
They won the next game regardless - a surprisingly close 133-123 point win over the home-town New Jersey Nets, the Eastern Conference's worst team (thanks in large to a 4th quarter comeback fueled by Erving's 42). The rivalry had died down in recent years, though Bob McAdoo was as fierce as ever, putting up 29 points with 9 rebounds. Mickey Johnson, Scott May, and Jim McElroy - 3 major parts of the bench now - combined for 4 points and 4 assists in 46 combined minutes. Worthy, luckily, led the bench with 16 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes of gameplay, while Malone had 34 points with 10 rebounds. They won their next game too - another against the Nets, this game in Philadelphia - and Worthy dropped 20 off the bench (alongside Malone's 21 point 17 rebound 5 block display of excellence).
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The Philadelphia Inquirer
March 11th, 1985 - Philadelphia Emerges Champion in High-Profile Battle Against Lakers
In a game where Erving looked as fresh as ever, dropping 35 points on 15/25 shooting alongside 6 steals and 5 rebounds, Philadelphia beat Los Angeles here at home in a 106-100 point victory. Down 3 going into the half, Drexler had 9 of his 14 points in the third quarter, and Philadelphia ended up taking a late lead. When Los Angeles took a 4th quarter lead - with Magic Johnson, locked into his triple double of the season (with a 25 point, 12 rebound, 16 assist performance) rallying strongly - it was up to James Worthy to take the team home, as Erving fouled out. He ended up coming through, finishing the game with 16 points (Malone had 22, Drexler 14, and Stockton 9) to send Los Angeles down to a 53-11 record - still the leagues best.
When interviewed after the game, Erving called it "an incredible team performance. The bench was working hard, I was getting good looks thanks to excellent ball movement, and Malone played perfect D. These kinda games, man. This is why I play."
Lakers Coach Pat Riley called Erving one of his favorite players in the league, citing his explosiveness for scoring, and his tenacity on defense.
Philadelphia is now 47-17, second in the East behind Boston's 52-12. Detroit follows behind at 40-24, while Indiana's 5th at 39-25. The rest of the season should be exciting - stay tuned for more. This is Alexander Rosewood, signing off.
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Seated in a cluttered office in downtown Philadelphia, Adam found himself working harder than ever. The league was more competitive than ever, and Adam was quickly realizing the half-life of his once thriving team was quickly dwindling. Despite an incredible victory over Los Angeles a couple of days before hand, the team was still seen as secondary in the battle that was Los Angeles vs Boston. As the radio droned on - "I'll beeeee goneeee - with or without youuuuuuuuuu! (Take On Me, one of 1985's biggest hits) - Adam bit down on his lip, staring pensively at the sheets in front of him. The free agency class coming into this summer wasn't the strongest, and most higher names (Isiah Thomas, Herb Williams, Rolando Blackman, Kelly Tripucka, Tom Chambers to name a few) were restricted agents. Mark Aguirre from Atlanta, maybe. Or Mitch Kupchak from San Antonio. He needed -something-.
The season finished up in an exciting fashion. In the East, Boston finished up with their 3rd highest record of all time, at an impressive 63-19. Philadelphia was second, at 61-21, while Detroit was third at 52-30. Indiana ranked 4th, at 49-33, while Chicago had fought it's way into playoff contention at 45-37. The Knicks were 6th at 40-42, Washington 7th at 34-48, and Milwaukee, tied with the same record (but they lost the season series). Atlanta was close at 9th, with a 32-50 record, while Cleveland was 10th at 31-51. The Nets were going to miss the playoffs for the second year in the row, with a 20-62 record. In the West, Los Angeles had set history in two major ways- 1st, Magic Johnson became the second player in history to average a triple double, with a 23.6 ppg, 11.4 apg, 10.0 rpg statline to finish the season (with 35 triple doubles in the season), 2nd, they finished with the best record in history at 71-11. Utah won the Midwest division, coming in at second in the conference with a 57-25 record, while Houston had come in 3rd at 52-30, thanks to the new additions of Alvan Adams, Larry Drew, and rookie Hakeem Olajuwon. Golden State was 4th at 50-32 (Barkley, Carroll, Rivers, King, and Pierce being one of the most effective offenses in the league), while San Antonio was 5th at 45-37, Seattle 6th at 43-39, Los Angeles (Clippers) 7th at 35-47, and the Denver Nuggets 8th at 34-48.
The first match-up put Philadelphia up against Washington. They won the first two games at home, behind some excellent play from Moses Malone, and the next on the road following a scoring explosion from Clyde Drexler that saw him post 21 points in the second half for a total of 29, however Washington managed to steal Game 4 at home, following a 32 point 6 rebound game from Washington point guard Dennis Johnson, but Philadelphia won back at home in a Game 5 98-84 victory behind another great game from Clyde Drexler, with 22 points, 4 assists, and 9 rebounds. Boston managed to sweep Milwaukee (despite Ford putting up an impressive 22.8 ppg with 11.3 assists) while Los Angeles swept Denver. Chicago managed to steal Game 1 against Indiana, but Indiana ended up winning in 6 (though Jordan managed to fight his heart out, with a 41 point 7 rebound 6 assist 3 block game in the 93-102 point loss in Game 6). Detroit won a hard fought 7 game series against New York, thanks in large part to a monster Game 7 performance from Bill Laimbeer, posting 44 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 blocks with just 1 turnover in 43 minutes played. San Antonio beat Golden State in 6 - thanks in large part to Ricky Pierce going out with a broken hand in Game 2 - while Seattle beat Houston in 7 (with Seattle's Dominique Wilkins going for 52 in Game 2) and Utah beat the Clippers in 5.
The second round saw Philadelphia up against the hot shot Detroit squad.
Boston the third time in 4 years.
With Detroit leading going into half during Game 1, Kermit Washington came off the bench for 13, while Erving dropped 27, and Philadelphia took the victory winning 111-97. They controlled Game 2, leading the entire game behind another impressive 25 point outing from Erving as they won 93-86. Detroit came back in Game 3, as Laimbeer dropped 27 points, 2 blocks, and 18 rebounds along side Andrew Toney's 28 and Isiah Thomas's 22 (with 9 assists and 3 steals). Interviewewed after the game, Thomas was excited; "I think we could beat these guys. They're a great team, but I think we've got the match-ups down perfectly." Detroit won again in Game 4, this time behind Isiah's 35 point 10 assist 5 rebound 7 steal monster performance, winning 114-100 despite Philadelphia leading 28-14 coming out of the 1st quarter. Coming into Game 5, three different games were tied 2-2; Boston-Indiana, Philadelphia-Detroit, and Seattle-Utah (Los Angeles had swept San Antonio 4-0). Philadelphia rallied back to win Game 5, Drexler leading the charge again with 26 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals, but Detroit rallied right back in Game 6, with Laimbeer going for 20 points (alongside 18 rebounds and 3 blocks) as Thomas dropped 23 points with 9 assists. Game 7 was in Philadelphia. Everything was going perfect; Philadelphia led 76-73 going into the 4th, Erving was 6-17 with 18 points, Worthy had dropped 10 off the bench. But Andrew Toney was having one of those magic nights- and boy did it get magical. Philadelphia was outscored 23-36 in the 4th quarter, and Toney finished with a personal playoff high 39 points on 8-15 shooting with 21-26 free throws made as Detroit won 109-99. Philadelphia would be out of the conference finals for the first time in three years.
Seattle pulled a major upset, breaking the pockets of tons of Vegas bettors behind some incredible play from core cast Dominique Wilkins, Maurice Cheeks, and center Mike Gminski, and won against second-seed Utah in 6, becoming the second-highest seed in history (6) to reach the conference finals, and the highest in the West. Wilkins, in just his third year, was averaging a playoffs high 32.2 ppg (both in terms of personal best and across all players for the '85 playoffs) alongside 5.3 assists and 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks. The Celtics successfully dispatched the Pacers in 6 as well, and the respective conference finals were set.
Boston took Game 1 in the East, and the Lakers Game 1 in the West (despite Dominique Wilkins 43 point explosion), however both Seattle and Detroit managed to strike back to win Game 2 (with Toney dropping 34 points and 8 rebounds in Detroit's 104=96 win over Boston). Both Los Angeles and Boston came back and won Game 3, with Larry Bird dropping 50 points alongside 7 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal (with just 1 turnover in 45 minutes) for a 121-102 point win over Detroit. Laimbeer, in that same game, had 44 points, 22 rebounds, and 5 blocks, while Thomas had 24 points with 15 assists. It was Terry Tyler, the teams starting center, who was their biggest gap, scoring 0 points in his 34 minutes on the court. Detroit and Seattle both came back to win Game 4- Wilkins scoring 33, Thomas scoring 35 - and each series was tied 2-2. For the two monsters of each conferences, expected to coast their way to the finals (except pundits who thought Boston might've struggled against Philadelphia, who they were tied 3-3 with for the season series) to be in this position was remarkable, especially Los Angeles against a -6 seed-.
Los Angeles and Boston each came back to win Game 5, despite Dominique Wilkin's 32 and Andrew Toney's 38, but Detroit came back to steal Game 6 at home, winning 106-104 despite Larry Bird going for 47. Los Angeles won Game 6 at Cray Arena with a dominating 27 point 21 assist 12 rebound triple double (fitting for the season) display by Magic Johnson, despite Wilkin's 37 point 6 rebound 6 assist game.
Game 7 was at TD Garden. The Boston squad- arguably the best in years- composed of Eddie A. Johnson at the point, Danny Ainge at shooting guard, a flourishing Robert Parish at center, an even more talented Kevin McHale at power forward, and a league-best contender Larry Bird at small forward, with Foots Walker, Ralph Sampson, Clark Kellogg, and Nate Archibald coming off the bench (amongst others). Detroit- featuring a quickly developing Isiah Thomas, a prime Bill Laimbeer, a talented Andrew Toney at shooting guard, rookie Otis Thorpe at power forward and 7th year team veteran Terry Tyler at small forward plus bench players Billy Knight, Caldwell Jones, and Lonnie Shelton coming off the bench. It was one of the best eastern conference game 7s of the decade. Boston ended up winning, with a giant 38-28 4th point quarter helping them win 124-115 behind Bird's 37 points and Parish's 24 point 13 rebound game. Thomas had 23, Toney had 35 (up against Boston's arguable worst starting player, Danny Ainge), and Laimbeer had 10 points alongside 7 rebounds in the unfortunate loss.
The finals was set; Boston vs Los Angeles for the first time in three years. Boston was 8-0 against the Lakers in the Finals, though the heavily decorated Los Angeles team were the clear favorites going into the series. But surprisingly, Boston came in fierce, taking the lead in the third quarter of Game 1 following a 52-44 Lakers first half behind Kevin McHale's 45 points and 11 rebounds and Larry Bird's 36 points 9 rebounds 5 assists 5 steals. Magic had 45 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in the 103-115 point loss to Boston, while World B. Free was second on the team with 22. Magic came back with a triple double in Game 2, dropping 29 points, 10 assists, 1 block, 2 steals, and 12 rebounds in a 118-107 point win over Boston, while McHale had 31. Game 3 was back in Boston; Bird had 29, Eddie A. Johnson had 22, and Parish had 16 rebounds in a 96-91 point win over Los Angeles in which World B. Free dropped 31 behind 11-17 shooting. That shooting remained consistent, with Free going 10-15 in a 34 point performance during Game 4 where Kareem had 22 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 blocks, while Magic had 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 117-112 point win over Boston at TD Garden. Boston won a tight game 5, with Bird putting up 26 points and 10 rebounds (despite Free's second-in-a-row 34 point game) in a 107-106 win at home, before Los Angeles won Game 6 behind Magic's 31 point 15 assist 10 rebound triple double.
Game 7 was at the Staples Center. Los Angeles was the obvious favorite, with their impressive season record and the home court advantage, but Bird had other plans. Boston took a commanding 53-38 lead going into the half, and kept up their game-play throughout the game, with Bird posting 40 points (on 14/28 shooting), 4 assists, and 14 rebounds, while Parish had 15 points (on 7/8) and 15 rebounds, and McHale had 17 (on 8/10) and 8. Magic had 28 points (going 8 for 23), 8 assists, and 8 rebounds in the Lakers 102-112 point loss to Boston, but Kareem (18 points; 7-18 shooting), Cliff Robinson, World B. Free (5-17 shooting, 19 points), and Buck Williams were held to just 44 combined points, and Los Angeles watched Larry Bird hoist up his second championship trophy in 3 years, now 2-0 against rival Magic Johnson in the Finals. Larry Bird took home the Finals MVP award for the second time, and Boston fans across the world went wild.
Adam Lehner sighed from his living room, not having bothered to attend the game. It was exciting, sure, but he didn't want to watch another team win, not again. He needed to change this team back into winners.
Milwaukee won the #1 pick (their pick from Phoenix; obtained from Boston in the Eddie A. Johnson trade), while Dallas took #2, New York #3 (originally obtained from Kansas City, traded for Bob Gross), Portland 4, New Jersey 5, Atlanta 6, and New Jersey 7 (their pick from Cleveland; traded for Byron Scott). To no one's surprise, Magic Johnson won MVP having posted 23.6 ppg, 11.4 apg, 10.0 rpg, 1.2 spg, and 0.8 bpg. The Clipper's Swen Nater won Defensive Player of the Year, behind 11.4 rebounds per game, 3.5 blocks and 1.8 steals (plus 3.5 assists and 17.2 points), while Boston's Ralph Sampson took home 6th man of the year awards, posting 10.2 points per game, 1.2 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 0.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Michael Jordan was named the unanimous rookie of the year, becoming the first rookie to win Rookie of the Month every year of the season, while also leading his team in points per game, assists per game, steals per game, and blocks per game posting 24.3 points per game, 4.1 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks, and Pat Riley won Coach of the Year behind his incredible 71-11 season for the 4th time while Jerry West won Executive of the Year for the second time.
- The Laker's Magic Johnson, Chicago's Michael Jordan, Seattle's Dominique Wilkins (posting 28.4 ppg, 4.1 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks in just his third year in the league), Portland's Tom Chambers (posting 20.3 points per game, 2.6 assists, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks), and the Laker's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22.2 ppg, 3.8 assists, 11.0 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 4.0 blocks) were named to the All NBA First Team.
- Detroit's Isiah Thomas (22.9 ppg, 9.7 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 spg, 0.8 bpg), Golden State's Ricky Pierce (24.7 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.3 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.5 bpg), Boston's Larry Bird (26.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, 8.8 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.2 bpg), Boston's Kevin McHale (17.2 ppg, 1.2 apg, 8.9 rpg, 0.3 spg, 2.6 bpg), and the Clipper's Swen Nater were named to the second team.
- Milwaukee's Phil Ford (22.4 ppg, 10.2 apg, 4.1 rpg, 0.8 spg, 0.4 bpg), Washington's Rolando Blackman (22.0 ppg, 4.4 apg, 7.2 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.1 bpg), Philadelphia's Julius Erving (25.5 ppg, 2.4 apg, 4.7 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.4 bpg), San Antonio's Mitch Kupchak (14.8 ppg, 1.1 apg, 9.0 rpg, 0.7 spg, 1.9 bpg), and Philadelphia's Moses Malone (20.6 ppg, 1.2 apg, 11.9 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.9 bpg) made up the third team.
- The Laker's Magic Johnson, Chicago's Michael Jordan, Boston's Larry Bird, Utah's Larry Nance (13.7 ppg, 2.9 apg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 3.3 bpg), and the Clipper's Swen Nater made up defense team one.
- The Knicks Michael Ray Richardson (15.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.4 rpg, 2.0 spg, 0.7 bpg), Philadelphia's Clyde Drexler (16.3 ppg, 4.1 apg, 5.2 rpg, 2.4 spg, 0.9 bpg), Philadelphia's Julius Erving, Milwaukee's Rick Mahorn (14.4 ppg, 1.8 apg, 7.0 rpg, 0.6 spg, 2.2 bpg), and the Rocket's Hakeem Olajuwon (14.7 ppg, 2.6 apg, 9.8 rpg, 1.9 spg, 2.6 bpg) made up the All Defense team two.
- John Stockton from Philadelphia (9.3 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg), Michael Jordan from Chicago, Jerome Kersey from Chicago (6.8 ppg, 1.0 apg, 3.6 rpg, 0.7 spg, 0.6 bpg), Charles Barkley from Golden State (16.9 ppg, 1.3 apg, 7.8 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg), and Hakeem Olajuwon from Houston were picked for All Rookie team one.
- Vern Fleming from Denver (8.6 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.3 rpg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg), Alvin Robertson from Seattle (12.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 4.2 rpg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg), Tony Campbell from Atlanta (4.5 ppg, 0.9 apg, 2.1 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.2 bpg), Kevin Willis from Chicago (11.5 ppg, 1.1 apg, 8.7 rpg, 0.8 spg, 1.0 bpg), and Ya'kub Ihsanoglu from Cleveland (9.7 ppg, 0.7 apg, 7.8 rpg, 0.3 spg, 2.0 bpg) were picked for team two.
Going into next season, Lehner had a team where the average age was 30.1. In a league where youth was emerging as new teams began to grow, he still needed something else. That said, the team was great, and it -had- young talent, in Drexler, Worthy, and Stockton- maybe they just needed more of a focus.
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This season, we saw the emergence of some of the finest talent in decades. In a season of records all around, where the Los Angeles Lakers managed to set an all time highest win-loss record, and where Magic Johnson averaged a -triple double-, it's easy to overlook some of the smaller victories around the league. However for one team this season, toppling guys like Magic Johnson weren't even something they considered - they were more interested in just making the playoffs. Tonight we're going to take a trip to the Mecca of basketball - or the Mecca Arena, anyways, as we visit the team with the lowest fan attendance in the NBA - and arguably the biggest heart. I'm Slick Watts, and tonight we're going to Wisconsin on this edition of "Inside a Team - Milwaukee".
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It's July 29th, and I'm sitting with Mike Bantom at a relatively quiet bar in downtown Milwaukee on a Sunday afternoon. He's just signed a 32 million dollar 3 year deal - relatively good, given that he's 32 now and on the decline, having arguably peaked his rookie season when he won All-Rookie 1st team honors, the biggest accolade of his career thus far aside from his championship with Boston in 1981.
"One of the best teams I've ever seen" Bantom is saying, drinking a beer - a draft, nothing fancy, multi million dollar contracts aside - as I ask about him about the team. "Larry Bird was unstoppable. 35 points a game, 9.4 rebounds, and he's playing 34 minutes with one of the deepest benches in the league? Best MVP I've ever seen, I'll tell ya that." Bantom - a 6-9 power forward who won Silver on the 1972 US Basketball team against the Soviet Union - is surprisingly keen on his time in Boston, despite being a Philadelphia native. "Of course I had my skepticism. I didn't think I'd fit in. But K.C Jones was great, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Bantom - who averaged 6.7 points per game in 20 minutes off the bench that season - is coming into his second season in Milwaukee. He'll play 54 games here, before general manager ships him along-side a second round pick to Chicago for sharpshooter Mike Harper. But for now, he's happy, and confident about the season. The team - which went 26-56 last season - is bound to see success. "We've got guys like me coming off the bench" he jokes, obviously ecstatic about his contract. "What can go wrong?"
What can indeed. After winning a championship in 1971, and going 49-33 in 79, winning their division and making it to the semifinals, the Bucks began a long fall down, going 39-43 in the season of 1980-81 (getting knocked out in a 4 game sweep in the first round by New Jersey, before going 30-52 in 82, 31-51 in 83, and 26-56 in 84. They lost superstars Mickey Johnson, Bob Lanier, and Sidney Moncrief, picking up instead players like Phil Ford, Rick Mahorn, Terry Cummings, and Dan Roundfield to round out their cast. Coach Don Nelson was hired, while Dick Motta was hired to fix the mess of things. 1984 seemed like a bright year going into the season.
Phil Ford claims he never wanted to be here. "I'm from North Carolina, man. I played for Kansas City. For Indiana. I wanted a big city, a big splash." The 6-2 27 year old point-guard is sitting with me in his back yard. It's August 3rd, and free agency is coming to a close. Ford, who was traded from Indiana for Bob Lanier, Chris Ford (no relation), and a 1st round pick, felt betrayed. "I had one of my best seasons in Indiana. Me and those guys, we was flourishin'. Herb Williams, James Edwards, Louis Orr, Roger Phegley- we could've really shaken up the East, I really think that." Instead, Ford found himself shipped to a team that wasn't even in the playoff picture, forced to sit on the sideline as Indiana made it to the playoffs year after year, while Milwaukee struggled to bring in fans.
"This year is gonna be different though. I truly think that. This year, we're gonna splash." Ford, who will be a free agent in the summer of '86 at 29, has every reason to want to splash: to get out of Milwaukee, he'll need to prove to the NBA he's worth all the hype. The one time All Star 1978 Rookie of the Year may hate the small town crowds, but the team certainly loves him.
Coach Dick Motta is happy to say as much. "He's the focal point of this offense. I like to run a high paced offense, with a lot of zone defense and more of a focus on smart ball movement than crashing defensive boards. Ford's a fast game, a great handler, and a relentless scorer and a passer. He's perfect, and he's going to take us to the playoffs this year."
We're sitting in his office - the season's closer now, it's the start of September, and many in the league are writing Milwaukee off as the probable worst team in the Eastern conference. Is Ford why the team is going to make the difference? "No. I mean, not just him. We've got two big guys with two big names: Terry Cummings and Rick Mahorn. Not to mention Marques Johnson."
The three are definitely good. Cummings averaged 11.9 points per game last season, alongside 8.4 rebounds and 2 blocks, while Mahorn averaged 18.9 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in the 26 games he played for Milwaukee last season (after being traded by Philadelphia for a 1st round pick and Mickey Johnson). Marques Johnson, meanwhile, has averaged around 18 points per game for almost his entire career, posting a career high 25.6 points per game his sophomore year of 1978, but being held to around 17.8 ever since. He's still an explosive offensive player, great at slashing to the basket and finishing strong. Together, this trio, alongside Phil Ford, hopes to revitalize a team that's fallen apart. And who's the 5th member of this motley squad, you ask?
"I really should not be here, man. Bad luck, if you ask me." 6-8 power forward Dan Roundfield sighs as we walk the streets outside Mecca Arena - hardly anyone on the street seems to notice us, despite our height, and I wonder if anyone in this city even watches basketball anymore. "Atlanta needed a point-guard. I was being stupid, running my mouth off to Jerry Sloan - the new coach for Atlanta - and he didn't like it. He told me I was expendable. Guess I was." Roundfield was shipped to Milwaukee for young guard Dennis Johnson and a second round pick, and suddenly the three time All Star found himself in rural Wisconsin. "Of course my play went down. I felt betrayed." Roundfield, once a sThetar in the league, averaged a career low 8.1 points per game, and missed 22 games that season for a series of minor injuries, starting only 34 of 60 games. He rebounded a career low 5.3 rebounds per game, and didn't even seem to care. This season, the coach hopes things will be different.
"Phil Ford at point-guard. Marques Johnson at shooting guard. They pass back and forth, Dan Roundfield plays defense and gets rebounds at small forward, Terry Cummings does the same and runs the post, Mahorn stays glued to the basket, getting baskets and converting any offensive boards. Paul Thompson comes in as a scoring small forward off the bench, Dave Corzine provides some traditional center time, Alvin Scott snipes threes. Why shouldn't that work?" General manager Larry Costello is sitting at his desk as we look through some of his old pictures from when he coached the Bucks in the 70s. Him and Kareem - the championship trophy - the banner. "It brought life to this city. I don't know what's happened."
The team starts off terrible. "Embarassing" as assistant coach Bob Dandridge puts it. They were 3-10, looking lost and confused, having lost to teams like New York, Indiana, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, Boston, Golden State, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Houston. There was one good thing going on; Phil Ford. He'd had at least 20 points in all except 2 of those games, posting 30 plus in four of them, and was averaging 10.4 assists per game to start the season. He was playing some of the best basketball in the Central division, and people were noticing. On December 7th, he'd have one of the only high-lights of the season, posting a 41 point 12 assist 10 rebound triple double in a 108-97 point win over Philadelphia. "Get a real guard. Go Ford." The billboard outside the arena was about as cocky as they got.
Rick Mahorn loved it. "Ford is something else. He's on another level, man! Reminds me of Erving. Like, if Erving took that shot, and he sent it sideways - like a pass, y'know?" Mahorn's chattering away at me - he'd been having a good season of his own, having been averaging 14.4 points a game alongside 7 rebounds, finally having gotten a starting role of his own (after having been a crucial part of Philadelphia's championship run, coming off the bench). The forward is the life of the team, always chipper and merry, and always ready to destroy his body for the good of the team. He was the guy that dived into the crowd for a rebound, who didn't mind taking an elbow or sending one out for the team. He was suspended towards the end of December for a rowdy argument with Michael Jordan in a Milwaukee loss to Chicago that saw him headbutt the budding superstar in the face. It didn't matter to the team. He was an enforcer, and a hard player. "I love it here, man. Some of these guys - they hate the small town. Me? I love it! We're like hollywood celebrities out here, man!"
He was definitely right - there wasn't exactly too much else going on, though often times fans overlooked basketball for football with Green Bay so close by. Despite their issues, the team would go on to become a dominant force, pushing teams apart as they snuck into the playoffs over Cleveland with the 8th seed. In the first round, they'd match-up against Larry Bird and the Celtics, getting swept in a dominating performance by the masterful team - who'd go on to win the championship. It didn't matter though. They'd shown they could get that far, that they were on the rise.
"We've got a great young cast, and I'm excited to see where they go." Coach Motta is packing up a few things in his office, getting ready for a probably much needed vacation. "Just watch. Next season, we're gonna be something else."
Something else? "Next season, man. Next season we're gonna win." Rick Mahorn has a grin on his face, as Phil Ford rolls his eyes; we're walking out of a resturant as I finish up my last meeting with the duo, at least for this special. "Milwaukee Bucks, man. Former NBA champions! Future perennial dynasty. Right, Phil?"
"Future something, man."
Future something indeed. I'm Slick Watts, and this is "Inside a Team - the Milwaukee edition".