DEFEND-REBOUND-RUN

The Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns last night in game 1 of the western conference semi-finals, 125-107. Jamal Murray led the way with 34 points and 9 assists. Nikola Jokic scored 24 points and pulled down 19 rebounds. Game 2 is Monday night.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone now has 26 playoff wins in Denver, he passed Doug Moe for all-time on Denver’s list. Malone has done a tremendous job in his 8 seasons in the Mile High. The great Phil Jackson has the most playoff wins with 229. Pat Riley has 171. Gregg Popovich 169.

Aaron Gordon chipped in with 23 points last night on 9-13 shooting, 3-4 from distance. I love the energy Gordon brings at both ends of the floor.

Denver’s never been in the NBA finals. But, their last season in the ABA, year before the merger the Nuggets, coached by Larry Brown lost to the New York Nets in the finals, 4-2.

Grant Hill was on the call for TNT last night. He said this about Murray: “We forgot how good he is.” No we didn’t. Maybe you did, but not the real hoop people. Murray shot 13-24 from the floor including 6-10 from downtown.

Nuggets made 16 3’s on the night. Suns 7. There was your difference right there. Devin Booker was just 0-1 from distance on the night.

Kevin Durant led the way for Phoenix with 29 points on 12-19 shooting. He also grabbed 14 rebounds but turned it over 7 times. I’d like to see KD go in the post. He dominates the ball at the top – takes a lot away from CP3’s game. They should have Durant coming off screens. Move without the ball.

Suns turned the ball over 16 times. Nuggets 9.

This past season Jokic averaged 9.8 assists per game. The highest for a center in one season in the history of the league. Nuggets were second in the league in assists per game this season (28.9) right behind the Warriors (29.8). Suns were 4th with 27.3 per game.

CP3 in the first round vs the Clippers had 41 assists and 6 turnovers. Last night he had 5 assists and 1 turnover. That’s an incredible ratio. He’s 3rd all-time in the league in assists. LeBron James is 4th.

I went back and researched the 1982 Nuggets team, the highest scoring team in the history of the league (126.5 PPG) where they made 40 3-pointers as a team. Billy McKinney shot 1-17 from deep that year. With the Nuggets in 3 years he was 1-34 total from deep. 3 for 48 in his career. (Source: basketball-reference)

Highest career scoring average in the playoffs? Michael Jordan 33.4. Luka Doncic 32.5. Allen Iverson 29.7 and KD with 29.4.

Happy birthday Luis Scola. He’s 43.

Always play the right way…

PHIL JACKSON

The quote below is from Phil Jackson – taken from his book, “Sacred Hoops.”

THE MULTIPLE SPORT ATHLETE

There has been much talk about athletes who play multiple sports. Some say it helps, others believe in specializing. Everyone has an opinion, it’s all subjective. Because you can find many athletes who have performed well at two or more sports but you could also find athletes that have done well concentrating on one sport. Every year you see graphics/stats about NFL draftees and how many of them played multiple sports in high school. There is evidence to validate the multiple sport path, but there is also facts on supporting specializing.

I believe at a certain age one must start to concentrate on a single sport. Maybe the 11th or 12th grade? Especially if they want to play at the collegiate level. When an athlete is young, try as many sports as you can and see which one you like the most and if you have a future in it.

I do know one thing, regardless of what path the athlete takes, there’s going to have to be sacrifice and a lot of hard work.

Euro-basket final Sunday afternoon; France vs Spain. I love international basketball. It wasn’t always like that for me but I have learned to appreciate how they play the game.

Speaking of international players, the four best players in the NBA are non-American:

1-Giannis, 2-Luka Doncic, 3-Nikola Jokic and 4-Joel Embiid.

Happy birthday Phil Jackson.

Have a positive day…

E-Mail: SteveFinamore@yahoo.com

2002 LOS ANGELES LAKERS

“THE RING’S THE THING: 50 YEARS-50 CHAMPIONS.”

A daily tribute to past NBA championship teams from the 1970 New York Knicks to the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Jersey Nets 4 games to 1 making it a Lakers 3-peat.

Shaq wins his third straight finals MVP.

Incredible run by LA.

Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Samaki Walker, Lindsey Hunter, Robert Horry lead the Lakers.

Head coach Phil Jackson with another fine job.

10 Mar 2002: The Los Angeles Lakers pose for a portrait from (L-R) : Dan Garcia, Gary Vitti, Chip Schaefer, Jim Cleamons, Phil Jackson, Kurt Rambis, Tex Winter,Frank Hamblen, Jim Cotta, Rudy Garciduenas, Players From Top-Bottom and (L-R) : Lindsey Hunter, Issac Fontaine, Rick Fox, Kobe Bryant, Mitch Richmond, Derek Fisher, Devean George, Jelani McCoy, Stanislav Medvedenko, Shaquille O”Neal, Owner Jerry Buss, Samaki Walker, Robert Horry, Mark Madsen, in Los Angeles, CA. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright 2002 NBAEMandatory credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

1993 CHICAGO BULLS

“THE RING’S THE THING: 50 YEARS-50 CHAMPS.”

A daily tribute to past NBA championship teams from the 1970 New York Knicks to the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers.

Once again, for the third straight season the Bulls win the NBA championship. They are the first team since the Celtics of the 60’s to “three-peat.”

The Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2.

Led by Michael Jordan who leads the league in scoring for the 7th straight season. Jordan averaged 41 points per game in the 6 games. Jordan becomes the first player to win the Finals MVP 3 years in a row. (The award began in 1969).

Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, BJ Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, Will Perdue, Scott Williams and Stacey King all key contributors.

Phil Jackson is the head coach.

Paxson makes a big 3-pointer down 2 points with 3.9 left to clinch Game 6.

All 5 Bulls touched the ball on the possession.

Jordan and Pippen both named 1st team All-Defense.

Jordan would retire after the season.

E-MAIL: Hoope135@hotmail.com

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

TONIGHT’S NBA SCHEDULE:

7:00 – ESPN Game 2 Eastern Conference Finals. Heat-Celtics. Miami leads series 1-0

I am not a big fan of individual awards in a team sport. MVP, Coach-of-The-Year, First team this, Second team that.

The only award I care about is winning.

Winning the championship.

Yesterday the NBA came out with their All-League teams. Of course you had critics going off on who didn’t make it?

Bradley Beal was trending yesterday – people were upset he didn’t make first, second or third team. Beal averaged 30.5 points per game this year. Walt Bellamy averaged 31.6 points per game back in 1962 but the league only had two teams and Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell took up those spots. Wilt averaged 50 points per game and Russell was named MVP.

LeBron James has been in the NBA for 17 years, he’s made All-NBA 16 times. It’s the most anyone has ever accomplished. The guy is one of the all-time greats.

Kareem, Kobe and Tim Duncan made All-League 15 times.

Have had some friends asking me who I like in the Western conference finals, Lakers or Nuggets? My heart is with Denver. Lakers will be tough obviously, but the Nuggets just beat the Clippers and no one, and I mean no one gave Denver a chance. Wait a minute, not true, my guy Ray LeBov of Basketball Intelligence picked Denver over the Clippers. http://basketballintelligence.net/

Former NBA player Mychal Thompson tweeted out: Jokic…Shooting range of Dirk…Lo post footwork of McHale…Passing skills of Walton…Basketball IQ of Kareem…Moves of Gumby…The dudes pretty good.

Tweet From Justin Kubatko: James Harden and Russell Westbrook are just the fourth backcourt duo in NBA history to each earn an All-NBA nod in the same season: 5x – Bob Cousy & Bill Sharman 2x – Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson 1x – Dennis Johnson & Gus Williams 1x – Harden & Westbrook.

Russ caught some criticism during the Rockets series against the Lakers, and yes, he didn’t play his best but let’s not forget how well he played in the regular season. His first year in Houston and playing out of position.

Speaking of “the best ever” type talk – I am going to try and just say, “one of the best ever.”

I’m not sure you can compare someone from the 1970’s to today’s players.

Good story here on the Van Gundy brothers. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/sports/basketball/nba-jeff-stan-van-gundy.html

Bulls, Pacers and Pelicans all have coaching openings. Would love to see someone give Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon a shot at the head job.

Now that college football is back, looks like college hoops will start up in mid to late November.

QUOTE OF THE DAY FROM DUNCAN ROBINSON:

“Sometimes you do all the right things and the ball doesn’t go in.”

Happy birthday Junior Bridgeman and Phil Jackson

Always play the right way…

EMAIL: hoops135@hotmail.com

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

FINISH

“Victory is sweet but it doesn’t make life any easier the next season or the next day.”

-Phil Jackson

Last night was episodes 9 and 10 of the “Last Dance,” the final two episodes of the docuseries.

WOW!  Kudos to director Jason Hehir, fabulous job.

Hands down the best documentary I have ever seen,  not even close.

ESPN’s most watched documentary ever.   5.6 million viewers average per episode.

“The Flu Game.”  1997 Game 5 NBA finals vs the Utah Jazz.  Michael Jordan was sick.  But he still went out and played 44 minutes where he scored 38 points.

“We better take Michael out, he needs a rest.”

LOL – I don’t think so.  Players wanna play!

I was unaware Dennis Rodman DID NOT play high school basketball.

Steve Kerr was a heck of a player.  Entering the NBA Kerr was not a high draft pick (2nd round, 50th pick by the Phoenix Suns).  Over his 15-year NBA career, he scored 6 points per game.  Kerr won 5 titles, 3 with the Bulls and 2 with the San Antonio Spurs.  In four seasons in Chicago, Kerr never started a single game.  A couple of seasons in Cleveland he scored 8 PPG.  Other than that, Kerr never scored more than 6 PPG in any one season.  Be coachable, and learn to shoot the ball!

Bulls beat the Jazz in game 3 of the 1998 finals, 96-54.  They held Utah to 54 points!  “This is actually the score?” Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan asked in the post-game press conference.

Fantastic information on “Mindfulness” especially with Jordan.  “Most people struggle to be present.  Do yoga, mediate, trying to get here, now.  Most people live in fear because we project the past, into the future.  Michael’s a mystic, he was never anywhere else,” said Mark Vancil, a writer.  “His gift was not that he could jump high, run fast, shoot a basketball.  His gift was he was completely present, that was the separator.” 

The Chicago Bulls won six championships in 8 years.  I honestly believe Chicago would have won two more when Jordan took a hiatus from hoops.  And, I wish they would have had the chance to come back after their 6th title and tried for a seventh.  It’s a shame Chicago was never able to defend their title.

“Big downfall with a lot of players or otherwise gifted is thinking about failure.  Michael didn’t allow what he couldn’t control to get inside his head.  He would say, ‘why would I think about missing a shot I haven’t taken yet’?” added Vancil. 

Highly recommend you check out the series if you haven’t already.

E-Mail:  hoops135@hotmail.com

 

 

 

THAT PERSON

Good story in today’s New York Times about a toxic worker you have to deal with.  This can also be about a teammate, teacher, coach or boss.  Solid read. (Love the last line…)

E-Mail:  Hoops135@hotmail.com

THE CHICAGO BULLS

Tonight on ESPN is the first episode of “The Last Dance,” a ten-part documentary on the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls season; their last with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson.   The series also goes into depth about Jordan’s career.

It looks really good from the build-up and previews.  Social media has been on fire as of late.

I am composing this piece 9 hours before it starts and I am filled with anxiety; I can’t wait to see it.  Maybe I should pull out my copy of ‘Sacred Hoops’ by Phil Jackson and do some meditation?

A few things are certain;  everyone will have an opinion on the Bulls, positive or negative.

They’ll bash Michael for being too mean to his teammates.

Scottie was overrated.

Phil only won 6 rings while coaching the Bulls because he had Jordan.

Blah, Blah, Blah…

Stop it.

In 1996, when I moved from Brooklyn, New York to East Lansing, Michigan I was a New York Knicks fan.  Our cable package included W.G.N., based out of Chicago.  I was in Basketball Heaven – I was able to watch every single Bulls game.

Yes, I quickly admired their team.  Scottie Pippen became my favorite NBA player.  My wife took a liking to Dennis Rodman;  she grew up in Detroit and adored the Worm during his time with the Bad Boys.

The 1997-98 Bulls team finished 62-20 winning their sixth NBA title beating the Utah Jazz, 4-2.  It should be noted Utah beat the Bulls twice that season in the regular season.   Jordan and Ron Harper started all 82 regular season games.  Pippen played in only 44 games due to a back injury.   Dennis Rodman, as usual worked his ass off in 80 games pulling down 15 rebounds per game.

Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Luc Longley, Steve Kerr and Jackson would all exit stage left after the season; Chicago went 13-37 the following season.  There was a strike so the season was cut short.   Bishop Ford High School alum Charles Jones was on that 98-99 team.

There’s been a million things written about the Bulls incredible run in the 90’s,  The Last Dance will reveal material never heard before.  Jordan agreed to do it, so I think it’s going to be a big-time watch.

One thing we can’t take away,  the Bulls had one of the greatest runs in NBA history, 6 titles in 8 years.  I don’t care who they beat, that’s such a sad argument.  If Jordan didn’t retire in between the 3-peats, they may have won 8 straight.  Yeah Kenny Smith, I said it.

I will tune in tonight just like most basketball fans in America.  Love them or hate them, the Chicago Bulls played the right way,

E-Mail:  Hoops135@hotmail.com

 

 

PHIL JACKSON

Excellent read.