2018-19 NBA Thread

In the early days, he was, or at least tried to project that he was.

 

He probably was until the practice after the Memorial Day Massacre.

But to Riles credit, he could blend into the mentality of the team. The real Riley was the guy that coached the Knicks and the Heat.

 

I was at both the Memorial Day and Mother's Day (Celts 121-Sixers 81) Massacres. In both, the massacred team won the series. Something to think about when reading the inevitable straight-line conclusion post-game pieces written during every playoff series.

 

That 82 Celtics-76ers series was strange. Ultra competitive rivals but only two close games and only one that came down to the final possessions. I remember settling down to watch Game 7 on my friend's dish and we were expecting a few brawls among other things and then Andrew Toney happened.

 

It took a year (and getting swept by the Bucks) but I think that game started Red Auerbach thinking he needed DJ, or a player like him.

 

Toney dubbed The Boston Strangler is one of my favorite nicknames.

 

It was a good one. It was a privilege to be based in Boston and cover the NBA in the '80s.

 

Meanwhile Shaq and Kenny are shucking and jiving at the at the all-star show prior to the dunk contest.

 

Dude broke the plane!

 

Never ceases to amaze me how the slam dunk contest gets more unwatchable as time goes by.

 

It's not nearly as good as it was years ago... but Diallo jumping over Shaq was pretty impressive.

Felt bad for dude with the plane. He clearly thought that was a showstopper. He finished below the guy who missed his first dunk.

 

That was actually impressive. Shaq bent forward though.