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How LeBron James Stacks Up to the Greats (Part 2)

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

by Chris Price

 

Dream Matchup

(Editor’s note – If you haven’t read part one of this series, please read it HERE prior to reading this article)

 

So here is the other side of the story.  Ongoing discussion about LeBron James’ place in history has lead me to explore the other side of the argument.  Bear with me as I take a look at three of the biggest arguments for LeBron James being the best to ever do it.

 

#1 – Today’s NBA is the best that it’s ever been, and LeBron James stands head and shoulders above the rest of the players in this generation.
I’ll concede the second part of this argument without hesitation.  At this point, LeBron James has established himself as being CLEARLY better than the rest the guys in his generation; guys that include Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, and even the slightly younger guys like Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and Russell Westbrook.  I think most basketball fans would agree.  Let’s explore the second part of the assertion though.

The argument for today’s NBA being better than past decades stems from the growth of AAU basketball, advancements in training and nutrition, a global talent pool, and the notion that a lot more of our talented U.S. athletes are choosing to play basketball.

Well, after just a little bit of pondering, I’m gonna call the “era argument” a wash. Since 1988 the NBA has added 6 more expansion teams.  That’s 90 roster spots.  At the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season, there were 84 international players on rosters.  No less jobs for American players.  And let’s look at those American players. We are seeing some phenomenal athletes, but how many great basketball players are we seeing?  With less time today learning the game on the college level than players 20-30 years ago, are our top basketball prospects really becoming great basketball players?  In many cases, yes. “One and done” guys like Durant, Love, and Kyrie are excellent, but lets look at some of our top big men.  Would Dwight Howard, arguably today’s best center, be as standout a center 20 years ago playing in an era of great centers?  Would Blake Griffin, a 2nd Team All NBA performer this season, be able to do what he does against more skilled, more PHYSICAL power forwards from the 1980s, under rules that allowed more physicality?  That’s something to think about.  I feel pretty confident in saying that LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Tony Parker would have been great playing in any era, but I also feel confident that what Michael Jordan and Karl Malone showed us a decade ago as 40-year olds was indicative of great command of the game.  If you’re gonna give Shaq and Kobe credit for their 3-peat at the turn of the century, you gotta give Mike and Karl credit for having legitimate All-Star seasons at the same time, all while playing at or around 40 years of age.  Now I truly respect the great players of today, but nothing I see or have seen is telling me that guys of yesteryear didn’t have serious game.  Let’s call it a wash on the era argument, and therefore taking nothing from and adding nothing to LeBron James’ accomplishments in today’s NBA.

 

#2 – Don’t Compare Careers; Compare Peaks!
Now this is something pretty interesting that I’ve heard.  It’s actually intriguing to me. Instead of trying to compare LeBron James’ career to the lofty standards of efficient legendary careers like….
Michael Jordan: 6 championships in 13 Chicago seasons, 6/6 in NBA Finals, 6 NBA Finals MVPs
Magic Johnson: 5 championships in 13 seasons, 5/9 in NBA Finals, 3 NBA Finals MVPs

…compare their peaks instead.  (By the way, Larry Bird won 3 championships in 13 seasons, and went 3/5 in NBA Finals.  LeBron might be knocking on that door here soon)

So the argument is this: Is LeBron today better than Mike as his best?  Is LeBron today better than Magic at his best?  Is he better than Larry at his best?  Some LeBron supporters will say that he can do what those guys can do but he’s bigger. I would disagree.  I would say each of those guys did something better than LeBron.  But I DO notice that LeBron may be the second best in a lot of categories compared to these guys.

Out of MJ, Magic, Larry, and LeBron, here’s who has the edge in each category by the stats and by the eye test.

Scoring: Michael

Passing: Magic

Rebounding: Larry

Defense: LeBron or Michael

Offensive Efficiency: Magic/Michael (LeBron?)

LeBron may be the second best scorer of the group.  He is certainly second by career and peak scoring average.  LeBron may be the second best passer of the group.  He has the edge in assist average as well over Mike and Larry.  Larry is clearly the best rebounder of the group, and Magic actually may be second.  But LeBron has an argument for that too. On defense, we know Michael at one point was as good as they come on the perimeter. However LeBron has been noted as a more versatile defender because of his size.  I’m not here to debate whether he is or isn’t a better defender than Michael, but either way he’s up there as one of the best defenders we have seen that didn’t play the center position. He’s either first or second in defense out of the group of 4.  And finally, LeBron posted an incredible 56.5% FG percentage this year; something only Magic has matched in his career. Magic owns the higher peak assist to turnover ratio, and Michael owns the higher career Player Efficiency Rating (PER).  Michael actually owns the highest PER in NBA history.  But you know who is number 2 all time in PER? LeBron.

A lot of pundits will credit the older guys with high intangibles; leadership, competitiveness, toughness, basketball IQ, “clutch” factor, etc.  As somebody who doesn’t consider himself a “Witness”, but rather just a basketball fan, I can acknowledge that LeBron is truly putting it all together and most, if not all, of his mental/emotional hang-ups are in the past.  He’s improving in every significant intangible category in my eyes and in the eyes of many.

So maybe a guy who isn’t known for one specific skill but who can do everything very well has a good peak argument.  If nothing else Lebron’s attributes and statistical achievements (as well as the fact that he is now a champion) leave the door open for debate for those who want to go there.

 

#3 – There has been no other player like LeBron James in history.  His combination of talent, size, athleticism, and skill has never been seen before.
Now this one is one I’ve heard a lot.  You probably have too.  Is it true?  Well, yes…it is true.  But isn’t that true for all the GOAT candidates?

Kareem was a 7’2″ player with an unstoppable shot, the skyhook.  Had we seen something like the skyhook before, and have we since?

Wilt Chamberlain, Shaq, Magic, Duncan, Olajuwon, Robertson are all pretty unique players to me.  You can say that LeBron is bigger than all of the perimeter guys, and more athletic, but is he truly a bigger version?  Meaning, the same skills but just bigger, stronger, quicker, etc?  I say nah.  He’s not gonna have the footwork or smooth post game of MJ or Kobe, or the quick change of direction of…you know what, it doesn’t even matter.  If LeBron can continue to do LeBron and continue to create his own lane, he won’t have to worry about comparisons with anyone.

Peep this.  The cool thing about LeBron coming into the league at 18, and being the exact opposite of an injury-prone player, and being very-very good, is that he has a chance to break a looooot of records.  He already has 4 MVPs at age 28. Kareem has the record with 6 MVPs.  Can he snag 2 or 3 or more MVPs in his career?  He has a good shot at it.  LeBron also has just over 21,000 points for his career.  Kareem has that record also at  38, 387.  If LeBron keeps up his current rate of 27.6 PPG and stays healthy, he can catch Kareem at age 36.  And even if he doesn’t do that he can catch Jordan’s career number at age 33, at his current pace.  Pretty wild.

Now granted, when a lot of people think about Magic, Michael or Larry, they might be thinking about championships or the special way they played the game.  The big shots. The big games.  Some people don’t think LeBron will ever match what those guys brought to the table.  Even if that is your stance, what if you are looking at a guy who has a chance to rewrite greatness in terms of records upon records, plus high-level defense, plus mind-blowing stats, plus a few rings…

With all of the things LeBron has already accomplished in his short career, and all the potential of what is to come, at the end of the day when you sit back and look at the body of work, could it be enough?

 

Chris Price, for War Room Sports

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How LeBron James Stacks Up to the Greats (Part 1)

Wednesday, May 29th, 2013

by Chris Price

 

A conversation with a LeBron fan the other day made me want to address three issues I have with the logic of many LeBron James fans.

 

#1 – Choose whether LeBron James is a young phenom or an NBA veteran.

Here’s what I mean.  When comparing him to other great players, sometimes he did things younger, and sometimes he’s a veteran.  When comparing him to Michael Jordan for example, people say LeBron won a championship at age 27, when Michael won his first at age 28.  Well, since LeBron came into the league at 18 and Jordan at 21, Michael actually won his first in his seventh season and Lebron won his in his ninth.  But LeBron fans will ignore years played in that instance.

When comparing him to Larry Bird however, it’s “look at the numbers LeBron put up in his tenth season. What did Larry do in his tenth season?”  Since LeBron came into the league at 18, in Lebron’s tenth season he is 28 years old, in the prime of his career.  Since Larry came into the league at 22, in his tenth season he was 32 years old, already in decline from age and back injury. LeBron fans will ignore age in this instance.

If you look at age however, Larry Bird’s season at age 28 (28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 52% FG, 43% 3PFG, 88% FT, League MVP) compares very well with LeBron’s season at age 28 (26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 57% FG, 41% 3PFG, 75% FT, League MVP).  When you compare apples to apples, LeBron is not blowing these legends out the water.

#2 – Lebron being more athletic than other players doesn’t mean he is clearly better than other players. Athleticism is not the standard for basketball achievement, but it can help.

If you look at Larry Bird, he was never even near the most athletic player on the court, but he was one of the dominant figures in the golden age of basketball.  Dude won three straight MVPs and three championships in the 80s, an era where Magic, Kareem, Dominique, Michael, Isiah, and Moses Malone were putting in their work.

If you look at Kevin Love today, how often is he the most athletic player on the court?  Never; but he averaged 26 and 13 last season because he eats glass and he has a high basketball IQ.  And getting back to Larry, Larry has a higher rebound percentage than LeBron for his career, which tracks what percentage of available rebounds a player is getting.  So no, if LeBron played in the ’80s, he wouldn’t have averaged 15 rebounds, because he just doesn’t rebound at that level.  Not a knock on him, it just is what it is.  Stop assuming because LeBron is more athletic he would dominate.  Did his athleticism help him dominate the 2011 NBA Finals, a series in which the Heat clearly had the two most athletic players on the floor?  No.  Athleticism CAN help you, but doesn’t necessarily make you the better ball player.  As fans of the game, LeBron fans have to realize this.  History has proven it time and time again.

#3 – Stop acting like LeBron is the only player to put up outlandish stats and compile accolades as a young player.  LeBron IS a very special player, but he is by no means the MOST special player in terms of career achievement and stats, at this point. 

Below are the CAREER averages of Magic, Larry, Michael, and LeBron James, which include “fall-off” years for the first three.  Remember that LeBron is still in his peak years and his final career averages will probably be slightly lower than what they are now, like with all players.

Magic Johnson
19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, 7.2 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 52% FG, 30% 3PFG, 85% FT

Young Player Swag: Won NBA Championship AND NBA Finals MVP as a Rookie, Started NBA All-Star Game as a rookie, had two Finals MVPs by age 22.

Larry Bird
24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 49.6% FG, 38% 3PFG, 89% FT

Young Player Swag: NBA All-Star AND 1st Team All-NBA as a ROOKIE, Won NBA Championship in his 2nd year.

Michael Jordan
30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 49.7% FG, 33% 3PFG, 84% FT

Young Player Swag: All-Star Starter AND 2nd Team All-NBA as a rookie, won NBA Defensive Player of the Year at age 25.

LeBron James (career up to now)
27.6 PPG, 6.9 APG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 49.0 FG%, 34% 3PFG, 75% FT

Young Player Swag: Youngest player to win FOUR NBA MVPs (age 28), youngest player to be selected to All-NBA 1st Team (21), youngest player to record a triple double (18).

LeBron James has a lot of “youngest” records, but part of that is due to the fact that most greats did not have the opportunity to enter the league straight out of high school like LeBron.  They could have tried, but either would not have been drafted or not drafted as high, messing up the money.  But as soon as these other greats got to the league at 20 (Magic), 21 (Michael), and 22 (Larry), they were putting in major work, as you can clearly see.

It is arguable that LeBron James has the “best” statistical averages out of these great perimeter players, but it is also very arguable that he does not.  And remember his numbers are still at peak, and will probably sink slightly before he retires, just like they did for the other guys.  He’s a “great”, but no matter how you look at it he is not blowing these guys out of the water just yet.

Chris Price for War Room Sports

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Acceptance, Sports, and Coming Out: What’s the Real Issue?

Friday, May 3rd, 2013

by Nwaji Jibunoh

 

 

 

 

Jason Collins’ Sports Illustrated Cover

 

Earlier this week, the world, and I literally mean the world, was hit with the news that the first professional athlete in a major sport in the US has come out to say that he is gay.

My initial response was, “Who is he”?  When I found out it was Jason Collins, the first thing that came to my mind was, “Oh right, he’s one of those twins that played for Stanford”.  Then the ensuing tsunami came afterwards with various tweets, blogs, Facebook status updates, and responses in the media about the coming out of this man.  The one thing that was quite resounding for me was how nobody was talking about the fact that Jason Collins only averages 2 points per game, barely gets any playing time, and is one injury away from retirement.  Everyone kept referring to how this “high profile athlete” has now made it easier for other gay athletes to come out.  Then in addition to that, the religious arguments came in, given that he called himself a Christian, and how he cannot be a Christian given that homosexuality according to that particular doctrine is a sin, etc.

It has been a whirlwind of a week, and the ensuing discourses that have followed have been incredible.  As I think about the playing career of Jason Collins, there is nothing too memorable about him from a statistics perspective that shouts out.  So, by me now knowing he is gay, does what exactly?

Any sport is a deeply intimate situation where formidable relationships are created.  You will often hear analysts talk about disharmony in the locker room leading to disharmony on the field/court/diamond etc.  The real question I want to ask is, gay or not, does Jason Collins have that spirit of camaraderie in the locker room?  Does he understand what it means to “take one for the team”?  Is he a good person?  What are his moral values? (After all, his own twin brother was unaware of him being gay and so was the woman he was once engaged to marry)  How does he inspire and work with younger athletes and what are his contributions to society at large?  The reason I ask these questions is because I am more interested in the total athlete of Jason Collins than his sexual preference.

I can already hear the responses now; “Oh, he has had to hide this for so long”…”He has had to live in fear”…”He is so brave for coming out”.  But my retort to that is, what has changed exactly except for the fact that we now know which gender he prefers to sleep with?  Will this, or not, land him a new contract given that he is now a free agent?  Are other athletes now going to be more accepting of homosexuality and refrain from derogatory language in the locker room?  Or will everything simply go back to normal?  Has the world become so convoluted that people actually believe that one way or another, the majority of folks actually care whether someone is gay or not?

In life, true wisdom and intellect comes from knowing that no matter what you do or what you say, certain groups of people will always disagree with you.  It is not a MUST that we all accept you for whatever you claim it is that you are.  The only collective responsibility we have as a society is ensuring that your fundamental rights as a human being are not infringed upon; such as those human rights being specifically discriminated against for who you are and/or being targeted in a hate crime.  If people are going to disagree with you for your lifestyle choices that you have made public, or even your personal belief that you were born this way, then grant those same people the same tolerance that you eagerly seek from others.

The NBA playoffs are currently on, and Jason Collins is not one of the athletes playing for one of the top 16 teams in the league.  It would be nice to get back to the business of sports, the analysis of LeBron James as he and the Miami Heat pursue their second consecutive championship, and not necessarily have to worry about getting attacked by the status quo for opinions that go against the grain of what’s considered popular.

True acceptance comes in the form of being comfortable in one’s own skin.  Making it everyone’s business and demanding approval and acceptance does not achieve such a goal.

Jason Collins, live your life according to what makes you happy.  To society at large, we must all learn to agree to disagree.

 

Nwaji Jibunoh, International Correspondent for War Room Sports

Located in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwaji Jibunoh is War Room Sports’ International Soccer Contributor.  Nwaji also contributes commentary on U.S. sports from an international perspective.  He’s an Atlanta Falcons fan, Howard University alum, and former tight end for the North Atlanta High School Warriors.

 

 

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Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

Part III of Bernard King: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

“Hubie, do I have the right to take the ball myself?” – Bernard King

For Knick and Golden State Warrior fans, King’s 1984 rise from star to sublime was not surprising or meteoric. Don’t call it a hot streak, Bernard had been there for years.

Lost Prime (1980-1983):

During King’s first three years in the NBA (1977-79), his only barrier was himself (see alcoholism and drugs). During his next 3.5 prime years (1980-83), his barrier was only 33 minutes and 16 shots per game. Bernard the Warrior needed a sacrificing point guard like Tiny Archibald or Dennis Johnson, but he got gunslinger World B. Free[1].  Bernard the Knick needed a coach like Phil Jackson, but he got superstar stopper Hubie Brown[2]. King should have been treated like Michael Jordan (23 shots per game), but until 1984 never got the scorer’s respect of Monta Ellis.

Lost Warrior (1980-1982): 

Outside of Golden State, Bernard rarely gets credit for two fantastic seasons with The Warriors. Despite being led the previous year by Robert Parish [HOF 2003], the team was pitiful, and Parish was traded. King was named “Comeback Player of the Year” in his first year, made the All-Star team in his second, and shot an astonishing 58% over both. Each year, the Warriors missed the playoffs by a single game. Why? King never took the most shots (see Free). Just how good was Warrior King? When San Francisco columnist Bruce Jenkins made up his all-time Warriors team a few years ago, his forwards were Rick Barry and Bernard – not Chris Mullin [HOF 2012].

“Bernard turned the Warriors franchise around. We went from 24 wins in ’80 to a winning record in ’82, the year Bernard became a starter.” — Pete Newell [HOF 1979]

Lost Knick (1982-1983):

When it comes to squeezing every last drop from mere mortals, Hubie Brown is a coaching genius. When it comes to teaching the game, there is none better. When it came to stopping superstars, he made Dean Smith’s North Carolina teams seem like the Showtime Lakers. Our greatest strength often doubles as our greatest weakness, and Brown was a unwavering “system coach” who called every single play, walked the ball up, and refused to budge from his signature 10-man rotation which he played every quarter. Yes, every quarter. What if Bernard was on fire? Too bad. Here comes Louis Orr!

“[King] was absolutely devastating in transition, which made it such a shame that he was stuck on Hubie’s plodding Knicks teams for those peak years.” – Bill Simmons, ESPN Writer

How Louis Orr Scored 100 Points:

On the day David Stern became the NBA commissioner, Bernard completed his famous back-to-back 50 point games. With two Knicks sidelined, Brown was finally forced to abandon his 10-man rotation, and Bernard dropped his 100 point combo meal on 40-58 shooting (note: Wilt’s shot 36-63 on his 100).  Had Bernard’s back-up Louis Orr not caught the flu, 50-50 would have never happened. Had Orr caught mono, the record books would have been shredded. King’s flu in Game 5 of The Showdown in Motown has become part of his legend, but Louis Orr’s flu is also a reminder of legend lost. Golden State and Knick fans knew that 1984 could have been happening for years. And now Hubie Brown knew: some birds you just can’t cage.

“The 50-50 games were the turning point as far as being noticed”.  – Bernard King

The Turning Point (January 1984):

Bernard began January 1984 by being named Knick captain and ended it with a 50 point game. While both dates are significant, the biggest turning point came in between. On January 13th, King took only nine shots – the Knicks fourth close loss that season where King had no more than nine shot attempts. The very next night King would score 42 points on 18-26 shooting, and Bernard would never shoot less than 10 times again (save injury). After 3.5 prime years, King would finally receive 40 minutes and 20 shots. January 14 is also the very same day when King’s 30 points @60% for 40 games was born. The turning point wasn’t 50-50, it was 40-20.  Bernard didn’t really change — Hubie did. But there would be flashbacks.

“Put Bernard back in the game!” and “Get the ball to Bernard!”
– This author and 10,000 fans at my first Knick game in 1983

Hubie’s Last Stand (April 1984)

Scene:           1984 Playoffs, Knicks vs. Pistons, Knicks Huddle
Act:                 #5 – The deciding game of historic series
Time:              36 seconds left in regulation, Knicks ball
Score:             Knicks 112, Pistons 111
Context:         Bernard King is Shredding History

This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy. Via Dennis D’Agostino’s must-read “Garden Glory”, let Bernard tell it:

“We were in a timeout, and the play was designed for Billy Cartwright. I’ve never questioned the coach’s authority… You just don’t question the coach. The coach is the coach, and you’re a player. But Hubie was designing a play for Billy Cartwright, and the game was on the line…. Well, I had a problem with that [King laughs.] Here I am playing with two dislocated fingers and I’ve averaged 40 points a game for five games, so if the game is on the line, give me the ball. That’s always been my history as a player, so I couldn’t understand in that intense moment how the play could be designed for anyone else.”

So… I said: ‘Hubie, do I have the right to take the ball myself?’ And he didn’t answer me. Then I spoke up even louder, ‘Hubie! Do I have the right to take the ball myself?’ I was emphatic. Finally, he looked up at me and said, ’Yeah’.  Because what I was saying… was ‘Hubie, I’m gonna break your play’. But I had to ask first; I’m not the type of guy to break a play in my professional career. I always did what was designed for me to do, so I had to ask the question before I could actually do it.”

These were Bernard King’s working conditions.

Imagine if Michael was denied that chance to shoot over Craig Ehlo? Would that ever happen? With Jordan gone in 1994, Scottie Pippen [HOF 2010] was averaging just 24 points on 41% shooting in his playoff series when coach Phil Jackson called the last shot for Toni Kukoc. Pippen famously refused to go back in the game.

In contrast, the surreal huddle exchange reveals both a phenomenal handling by Bernard, and a glaring flaw within Hubie. But it also arguably exposes a lesser flaw within King. For Bernard – who learned his work ethic and coach deference under legendary Brooklyn take-no-crap disciplinarian Gil Reynolds [see Genius Explained] — it took King until that moment in that huddle in that series to respectfully demand to be treated like the superduperstar he had been for years.

When Phil Jackson joined the Bulls, Michael Jordan was just a little less deferential. Jordan said:

“He’s the coach, I’ll follow his scheme, but I don’t plan to change my style of play. I’m sure everything will be fine if we win, but if we start losing, I’m shooting.”

Just how long would Jordan have lasted in Hubie’s 10-man rotation?

Today, Bernard and Hubie have a great mutual respect for one another, and Brown often speaks with great reverence for King’s “professionalism” and how he “never broke a play”. But what if King didbreak more plays? What if he was a little less professional, and a little more like Mike? Would his teams have won more games?  When does “playing the right way” become the wrong way?

One clue is when your star is shooting 60% and can’t be stopped. For younger Knick fans, it is when coach Mike D’Antoni asks Carmelo Anthony just to “fit in” as stretch spot-up shooter while he hands Jeremy Lin the keys to the Knicks. Had Anthony just went along to get along, he and the Knicks would likely not be flourishing today. Bernard’s growth cannot be separated from Brown changing, and  Carmelo’s can’t be separated from D’Antoni leaving (and Mike Woodson arriving). Sometimes the boss is wrong.

That Game 5 playoff timeout huddle has been the story of Bernard King’s career. He has been kindly asking for permission for his genius to be recognized ever since, and this week the Hall of Fame looked up and said “yeah”.

Oh yes. Back to Game 5.

After the timeout, King took the pass, demonstratively waved off Bill Cartwright from the post, and went down the left side for one of his patented baseline jumpers for his 40th point. Isiah’s subsequent 3-pointer would now only send the game into overtime instead of sending the Knicks home.

“In that 4th quarter and into the 5th quarter, Bernard King would just not let us lose”
– Hubie Brown

 

Chuck Modiano of POPSspot, for War Room Sports

 

I.   “Who is Bernard King”: The NBA’s Invisible Genius
II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History 
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Wednesday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming Thursday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael Jordan (coming Monday)

 

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Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

Part II of Bernard King: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

“What he did to us I had never seen before. We caught him in the middle of a three-year stretch where he was playing better than any small forward in the history of the game.” –Isiah Thomas

Bernard King — The NBA’s Invisible Genius —  is also playoff legend. In his first two seasons, he led the Knicks to back-to-back first round upsets. In his very first Knick playoff game against the Nets in 1983, King scored 40 points on only 21 shots, and when he took at least 20 shots he scored 40 points seven times in eleven chances. Only once did Bernard exceed 27 shots. His two epic 1984 series against the Pistons and Celtics caught the NBA nation by storm, but the local explosion began in January.

King’s 40 game-stretch of 30 points on 60% shooting highlighted by back-to-back 50 point games was the result of an offensive genius who was finally given permission to display his artwork [see Genius Contained]. At a time when ESPN was covering rugby, King’s 40 game stretch got little attention, but his legendary post-season work is well-known. Instead, King’s playoff legacy has been hijacked.

Isiah Hijacks Bernard in 94 Seconds: You have seen the video clip. Isiah Thomas puts on a 94-second performance for the ages by sending the deciding game into overtime. Even though Isiah lost the duel (44-35), game (127-123), and series (3-2), he still won the war. Today, “16 points in 94 seconds” trumps Bernard’s historic series average of “42 points on 60% shooting”. Only Jerry West and Michael Jordan have ever surpassed 40 points in a playoff series, but neither could approach 60% shooting.

“I’ve never seen any one player dominate a team like King. There is no way to stop him.” —Dave Bing [HOF 1990]

Michael Hijacks Real Flu Game: What if you wrapped up the “Flu Game” by Jordan, “The Duel”  by Bird and Wilkins, and added a dash of Willis Reed? Then you get Bernard battling Isiah in Game 5 with a 102 fever and mangled hands that were getting freeze-sprayed throughout the game. In Jordan’s famous 1997 “Flu Game”, he scored 38 points on 48% shooting. In Bernard’s Flu/Duel/Freeze-Spray Game he topped Jordan with 44 points on 65% shooting. There would be no pictures of an old-school King bending over or being held up by his teammates — only his legendary game face. Jordan’s game ranks #2 in ESPN’s 25 best playoff games since 1978. King missed the cut. On to the Celtics.

“He had splints on both of his middle fingers, both dislocations… Bernard is ill and can’t come to the shootaround. They’re feeding him intravenously… Now, we can’t hit him on the break because he can’t dribble with the pain in his hands. So we’re thinking, how the hell are we going to win with this guy?”  – Hubie Brown [HOF 2005, Contributor]

Celtics Hijack Bernard: Watch the tapes: they literally hijacked him. They fouled him. They smacked him. They mugged him. You don’t think those Celtics played rough? Watch tape of Larry Bird leveling Bernard just a couple of years earlier. Lebron couldn’t relate, and Kevin Durant would snap in two. Now watch Larry just walk away. Not even a “my bad”. Watch Bernard dust himself off. No problem. That was basketball in the 1980’s before sports media turned every minor NBA scuffle into The Watts Riots.

“One guy would foul you, and the foul is already called, and then two other guys would hit you.  And that’s a fact.”  – Bernard King

 The Bitch Is Back: Before and during the series, those Celtics talked smack:

“He ain’t getting 40 on us. We’re going to stop the bitch.” — Cedric Maxwell [Retired Jersey, 2003]

“They’re in the grave, and we’ve got the shovel in our hands”.  — Kevin McHale [HOF 1999]   

King would drop 43 and 44 in Games 4 and 6 and bring some humility back to Boston for Game 7:

“Nothing Max and I tried to do worked.” – McHale

“We held him. We pushed him. We were draped all over him. The guy was just unreal.” — Maxwell

King vs. Hall of Fame East Wing: The 1984 Celtics played four Hall-of-Famers in their prime and their 5th best was a former NBA Finals MVP [Maxwell]. All of Bernard’s fellow starters would have been Celtic back-ups. That’s not conjecture. Guard Ray Williams — the Knicks third leading scorer at 15 points per game – became a Celtic backup the very next season and averaged only 6.4 points. Larry Bird couldn’t make Ray better.

In Game 7, Bird would turn in a stellar 39-point triple-double, King would get leveled early by Robert Parish, and the Celtics would move on and beat The Lakers for the championship. Bird’s Game 7 and series was treated by media as proof of Bird’s edge over King while few asked: “What if Bird and King swapped teammates?”

 “The best thing about having that series over was saying goodbye to Bernard King… If they had gotten by us, they would have had a good shot at a championship” – Larry Bird

King vs. Bird: Before Lebron James was born, Bernard King and Larry Bird were raising the small forward position to new heights. Both were named Most Valuable Player in a split-decision: the media chose Larry and players and coaches chose Bernard [see King of Peers]. So it was fitting they would meet. Well, they sort of met.

For seven games Bernard can be seen chasing Larry all over the court while King received tag-team beat-downs from Maxwell and Mchale.  Bird was left to “guard” an aging Truck Robinson, and float like a free safety.  Anyone who has ever played a hard game of pick-up basketball – let alone a grueling NBA series — understands this advantage.  Often missing from media analysis was how Bird’s hall-of-fame teammates made him better – especially defensively [see King of Peers]. Few asked: “What if Larry had spent his energy guarding Bernard?”

“I didn’t guard Bernard. I knew I had no chance guarding Bernard.” – Larry Bird

King vs. “The Winner Myth”: In their first five seasons, Wilt, Michael and Lebron all put up prolific numbers – except for wins. During his only five seasons without Oscar Robertson or Magic Johnson, same goes for Kareem.  Kobe after Shaq had a 3-year hangover before help came. ALL these legends had losing seasons, and only once during those 23 seasons was 50 wins exceeded. As for the Knicks, Willis Reed and Walt Frazier were definitely winners (must read: When the Garden Was Eden), but they needed each other. In their six seasons apart, the Knicks never had a winning record.

“At the end of the day, rings don’t always define someone’s career.” – Lebron James

King vs. Ewing’s Ghost: Patrick Ewing is also a winner and owns a phenomenal unsung achievement: his Knicks advanced in the playoffs for eight consecutive years. The handful of legends to match this all had superior teammates. Sadly, King and Ewing would only start one game together — the 1991 All-Star Game. Bernard’s astonishing return to All-Star status with a new knee, new team, and new game (post-up to face-up) came six years later. Think about that.

Just how many Knick championships were lost during that time? In his senior year at Georgetown, a swarmed Ewing opened up the floor for his teammates while averaging only nine shots per game –fourth most on the team. We already know how close King came with Billy Cartwright as his #2. With Bernard, Ewing gets to keep his Russellesque role, and both men experience career firsts: single-man coverage. Today, HBO would be running Knick documentaries called “When the Game was Theirs”. After finally getting The Hall call today, King reflected:

“The only regret I have is that [Ewing] and I didn’t team together. Because I believe in my heart of hearts that we would have won a championship.”. — Bernard King

 

Chuck Modiano of POPSspot, for War Room Sports

I.   “Who is Bernard King”: The NBA’s Invisible Genius
II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah, Larry, and History 
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie Brown
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Thursday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming next Friday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael (coming next Saturday)

 

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Who is Bernard King?: The NBA’s Invisible Genius

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

by Chuck Modiano

G – Magic 
G – Isiah
F – Larry
F – Bernard
C – Kareem/Moses

No last names are necessary.

These men make up the 1st team All-NBA stars in Bernard King’s last two Knick seasons before he blew out his knee in March 1985 – the same year he led the NBA in scoring. This is the company King kept.

In 1984, King would produce a half-season scoring tear never duplicated in NBA history; upset the Pistons in the greatest playoff series performance in NBA history, and almost single-handedly upend the 1984 Celtics — one of greatest teams in NBA history.  In 1984, Bernard could be found in dated Converse commercials, rap songs, and Sports Illustrated covers which bowed to “His Royal Highness”.

With an unstoppable Carmelo Anthony balling like its 1984, and reports of Bernard’s induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, The Invisible King will receive another bow this week.

While starving King fans will naturally celebrate, something just isn’t right. King’s 15 minutes of crumbs come too little, too late – 15 years to be exact.

We could only hope this week will help jump-start the only real NBA debate. Bernard’s rightful place in the Hall of Legends.

Where did The King stand amongst the greats? Let’s ask them

“Bernard King was the toughest matchup of my career. And I say that from the heart.” – Julius Erving [HOF 1993]

“Bernard King… is the best forward in the league, hands down”.  – Larry Bird [HOF 1998]

“We are just in awe of Bernard” — Isiah Thomas [HOF 2000].

Now consider that Larry and Isiah’s praise came before the 1984 playoffs and epic Showdown in Motown where

KING AVERAGED 42 PLAYOFF POINTS ON 60% SHOOTING!

No other player in NBA history has ever averaged over 40 playoff points on 60% shooting in the playoffs – not Wilt in ‘62, not Jerry in ‘65, and not Michael in ‘88.  Not Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, or Lebron.

Only Bernard King.

King also did it while battling Isiah, the flu, and mangled hands.

Afterwards, King was asked about his “hot streak”. Bernard asked back:

“At what point is it no longer considered just a roll?”

Answer: The rest of your life Bernard. The rest of your life.

King’s perceived eruption on a national stage was no hot streak.

What happened right before it was even more historic, but never documented until now:

IN 1984, KING AVERAGED 30 POINTS ON 60% SHOOTING FOR 40 STRAIGHT GAMES! [1]

Lebron and Carmelo, please read that again.

No other player in NBA history has likely ever matched this half-season stretch [2].

In the playoffs, the unstoppable King simply took more shots. That’s all.

For the few mesmerized souls who watched those games on WWOR Channel 9, King’s “30@60for40” validates that we aren’t suffering from nostalgia gone wild.

Bernard King was who we thought he was.

Unlike Knick legends Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and Willis Reed, no one more than Bernard transforms grown Knick fans into babbling children, gets stuffy 50 year old accountants to jump around like Spike Lee, and elicits reactions of: “I swear I saw Jesus in shorts”. No, not “Black Jesus” ala Earl Monroe’s other nickname — just “Jesus”.

Truth be told, here is what many Knick fans in bars swear to this very day: at his pre-injury peak Bernard King was a better small forward than Larry Bird and a greater scorer than Michael Jordan.

If that sounds crazy to you, please consult his peers again:

“I have never feared anybody that I’ve played against – Bird, Magic, Doctor, Michael – and I respect and love all of those guys… Bernard King is the only guy that ever scared the hell out of me.”  – Dominique Wilkins [HOF 2006]:

Listen to Dominique. Few in media will publically utter such words for fear of ridicule or straight-jacket. But we are not the crazy ones.

It is the rest of the sports universe that has gone insane.

Unless long dead, there is no other athlete in any sport whose gap between greatness and recognition is larger — even after this week.

The humiliations are endless.

Will Bernard make the Hall of Fame this year? Should King have made the NBA’s 50 greatest players list? Will the Knicks finally retire his iconic #30 jersey?

The questions themselves demean NBA history. What about media?

In February, Lebron had six straight games of 30 points on 60% shooting, and ESPN.com lost their efficient minds, but no mention of King. Last year ESPN issued its 25 greatest playoff performances since 1978, and no King again. Sorry B, your 42 @60% and legendary Game 5 just weren’t dominant enough.

In 1984, The New York Times closely chronicled King’s nuanced brilliance in “Mysterious Moves” and “Never a Knick Like Him””, but on the 25th anniversary of that magical season, another small forward stole the show with a 10,000 word profile: Shane Battier:  “The No-Stats All-Star”.

What about the greatest player in Tennessee history, half of the famed Bernie and Ernie Show, and legendary Kentucky killer? When Kentucky coach John Calipari told his 2010 team that Bernard was talking pre-game trash in Tennessee’s locker room, the youngsters responded:

“Who is Bernard King?”, ”What number is Bernard King?”, and  “I’m guarding him?”

Ouch!

How did we get here?

Is there some vast hide-King conspiracy? Not quite, but corporate interests have reduced the NBA’s Golden Era to “Magic vs. Bird”, and lesser victims include Kareem, Julius, Moses, Isiah, and the great small forward of the 1980’s.

Bernard’s knee injury alone doesn’t explain it either. No one adds up career stats for Sandy Koufax, Gale Sayers, Earl Campbell, or Bill Walton. We know what happened to them.

Reasons for King’s vanishing includes playoff-lore hijackings by Isiah, Larry, and Michael [see II: Genius Unchained]; his unspectacular style, his early-career substance abuse, his forgotten Warrior years, his teammates, and his plodding coach Hubie Brown [see III. Genius Contained].

It also involves a dysfunctional Hall of Fame and sports media largely incapable of recognizing historic greatness without historic teammates. Despite being voted Most Valuable Player by their peers, King (1984), young Michael (1989), and Lebron (2006) were all denied those awards by media, and had their status as “winners” questioned. Where players see lack of support, media perceives lack of maturity, but only a lack of imagination could deny King as champion beside Patrick Ewing [see V: The King of Peers].

King’s past has been forgotten, a healthy future rarely imagined, but most of all, his present genius was never fully realized too far beyond his own peers, local fans, and a few journalists [3].

Bernard’s game was historically unique, but he often gets lumped into a sea of history’s high-volume scoring forwards. While The Tennessee Terror stormed on the NCAA scene with 42 points in his very first game as a freshman, his truer legacy can be found in his nation-leading 62% shooting.

Lebron James is receiving great credit for shooting 56% this year, but King shot 56% over a 5-year pre-injury prime (1980-85) and did it without any all-star teammates. The playoffs are where shooting percentages go to die (see Karl Malone), but King shot a stunning 58% in 18 Knick playoff games. Only the greatest ones maintain accuracy against playoff defense — our very best test for “unstoppability” across eras.

King also defied every selfish scorer stereotype. He was not a one on one player, never needed isolations, never took bad shots, and did it all within the game’s flow. He was a scoring scientist whose quick release, midrange mastery, and disciplined shot selection have gone the way of Kareem’s skyhook [see IV: Genius Explained].

King also suffered from a pre-Jordan era where it was thought impossible to score like Mike, but win like Magic. If Jordan is any indication, Bernard was too unselfish. Jordan had more athleticism, style, and shot attempts, but not accuracy [see VI: The Jordan Rules].

Today, Bernard is mostly remembered for his 60 points on Christmas Day, and scoring 50 points on back-to back nights in 1984. Mr. Hot Streak has now become Mr. Hot Game, and The King of Efficiency has been largely reduced to Jamal Crawford – a career 41% chucker.

Before Lebron’s February outburst, the last great scoring streak came from Kobe Bryant in 2004. Back then, Scoop Jackson tried to educate the youth when he asked the obvious:

“What’s up with the love? [Bernard] had scoring stretches that lasted seasons, not just games.”

Jackson continued:

“He was a genius interrupted… The universal love that evaded his career was found scrolled inside a book penned by his peers.”

Jackson’s question was ignored, so a decade later the kids want to know:

“Who is Bernard King?”

Have a seat son and move over Mr. Battier, King’s invisible genius must be explained.

II.   Genius Unchained: Bernard King vs. Isiah and Larry (coming Tuesday)
III.  Genius Contained: Bernard King vs. Hubie (coming Wednesday)
IV.   Genius Explained: Bernard King vs. Youtube (coming Thursday)
V.     The King of Peers: Bernard King vs. Media (coming next Monday)
VI.   The Jordan Rules: Bernard King vs. Michael (coming next Tuesday)

Or you can always just ask his peers:

“Man, Bernard King, he was the truth.”  — Bob McAdoo [HOF 2003]

 

Chuck Modiano od POPSspot.com, for War Room Sports

[1] Beginning on January 14, King scored 1219 points (482-808) over the next three months spanning 40 regular season games (ending right before regular season’s final meaningless game before the playoffs)

[2] It is highly unlikely that King’s 40 games of 30 points on 60% shooting has been duplicated – even when factoring eFG. The highest FG% for a 30 PPG season is Kareem Abdul Jabbar who scored 32 points on .577 shooting in 70-71 and an incredible 35 points on .574 shooting in ’71-’72. Adrian Dantley also scored 30.3 points on 57% shooting in ’81-’82.

[3] Many journalists have helped keep King’s memory alive. Special thanks to Ira Berkow,  Dennis D’Agostino, Bobbito Garcia and Ali, Alan Hahn, John Hareas, Scoop Jackson, Bruce Jenkins,  Bill Simmons, Dave Zirin, and others.

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Did Being Asian Work Against Jeremy Lin Pre-NBA?

Monday, April 8th, 2013

by B. Austin

 

 

 

 

 

Houston Rockets PG Jeremy Lin said that if he wasn’t Asian he would have been offered a Division 1 basketball scholarship.


There is absolute validity to what Jeremy Lin is saying.  Lin is addressing the social lens and perspective with which people generally view him and people of his ethnicity through.  That isn’t preposterous, groundbreaking, or shocking.  This is just the reality of the American social landscape and the larger narrative of human nature and racial prejudices.  There are two things that I think would serve us well to acknowledge and address:
 
1) Professional sports is one of the only places where racism, prejudices, and social rifts can be mended because of the closeness of a team and a locker room.
 
2) Also the fact that competitive professional sports is the ultimate meritocracy.  It’s based on competitiveness and greed.  Once you realize the dude CAN play, all the other shit becomes irrelevant.  But let’s not act like that huge “white elephant” or “8000 pound gorilla” isn’t in the room.  “White men can’t jump”, “Asian people aren’t athletic outside of martial arts”, “Black guys are superior athletically and aesthetically in sports and porn”, “Black guys don’t score well academically and are almost all ‘gangbangers with speed'”.  These are all dumb generalizations and stereotypes that are a part of the social and (at times) morally corrupt social fabric.  We have almost all at times heard them, and we may even have allowed them to creep into our psyche.  To act as if Lin is crazy or off-base for addressing this is delusional.  The road to the NBA had to be damn-near impossible for this kid.  He started from the bottom, but now he’s here…and the NBA is going to capitalize on the international appeal and the large following in Asia (particularly China) because at the pinnacle of this thing, it’s about revenue, profits, and economics.  Lin drives revenue, increases profitability, and is economically viable – all the social issues are in the rear view mirror.  I like the fact that he’s willing to still address them and talk about his journey, and we’d do well to heed his words and look at what he’s addressing.
 
 

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Mark Cuban Thinks the Lakers Should Amnesty Kobe?

Monday, February 25th, 2013

by LeRoy McConnell III

 

 

 

 

 

Leave it up to Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban to provide his two cents on what the 16-time World Champions Los Angeles Lakers should do with their superstar Kobe Bryant.  I mean don’t get me wrong, Cuban just gutted his own team last season so he has some idea of what to do.  Maybe it’s his way of reaching out to the Buss Family during trying times.

Let’s play devil’s advocate:

Kobe is due a mere $30 million next season which puts the Lakers over the luxury tax threshold by $7 million.  That doesn’t even include the signing of the summer’s biggest free agent, Dwight Howard.  Howard will command at least $20 million a season on his upcoming deal, which even creates more chaos for the Lakers.  Once you pass $5 million over the luxury tax, it increases to $1.75 for every dollar over.  After that, every $5 million over goes from $2.50 to $3.25 to $3.75 and increases $.50 for every $5 million after that.  But we are talking about Kobe!  Kobe Bryant is Mr. Laker, he is the draw, the 5-Time NBA champion that is relied upon to lead the success of the franchise.  His legacy belongs in a purple and gold uniform.  Mark Cuban spoke about his reasons the Lakers should amnesty Kobe.

 

“If you look at their payroll, even if Dwight Howard comes back, you’ve got to ask the question: Should they amnesty Kobe?” Cuban said during an appearance on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s “Ben and Skin Show.  “So I’m just saying that hypothetically. When I say amnesty Kobe, I don’t think they’d do it, but they’ve got some choices to make. Now, they’re in a big market, but they’re still limited. The Knicks, the same thing. Boston same thing.”

Is Mark Cuban trying to use his Shark Tank skills into conning the mighty Lakers franchise into disrupting their team?  When was the last time the Lakers organization were hurting for money?  Did Cuban forget that the Lakers just inked a $3 billion deal with Time Warner Cable?

Message to the Buss Family:

If you have forgotten, the Dallas Mavericks swept your team and went on to win the NBA Championship just two seasons ago.  Then Cuban referred to his Shark Tank entourage in deciding the fate of Tyson Chandler, the backbone of the Mavericks and Defensive Player of The Year.  HE COULD HAVE KEPT CHANDLER AND AMNESTIED BRENDAN HAYWOOD.  He decided against that, allowing Chandler to walk and keeping Haywood for one additional season before using the AMNESTY CLAUSE on HAYWOOD anyway.  Giving up a team that won you an NBA championship for financial flexibility!  The 2012-13 season has been a disaster for the Mavericks.  Cuban got his wish for all the financial flexibility in the world but no NBA player seems to want to play in Dallas.  So take note Buss Family, ride the horse of the Black Mamba as long as you can and find a way to keep Mr. Howard, because Mark Cuban has put your team on notice.

 

LeRoy McConnell III of A Fan’s Point of View, for War Room Sports

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Young and Restless: The Dwight Howard Saga

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

by Brandon McConnell

 

 

 

 

 

Does this story sound familiar?  Dwight Howard is in his last year of his contract and has the option to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers or test the free agent market in the summer.  If this seems like deja vu, it’s probably because he was in the same situation with the Orlando Magic last year at this time when he made the bonehead decision of the year by opting back into his contract with Orlando, and postponing his chance to hit the free agent market last summer.

This year the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves trying to keep Dwight.  The Lakers have had one of their worst seasons in franchise history.  It has been a combination of bad coaching and a lack of effort contributing to the team’s lack of success.   Dwight Howard doesn’t seem to be able to mesh with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in this Mike D’Antoni offense.

Mitch Kupchak, GM for the Lakers, has a dilemma on his hands.  Wait for the end of the year and hope Dwight Howard signs a max deal allowing you to have a young player to build your franchise around after Kobe Bryant leaves, or trade him to guarantee that you do not lose him for nothing.

Dwight Howard (l.) & Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak (r.)

 

It is time for Mitch Kupchak to play a little game called chicken.  We learned this as a little kid, when two objects come together on a head on collision and one object moves at the last minute.  Well, Mitch Kupchak needs to enter the Laker locker room and tell Mr. Howard that I have a max deal in my hand that guarantees that you get paid about 30 million more than you can receive from any other team and you either need to sign it, or you will be tipping the jump ball in another city tomorrow.  If he decides not to sign it, in the words of Nino Brown, “You cancel him, and buy another one”.  It is not like the Lakers are winning with him now.

As GM of the Lakers, I’m calling New Jersey, Houston, or even Miami.  Yeah, I said Miami.  Dwight Howard for Chris Bosh would make both teams better.  Dwight would give Miami the inside defensive presence they need, and Bosh would compliment Gasol a lot better than Dwight since they can both play inside and outside the paint.  As the Laker GM, you have to get something.  I don’t care if you trade him to Houston for Omar Asik, some young players, and a bag of Tropical Skittles, at least you are not left looking like a man after a wet dream with nothing to show for it but sticky memories.

 

So Dwight, the decision is yours, make a whole lot of money with a franchise that you know will always be dedicated to winning or go back to the days of Orlando where you are the man, but can’t get anyone to come play with you.

 

Brandon McConnell of Respect Da Game, for War Room Sports

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Is Mark Cuban Really A MFFL?

Friday, January 25th, 2013

by LeRoy McConnell III

 

 

 

 

 

For those who don’t know what “MFFL” means: Mavs Fan For Life.  It was Mark Cuban’s, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, way of saying jump on board and I will take you to the promised land.  Well, I did.  In fact he made me a big believer, as soon as he took over a dismal team that was far from relevancy back in 2000.  He orchestrated a squad, led by future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki to two NBA Finals, winning one of them back in 2011.  2011 seems like a distant memory now, especially when Mark Cuban did the inevitable.
He dismantled an NBA championship team.  Not since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teams in the late ’90s have we seen a such thing.  Instead of challenging for a repeat, he decides to render the services of Tyson Chandler useless.  Chandler, who played one season with the Mavs, is the best center in Dallas Mavericks history.  Cuban had an opportunity to use the amnesty clause on Brendan Haywood in order to keep Chandler, instead he elected to watch Tyson leave for free agency without compensation.  Funny thing about it, he held onto Haywood the year after the championship, only to use the amnesty clause on him during this past offseason.  Other intriguing pieces to the championship were Caron Butler (who was injured but still valuable), J.J. Berea (who was the smallest Maverick but added valuable points off the bench), Deshawn Stevenson (who provided toughness and gritty defense), and Jason Terry (who was the heart and soul, a true Maverick, who walked and talked an NBA championship for the Dallas Mavericks).

Amnesty Clause: The NBA’s next collective bargaining agreement may include some form of “amnesty clause,” allowing teams to eliminate bad player contracts under certain conditions.

Is the sky falling?  MFFL, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?”  Has Cuban lost his mind?  YES!  Okay, deep breath taken.  What are you going to do MARK CUBAN?
Mark Cuban has been preaching that the most important thing today is financial flexibility; his plan was to be a central figure in the 2012 trade market.  Since he has owned the team, he has never had flexibility to land free agents because money is always tied up.  The team is getting old and it’s the first time the Mavericks can possibly add a superstar to play alongside Dirk.  “Okay, you have my attention”, intrigued Mavs fan.  On paper, it sounds like a slam dunk.  Grabbing Deron Williams who is from the Dallas area and  somehow luring Dwight Howard.  Now I understand why we would get rid of Tyson, to get Dwight, makes sense to me.  Jason Kidd already said he would sign back because of his relationship with Deron Williams.  The 2012 free agency period was to be an upbeat time for #MAVSNATION, as we were to start the season better than ever.  Only one thing; Cuban didn’t land that big fish, didn’t close the deal on a superstar free agent.

Excuse me, doesn’t Mark Cuban star on the ABC hit show, Shark Tank?  On his show he is an investor looking to capitalize on small business owners’ inventions.  He is pretty savvy and the show demonstrates why he is a shrewd business man.  Is Shark Tank  the reason why Mark Cuban couldn’t land a top free agent this summer?  Marcel Mutoni from Slamonline wrote an article about the top free agent Deron Williams being pursued by the Dallas Mavericks this offseason.

According to Deron Williams, one of the biggest reasons he’s not a Dallas Maverick today, is that Mark Cuban didn’t show up for a meeting.
Cuban was busy taping his TV show “Shark Tank” in California, and sent Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle and GM Donnie Nelson to meet with the free agent superstar point guard.
This did not sit well with D-Will, who felt that his questions about the direction Dallas was taking were left largely unanswered.

Deron Williams fell through and stayed with the Brooklyn Nets.  The Orlando Magic gave Dwight Howard up for a cup of coffee to the LA Lakers.  The Mavericks couldn’t even keep old man Kidd, who bolted to the Knicks to play with former teammate Tyson Chandler.  Flexibility; now that’s funny.  The Dallas Mavericks have all this flexibility in the world and can’t sign a single superstar to play with Dirk.  The only option for the 2012-13 season was to sign journeymen (Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, O.J Mayo, Dahntay Jones, and Darren Collison) to one year contracts.  As a MFFL, I am so ecstatic!  Watching a team with a record of 18-24 each night.  This is what the MFFL had envisioned for our big free agent season.  Just two years removed since the Dallas Mavericks’ fans witnessed their first NBA championship and now their beloved team can’t even compete for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.  So Mr. Cuban, why are you being so brass, and telling the basketball world you are ready to deal for players now?  According to Brad Townsend, a reporter for the Dallasnews.com, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban declared that there was a 100-percent chance that the Mavericks will try to make a trade before the Feb. 21 trade deadline.  Monday, Cuban practically stated his intentions in a Jimmy Johnson-esque three-inch headline, saying,

“We’re letting everybody know the Bank of Cuban’s open.  And if it’s the right deal, we don’t mind taking back money.  But we’re not going to do a trade just to do a trade.  It’s got to be worthwhile.”

Only one problem Mark Cuban… no one wants to come to Dallas.

 

LeRoy McConnell III of “A Fan’s Point of View”, for War Room Sports

 

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