Bobby Mickey

Flashpoint: Game 3 of ’91 NBA Finals

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This game would prove to be the backbreaker of the series. The Lakers would not be able to recover from this loss. Los Angeles actually had the game somewhat in hand, then Michael Jordan and company made all the plays they needed down the stretch and Los Angeles just needed one more rebound, one more basket, one less foul, and one less turnover. Any of these things could’ve resulted in a Lakers win in regulation rather than an overtime loss. Here are the game notes:

Q1

  • The Forum is lit! Dimly lit….
  • 11:45 Jordan hits the first jumper he attempts
  • Vlade gets 2 early buckets
  • Worthy really is an underrated passer
  • John Paxson jumper been falling all series long
  • Worthy layup on Pippen; then a jumper over Pippen
  • Great ball movement for the Bulls. They reversed the ball across the court to the weak side post for a Pippen layup. No dribbles. Very impressive. Great passing team. Something not talked about enough when they discuss this first iteration of the championship Bulls.

End of Quarter 1

Q2

  • Horace Grant had some post moves. Didn’t really get to show them in the triangle, also had a nice baby jumper.
  • Divac with a beautifully ugly turnaround jumper from 12 ft. People sleep on Vlade still, he was a hooper. 
  • Michael forces a backcourt violation on VLade who can;t advance the ball in 8 seconds. No help with everyone up court.
  • Wild seeing the Lakers being so slow. Riley had them fast breaking at every chance.
  • Levingston Cartwright, Paxson chipping in all series (and after game 1 Horace Grant)
  • Levingston 2 blocks, 4 points. Wichita State in the house!
  • James WOrthy is underrated. He is  aplayer you have to see play to appreciate because stats don’t tell the whole story of what he did. Solid all around game, wasn’t just a scorer. 
  • The forum is buzzing! It dimly lit but it does feel electric. Staples never captured that magic of the old forum, but the same could be said for places like old Boston Garden and old Chicago Stadium, and of course, the Oracle. 
  • Divac picks up a 3rd pivotal foul with 18 seconds left in the half going for a steal. I get the feeling this will somehow contribute to the final score.

End of Quarter 2

Q3

  • Vlade got some damn good foot work. He looks like he should be clumsy, but then he pulls off some crazy up and under or baby jumper in the paint. I keep waiting for him to commit a traveling violation but somehow he manages to keep his pivot foot.
  • I would love for someone to do an oral history on UNC pickup games. That is a story that deserves telling. 
  • Magic with the trademark behind the back post pass into Vlade Divac. Yup! This is who I first patterned my game after. Unfortunately, my handle was too busted to pull off even the semi-flashy stuff…. But this behind the back wrap around…..[epiphany! Magic birthed the Fab Five. Now I see where Jalen and C Webb’s flash came from. Magic being a Michigan guy, it makes sense that they idolized him. WOW]
  • The spacing and cutting from both teams at times is just a clinic in beautiful basketball. Divac passes to a cutting Worthy, who drives to the cup and drops a wraparound pass to Sam Perkins for a dunk. MPPPPPPPPHHHHH! Good Ass Game!
  • Sam Perkins, Vlade Divac, and James Worthy were some really good passing bigs. Seeing a lot of touch passes (especially on the interior) from the Lakers bigs. Worthy had a great touch pass earlier in the 2nd quarter that was a thing of beauty. For all the praise Worthy got for his athleticism, I don’t think Worthy gets near enough credit for being an IQ Player (which you had to be to play for Dean Smith).
  • Vlade hits a crazy turnaround jumper at the tail end of the shot clock. I didn’t realize a jump shot was in Vlade’s repetoire for some reason. But now that I think about it, he was hitting the jumpers out the high post in Sacramento (can’t wait to rewatch those games). Vlade really was a great player. Found space  to catch and finish along with being a great passer. Vlade ends up having 12 points in the quarter alone.
  • Stacy King comes into the game as a #6 overall pick. He was a star with Mookie Blaylock on that Billy Tubbs Final Four team
  • Uh Oh. Vlade to bench with four fouls. The Lakers currently have a 12 pt. lead. I should’ve time stamped this moment. Have a feeling this will be the turning point of the game (and the series).
  • MJ really struggling in the 3rd quarter and the Lakers still can’t really separate.
  • AC Green was really limited offensively at this point in his career. You can see why they eventually let him leave to Phoenix. 
  • Lakers end the quarter only up by 6. Not a good sign for Lakers Nation, but Mike had yet to cement that fear into the rest of the league. He had his share of doubters (and haters––myself included) until after that 93 title, when he proved he was the BIG Dawg of the league. End of Quarter 3
  • 4th QTR Jordan with a push off on Perkins. Basket don’t count. Almost certain that bucket counts in a pickup game. I can see Jordan calling foul. I’m about 90 % sure very few calls went against Jordan in pickup game
  • Perkins with a baby hook at the rim.
  • Jordan almost always makes the right play. Its amazing to watch him makes decisions so quickly and efficiently.
  • Craig Hodges with a jumper. Cartwright with a basketball move and then a jumper. Bulls are cooking at this point. 
  • Levingston with another block. This one on Perkins,. Jordan takes it down and then throws a beautiful look away pass for a bucket.
  • 20-7 run by Chicago ignited by Vlade going to the bench with his 4th foul. 
  • Levingston makes winning plays and does cool little dances in the introduction line. As Bill Simmons would say, “A real glue guy. He was the Deandre Jordan of the 90’s. Speaking of the 90’s.. Beverly Hills 902010!” Levingston scores, and then gets the rebound on the following defensive possession. 
  • Divac picks up his 5th foul with 6:54 left in the 4rd quarter. Two of them were ticky tack fouls, but they were also silly. Lakers depth is very suspect up front, and Vlade should understand how valuable he is to the lineup. There is a difference between aggression and recklessness, and though Vlade would be a smarter defender as he matured in the NBA, it always seemed like struggled with fouls (or maybe that was just when he was guarding Shaq) We’ll have to revisit this when we rewatch the Kings-Lakers 2002 series.
  • Jordan’s jumper is just beautiful
  • Magic goes to the post and immediately goes to work. He loved to pass out of that elbow area with his back to the basket as opposed to the top of the key facing up. He went on a break and went baseline, then hit a spin move on Michael  and tried to dunk on Bill Cartwright who blocked it….. Foul! 2 free throws for Magic.
  • Levingston with a strong put back dunk. (Speaking of Wichita, there’s Don Johnson on the sidelines. Didn’t even know Miami Vice was still on television in 1991. Looks like he went to the game straight from the set because he didn’t have time to go home and change.
  • Magic back into the post, drove back to the middle as if to hook shot, but passes to Worthy for a jumper. Somehow Worthy is better than I remember. And even then I knew he was great. 
  • Lexington out with 2:54 left in the game. MJ gets his first 2nd half breather. Its 88-85 Bulls.
  • Divac with a spin left to the basket and finishes with his right hand. 88-87 This a Good Ass game!
  • Horace Grant with a tip for 18 pts. 
  • 2 long rebounds in a row that fall to Chicago. Jordan makes the Lakers pay by tipping in a missed layup. 40 to 24 rebounds for the Bulls.
  • Perkins with a great move to the cup. 49 seconds left. Bulls up by 1. This was the last year Perkins would be a star player. From 93 to his final year in 2001, Perkins would be a high level role player on the Sonics and the Pacers. (3 Finals with 3 different teams) .
  • 10 years away from the Jackson and Dunleavy rematch in the 99 WCF where Phil is by then coaching the Lakers and they come back to beat Dunleavy’s Blazers (eventually we will revisit this game).
  • Vlade with the And1! With 10 seconds left.  Scottie fouls out with 19 and 14 on his line. Levingston enters the game again.
  • Vlade has 24 and 6 on 11 for 15 shooting. Imagine had he not had to sit because of fouls. Vlade hits the free throw to make it a 2 point game.
  • TV Timeout. Can’t Touch This is playing on the house speakers. I would love to know what was the last NBA arena to finally get with the times and stop playing that song, and most importantly, when. Instead of going to commercial, Mike Fratello and Ahmad Rashad tells us what plays we might see the teams run. 
  • Jordan only has 21 points at this point. Ties it with a deep jumper. He beats Byron Scott to a spot on the floor, and releases it from the elbow of the floor over an outstretched Vlade Divac. Scott gave him too much room, but history has shown if you play Mike too close, he drives right by you. 92-92.
  • Delay of Game. Lakers run their action and with no timeouts, the Bulls know what they are running. The Lakers inbound the ball and Jordan who was guarding the inbounder, runs over to poke the ball from a driving Vlade Divac. He leaves Johnson on the sideline and is able to make the play from the midcourt out of bounds. The Black Cat strikes again! They are going to overtime. End of 4th QTR

OT

  • Elden Campbell enters the game for the jump ball. Seeing his face again reminds me of last summer when I saw him at the hot dog stand at the Denver airport. I wasn’t entirely sure if was him or Reggie McFadden so I just kept it moving. But it was definitely Campbell. McFadden ain’t 7 ft tall. It was just such an odd sight for whatever reason, seeing Elden Campbell eating a Rinky Dinky dog at the Denver Airport on my way back from Chapel Hill.
  • Jordan with a beautiful reverse layup for a 94-92 lead.
  • Another reverse layup by Jordan up and underneath the basket. Now he is just imposing his will on the game.
  • In 50 minutes of play, we have Mike with a 27,7, and 9 box score. Magic with a 22,6, and 10. Play has been clunky at junctures throughout the game, but the role players on Chicago are really stepping up. Magic getting help from the other star support, but the Lakers bench has not been productive, and Byron Scott is barely registering that he is playing. 
  • Jordan with a pretty assist to Horace Grant for another bucket.
  • Not a good possession for L.A. Vlade also fouls out fighting for a rebound. 102-96 Bulls
  • 53 seconds left and it feels like its pretty much over. Lakers out of offensive options. Magic airballs a 3 pointer after no one is open to pass to. 
  • Horace Grant hits a long jumper to ice the game. He’s hype, but you can tell he’s trying to stay composed.
  • Huge L for the Lakers. It isn’t the final nail in the coffin, but this is the closest they will get to beating the Bulls again. They competed, but ultimately didn’t have enough answers for the Bulls role players. Outside of Magic, Perkins, Worthy and Divac, they got no production. They were outmatched from positions 4-9. Bulls are proven to be younger, better, and hungrier. 

Game 5 Next! I’m sure there is nothing better than going into L.A. and celebrating a championship. That had to be a crazy night! Next post I will try to actually use time stamps.

BM

 Bob E. Freeman is a part time teacher, part time writer, and full time basketball junky. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, you can find him banging his head on the keyboard, and trying to finish his backlog of writing projects. For booking inquiries or content proposals, send contact info to bobbymickey@gmail.com

Carolina wins it all if……..

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The wait is over for Carolina fans. After coming up “one rebound away” from a national title, Tar Heels fans are hoping this year’s team will follow in the footsteps of the 1982 and 2017 championship squads, who returned to the national title game and won, after losing the previous year.

Carolina is bringing back 4 of their 5 starters from last season, as well as 2 key reserve players. According to NCAA Reference, 82.7 % of the minutes played, and 79.4% of their scoring returns from last year’s roster. All that being said, this is a totally different team without star forward Brady Manek. Northwestern transfer Pete Nance (yes from the Nance family) replaces Manek at the power forward spot, and much like a Jazz group replacing their bassist, the song may be the same, but the essence has certainly changed.

Nance’s game is quite different from the catch and shoot style of Manek’s stretch game. Pete can put it on the floor and has more of a face up game. It will be tough to replace Manek’s production. Not only was he a deadly outside shooter, but he was excellent playing off the ball, making good cuts to the basket at precisely the right time–in addition to having superb court vision as a high level passer. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that with Nance, the Carolina front line will be rock solid on defense with 6’11 Nance (a big who can guard on the interior and perimeter), 7 footer, and POY front runner Armando Bacot, and 6’8 small forward, Leaky Black (one of the best one on one defenders in the country). With a stout front line and probably the best backcourt in the nation, it is no surprise that UNC was ranked #1 in the pre-season polls. But there are many factors to all championship runs, and the most talented team does not always win the NCAA tournament–in fact, they usually don’t. A few things need to go right for Tar Heel nation to hang another banner up at the Dean Dome. Here’s what needs to happen for Carolina to be the last team standing:

Bench Production

The Tar Heels need a lot of luck. Many a championship has been derailed by a bad bounce, a tweaked ankle, broken bones, or ruptured ligaments. The Tar Heels will need to be both good and lucky for the team to hoist one up after a victory on the first weekend of April. There is no need for an Iron 5 to carry the load, as the Tar Heels are wildly talented across the board, but most of their talent on the bench is unproven. Small forward, Puff Johnson played well in the tournament, but has endured a great deal of injuries throughout his college career. He is already dealing with knee soreness that has kept him from playing the first two games of the season. Next off the bench out of Kinston, NC, is Dontrez Styles (if the city sounds familiar, its the hometown of both Brandon Ingraham and Jerry Stackhouse).

Dontrez was the only other bench player getting light to mid-heavy minutes in last year’s tournament run. So far, forward Tyler Nickel, a freshman, freshman guard, Seth Trimble, and Sophomore guard Demarco Dunn make up the remaining players to get minutes this season. The bench won’t have to put in too much work, but they will have to make an impact when they do play in order for Carolina to maximize its talent. Besides, Bacot, I think an injury to Pete Nance would be the only injury they could not absorb for a long (or key) period of time because not only will they be short a big man, but no backup will be available to spot Bacot.

The depleted Tar Heels just may have snuck by the Kansas Jayhawks (clearly the better and deeper team. Kansas needed to play poorly and Tar Heels needed to play near perfectly for the game to even be close) had Bacot not suffered the twisted ankle against Duke in the semi-finals. All the other positions have bodies that coach Hubert Davis can throw out for an extended period of time (which would only benefit these young cats as the season’s stakes get higher). Their front line on paper is stout, but no one is mistaking this for Dean Smith’s 93 championship team, with 7 footers just hanging out on the end of the bench, waiting to spell Eric Montross.

Who will get Brady Manek’s points?

Having a deadly shooter like Brady Manek really opens up the floor for easy baskets, both outside and in the paint. Manek barely got more than a dozen touches, but if you blinked you would miss a barrage of points in a matter of minutes. Having a catch and shoot big man to throw at defenders really opens up the floor, and allows the guards to handle the ball knowing there is a scorer who doesn’t need the ball in his hands all the time. I think this will be the biggest adjustment stylistically. From what I’ve seen so far in pre-season and the first 2 games, there is a lot of dribbling going on (they only had 4 assists as a team in the first game against UNC Wilmington). It would be nice to see some action from the big men out of the high low sets or just some straight up entry passes down on the block to Armando.

I believe Leaky Black is going to step up his offensive production. He seems more confident in his shot, and if he can be a reliable 3 and D wing, this will allow Nance to just get in where he fits in. Of course, Love and Davis, can get 30 on any given night. I think we will see a different hero depending on the opposing coaches’ “pick your poison” strategy. Carolina has 3 different starters who can take over offensively, and a monster on the glass in Armando Bacot. It will be interesting to see what actually works in real time against the Tar Heels.

Play Hard. Play Smart. Play Together

Everyone must improve upon last season.- Armando Bacot needs an effective jumper to open up the floor. Caleb Love needs to learn to value possessions and pick his spots of when to take over. Leaky Black will be needed for his defense and as a perimeter threat for this offense to run at its finest. Pete Nance has to find his niche within the offense and be a constant contributor on defense and on the boards. All the bench players have to maximize their time on the floor, and find ways to contribute in any way they can. Even the training staff and game managers need to be on point.

Lastly, Coach Davis needs to really find out who can he count on when its time for a role player to make a play (or just hold a lead). There are no guarantees in a basketball season, but I like the Tar Heels’ championship chances a lot more if the team is fresh going into late March. Its really important that everyone contributes and that Coach Davis can keep the starters’ minutes down to healthy number. No more Iron 5. The key to a lengthy post season run will be balance.

Dean Smith used to say that there are 3 seasons in college ball: the ACC regular season, the ACC tournament, and the NCAA tournament. For a lot of people (UNC players are already on record saying its championship or bust), there will be great deal of disappointment if North Carolina isn’t the last team standing. However, when you consider the breaks that Carolina caught on their way to the Final Four, you realize just how hard it is to win six games in a row against the best teams in the country.

Last March, UNC played three #1 seed teams, and a # 2 seed on their way to the title game. They caught the number 1 seeded Baylor Bears on an off afternoon and won a game they had no business winning. After that, they were playing with house money. The UCLA game (# 2 seed) could’ve easily gone either way, but Caleb Love got hot in the second half.

Carolina caught a tiny break when Purdue (who would’ve been a nightmare matchup for UNC with their frontcourt depth), got caught slipping against St. Peters. The Duke game was a classic, but could’ve easily gone the other way on a different night. And despite the close score, I feel the Kansas game was the perfect storm, Bill Self’s squad would’ve won easily in a best of seven series, but happened to play one of their worst halves of the season, and Carolina played a near flawless one.

But this goes to show just how fickle the hoop gods are. Tar Heels are a 1000-to-1 odds on to win this year, but if you’re not a betting person, and just a Carolina fan, my advice is just enjoy the ride, no matter how it ends. Last year’s run was my favorite tournament run since the Roy Williams’ 2003 Kansas undermanned team made it to the title game. And though neither team won its the final game, it was easy to appreciate just how hard both teams fought and clawed their way to the final stage on Monday night, with an entertaining and fun cast of characters on the court.

Every year the underdogs are celebrated, as they should be, but there is something to be said about a good team, overachieving to the point where they look like a great team. In the tournament, as well as in life, sometimes you come up short. It doesn’t mean you didn’t have a special season. I just hope the Carolina players and fans enjoy each step of the journey, no matter where it takes them.

Good Ass Games of the Week

Tuesday: : Duke vs Kansas

Neutral court. Nap town. Blue Bloods. Top ten. Nuff said. This game has a little bit of star power too. Its like a McDonald’s All American game.

Wednesday: Gonzaga vs Texas

Zags’ Drew Timme better not stray too far from Moody Arena if he knows what’s good for his mustache. Those Eastside hipsters’ facial hair will put his to shame. Timme will be digging for his clippers before the plane ride home. I hope the atmosphere in the new arena is electric, but you never know with Longhorns fans. As a rule of thumb, they tend to be more about pigskin than peach baskets, but they have been known to come through when a top 5 team rolls into town. Plus, the Longhorns are ranked very high at the beginning of the season. Might be worth checking out. Besides, its not like there is anything else to do on a Wednesday night. Enjoy the games this week.

Bob E. Freeman

  Bob E. Freeman is a part time teacher, part time writer, and full time basketball junky. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, you can find him banging his head on the keyboard, and trying to finish his backlog of writing projects. For booking inquiries or content proposals, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

Tao Of The Passing Big Man

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What I found most compelling about 80’s Celtics vs Lakers were the incredible passes on both ends of the court by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. I became more enamored with making flashy passes than I was with scoring the basketball (or just as much). I find more joy in setting someone up for a bucket than to get one on my own. It wasn’t until I started playing religiously that I realized how much players enjoyed playing with teammates who liked to share the ball. I could always find someone to pick me up for a run because they knew I’d give up the ball and didn’t care if I scored a single point. The following is a list of all my favorite passing big men to play the game, past and present. We’ll start out with the honorable mention and move on to my favorites.

HONORABLE MENTION

Brad Miller and Vlade Divac both benefitted from Rick Adelman’s offensive system in Sacramento. Vlade with his excellent post passing and Brad Miller 6’10 made him great passer out of the high post.

Julian Wright was one of the best passing big man I’ve ever seen in the college game. He could make the dazzling play, but turn around a make a simple play into a turnover. His highlights include Kansas-Florida in 2006 and any game where he faced Texas. It was a shame he couldn’t last in the NBA, because he was an entertaining player–incredible dunker and athletic, his passes had heat on them.

These two Knicks legends, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason, were so known for their bruising defense that most fans overlooked that they were incredibly deft passers in a system that was not very sophisticated.

Arvydas Sabonis‘ NBA numbers don’t reflect how great of a passer he was. He came to the league late into his career and played before the age of social media and the explosion of the internet. You had to be there. Seeing him play changed how I imagined the game could be played. He had incredible touch on his entry passes and his large hands hid the ball as he whipped passes into the interior or behind his head.

Favorites

Chris Webber (C-Webb) 4.2 Assists Career avg. Career high 5.5 Assists (2004-2005)

Known more for his high flying dunks and scintillating post play, C-Webb’s passed with the flair of a flashy point guard; dishing out assists with pizazz. His great big paws made it easy for Webber to perform wizardry with the ball. Webber threw countless beautiful behind the back, no look passes. He was equally as great at finding the open man from along the perimeter, as he was passing from the high post and in the post. His best assist numbers came during his years as a Sacramento King, playing in Rick Adelman’s motion offense. Running the high-low with Vlade Divac, and a dearth of perimeter shooters on the floor at all times, the early 2000’s Kings were often considered the height of beautiful and fun basketball.

Bill Walton (Big Red) 3.4 assists Career avg. Career high 5.0 (1977-1978)

Many think Walton is one of the best passing big men of all time. Highlights of his peak years are grainy, but he had some gorgeous passes from the high post and perfected the touch pass as a way of catching defenders off guard.

Tim Duncan

(Big Fundamental, Timmy Time Machine, Old Man Riverwalk) Career avg. 3.0 assists Career high 3.9 (2002-2003)

There is a reason why Tim Duncan was called the Big Fundamental. There was not one aspect of the game that he did not excel at. His outlet passes were a thing of beauty–they always were the perfect spin or speed for the occasion. Blessed with superb court vision, Duncan threw passes to where a player was going to be–like a quarterback leading a wide receiver. In his early years, he perfected passing out of the high post to other big men including Hall of Famer David Robinson. Near the end of his career, he was throwing alley oops to future Clipper great Kawhi Leonard. There are even clips of Duncan running the fast break and embarrassing young players who doubted his handles (shout out to a young Lebron James).

Larry Bird (Larry Legend, Hick from French Lick) 6.3 career assists, Career high 7.6 (1986-1987)

Watching Larry Bird is where I learned to perfect the no look, over the head, post pass. Bird was also a master of the touch pass off a rebound carom. Larry’s game was pure spectacle and his passes were highlight worthy. You could get lost watching old footage just by typing the words, Larry Bird, passing clinic.

Joakim Noah (Jo) 2.8 assists Career avg. 5.4 career high (2013-2014)

It is hard to believe Noah played 13 seasons in the league. It felt like his career reached a grinding halt after playing for known hard ass Tom Thibodeau. At his zenith, he was the best passing big man in the league– in addition to being a defensive player of the year candidate, year in and out. In 2013 -2014 when he averaged his most assists for a season, it seemed like he was on Sportscenter every other night with a highlight worthy pass.

Nikola Jokic (the Joker) 6.0 Career assists, 8.3 Career high (2020-2021)

Two words: Basketball savant. Plays with the pizazz of a mixtape player on the playground. Not only can make a pass from anywhere on the court, but also great handles for any player–especially a big man. He reminds me of Arvydas Sabonis, but with handles. His doughy frames only adds to his likeability, as he reminds me of a guy you happen to pick up during a run and you realize he’s the most fun player you’ve ever played with; pointing to each other after every assist while you win game after game, after game.

Boris Diaw (French Magician, Bobo, The Big Croissant) 3.5 career assists, 6.2 career high (2005-2006)

Boris’ big frame, incredibly high basketball I.Q. and great court vision made him an excellent player. Diaw was one of the best skilled big men of his era and one of the best French players of all time. Playing at the 3 and the 4, Diaw had decent handles and made excellent entry passes. He could pass from the perimeter, the high post and the interior. His passing was the difference maker in the 2014 NBA Finals for the San Antonio Spurs providing another ball handler and shot creator that the opposing Miami Heat had to worry about. Legend has it that Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player growing up, and that Diaw’s mother taught Boris that being a good passer would entice older players to let him join their pickup games.

  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found social distancing. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

In Retrospect: Examining the 2003 NBA Draft First Round

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The following is a chapter from my upcoming book, Tao of the Passing Big Man, and other essays. Due out if and when we survive this global pandemic. 

The NBA draft is a fascinating social phenomenon. Front offices use it as an opportunity to pitch entice their team’s fan base to renew their season ticket packages (sometimes before the season is even over). Some fans use it as a beacon of hope for their favorite team and some players see the draft as a harbinger of what is to come for their own careers. 

A great draft can create a dynasty, a good one can extend it, and a bad draft can set a franchise back five to ten years. The line between bust and boom depends on two important factors: the health of a player and the health of a franchise. Would Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard be the same kinds of players had they landed in Brooklyn or Indiana? Would we think of Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant the same had their careers started in Portland?

Sometimes it really is just a matter of a player landing in the right situation. Successful organizations invest in their draft picks and put them in situations to succeed. Not all superstars come into the league ready made; some need to be developed and coached and polished into the diamonds they eventually become.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Veterans carry value within the locker room as well as on the court. As is in life, sometimes its all about meeting the right people to help steer you in the right direction. But NBA success isn’t guaranteed. For every Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Butler, there are tons of players who eat themselves out of the league, have substance abuse problems, and even cases of mental illness. The NBA draft is a crapshoot, and some organizations were good, some bad, and others were just plain (un) lucky.

In this chapter we examine a few select draft classes–ones which altered the league indefinitely–that were springboards to some franchises success and doomed others to being league doormats. These drafts were full of generational talent that changed the league for years to come. Some teams set themselves up to contend for the decade, while other teams set themselves up for failure. You can take a look and see from the drafts which teams trended where.

 

2003 First Round Picks

  1. Lebron James SF Cleveland
 16. Troy Bell PG Boston (traded to Memphis)
2. Darko Milicic C Detroit 17. Zarko Cabarkapa Phoenix
3. Carmelo Anthony SF Denver 18. David West PF New Orleans
4. Chris Bosh PF Toronto 19. Sasha Pavlovic F/G Utah
5. Dwyane Wade SG Miami 20. Dahntay Jones SG Boston (traded to Memphis)
6. Chris Kaman C Los Angeles Clipper 21. Boris Diaw PF Atlanta
7. Kirk Hinrich PG Chicago 22. Zora Planinic G/F New Jersey
8. T.J. Ford PG Milwaukee 23. Travis Outlaw SF Portland
9. Michael Sweeney PF New York 24. Brian Cook PF Los Angeles
10. Jarvis Hayes F/G Washington 25. Carlos Delfino SG Detroit
11. Mickael Pietrus G/F Golden State 26. Ndudi Ebi SF Minnesota
12. Nick Collison PF Seattle 27. Kendrick Perkins C Memphis (traded to Boston)
13. Marcus Banks PG Memphis 28. Leandro Barbosa SG San Antonio (traded to Phoenix)
14. Luke Ridnour PG Seattle 29. Josh Howard F Dallas
15. Reece Gaines F/G Orlando

 

All Stars

Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh , Chris Kaman, Dwayne Wade, David West, Josh Howard, Mo Williams, Kyle Korver

 

Notable Role Players

 

Kyle Korver, James Jones, Mo Williams, Matt Bonner, Keith Bogans, Zaza Pachulia, Mickael Pietrus, Willie Green, Steve Blake, Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, Josh Howard, Leandro Barbosa, Carlos Delfino, Brian Cook, Travis Outlaw, Boris Diaw, Dahntay Jones, Luke Ridnour, Marcus Banks, Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich, Jarvis Hayes, T.J. Ford, Chris Kaman, 

 

Bust (top 5 draft pick who never became an All Star)

 

Steal of the Draft: Lebron James. Again, it is difficult to call a number one pick a steal in any draft, but if you consider the effect this pick had on the city and the franchise (and consider the number of lottery picks that would not work out for Cleveland over the next decade and a half), then you understand why I chose Lebron for steal of the draft. Lebron brought Cleveland its first championship in half a century and made the Cavaliers (and the city of Cleveland) relevant in the sports world. James will get a statue out in front of Cleveland’s basketball arena and will go down as one of the top 10 players to ever lace them up. 

 

Notable Undrafted

 

Marquis Daniels, Josh Powell, Matt Carroll, Jose Calderon

 

NBA Champions

 

Carlos Delfino (2004), Chris Bosh ( 2012,2013), Lebron James (2012,2013,2016), James Jones (2012,2013,2016), Dwayne Wade (2006,2012, 2013), Dahntay Jones (2016), Kendrick Perkins (2008), Darko Milicic (2004), Luke Walton (2009,2010), Leandro Barbosa (2015), Boris Diaw (2014), Matt Bonner(2007,2014), Mo “Man, I thought we was Thundercats” Williams (2016), David West (2017,2018) Zaza Pachulia (2017,2018)

 

Draft Notes

  • Darko Milicic the accidental muse, birthed a movement of basketball writers to name a writing collective after him. Had Detroit any player in the top ten, I think they would have won more titles during their reign as the top dogs in the Eastern Conference. I’m not entirely convinced the Pistons would’ve traded for Rasheed Wallace in 2004 had they drafted CarmeloAnthony (or that Melo and Larry Brown would’ve been able to co-exist). But I do think Chris Bosh (or even Chris Kaman) surely would’ve bolstered their already stout front line ( I don’t think Dwayne Wade would’ve flourished in such a crowded backcourt with Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton at the helm. I’m sure Wade himself has no bones to pick about getting drafted by Miami instead of Detroit.)
  • Lebron James and Kyle Korver are the last remaining players from this draft to be on an NBA active roster.
  • The Phoenix Suns would come up short again and again in the Western Conference during the “:07 Seconds or Less” era. If you notice their pick at #17, they went with Zarko Cabarkapa. It is hard not to wonder how players like Josh Howard (the last pick of the round) or David West (who went next at the 18th pick) would’ve fit in on those early small-ball Suns teams, and wonder if that would’ve been enough to get them over the hump against the Lakers, Spurs, or Mavericks (who actually drafted Josh Howard). Of course, chances are that Robert Sarver would’ve traded them for peanuts, once their rookie contracts ended; or just let them walk for nothing. 
  • At one point, #8 draft pick T.J. Ford was known as the fastest player in the league. An absolute joy to watch at the University of Texas (see College Basketball chapter), Ford’s career was short by a degenerative spinal injury that was aggravated for good by a dirty pick by the Nets Kenyon Martin. Ford had actually declared early for the 2003 draft after a decorated sophomore season where he led to Texas Longhorns to their second Final Four in school history. After the season was over, Ford bruised his spine in a pickup game on campus and it was adios to Austin and hola to the NBA. While we’re talking about it (and as much as it hurts to say this), the Bulls took the wrong point guard in Kirk Hinrich, but I understand why they made that pick (Hinrich was a midwestern white guy who could hoop, and there is a large University of Kansas alumni contingent in Chicago.) In hindsight, I think that was a pick made more for getting butts in the seats than winning games–not that it would’ve made a huge difference; there were a lot of teams better than the Bulls in that decade (and the decade after that). Who knows? Perhaps having a true point guard in T.J. Ford (always felt like Hinrich should’ve been playing at the 2 instead of  the Bulls forcing him play point after Jay Williams near fatal motorcycle crash) would’ve been worth 10 wins and instead of finishing eighth in their division, they finish sixth.

 

And the Winner of the 2003 draft is: The Miami Heat.

In 2011,  the Heat signed free agents, Lebron James and Chris Bosh to play alongisde Dwayne Wade in their primes. This was effectively having the #1, 3, and 5 draft picks from that draft. They went on to win–not one, but–two NBA titles in a run of four straight NBA Finals.

BM

 

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

 

Season Preview 2018-2019 A-Z

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This is officially the final season preview in the final season of This A Good Ass Game. Our philosophy at Full Sass of course, if its to be done at any sass level, then it must be done to its fullest, and unfortunately I don’t have the time (or the manpower) to keep this site going. I did however, find it crucial to give it one last go just for old time’s sake. So for the final time, I bring you this season’s most compelling NBA story lines, A-Z for the 2018-2019 season–the abbreviated version.

Are the Golden State Warriors going join the short list of dynasty and get that 3-peat?Whether or not they hoist that trophy up again depends on their role players and how healthy they are heading into the playoffs.

Boston’s Depth. They go ten deep this year. Eastern Conference is theirs for the taking. I’d be shocked if they didn’t make the NBA Finals.

Competitive Balance or nah? Lebron and Kawhi moving eastward opens up a vacuum in the Eastern Conference. Who wants it?

Denver finally will get into the playoffs. But everyone will be too stoned to care.

End of an Era. Only two active players left who were drafted in the 90’s. Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter.

Folks were sleeping on the Spurs, and maybe they were right to be. Who knew their backcourt would get ravaged with injuries before the season even began?

Grizzlies got their fangs back? On paper they got some good players, but what happens if Mike Conley and Marc Gasol get hurt again? And they are still paying Chandler Parsons just to practice.

Houston regresses, but only slightly (of course this changes if they somehow trade for Jimmy Butler). They got slower, and older,but at least they got rid of Ryan Anderson’s contract.

Indiana won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. 

Jamal Crawford getting signed this season? Philly? Golden State? Indiana?Portland?Houston? Anyone?

Kawhi’s new home or just a jump off?

Lebron’s new locker room. Lavar Ball, Javale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stephenson all in the same locker room? I’m all in on this.

Mavericks finally entertaining again (and I’m not talking about the off the court lawsuits). Luka Donkic might be this generation’s Andre Miller (and believe me that is not meant as a diss).

New Orleans is about to feel the heat. Anthony Davis signing with Klutch sports? He is good ass gone.

Opportunity knocks for Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee. Bucks made a great pick with Mike B. for their head coach. And yes I still think Jason Kidd can still be a good head coach somewhere.

Playing time for Nerlens Noel. I hope he can parlay this into a big contract. Don’t mess this up Nerlens.

Quiet Loans Arena…………..crickets…crickets………Kevin Love is about to experience some Deja Vu as his career is going to bookend with a bunch of L’s and empty stats.

Rookie of the Year goes to……… of Deandre Ayton, Luka Donkey-Kong, Marvin Bagley, and Jaren Jackson, Jackson is the only one with a legit shot to see playing time in April. My dark horse money is on the son of a former Spur.

Sixers will disappoint this season. Their bench is thin and are you really sure that Fultz, Simmons, or Embiid can stay healthy the entire year all at the same time? Yea me neither.

Thibs’ is f*$kin’ up! NBA front offices, do yourselves a favor: No more dual roles for head coaches. It just doesn’t work.

Utah is worth hating on again. Greyson Allen and Quin Snyder are both Dukies. Rudy Gobert is French, and Joe Ingles looks like some average schlub at the 24 hour fitness court. I do mess with Donovan “Spidey” Mitchell though. That dude goes hard.

Vince Carter can still contribute to a playoff contender. Philly, or Miami should trade for him if they can swing it.

Will this finally be the year the Trailblazers fans revolt?  Paul Allen died today so I don’t want to speak ill of the dead……..BUT Portland fans have been so happy just to have a team that they have no standards. As long as Blazers fans are simply  satisfied just o make the playoffs and get knocked out in the second round, then ownership will never have an incentive to field a championship roster.

X-ray results of my ankles. Am I ever going to be able to play full court basketball again? Tune in next week on the next episode of Kaiser’s Crusades.

Youthful Injection. Kevin Durant was in the 2007 draft and is considered a vet. Only four active players are left from the legendary draft of 2003. The NBA has gotten younger and there is a whole wave of young studs ready to fill that vacuum after this Warriors and Celtics championship wave is finished. [Eye’s Wide Open Emoji]

Zhaire Smith’s bad luck. I had high hopes for the swingman out of Texas Tech. I desperately wanted him to fall to the Spurs. Philadelphia drafted him, and he’s gotten all kinds of bad luck and freak injuries since. Poor guy. Get better soon Zhaire. Best of luck!

 

[Update 10/16/18] Pre-Season Predictions

 

Eastern Conference

1.Boston

2. Toronto

3. Indiana

4. Milwaukee

5. Philadelphia

6. Washington

7. Miami

8. New York

 

Western Conference

1. Houston

2.Golden State

3.Utah

4.Los Angeles

5.Portland

6.Memphis

7.Denver

8.San Antonio

 

MVP: Lebron James

Rookie Of The Year: Jaren Jackson

Sixth Man of the Year: Dirk Nowitzki

Most Improved Player: Markelle Fultz

Eastern Conference Finals: Indiana vs Boston

Western Conference Finals: Houston vs Golden State

NBA Finals: Golden State vs. Boston 

NBA Champs: Golden State (winners in seven)

 

Enjoy this season folks. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

BM

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

 

Final Thoughts, Finals Thoughts

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My final analysis on the NBA Finals as even Lebron James wasn’t enough to keep the Cavs from getting it busted wide open. For all the “Lebron has no help” apologists, keep in mind that LBJ handpicked every single free agent signing, every single head coach, and co-signed every single trade deal (except maybe Kyrie–who he may have alientated during this same period) since he has been in Cleveland. I have zero sympathy for that guy. Dan Gilbert is going to have to change the name of his building to Quiet Loans Arena, because Lebron is probably leaving. Now all the New Jack Cavaliers fans can quit pretending they like black people basketball, and go back to being racist against Native Americans. #fondle’emCleveland.

 

BM

 

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

 

Final Four

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Western Conference Finals: Warriors in six

Eastern Conference Finals: Boston in seven

 

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

Round 2 Thoughts

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Just a few thoughts on this week’s past games as the Final Four shapes up to what looks like some exciting basketball.

 

BM

 

 

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com

Second Round Clicks to Pick

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As of today, there are still four teams battling to advance to the second round of the eastern conference playoffs. Over in the west, I’ve got Golden State beating New Orleans in six games, and Houston beating Utah in seven games next round.

[Update]

Cavs in five over the Rappers, and Philadelphia in six over Boston.

 

BM

 

profile pic b mick  Bobby Mickey is the alter ego of writer and poet Edward Austin Robertson. When he isn’t involved in some basketball related activity, actively looking for parties to deejay or venues to perform comedy, he can be found in the KDVS studios making on air playlists. For booking inquiries, send contact info to thisagoodassgame@gmail.com