Basketball from a fans perspective

　

Choose the correct answer
New Clipper and former Celtic Paul Pierce was given the honor of tossing out the first pitch at a Dodger baseball game. He received a hearty round of boos from the stadium crowd.

A. Pierce is still hated as a former Celtic
B. His pitch bounced in front of home plate.
C. Los Angeles remains a Laker town
D. The wheel chair game*
E. None of the above

*Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Championship Pierce would sustain a leg injury. Lying on the floor writhing in pain he was “unable” to walk and was carried off the floor and placed in a wheel chair. As the second half began he returned to the court under his own power and played the balance of the game. Laker fans have never forgotten or forgiven the drama. Google the video and make your own judgment.

She’s a King?
The Sacramento Kings hired Nancy Lieberman as an assistant coach; Lieberman will join the Spurs Becky Hammon and become the second female assistant coach in the NBA. She has an extensive resume as a player, front office executive and head coach.  Lieberman is also enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. She became head coach of the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League November 2009. Lieberman leaves her position as assistant GM of the Legends to serve on the Kings staff. Although she was at the D-League level Lieberman preceded Hammon in coaching a men’s team. As this story was being finalized the Iowa Energy of the D-League announced the hiring of Nicki Gross as an assistant coach.

“The Incredible Shrinking Man”
A 1957 science-fiction movie was titled “The Incredible Shrinking Man; in 1981 there was a comedy remake with a title change and Lily Tomlin in the lead role. In life we might state the term applies to Laker Tarik Black. I remember at Kansas he was listed as 6-9 although he played the center position. Once he arrived in the NBA he “grew” two inches to 6-11. Boys continue to grow through their late teens and it may last through their early 20’s. The revised listing has Black at 6-9, either he was measured incorrectly or the practice of boosting a player’s height continues to be prevalent with teams.      

They played
NBA Africa Game 2015 was significant in several ways, it was the first sanctioned game held on the African continent. The game held in Johannesburg South Africa also saw the return of a couple of basketball legends. In a highly spirited game the world was witness to the return of “The Dream” and “Mount Mutombo. “ In the second quarter Hakeem Olajuwon and Diekembe Mutombo both entered the game, Hakeem age 52 and Mutombo who just turned 49 in June both showed up in their retro Rockets and Nuggets jerseys. Both labored up and down the court and only played briefly however the crowd roared their approval. Team World would overcome a deficient and beat Team Africa.

Upstate team
The death of Bob Kaufmann on July 26 is the basis for this story. Unless you are a student of the game or old enough his name might be unfamiliar to you. Kaufmann was the first true star of the NBA Buffalo Braves. The team would move to San Diego becoming the Clippers and later on to Los Angeles. The Braves were one of three expansion franchise beginning play in 1970; the others were the Cavs and Blazers.

Poor play along with low ticket sales eventually caused the owners to swap franchises something unheard of previously.  The owner took over the Celtics and the “new” owner of the Braves would ask permission to move the franchise. In addition to Kaufmann there were other outstanding Braves players among them Bob McAdoo and Randy Smith. The Braves acquired Moses Malone however he would be traded after but two games. Jack Ramsey and Cotton Fitzsimmons both deceased were two of the more notable coaches in the teams eight year history in Buffalo.