Basketball from a fan’s perspective

Bits n Pieces 

Pau Gasol is certainly at the end of his Hall of Fame career; Pau’s mentioned he desires to finish his NBA career with a return to the Lakers.  Every member of Laker Nation knows Kobe was the driving force, but I believe there would be no back to back championships (2009-2010) if not for Gasol.  Pau picked up in a February trade scored 24 points and snatched 12 rebounds in his very first game with the Lakers.  He was the consummate pro while a member of the Lakers, the only problem at this stage besides age Pau is not a point guard.

The Cavs and Blazers have opened their facilities for practice.  On Monday May 11, even more teams will allow players into the facilities for practice.  News reports indicate they will be closely monitored, in addition there will be a limitation on the number of people allowed on the court at any given time.     As for the college game, we cannot say if this is the voice of authority speaking.  Duke’s Coach K. claims college teams will follow the NBA’s lead in opening practice facilities.  It does make sense based on court size. 

Watching Last Dance, we discovered an account many of us were unaware.  “Nobody liked Isiah Thomas, it was not just Michael Jordan.  Magic did not like him, Larry Bird did not like him, Karl Malone did not like him, and Scottie Pippen did not either.  That’s why he wasn’t a member of the Dream Team?”  David Robinson claims nobody should be surprised, he used the term “Team Chemistry.”  The nicest guy in the NBA (Robinson) to mention the word says volumes about how the team must have thought about Isiah. 

A generation has no idea

An age 20 or 30 something adult has no idea how and when the Sixer franchise began.  If the only NBA basketball you have ever known and conducted no research, you might come to this conclusion in error.  Interesting a series of moves brought the Sixers into existence.  The Philadelphia Warriors moved to San Francisco in 1962 becoming the San Francisco Warriors and later the name was changed to Golden State. 

Philadelphia had no NBA basketball for the 1962-63 season, later in 1963 the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia.  With bicentennial fever sweeping the nation the Nationals became the 76ers.  What about the Nationals history, they were an original member of the National Basketball League having begun play in 1946?  In 1949 they would join with other NBL teams merging with the Basketball Association of America and the NBA as we know it was born.  Syracuse New York like St. Louis and Rochester will never see an NBA team with the cities name on a jersey. 

He should know

Mychal Thompson decided to name his All-Time Laker team.  He should know, Thompson was a member of the Showtime Lakers.  For several years Thompson has been analyst for Laker radio, as for his selection: 

Magic Johnson point guard

Kobe Bryant shooting guard

Elgin Baylor small forward

James Worthy power forward

Kareem Abdul Jabbar center

Da' Bulls  
It is easy to compile a list of all-time Bulls greats; you begin with Michael Jordan include Scottie Pippen and work from that point onward.  It was mentioned the Bulls are an expansion team born in 1966, naturally they have not always had great players or teams. During the 1990’s with MJ and Pippen coached by Phil Jackson would set the standard for the franchise. As for all-time greats you already have two of them as for the others:

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Bob “Butterbean” Love

Jerry Sloan

Horace Grant

Honorable mention might include:

Norm Van Lier

Kirk Hinrich

Artis Gilmore

Steve Kerr

Derrick Rose

You might not agree with me that is okay, this is my list what about yours?