Nuggets Basketball

Rick Grantham asked:


The American Basketball Association is a professional basketball league in the United States in the late 1960s. It joined the National Basketball League in 1976. The league brought four teams in the NBA. They were the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Indianan Pacers, and the San Antonio Spurs.

Among the four teams, the Spurs turned out to be the most dominant. Ever since the mergence, they have won fifteen Division titles, four conference titles, and four championship titles. Since their championship crown in 1999, the Spurs have shown tremendous success in the basketball arena. Their winning percentage is among the highest of any team in any sport of any major league in the US.
They have made loyal fans in San Antonio, which became their home since 1973. The attendance during their home games are among the largest. In 1999, the fans poured out their support as they set an attendance record of 39,554.

Before their glorious years in 1999, the Spurs went through difficulties. Their coach changed almost every year. They even had their worst record in franchise history in the 1996-97 season. David Robinson stepped up for the team in several years. He earned the Most Valuable Player award in 1995. However, his team was not able to bring home the championship banner.

They had the chance to make the top pick in the 1997 draft. They used it well and chose the Tim Duncan. Like Robinson, he was also a Naismith College Player of the Year in 1997. When he joined the San Antonio Spurs, he and Robinson gave birth to the Twin Towers. They also began the glorious seasons for the team.

NBA felt the presence of Duncan almost immediately. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1997-98 season. In 1999, the team won its very first National championship title and Duncan became the NBA finals Most Valuable Player.

The year 1999 is a very memorable year for the franchise. The Spurs became the first former ABA team to appear in the finals, and the first to win the coveted NBA title. The year 2003 marked another memorable year. David Robinson was due to retire after the season. It was also the first year that they will be playing at their new home court, the AT&T center. They completed the celebration, by winning their second NBA title.

Their second NBA title was a team effort of the twin towers and the new rising stars of the team. The new key players include Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. They earned their third NBA title in 2005 and once again, Tim Duncan brought home the NBA finals MVP.

Their Cinderella story took place in 2007. They started out strong but were not able to stay consistent. Their team standing gradually slide and almost all the players were frustrated. However, this turned around after Coach Gregg Popovic decided to keep the team intact even if he had the option to make a trade. They went on to win the 2007 NBA title and Tony Parker won his very first NBA finals MVP award.



JORDAN

Billy Bonds asked:


During the boom period of the NBA of the 1980s the league sought to expand itself from 23 teams to 26 by the end of the decade. In Florida, a state devoid of any NBA franchises, groups from Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg and Miami all vied to land franchises.

The Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority eventually endorsed a group led by NBA Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham and former sports agent (and lifelong friend of Cunningham’s) Lewis Schaffel, who received their financial backing from Carnival Cruise Lines tycoon Ted Arison, who would be the majority shareholder of a potential franchise but defer the day-to-day operations to minority shareholders Cunningham and Schaffel.

In April 1987, the NBA expansion committee endorsed the bids of the cities of Charlotte and Minneapolis. However, the committee was split between awarding the third and final franchise to Miami or Orlando, causing representatives from both cities to toss barbs at the other. Finally, it was decided that the NBA would expand by 4 teams, with the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat debuting for the 1988-89 season and the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic beginning for the 1989-90 season.

For their first head coach, Miami hired Ron Rothstein, who was a longtime assistant coach under Chuck Daly in Detroit and who was credited with being one of the architects of Detroit’s stifling defense.

The Heat came into the NBA for the 1988-89 season with an unproductive first year, with a roster full of young players and journeymen. Among the players on the inaugural roster were first round picks Rony Seikaly and Kevin Edwards, fellow rookies Grant Long and Sylvester Gray as well as NBA vets Rory Sparrow, Jon Sundvold, Pat Cummings, Scott Hastings, Dwayne “Pearl” Washington and Billy Thompson. The team started out the season by losing its first 17 games, an NBA record. It did not help that the Heat were placed in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. This forced them on the longest road trips in the NBA; their nearest divisional opponent was the Houston Rockets, over 900 miles from Miami. The team ultimately finished with a league-worst 15-67 win-loss record.
To help address Miami’s league-low point production, the Heat picked Glen Rice from the University of Michigan in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft, and Sherman Douglas of Syracuse University in the 2nd round. The team also moved to the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference for the 1989-90 season, where they would remain for the next 15 years. However, the Heat continued to struggle and never won more than two consecutive games, en route to an 18-64 record.

The 1989-90 season saw Miami awarded with the 3rd pick overall, only to parlay via two trades (first with the Denver Nuggets and later with the Houston Rockets) into getting the 9th and 12th picks, with which they selected Willie Burton of the University of Minnesota and Alec Kessler of the University of Georgia. Both picks flopped, as the Heat tried to turn Burton, a college small forward, into a shooting guard without much success and Kessler was bogged by injury problems and was not physical enough to be a quality NBA power forward.

While Rice, Seikaly and Douglas all showed improvement from the previous year, Miami still only went 24-58 and remained in the Atlantic Division basement.

Rothstein would resign as head coach at the end of the season, but later would return to the Heat prior to the 2004-05 season as an assistant coach, a role he still fulfills today.

In the wake of Rothstein’s resignation prior to the 1991-92 season, the Heat hired Kevin Loughery, who had 29 years of experience in the NBA both as a coach and a player, to be their new head coach. For the 1991 NBA Draft, the team selected Steve Smith from Michigan State, who provided an agile guard to a more mature Heat team. With the help of rookie Smith, Rony Seikaly, and a more experienced Glen Rice, the Heat finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 38-44 record and made the playoffs for the first time. Playing the league-best Chicago Bulls, the Heat were swept in three games. Steve Smith made the NBA All-Rookie team and Glen Rice finished 10th in the NBA in scoring.

The 1992-93 NBA season included the additions of draft choice Harold Miner of the University of Southern California as well as trading a 1st round pick (which would turn into the #10 overall pick the following season) for Detroit Pistons forward/center John Salley. While Salley’s addition was first met with optimism because of the role that he played on two championship Detroit Pistons squads, it became apparent quickly that Salley was a quality role player for a good team, but not a quality player for a mediocre team like Miami was at the time. Salley would eventually have his playing time diminish, ultimately resulting in his being taken by the Toronto Raptors in the 1995 expansion draft. As for the season itself, it started off poorly, with Smith missing time with a knee injury and Burton being lost for most of the year with a wrist injury. Upon Smith’s return, Miami posted a winning record in February and March, but it was not enough to dig themselves out of the 13-27-hole they began in. They finished 36-46 and would not return to the playoffs.

A healthier squad fared better in 1993-94, posting the franchise’s first-ever winning record at 42-40 and returning to the playoffs as the #8 seed versus the Atlanta Hawks. After Miami had a 2-1 series lead, Atlanta rallied from the deficit to win the best-of-5 series. After that season, Steve Smith would be selected as a member of the 2nd Dream Team, the collection of NBA All-Stars who were selected to compete in the 1994 World Basketball Championships in Toronto as Team U.S.A.. Dream Team II, also made up of future Heat players Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Dan Majerle and Tim Hardaway, would go on to win the tournament.

In 1994-95, the team overhauled their roster, trading away Seikaly, Smith, and Grant Long. In return, the Heat obtained Kevin Willis and Billy Owens.

Also, at this time came a power shift in Heat’s front office. On February 13, 1995 Cunningham and Lew Schaffel were bought out by the Arison family of Carnival Cruise Lines fame, who to that point in time had been silent partners in the day-to-day operations of the franchise until the buyout. Micky Arison, son of Carnival founder Ted Arison was named Managing General Partner. He immediately fired Loughery and replaced him with Alvin Gentry on an interim basis to try and shake up the 17-29 Heat. Gentry went 15-21 for the remaining 36 games of the season for a 32-50 record overall, 10 games off the previous year’s mark.



DOUGLAS

Bishara asked:


Portland Trail Blazers joined the NBA during an expansion of league which also included Buffalo Brave and the riders of Cleveland. The Portland cement club of original comprised the guard Geoff Petrie and Leroy forwards Ellis; it recorded a disc of gain-loss of 29-53. Portland cement had several beginners endowed, and Petrie divided the beginner of NBA of the reward of year with Dave Cowens of Boston Celtics. The blazers dispatch wicks of Sidney gained the reward the following year. After their beginning campaign, the Blazers placed close of the bottom of the league during their three following seasons.

A disc of gain-loss 27-55 in 1973-74 gained with the Blazers the choice of number-a in the outline of 1974 NBA, that the team was accustomed to selecting the Walton invoice, a player of university of three-time of the year while at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). With Walton with St central and old Louis the fauconx hold the first role Lenny Wilkens installed as a principal trainer, the Blazers gained 38 plays in the season 1974-75 and 37 plays the following year. Before the season 1976-77, old Buffalo Faces the trainer Jack Ramsay Wilkens replaced.

Ramsay brought a strategy disciplined and team-directed to the club, which had added the guard Lionel Hollins in the outline of 1975 NBA and the power ahead Maurice Lucas of the congédiée American association of basketball (aba). In the first season of Ramsay, the Blazers finished with a disc of the gain-loss 49-33. In the finales, the Blazers have demolishes the bulls of Chicago, the nuggets of Denver, and Los Angeles Lakers to reach the finales of NBA. There the Blazers were considered one oppressed against Philadelphia 76ers, which were carried out by Jules forwards Erving.

The Blazers lost the first two plays but gained the four next contests to capture the first title of the concession. In the season 1977-78, Portland Trail Blazers noted a disc 58-24 and Walton gained the reward of the most valid player of league (MVP). In the finales, however, Walton was slowed down by damage, and the Blazers lost in the semi-finals of conference towards Seattle SuperSonics. Walton continued to be infested by damage, missing the whole season 1978-79 before joining the mowers of San Diego the following year like free agent. Portland cement remained competing and missed the finales only one time of 1978-79 to 1985-86.

At the beginning of the Nineties, the players Clyde Drexler de Portland, the luggage handler of Terry, and the Williams male helped to return the club one of the better NBA. Under the coach principal Rick Adelman, the Blazers gained 59 plays in the season 1989-90 and the finales advanced with the finales of NBA. There the Blazers lost with the pistons of Detroit. The following season Portland recorded 63 victories and has advanced with the Western finales of conference. During the season 1991-92 Portland cement gained 57 plays, and in the finales the beat of team Lakers, Phoenix exposes to the sun, and jazz of Utah before falling to the bulls from Chicago in six plays in the finales from NBA. As the top of the club holds the first role aged in the middle of the Nineties, fortunes of the Blazers of trail ‘ decreased. Drexler, the absolute chief of the concession in the points, wounding rebounds, and flies, was traded in Houston Rockets in 1995 like the club started to rebuild its role.

One of the new principal additions in 1995 was Arvydas Sabonis, a Lithuanian player who had held the first role during years in the international basketball. During years to come it was joined by younger players such as Brian Grant, Damon Stoudamire, and Rasheed Wallace. Before the season 1999-2000 Portland Trail Blazers traded for the scottie Pippen, considered one of the largest players of the NBA never. With Walton with St Central and old Louis the fauconx hold the first role Lenny Wilkens installed as a principal trainer, the Blazers gained 38 plays in the season 1974-75 and 37 plays the following year. Before the season 1976-77, old Buffalo Faces the trainer Jack Ramsay Wilkens replaced. Ramsay brought a strategy disciplined and team-directed to the club, which had added the guard Lionel Hollins in the outline of 1975 NBA and the power ahead Maurice Lucas of the congeries American association of basketball (aba).

In the first season of Ramsay, the Blazers finished with a disc of the gain-loss 49-33. In the finales, the Blazers have demolishes the bulls of Chicago, the nuggets of Denver, and Los Angeles Lakers to reach the finales of NBA. There the Blazers were considered one oppressed against Philadelphia 76ers, which were carried out by Jules forwards Erving. The Blazers lost the first two plays but gained the four next contests to capture the first title of the concession. In the season 1977-78, the Blazers of trail noted a disc 58-24 and Walton gained the reward of the most valid player of league (MVP).

In the finales, however, Walton was slowed down by damage, and the Blazers lost in the semi-finals of conference towards Seattle SuperSonics. Walton continued to be infested by damage, missing the whole season 1978-79 before joining the mowers of San Diego the following year like free agent. Portland cement remained competing and missed the finales only one time of 1978-79 to 1985-86. At the beginning of the Nineties, the players Clyde Drexler de Portland, the luggage handler of Terry, and the Williams male helped to return the club one of the better NBA.

Under the coach principal Rick Adelman, the Blazers gained 59 plays in the season 1989-90 and the finales advanced with the finales of NBA. There the Blazers lost with the pistons of Detroit. The following season Portland recorded 63 victories and has advanced with the Western finales of conference.

During the season 1991-92 Portland cement gained 57 plays, and in the finales the beat of team Lakers, Phoenix exposes to the sun, and jazz of Utah before falling to the bulls from Chicago in six plays in the finales from NBA. Portland Trail Blazers joined the NBA during an expansion of league which also included Buffalo Brave and the riders of Cleveland. The Portland cement club of original comprised the guard Geoff Petrie and Leroy forwards Ellis; it recorded a disc of gain-loss of 29-53.

Portland cement had several beginners endowed, and Petrie divided the beginner of NBA of the reward of year with Dave Cowens of Boston Celtics. The blazers dispatch wicks of Sidney gained the reward the following year. After their beginning campaign, the Blazers placed close of the bottom of the league during their three following seasons. A disc of gain-loss 27-55 in 1973-74 gained with the Blazers the choice of number-a in the outline of 1974 NBA, that the team was accustomed to selecting the Walton invoice, a player of university of three-time of the year while at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

With Walton with St central and old Louis the falcon hold the first role Lenny Wilkens installed as a principal trainer, the Blazers gained 38 plays in the season 1974-75 and 37 plays the following year. Before the season 1976-77, old Buffalo Faces the trainer Jack Ramsay Wilkens replaced. Ramsay brought a strategy disciplined and team-directed to the club, which had added the guard Lionel Hollins in the outline of 1975 NBA and the power ahead Maurice Lucas of the congédiée American association of basketball (aba).

In the first season of Ramsay, the Blazers finished with a disc of the gain-loss 49-33. In the finales, the Blazers have demolishes the bulls of Chicago, the nuggets of Denver, and Los Angeles Lakers to reach the finales of NBA. There the Blazers were considered one oppressed against Philadelphia 76ers, which were carried out by Jules forwards Erving. The Blazers lost the first two plays but gained the four next contests to capture the first title of the concession. In the season 1977-78, Portland Trail Blazers noted a disc 58-24 and Walton gained the reward of the most valid player of league (MVP).

In the finales, however, Walton was slowed down by damage, and the Blazers lost in the semi-finals of conference towards Seattle SuperSonics. Walton continued to be infested by damage, missing the whole season 1978-79 before joining the mowers of San Diego the following year like free agent. Portland cement remained competing and missed the finales only one time of 1978-79 to 1985-86. At the beginning of the Nineties, the players Clyde Drexler de Portland, the luggage handler of Terry, and the Williams male helped to return the club one of the better NBA. Under the coach principal Rick Adelman, the Blazers gained 59 plays in the season 1989-90 and the finales advanced with the finales of NBA. There the Blazers lost with the pistons of Detroit.

The following season Portland recorded 63 victories and has advanced with the Western finales of conference. During the season 1991-92 Portland cement gained 57 plays, and in the finales the beat of team Lakers, Phoenix exposes to the sun, and jazz of Utah before falling to the bulls from Chicago in six plays in the finales from NBA. As the top of the club holds the first role aged in the middle of the Nineties, fortunes of the Blazers of trail ‘ decreased. Drexler, the absolute chief of the concession in the points, wounding rebounds, and flies, was traded in Houston Rockets in 1995 like the club started to rebuild its role.

One of the new principal additions in 1995 was Arvydas Sabonis, a Lithuanian player who had held the first role during years in the international basketball. During years to come it was joined by younger players such as Brian Grant, Damon Stoudamire, and Rasheed Wallace. Before the season 1999-2000 Portland Trail Blazers traded for the scottie Pippen, considered one of the largest players of the NBA never. In the first season of Ramsay, the Blazers finished with a disc of the gain-loss 49-33. In the finales, the Blazers have demolishes the bulls of Chicago, the nuggets of Denver, and Los Angeles Lakers to reach the finales of NBA.

There the Blazers were considered one oppressed against Philadelphia 76ers, which were carried out by Jules forwards Erving. The Blazers lost the first two plays but gained the four next contests to capture the first title of the concession. In the season 1977-78, the Blazers of trail noted a disc 58-24 and Walton gained the reward of the most valid player of league (MVP). In the finales, however, Walton was slowed down by damage, and the Blazers lost in the semi-finals of conference towards Seattle SuperSonics.

Walton continued to be infested by damage, missing the whole season 1978-79 before joining the mowers of San Diego the following year like free agent. Portland cement remained competing and missed the finales only one time of 1978-79 to 1985-86. At the beginning of the Nineties, the players Clyde Drexler de Portland, the luggage handler of Terry, and the Williams male helped to return the club one of the better NBA.

Under the coach principal Rick Adelman, the Blazers gained 59 plays in the season 1989-90 and the finales advanced with the finales of NBA. There the Blazers lost with the pistons of Detroit. The following season Portland recorded 63 victories and has advanced with the Western finales of conference. During the season 1991-92 Portland cement gained 57 plays, and in the finales the beat of team Lakers, Phoenix exposes to the sun, and jazz of Utah before falling to the bulls from Chicago in six plays in the finales from NBA. As the top of the club holds the first role aged in the middle of the Nineties, fortunes of the Blazers of trail ‘ decreased. Drexler, the absolute chief of the concession in the points, wounding rebounds, and flies, was traded in Houston Rockets in 1995 like the club started to rebuild its role.

One of the new principal additions in 1995 was Arvydas Sabonis, a Lithuanian player who had held the first role during years in the international basketball. During years to come it was joined by younger players such as Brian Grant, Damon Stoudamire, and Rasheed Wallace. Before season 1999-2000 the Blazers of trail traded for the scottie Pippen, considered one of the largest players of the NBA never. Logo, 1975-1995. It is the last logo up to now putting in reference the team by her full name.The the invoice that legendary Russell was rented as a principal trainer per following year, and in 1975 it gave lessons particular to SuperSonics with the finales for the first time. The team, which held the first Haywood role, guards of brown Watts and smooth of Fred, and central Tommy beginner Burleson, A demolishes the pistons of Detroit in a mini-series of three plays before falling to the unquestionable warriors from state from gold from champion in six plays.



LOUIE

Billy Bonds asked:


The Rockets, along with the Seattle SuperSonics, entered the NBA in 1967 as an expansion team based in San Diego. They selected Pat Riley with their first draft pick in 1967. They went on to produce a then-NBA record 67-loss season.

In 1968 the Rockets won the coin toss versus the Baltimore Bullets, giving them the first overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft. They selected Elvin “the Big E” Hayes from the University of Houston. Hayes led the team to the franchise’s first ever playoff appearance in 1969. The Rockets lost in the Western divisional semi-final to the Atlanta Hawks two games to four in a best-of-seven series.

The 1970 NBA Draft brought Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich to the Rockets - both significant to the franchise after their playing careers were over.

Coached by Jack McMahon and Alex Hannum, the Rockets tallied a 119-209 record over their tenure in San Diego.

In 1971, real estate broker Wayne Duddleston and banker Billy Goldberg bought the franchise for $5.6 million and relocated the team from San Diego, where fans were more disposed to the Los Angeles Lakers than the Rockets. The Rockets originally had been named for San Diego slogan, “A City in Motion,” but with the move to Houston their name took on even greater relevance. Houston is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, which received national attention during Project Apollo.

The Rockets began playing at various venues in Houston, including the Astrodome, AstroHall, and Hofheinz Pavilion. They also played games at HemisFair Arena in San Antonio and in Waco. However, fan support was weak in the football and baseball-dominated city, and the Rockets averaged less than 5000 fans per game during their first Houston season. It was mused that the local churches in Waco drew more attendance than the Rockets.

Before the start of the 1971 season, Coach Alex Hannum left for the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association. Tex Winter was hired as the new coach shortly before the team was sold. Coach Winter applied a triple-post offensive system that contrasted with the offensive style to which Hayes was accustomed. Houston soon traded Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin. Lack of success did little to capture the city’s attention, and in the Spring of 1973, following the Rockets 10th straight loss, Winter was relieved of his duties.

In 1975, with Coach Johnny Egan’s guidance and Tomjanovich, Murphy, and Mike Newlin leading the way, the Rockets made their first appearance in the playoffs since arriving in Houston. The Rockets defeated the New York Knicks (led by Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe) in the first round, but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

At the start of the 1977 season, the Rockets negotiated a trade with the Buffalo Braves to acquire Moses Malone, who as a high school star made the unprecedented decision of bypassing college basketball to sign on as a professional with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974. The Rockets defeated the Washington Bullets in the 1977 Eastern Conference semi-final, but lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals. Malone made an impressive showing against Washington’s Elvin Hayes and waning star Wes Unseld.

On December 9, 1977, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Kunnert got into a fight with the Lakers’ Kermit Washington. As Tomjanovich approached the altercation, Washington turned and threw a punch, landing squarely in the face of an approaching Tomjanovich, causing extensive structural damage to his cranium. The shocking scene became the defining moment of the Rockets’ 1977-78 season as well as the playing careers of Tomjanovich and Washington. Tomjanovich spent the next five months in rehabilitation and returned to appear in the 1978 All-Star Game. A book by John Feinstein recording the events surrounding this event and the different paths that Tomjanovich and Washington have taken since that day is entitled “The Punch.”

Malone received the 1979 MVP Award. Not exceptionally big or quick, he used footwork and positioning to become a successful center in the NBA. Malone, Murphy, and Tomjanovich all played in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Barry was signed for the 1979 season from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for John Lucas. Barry averaged a modest 13.5 points and set a new NBA record, posting a .947 free-throw percentage for the season. He would play one more year for the Rockets before retiring in 1980.

The Rockets went 47-35 in 1978-79, Nissalke’s last season as coach. They finished second in the Central Division, losing two straight to Atlanta in a best-of-three first-round series.



TY

T.o. Whenham asked:


A - All-Star. It’s the NHL All-Star Game in Dallas this week. No one watches hockey when it is full of hits, fights and all the fun body contact, so why in the world would people watch it when the players aren’t touching each other?

B - Bush, Reggie. The 88-yard run was as impressive as you expect from this super freak. He sure made it clear that he isn’t yet a mature man, though, didn’t he? Do you think that that front flip into the end zone pissed the Chicago defense off, or was it just a coincidence that those were the last points New Orleans scored?

C - Crosby, Sidney. I know I dwell on this guy, but the Pittsburgh forward will get more attention than anyone else at the NHL All-Star Game. Remember, he’s only 19 years old, so he’s only going to get better than he is, and he’s amazing already. If you haven’t seen him play, do yourself a favor and catch a Penguins game.

D - Drew Brees. This guy can put up huge numbers even when he’s looking pretty average. Seeing he ended up with 354 yards passing was surprising to me. If I was a Saints fan I would be concerned about this game and the four others that the team lost this year when Brees passed for more than 340 yards.

E - Eastern Washington. The Eagles are just 10-10 and are very unlikely to make the tournament. It’s too bad because their star guard, Rodney Stuckey, is as exciting to watch as any player in the country. He leads his conference in points and steals, and is second in assists. If he made the tournament then more people would be able to see how good he is.

F - Floyd Mayweather Sr. Oscar De La Hoya’s trainer wants an unprecedented $2 million payoff or he won’t train the Golden Boy for his next fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. I hope Oscar doesn’t pay him, because I am already sick to death of hearing about how father and son don’t get along.

G - Grossman, Rex. I can’t believe I am defending Grossman, but his performance Sunday was better than the numbers say it was. He protected the ball, he didn’t make a lot of mistakes, he threw it away when he had to, he made big plays like the pass to Berrian, and his team won by 25. The Super Bowl will not be about Rex Grossman - he’ll be fine.

H - Huh? We all know the story - Indy is an offensive team with iffy defense, while Chicago is all about defense with a lousy offense. Points scored per game in the playoffs for the Colts - 25.3. Bears - 33. Points allowed by the Colts - 16. Bears - 19. Everything is upside down.

I - Insurance policy. Colt Brennan had better call his State Farm agent and buy a massive policy on his arm. The Hawaii QB is coming back for his senior season despite being virtually guaranteed of being a first round pick in the draft. That’s great news for bettors - Hawaii will be an attractive bet and an over play again.

J - Jeff Samardzija. The Notre Dame receiver was a likely first round NFL pick, but he decided to give up football and sign with the Chicago Cubs as a pitcher instead. Maybe he can pull a Bo Jackson or a Deion Sanders and play both sports. Or, since he’s now a Cubs’ pitcher, maybe he’ll get recurring arm injuries and fail to live up to his potential.

K - Kurt Thomas. The Phoenix big man’s absence last year was a big reason the Suns didn’t go further in the playoffs. Now Thomas has gone down with an elbow injury and will miss six weeks. So far the team has kept winning, but could this have a serious impact on the unbeatable Suns?

L - Losses. There were some bad losses in college basketball this week. Pitt did not look like a Final Four squad in losing to Marquette. Kansas frustrated their fans, like they are so good at doing, by losing a game that shouldn’t have been close to Texas Tech. LSU was completely and utterly humiliated by Arkansas.

M - Melo. Denver’s superstar comes back from his 15-game suspension on Monday. The difference is that when he left he was the Nuggets’ only superstar, but now he has to share the spotlight with Allen Iverson. His first few games will take some serious handicapping.

N - New York Knicks. It seems very hard to believe, but the Knicks are actually playing some fairly decent basketball. They are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games. Maybe Isiah Thomas isn’t such a terrible coach after all. No, he really is, but this proves that any team can win a few in the pathetic East.

O - Outdoors. Thanks to the Saints, dome teams have now lost the last 10 conference championship games that they have played outdoors. If the weather is that much of a factor to these teams then you really have to wonder why Saints coach Sean Payton had his team practice indoors all week.

P - Peyton Manning. I still can’t stand the guy, but I’m man enough to give a guy respect when he deserves it. Good job. Excellent clutch second half performance. Congratulations. It must be a relief to finally win your first big game in your 30-plus years of life.

Q - Quite useless. I’ve always been curious - what happens to all of the ‘Saints NFC Champion’ and ‘New England AFC Champion’ shirts that obviously didn’t get worn? I think they get shredded up and made into Field Turf.

R - Reche Caldwell. Ugly game for the Patriots receiver who was playing so well in recent weeks. He might want to stay out of Boston for a while because he won’t be too popular there. He made several mistakes, none as costly as dropping the pass that was right on his hands when the nearest defender was about 100 miles away.

S - Serena Williams. It’s been a long time since you have been able to get value betting on a Williams sister, but Serena’s surprisingly solid performance in Australia this week is turning some heads and fattening some wallets.

T - Two halves. I put this here in case Bill Belichick reads this. Bill - football games have two halves. You win more if you make your game show up for both of them. I thought you were a genius coach. What happened?

U - Utley, Chase. The Philadelphia Phillies’ second baseman signed a 7 year, $85 million contract, meaning that the infield, except for third base, should look the same (Howard, Rollins, Utley) for a long time. Now if only the Phillies could find a way to quit *******. They were a terrible team to bet on, especially at home.

V - Vick, Michael. It sounds like Vick is going to be exonerated over water-bottle-gate, but it’s still stunning that a guy like him gets into as much trouble as he does. If I was new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino, I don’t think I’d be too sad if Vick found a new home. The Raiders would be a good fit - he could relate intellectually with the morons in the ridiculous costumes.

W - Wild run. It might be a bit early for you to get excited about the Kentucky Derby, but you might want to remember the name Tiago. The horse is the brother of Giacomo, the 2005 Derby winner, and he won a wild and crazy but impressive race Sunday at Santa Anita. He is incredibly raw, but he sure looks talented.

X - Xavier. Two games for the Musketeers this week. A push in a six-point win against UMass, and an ugly loss as favorites at St. Joseph’s. Rough week. The saving grace is that they are in the midst of a nice streak of five overs in six games.

Y - Youth movement. Hiring 35-year-old coach Eric Mangini worked out well for the Jets this year, so now young coaches are cool in the NFL. Mike Tomlin, the new Steelers’ boss is 34. The Raiders offered their job to a 32-year-old (he wisely declined). Soon, the head coaches will be younger than the rookies.

Z - Zero. The number of touchdowns I would have guessed that linemen would score in the AFC championship. I would have missed it by three. Bizarre.

Questions or comments? E-mail them to twhenham@docsports.com.



JERALD

Rick Grantham asked:


While standing on top of the world is an amazing feat, getting back there can be challenging. For instance, since the Portland Trailblazers won the 1977 NBA Finals, they have not succeeded at winning their second basketball championship. Since 1977, the Trailblazers have returned to the playoffs 25 times, have played in five Conference Finals, and have advanced to two NBA Finals.

When did the Trailblazers begin their journey to the NBA Finals? They were one of three expansion teams that the NBA added during the 1970-1971 season. The franchise chose the name in a “name the team” contest, in which people submitted about 10,000 entries. “Trailblazers” pays tribute to the explorers who traveled across the Oregon Trail during the 1800s. Here are some interesting facts about the state of Oregon:

? Oregon’s official state colors are blue and gold

? Oregon (and New Jersey) are the only two U.S. states with no “self-serve” gas stations

? Oregon is the only U.S. state with an official state nut (hazelnut)

? Oregon has the United States’ deepest lake (Crater Lake)

? Oregon’s state birthday is also Valentine’s Day (February 14).

During their premiere season in the NBA, the Trailblazers earned a 29-53 record.

By the 1976-1977 season, the Trailblazers had added key ingredients to its team, including Center Bill Walton. They had hot and cold streaks during the regular season, ending with a 49-33 record. In the playoffs, Portland would trample the Chicago Bulls (3-0), ***** the Denver Nuggets (4-2), and then drown the Los Angeles Lakers (4-0). The Trailblazers faced the potent Philadelphia 76ers and “Dr. J.” in the NBA Finals. After falling behind in the series (0-2), the Trailblazers won four straight games and the series. (4-2)

The Trailblazers’ first chance to win a second NBA title, took place in 1990. Clyde Drexler led Portland to a solid 59-23 regular season record. They blanked the Dallas Mavericks (3-0), edged the San Antonio Spurs (4-3), and then outlasted the Phoenix Suns (4-3). However, the Trailblazers lost the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons, the defending champions (4-1).

Just two years later, the Trailblazers had another shot at an NBA title. This time, they earned another solid regular season record: 57-25. In the playoffs, the Trailblazers dominated the Los Angeles Lakers (3-1), trampled the Phoenix Suns (4-1), and eliminated the Utah Jazz (4-2). However, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls would overpower the Trailblazers in the finals (4-2).

Throughout their history, the Portland Trailblazers have retired the jersey numbers of seven players:

Clyde Drexler - #22 (Guard): 1983-1995

Maurice Lucas - #20 (Forward): 1976-1980, 1987-1988

Lloyd Neal - #36 (Forward): 1972-1979

Geoff Petrie - #45 (Forward): 1970-1976

Larry Steele - #15 (Guard): 1971-1980

Dave Twardzik - #13 (Guard): 1976-1980

Bill Walton - #32 (Center): 1974-1979

Repeating a success can be as difficult as achieving it the first time. For instance, the Portland Trailblazers are striving to earn their second NBA Finals victory. Use Portland Trailblazers merchandise to support them along the road to another NBA Championship!



DANE

Rick Grantham asked:


Do some sports teams’ names stump you? Oftentimes, we hear a team’s name over and over again, without knowing for certain, what it is. For instance, there is the Minnesota Timberwolves. We know that timber includes trees that produce wood for building houses and furniture. We know that wolves are wild mammals. Are Timberwolves wolves that live in forests?

Actually, a timberwolf is another name for the grey wolf. A distant relative of the domestic dog, timberwolves indeed live in forests. However, they also reside in other areas such as mountains, grasslands, and even urban regions. A “name the team” contest named the Minnesota Timberwolves as such, as the name defeated the other finalist, “Polars.” “Timberwolves” is quite appropriate, considering that more timberwolves live in Minnesota than in any of the other continental U.S. states. Here are some interesting wolf facts:

? Wolves are the biggest wild canine

? Wolves have 42 teeth

? Wolves’ jaws can create up to 1,500 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure

? Wolves do little chewing of food

? Wolves’ liter sizes range from 4-7 pups

Two decades after professional basketball had left Minnesota, the state welcomed the Timberwolves as an expansion team. The Lakers and two ABA teams had formerly called Minnesota home. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves lost their franchise opener of the 1989-1990 season, to the Seattle Supersonics: 106-94. Unfortunately, the season’s final result was also unfavorable, with the Timberwolves earning a 22-60 record.

However, as time progressed, the Timberwolves grew from pups to full-grown canines. During the 2003-2004 season, they achieved their most success. Key players included Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell, and Latrell Spreewell. At the end of the season, the Timberwolves had earned a 58-24 record (.707 winning percentage). This was the franchise’s top record ever, and the best Western Conference record that year.

In the playoffs, the Timberwolves pounced on the Denver Nuggets as if they were chicken nuggets, winning the series easily (4-1). The Timberwolves then outlasted the Sacramento Kings in the next round of the playoffs (4-3). Unfortunately, the Timberwolves then faced the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. The Lakers were simply too potent and too experienced in the playoffs. They defeated the Timberwolves relatively easily (4-2).

Unquestionably, Kevin Garnett has been the Timberwolves’ most significant player during the franchise’s short history. The Timberwolves picked Garnett as the fifth overall selection during the 1995 NBA draft. Then in 2004, Garnett captured the MVP award of the NBA. Garnett was the first player in over two decades that an NBA team directly drafted from high school, into the NBA. In addition to leading the Timberwolves to the NBA Finals in 2004, Garnett won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics (2000), and won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics (2008).

The Minnesota Timberwolves have brought basketball back to Minnesota. Though they are a young team, they have advanced to within two games of the NBA Finals. Use Minnesota Timberwolves merchandise to cheer on the team as they hunt for their first NBA Championship!



ISRAEL

Rick Grantham asked:


In cities with two professional sports teams, why does one team get more love than the other one does? In New York, it is the Giants over the Jets and the Yankees over the Mets. In Chicago, it is the Cubs over the White Sox. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the Lakers tend to get more attention than the Clippers do. While historic success in the playoffs is certainly one factor, oftentimes one team in a city is significantly younger than the other one. By the time the Clippers played their first NBA game in October of 1984, their LA counterparts, the Lakers, had already won three NBA Championships.

How did the Clippers get their name? The city held a “name the team” contest, in which locals submitted 14,000 entries. The name “Clippers” refers to Los Angeles’ function as a harbor containing Clipper ships. While Clippers are simply fast sailing ships, the name also refers to the Star of India, a famous windjammer ship docked in San Diego and which had inspired the team’s name.

The Clippers had a rough start in the NBA. They had traded three rising stars for three aging veterans, and inherited the Los Angeles Sports Arena, from the Lakers. Even replacing their coach did not jumpstart the Clippers. They finished their premiere NBA season with a 31-51 record, or .378 winning percentage.

Although the Clippers have never been NBA Division Champions or earned spots in the NBA Conference Finals or Finals, they have appeared in the playoffs four times. They first made the playoffs during the 1991-1992 season. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown led the Clippers to a 45-37 record. Though they lost in the first round to the Utah Jazz (3-2), they had definitely set sail towards playoff success.

During the following season, the Clippers made the playoffs again, though they had earned a meager 41-41 record. Again, the Clippers lost in the first round. This time it was to the Houston Rockets. They came within striking distance in Game 5, but ultimately lost it 84-80, in Houston.

Four years later, the Clippers qualified for the playoffs again. This time, they crept into post-season play, though they had earned a record of 34-48 (.414 winning percentage). However, the Clippers faced the powerhouse Utah Jazz, losing in three consecutive games.

One decade later, the Clippers had another solid season during their 2005-2006 campaign. They earned a regular season record of 47-35. However, this time, the result in their first playoff series was more favorable. The Clippers got the job done on both offense and defense, defeating the Denver Nuggets (4-1). During the next round, the Clippers would face the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns. Though the Clippers were huge underdogs, they played the Suns closely. However, they ultimately lost the series 4-3.

Though they are a young team, the LA Clippers have begun to achieve some playoff success. They hope to go deeper into the playoffs. Cheer them on with LA Clippers Merchandise, as they continue sailing towards their first NBA Championship!



CURTIS

Billy Bonds asked:


A charter franchise in the American Basketball Association, the team was originally slated to play in Kansas City, Missouri before moving to Denver. They were named the Denver Larks before they changed their name and became known as the Rockets for their first seven years of existence, winning division titles in 1970 and 1975. The name “Rockets” was derived from the Rocket Trucking Company, owned by the team’s owner and having the same colors (orange and black).

However, they tended to struggle in the postseason and failed to make a championship game during this span. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck and Larry Jones, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson. During the 1969-70 season, the team also had controversial rookie Spencer Haywood. Haywood was one of the first players try to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged 30 points in his only ABA season, then was allowed to sign with the Seattle SuperSonics to start a productive NBA career.

In 1974, in hopes of moving into the NBA, a contest was held to find a new nickname for the Rockets, as the nickname was already used by the Houston Rockets. The name Nuggets won, having been the nickname first used by the Denver 1949-50 NBA franchise. Their new logo was a miner holding an ABA ball.

With the drafting and signing of David Thompson and Marvin Webster and the acquisitions of Dan Issel and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975-76. They would get no second chance to win a league championship, as the ABA folded after the 1975-76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by court order.

The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.

Brown left the team in 1979, helping usher in a brief decline in their team’s performance. It ended in 1981, when they hired Doug Moe as a head coach. Moe brought with him a “run and gun” philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to score rapidly with little interest in defense, and it helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981-82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game.

Anchored by scoring machines Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186-184.) In 1984-85, they made it to the Western Conference finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984-85 season to the Portland Trailblazers for 6-3 rebounding guard Fat Lever, undersized power forward Calvin Natt and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. However, they could not get pass the dominant team of the era, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Moe left the team in 1990, and his departure ended their run as a competitive franchise. However, the “run and gun” philosophy continued with coach Paul Westhead at the helm. He gave the green light for players like Michael Adams and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession. This lead to even more scoring records, but that did not translate into wins as Denver was the worst team in terms of number of wins for two consecutive seasons. That record enabled them to land at the lottery and draft 7-2 Georgetown University center Dikembe Mutombo in 1992, and University of Michigan guard Jalen Rose the next year. These two would lead the team into a brief resurgence in 1993-94 (a year they ditched their rainbow colors for a dark blue and gold scheme) finishing 42-40 and stunning the top-seeded Supersonics in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, falling to the Utah Jazz in game seven of the second round, but it was a rare highlight following Moe’s departure. The Nuggets were swept in the following year by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. Denver was an also-ran for nearly a decade, and flirted with having the worst record NBA history in 1997-98, winning only 11 games in an 82 game season. They tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002-03 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team has shown signs of another renaissance for the 2003-04 season, with the drafting of Carmelo Anthony and yet another uniform change (powder blue and yellow). In just two months of the season, they recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002-03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties August 9, 2001, adding crucial personnel including: point guard Andre Miller, power forward Nenê, point guard Earl Boykins, center Marcus Camby and shooting guard Jon Barry. In April, the turnaround was complete as they became the first franchise in NBA history to qualify for the postseason following a sub-20-win campaign the previous year. They were eliminated in the first round four games to one by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On December 28, 2004, head coach Jeff Bzdelik was fired from the organization and replaced by interim coach, former Los Angeles Laker player and Los Angeles Sparks head coach Michael Cooper, before finally hiring veteran coach George Karl as a permanent replacement. Karl lived up to his reputation by leading the team to an astounding record of 32-8 in the second half of the regular season which vaulted the team into the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

In the playoffs, however, the Nuggets could not survive the powerhouse defense of Manu Ginobili and the San Antonio Spurs. After winning game one in San Antonio, the Nuggets proceeded to lose the next four games and lost the series 4-1. The Nuggets picked 20th in the 2005 NBA Draft; it was acquired from Washington via Orlando.

In 2005-06, for the first time in 18 years, the club won the Northwest division title. This placed the team in the third seed of the Western Conference playoffs. Due to their relatively weak record the Nuggets were forced to play the Los Angeles Clippers who, despite their 6th seeding, had a better record following a great season behind their NBA Most Valuable Player Award candidate Elton Brand. Based on their regular season records the LA Clippers received home court advantage. The first two games in the best-of-7 series were won by the Clippers 89-87 in game one and 109-101 for game two in LA. Game 3 was won by the Denver Nuggets in Denver 98-87. The Clippers went on to win the final two games and advance to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs for the first time in franchise history since the Clippers moved to L.A. for the 1984-85 season.

On, December 18, 2006, team co-captain, Carmelo Anthony, shooting guard J.R. Smith, and power forward Nene were suspended by the NBA (15, 10, and 1 games respectively) for a fight that occurred in the last two minutes of a game against the New York Knicks two days earlier. The fight was sparked by Knicks rookie Mardy Collins, when he tackled J.R. Smith on a breakaway layup. According to Anthony, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas warned him to not go in the paint shortly before the hard foul.

On December 19, 2006, the Nuggets traded Joe Smith, Andre Miller, and two first-round draft picks in the 2007 draft to the Philadelphia 76ers for players Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin (McFarlin was waived immediately following the trade’s approval), thus landing the Nuggets the top two scorers in the league in Anthony and Iverson. On January 11, 2007, Earl Boykins, Julius Hodge, and cash considerations were traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for point guard Steve Blake.



BOYD