Tag: David Robinson

The Admiral’s big season: Recalling how versatile Robinson really was

As dominant as David Robinson was during his Hall of Fame career, there’s a tendency among some basketball observers to discount some of his most notable accomplishments.

It’s understandable because Robinson’s career is judged by many as mainly what he achieved after Tim Duncan’s arrival.

And the fact that the Spurs made only one Western Conference Final appearance before Duncan came to the franchise makes some forget how truly dominant Robinson was before his sidekick donned the Silver and Black.

One recent statistical analysis ranks Robinson as the most dominant center of the complete statistical era of the post-merger NBA.

Neil Payne of Basketball-Reference.com crunched the numbers to figure the peak seasons of every NBA player during that time. Payne’s idea is to .

Robinson’s landmark 1993-1994 season ranked second among all NBA players in history, trailing only Michael Jordan’s 1987-88 production.

That was a unique season for Robinson. Dennis Rodman was in place to take care of the majority of the team’s rebounding needs. Coach John Lucas opted to run his offense through Robinson, who in effect became a point center for the team.

In the process, Robinson played the best basketball of his career during the second half of that season. It enabled him to make history as the only Spur in franchise history to lead the team in scoring, assists, steals, blocked shots and field-goal percentage in the same season. He was second in rebounding behind Rodman.   

Here’s another example of Robinson’s versatility during that season. Since the 1985-86 season, a player has notched at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six blocked shots in the same regular season game only 46 times. Robinson leads the list with nine times in his career, followed by Hakeem Olajuwon with eight.

No player other than Robinson accomplished the feat more than twice in the same regular season. And during his streak late in the 1993-94 season, Robinson notched a 20-10-6-6 four times in a 22-game span.

Included was of 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocked shots on Feb. 17, 1994 –  the most recent quadruple-double in NBA history.  

Robinson’s numbers were actually better  in 1993-94 than the following season, when he led the Spurs to the Midwest Division title, the best record in the league and earned the Most Valuable Player award. His 1993-94 numbers remain the most impressive all-around statistical season by any player in Spurs history.

There’s a tendency among some to remember Robinson as the supporting player who with Duncan led the Spurs to titles in 1999 and 2003.

But Robinson’s overall production before Duncan arrived actually topped anything Duncan’s or anybody else not named Jordan has achieved in any season in the NBA’s modern statistical era.  

The numbers bear him out.

‘The Mailman’ delivering overseas for troops on USO trip

Throughout his 19-season NBA career, it would be hard to imagine a more hated rival of Spurs Nation than Karl Malone.

Maybe it was the Malone’s celebrated elbow that knocked out David Robinson in 1998, earning him a $5,000 fine from the league. Or the way he ripped up a “Taco Cabana” promotional pinata en route to the Jazz locker room after he was ejected one time at the old Arena. But San Antonio fans never cared much for “The Mailman” or the Utah Jazz.  

But it’s a little hard to dislike him after his retirement, especially considering how .

Malone, comedian Jon Stewart, illusionist David Blaine and Admiral Mike Mullen are making a trip to visit United States troops overseas for the USO. The six-day, three-country tour has , including Kandahar Airfield, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Geronimo, FOB Delhi and Bagram Airfield, according to the Salt Lake City Deseret News.

Malone, who retired after the 2003-04 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, had some.

“We don’t do enough for our troops,” Malone said on the NBA’s official Facebook page. “I think sometimes we get the hero thing all screwed up. As an athlete, I never considered myself a hero. I just considered myself lucky to be playing.

“But these men and women of our Armed Forces, they’re the real heroes. They put their life on the line every single minute. The least I can do is to visit them and tell them thanks.”

While some athletes shunned their social responsibilities, Malone showed up unannounced after Hurricane Katrina in his home state of Louisiana with trucks and backhoes to help clean up the mess.

It’s the same with his support of the Armed Forces. Malone has real emotion for the troops overseas and doesn’t hesitate to express his appreciation.

“I have many friends and family members who have served (or are currently serving) in our nation’s Armed Forces,” Malone said in a USO press release, “and I have such a profound respect for what they do day in and day out. This USO tour is especially meaningful because of the friends I have met and I am honored to be a part of it.”

What about it Spurs Nation? Have your feelings mellowed a little towards Malone since his retirement — particularly after some of his recent good deeds?

Is Sporting News discounting the Spurs’ greatest teams among its top 10 list?

The Sporting News analyzed a lot of NBA topics in its most recent issue.

One of the most intriguing stories is part of a continuing series in the magazine, which is analyzing the greatest teams in a number of sports as part of 125-year anniversary.

This week, a 23-member panel of NBA experts.

Surprisingly, none of the Spurs’ four championship teams is included on the list.

Here’s how the Sporting News panel ranked them.

1. 1995-96 Chicago Bulls

2. 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

3. 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

4. 1985-86 Boston Celtics

5. 1964-65 Boston Celtics

6. 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers

7. 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

8, 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks

9. 1991-92 Chicago Bulls

10. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons

The list is pretty solid, although I might quibble about a few points. I think the 1966-67 Philadelphia team is woefully underrated. A case could be made that Alex Hannum’s team, which featured Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham, could be deserving of the No. 1 ranking.

The 86-87 Lakers team at No. 3 might be a tad overrated, although they had to battle a similarly great Boston team to win the title.

It’s also difficult to compare teams from before the league’s 3-point era against those after the rule was enacted. The rule has produced such a different game that’s it’s really hard to analyze and make astute comparisons between teams from different eras.

The list is titled to one-season dominance as it should be. And that’s probably why none of the Spurs’ greatest teams are included.

The Spurs’ top team in wins is the 63-19 2006 team that lost to Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals.

I still lean to the 2003 Spurs team as the best in franchise history. Tim Duncan was at his absolute peak, finishing that season with a near quadruple-double in the deciding game of the NBA Finals against New Jersey. It also is the only title team the Spurs had where Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili all are roster members.

I think the Spurs’ place in NBA history is stunted a little bit because they never claimed back-to-back titles. That failing, in the mind of many hoop experts, is why the Spurs aren’t included among the great dynasties in league history.

It’s hard to argue that point, although the Spurs did claim four titles during a nine-season span. Only the Celtics, Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and Minneapolis Lakers have been able to match that dominance during NBA history.

But I’m curious, Spurs Nation. Do you feel that any of the Spurs title teams really is worthy of being included in the list of the top 10 teams in NBA history?