Tag: Wilt Chamberlain

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?

TD vs Joey Crawford ranked as one of NBA’s top 5 historical feuds

It wouldn’t seem likely for normally mild-mannered Tim Duncan to make a list chronicling the NBA’s top feuds.

But my blog brothers at Mancave.com have ranked Duncan’s disagreements over the years with NBA referee Joey Crawford rank among the .

That’s right. Up there with Kobe Bryant vs. Shaquille O’Neal. Reggie Miller vs. Spike Lee. And even Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell.

Here’s what Mancave had have to say about Duncan’s previous squabbles with Crawford, which culminated in their legendary disagreement in a game against Dallas on April 15, 2007.

Probably the least-expected feud of all time involves giant teddy bear Tim Duncan and controversial veteran referee Joey Crawford. Joey has been known for some pretty ridiculous calls—sometimes calling fouls on people that he committed. But at the top of the list has to be slapping two technicals on Tim Duncan within two minutes …  for laughing on the bench. Crawford was fined, but Duncan had to pony up $25,000 as well. Some choice words he had for Joey as he left the court were caught on camera.”

It still rankles Spurs fans to see Crawford on the sidelines.

And guess what. I’m sure it doesn’t make Duncan any happier to see Crawford demonstratively making his calls in Spurs games, either.

There are other great historic feuds involving the Spurs. From Rich Jones against all of his old teammates back in the day to Karl Malone vs. David Robinson. Manu Ginobili vs. Tony Allen has the makings for some future antipathy as well.

I’m curious Spurs Nation. What is your favorite feud involving the Spurs and an opposing player over the years? And give a reason or two why it’s your favorite.

TP, Ice listed among players in Deadspin’s fantasy one-on-one tourney

 

The NBA once stumbled upon the greatest halftime filler programming in the history of professional sports.

The question I have is why we’ve never seen a reprise of the classic Vitalis One-on-One tournament that was conducted in the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons?

Long before “Red on Roundball,” halftime Horse competition or the inane blathering of analysts at halftime, we had honest-to-goodness competition where top players faced off in classic man-to-man competition.

The league offered $50,500 — big money back in those days — so players were intent on the competition. In 1972, Bob Lanier defeated Jo Jo White for the title. There’s a video clip of the competition still available on . Lanier earned $15,000 winning the competition and was presented a suitcase full of $1 bills by Bill Russell for his prize money. If you look closely, you can see Wilt Chamberlain of the Lakers snickering on the bench when Lanier is presented with his bounty.

In the following season, Portland guard Geoff Petrie defeated Seattle forward Barry Clemens for the title.

This competition too often evolved into big players backing smaller opponents into the paint. But if it was done today, the 3-point line would even things up and make the competition interesting.

It would be fun to watch something like this with today’s players, as Deadspin.com writers Drew Magary and Tommy Craggs . They came up with a competition involving active and former players and selected Tony Parker and George Gervin among their participants.

Neither Parker or Gervin received much chance of winning their competition. But it still brought back some good memories of watching Lanier walk away with a suitcase full of $1 bills generated by his basketball talent.

And the best part of all was that it was absolutely legal.