Adelman appreciates the attention and the praise, but he remain skeptical of individual glory in a team sport that relies on organization, execution, and mutual respect among all the players in the program—not just those to run up and down a basketball court.
Author Archives: bobkuska
Red Auerbach: Painting the NBA Playoffs Red, 1979
On the days when the Celtics are scheduled to play at home, Red sends out to a local delicatessen for cold cuts and invites in friends for a pregame nosh. On this March morning, though, Red contented himself with the familiar cigar and, when the tape recorder went on, he began to talk.
A Book Marking NBA-ABA Merger
June 17 marks the silver anniversary of the NBA-ABA merger. Want to brush up on this seminal event in American sports history, a grueling agreement that laid the groundwork for Magic, Michael, Kobe, LeBron, Steph, and the modern NBA? If so, get your hands on a copy of my book Balls of Confusion, described by readers inContinue reading “A Book Marking NBA-ABA Merger”
John Johnson: Hello Houston, We Have a Problem, 1977
When the Houston Rockets traded John Johnson to Boston in June, Johnson thought he was a Celtic, Red Auerbach thought he was a Celtic, and so did Ray Patterson.
Golden State’s Big Three: Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullin, Tim Hardaway, 1991
All three of them, in fact, avoid the spotlight whenever possible, whatever the circumstance.
James Worthy: Steady Star in a Glitzy Town, 1991
Over the past five seasons, Worthy has firmly—if unspectacularly—established himself as one of the NBA’s top forwards.
Jerry Sloan: The Game I’ll Never Forget, 1975
After that season, that group of Bulls never did much. We were a team at the end of the road; age and injuries then tore us apart.
What They Say About Lew Alcindor, 1968
What follows is a sampling of what people—players, writers, coaches, and teammates—have to say about Lew Alcindor.
Ralph Sampson: Why He Can’t Be a Winner in Houston, 1986
The fact is that while Sampson may stand 7-4, his game has never been that of a traditional low-post center.
The Flops of the Game, 1976
No longer will a particularly ruthless assault on the basketball court be known as “a flagrant foul.” Henceforth it shall be known as a “Cowens.”
From Way Downtown 