bobkuska

Ollie Johnson: For Ollie Does, 1975

When it comes to playing, Ollie can be easily overlooked by the fans. But he never has been overlooked by those who know the game.

Elvin Hayes: The Meaning of the Letter E, 1982

“I’ve achieved. I would be backtracking to compare myself with the younger players in the league today. They’re still trying to prove what I already have achieved.”

Abdul-Jabbar Remains Kareem of the Crop, 1983

“His skyhook is still the cruise missile of the NBA. But we need to shore up in the areas where we’re weakest, and they happen to be in areas where he can also dominate.”

Wes Unseld: Oh, That Knee, 1974

“I was put in a cast, came back and played some, and then went back in a cast. I said, ‘Damn, somebody is not telling me something.’

Kevin Porter: The Game I’ll Never Forget, 1979

I was happy, too. Of course, I had reason to be happy. Having a game with a total productivity of 80 points doesn’t happen very often.

Rick Robey: The Ultimate Backup Center, 1982

Adjustment to the life of a sub requires a subjugation, not abandonment, of ambition, and it appears that Robey has acquired the perfect professional attitude.

New York Knicks: The Last Trip Was No Different, 1977

The Knicks had played their final home game at Madison Square Garden last Thursday night, then left for Buffalo, the first stop of the two-game trip that would bring an end to their season.

Billy McGill: Over the Hill, In the Valley, and Rising Up Again, 1977

McGill was back on the street. He called Walter Kennedy, then the NBA commissioner, asking whether he had any pension funds due him. He did not; he had not played long enough. “I called collect,” he said, “and I had to look around for a dime.

Joe Hassett: A Sonar Salute, 1979 – 1981

Some guy inbounded the ball to Hassett. He shot it with a flick, as it were a free-throw. Only it was a 28-footer, and was quite good.

Chewing the Fat with Fatty Taylor

Believe me, I stopped guys. I didn’t slow them down; I stopped them. I didn’t think nobody could score on me—until I ran into a guy named Calvin Murphy.