How would you like to guard Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for two straight basketball games, mano a mano, no one in between? How tired would you be?
Tag Archives: 1980s NBA
Dennis Johnson: Committed, 1985
Dennis Johnson has matured through the seasons. His emotions now do not erupt at coaches, they are channeled into his superlative all-around game.
In Search of . . . Ralph Sampson, 1988
Sampson said soon after the trade, the best piece of advice he received upon entering the NBA was never to unpack your bags.
Dawning of the Age of Ralph Sampson, 1984
Now, like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and, to a lesser extent, Bill Walton, Sampson is expected to usher in an era of his own—“The Age of Sampson.”
Which Game is Better: College or Pro? 1990
No one is about to argue the relative abilities of college and NBA players. Still, there is a certain unpredictability to the college game that the NBA, in the end, can never seem to generate.
Cedric Maxwell: A Late-Bloomer Who Made Good, 1981
Much has gone into the making of Cedric Maxwell, the very efficient power forward for the Celtics who emerged as one of the NBA’s superstars with his brilliance in the playoffs.
Don Nelson: Respect, 1991
Nelson’s mind, always active, always involved, sometimes moves in surprising directions.
Earl Strom: NBA’s Oldest Referee Does It His Way, 1982
Earl Strom officiates with his whistle in his hand. His partner, Joe Gushue, wore his on a lanyard. Strom suggested that Gushue remove the lanyard before they reach the exit, so that fans couldn’t get such an easy hold of him.
Bill Willoughby: Playing One-on-None, 1990
Trouble with agents, trouble with coaches, trouble with people to whom he gave his trust has accompanied Willoughby throughout his basketball career like a persistent little sister.
Forever on Tryout, 1980
Every time a man is waived, the odds of finding a job in the NBA decrease. Deserved or not, he gets a book, a rep that he can’t shake.
From Way Downtown 