There has been a great deal of hype since the merger of the two leagues to the effect that things have never been better, either on or off the floor. “All the stars are under one roof,” they say. That’s true, but the question is: What game are they playing?
Tag Archives: Bob Ryan
Bill Walton: Appreciating Perfection, 1986
Fans mostly see results, which is why the Moses Malones and Artis Gilmores of the world appeal far more to the uneducated than to the aficionados. Coaches look at Bill Walton the way young actors look at Laurence Olivier. They don’t know whether to be more impressed by what he knows or what he intuits.
Robert Parish: Hail to the Chief, 1994
He’s all over the NBA record book, of course, even if he doesn’t either know or care about such things. Going into the season, he was second in games played, fifth in blocks, seventh in minutes played, and ninth in field goals made and rebounds.
The Fabulous Fifth, 1976
What do you say after you’ve seen the greatest game of professional basketball ever played? That there should’ve been two winners?
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.
The NBA’s Five Toughest Arenas, 1975
Despite the inexorable march of progress, some places in the league are still tougher to play in than others.
Bob McAdoo: Was He a One-Man Basketball Revolution? 1975
McAdoo is dangerous near the basket, but he also gets a lot of points on 15 and 20-foot jump shots, which he unleashes with a noticeable snap of the wrist, rather than a pushing maneuver.
Who’s the Greatest?—Bird, Magic, or MJ, 1988
Dissecting greatness: Arguing for and against three NBA icons.
From Way Downtown 