ACC Country

I’m not an NBA fan. I really haven’t been much of one since my days of working at the bowling alley seven years ago where I watched everything that was on TV because that’s what we did there. And I haven’t been a regular follower of the league since Jordan bowed out in ‘98. (The second comeback NEVER happened.) The last game I watched beginning to end was the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinal with the huge Iverson/Carter showdown, when Vince graduated from Carolina in the morning and made it to Philly by gametime, only to miss the game winning jumper at the horn. I’ve kept up with the league in passing since, but I haven’t bothered wasting too much time with it since. That being said…

The NBA Playoffs are STACKED this season. Tons of storylines: Boston/LA, the Spurs dynasty, Phoenix trying to get over the hump, can LeBron carry Cleveland to the Finals again, the resurgence of the Hornets behind Chris Paul… it goes on and on. Knowing how much awesome stuff might happen this spring, I decided last week that I was going to make an honest effort to watch some games and attempt to enjoy what should be a spectacular playoff season for the Association.

So I tuned into the CLASSIC Spurs/Suns game over the weekend. Good stuff. Duncan hitting the bomb, Nash hitting his own while falling into the crowd, and then Ginobli putting it away with the layup in traffic. But I just could not get past the incessant music BLARING over the PA every single possession. It wasn’t just annoying; it was DISTRACTING, and it detracted a LOT from my viewing experience. I don’t mind the “DE-FENSE” or the MSG organ or even the old “buzzzzzzzzzzzz” at the Bee Hive in Charlotte when the Hornets were on a run, but the random beats and hip-pop music every time down was beyond lame. I mean, we’re in OT and the music’s just a going as Parker brings the ball up. What a joke.

So, with that in mind, I present to you my personal NBA Playoff memories from back when the league had credibility with me. In chronological order:

1. Larry Bird and the Celtics closing out the Twin Towers and the Rockets in 1986. If you are like me, you remember random things from your childhood. This was my first NBA memory, the parents allowing 4 year old me to stay up late and sleep on the pull out couch, and I utilized the privilege by watching the NBA Finals.

2. Magic beats Boston with the baby sky hook over McHale. A year later, but I also remember where I was when this happened… at my grandparents’ house in upstate New York. I remember distinctly cheering for L.A. because they had Worthy, and I knew he had played for Carolina. That’s what good fathers do with their children: teach them about the Tar Heels. Also of note, while everyone remembers Magic’s shot, not as many people remember the Celtics having a shot to win the game, and Bird’s three pointer hitting the rim about 40 times and somehow rattling out. Game 4, 1987 NBA Finals, one of the best ever.

3. The Shot. There is no more resonant moment in NBA history to me than Michael Jordan beating the Cavs at the buzzer in the old Richfield Coliseum on a May afternoon in 1989 to send Chicago to the second round of the playoffs. I remember watching this game in the living room of our house in Myrtle Beach and walking out of the house in disgust/nervousness after Craig Ehlo gave the Cavs the lead on the nifty give and go inbounds pass and layup with three seconds left. However, I came back in the house too soon, and we all know what happened from there. I probably practiced that shot a million times on my mini goal in the driveway after that day.

4. The Bad Boys Walk Off. It was good times at my house when the Bulls FINALLY vanquished the hated Pistons to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in 1991. However, the food for the soul wasn’t the victory, but the classless Bad Boys – led by Isaiah himself – walking off the court before the game was over like a bunch of punk bullies who just had their teeth knocked in for the first time. It was good vs. evil, and this Detroit’s little tantrum proved it, and finally, the good guys had prevailed.

5. Sam Perkins Beats the Bulls in Game 1. One of the more traumatic NBA memories I have – growing up a Bulls fan because of Jordan, there were few – is Game One of the ‘91 Finals. The Bulls led late, but got trumped by Tar Heel Sam Perkins draining a three with only seconds left. The formula was simple: give it to MJ and let him win the game. Jordan got the shot he wanted, but, much like Bird’s shot in ‘87, it rattled every which way but in, and L.A. pulled the upset at Chicago Stadium. I was worried for the Bulls then, but the Lakers didn’t win another game, and Chicago closed them out in five at the Forum.

6. The Shrug. No explanation necessary for the most dominant half of basketball in Finals history. Bonus memory included in that video: the Bulls intro. At the age of ten, that was the coolest thing in the world.

7. The John Starks Dunk. Sure, the knicks had the better regular season record and had home court advantage, but they weren’t gonna give Chicago much trouble in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. But lo and behold, New York took the first two games at MSG, highlighted by Starks’ jam over Horace Grant.

8. “…Smith stopped AGAIN!” Marv Albert on the call of the symbolism of the Bulls/Knicks rivalry in the early 90’s: Game Five of the ‘93 ECF. The Knicks – Charles Smith in this case – tried and tried, but Chicago kept knocking them away like flies. Smith went up FOUR times for a lay in and got rejected by Grant, Jordan, and twice by Pippen. What was a 2-0 NY lead in the series was now 3-2 Chicago and the Bulls inevitably closed it out at Chicago Stadium in Game Six.

9. The ‘93 Finals. My peak of NBA fandom because really, was it any better than this? So many moments in this series. Pippen throwing the ball in off Ainge’s back for the dunk. Jordan getting 55 in Game Four. Dan Majerle going off from behind the arc. (LOVED Thunder Dan!) Charles vs. MJ. Jordan and Ainge going at it and getting teed up. The triple OT game in Chicago with the busted alleyoop to Grant that Phoenix somehow won to take the series back to the desert. And of course, the EPIC Game Six with Paxson’s winner and Ho Grant’s block on KJ as time expired. Bonus points for the video because it has a classic “YES! AND IT COUNTS!” from Marv.

10. Denver Defeats Seattle. I still don’t know how THAT Seattle team lost to the Nuggets, but they did. The shot of Mutombo holding the ball over his head on the floor is awesome.

11. KJ Dunks on Hakeem. Was still into the NBA in the first post-Jordan era, and this dunk was a HUGE hit among me and my friends. Little bitty Kevin Johnson going up and over the towering Olajuwon was just insane.

12A. (I missed this one as I was typing. Sue me, it’s 1:30am.) Bulls/Knicks ‘94. Could the Knicks defeat Chicago without Jordan? There was a brawl right in front of commisioner Stern at the Stadium. Scottie pitched a fit when he didn’t get the last shot, and then Kukoc drained it anyway, and we had the HORRENDOUS Hue Hollins game in which (former Tar Heel) Hubert Davis was “fouled” by Scottie Pippen at the end of Game Five, the two free throws being the difference in the game, when replays showed Scottie never even touched him. Knicks win in seven, but it would have an asterisk next to it.

12B. Knicks/Pacers I. The lack of Jordan in the playoffs was a downer, but this ECF series made up for a lot of it. Just a classic nasty series, with Reggie Miller stepping up into superstar status with his 25 point fourth quarter in Game Five at MSG to swing the series back Indiana’s way. But the Knicks rallied and won in seven, with Miller missing the game winner in the closing seconds.

13. The Bronco Chase. This HAS to go on the list, even though it has NOTHING to do with the NBA other than the fact that this surreal scene went down during Game Five of the ‘94 Finals. Nothing actually happened, but it was far more entertaining than that hideous Rockets/Knicks series.

14. Knicks/Pacers II. This was the one with the famous 8 points in 9 seconds or whatever it was, as Miller single-handedly took over the game in the last minute to give Indiana the win. I was at Eastdale Mall here in Montgomery watching that game.  Again, why i remember that, I have no idea.  The series went seven, and this time, it was the Pacers getting the duke in Game Seven, as Ewing – in classic Ewing fashion – missed at the buzzer which would’ve forced OT.

15. Nick Anderson Chokes. Classic case of “you gotta make your free throws.” Orlando has the game in hand, up three with the ball with less than ten seconds left. But Anderson misses not one, not two, but FOUR free throws when just one would’ve put the game on ice. Tar Heel Kenny Smith ties it on the other end with a three, and Houston steals the game in OT. And the series went down the tubes from there as the Rockets swept the Magic to successfully defend their championship.

16. Chicago Sweeps the Magic. Just a beatdown of the young guys from Orlando who were supposed to be the next big thing. The best team of all time showed them what it was all about and sent Shaq packing for Hollywood. Good times for me personally cause I had Magic fans in my homeroom class and it was this Bulls team that led to me and fellow classmate Eric being best friends to this day.

17A. (I missed another one.) The Jazz/Rockets WCF. Eddie Johnson ties the series at two at the horn in Houston, running down the court with his hands up in the air. Always reminded me of an NCAA Tournament game. However, the Rockets would be trumped when the series came back to Houston, because John Stockton had a little buzzer beating magic of his own, this one to win Game Six and the series.

17B. The ‘97 Finals. Close behind the ‘93 Finals for favorite NBA series ever. Jordan’s buzzer beater. (That after alleged MVP Karl Malone missed two free throws that would’ve given the Jazz the lead.) Utah tying the series in dramatic fashion. The FLU GAME! And Steve Kerr winning the title in Game Six. Just epic, capped off by the Jordan MVP banner being unfurled at the United Center, mocking Malone’s banner back in Utah.

18. Bulls/Pacers ‘98. Everyone knew that this was it for the Bulls and Jordan was going to likely retire after the season, so we didn’t want it to end. But the Pacers gave Chicago everything they could handle, with Reggie Miller hitting the game winner in Game Four with the jump around in circles celebration to tie the series, and then forcing Game Seven – the first time Jordan had played a Game Seven since ‘92. The champs looked vulnerable, and quite frankly, old. Pippen was banged up and people began to wonder if this was how it was destined to end. But the Bulls stood tall and won the deciding game in Chicago setting up the Finals rematch with…

19. One More Round. If not the Pacers, could Utah exact some revenge on Jordan & Co. for the ‘97 loss? The answer ended up being “no.” A good, but not great series, with a spectacular conclusion, which nobody remembers would’ve been even MORE spectacular had Jordan’s 40 footer fell at the end of Game Five. However, the series trekked back to Salt Lake City, and we all know what happened then.

20. Sean Elliott tiptoes the sideline. Enter my “keep up with the league by necessity” phase, as I saw this one at the bowling alley. But what a shot. After trailing the entire game, San Antonio wins the game on the “Memorial Day Miracle.”

21. The Blazers Collapse. Kobe to Shaq and it literally blows the roof off the Staples Center. How Portland blew a 16 point 4th quarter lead is beyond me, but this is the game that not only kicked off the Laker dynasty, but set the wheels in motion for Kobe to become THE guy in the league for this decade.

22. Reggie Misses. Watched this one with a big crowd at work and everyone thought it was going down. But it didn’t, L.A. went up 3-1, and ultimately closed out Indy in six back in Hollywood.

23. Iverson vs. Carter. The end of my NBA fandom. AI and VC each went for 50 in one game and it all culminated in Philly for Game Seven, and somehow the team with Kevin Ollie won. Vince’s brick ended 15 years of NBA joy for me.

I’m trying to find it once again, but first returns – despite the incredible Spurs/Suns game – are not looking positive.