Revisiting Shawn Kemp for Vin Baker

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By popular demand, we are going to do an examination of the October 1997 three-way trade where the Sonics sent their star power forward Shawn Kemp to Cleveland and received back Vin Baker (the Bucks, acting as an intermediary, received Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill from Cleveland).  This trade portended imminent decline for both the Sonics and Kemp.   The story, in brief, is that Kemp was angry about his contract and forced a trade.  When the trade happened, Kemp and Baker both … [Read more...] about Revisiting Shawn Kemp for Vin Baker

Revisiting Michael Jordan’s 63-Point Game

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Hard as it is to believe, we are now at the 40th anniversary of the highest scoring playoff game in NBA history: Michael Jordan’s 63-point masterpiece against the Celtics.  The story of the game is well known.  Boston would prevail in double-overtime and Larry Bird famously remarked that the performance was “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”   A lot of good stuff has been written and broadcast about this game but I thought there was a little bit of meat on the bone to gnaw at.  With … [Read more...] about Revisiting Michael Jordan’s 63-Point Game

NBA Playoffs 2025-26 Quick Thoughts

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The playoffs are here again, and it’s time to examine some of the key questions that stand out—FAQ style…. Yes, the Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites, but are they prohibitive favorites? OKC lapped the field again, going 64–18 despite some key injuries and a general sense that they eased up after their amazing start. Their 2024–25 squad had the best SRS ever.  This team ranks “only” sixth best in NBA history. For a little context, here are the top ten SRS teams and how they fared in the … [Read more...] about NBA Playoffs 2025-26 Quick Thoughts

Revisiting Wilt’s Knee Injury Comeback

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Last night, ten months after a catastrophic Achilles injury, Jayson Tatum made his amazing return to the court.  He put up 15 points, 12 boards, and 7 assists in only 27 minutes.  While it is premature to say Tatum is totally back to pre-injury form, early returns are quite encouraging.  In our current argumentative culture, the question came up whether this return is the most impressive return from major injury.   I’m agnostic on this question but it did inspire me to go back and … [Read more...] about Revisiting Wilt’s Knee Injury Comeback

The Allen Iverson 76ers FAQ

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It’s hard to believe but the 76ers’ last Finals appearance is going on its 25th anniversary.  I thought this would be a good time to go back and do a moderate dive on the 2000-01 76ers, a gritty group built around Allen Iverson and a bunch of role players.  If you don’t recall, the 76ers won 56 games and gutted through two seven-game series before getting stomped by the Shaq-Kobe Lakers in the Finals.  Credit was given primarily to Iverson, monster scorer, and coach Larry Brown, who harnessed … [Read more...] about The Allen Iverson 76ers FAQ

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