Articles by Martin Fenn (207)
Michael Jordan usually provided the heroics during the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s. However, His Airness was on the bench when the Bulls launched a comeback during Game 6 of the 1992 NBA Finals. His replacement, Bob Hansen, made two plays to start the run and help the Bulls erase a 15-point deficit.
Former Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson loved journeyman forward Ed Nealy and said he belonged among the NBA coaching ranks? Naturally, Nealy got a job on his staff, right? Nope. Instead, Nealy became a car salesman, despite having strong endorsements from the likes of Jackson and Jerry Krause.
Larry Bird has always had a certain gravitas about him. The former Boston Celtics star was one of the most definitive players in the 1980s and indeed the entire decade. Bird had an aura even as he made the transitioning to coaching in 1997, prompting some of his players to label him a God-like figure.
The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1997 Western Conference semifinals, prompting Jazz center Greg Ostertag to unload with some trash talk. According to Karl Malone, then-Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal responded by smacking Ostertag in the face the following preseason after a brief confrontation. Ostertag was never the same.
Andrew Bynum suffered a small tear in his right meniscus during the 2010 NBA Playoffs, which threatened to derail the Los Angeles Lakers' title hopes. But Kobe Bryant, who played through injuries his entire career, had no sympathy for the young center. He fully expected Bynum to play through the pain.
Following an offseason full of questions and an abundance of trade rumors, the Portland Trail Blazers have officially begun preparations under first-year head coach Chauncey Billups. Star point guard Damian Lillard, a subject of ample trade chatter, offered encouraging insights into Billups' coaching style, which could pay big dividends for the Blazers.
Richard Jefferson had the privilege of playing with a host of All-Stars during his 17-year NBA career, including the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Yet the current ESPN NBA analyst shockingly said former Nets teammate Vince Carter is the “most talented” player he has ever seen in all his time watching hoops.
Larry Bird's career arc was on a downward trajectory when Scottie Pippen was only just establishing a strong foothold in the NBA. But Pip's defensive abilities were enough to impress Bird, who called Scottie one of his toughest individual matchups. Indeed, Pippen became one of the best defenders in NBA history.
Isiah Thomas was the heart and soul of the Detroit Pistons dynasty. But while Thomas had his share of heroics during his career, a bench player nicknamed “Microwave” was the one to put an end to any doubt that those Pistons were one of the greatest teams ever.
The TNT crew held an ultimate fantasy draft during All-Star weekend in 2011. It got off to a humorous start when Charles Barkley drafted Allen Iverson over Michael Jordan with the No. 1 overall pick after failing to understand the concept and thinking the panel was drafting for an All-Star game. Chuck being Chuck.