Hoops4theSoul

Oct

12

NBA Rookie Showdown: Nick Fazekas versus Aaron Gray

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Aaron Gray Has Looked Good Thus Far for the Chicago BullsHe entered late in the first quarter, making the collective stomach of Bulls fans drop upon sight. Back in the 2001 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected current Dallas Maverick Trenton Hassell with the first pick of the second round and Gilbert Arenas still available. The Golden State Warriors would naturally pick Arenas immediately after the Bulls, with then-ESPN commentator and current Louisville Head Basketball Coach Rick Pitino saying that Arenas had the chance to be one of those real special players drafted in the second round.

Pitino would prove to be a profit as Arenas would go on to be one of the most dynamic scorers and personalities in the league after tearing it up in two seasons at the University of Arizona. Hassell would essentially become a journeyman, bouncing from Chicago to the Minnesota Timberwolves to now the Mavericks in his seventh NBA season. Once again, Chicago General Manager Jerry Krause tried to find a diamond in the rough; in trying to be smarter than he was, Krause passed up on one of the best players in the game.

And then there was tonight’s game.

by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com



Oct

12

On This Day in Basketball History — 1979

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Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Made Their NBA Debuts on This Day in 1979
Twenty eight years ago today, the two players who would save basketball and issue in the greatest era in NBA history played in their first professional game. Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson each made their professional debuts on October 12, 1979, with both playing in games featuring memorable shots. Celtics guard Chris Ford would hit the first three pointer in NBA history in the first quarter of Boston’s 114-106 victory over the Houston Rockets. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, would hit a sky hook at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 103-102 victory over the San Diego Clippers and send Johnson into a frenzy. Magic would eventually calm down and do big things during his rookie season, which included his first of five NBA championships. Bird would win the 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year award and then lead Boston to the title in his second season.

by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com



Oct

12

On This Day in Basketball History — 1970

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Charlie Ward Was a National Champion and Heisman Trophy Winner at Florida State UniversityEarlier today, ESPN Classic aired the memorable 1993 football game between Boston College and Notre Dame. That game, of course, took place a week after the “Game of the Century” in which Notre Dame knocked off Florida State and its amazing quarterback Charlie Ward in South Bend during a classic #1 versus #2 match up.

The 31-24 victory over Florida State would catapult Notre Dame to the number-one spot in the nation, that is for a short time. The Irish would be shocked the following week by unranked Boston College. Both Notre Dame and Florida State would finish with one loss that season. Florida State would be controversially crowned National Champions after its 18-16 victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. To the dismay of its fan base, Notre Dame would finish number two in the final Associated Press poll after a Cotton Bowl victory against Texas A&M.

After leading the Seminoles to a national title and passing for 3,032 yards en route to the 1993 Heisman Trophy, Ward would pass up on an NFL career and pursue basketball, which he also played at the school.

Ward would get drafted by the New York Knicks at the end of the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft and go on to have a solid, 11-year career in the league.

by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com



Oct

12

NBA Preseason Basketball: Dallas Mavericks versus Chicago Bulls

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The Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls Square Off at the United CenterThe Chicago Bulls open the home portion of its preseason schedule in about twenty minutes against the Dallas Mavericks. Whenever the Bulls and Mavs play at the United Center, Hoops 4 the Soul thinks back to the epic battle between the teams during the 1994-1995 season.

That year was, of course, the first season that the Bulls played in the United Center after retiring the legendary Chicago Stadium. Anyways, the Bulls and Mavs squared off on WGN on November 12, 1994 in a thrilling overtime game.

Dallas would eke out a 124-120 victory (remember when the NBA featured such high-scoring games) with its young triumvirate of Jamal Mashburn, Jim Jackson and Jason Kidd shining. Mashburn would drop 50 points on Chicago while Jackson would chip in with 38 points. Rookie Jason Kidd was, well, typical Jason Kidd, falling two rebounds and an assist and point away from a triple-double. The Bulls were led by Scottie Pippen’s 26 points while Toni Kukoc and a surprising Will Perdue each had 19 points.

by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com