70's NBA

[HurricaneDij39]

I wish NBATV would schedule more of these classic games on their station. A lot of parity in the 70's...Good intense, competitive basketball that the millennials of the twitter generation are completely oblivious to. The Celtics (44-38) and Sixers (50-32) weren't world-beating teams in 1977, and they were still largely featured in the most meaningful games of the season.

 

[tlance]

I wish NBATV would schedule more of these classic games on their station. A lot of parity in the 70's...Good intense, competitive basketball that the millennials of the twitter generation are completely oblivious to. The Celtics (44-38) and Sixers (50-32) weren't world-beating teams in 1977, and they were still largely featured in the most meaningful games of the season, but the Heat and Laker cronies of today want to think that parity is bad for the NBA. And yes, the Lakers finished with the league's best record that year with 53 wins with Bill Walton and the Blazers taking home the title.

Well, the NBA was basically irrelevant before Magic and Bird entered the league. Are you sure parity is such a good thing?

 

[llemon]

Well, the NBA was basically irrelevant before Magic and Bird entered the league. Are you sure parity is such a good thing?

They weren't irrelevant to me. 70s NBA and ABA basketball was as exciting, if not more exciting, than any other era of pro ball.

 

[trojanfan12]

They weren't irrelevant to me. 70s NBA and ABA basketball was as exciting, if not more exciting, than any other era of pro ball.

The 70's were a lot of fun and relevant to me too. But the NBA was basically about 1 step above a barnstorming league at that point. They couldn't even get most of their championship games on during prime time. Most of them were on tape delay.

In some ways, I miss those days because pretty much only true fans were paying attention and the game was wide open.

 

[llemon]

The 70's were a lot of fun and relevant to me too. But the NBA was basically about 1 step above a barnstorming league at that point. They couldn't even get most of their championship games on during prime time. Most of them were on tape delay.

In some ways, I miss those days because pretty much only true fans were paying attention and the game was wide open.

The ABA (whom I expect you were referring to) became a real league when Barry jumped. The next season Julius and Artis entered the league, and from the '71-'72 season until the merger, the ABA played much more exciting (and eccentric) basketball than the NBA, which was also going through an era of great basketball.

 

[trojanfan12]

The ABA (whom I expect you were referring to) became a real league when Barry jumped. The next season Julius and Artis entered the league, and from the '71-'72 season until the merger, the ABA played much more exciting (and eccentric) basketball than the NBA, which was also going through an era of great basketball.

Both were basically barnstorming leagues at the time. The ABA was a lot of fun though. Used to like watching their games on the rare occasion that one was televised. That red, white and blue ball was pretty popular at the time.

In the 70's my aunts in Phoenix had season tickets to Suns games. When we'd go out to visit during the season they'd take me to games at the old Madhouse on McDowell. Those were some fun games. Used to get unbelievably loud in there too.

I also went 2 years is a row to Dick Van Arsdale's basketball camp. One year I met Connie Hawkins at the camp which was awesome. He was my favorite player at the time, even though I was already a Lakers fan.

 

[llemon]

Both were basically barnstorming leagues at the time. The ABA was a lot of fun though. Used to like watching their games on the rare occasion that one was televised. That red, white and blue ball was pretty popular at the time.

In the 70's my aunts in Phoenix had season tickets to Suns games. When we'd go out to visit during the season they'd take me to games at the old Madhouse on McDowell. Those were some fun games. Used to get unbelievably loud in there too.

I also went 2 years is a row to Dick Van Arsdale's basketball camp. One year I met Connie Hawkins at the camp which was awesome. He was my favorite player at the time, even though I was already a Lakers fan.

The Suns run to the Finals in '76 was a good ride. Shoulda beat the Celts.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Suns run to the Finals in '76 was a good ride. Shoulda beat the Celts.

Yeah it was. That triple overtime game was ridiculous.

 

[llemon]

Yeah it was. That triple overtime game was ridiculous.

"The shot HEARD 'round the world."

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Well, the NBA was basically irrelevant before Magic and Bird entered the league. Are you sure parity is such a good thing?

Well you keep repeating over and over again like a parrot that Cavs/Warriors was the given finals matchup this season. You sure that's a good thing?

 

[tlance]

Well you keep repeating over and over again like a parrot that Cavs/Warriors was the given finals matchup this season. You sure that's a good thing?

The ratings sure seem to indicate that it is.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

That's Caldwell Jones (RIP) guarding Havlicek on the inbounds play in the vid above...Not a star but a solid player in both leagues for a long time.

This video also provides an example for why Dr. J was an underrated defender (notice the big block on Sidney Wicks)...Everybody was enamored by his dunks, mainly because they were never seen before at the time, but he was good on the other end of the floor as well...

Jo Jo White happened to be at the right place at the right time and hit a tough shot.

 

[tducey]

The league was a different beast in the 70's. Guys lie Jordan, Bird and Magic really saved the league.

 

[llemon]

The league was a different beast in the 70's. Guys lie Jordan, Bird and Magic really saved the league.

Saved the league from what?

 

[trojanfan12]

Saved the league from what?

I'd say...irrelevance. In the 70's, the NBA was a niche sport. It was nowhere close to the level of the NFL and MLB in terms of popularity. It wasn't unusual to have to watch weekday playoff and even championship games at 11:30pm on tape delay. That would never have happened to the Super Bowl or World Series.

Magic and Bird coming into the league eventually moved the NBA from a niche sport to close to even footing with the NFL and MLB. MJ made the game global.

 

[HammerDown]

I'd say...irrelevance. In the 70's, the NBA was a niche sport. It was nowhere close to the level of the NFL and MLB in terms of popularity. It wasn't unusual to have to watch weekday playoff and even championship games at 11:30pm on tape delay. That would never have happened to the Super Bowl or World Series.

Magic and Bird coming into the league eventually moved the NBA from a niche sport to close to even footing with the NFL and MLB. MJ made the game global.

The Magic and Bird rivalry could hardly have been scripted better.

That was the pinnacle of team basketball. The further we get from the '87 Lakers, the worse basketball gets. Those were the days.

 

[llemon]

I'd say...irrelevance. In the 70's, the NBA was a niche sport. It was nowhere close to the level of the NFL and MLB in terms of popularity. It wasn't unusual to have to watch weekday playoff and even championship games at 11:30pm on tape delay. That would never have happened to the Super Bowl or World Series.

Magic and Bird coming into the league eventually moved the NBA from a niche sport to close to even footing with the NFL and MLB. MJ made the game global.

Oh, it was irrelevant to you, not to the millions of fans who followed the NBA in the '70s.

 

[trojanfan12]

Oh, it was irrelevant to you, not to the millions of fans who followed the NBA in the '70s.

Actually, I was a huge NBA fan back in the 70's. I became a die hard Lakers fan in 1970. It's why I know it was a niche sport at that time. I was one of those fans during the 70's and early 80's who was up at 11:30 at night watching on tape delay.

Just because it was relevant to those of us who were following it, doesn't mean it was relevant on the level of the NFL or MLB. It simply wasn't. That's not a knock on the league, it's just the facts of how things were at that time.

 

[llemon]

Actually, I was a huge NBA fan back in the 70's. I became a die hard Lakers fan in 1970. It's why I know it was a niche sport at that time. I was one of those fans during the 70's and early 80's who was up at 11:30 at night watching on tape delay.

Just because it was relevant to those of us who were following it, doesn't mean it was relevant on the level of the NFL or MLB. It simply wasn't. That's not a knock on the league, it's just the facts of how things were at that time.

Sir, Relevance is in the eye of the beholder. I lived and died with Chamberlain's teams, and the last 5 years of the Nets in the NBA.

To me, the NBA is much less relevant than it was in the 70's. It's almost impossible to watch a national broadcast with all the NBA and Networks' shilling going on.

I remember the first time that I watched an NBA national game. and the announcer told the viewers what regular TV programs were coming up next on that particular Network. I was stunned, and it has gone downhill ever since.

And don't tell me Julius Erving was irrelevant.

 

[trojanfan12]

Sir, Relevance is in the eye of the beholder. I lived and died with Chamberlain's teams, and the last 5 years of the Nets in the NBA.

To me, the NBA is much less relevant than it was in the 70's. It's almost impossible to watch a national broadcast with all the NBA and Networks' shilling going on.

I remember the first time that I watched an NBA national game. and the announcer told the viewers what regular TV programs were coming up next on that particular Network. I was stunned, and it has gone downhill ever since.

And don't tell me Julius Erving was irrelevant.

You may have a different definition of relevant than I do. The NBA was irrelevant on a national level because it was largely ignored by much of the country. It wasn't even close to where the NFL and MLB were. Just because it was relevant to you, me and others who followed the sport, doesn't mean it was relevant to the rest of the sports viewing world (aka the majority of sports viewers). Their championship games were often played on tape delay at 11:30 at night. Networks don't do that to relevant sports.

The NBA is more popular today than it has been in it's entire history. That is the opposite of irrelevant. We can talk about the level of team play not being as good, or complain about the commercials or network shilling during games, but those are different conversations. In fact, I'd say that the very fact that networks are showing NBA games in primetime on multiple channels and are shilling their programs during games speaks to how relevant the NBA is now. Networks don't waste time advertising shows that they want people to watch during broadcasts that no one is watching.

Also, I never said Dr. J was irrelevant. A sport can be irrelevant on a national level and still have relevant players. I'd say guys like Wilt, Jerry West, John Havlicek, etc. were also relevant, but the league they played in wasn't at the time. Just because a player is relevant doesn't mean the sport he plays is.