A cornerstone of the ’80s Celtics dynasty and an all-time great sixth man, he could score at will in the paint and defend with the best of them; later had mixed results as a coach, general manager, and broadcaster
FEATURED LISTS
Reign of terror: 19 disastrous tenures from NBA general managers
Player hater’s ball: Eight players who have antagonized an city’s entire fan base
Locking down, shut out: 25 great NBA defenders who never earned DPOY
Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate
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- Antagonizing Lakers fans
- Appearance in “The Weapon Rap” Converse commercial
- As great defender who never earned Defensive Player of the Year
- As television broadcaster
- Championship winner on Celtics (1981, 1984, 1986)
- Clotheslining Kurt Rambis (game four, 1984 NBA Finals)
- General manager of Timberwolves
- Never played in the NCAA Tournament
- On ’85-’86 Boston Celtics (greatest teams)
- One of the greatest players of the ’80s
- Returning as head coach of Timberwolves
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FULL archive
Locking down, shut out: 25 great NBA defenders who never earned DPOY
Defense can be an essential but thankless job in the NBA as these 25 players can attest. Each of them was renowned for their defensive ability but never enough to earn Defensive Player of the Year.
Player hater’s ball: Eight players who have antagonized an city’s entire fan base
Being beloved by your hometown faithful is the goal of most basketball players, but some took a special pride in the pure hatred they inspired in opposing fan bases.
Boomshakalaka!: Ranking the 27 rosters from the original NBA Jam (1993 arcade edition)
Let’s grab our roll of quarters and call dibs on next game, because we’re traveling back in time to 1993 to rank the rosters from the original arcade version of NBA Jam, on the 30th anniversary of its initial release.
You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s
We conclude our Totally ’80s series by ranking the 80 greatest players of the decade, based solely on statistics, accolades, and awards compiled between the ’80-’81 and ’88-’89 seasons.
Strictly commercials: 19 memorable television advertisements starring NBA players
One the eve of another Super Bowl, we take a look back at 19 classic, disastrous, and otherwise memorable national television commercials which featured NBA superstars.
Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate
As part of our Totally ’80s series, we rank the 21 players who won a championship in 1981, 1984, and/or 1986 as a teammate of Larry Bird on the Celtics.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss: 22 NBA coaches who had multiple stints with the same franchise
Following their firing, re-signing, retiring, or demotion, these 22 coaches came back to the same NBA franchise a second time, often inexplicably and usually with diminishing returns.
Instant classics: 75 greatest games in NBA history
All the ultimate barn burners, buzzer beaters, back-and-forth battles, incredible moments, and individual dominance are present in this list of the 75 greatest games in NBA history.
Reign of terror: 19 disastrous tenures from NBA general managers
Unconscionable signings, lopsided trades, unexplainable draft picks, and perplexing personnel decisions are the hallmarks of the eras detailed below, where a general manager put together a performance so dreadful, they arguably set the franchise back years of development.
I can’t dance: 15 greatest NBA players who (played in Division I but) never reached the NCAA Tournament
Several likely 2020 lottery picks, like Obi Toppen, Cole Anthony, and Vernon Carey, were denied an opportunity to experience March Madness before reaching the NBA when the 2020 NCAA Tournament was cancelled. At least they’ll be in good company, joining these 15 NBA superstars who played Division I college basketball but never in the ultimate postseason.
Missed connections: 19 blockbuster NBA trades that almost happened but fell through
Some of the greatest “what if” scenarios in NBA history have been trades that were rumored, agreed to in principle, and maybe even finalized then vetoed, but never happened. Here, we detail 19 of them that would have certainly changed the destiny of the franchises involved, if not the entire league.