2022-23 NBA Random Thoughts thread, Volume XIX: Perfectly Balanced, as All Things Should Be

[Kstat]

Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same.

What a turnaround from last season. The Warriors' original core, given up for dead by many, turned the clock back to 2015 and won their 4th championship. Now they're back on top, and the rest of the league seems to be crumbling. The Suns, Celtics and Mavericks each seem weaker than last season, and the Jazz have thrown in the towel. Who's going to stop into that void in 2023? The upgraded Cavs or TWolves? Can the Grizzlies and Nuggets stay healthy enough in April and May to get to June? Can the Nets remain together for more than a month, or do the Bucks bounce back from their 2nd round defeat and re-gain their title?

Golden State is back on top, but for how long?

To start us on our journey, the player who worse 19 the best, one of the best inside/outside centers of all time, Willis Reed.

Previous threads:


2004-05: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...ad-nba-edition
2005-06: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...s-05-06-thread
2006-07: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...ghts-2006-2007
2007-08: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...v-a-new-season
2008-09: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...ghts-2008-2009
2009-10: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...the-jedi-again
2010-11: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...dvent-children
2011-12: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...s-the-8th-i-am
2012-13: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...-ix-ode-to-joy
2013-14: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...-miami-s-crown
2014-15: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...wties-are-cool
2015-16: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...ttack-eyebrows
2016-17: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...me-kingslayers
2017-18: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...r-second-place
2018-19: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...mazing-fantasy
2019-20: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...against-itself
2020-21: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...up-to-meet-you
2021-22: https://www.pacersdigest.com/forum/t...2-season-omaha

[DisplacedKnick]

I get nostalgic for the Golden Age of Centers sometimes. So much depth at the position behind Russell, Chamberlain and Jabbar. Willis was an example, Bob Lanier, Nate Thurmond. Even players like Sam Lacey back in the day.

"Where have all the centers gone?
Long Time Passing
Where have all the centers gone?
Long Time ago

GMs
Looked for the 3 shot every one

Young men
All behind that line

Teammates
On the perimeter everyone"

With apologies to Pete Seeger

[BobbyMac]

I get nostalgic for the Golden Age of Centers sometimes. So much depth at the position behind Russell, Chamberlain and Jabbar. Willis was an example, Bob Lanier, Nate Thurmond. Even players like Sam Lacey back in the day.

"Where have all the centers gone?
Long Time Passing
Where have all the centers gone?
Long Time ago

GMs
Looked for the 3 shot every one

Young men
All behind that line

Teammates
On the perimeter everyone"

With apologies to Pete Seeger

Let's not forget other centers that had great careers, Like Walt Bellamy who came out of IU to become one of the best centers in the NBA.

Bellamy had a stellar 14-year career in the NBA, and was the NBA first overall draft pick in 1961. Bellamy was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1962 after having arguably one of the three greatest rookie seasons in NBA history along with Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.^[4] His 31.6 points per game average that season is second all-time for a rookie to Wilt Chamberlain's 37.6, and the 19 rebounds per game he averaged that season is the third-best all-time rookie mark (to Chamberlain's 27 and Bill Russell's 19.6). No NBA rookie has since surpassed Bellamy's 973 field goals during the 1961–62 season. Bellamy also led the NBA in field goal percentage in his rookie season, and had a 23-point, 17-rebound performance in the 1962 NBA All-Star Game.

Members of the 1963–64 Baltimore Bullets, from left to rightː Rod Thorn, Charles Hardnett, Walt Bellamy, Gus Johnson, and Terry Dischinger. Thorn, Bellamy and Johnson were elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

In the 1964–65 season, Bellamy scored 30 points and 37 rebounds in a win against the St. Louis Hawks. His 37 rebounds was his career-high in rebounds. Bellamy played with the Chicago Packers, which became the Baltimore Bullets, for his first four seasons before he was traded to the New York Knicks for Johnny Green, Johnny Egan, Jim Barnes, and cash a few games into the 1965–66 season.

Due to trades to teams with offset game schedules during the 1968–69 season when he was traded (with Howard Komives) from the Knicks to the Detroit Pistons for Dave DeBusschere, Bellamy set a still-standing record for NBA games played in a single season with 88, playing 35 games with the Knicks and 53 with the Pistons. He later played for several seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, and finished his career with the New Orleans Jazz.

Bellamy ended his NBA career with 20,941 points and 14,241 rebounds, and is a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, being inducted in 1993 for his individual career, and in 2010 as a member of the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team.^[5]

[Basketball Fan]

[PacerDude]

^^ Big deal.

THOUSANDS of people in Florida lost everything in the last few days.

Those are the people that should be getting attention. Not an announcer.

[Basketball Fan]

^^ Big deal.

THOUSANDS of people in Florida lost everything in the last few days.

Those are the people that should be getting attention. Not an announcer.

I can’t tell if it’s sarcasm or you’re serious. This is a random thoughts for basketball thread

[Banta]

^^ Big deal.

THOUSANDS of people in Florida lost everything in the last few days.

Those are the people that should be getting attention. Not an announcer.

And tens of thousands will attempt to defraud their insurer in the coming months. Get a clue. Tragedy is tragedy.

[Kstat]

^^ Big deal.

THOUSANDS of people in Florida lost everything in the last few days.

Those are the people that should be getting attention. Not an announcer.

And hundreds of children die from cancer every day. Why should I care about someone losing a house?

This isn’t a competition. Treating it like one is gross.

[dal9]

and Chris Denari can't even afford a house! he lives in an apartment drinking tap water. at least Breen had a house once.

[Kstat]

That poor dog, having to sleep on the couch every night…

[BringJackBack]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185379554312?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=axfKrjYiRv-&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=JgnXFJSoTQa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I picked this Unique All Stars Mel Daniels jersey up on eBay for $35 dollars. New with tags. Does this seem like a good deal? I'm debating whether to wear it or to keep it with it's tags on.

[SaintLouisan]

and Chris Denari can't even afford a house! he lives in an apartment drinking tap water. at least Breen had a house once.

Does he really? Different strokes for different folks I suppose but it saddens me if the Pacers play-by-play guy enjoys my living standards...maybe he just hates yardwork.

[dal9]

Does he really? Different strokes for different folks I suppose but it saddens me if the Pacers play-by-play guy enjoys my living standards...maybe he just hates yardwork.

lol, no, i have no idea...except for the tap water part

[BobbyMac]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18537955431...mis&media=COPY
I picked this Unique All Stars Mel Daniels jersey up on eBay for $35 dollars. New with tags. Does this seem like a good deal? I'm debating whether to wear it or to keep it with it's tags on.

Sounds like a great deal to me. If you don't want it I'll give you $40 for it.

[SaintLouisan]

lol, no, i have no idea...except for the tap water part

Lol damn it, well I knew the tap water part was accurate so I feared the worst.