memorable notes from open court

memorable notes from open court of NBA TV.

Kenny Smith(most embarrassing):  When he was a kid, he played a close game.  Close to the end of game, Kenny's team was up for a point or two.  Coach called a timeout, and said to his players, "now, now, we are just going to sit on the ball."  Young Kenny never heard of this phrase before, but Coach gave no time for question.  Right after Young Kenny got the ball on the court, he immediately put the ball on the ground and sat on it!  The whole court was laughing, including the coach!  After the game, coach said to Young Kenny, "well, one thing for sure, kid, you are coachable!"

Reggie Miller(storyteller):  After Michael Jordan retired from the second repeat triple Championships, Pacers was visiting Chicago the first time.  Very close to the end, Reggie made a three pointers right in front of Steve Kerr with one second left. Reggie came to the center court and thought, "I'm like Michael Jordan is not around, I am the new face of shooting guards in the league.  So I bowed at half court to the audience in Chicago stadium...and everyone is booing..."   Phil Jackson took a timeout, then the Scottie Pippen brought the ball up and gave the ball to Tony Kukoc.  Tony immediately shot a three pointer as Reggie Miller was guarding him.  Reggie saw the ball went above him and through the net.  Right after the buzzer sounded, look who's running after Reggie, and bowed right at him?  It's little Steve Kerr! 

 Shaquille O'Neal(Hakeem or Patrick): Hakeem has evreything....most other players have at best one or two moves, but Hakeem was very unpredictable on the block.   ...And mentally he is a guy you couldn't break, like all the other guys, if I said anything on the paper, especially the Georgetown boys....you know, if you say something to Hakeem, or throw Hakeem an elbow, and he just looked at you and said(Shaq with an imitation of Hakeem's smile), "nice move, big fellow."  /////  Patrick was mean, you know, all the Georgetown guys were mean. 

Vanished big man:  first stats is that Shaq was the only big man to be in the 5 top scorers in the last 15 years.  So where's all the big man? 

1.  European big men have different style.  When they came into NBA, the big men has to evolve as well.  European big men was taught to face the basket, like a forward, when they were young.  Steve Smith said that nowadays coaches teach big men to play facing the basket, not many people still teaching back to the basket, or post moves. 

2.  The game has evolved to become so fast.  Most big men cannot survive, or at least unable to dominate both ends. 

3.  Historically, there are not many big man anyway.  As Charles Buckley and Steve Kerr pointed out, really big man are rare. 

4.  Yao was a great player, if he's injured free, he will be come one of the best players in NBA history. 

5.  Shaq could stay healthy through his career is really amazing.