Coach: I need a time to rest
'gets the big bag or potential superteam'
I rest good enough,I miss coaching
NBA: The Difference a Trade Makes
- Thread starter HB62
- Start date
'gets the big bag or potential superteam'
I rest good enough,I miss coaching
1993-94 Season - January, February & March: Sunny in Philadelphia
1993-94 Season - January, February & March: Sunny in Philadelphia
Over the first few months of 1994, a common theme started to emerge across both conferences. This was that there was a big gap between the top teams, the middle of the pack, and the bottom of the pack. This was most evident in the East, where 3 teams streaked away at the top, 3 languished well off the pace at the bottom whilst the rest battled it out to make the playoffs. Top of the pile in the East was the New York Knicks. The Knicks had embarked on a remarkable 17 game winning run across February and March, finally coming unstuck in Miami before bouncing back by thrashing New Jersey in their final game of the month. The Jordan / Hardaway duo was dominating most games, with Jordan averaging over 26 points per game and Hardaway almost 22. There might have been questions about the Knicks record against the other top sides earlier in the season, but a win in Houston, Tampa and Philadelphia as part of their winning run has put that suggestion to bed and they look an ominous force heading into the playoffs. Top of the pile by a long way in the Central division and therefore guaranteed at least 2nd seed are the Tampa Bay Bandits. The Bandits ended March with a shock one point home loss to Toronto, but other than that have been consistently excellent across the whole season. The highlight for Tampa was back to back wins in New York in late January, including a 129-90 thrashing inspired by Chris Mullin. Shawn Kemp and David Robinson are both averaging 20 points and over 10 rebounds per game for Tampa so far this season. Keeping pace with the top two are the 76ers. Philly’s rise back to the top has been rapid since the arrival of Shaquille O’Neal and the development of Sean Elliot. Shaq has averaged over 25 points per game as well as 10 rebounds, The 76ers are well on course to have their best regular season since the championship year of 1983, and you wouldn’t want to play them in the playoffs that’s for sure. The best of the rest behind the runaway three was Cleveland. Last years number one seed in the East had had a much tougher season, with Gary Peyton absent for the whole regular season. At one point they looked in danger of missing out on the playoffs altogether, but a 9 game winning run through March has them safely clear of the cut off line.
Miami’s decision to fire Gregg Popovich and lure Dick Motta back to the NBA has been an inspired one. Having looked like once again missing out before Popovich was let go, the Heat now find themselves well inside the playoff line. They are 33-23 under Motta with Larry Johnson, Rod Strickland and Clyde Drexler all having impressive seasons. Miami’s biggest issue will be their poor record against other teams in the East, which could cause problems assuming they do make their first ever playoff appearance. Indiana Pacers are still inside the top eight, despite a 2-7 run to end March. Billy Owens has been the Pacers’ top performer so far this campaign, as they look to make a third consecutive conference final. It’s possible we may get two of the 1980’s expansion teams in the playoffs in the same season for the first time, with the Charlotte Hornets joining Miami inside the top eight with less than a month left of the season. Rex Chapman has been by far and away the Hornet’s leading scoring, averaging over 8 points per game more than the next best on the roster (Alaa Abdelnaby). The Hornets are without Muggsy Bogues for the next couple of weeks, but if they can get him back before the end of the season then that will be a big boost to their playoff chances. The Atlanta Hawks, having made the playoffs the past eight seasons, have won their last three to leapfrog the two sides below them and into that last spot. Their last two were against sides above them in the East too, in Cleveland and Indiana, showing that if they can sneak their way into the top 8 come the end of the season then once again they will be no pushovers in the playoffs.
Just outside the top 8 comes the Washington Bullets, who have been going the other way to Atlanta with four defeats in their last five. Horace Grant hasn’t quite hit the ground running since his arrival from Detroit, but the Bullets still find themselves within one win of the top eight and will want to make up for the disappointment of missing out last season. Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics are the last team in the East with chances of a postseason appearance this season. The Celtics have been very inconsistent all campaign, evidenced by winning four and losing four of their last eight games. This is due to their struggles in getting a consistent starting 5 game to game, with only Byron Scott and Vlade Divac starting more than 48 games out of their 70 so far this season. The other three in the east, Detroit, Toronto and New Jersey will all be thinking towards next season already.
In the West, the number one seed was already wrapped up. The Houston Rockets were 17 wins ahead of their nearest rivals thanks to an impressive season. The Rockets won 24 of their first 25 games of the season, before falling off a little, most probably due to having no threats from behind for that number one seed. Barkley is currently out through injury but will return for the playoffs, expect Hakeem to get serious minute management to ensure both are ready as they look to avenge last season's finals defeat. The Rocket’s current closest challengers are the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have made an incredible turnaround, sitting at 20-24 at one point and looking likely to miss the playoffs altogether. Improved performances from Ewing, Stockton and Petrovic have seen the Kings rise up the Conference, although in an incredibly tight race they are still not safe from missing out if their form returns to its early season state. Behind Sacramento are the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland’s young side has impressed this season, with rookie Chris Webber and 2nd Year players Alonzo Mourning and Latrell Sprewell all averaging more than 14 ppg. Dallas, like Sacramento, have had to go through a second half of the season improvement in order to avoid an embarrassing regular season exit. The Mavs have gone from a 27-30 record to a 37-35 record in the past month to climb into the top four of the conference for the first time all season.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been the biggest surprise of the season, having sat in the top eight all season long and were as high as second at one point. Having now added Scottie Pippen to partner Brad Daugherty the Clippers have a strong defensive base to support a playoff push and will now legitimately provide stern opposition for whoever they face in the postseason, should they hold onto a spot. The Bulls, like LAC, have been in the top eight all season but are just showing signs of slowing down at the wrong moment. A 2-9 run through February and March has dropped Chicago right into the mix, now just a couple of wins above the cut line. They have the third best points difference in the conference, so appear to have the quality to get over the line but they can’t afford any more bad runs of form. Denver occupy seventh spot currently in the West, but are currently in freefall having lost their last seven. Those defeats include four against teams below them. Denver’s youngsters need to rediscover the form that saw them climb into the top eight in the first place to avoid another year of pain for the Nuggets. There were plenty of rumors that Magic Johnson wouldn’t even see out the season in his first coaching role with the Lakers. The side sat at a poor 21-34 record towards the end of February, but have remarkably won 11 of their last 12 games to now sit in the last playoff spot available. James Worthy and Kelly Tripucka, with a combined age of 68, have led the way for the Lakers and will both need to find any last energy available to get their side over the line.
The Suns have collapsed in recent weeks, allowing the Lakers to climb above them with just one win in their last eleven (against lowly Utah). Whilst that run did include a 38 point thrashing at home to Sacramento, the Suns for the most part haven’t been beaten by big margins and just need a few more baskets dropping to have a chance of a top eight spot. Milwaukee sat at a comfortable 23-16 record at the end of January, looking a sure bet for a return to the playoffs. Since then they’ve won just eight of their next thirty games and now sit a couple of wins outside the playoff positions. They’ve struggled to find any consistent scorers outside Bernard King, and even King has dropped to a 17 points per game average compared to the 22 ppg average he’s had the past few seasons. The Bucks are still in contention, but not for long if their current form continues. Seattle had clawed their way back into playoff contention, having sat in an even worse position than the Lakers at one point. Four defeats to end the month has derailed that progress however and they now need a near flawless April to have a chance of making the top eight. The bottom three : Minnesota, Golden State and Utah are all cut adrift at the bottom, with the Warriors Conference final appearance last season now looking like a bit of a fluke as they make a remarkably swift return to the bottom of the conference.
Conference Standings - 1st April 1994
East:
1. New York Knicks - 56-14
2. Tampa Bay Bandits - 52-17
3. Philadelphia 76ers - 52-16
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - 38-31
5. Miami Heat - 38-33
6. Indiana Pacers - 37-32
7. Charlotte Hornets - 37-34
8. Atlanta Hawks - 33-36
---------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 33-37
10. Boston Celtics - 32-38
11. Detroit Pistons - 23-47
12. Toronto Huskies - 19-52
13. New Jersey Nets - 15-55
West:
1. Houston Rockets - 55-15
2. Sacramento Kings - 38-31
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 37-33
4. Dallas Mavericks - 37-35
5. Los Angeles Clippers - 36-34
6. Chicago Bulls - 36-35
7. Denver Nuggets - 34-35
8. Los Angeles Lakers - 35-37
----------------------------------------
9. Phoenix Suns - 34-36
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 31-38
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 30-38
12. Minnesota Polars - 26-43
13. Golden State Warriors - 27-45
14. Utah Jazz - 22-46
League Leaders:
PPG:
1. Michael Jordan (26.1)
2. Shaquille O'Neal (25.2)
3. Dale Ellis (24.7)
RPG:
1. Hakeem Olajuwon (12.8)
2. Brad Daugherty (12.0)
3. Charles Barkley (11.9)
APG:
1. John Stockton (11.0)
2. Tim Hardaway (8.7)
3. Ennis Whatley (8.6)
SPG:
1. Michael Jordan (2.2)
2. Tim Hardaway (2.2)
3. Clyde Drexler (2.0)
BPG:
1. Patrick Ewing (2.8)
2. Hakeem Olajuwon (2.5)
3. Shaquille O'Neal (2.5)
East:
1. New York Knicks - 56-14
2. Tampa Bay Bandits - 52-17
3. Philadelphia 76ers - 52-16
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - 38-31
5. Miami Heat - 38-33
6. Indiana Pacers - 37-32
7. Charlotte Hornets - 37-34
8. Atlanta Hawks - 33-36
---------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 33-37
10. Boston Celtics - 32-38
11. Detroit Pistons - 23-47
12. Toronto Huskies - 19-52
13. New Jersey Nets - 15-55
West:
1. Houston Rockets - 55-15
2. Sacramento Kings - 38-31
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 37-33
4. Dallas Mavericks - 37-35
5. Los Angeles Clippers - 36-34
6. Chicago Bulls - 36-35
7. Denver Nuggets - 34-35
8. Los Angeles Lakers - 35-37
----------------------------------------
9. Phoenix Suns - 34-36
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 31-38
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 30-38
12. Minnesota Polars - 26-43
13. Golden State Warriors - 27-45
14. Utah Jazz - 22-46
League Leaders:
PPG:
1. Michael Jordan (26.1)
2. Shaquille O'Neal (25.2)
3. Dale Ellis (24.7)
RPG:
1. Hakeem Olajuwon (12.8)
2. Brad Daugherty (12.0)
3. Charles Barkley (11.9)
APG:
1. John Stockton (11.0)
2. Tim Hardaway (8.7)
3. Ennis Whatley (8.6)
SPG:
1. Michael Jordan (2.2)
2. Tim Hardaway (2.2)
3. Clyde Drexler (2.0)
BPG:
1. Patrick Ewing (2.8)
2. Hakeem Olajuwon (2.5)
3. Shaquille O'Neal (2.5)
Last edited:
Since the Sonics didn't make it, my TTL self will not be watching the 93-94 playoffs.
1993-94 Season - April: Magic in Los Angeles
1993-94 Season - April: Magic in Los Angeles
Selected Results (Top Scorer)
1 April:
Miami Heat 84-106 Detroit Pistons (Scott Skiles 32)
New Jersey Nets 114-90 Atlanta Hawks (Mark Aguirre 35)
New York Knicks 104-82 Washington Bullets (Michael Jordan 30)
Chicago Bulls 100-76 Utah Jazz (Karl Malone 19)
Minnesota Polars 87-101 Denver Nuggets (Dee Brown 26)
Dallas Mavericks 103-90 Phoenix Suns (Sleepy Floyd 19)
2 April:
Miami Heat 106-99 Boston Celtics (Byron Scott 29)
Charlotte Hornets 100-94 New York Knicks (Tim Hardaway 23)
Washington Bullets 88-98 Indiana Pacers (Billy Owens 23)
Seattle SuperSonics 91-96 Portland Trail Blazers (Terry Porter, Latrell Sprewell 21)
Chicago Bulls 77-104 Los Angeles Clippers (Scottie Pippen 20)
3 April:
Charlotte Hornets 102-107 Atlanta Hawks (Gerald Bailey 23)
Toronto Huskies 91-90 Phoenix Suns (Kenny Anderson 25)
Dallas Mavericks 110-98 Houston Rockets (Isiah Thomas 25)
Denver Nuggets 101-103 Los Angeles Lakers (James Worthy 25)
5 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 104-93 Charlotte Hornets (Rex Chapman 36)
New York Knicks 121-103 Atlanta Hawks (Reggie Miller 36)
Dallas Mavericks 92-116 Indiana Pacers (Billy Owens 43)
Tampa Bay Bandits 111-110 Denver Nuggets (Chris Mullin 23)
Los Angeles Clippers 94-109 Chicago Bulls (Karl Malone 36)
Houston Rockets 103-107 Milwaukee Bucks (Hakeem Olajuwon 32)
Seattle SuperSonics 87-112 Golden State Warriors (Dale Ellis 35)
6 April:
Indiana Pacers 109-105 New York Knicks (Dino Radja 26)
Sacramento Kings 95-117 Miami Heat (Larry Johnson 41)
Atlanta Hawks 96-91 Los Angeles Lakers (Penny Hardaway 27)
Denver Nuggets 96-123 Phoenix Suns (Steve Smith 31)
Portland Trail Blazers 87-88 Los Angeles Clippers (Chris Webber 19)
8 April:
Washington Bullets 77-96 Charlotte Hornets (Alaa Abdelnaby 20)
Milwaukee Bucks 88-103 Philadelphia 76ers (Michael Cage 21)
Phoenix Suns 97-101 Minnesota Polars (Kevin Duckworth 23)
Chicago Bulls 97-115 Denver Nuggets (Dee Brown 26)
9 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 102-115 Washington Bullets (Shaquille O’Neal 23)
Atlanta Hawks 94-106 Cleveland Cavaliers (Gary Payton 26)
Chicago Bulls 104-96 Boston Celtics (Karl Malone 31)
Phoenix Suns 99-95 Houston Rockets (Hakeem Olajuwon 31)
10 April:
Charlotte Hornets 85-99 Utah Jazz (Christian Laettner 31)
Denver Nuggets 83-97 Indiana Pacers (Glen Rice 32)
11 April:
Detroit Pistons 95-125 Miami Heat (Larry Johnson 37)
Washington Bullets 100-87 Atlanta Hawks (Doug West 24)
Boston Celtics 98-109 Denver Nuggets (Glen Rice 21)
Sacramento Kings 91-99 Houston Rockets (Drazen Petrovic 32)
12 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 108-118 Charlotte Hornets (Gary Payton 32)
New Jersey Nets 90-99 Atlanta Hawks (Mark Aguirre 23)
Miami Heat 113-98 Phoenix Suns (Larry Johnson 34)
Tampa Bay Bandits 106-103 Portland Trail Blazers (David Robinson 26)
Indiana Pacers 102-105 Chicago Bulls (Karl Malone 29)
Sacramento Kings 107-93 Washington Bullets (Drazen Petrovic 45)
Los Angeles Lakers 94-108 Milwaukee Bucks (Terry Mills 29)
13 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 121-91 New Jersey Nets (Mitch Richmond 33)
Seattle SuperSonics 118-100 Denver Nuggets (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 33)
14 April:
New York Knicks 95-90 Tampa Bay Bandits (Shawn Kemp 28)
Atlanta Hawks 92-80 Washington Bullets (Derrick Coleman 23)
Minnesota Polars 89-102 Los Angeles Lakers (Kelly Tripucka, Penny Hardaway 21)
Phoenix Suns 119-101 Dallas Mavericks (Steve Smith 26)
15 April:
Washington Bullets 111-94 New Jersey Nets (Mark Aguirre 27)
Los Angeles Lakers 93-87 Detroit Pistons (James Worthy 24)
Charlotte Hornets 114-112 Houston Rockets (Charles Barkley 27)
Atlanta Hawks 96-88 Portland Trail Blazers (Nick Vanos 22)
Utah Jazz 96-106 Los Angeles Clippers (Christian Laettner 30)
16 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 99-96 Phoenix Suns (Bobby Phills 81)
Boston Celtics 99-116 Indiana Pacers (Danny Manning 32)
17 April:
Milwaukee Bucks 116-104 Washington Bullets (Doug West 31)
Minnesota Polars 95-89 Atlanta Hawks (Derek Harper 20)
New Jersey Nets 95-110 Los Angeles Lakers (James Worthy 22)
Indiana Pacers 91-99 Portland Trail Blazers (Chris Webber 27)
Playoff Picture - 1 Week to go
East:
8. Atlanta Hawks - 38-41
—-------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 36-43
*New York, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, Indiana and Charlotte have all clinched a playoff spot
West:
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 41-37
4. Chicago Bulls - 41-37
5. Los Angeles Clippers - 40-38
6. Dallas Mavericks - 40-39
7. Los Angeles Lakers - 39-39
8. Denver Nuggets - 37-41
—------------------------------------
9. Phoenix Suns - 37-41
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 36-42
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 35-43
*Houston and Sacramento have clinched a playoff spot. Houston confirmed No 1 seed.
18 April:
Denver Nuggets 107-113 Philadelphia 76ers (Shaquille O’Neal 32)
Chicago Bulls 136-105 Detroit Pistons (Karl Malone 49)
*Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers clinch a playoff spot.
19 April:
Atlanta Hawks 101-103 Charlotte Hornets (Nick Vanos 30)
Milwaukee Bucks 99-107 Tampa Bay Bandits (David Robinson 24)
Seattle SuperSonics 98-103 Cleveland Cavaliers (Mitch Richmond 30)
Dallas Mavericks 85-106 New York Knicks (Tim Hardaway 22)
New Jersey Nets 108-110 Phoenix Suns (Mark Aguirre 37)
Portland Trail Blazers 88-87 Los Angeles Clippers (Scottie Pippen 23)
Los Angeles Lakers 85-117 Sacramento Kings (Drazen Petrovic 31)
*New York Knicks clinch No 1 seed in the East
20 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 111-81 Washington Bullets (Armen Gilliam 26)
Tampa Bay Bandits 133-93 Chicago Bulls (David Robinson 29)
Denver Nuggets 83-105 Milwaukee Bucks (Glen Rice 24)
Phoenix Suns 112-99 Houston Rockets (Steve Smith 26)
Los Angeles Lakers 63-94 Portland Trail Blazers (Latrell Sprewell, Chris Webber, Alonzo Mourning 18)
*Los Angeles Clippers & Dallas Mavericks clinch playoff spots.
21 April:
Seattle SuperSonics 106-93 Atlanta Hawks (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 24)
22 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 71-85 Washington Bullets (Bobby Phills 19)
Denver Nuggets 92-88 Los Angeles Clippers (Dee Brown 19)
Phoenix Suns 94-101 Sacramento Kings (John Stockton 27)
Los Angeles Lakers 83-99 Utah Jazz (Michael Adams 25)
23 April:
Detroit Pistons 107-124 Milwaukee Bucks (Rolando Blackman 27)
24 April:
Charlotte Hornets 109-99 Atlanta Hawks (Reggie Miller 27)
Denver Nuggets 91-99 New York Knicks (Dino Radja 24)
Boston Celtics 106-134 Milwaukee Bucks (Byron Scott 25)
Washington Bullets 99-107 Phoenix Suns (Derrick Coleman 27)
Seattle SuperSonics 82-100 Los Angeles Lakers (Kelly Tripucka 18)
Final Standings:
East:
1. New York Knicks - 65-17
2. Tampa Bay Bandits - 62-20
3. Philadelphia 76ers -61-21
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 47-35
5. Charlotte Hornets - 45-37
6. Miami Heat - 44-38
7. Indiana Pacers - 43-39
8. Atlanta Hawks - 38-44
-----------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 37-45
10. Boston Celtics - 35-47
11. Detroit Pistons - 26-56
12. Toronto Huskies - 21-61
13. New Jersey Nets - 18-64
West:
1. Houston Rockets - 60-22
2. Sacramento Kings - 49-33
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 49-33
4. Chicago Bulls - 42-40
5. Dallas Mavericks - 41-41
6. Los Angeles Clippers - 41-41
7. Phoenix Suns - 40-42
8. Los Angeles Lakers - 40-42
------------------------------------------
9. Milwaukee Bucks - 39-43
10. Denver Nuggets - 38-44
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 35-46
12. Minnesota Polars - 34-48
13. Golden State Warriors - 31-51
14. Utah Jazz - 28-54
The Stats:Selected Results (Top Scorer)
1 April:
Miami Heat 84-106 Detroit Pistons (Scott Skiles 32)
New Jersey Nets 114-90 Atlanta Hawks (Mark Aguirre 35)
New York Knicks 104-82 Washington Bullets (Michael Jordan 30)
Chicago Bulls 100-76 Utah Jazz (Karl Malone 19)
Minnesota Polars 87-101 Denver Nuggets (Dee Brown 26)
Dallas Mavericks 103-90 Phoenix Suns (Sleepy Floyd 19)
2 April:
Miami Heat 106-99 Boston Celtics (Byron Scott 29)
Charlotte Hornets 100-94 New York Knicks (Tim Hardaway 23)
Washington Bullets 88-98 Indiana Pacers (Billy Owens 23)
Seattle SuperSonics 91-96 Portland Trail Blazers (Terry Porter, Latrell Sprewell 21)
Chicago Bulls 77-104 Los Angeles Clippers (Scottie Pippen 20)
3 April:
Charlotte Hornets 102-107 Atlanta Hawks (Gerald Bailey 23)
Toronto Huskies 91-90 Phoenix Suns (Kenny Anderson 25)
Dallas Mavericks 110-98 Houston Rockets (Isiah Thomas 25)
Denver Nuggets 101-103 Los Angeles Lakers (James Worthy 25)
5 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 104-93 Charlotte Hornets (Rex Chapman 36)
New York Knicks 121-103 Atlanta Hawks (Reggie Miller 36)
Dallas Mavericks 92-116 Indiana Pacers (Billy Owens 43)
Tampa Bay Bandits 111-110 Denver Nuggets (Chris Mullin 23)
Los Angeles Clippers 94-109 Chicago Bulls (Karl Malone 36)
Houston Rockets 103-107 Milwaukee Bucks (Hakeem Olajuwon 32)
Seattle SuperSonics 87-112 Golden State Warriors (Dale Ellis 35)
6 April:
Indiana Pacers 109-105 New York Knicks (Dino Radja 26)
Sacramento Kings 95-117 Miami Heat (Larry Johnson 41)
Atlanta Hawks 96-91 Los Angeles Lakers (Penny Hardaway 27)
Denver Nuggets 96-123 Phoenix Suns (Steve Smith 31)
Portland Trail Blazers 87-88 Los Angeles Clippers (Chris Webber 19)
8 April:
Washington Bullets 77-96 Charlotte Hornets (Alaa Abdelnaby 20)
Milwaukee Bucks 88-103 Philadelphia 76ers (Michael Cage 21)
Phoenix Suns 97-101 Minnesota Polars (Kevin Duckworth 23)
Chicago Bulls 97-115 Denver Nuggets (Dee Brown 26)
9 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 102-115 Washington Bullets (Shaquille O’Neal 23)
Atlanta Hawks 94-106 Cleveland Cavaliers (Gary Payton 26)
Chicago Bulls 104-96 Boston Celtics (Karl Malone 31)
Phoenix Suns 99-95 Houston Rockets (Hakeem Olajuwon 31)
10 April:
Charlotte Hornets 85-99 Utah Jazz (Christian Laettner 31)
Denver Nuggets 83-97 Indiana Pacers (Glen Rice 32)
11 April:
Detroit Pistons 95-125 Miami Heat (Larry Johnson 37)
Washington Bullets 100-87 Atlanta Hawks (Doug West 24)
Boston Celtics 98-109 Denver Nuggets (Glen Rice 21)
Sacramento Kings 91-99 Houston Rockets (Drazen Petrovic 32)
12 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 108-118 Charlotte Hornets (Gary Payton 32)
New Jersey Nets 90-99 Atlanta Hawks (Mark Aguirre 23)
Miami Heat 113-98 Phoenix Suns (Larry Johnson 34)
Tampa Bay Bandits 106-103 Portland Trail Blazers (David Robinson 26)
Indiana Pacers 102-105 Chicago Bulls (Karl Malone 29)
Sacramento Kings 107-93 Washington Bullets (Drazen Petrovic 45)
Los Angeles Lakers 94-108 Milwaukee Bucks (Terry Mills 29)
13 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 121-91 New Jersey Nets (Mitch Richmond 33)
Seattle SuperSonics 118-100 Denver Nuggets (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 33)
14 April:
New York Knicks 95-90 Tampa Bay Bandits (Shawn Kemp 28)
Atlanta Hawks 92-80 Washington Bullets (Derrick Coleman 23)
Minnesota Polars 89-102 Los Angeles Lakers (Kelly Tripucka, Penny Hardaway 21)
Phoenix Suns 119-101 Dallas Mavericks (Steve Smith 26)
15 April:
Washington Bullets 111-94 New Jersey Nets (Mark Aguirre 27)
Los Angeles Lakers 93-87 Detroit Pistons (James Worthy 24)
Charlotte Hornets 114-112 Houston Rockets (Charles Barkley 27)
Atlanta Hawks 96-88 Portland Trail Blazers (Nick Vanos 22)
Utah Jazz 96-106 Los Angeles Clippers (Christian Laettner 30)
16 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 99-96 Phoenix Suns (Bobby Phills 81)
Boston Celtics 99-116 Indiana Pacers (Danny Manning 32)
17 April:
Milwaukee Bucks 116-104 Washington Bullets (Doug West 31)
Minnesota Polars 95-89 Atlanta Hawks (Derek Harper 20)
New Jersey Nets 95-110 Los Angeles Lakers (James Worthy 22)
Indiana Pacers 91-99 Portland Trail Blazers (Chris Webber 27)
Playoff Picture - 1 Week to go
East:
8. Atlanta Hawks - 38-41
—-------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 36-43
*New York, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, Indiana and Charlotte have all clinched a playoff spot
West:
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 41-37
4. Chicago Bulls - 41-37
5. Los Angeles Clippers - 40-38
6. Dallas Mavericks - 40-39
7. Los Angeles Lakers - 39-39
8. Denver Nuggets - 37-41
—------------------------------------
9. Phoenix Suns - 37-41
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 36-42
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 35-43
*Houston and Sacramento have clinched a playoff spot. Houston confirmed No 1 seed.
18 April:
Denver Nuggets 107-113 Philadelphia 76ers (Shaquille O’Neal 32)
Chicago Bulls 136-105 Detroit Pistons (Karl Malone 49)
*Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers clinch a playoff spot.
19 April:
Atlanta Hawks 101-103 Charlotte Hornets (Nick Vanos 30)
Milwaukee Bucks 99-107 Tampa Bay Bandits (David Robinson 24)
Seattle SuperSonics 98-103 Cleveland Cavaliers (Mitch Richmond 30)
Dallas Mavericks 85-106 New York Knicks (Tim Hardaway 22)
New Jersey Nets 108-110 Phoenix Suns (Mark Aguirre 37)
Portland Trail Blazers 88-87 Los Angeles Clippers (Scottie Pippen 23)
Los Angeles Lakers 85-117 Sacramento Kings (Drazen Petrovic 31)
*New York Knicks clinch No 1 seed in the East
20 April:
Cleveland Cavaliers 111-81 Washington Bullets (Armen Gilliam 26)
Tampa Bay Bandits 133-93 Chicago Bulls (David Robinson 29)
Denver Nuggets 83-105 Milwaukee Bucks (Glen Rice 24)
Phoenix Suns 112-99 Houston Rockets (Steve Smith 26)
Los Angeles Lakers 63-94 Portland Trail Blazers (Latrell Sprewell, Chris Webber, Alonzo Mourning 18)
*Los Angeles Clippers & Dallas Mavericks clinch playoff spots.
21 April:
Seattle SuperSonics 106-93 Atlanta Hawks (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 24)
22 April:
Philadelphia 76ers 71-85 Washington Bullets (Bobby Phills 19)
Denver Nuggets 92-88 Los Angeles Clippers (Dee Brown 19)
Phoenix Suns 94-101 Sacramento Kings (John Stockton 27)
Los Angeles Lakers 83-99 Utah Jazz (Michael Adams 25)
23 April:
Detroit Pistons 107-124 Milwaukee Bucks (Rolando Blackman 27)
24 April:
Charlotte Hornets 109-99 Atlanta Hawks (Reggie Miller 27)
Denver Nuggets 91-99 New York Knicks (Dino Radja 24)
Boston Celtics 106-134 Milwaukee Bucks (Byron Scott 25)
Washington Bullets 99-107 Phoenix Suns (Derrick Coleman 27)
Seattle SuperSonics 82-100 Los Angeles Lakers (Kelly Tripucka 18)
Final Standings:
East:
1. New York Knicks - 65-17
2. Tampa Bay Bandits - 62-20
3. Philadelphia 76ers -61-21
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 47-35
5. Charlotte Hornets - 45-37
6. Miami Heat - 44-38
7. Indiana Pacers - 43-39
8. Atlanta Hawks - 38-44
-----------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 37-45
10. Boston Celtics - 35-47
11. Detroit Pistons - 26-56
12. Toronto Huskies - 21-61
13. New Jersey Nets - 18-64
West:
1. Houston Rockets - 60-22
2. Sacramento Kings - 49-33
3. Portland Trail Blazers - 49-33
4. Chicago Bulls - 42-40
5. Dallas Mavericks - 41-41
6. Los Angeles Clippers - 41-41
7. Phoenix Suns - 40-42
8. Los Angeles Lakers - 40-42
------------------------------------------
9. Milwaukee Bucks - 39-43
10. Denver Nuggets - 38-44
11. Seattle SuperSonics - 35-46
12. Minnesota Polars - 34-48
13. Golden State Warriors - 31-51
14. Utah Jazz - 28-54
- New York Knicks break their franchise record for most wins in a regular season, registering 1 more than their 1991-92 campaign.
- Tampa Bay Bandits win the Central division for the 4th time in 5 seasons.
- Philadelphia 76ers' 61 wins is their best total since their 1982-93 Championship season
- Miami Heat make the playoffs for the first time, and along with Charlotte Hornets it is the first time two of the late 1980's expansion teams make the playoffs in the same season.
- Atlanta Hawks make the playoffs as the 8th seed for the third year in a row despite failing to get to 40 wins in any of the last three seasons
- Washington Bullets finish 1 win behind Atlanta and a playoff spot for the 2nd year in a row
- New Jersey Nets have their lowest win total as an NBA franchise, although did have a 17 win season in their first season as an ABA franchise.
- Houston Rockets make it eight straight years at 56 wins or more during the regular season.
- Sacramento Kings win the Pacific Division for the 5th time in 7 seasons.
- Portland Trail Blazers make it 12 playoff appearances in a row, the longest active streak in the NBA
- Dallas Mavericks post their lowest regular season win total since 1986, when they also had 41.
- Los Angeles Clippers make the playoffs for the first time in five years, whilst neighbours Lakers make it after missing out the last two seasons
- Milwaukee Bucks have now made the playoffs in just 2 of the past 8 seasons
- Denver Nuggets have now made the playoffs in just 1 of the past 7 seasons
- Minnesota Polars now have the longest streak of seasons outside the playoffs, missing out all five seasons so far as a franchise. They did post their best regular season record with 34 wins however.
- Golden State Warriors fall from 2nd seed a year ago to finishing 2nd last in the West
- Michael Jordan won the season MVP award for the third season in a row and fourth time in total.
- No 4 pick Vin Baker scooped the Rookie of the Year award, consolation for having to play for the Nets.
- Dale Davis for the Golden State Warriors won the Len Bias Sixth Man of the Year Award.
- Hakeem Olajuwon won the Defensive Player of the Year Award for the third season in a row and seventh time in total.
- The East won the All Star game 127-115, Shaquille O'Neal won the games MVP award.
- All NBA 1st Team: Michael Jordan (Knicks), Tim Hardaway (Knicks), Karl Malone (Bulls), Larry Johnson (Heat), Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets)
- All NBA 2nd Team: John Stockton (Kings), Scott Skiles (Pistons), Billy Owens (Pacers), Glen Rice (Nuggets), David Robinson (Bandits)
- All NBA 3rd Team: Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers), Clyde Drexler (Heat), Charles Barkley (Rockets), Vin Baker (Nets), Shaquille O'Neal (76ers)
- All-Defensive 1st Team: Michael Jordan (Knicks), Clyde Drexler (Heat), Karl Malone (Bulls), Vin Baker (Nets), Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets)
- All-Rookie 1st Team: Vin Baker (Nets), Chris Webber (Trail Blazers), Calbert Cheaney (Hornets), Penny Hardaway (Lakers), Isiah Rider (Nets)
- PPG: 1. Michael Jordan (25.8) 2. Dale Ellis (24.7) 3. Shaquille O'Neal (24.6)
- RPG: 1. Hakeem Olajuwon (12.6) 2. Brad Daugherty (12.2) 3. Charles Barkley (11.8)
- APG: 1. John Stockton (10.9) 2. Tim Hardaway (8.8) 3. Muggsy Bogues (8.7)
- SPG: 1. Tim Hardaway (2.3) 2. Michael Jordan (2.1) 3. Clyde Drexler (2.0)
- BPG: 1. Patrick Ewing (2.8) 2. Hakeem Olajuwon (2.5) 3. Shaquille O'Neal (2.4)
- Arvydas Sabonis (Trail Blazers), Herb Williams (Pacers) and Sam Vincent (Rockets) will all miss the playoffs through injury
- John Williams (Hornets), Tom Gugliotta (Hornets) will both miss at least the First Round and Semi Finals through injury
- James Worthy (Lakers), Cliff Robinson (Hawks), Orlando Woolridge (Bulls), Stacey King (Knicks), Patrick Ewing (Kings) will miss at least the First Round through injury
- Tim Hardaway (Knicks), Steve Smith (Suns) and Rex Chapman (Hornets) are all doubts for the opening games of the playoffs through injury
Playoff Bracket
1E New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 8E
4E Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets 5E
3E Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat 6E
2E Tampa Bay Bandits vs Indiana Pacers 7E
1W Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers 8W
4W Chicago Bulls vs Dallas Mavericks 5W
3W Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers 6W
2W Sacramento Kings vs Phoenix Suns 7W
1E New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 8E
4E Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets 5E
3E Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat 6E
2E Tampa Bay Bandits vs Indiana Pacers 7E
1W Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers 8W
4W Chicago Bulls vs Dallas Mavericks 5W
3W Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers 6W
2W Sacramento Kings vs Phoenix Suns 7W
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1993-94 Season - The Playoffs: Self Destructing Rockets
1993-94 Season - The Playoffs: Self Destructing Rockets
The Playoffs:
East
First Round:
New York Knicks 3-0 Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers 3-0 Charlotte Hornets
Philadelphia 76ers 0-3 Miami Heat
Tampa Bay Bandits 3-1 Indiana Pacers
The best player in the first round was Shaquille O'Neal, but his Philadelphia 76ers side didn't even win a game as they were beaten by the Miami Heat who advanced to their first ever Playoff semi final. Shaq averaged 30 points per game but the 76ers just couldn't get past the Johnson, Drexler, Strickland combo. New York and Cleveland both also won without defeat, both cruising into the next round where they would face each other without breaking much of a sweat. The Tampa, Indiana matchups were all close, but Tampa came out on top in a 3-1 series win thanks to the high scoring from David Robinson.
Semi Finals
New York Knicks 4-1 Cleveland Cavaliers
Tampa Bay Bandits 4-1 Miami Heat
Both Miami and Cleveland caused first games upsets to take the first games of each series on the road. Tampa and New York roared back however, both winning the next four to win the series' in five to set up an intriguing conference final between the top two seeds. Jordan and Hardaway were both on fine form for New York, the two leading the points chart between players who had advanced past the first round by a mile. They would be up against a very strong Tampa side however, who looked to have rediscovered their playoff form after a couple of disappointing years.
Conference Final
New York Knicks 2-4 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay caused an upset to advance to their first NBA final since 1988. The Bay won three games in a row to come back from 2-1 down to win the series in 6, with David Robinson again on form. It would be the first time since 1990 that the Knicks would not be in the championship final.
West
First Round:
Houston Rockets 3-0 Los Angeles Lakers
Chicago Bulls 1-3 Dallas Mavericks
Portland Trail Blazers 1-3 Los Angeles Clippers
Sacramento Kings 3-1 Phoenix Suns
In a similar fashion to the East, the best player of the first round also failed to advance. Karl Malone posted some insane numbers for Chicago but again the Bulls were knocked out in the first round for an incredible 8th time in 9 seasons. The Bulls were beaten by a Dallas side who fought like crazy to beat the Bulls in four. Houston and Sacramento had no problem beating their lower seed opponents the Lakers and Suns respectively, whilst there was an upset in the 3 v 6 seed game as the Clippers strong defense saw them advance to the semi final at the expense of a young Portland team.
Semi Finals:
Houston Rockets 4-1 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento Kings 0-4 Los Angeles Clippers
The two big headlines from the semi finals was the incredible sweep by the Clippers against 2nd seed Sacramento and a potential season ending injury to Charles Barkley in the fifth and final game of the Houston / Dallas series. Houston had no trouble despatching their Texas rivals, but Barkley will almost certainly miss the conference final with a knee injury and is a doubt for the championship final should Houston get there. They will have to get past a Los Angeles Clippers side who have put an incredible run together, beating Sacramento without dropping a game, again thanks to a solid defense that stopped the Kings reaching more than 92 points in any of the four games.
Conference Final:
Houston Rockets 3-4 Los Angeles Clippers
An incredible conference final battle as Houston won games 4 and 5 both by two points to lead 3-2 in the series, but the Clippers fought back in game 6 to force a game 7. There was a crazy public feud between Charles Barkley and coach Bill Fitch. Barkley told the media he was fit and ready to play, but the Rocket's coach disputed the claim and Barkley was nowhere to be seen in game 7. The Clippers staged a fourth quarter fight back to take the game to overtime, eventually winning by three to advance to a first ever NBA final. After the game, there were reports that Barkley and Fitch had another bust up and that Barkley was refusing the return after the offseason if Fitch was still in charge.
NBA Championship Final
Los Angeles Clippers 86-101 Tampa Bay Bandits
Los Angeles Clippers 102-101 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits 109-87 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 119-103 Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers 117-87 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits 99-87 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 4-2 Los Angeles Clippers
MVP: David Robinson
Retirements:
During and after the playoffs, a number of high profile players announced their retirement from the NBA. Notable retirees included: Tree Rollins, Bill Cartwright, Purvis Short, Sidney Moncrief, Eddie Johnson and Tom Chambers
East
First Round:
New York Knicks 3-0 Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers 3-0 Charlotte Hornets
Philadelphia 76ers 0-3 Miami Heat
Tampa Bay Bandits 3-1 Indiana Pacers
The best player in the first round was Shaquille O'Neal, but his Philadelphia 76ers side didn't even win a game as they were beaten by the Miami Heat who advanced to their first ever Playoff semi final. Shaq averaged 30 points per game but the 76ers just couldn't get past the Johnson, Drexler, Strickland combo. New York and Cleveland both also won without defeat, both cruising into the next round where they would face each other without breaking much of a sweat. The Tampa, Indiana matchups were all close, but Tampa came out on top in a 3-1 series win thanks to the high scoring from David Robinson.
Semi Finals
New York Knicks 4-1 Cleveland Cavaliers
Tampa Bay Bandits 4-1 Miami Heat
Both Miami and Cleveland caused first games upsets to take the first games of each series on the road. Tampa and New York roared back however, both winning the next four to win the series' in five to set up an intriguing conference final between the top two seeds. Jordan and Hardaway were both on fine form for New York, the two leading the points chart between players who had advanced past the first round by a mile. They would be up against a very strong Tampa side however, who looked to have rediscovered their playoff form after a couple of disappointing years.
Conference Final
New York Knicks 2-4 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay caused an upset to advance to their first NBA final since 1988. The Bay won three games in a row to come back from 2-1 down to win the series in 6, with David Robinson again on form. It would be the first time since 1990 that the Knicks would not be in the championship final.
West
First Round:
Houston Rockets 3-0 Los Angeles Lakers
Chicago Bulls 1-3 Dallas Mavericks
Portland Trail Blazers 1-3 Los Angeles Clippers
Sacramento Kings 3-1 Phoenix Suns
In a similar fashion to the East, the best player of the first round also failed to advance. Karl Malone posted some insane numbers for Chicago but again the Bulls were knocked out in the first round for an incredible 8th time in 9 seasons. The Bulls were beaten by a Dallas side who fought like crazy to beat the Bulls in four. Houston and Sacramento had no problem beating their lower seed opponents the Lakers and Suns respectively, whilst there was an upset in the 3 v 6 seed game as the Clippers strong defense saw them advance to the semi final at the expense of a young Portland team.
Semi Finals:
Houston Rockets 4-1 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento Kings 0-4 Los Angeles Clippers
The two big headlines from the semi finals was the incredible sweep by the Clippers against 2nd seed Sacramento and a potential season ending injury to Charles Barkley in the fifth and final game of the Houston / Dallas series. Houston had no trouble despatching their Texas rivals, but Barkley will almost certainly miss the conference final with a knee injury and is a doubt for the championship final should Houston get there. They will have to get past a Los Angeles Clippers side who have put an incredible run together, beating Sacramento without dropping a game, again thanks to a solid defense that stopped the Kings reaching more than 92 points in any of the four games.
Conference Final:
Houston Rockets 3-4 Los Angeles Clippers
An incredible conference final battle as Houston won games 4 and 5 both by two points to lead 3-2 in the series, but the Clippers fought back in game 6 to force a game 7. There was a crazy public feud between Charles Barkley and coach Bill Fitch. Barkley told the media he was fit and ready to play, but the Rocket's coach disputed the claim and Barkley was nowhere to be seen in game 7. The Clippers staged a fourth quarter fight back to take the game to overtime, eventually winning by three to advance to a first ever NBA final. After the game, there were reports that Barkley and Fitch had another bust up and that Barkley was refusing the return after the offseason if Fitch was still in charge.
NBA Championship Final
Los Angeles Clippers 86-101 Tampa Bay Bandits
Los Angeles Clippers 102-101 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits 109-87 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 119-103 Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers 117-87 Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits 99-87 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 4-2 Los Angeles Clippers
MVP: David Robinson
Retirements:
During and after the playoffs, a number of high profile players announced their retirement from the NBA. Notable retirees included: Tree Rollins, Bill Cartwright, Purvis Short, Sidney Moncrief, Eddie Johnson and Tom Chambers
1994 Offseason: The Summer of Chaos
New
1994 Offseason: The Summer of Chaos
NBA Board of Governors approves changes to draft lottery system
The NBA board of Governors today approved a change to the draft lottery format, with the changes beginning for the 1985 draft. Under new rules, all teams who miss out on the playoffs will have a chance at the number one pick but with odds weighted in favor of those franchises with a worse record.
The teams with the four worse records will each have a 14% chance of winning the coveted number one pick in the following draft, with the odds then decreasing with each team outside the initial four teams. Under the current system, the worst seven teams have all had an equal chance of grabbing that number one pick, which has more often than not in recent seasons gone to a team with one of the better records of the seven instead of the teams suffering right at the bottom of the conferences. That left four teams who missed out on the playoffs without any chance of moving up the lottery order, often leading to a scenario where teams even with a chance of still making the playoffs would start to lose games at the end of the season in order to fall into the bottom seven and get the chance of the number one pick.
Minnesota Gain No 1 Pick
The Minnesota Polars have been awarded the number one pick for the 1994 draft in today's draft lottery. The Polars will pick first for the first time in their history as a franchise, beating out the Boston Celtics who will pick second. Indiana Pacers, with the draft hosted in Indianapolis, had a chance at the first pick having acquired the New Jersey Nets’ first round pick but in the end had to settle for the sixth pick after being drawn out second of the seven teams. It is still unclear who the Polars might select, with Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill all a contender for that first pick according to analysts. The Milwaukee Bucks have picked up the third pick, thanks to owning the Detroit Piston’s first round pick for this year and will be relishing the chance to add a quality rookie to an aging roster.
NBA Finals Suffer Sharp Decrease in Viewership
The numbers for this season’s NBA finals have been revealed, and it’s bad news for NBC. The 1994 final between eventual champions Tampa Bay Bandits and runners up Los Angeles Clippers posted a 10.8 rating average across the entirety of the series. It represents an incredible drop from 1993’s 19.3 rating as one of the greatest ever finals took place between Michael Jordan’s New York Knicks and Charles Barkley’s Houston Rockets. Last year's finalists were both eliminated in their respective Conference Finals this season, leaving small market team Tampa Bay and the outsiders Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers, despite being a Los Angeles based franchise, have a much smaller following than their neighbours Los Angeles Lakers contributing to a big drop off in viewership.
Barkley Officially a Hornet
Charles Barkley has gotten his wish today, as his move away from the Houston Rockets was confirmed in a trade announced with the Charlotte Hornets. Barkley and Houston have been involved in a public war of words since the Rockets’ elimination from this season’s playoffs at the conference final stage, losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Clippers. The feud originated as Barkley, injured in the semi finals against Dallas, announced himself fit to play in the crucial game seven. Coach Bill Fitch had other ideas however, declaring that Barkley was not fit and would play no part in the game. The Rockets lost a tense, overtime encounter and were eliminated, with Barkley blaming Fitch for the defeat and therefore leaving the relationship between the two untenable. The Rocket’s ownership have supported Fitch, meaning Barkley was always going to be on the move this summer. His list of options were diminished as teams one by one backed away from any deal. There were rumours of a shock move to Minnesota, who potentially would have given up practically the entire top of their roster in order to get Barkley, including newly drafted number one pick Jason Kidd the move never materialised. Instead, Barkley now heads eastwards, forming an intriguing roster line up alongside Center Dikembe Mutombo and Point Guard Muggsy Bogues. In return, the Rockets have gained Rex Chapman, Tom Gugliotta and draft picks.
Kidd Goes First to Minnesota
The Minnesota Polars used their number one pick in this year's NBA draft to acquire Point Guard Jason Kidd. The Polars will hope Kidd, lauded for his vision and playmaking abilities, can be the one to finally lift them away from the bottom regions of the Western Conference where they’ve languished since joining the league in 1989. The former Cal superstar averaged 16.1 points, 9.1 assists, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.1 steals per game a season ago. Boston used their second pick to take Grant Hill, who should become an instant starter replacing the declining Clark Kellogg at Small Forward. Hill was a four-year starter at Duke and posted averages of 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game his senior season. The third pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks and David Robinson rounded out the top three to sure up the Bucks’ roster in an attempt to return to the playoffs this season. Robinson's scoring ability and versatility make him a highly anticipated addition to the Bucks.
The 1994 NBA Draft - First Round Picks
1 | Jason Kidd | Minnesota Polars |
2 | Grant Hill | Boston Celtics |
3 | Glenn Robinson | Milwaukee Bucks (Via Pistons) |
4 | Donyell Marshell | Utah Jazz |
5 | Juwan Howard | Toronto Huskies |
6 | Sharone Wright | Indiana Pacers (Via Nets) |
7 | Eddie Jones | Golden State Warriors |
8 | Brian Grant | Seattle SuperSonics |
9 | Eric Montross | Detroit Pistons (Via Bullets) |
10 | Khalid Reeves | Denver Nuggets |
11 | Yinka Dare | Milwaukee Bucks |
12 | Carlos Rogers | Atlanta Hawks |
13 | Lamond Murray | Los Angeles Lakers |
14 | Jalen Rose | Phoenix Suns |
15 | Eric Piatkowski | Philadelphia 76ers (Via Mavericks) |
16 | Wesley Person | Charlotte Hornets (Via Clippers) |
17 | Clifford Rozier | Atlanta Hakws (Via Bulls) |
18 | Aaron McKie | Golden State Warriors (Via Pacers) |
19 | Eric Mobley | Milwaukee Bucks (Via Heat) |
20 | Toby Dumas | Golden State Warriors (Via Trail Blazers) |
21 | Derrick Alston | Charlotte Hornets |
22 | B.J. Tyler | Cleveland Cavaliers |
23 | Bill Curley | Sacramento Kings |
24 | Dickey Simpkins | Houston Rockets |
25 | Brooks Thompson | Philadelphia 76ers |
26 | Monty Williams | New York Knicks |
27 | Michael Smith | Tampa Bay Bandits |
Cablevision to Acquire MSG and Related Properties
Madison Square Garden and its properties -- including the Knicks, the Rangers and the MSG network -- will be sold to Cablevision Systems, a cable television giant based on Long Island, and the ITT Corporation, executives of a rival bidder said yesterday.
Officials of the Garden's owner, Viacom Inc., did not announce a deal today, but executives of the competing bidder, the Liberty Media Corporation, said they were told they had lost the bidding contest. Viacom acquired the Garden and its related properties when it merged earlier this year with Paramount Communications Inc.
"They said Viacom told them it's a done deal -- it's over," said a New York business executive who also has sports interests and is close to Liberty Media officials.
Although several companies had previously expressed interest in the arena and sports franchises, the final negotiations had come down to ITT-Cablevision and Liberty, which is owned by Tele-Communications Inc., the nation's largest operator of cable television systems.
Cablevision, which would appear to be the operating partner in the deal, has no experience at running a team, although Charles F. Dolan, the head of Cablevision, tried unsuccessfully to buy the New York Islanders from John Pickett last year. Nor has it run a sports arena like Madison Square Garden.
The winning bid was said to be close to $1.3 billion. Liberty Media had offered $1 billion. Some financial analysts on Wall Street, who had estimated the value of the Garden properties at no more than $700 million to $800 million, said the bids seemed quite high.
Rick Replaces Issel in Denver
The Denver Nuggets have announced that former Portland Head Coach Rick Adelman will be their new head coach, replacing the outgoing Dan Issel. Issel was fired after the Nuggets failed to reach the playoffs despite trading for Glen Rice last summer. The Nuggets are now without a playoff appearance in three seasons despite putting together a roster that looks more than capable of competing in the postseason.
Adelman became available after leaving Portland by mutual consent at the end of a season that saw the young side lose in the West First Round to eventual West Conference champions and finals runner ups Los Angeles Clippers. The Trail Blazers made the playoffs in every one of his six seasons in charge, winning 278 and losing 214 of their regular season games but only winning one playoff series, when they beat the Chicago Bulls in the 1992 First Round. There is still no news on who might replace Adelman at Portland.
Hardaway Heading West as New Knicks Owners Make Their Mark
Point Guard Tim Hardaway is a New York Knicks’ star no more, following a shock trade announced today. Just weeks after the New York Knicks were acquired by Cablevision, the former Golden State Warriors man was sent packing in an apparent effort to strengthen the rotation options on the Knicks’ roster. Hardaway has moved to the Denver Nuggets, with Dee Brown, Jon Koncak and a 1997 First Round Draft Pick sent the other way to New York. According to reports, the new ownership think allowing Hardaway to leave will both improve the depth of the team and increase the already incredible numbers of superstar Michael Jordan. The ownership point to a period at the start of the last regular season where Hardaway was out injured and Jordan was regularly posting 40+ point games. Hardaway leaves the Knicks a two time champion, winning the championship in his first season on the team in 1991 and again in 1993.
Given it was Michael Jordan who pretty much forced the previous ownership group to make a play for Hardaway in the first place, it is unknown how appreciative the star will be that the new ownership has given him away.
Michael Jordan Announces Retirement
In a press conference that shocked the world this afternoon, Michael Jordan has announced his departure from the New York Knicks and his retirement from professional basketball. Flanked by his wife, Juanita, and coach Pat Riley with whom Jordan has developed perhaps the most successful and talented partnership in basketball over the past four years, the 31 year old superstar spoke about his reasons for his sudden retirement.
“I have achieved a lot in my short career. I just feel I don’t have anything else to prove,” Jordan said in walking away from the game after winning three scoring titles and leading the New York Knicks to two championships in the past three seasons.
The 31-year-old two time champion — one of basketball’s greatest players and perhaps the world’s most recognisable athlete — said “it was time to move forward, away from games,” but did not rule out a comeback.
“I’m not making this a ‘never’ issue. I’m saying I don’t have the drive right now,” Jordan said.
Jordan went on to say that he had been leaning towards retirement after the gruelling playoff campaign that led to the Knicks thrilling second championship in 1993, but had decided to stick it out one last year to see if the desire would return.
There was no comment on the new ownership, or the departure of close friend Tim Hardaway who was recently traded to the Denver Nuggets, but many feel that Hardaway’s departure could potentially be what has pushed Jordan into quitting the sport he has dominated individually since he arrived in New York ten years ago.
Jordan ended the press conference by saying that he planned to explore other sporting interests, in golf and baseball, potentially even looking at joining up with a MLB organization and then thanked all of his teammates, Riley, and his family for their support.
His departure follows the retirement earlier this decade of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, dealing the NBA an incalculable loss. The ratings for the most recent final between Los Angeles Clippers and champions Tampa Bay Bandits were the NBA’s lowest since 1981 showing the NBA will have work to do to attract an audience without its superstars. With his slithering drives through the lane, airborne slams and radar 3-point shots -- always with the trademark tongue sticking out of his mouth -- Jordan played the game like no other.
Asked about the effect on basketball of losing Bird, Johnson and Jordan in such a short span, Stern said, “We’re still planning to open the season on Nov. 5.”
Lakers Head Coach Johnson called Jordan’s retirement “a big, big loss.”
“He probably will come back in one year to show everyone he’s still the king,” Johnson said in Switzerland, where he was playing an exhibition game. “I think Michael probably just wants to be left alone now. He is tired of being under the microscope and just needs a little time off to be with his family.”
“No one was ever better than him,” added Bird, who is currently in charge of the Boston Celtics.
Riley the latest to depart Knicks
Legendary Head Coach Pat Riley has agreed a deal to become the new head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, departing the New York Knicks to do so. Riley, a five time NBA Champion, has won titles with both the Los Angeles Lakers and Knicks and will now hope to repeat those successes with the exciting roster that is being built in Portland. The Trail Blazers own three of the most exciting prospects in the league in Latrell Sprewell, Alonzo Mourning and Chris Webber and pairing them with one of the most respected coaches in the league seems like a decent recipe for success.
For the New York Knicks, it’s the latest blow to a new front office that has overseen perhaps the most devastatingly disastrous start to a new ownership era ever seen in professional sports. After making the decision to trade Tim Hardaway to Denver in order to cut salary costs, the Knicks have now lost both superstar Michael Jordan and Riley, leaving them a shadow of the team they looked like less than 3 months ago.
1994-95 NBA Season - Betting Odds
NBA Champion:
Tampa Bay Bandits +450
Houston Rockets +500
Charlotte Hornets +500
Sacramento Kings +600
Philadelphia 76ers +600
New York Knicks +1000
Dallas Mavericks +1000
Portland Trail Blazers +1000
Cleveland Cavaliers +1200
Miami Heat +1500
Denver Nuggets +1500
Los Angeles Clippers +1500
Indiana Pacers +2000
Los Angeles Lakers +2500
Atlanta Hawks +2500
Phoenix Suns +2500
Boston Celtics +3000
Chicago Bulls +3000
Milwaukee Bucks +3500
Washington Bullets +5000
Golden State Warriors +6000
Seattle SuperSonics +10000
Minnesota Polars +10000
Detroit Pistons +10000
New Jersey Nets +20000
Utah Jazz +25000
Toronto Huskies +50000
MVP:
David Robinson +300
Charles Barkley +350
Shaquille O'Neal +500
Hakeem Olajuwon +750
Mitch Richmond +1000
Tim Hardaway +1500
Patrick Ewing +1500
John Stockton +2000
Glen Rice +2000
Larry Johnson +2000
Rex Chapman +2500
Scottie Pippen +2500
Brad Daugherty +2500
Terry Cummings +3000
Dikembe Mutombo +5000
NBA Champion:
Tampa Bay Bandits +450
Houston Rockets +500
Charlotte Hornets +500
Sacramento Kings +600
Philadelphia 76ers +600
New York Knicks +1000
Dallas Mavericks +1000
Portland Trail Blazers +1000
Cleveland Cavaliers +1200
Miami Heat +1500
Denver Nuggets +1500
Los Angeles Clippers +1500
Indiana Pacers +2000
Los Angeles Lakers +2500
Atlanta Hawks +2500
Phoenix Suns +2500
Boston Celtics +3000
Chicago Bulls +3000
Milwaukee Bucks +3500
Washington Bullets +5000
Golden State Warriors +6000
Seattle SuperSonics +10000
Minnesota Polars +10000
Detroit Pistons +10000
New Jersey Nets +20000
Utah Jazz +25000
Toronto Huskies +50000
MVP:
David Robinson +300
Charles Barkley +350
Shaquille O'Neal +500
Hakeem Olajuwon +750
Mitch Richmond +1000
Tim Hardaway +1500
Patrick Ewing +1500
John Stockton +2000
Glen Rice +2000
Larry Johnson +2000
Rex Chapman +2500
Scottie Pippen +2500
Brad Daugherty +2500
Terry Cummings +3000
Dikembe Mutombo +5000
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we need more jet fuel to this fire, like Jordan commenting like he would be back but not under dolan?
Knowing Dolan, he would say he’s going to own the team until he dies…
Why is it that the only New York team that can consistently be good is the Yankees?
We're about due for the Vancouver Grizzlies.
The other OTL expansion (Toronto) happened early. Will be interesting to see if they just do the Grizzlies and go to an even number of teams, or if they expand somewhere new.
The other OTL expansion (Toronto) happened early. Will be interesting to see if they just do the Grizzlies and go to an even number of teams, or if they expand somewhere new.