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King-maker Pat Riley tells a story about needing help. Seems that Magic Johnson, ultimate winner, was so short-circuited toward the end of games even with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s assistance that he didn’t want to so much as think. The mental drain of carrying a team against waves of impassioned aggressors, and making all the important decisions, left him fried as the last seconds approached.
Magic wanted to do so little thinking in that weary physical and mental state — “scrambled,” to use Riley’s word — that he eventually asked his coach to please just hold up easy signs to convey every play he wanted run in the last few minutes. Magic Johnson, leader, floor general, champion, wanted to follow executive orders then, finding a...
The quiet, under-recognized lynchpin of this Heat season and its championship direction has been the ability — but first the willingness — of Dwyane Wade to step aside for the first time in his Miami career and let... more »
Most call them the supporting cast. Shaquille O’Neal simply calls them the “others.” Whatever term you prefer, this much is clear: With Chris Bosh out, the Heat’s ensemble around LeBron James and Dwyane Wade has not... more »
In none of the four major North American sports is it easier to repeat as champion than in the NBA. Over the past 25 years, in both hockey and baseball, there have been just three repeat champions. In the NFL, there have been... more »
And so it ended, ended predictably you can certainly say, but also ended in the very worst kind of way. A sweep. A bleeping sweep. From world champs to first-round chumps, that's how the world championship run for the Dallas... more »
Here is today’s question: Do some people start to believe the narrative that others create for them? I ask this because we hear an awful lot in sports about “proving everybody wrong” and “playing for respect” and ... more »
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