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-------------------- November 17, 2004 by Tyson Wirth Top Ten Oldies but Goodies
Oklahoma City’s federal building was the target of domestic terrorists. George Foreman was the heavyweight champion of the world. O.J. Simpson, against popular opinion, was found not guilty of murder. Before any of the above happened, however, every member of our list was playing professional basketball. Today, terrorism has become an international concern, George Foreman is better known for his grills than his uppercuts, and O.J…. well, he’s still guilty. To have thrived in the NBA for such an extended period is a testament to a player’s skill, work ethic, and durability. As we start the grind of another 82 game schedule, this list salutes those characteristics by giving you the top ten careers of today’s active players. You’re more likely to find ex-Washington Bullets (1) than Washington Wizards (0). Lebron-lovers look elsewhere – this is a list based on a career in the NBA, not present ability. To be considered, a player must be on an opening day roster (apologies to The Mailman and Mark Jackson) and must have already laced them up for ten seasons (sorry KG). So at the risk of a journalistic shot-clock violation, here’s the list… 10 - Robert “Big Shot Rob” Horry has a lifetime scoring average of just 7.7 points per game. He hasn’t averaged even four buckets a game since Dolly the cloned sheep was created, and his last four years have produced a sickly .394 from the floor. So how does he make the list? The nickname says it all. Big Shot Rob always saves his best for when the lights are brightest. His 38 Finals 3-pointers are second only to His Airness, and his five NBA championships (more than any other active player) aren’t by coincidence. In the 1995 Finals Horry elevated his game more than anyone else, averaging more than seven points and five boards better (17.0, 10.0) than his regular season numbers (10.2, 5.1), and set an NBA Finals record by recording seven steals in one game. As versatile as a James Bond watch, Horry became one of five players to record 100 steals and 100 blocks in 1995 as Houston won another championship. The following year he set an NBA playoff record for the most three-pointers made without a miss when he went 7-for-7 from downtown vs. Utah. In the 2002 playoffs, Horry was the Los Angeles Lakers most clutch performer, as he hit the game-winning three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in the Lakers 92-91 series-clinching win in Game 3 at Portland. A few weeks later he pulled out one of the most memorable shots in recent NBA history. Shaq, Kobe, and Phil were already debating where to watch the Finals from when Horry knocked down a buzzer-beating three to give Los Angeles a 100-99 miracle win in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. 9 – From one ex-Rocket to another, Sam Cassell was winning NBA championships before Friends premiered. And while Friends fans try to convince themselves that Matt Leblanc’s new spin-off Joey is almost as good, Cassell fans don’t have to pretend. After ten stellar seasons in a young-man’s game, Cassell actually improved his game enough to become a first-time all-star at age 33. As the veteran puts it, "No ifs, ands or buts, I just get it done." Sam-I-Am has always talked a game with the best of them; it’s time to start giving him credit for playing the game with the best of them. His statistics speak for themselves - over 12,000 points, almost 5,000 assists, and over 500 three pointers. Mind you, those stats don’t include his 103 playoff games or two NBA championships. Or his three Player of the Week awards. Or his streak of 71 consecutive made free throws in ’03-’04. You get the idea. The only thing more incredible than Sam’s mouth (’03-’04 All-Interview Team) is the idea that after eleven seasons we may not have seen his best. ------------------- Previous: Basketball Power-Dribbling Drills Back to articles main © 2001-2005 H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m, All rights reserved Terms of service Privacy policy Contact |
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