Unsung NBA Heroes: Geoff Petrie

image source: oregonlive.com

The talk of the 2015 NBA free agency, save for LaMarcus Aldridge or DeAndre Jordan, has been the trails and tribulations of the Sacramento Kings. From the already tense relations between the team and DeMarcus Cousins to the signing of Rajon Rondo, the front office in Cowtown has fans longing for the team's early 2000's glory days more than ever. Those Kings teams, who's peak was a 61-21 win season in '01-'02, were the product of Geoff Petrie.

But while most hoops fans know Petrie as the award winning general manager of those squads, who had a taste for the longball, he was once an accolade winning player who could shoot the ball from far himself. In a few short years, Petrie was one of the league's greater shooters, as well as the star of a pre-Blazermania Portland Trail Blazers team. His departure would in fact be the catalyst for that 1976-77 team, but enough of Petrie's off-court impact for now. His exploits in game are worthy of our attention.

Petrie came to Portland as the very first pick of the expansion Trail Blazers in the 1970 NBA Draft, later gaining the moniker "The Original Trail Blazer". Previously, He had played his college ball at Princeton, where he had been First Team All-Ivy twice. Petrie stormed out of the gate for the first year club, leading the club in minutes, points, and assists. While Portland's inaugural year went as well as most expansion team's first seasons tend to, going 29-53 and finishing last in the West, Petrie, the Ivy-Leaguer, quickly learned how to adapt to the NBA, averaging 24.8 points a game (seventh in the league) and earning an All-Star berth. His crowning achievement would not be his selection to the All-Rookie Team, but his sharing of Rookie of the Year with Dave Cowens, an especially great feat considering the draft class included six future Hall of Famers and a dozen All-Stars.

While expectations for Petrie were higher than Mt. Hood after his sensational season (several likened him to Jerry West), the 1971 offseason would have a moment that would begin to tear down his career, in where during practicing at Portland State, felt an uneasiness in his left knee. This injury would come back to haunt him, but in the meantime, Petrie only missed twenty games of his sophomore season, but his scoring notably dropped down to a bit under nineteen points a contest. The Trail Blazers would again finish last in the West but won the coin toss for the first pick in the draft, selecting the notoriously underwhelming LaRue Martin. But even with the lackluster roster surrounding him in '72-'73, Petrie would be able to rebound from his previous season, averaging 24.9 points a game, his career high. He would reach another scoring milestone that season, going for 51 points against the Rockets. Mike Newlin, the man assigned to defend Petrie, infamously declared after the game that "He'll never do that again". Playing Houston again nearly two months later, with Newlin guarding him, Petrie did just that, scoring 51 on the Rockets.

'73-'74 brought a change to Petrie's position, as he switched backcourt roles from shooting guard to point.  In addition, his game was altered as well, adapting to his knees by becoming more of a shooter. The change in position or playing style failed to damper the statsheet, as Petrie would average 24.3 points and 4.3 assists and make his final All-Star game, giving the West eight points in Seattle. But while Petrie had a exceptional season, the rest of the team failed to follow suit, leaving the Trail Blazers in the cellar for the fourth time in four seasons. Yet, there would be hope for the Rose City, as thanks to the team's 27-55 record and the flip of a coin, Portland was able to gain the first pick in the draft, and with it, UCLA wunderkind center Bill Walton.

  The next two seasons brought the beginnings of the team that would later go on to stun the 76ers in the '77 Finals, but also the end of Petrie's career. While he would average a career high 5.3 assists in '74-'75 and never drop below 18 points a content his final two seasons, injuries would hinder Petrie's game further. By 1976, his contract would be done with the Trail Blazers and his knee in need of surgery. In a standoff, Portland wanted Petrie to get surgery, while the six year veteran wanted a contract before getting the knee repaired.

The stalemate would be broken by the team trading Petrie and Steve Hawes (father of Spencer) to the Hawks for the second selection in the ABA Dispersal Draft, which would become Maurice Lucas. Thanks to the addition of Lucas and a healthy year out of Walton, Portland was able to have their first winning record, first playoff berth, and first and only NBA championship. Petrie would never suit up for Atlanta after the trade, having three surgeries on his knee in one year, By training camp in 1978, he had ended his quest to play, telling his coach Hubie Brown he was retiring.

After spending a few years away from basketball, Petrie would rejoin the Trail Blazers, first as a color commentator, then into the front office. His rookie year as Vice President of the team went as well as his first year as a pro, with Portland making the Finals, losing to the Pistons. The team and Petrie were at the top of their games, with the Trail Blazers making the Finals again in 1992. (The coach for those Blazers squads would be Petrie's former teammate Rick Adelman.) After a dispute with owner Paul Allen, Petrie would leave for Sacramento in 1994. By 1999, the Kings would begin a six year stretch where they would be in the upper echelon of teams in the West, including the previously mentioned '01-'02 squad (led by Adelman). Because of his role in building those squads, Petrie was named Executive of the Year in '99 and '01. After a spell of losing seasons, Petrie was let go by the Kings in 2013.

Geoff Petrie had a career in basketball that was rich in individual achievements but poor in team success. He had to see his teammates in Portland win a title the year he left. He saw teams he had built lose in the Finals, or succumb to the Lakers one step before. But Petrie can claim to be the original Trail Blazer, the ultimate indie Portland hoops star. While the Rose City loves a winner, just like every other NBA metropolis, being an obscure star in the hipster haven of Portland is quite the honor in itself. Geoff Petrie; You've Never Heard Of Him.

The 1998 NBA All-Star Game: Yesterday & Today

Welcome to the 21st Century. (Photo Credit: sportpidity)

1998 seems like it was both only months away and also generations ago. Sure, there was the Internet, and Justin Timberlake's voice could be frequently heard on top 40 radio stations. But 1998's Internet was tethered to land lines and screeching dial-up modems, and JT was not the main attraction, but part of 'NSYNC.

Perhaps the finest example of 1998's duality is the NBA All-Star Game held that year, in the Mecca of Basketball in the most buzzed about city in the world; Madison Square Garden in New York City. In that game, players considered to be the 90's finest would go up against those who still merit talk on television and online, a solid 17 years ago.  Due to the lockout that would happen the following fall, the '98 All-Star Game would be the last of the decade of the 90's. But it would also be the first of the 21st century.

The 1997-98 season had not been the finest for Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Yes, they were the two time defending champs, and had won five of the decade's eight NBA Finals. But internal turbulence between coach Phil Jackson and general manager Jerry Krause had ensured it would be the Zen Master's last season in Chicago. Adding to that was Scottie Pippen's toe injury that kept him out for months. To top it off, Jordan was fighting the flu (sound familiar?) on All-Star Weekend, even skipping Saturday's practice. But with 40 points separating him from the all-time All-Star Game scoring record, Jordan mustered up the ability to play.

On the opposing side held youth and the future. "Go West, Young Man" had once been the cry throughout the country, and three of the NBA's newest talents seemed to have revived that call. Starting at shooting guard, the defensive matchup to Jordan, was the player most had tabbed to take his place as the new NBA mega star; Kobe Bryant. Bryant being a starter in this game was uncommon, as the 19 year old didn't even start on his Lakers squad. At the forward position was Kevin Garnett, Garnett, who had signed a six year, $128 million extension with Minnesota, was in his second All-Star Game at 21, when most players would still be a rookie on the bench. Of course, there would even be a rookie on the West's bench. Tim Duncan, in his first of many years in the NBA, would play the second fewest minutes of any player in the game, save for an injured Penny Hardaway.

For His Airness, this would be the 12th time he would be an NBA All-Star. For Bryant, Garnett, and Duncan, this was only the beginning. But for four players, this would be their only trip to the NBA's midseason exhibition. Nick Van Exel, who had been a second round pick, was known as "Nick The Quick" for his sprints to the basket. On Draft Day 1998, would be traded to the Nuggets, where his profile would be lowered. Jayson Williams manned the paint across the river for the Nets. His career would be cut short the next year by a broken leg. Williams would later become known for his legal battles. Rik Smits, pride of Eindhoven, Netherlands, was popular with Pacers fans and known as the "Dunking Dutchman". He retired two seasons after his All-Star appearance, but not before playing in the NBA Finals. Steve Smith was considered to be among the most underrated players of the decade. He would fail to make another All-Star Game, but won a championship and Olympic gold medal by the end of his career.

For most All-Star Games, the final score tends to be lopsided. This one was no different, with the East grabbing a commanding 21 point victory, But the score was never the primary concern in this game. Before the tip-off, the biggest question from the broadcast team of Bill Walton, Isiah Thomas, and Bob Costas was if Jordan would be able to catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 251 All-Star Game points. While Jordan would score 23 points and be named MVP of the game, the main story to come out of the game was the play of Kobe Bryant, eager to show why he was the man to inherit MJ's throne. Bryant would total 18 points and six rebounds before being benched for the final quarter.

As the game began to wind down and players began to take shots that would get them benched in regular contests, talk began from the booth of what would happen to Jordan. Would he go off int the sunset? Would he join the host of the game, the Knicks? And what about the coming labor negotiations? The future might have looked murky from a 90's standpoint. For 90's stars Mitch Richmond, Glen Rice, Vin Baker, Shawn Kemp, and both the Hardaways (Penny and Tim), this would be the last All-Star appearance for them. But for those of a newer opinion, ones who saw promise in the play of Kobe, KG, and Duncan, this was only the beginning. In some ways, the 1998 All-Star Game was comparable to graduating high school; closing the door of an era of fun, but also ushering in an age of new blood and opportunity.

Unsung NBA Players: Otis Thorpe

In "Unsung NBA Players", we take a look at some former pros that might not have been fixtures at the All-Star Game or All NBA team, but were notable in their own right. Our first UNBAP is Otis Thorpe. 

Otis Thorpe had a career that many of his fellow NBA players would be quite envious of, with an All-Star appearance in 1992 and being a key contributor to the Rockets' 1994 title winning squad. To start our illustrious journey, Thorpe was taken by the Kansas City Kings with the ninth pick in the fabled 1984 Draft out of Providence. After a strong rookie season, Thorpe and the Kings left the Fountain City and headed to Sacramento. By the time Thorpe hung up his Converses in 2001, he was the last active player to have been a Kansas City King.

In Thorpe's second season, his numbers took a dive to just under 10 points a game and 5.6 boards, but was still able grab his first taste of the postseason, as the 37-45 Kings were able to slip into the playoffs, where they lost to the Houston Rockets. In '86-'87, Thorpe awakened, nearly doubling his output to a sliver under 19 points and 10 rebounds a game. '87-'88 would become the season of Thorpe's highest scoring output, averaging 20.8 points a contest, as well as 10.2 rebounds. But the days of lighting up the stat sheets in Sacramento would come to an end. In October of 1988, just before the season, Thorpe was shipped off to the team that eliminated him in the playoffs two seasons ago, the Rockets. In exchange, Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen, two key members of the Western champion '86 Houston team were moved to the Kings.

In '88-'89, Thorpe's points per game average took a slight four point hit, but his rebounding maintained the status quo. From '88-'89 to '90-'91, Thorpe and the Rockets never dipped below .500, but were ousted in the first round each season. '91-'92 brought a new high and a new low for Otis Thorpe and Houston. Thorpe averaged 17.3 points and 10.5 boards a game, which earned him a spot at the 1992 All-Star Game in Orlando, where he earned only four minutes and had only two points. But in the Space City, things were not as bright. The Rockets missed the playoffs and almost traded Olajuwon after a dispute with the team's medical staff. Coach Don Chaney resigned and was replaced with Rudy Tomjanovich.

 Thorpe's scoring output and tensions in Houston cooled down in '92-'93. Thorpe dropped to 12.8 points a game, but thanks to Tomajanovich and a pacified Olajuwon, the Rockets shot up to 55 wins and won a playoff series. The next season, '93-'94, would be the year the Rockets would finally blast off. Thorpe contributed 11.3 points and slightly under 10 rebounds per game in 23 contests to help Houston claim their first title over the New York Knicks in seven in what came to be known as the "Forgotten Finals".  

But while '94 brought Otis Thorpe a ring, '95 would bring the end of his run in Houston. After two seasons with first round exits, Clyde Drexler asked the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade to a contender. The contender that was able to grab Drexler was the Rockets. Houston put together a package with Thorpe as the centerpiece, and sent him to the Rose City for Clyde the Glide on Valentine's Day of '95. Thorpe failed to miss a beat on the Trail Blazers, but Portland was swept by the Phoenix Suns in the first round. Houston, only three games ahead Portland in the West standings, beat four 55+ win teams in the playoffs en route to their second consecutive title.

Otis Thorpe's time in Portland ended soon afterwards. In the '95 offseason,  Thorpe moved on yet again, this time sent to Detroit for Bill Curley and Randolph Childress. In his two seasons with the Pistons, he stayed at a steady pace of play with 13.6 points and 8.1 rebounds, not all that far off from his numbers in Sacramento or Houston. One change he made was a switch to center in '96-'97 after a career of playing power forward. By '97, the Pistons would no longer need Thorpe, and traded him to the Vancouver Grizzlies for a first round pick. The Grizzlies were slow to give the Pistons a pick, and finally did so six years after the trade. In exchange for 47 games of Thorpe in '97-'98 (after which he was traded back to the Kings for former Duke star Bobby Hurley and Michael Smith), the Grizzlies, now in Memphis, coughed up the second pick in the fabled 2003 draft, which was used by Detroit to select Darko Milicic.

By '98, Otis Thorpe's play had begun to drop. However, after 14 years in the NBA, he was still on the move. For the third time in almost a year, he was swapped to another team. This time it was being packaged with All-Star Mitch Richmond to the Washington Wizards in exchange for talented but enigmatic Chris Webber. In a lockout shortened '99 season, Thorpe would give the 18-32 Wizards 11 points and almost seven boards a night. Sacramento would garner a 27-23 record on the back of rebounding crown holder Chris Webber.

Once the '99 season was over, Otis Thorpe was 37 and at the twilight of his career. As a free agent, Thorpe decided to sign with the Miami Heat, co-owners of the best record in the league the previous season, and the closest team to his hometown of Boynton Beach. However, due to a thumb injury, Thorpe wouldn't see the court until December. After he was able to recover, Thorpe was a backup for the Heat, giving them dwindling numbers. The Heat were knocked out of the postseason once again by the Knicks, and for one final time, Thorpe was traded, sent to Charlotte along with Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown and two other players for Eddie Jones, Ricky Davis, Dale Ellis, and Anthony Mason. In his final season, Thorpe gave the Hornets 2.8 points and three rebounds in 49 games, and in the playoffs, Charlotte beat Miami, then succumbed to Milwaukee in the second round.

In his 16 year career, Otis Thorpe logged 17600 points and 10370 rebounds, made an All-Star team, and won an NBA championship. Thorpe also has the notable distinction of being involved in three trades that drastically altered the landscape of the league: the trade that sent Clyde Drexler to the Rockets and helped Houston secure a second title, the deal that gave a Pistons team coming off a Conference Finals appearance the second pick in one of the most loaded drafts of all time, and the swap that helped the Kings build a powerhouse by handing them Chris Webber. Sometimes your impact isn't just measured by what you did on the court, but also by the moves others made off of it.

Midwest Repressed, Pt.1

Yes, I started a pro basketball blog in the middle of a lockout.It'll be awhile until Christmas. My first article is the first entry in a four part series about the only division ever dissolved by the NBA: the Midwest Division. Enjoy.

Because of the lockout, we've all been given a chance to reminisce about some of yesterday's players, teams, and coaches. But I'm here to bring back memories of a part of the league bigger then any one team. Because I'm talking about seven teams, all in one place.

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to your attention the Midwest Division.

Yeah, it never had MJ or Magic winning it's titles, but to discount a division that housed legends such as Kareem, Gervin, Hakeem, as well as modern stars like Dirk, Garnett, and Duncan is unfair. If you were a NBA team not named the Chicago Bulls in the 90's, you weren't winning the title unless you came from the Midwest Division. The Rockets had their twin titles in '94 and '95, and Tim Duncan began his Larry O'Brien Trophy collection in the delayed '99 season with the Spurs.* There's some pro roundball history in this lost division that was parceled out seven years ago.

The Midwest Division began in 1970 when the NBA swelled it's ranks to 17 with the addition of Buffalo, Cleveland(the club charter is typed in Comic Sans, if you wanted to know) and Portland. Since the Association had 17 teams, the league could no longer do it's favorite method of conference organization: putting every team south of the Mason-Dixon Line in the West. A change was in order. So, the NBA made four divisions, placing three heartland hoops teams, the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, and a Phoenix Suns squad who got crowded out of the Pacific into our protagonist: the Midwest Division. The first year of the new format was capped off by the crowning of division member Milwaukee, with all-time greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, as NBA Champions.

The first decade of the Midwest Division would be ruled by the Bucks, who won six division titles in that span. But there would be no more Midwest titles for Milwaukee. By 1980, the addition of four ABA teams and the league's expansion to Dallas meant another shift in members. Detroit and Phoenix had left for the Central and Pacific, respectively. The Indiana Pacers had came and left the Midwest in three years. Two relocated franchises in Utah and Kansas City, as well as Denver from the ABA, joined into the divison's fold.

So in 1980, the last remaining founders Chicago and Milwaukee were flipped into the Central for the league's Lone Star State representatives, established San Antonio and Houston, as well as the start-up Dallas Mavericks. The Great Lakes had given way to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, as the division morphed from the original four to a more prairie flavored half dozen with Denver, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, and Utah.

In the next post in this series about the NBA's lost division, we go into the '80's, exploring two promising Texas teams, an under .500 NBA Finals contestant, 186-184, and why the geographers at NBA headquarters thought North Carolina and Florida are midwestern states.

*As a Redskins fan who hoped that the lockout would take games away because the 'Skins have won a Super Bowl in both years that labor issues have taken regular season games away, I wonder how South Texans feel about their beloved Spurs chances in a potential shortened season.