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.