Basketball Intelligence for 6/13/24
Celtics on the verge, Luka Doncic fouls out, Jerry West, and more
JERRY WEST
Jerry West's legacy: a relentless pursuit of winning over eight decades in the NBA
Brian Windhorst, ESPN
Jerry West and the Burden of Being the Logo
Howard Beck, The Ringer
I found West in his dimly lit office at Lakers headquarters, sitting at his desk [the morning after winning the 2000 Finals]. He welcomed me in and agreed to answer a few questions. I opened with the most obvious: Did you enjoy the night?
“No,” he said flatly, “I didn’t. I didn’t watch.”
West wasn’t even there. He’d spent the Game 6 clincher in his car, driving around Los Angeles, getting periodic updates by phone. The thought of watching in person was too stressful, too overwhelming.
Jerry West made greatest trade in NBA history, and in the process, redefined roster-building for decades
Sam Quinn, CBS Sports
Jerry West: The Logo and a Lot More
Why Jerry West is the most important Lakers figure of all time
Jovan Buha, The Athletic
A Lakers legend, Jerry West found a loving home with Clippers
Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Daily News
How Jerry West helped turn the Warriors from doormat to dynasty
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News
Jerry West Was Basketball’s Greatest Lifer
Neil Paine,
Jerry West, as a player and exec, sustained excellence during a lifetime of emotional struggle
David Aldridge, The Athletic
NBA FINALS
Boston Reaches the Brink of a Title in the Most Celtics Way Possible
Zach Kram, The Ringer
But let’s save a look at their lasting legacy for after these Finals are over, and after Tatum, Brown, and all their worthy teammates have raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy at last. For now, it’s simply enough that the Celtics win, and win, and keep on winning. They haven’t lost a game in more than a month! For all the mysteries of this team’s identity, that irrepressible success is the most important element.
Luka will live and learn
Mike Shearer,
One more time: 10 Takeaways from Celtics/Mavericks
Oliver Fox, Celtics Blog
The backbreaking strategy that has driven Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks to the brink
Ramona Shelburne, ESPN
11 Takes on the NBA Finals: What We Know Now about the Celtics and Mavs
Stats Rundown: 6 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 106-99 Game 3 loss to the Celtics
Matt Martinez, Mavs Moneyball
As Mavericks teeter on brink of NBA Finals loss, Dereck Lively II offers a lifeline for the future
Tim Cato, The Athletic