Over And Back: Stories About Nba History

In celebration of Ice Cube's Big 3 league, hosts Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch draft a Big 3 for each current and past NBA franchise. To make things more interesting, players can only be selected to one team so someone like Julius Erving can't represent both the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn/New Jersey/New York Nets. Throughout the show, Jason and Rich debate who would make the best three-man team, if style of play should matter, where legacy with the franchise fits in and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We examine some of the best non-first round picks in NBA history on the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch.Combing through each decade of draft classes, we discuss Maurice Cheeks in 1978, Danny Ainge in 1981, Jeff Hornacek, Mark Price and Dennis Rodman in 1986, Toni Kukoc in 1990, Stephen Jackson in 1997, Rashard Lewis in 1998, Manu Ginobili in 1999, Paul Millsap in 2006, Marc Gasol in 2007, Goran Dragic and DeAndre Jordan in 2008, Hassan Whiteside in 2010, Isaiah Thomas in 2011, and Draymond Green in 2012.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Fresh off the conclusion of the 2017 NBA Finals, Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch look at the best individual NBA Finals performances of all-time. We begin with a look at three players who had standout performances in this year's NBA Finals including Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry. We then take a look at the best historical NBA Finals performances of all time including players such as Joe Fulks, George Mikan, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Walt Frazier, Bill Walton, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Golden State Warriors are two games away from pulling off the NBA's first-ever perfect postseason. However, Golden State isn't the only team to enter the NBA Finals with a chance at perfection.Today on the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast, Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch look at eight other teams who chased perfection into the NBA Finals. We'll look at each team's regular season record, key players and playoff path. We'll dig deep into their chances at perfection, how long they remained perfect into the NBA Finals and of course, if they ended their nearly-perfect season with an NBA Championship.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We discuss the NBA in the 1970s with Adam Criblez, author of "Tall Tales and Short Shorts: Dr. J, Pistol Pete and the Birth of the Modern NBA."We look at what the 1970s are best known for in the NBA, how they provided the building blocks for the modern league and the success of the 1980s, why David Stern called them the "dark days," early shoe and endorsement deals, how the NBA tried to market itself, the effects of major expansion and the ABA merger, why the league lost popularity in the late '70s, the power teams (Knicks, Lakers and Celtics) in transition, the significant parity of the late '70s, the rise of player salaries, increased player movement and a trove of a major playoff upsets. We also look at the contributions of Julius Erving, Pete Maravich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Clyde Frazier, Bob McAdoo, Dave Cowens, George Gervin, Rick Barry, Elvin Hayes and many more.Original airdate: 5/17/17Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https:/

With yet another season ending in disappointment for Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers, the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast looks at teams that were great... but not great enough. To date, only four teams have won at least 50 games for five straight seasons, maintained an SRS of 3 or better and still didn't make the NBA Finals: the 1981-87 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2001-05 Dallas Mavericks, the 2008-12 San Antonio Spurs and now, the 2013-17 Los Angeles Clippers. We explore the makeup of each of these teams, notable failures, key transactions, their best shots at a championship and much more.Lastly, we dive into our honorable mentions including teams that averaged over 60% win percentage for 5 or more seasons, but didn’t make an NBA Finals appearance. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the bigger non-Russell Westbrook-related stories at the end of this NBA season has been Lance Stephenson's return to the Indiana Pacers.Today, the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast looks at other second comings of significant NBA players from the obvious to the obscure.We look at stars who came home while still in their prime like Steve Nash and LeBron James, those who came home after their prime like Scottie Pippen and Allen Iverson and famous do-overs like Steve Francis and Antoine Walker. We also look at players who had three stints with one franchise, two stints with three franchises, two stints with two franchises and more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's almost MVP time and it looks like we have a tight race as the season comes to a close. We look back at the closest MVP races in NBA history in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch discuss the following MVP finishes: Bill Russell beating Dolph Schayes in 1958, Willis Reed over Jerry West in 1970, George McGinnis and Julius Erving tying for ABA MVP in 1975, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar beating Bob McAdoo and Dave Cowens in 1976, Erving over Larry Bird in 1981, Magic Johnson beating Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan in 1990, Karl Malone topping Jordan in 1997, Malone over Alonzo Mourning and Tim Duncan in 1999, Duncan topping Jason Kidd in 2002, and Steve Nash over Shaquille O'Neal in 2005.We look at how many MVPs Abdul-Jabbar and Jordan may have deserved in their careers, the differences in player voting years (before 1981) vs. media voting years, which years it seems like voters got it right based on advanced stats, and which years they did not do so wel

NBA teams who outscore their opponents over a full season but have a losing record are relatively rare in the NBA. We take a look back at some of the most notable instances in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Jason Mann talks with Miles Wray of The Step Back about his investigation into recent teams who have managed to have a positive scoring margin and a losing record, with five current teams (Miami, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Minnesota and Denver) very close to doing so this season.First we look at some of the recent teams who have done so, including Kevin Love's 2014 Timberwolves, the 2015 and 2016 Jazz, Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder sparking the 2015 Celtics, and an oddball 2008 post-Allen Iverson 76ers squad. Digging deeper into history, we look at some Dolph Schayes-led Syracuse Nationals teams in the 1950s, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 1975 Bucks and 1976 Lakers, and the 1981 Rockets and Kings (two 40-42 teams who faced off in the Western Conference Finals), and look at how often

In 2012, a fringe NBA player Jeremy Lin was given a chance to start for the Knicks when all other options failed. He thrived to lead New York with flair, pushing the Knicks to a winning streak and a few thrilling weeks in a global phenomenon that became known as Linsanity, before it came to just as quick of a halt.We look at what Linsanity means to us and the NBA world five years later with Kenneth Drews and Dan Filowitz, the hosts of the dearly departed Disciples of Clyde, on the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.We look at how close Lin was to being out of the NBA before coming to New York, the league coming off bad feelings from the lockout and needing a feel-good story, the Knicks struggling despite having Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, the first moments where it seemed like Lin would be special, how Lin appealed to many people who weren't normally NBA fans, how Lin being Asian American set him apart, how Linsanity marked the only time where the Knicks played Mike D'A

It's another episode of Hoop Quiz, our game show where two players battle for NBA trivia supremacy.Returning champion David Ramil of the Locked on Heat podcast competes against Matt Rutkowski of The Step Back. Before the actual quiz, we discuss weird NBA timeout spectacles, the Knicks' half with no arena noise, friends of NBA players getting into management, and the Heat vs. Pistons playoff battles in 2005 and 2006. Then Hoop Quiz challenges both competitors to answer questions about late-season additions of the NBA's past. Who will claim victory? Find out on the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Since the 1973-74 NBA season, only 27 times has a player had a season with a 5.5 Box Plus/Minus or better while being under the age of 22 years old. This illustrious list features a who's-who of NBA legends: LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Bill Walton, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and many more. Chances are if you're on this list, you're going to become an all-time great... but what about those who peaked early in their career and never became legends. How or why did they fall off the all-time great trajectory?On today's episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast we examine a few of those players including Alvan Adams, Elton Brand, John Drew and Andrei Kirilenko and see where they strayed off the path. We'll also look at recent players, including two this year—Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic—who may add their names to the illustrious list. Finally, we look at the inverse—players with -4.5 BPM or worse at age 22 or younger—and se

We look at the Washington Bullets, winners of the 1978 NBA championship and three-time NBA Finalists with Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, in the latest edition of Over and Back's Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s.Author Chris Elzey joins Jason Mann in discussing why the Bullets didn't excite many NBA fans during the late 1970s despite their success and having two top 50 all-time players, the Baltimore Bullets' 1971 Finals appearance with Unseld and Earl Monroe and breakup, acquiring Hayes from Houston, the move from Baltimore to the D.C. area, what made Hayes and Unseld so special, how shooting guard Phil Chenier stood out, the 1975 run to the NBA Finals with a well-balanced squad, classic playoff series vs. the Buffalo Braves and Boston Celtics, the surprising four-game sweep at the hands of Rick Barry's Golden State Warriors, adding Dave Bing in 1976, falling to the Cavaliers in the Miracle of Richfield, K.C. Jones being fired in favor of Dick Motta, falling to Moses Malone and the Rockets in 19

We look at how more heavily offensive-oriented NBA players have been winning MVP at a greater rate in recent years and why we think the award has shifted away from more defensive-focused players in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Jason Mann is joined by Dar-Wei Chen of 16 Wins A Ring and Orlando Magic Daily to discuss his recent article looking at NBA MVPs and what they contributed in offensive and defensive win shares, how well the numbers we have now can measure defense, how much individual offense can influence a game over individual defense, how past MVPs were a mix of players who were more productive on either side of the ball, and at what point the shift changed to offense-oriented types.We also dig into the numbers from MVP seasons from Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Russell, Wes Unseld, Willis Reed, Dave Cowens, Bill Walton, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and LeBron James.Check out Dar-Wei's article, 

We look at the history of Los Angeles Clippers, the good, the bad, and ... well, mostly the bad in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Mick Minas, author of The Curse: The Colorful & Chaotic History of the LA Clippers, joins Jason Mann to talk about how much the Clippers' historical woes can be traced back to bad luck and how much were from the poor ownership and ineptitude of Donald Sterling. They discuss the Buffalo Braves moving to San Diego in 1978, wooing the oft-injured Bill Walton, how Sterling was nearly exiled from the NBA early into his ownership tenure, how the team drafted talented young players but weren't patient enough to keep them, relocating to Los Angeles, the streak of season-ending injuries to top players and how the lackluster Benoit Benjamin typified those years for the Clippers.They also talk about how Elgin Baylor finally put together a talented young team, finally making the playoffs in 1992 and 1993 under Larry Brown, putting scares into heavily fa

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame cases for Tracy McGrady, Chris Webber, Sidney Moncrief, Tim Hardaway and Rudy Tomjanovich are examined in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch look at how McGrady's five-year peak compares to other NBA greats and whether his lack of longevity or lack of playoff success are major concerns. They talk about Webber's uncommon blend of skills and his years with the Fab Five at the University of Michigan and his NBA career and strong run with the Sacramento Kings. They also discuss how Moncrief and his 1980s Milwaukee Bucks have long been overlooked, despite him being a two-time Defensive Player of the Year.They dig into Hardaway's impressive career, his highlights with the fast-paced Run TMC Golden State Warriors and slow-down Miami Heat and how he rates among the other guards in the Hall of Fame. They also chat about Rudy Tomjanovich's years as a player and coach for the Houston Rockets, how NBA coaches are ge

Earlier this week, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson assumed control of his former team, becoming the Lakers new President of Basketball Operations. In doing so, Johnson joined a rare and elite class of former NBA players to achieve the career trifecta: player, head coach and executive. On today's show, we focus on Johnson and other elite/star-level players to go down the player, coach, executive path. We discuss how they got to each role, their successes and failures (oh, there are many!) as well as their best and worst trades as executives. Names researched Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird, Wes Unseld, Willis Reed and many others. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We look at the 2004 Rasheed Wallace trade that led the Detroit Pistons to a championship and a run of Eastern Conference Finals appearances in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Kim Huston, co-host of the Basketball Party podcast, joins Jason Mann on the show to discuss what makes Wallace such a great player and character, his honesty and irreverence, his anger and passion, and break down the comparisons between Wallace and the recently traded DeMarcus Cousins.We also discuss how the 2000s Pistons were built by Joe Dumars, adding Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince by 2003, the playoff failures under Rick Carlisle in 2002 and 2003, some of the other key reserves, whether Lindsay Hunter or Chucky Atkins is the ultimate hipster Pistons uniform, Rasheed's reputation in seven years as a Portland Trail Blazer and his success and failures there, setting a league record for technical fouls, getting into fights with notorious ref Tim Donaghy, and playing one gl

We discuss some of the best, worst and wildest NBA trade deadline deals in history in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast.Adam McGee of Behind The Buck Pass joins Jason Mann to talk about some of the most fascinating trade deadline deals in NBA history: Dikembe Mutombo going from the Atlanta Hawks to Philadelphia 76ers in 2001, the Utah Jazz acquiring Jeff Hornacek from the Sixers in 1994, Steve Francis being sent from the Orlando Magic to New York Knicks in 2006, the Boston Celtics trading Joe Johnson to the Phoenix Suns in 2002, Ray Allen and Gary Payton switching teams between the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle Supersonics in 2003, Stephon Marbury for Terrell Brandon for Sam Cassell in 1999, and the Sacramento Kings sending Chris Webber to the 76ers in 2005 to kick off their rebuild (still ongoing).They also discuss a couple of complicated swaps: Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Delonte West, Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak and Joe Smith in 2008 in an effort to better build around LeBron Ja

From 1984 to 1993, NBA All-Star Weekend featured the NBA All-Star Legends Game/Legends Classic/Old Timers Game, an exhibition game between the NBA's aging elite.In today's episode, we look at the history of the Legends Game, its beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, why it was brought back in 1984 and why it went away in 1993. Along the way we look at the great individual performances in Legends Game history, notable single games, Dave Bing's inability to shoot or score, shocking levels of competence and of course, our plea for the game to return to NBA All-Star Weekend.Original airdate: 2/18/17Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy