Some Afternoon Links

In Westphal's first three seasons with the Celtics, he averaged 4.1, 7.2 and 9.8 points, respectively, and 1.2, 2.1 and 2.9 assists. In three seasons with the Mavericks, Harris has averaged 5.7, 9.9 and 10.2 points and 2.2, 3.2 and 3.7 assists.

It wasn't until Westphal took over the Suns' backcourt in his fourth season, when his minutes per game spiked from 19.3 to 36.1, that he took off. He averaged 20.5 points and 5.4 assists that season, igniting a five-year run of better than 20 points and five assists, plus a trip to the Finals in 1976.

Watching from the catwalk in Euro jeans and a shirt maybe a size too small was the one-time answer at small forward. Antoine Rigaudeau, the Frenchman imported during the 2002-03 season, is in town as a guest of president of b-ball ops Donnie Nelson.

Most pundits saw Dirk's disappearing act as proof that he wasn't cut out to be El Hombre, that he was soft and lacking in giant nuts. The MVP meant less than nothing; it was a cruel irony that sang out Nowitzki's shame. But I've always felt that the trophy, and its burden, belonged every bit as much to Avery. He sold Dirk a bill of goods, training him in the ways of Popovich. And then, all that rationality proved to be no match for the very credo Dirk had abandoned.

1980 The infamous halftime tiger incident.
Dick Motta: "We were at Golden State in 1980, my first year here. They had a halftime act with a huge Bengal tiger and a monkey. The monkey would shoot basketballs and the tiger would go retrieve them. I watched the act for awhile and then I asked the trainer if she would do me a favor and let me borrow her tiger. I said, 'Is it a nice tiger?' and she said it was. I said, 'Will it bite me?' and she said no. I had her knock on the door when her act was over. We were still in the dressing room at halftime. She knocked on the door, and I reached out and got that tiger by its leash and collar and walked it in. The players all scattered. I said, 'If you guys don't start rebounding, I'm going to let this tiger eat.' At the time, the players didn't think it was funny. They didn't laugh. But it _was_ funny. It was great." Dallas actually led 36-33 at halftime.