I have to preface this piece by saying my views skewed, as I’m what they call a “homer.” I love where I’m from, so the history is gonna be revisionist to some. Having said that—let’s go.
It was the 1988/1989 season when the foundation of basketball’s revolution, approximately 20 years later, was laid at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Future Naismith Hall of Fame head coach, Rick Pitino, commanded the New York Knicks to the Atlantic Division championship, with a record of 50 wins 32 losses. Although the team was anchored by superstar and future Hall of Fame inductee, Patrick Ewing, the energy and spark of the teams’ success was a unit called the Bomb Squad. The quintet, consisting of Johnny Newman, Trent Tucker, Gerald Wilkins, and native New Yorkers Rod Strickland and Mark Jackson, realized the power of the perimeter game, specifically the three-point shot, and had no problem hoisting the rock. Admittedly that style of play on offense didn’t produce a championship banner in NYC but the die was cast. Someday a world champion was going to use the three-point shot not just as a momentum stealer or nail in the coffin, but rather as the basis of their offense.
In 2011, the vision became clear as Bomb Squad alumni Mark Jackson arrived in the Bay Area as a head coach of the Golden State Warriors, the same year that the team utilized the 11th pick in the NBA draft to select shooting guard Klay Thompson. Already on the roster was a superstar talent, point guard Stephen Curry. In a relative short period, the duo showed that the lofty projections of what these two combined could achieve was an understatement. In fact, Jackson suggested that after one full season together, Thompson and Curry formed the best shooting duo in NBA history.
“There’s no tandem that’s done it in the history of the game over 82 games like these guys,” Jackson said. “That’s an extended period. They have a body of work. I think too much is being played of (the topic), but at the end of the day, it’s my belief and these two guys are incredible shooters. That can’t be debated.”
To augment Jackson’s statement, at the end of the 2012-2013 season, Thompson and Curry combined made 483 three-pointers, the most ever by an NBA duo. They have since been bestowed with the moniker “The Splash Brothers.” More important than the marketing handle, they received reinforcements. Through the guile of the scouting personnel, the selections of small forward Harrison Barnes with the seventh overall pick, center Festus Ezeli with the 30th pick and small forward Draymond Green with the 35th pick, the nucleus of a team was formed through the NBA. By the end of the 2014-2015 season, the Warriors had achieved the ultimate goal in team sports: world champion status.
As tradition holds, the champs had to pay a visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, to hold court with President Barak Obama. Instead of resting on the laurels of the past season, with a 51-point performance one day before the trek to the White House, Stephen Curry provided something current for the president to speak of. “For those of you who watched the game against the Wizards last night, he was—to use slang—he was ‘clowning.’ Obviously, watching Steph play is incredible. And for anybody who enjoys basketball, it is just a lot of fun.” He followed with praise for the roster. “But it’s not just Steph. There’s the other ‘Splash Brother,’ Klay, who dropped 37 points in a quarter, and whose jump shot is actually a little prettier. There were (Harrison) Barnes dunks, (Andrew) Bogut blocks, Draymond Green showing us ‘heart over height’ every single night. Then you’ve got a couple of unselfish all-stars in their own right that were coming off the bench—Andre Iguodala and David Lee. And a bench that was so good that an opposing coach complained, ‘They’ve got two starting lineups.’”
With the All Star Break over, the NBA season is in its home stretch, and two stories are front and center. First, the majestic career of Kobe Bryant is months away from completion, and second, the Warriors are chasing history in defense of their championship. With a record of 48-4, the Warriors are looking to finish the remainder of the season at 25-5. That will put them at 73 wins (out of an 82 game season.) With that, the record of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls would go by the wayside. Let’s enjoy the chase.
Speaking of Chi Town, one of the hottest music commodities from the musically rich city, BJ the Chicago Kid headlines the “Hot97 Presents Who’s Next” music series at SOB’s (204 Varick St.) Tuesday, Feb. 23. Tickets can be purchased at ticketweb.com.
Over and out. Holla next week. Until then, enjoy the nightlife.