Don Nelson earns lifetime achievement award, rips Mavericks
June 9 - Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson was presented with a lifetime achievement award Sunday night and then trashed one of his former franchises for trading Luka Doncic.
Nelson played 14 NBA seasons from 1962-76, ranks second in NBA history with 1,335 regular-season coaching victories over 31 seasons and guided his teams to 18 playoff appearances before retiring in 2010. He held the victories record until Gregg Popovich passed him in 2022.
Those accomplishments helped the 85-year-old get presented with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday night in Oklahoma City. The award is given out by the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"History has already reflected Don Nelson's staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game," Indiana Pacers coach and NBCA president Rick Carlisle said in a news release. "Back in the '80s and '90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports."
Nelson had more than the award on his mind. One of his former teams, the Dallas Mavericks, made the highly criticized move of Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers prior to the trading deadline.
The trade upset Nelson and he picked his footwear to honor Doncic, who nearly single-handedly led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals.
"As a matter of fact, I want everybody to know I'm wearing Luka's shoes, his new shoes from Nike that just got on the market," Nelson said during a press conference before Game 2 of the NBA Finals. "I'm wearing them in protest for the trade from Dallas. Tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him, and I want everybody to know that."
Nelson said his philosophy on star players was something that was developed during his playing career. He won five NBA titles while watching how Hall of Famer Red Auerbach put together and kept together the star-studded Boston Celtics, who were led by five-time MVP Bill Russell and 13-time All-Star John Havlicek.
"His philosophy was when you have a great player -- Bill Russell, Havlicek, Sam Jones, you name 'em -- you don't lose that player," Nelson said. "You keep him for a lifetime. You put his number up, and you honor that player. That's been my philosophy."
Nelson coached the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors for 11 seasons apiece. After a 59-game stint with the New York Knicks in which he was fired in 1995-96, Nelson was coach and general manager of the Mavericks from 1997-2005. He later coached the Warriors for another four seasons.
Accolades aside, Nelson was honored to earn an honor named after the late Daly, who won back-to-back NBA titles with the Detroit Pistons in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
"Chuck was an absolute genius in all facets of the game and life," Nelson said. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to coach against him, learn from him and benefit from his knowledge. To say that I'm deeply touched to receive an award that bears his name would be an understatement. This is special."
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
US Open food and drink prices revealed as golf fans fume at ‘disgrace' of a menu and staggering cost of WATER
GOLF fans fumed at the "disgrace" of a menu at the US Open. The tournament kicks off on Thursday but already the Oakmont concession prices have been revealed online. 3 3 And fans were stunned to see just how much a bite to eat could set them back. A Philly cheesesteak was the heftiest meal on the menu - costing $13.95 (£10.33) - while crisps were $3.49 (£2.58). A single Corona costs $11.95 (£8.85) - despite being able to buy a four-pack for £6 at Sainsbury's. Even a bottle of water is $4.95 (£3.66) - but what really did it for fans was the $1.95 (£1.44) price of a banana. One raged: "$1.98 for a banana??? I'm taking my business elsewhere!" Another fumed: "$1.95 for a banana is outrageous." One said: "$2 for a banana is crazy. Can get a bundle at the store for under $2!!! I am irate." On the course, American Bryson DeChambeau looks to retain his US Open title but Rory McIlroy enters off the back of his Masters win in April. Scottie Scheffler also claimed PGA Championship glory in May and will tee off as the bookies' favourite to go all the way. Elsewhere, fighting tooth and nail to make a name for himself in Pennsylvania will be full-time dentist Matt Vogt. Vogt - who runs his own dentistry practice in Indianapolis - is 1,173rd in the World Amateur Rankings but secured a debut place at a major. Not only does he hope his golf career will take off but also his dentistry business, revealing: "I think they've gotten a ton of enquiries. "I've got such a great team, I've got friends helping me out with all those messages and enquiries and said, 'hey, guys, forward those to Chris, my buddy, and make sure you stay focused on patients because that's what we're there to do in McCordsville, Indiana'. "It's been a lot of fun, some patients reaching out and fellow dentists. I feel like there are so many people behind me this week - Oakmont, Pittsburgh, dentistry - it's been fun. "Honestly, from a business perspective, that's not what it's about. We try to take good care of people, and if it brings us more great patients that we can help, awesome. "It will give us something to talk about maybe in and around the office." 3
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
MLB roundup: Chris Sale whiffs 11 Brewers; Braves end skid
June 10 - Chris Sale allowed one run over seven-plus dominant innings and the visiting Atlanta Braves hit three homers to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Matt Olson and Eli White each hit a two-run homer and Ronald Acuna Jr. belted a solo homer for the Braves, who had lost 14 of their previous 17 games. Sale (4-4) allowed five hits, struck out a season-high 11 and walked two. Atlanta's Ozzie Albies singled in the sixth and eighth innings, giving him 1,000 career hits and extending his career-high on-base streak to 24 games. Milwaukee has lost three of its last four games, scoring just one run total in the three defeats. Aaron Civale (1-2) yielded two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Diamondbacks 8, Mariners 4 (11 innings) Josh Naylor hit a walk-off grand slam with one out in the 11th inning as Arizona recovered from a blown lead in the ninth for a victory over Seattle in Phoenix. Naylor's third hit of the game, the blast off Carlos Vargas (1-5), allowed the D-backs to break a three-game losing streak. Jalen Beeks (2-0) earned the win. The Mariners erased a four-run deficit in the ninth on RBI singles from Donovan Solano and Cole Young and a two-run homer from Dominic Canzone, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, Phillies 4, Cubs 3 (11 innings) Brandon Marsh's RBI single capped a two-run, 11th-inning rally as host Philadelphia rallied to top Chicago. Otto Kemp recorded the first three hits of his major league career for the Phillies, who had lost their previous five games. Nick Castellanos also had three hits as Philadelphia handed Chicago its fourth loss in six games. After the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled home a run off Carlos Hernandez (1-0) in the top of the 11th, J.T. Realmuto began the bottom of the frame with a game-tying single off Daniel Palencia (0-2). Three batters later, Marsh followed with a walk-off hit off the base of the left-center-field wall. Pirates 10, Marlins 3 Adam Frazier and Andrew McCutchen each had three hits and an RBI, and Bryan Reynolds had two hits including a bases-clearing triple to help host Pittsburgh top Miami. The Pirates extended their season-high winning streak to four in a row, and their run total matched their season high. Every starter in Pittsburgh's lineup had at least one hit. Pirates reliever Caleb Ferguson (2-0) threw two perfect innings. The Marlins got a homer from Otto Lopez but lost for the seventh time in games. Eury Perez (0-1), in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024, allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings. Reds 7, Guardians 4 Jake Fraley socked a solo homer in a three-hit game while Wade Miley earned his first victory in nearly two years as visiting Cincinnati beat Cleveland to claim the season series between the in-state rivals. Miley (1-0) worked five innings, allowing three runs on five hits in his second appearance since joining the team on Wednesday following his recovery from Tommy John surgery performed in May 2024. Emilio Pagan tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 16th save. Bo Naylor homered and singled for the Guardians, who took their fourth loss in five games. Luis L. Ortiz (3-7) surrendered four runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 4 (10 innings) Alejandro Kirk went 4-for-5 with a homer, and his RBI double lifted visiting Toronto past St. Louis. Jonatan Clase hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning for the Blue Jays, who won for the 10th time in 12 games. Yariel Rodriguez (1-0) earned the victory despite blowing an eighth-inning lead, and Jeff Hoffman pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th for his 16th save. Ivan Herrera hit a go-ahead, three-run homer for the Cardinals in the eighth inning. However, Ryan Helsley served up Clase's tying homer in the ninth before Phil Maton (0-2) permitted Kirk's decisive hit in the 10th. Rays 10, Red Sox 8 (11 innings) Jake Mangum went 4-for-6 with two RBIs for Tampa Bay to upend host Boston in the opener of a three-game series. After Junior Caminero drew a bases-loaded, full-count walk off Red Sox reliever Zack Kelly (1-3), Mangum beat out an RBI infield single that delivered an insurance run and helped Massachusetts native Ian Seymour (1-0) earn a win in his major league debut. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda had two hits apiece for the Rays. Red Sox shortstop went 0-for-4 with an RBI groundout in his big-league debut. Ceddanne Rafaela, Romy Gonzalez and Trevor Story all had three hits for Boston. Angels 7, Athletics 4 Yusei Kikuchi allowed one hit over 7 1/3 shutout innings and Jo Adell homered and had three RBIs as Los Angeles remained perfect against the Athletics with a win in Anaheim, Calif. Mike Trout had two RBIs and Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel each drove in one to help the Angels win for the fifth time in the past seven games. Los Angeles is 5-0 against the Athletics this season. JJ Bleday and rookie Max Muncy hit two-run homers for the Athletics, who lost for the 22nd time in the past 26 games. Athletics rookie center fielder Denzel Clarke made another spectacular grab, this time taking a homer away from Schanuel. Dodgers 8, Padres 7 (10 innings) Andy Pages' RBI double snapped a 10th-inning tie and lifted visiting Los Angeles to a win over San Diego. Pages laced a 1-1 pitch from Wandy Peralta (3-1) to the left field wall, scoring Max Muncy, the automatic runner to start the inning. Tommy Edman added a run-scoring single off second base to provide a cushion. Freddie Freeman finished with three of the Dodgers' 12 hits, while Pages and Edman each added two. Manny Machado was the only San Diego batter with two hits, while teammate Tyler Wade hit a three-run triple. Jackson Merrill's 10th-inning RBI double wasn't enough. --Field Level Media
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Pacers won't win NBA title by relying on crazy comebacks
After wasting an opportunity to win Game 1, the Thunder were left with a bitter aftertaste against the never-quite Pacers. The Thunder devoured the Pacers in Game 2 Sunday, June 8, evening the NBA Finals with a 123-107 victory. ANALYSIS: Tyrese Haliburton NBA postseason heroics renew debate. Does 'clutch' play exist? While the Pacers stole home-court advantage, they haven't played great and it's starting to become an issue as the series moves to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4. "Another bad first half," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly. A little bit better in the second half but you can't be a team that's reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency." At this stage, the Pacers cannot rely on their ability to complete a comeback. They need to start better, and now, it's on Carlisle and his staff to figure that out. Indiana trailed by as many as 23 points, and while the comebacks have been compelling, it's not a recipe for playoff success. "We're going to have to be a lot better on Wednesday," Carlisle said. The Pacers have led for just one minute and 40.3 seconds of the 96 minutes in two games and their biggest lead is three points. The Thunder were more physical, dominated the paint for the second consecutive game and limited Tyrese Haliburton to a quiet 17 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma City had control of the game and was not in the mood to blow another double-digit lead. How did the Pacers handle Oklahoma City's physicality? "Not well," Carlisle said. "They were the best in the league during the year at keeping people out of there (paint). They are great at it. We have to find ways to get the ball in there, and you know, it's just there are so many things that have to go right on a set of two possessions to get the ball into the heart of their defense." Throughout the season and especially the playoffs, the Thunder's top-ranked defense finds a way to take away or limit the opponent's strengths. They did it against Denver and Minnesota in the Western conference semifinals and finals. "Our offense is built from the inside-out, and we have to do a better job getting downhill," Haliburton said. "They collapse and make plays from there. I thought we could improve a lot there. But yeah, they are flying around. They have got great point-of-attack defenders and great rim protectors. We can do a better job, watch the film, and see where we can get better going into Game 3." What about Haliburton's performance? "There's a lot more to the game than just scoring. ... People shouldn't just look at his points and assists and judge how he played, or judge how any of our guys played just on that," Carlisle said. "That's not how our team is built. We are an ecosystem that has to function together. We've got to score enough points to win the game but who gets them and how they get them, not important." Pascal Siakam found no consolation in getting a split and grabbing home-court advantage in the series. "You want to win every game you play, so we are not happy with how the game went today, and that's it," he said. "We've just got to turn the page, focus on Game 3. That's the biggest game of the year." This series is much closer to being a 2-0 Thunder lead than a 2-0 Pacers lead, and between Game 1 and 2, Carlisle compared a playoff series to a book. "Each game in this series is going to look different," he said. "A playoff series is a series of seven chapters, and each one takes on a different personality." If the Pacers don't find a way to start the next chapter better than they have, the book is going to close quickly on their championship aspirations. Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
