Latest news with #ChrisMullin
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Throughout his career, Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy was best known for his offensive prowess. However, that didn't mean that the North Carolina product was useless on defense. Advertisement "Big Game James" displayed that in the 1991 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He was assigned to guard Chris Mullin, a move that proved successful. "I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense," the top pick of the 1982 Draft said via UPI. The Lakers made the defensive adjustments after "Mully" dropped a game-high 41 points in Game 2 of that series. Then-coach Mike Dunleavy took Magic Johnson off the Warriors star and replaced him with Worthy. Overlooking Worthy's defense At the time, Worthy was one of the Lakers' top offensive weapons. He was a great finisher in the fast break and had a decent mid-range shot. Best of all, he was not afraid to take clutch shots when needed. Advertisement Because of his athleticism, long arms, quickness and basketball IQ, the 6'9" Worthy did his share to help the Lakers on the defensive end. His size proved to be a problem for players like Mullin. The St. John's product admitted James gave him problems. "He gets in your stuff off the dribble and he's still big enough to get into your shot when you step back. He and Dennis (Rodman) are the two quickest guys in the league," the lefty sharpshooter quipped. With Worthy on him, Mullin's point production dwindled in the games that followed. After that 41-point explosion, the 6'7" forward managed to score only nine points in Game 4. Chris did unload 26 in Game 5, but the effort went for naught as the Lakers closed out the series 124-119. Related: "Shaq, I'm from the Balkans, you cannot haze me so hard, I've seen everything" - Goran Dragic recalls how he survived Shaquille O'Neal's rookie treatment Worthy's career turning point The Lakers would next face and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) to set up a finals clash with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. LA drew first blood by taking Game 1, 93-91. Advertisement However, that win came at a price. Worth reinjured his left ankle and played through the pain the rest of the way. According to Dunleavy, "Big Game James'" injury was costly. The Lakers coach felt the Lakers had a good chance to win the title, especially with James' familiarity with Jordan. "The worst part was James Worthy getting injured," Dunleavy said. "We felt really good about our chances there. James played with Michael at North Carolina and was not intimidated by him at all. And he was our guy to defend him." Despite not being 100%, Worthy still led the Lakers in scoring with 19.3 points per game. But against Jordan (31.2 points per game) and Scottie Pippen (20.8 points per game), the effort went for naught. Advertisement Worthy's high ankle injury was only the beginning. In the latter part of the 1991-92 season, James underwent knee surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. These injuries took a lot of the UNC product's quickness and leaping ability. He played the next two seasons but decided to call it a career in the 1994-95 preseason. It was quite a run for "Big Game James," who played a crucial role in three Lakers championships. His two-way impact made him invaluable — a big reason why the franchise retired his No. 42 jersey. On top of that, his stellar career earned him a spot on both the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams — honors that felt like the perfect nod to a player who always delivered when it mattered most. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
17-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
SEC made NCAA Tournament history, but its performance from here will be defining
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The SEC got 14 of its 16 teams into the NCAA Tournament, three bids more than the previous record, with two No. 1 seeds, two No. 2 seeds and six top-four seeds, also a record. In other words, the NCAA selection committee just echoed what people who cover the sport have been saying since December: This is the most dominant men's basketball league we've seen in years, decades, maybe ever. Advertisement Now the NCAA Tournament will confirm or deny that as historical fact. Don't blow it, SEC. Here's how you avoid that: Get six in the Sweet 16, three in the Elite Eight, two in the Final Four and one team cutting nets on April 7 in San Antonio as the SEC's first champion since Kentucky in 2012. That's all. Actually, if you produce the champion, one in the Final Four will do. See, even easier. Some might dispute the idea that three weeks of basketball known for its zaniness could undo or invalidate the excellence that very much happened from November until now. But that's not the point. The regular season has sent expectations soaring, and a league that has been underperforming in this event despite an overall renaissance of late needs to respond. Otherwise, that success is reduced to a statistical barometer and the 2024-25 SEC becomes the best example of regular-season results not translating when it matters most. The NCAA Tournament gets coaches hired and fired, immortalizes players and defines teams and leagues. College hoops preconference tourneys are the best thing available during Thanksgiving TV sports feasting. The sport's iconic arenas produce unrivaled environments. League races are often epic and always mean so much to the coaches and players engaging them. Even those of us who appreciate those things, and welcome millions to the discussion this week, understand they're joining because this is what it's all about. Over 20% of the field is from the @SEC. 🤯 The all-time greatest regular season by any conference in college basketball history.@MarchMadnessMBB x #ItJustMeansMore — Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 17, 2025 So it's time for the SEC to make more like the 1984-85 Big East — three Final Four teams and the champ — than the 1983-84 ACC. People still talk about that Big East season, and not just because this is the 40th anniversary and St. John's has people reminiscing about Lou Carnesecca and Chris Mullin. That team lost in the Final Four to John Thompson, Patrick Ewing and Georgetown, which lost one of the all-time shockers to Rollie Massimino and No. 8 seed Villanova in the title game. Advertisement But that league wasn't nearly as dominant all season as the 1983-84 ACC, which won more than 89 percent of its nonleague games. The closest since was the SEC this season, at 88.9 percent. So what do people remember about that ACC season? Probably Michael Jordan and North Carolina losing to Indiana in the Sweet 16. Which was part of an underwhelming 8-5 record for the league, including Mike Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils (Tommy Amaker, Johnny Dawkins, Jay Bilas) falling in an early upset as a No. 3 seed. Even Virginia making a surprise Final Four run as a No. 7 seed, the year after all-time great Ralph Sampson departed, couldn't offset the overall disappointment. That's not to say the SEC should not sniff at the idea of a Final Four team — it has had just three in the past decade. Produce a champion amid disappointments elsewhere in this field and you can't really be that upset, right? The 2011 Big East, the previous record holder with 11 bids, largely flamed out, but Kemba Walker and UConn walked away with the title. The haters could only say so much. Florida is the SEC's best bet to do that this season. Based on what I saw in Nashville over the weekend, I'd call Florida the best bet from any league to do that. The West Regional No. 1 seed could get a serious frontcourt challenge from No. 4 seed Maryland in the Sweet 16. The St. John's defense against this Florida offense is a Final Four-level possibility in the Elite Eight. But it's going to take something special to eliminate the Gators at their current level of play. No. 1 overall seed Auburn can do it, too. Of course Auburn can, despite three losses in four games. Bruce Pearl's team is prone to chaos and swings of emotion. It is banged up. It has one of this tournament's all-time best coaches, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, lurking as the No. 2 seed. Shoot, the possibility of resurgent Louisville in the round of 32 in Lexington, Ky., is a bit chilling. Advertisement But the Tigers didn't build the best resume in the sport this season on smoke and mirrors. They did it behind potential national player of the year Johni Broome and weapons all around him. They might just find their exit from nightly SEC competition liberating. That's the hope, right? That the SEC will have these teams prepared, and not too beaten down, to excel. 'You hope so, you really do,' Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, whose Midwest No. 2 seed Vols are capable of beating No. 1 seed Houston and reaching the first Final Four in school history, said Sunday after they fell 86-77 to the Gators in the SEC title game. 'It's either going to tear you to shreds or it's going to make you better,' Kentucky coach Mark Pope said. 'I think (every) team is going to decide which is going to be their path.' His team, No. 3 in the Midwest and a potential Sweet 16 challenger to the Vols, lost starting guard Jaxson Robinson for the season to a wrist injury during SEC play and has another starting guard, Lamont Butler, in and out with a bum shoulder. A run of health for Butler could mean a run for the Cats. East No. 2 seed Alabama is good enough to reach the program's second Final Four in two years, good enough to take out No. 1 seed Duke at its best. Will it be at its best? Starting forward Grant Nelson's sore knee will help tell that story. All around the SEC, the toll of the SEC is apparent. 'It's not called the NBA South for no reason,' Missouri guard Tamar Bates said, and Arkansas coach John Calipari called it a 'meat grinder.' Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington, who got the Commodores into the field in his first season after an eight-year drought, said, 'The mental part of this league is probably the most difficult.' 'I do think what's transpiring is historic,' said Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams, whose team is the No. 4 seed in the South and, yes, capable of doing damage. 'And I don't think that when you're living in it you're clapping (like) a fan or as a media member going, 'This is really cool.' I think you're trying to figure out how to not suffocate yourself from the burden that you feel (on each possession).' Advertisement That's an NCAA Tournament staple. Which favors the idea of preparation. Watching the Vols and Gators play a third game in three days and knock each other all over the floor Sunday, physical pain came to mind. Pressure is inherent but enhanced if any of these teams think of the flag they're supposed to be carrying. Players on the teams certainly got enough questions about it in Nashville. The SEC's records set Sunday include 87.5 percent of its teams invited to the NCAA Tournament. The league's emphasis and financial investment over the past several years have led to this. They have not yet led to any significant March success, though. Per JBR Bracketology, the SEC has had 22 bids in the past three years and 30.56 expected wins. It has 22 wins and one Final Four to match, by far the worst performance of the power leagues relative to expectations. Now we find out what happens with better, older teams, having demonstrated emphatic superiority over other leagues, followed by 10 weeks of sledgehammering each other. 'I think nobody will know until we see,' said Ole Miss coach Chris Beard, whose team is No. 6 in the South and, well, you know the drill. 'We'll see what happens, if this league produces second-weekend teams, third-weekend teams, has a couple teams in the Final Four. It will be interesting to see. (As) a basketball fan, I pay attention to that, too.' Yes, it's the story of the tournament. And if the SEC doesn't get it done, sorry, but being too good doesn't work as an excuse. (Photo of Bruce Pearl: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Miami Herald
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. misses out on opportunity to play in All-Star Game, loses in Rising Stars
The new Rising Stars format gave Miami Heat second-year forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. an opportunity to earn a spot in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. That's because, for the first time, this year's winning Rising Stars squad will take part in the NBA All-Star Game's new four-team tournament. But unfortunately for Jaquez, his All-Star Weekend ended Friday night when his team (Team Tim Hardaway) fell to Team Chris Mullin 40-34 in the semifinals of the Rising Stars four-team tournament at Chase Center in San Francisco. That loss eliminated Jaquez and Tim Hardaway from the Rising Stars showcase, which features select NBA rookies/sophomores and G League players. It marked Jaquez's second Rising Stars appearance after also playing in the event as a rookie last year. Jaquez, who turns 24 on Tuesday, closed the defeat with four points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in eight minutes on the court. His only made basket was a corner three-pointer. 'Tonight was a lot of fun, being around all these guys, same draft class,' Jaquez said after being eliminated from Friday's Rising Stars event. 'It's cool to be able to catch up with them midway during the season, see how they're all doing and build that relationship outside of basketball.' In the end, Team Chris Mullin defeated Team G League ### in the Rising Stars final to punch its ticket in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. Team Chris Mullin's roster includes Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, Dalton Knecht of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies, Keyonte George of the Utah Jazz, Zach Edey of the Grizzlies, Trayce Jackson-Davis of the Golden State Warriors and Ryan Dunn of the Phoenix Suns. For each Rising Stars semifinal game, the winner was the first team to reach or surpass 40 points For the championship game, the winner was the first team to reach or surpass 25 points. The Rising Stars champion was able to add one player from a losing Rising Stars team for Sunday's All-Star Game. But Jaquez was not selected, as WNBA legend Candace Parker (as the general manager of the Rising Stars champion) picked Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets to join Team Chris Mullin for the All-Star Game. Jaquez won't get the opportunity to take part in Sunday's All-Star Game, but he's just the fifth different Heat player to be selected for the Rising Stars showcase multiple times while with the organization, joining a list that also includes Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley and Tyler Herro. Jaquez's second Rising Stars appearance comes in the middle of what has been a relatively underwhelming sophomore NBA season for him. He has averaged 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three-point range in his second NBA season. Jaquez's scoring and efficiency have dipped from last season when he was named to the NBA's All-Rookie First Team. Jaquez, who was selected by the Heat with the 18th overall pick in the 2023 draft, averaged more points while shooting a better percentage from the field and from behind the arc as a rookie. The Heat's All-Star Weekend continues on Saturday night when Herro takes part in the Three-Point Contest (8 p.m., TNT). Herro will then represent the Heat in Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game. For Jaquez, he'll stay in San Francisco on Saturday to enjoy some of the All-Star Weekend festivities before spending the rest of the break in Miami. 'When All-Star comes around, it somehow comes around always at the perfect time,' Jaquez said. 'When everybody just needs to get away and take some time to rest, recuperate and regroup. So, taking all that and getting ready for this last leg of the season and just really make a stand and make a push.'
