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Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How The Best Players Elevate Their Teams In The NBA Finals
With the 2025 NBA Finals upon us, the Oklahoma City Thunder face off against the Indiana Pacers for the title of best in basketball. Both teams are striving to win their first NBA championship in franchise history. Although star players significantly impact NBA rosters, the best overall team typically wins the championship. In other words, most of the memorable moments and performances in NBA history are associated with team success. These instances represent some of the most important leadership moments that have stood the test of time. In team sports, effective leadership is defined by one's ability to enhance not only one's personal status but also the overall performance of the team. Since 1947, the NBA Finals has served as a platform to showcase some of the greatest basketball players and teams in history. In the NBA Finals, star players have often elevated their teams to championship status by making sacrifices and demonstrating a team-first mentality during crucial times on the court. The following highlights instances when NBA stars were willing to sacrifice individual greatness for the success of their teams, ultimately enhancing their own legacies. Former New York Knicks center Willis Reed guards Los Angeles Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain #13 ... More during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Reed inspired the Knicks by opting to return unexpectedly from injury. The Knicks defeated the Lakers 113-99 to win its first NBA title. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) Considered one of the first superstars of basketball, Hall of Fame center George Mikan led the Minneapolis Lakers to five championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s through sheer dominance and great touch around the basket. Besides his dominant size advantage, Mikan was known to have a welcoming personality that made him a great teammate. One of his defining moments was leading the Lakers to a championship in 1949, after playing through a broken hand to score 29 points in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Although societal views toward working through injuries have somewhat changed today, Mikan was determined to not let his team down on the big stage. In the late-1950s, Bob Pettit willed his St. Louis Hawks to a championship, including an impressive 50 point 19 rebound performance in game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals. The Hawks victory was followed by an unprecedented run by the Boston Celtics, who won eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966. Two of their iconic figures, center Bill Russell and point guard Bob Cousy, consistently sacrificed individual glory for team success. This quote from a 1979 memoir best illustrates the Celtics' attitude and Russell's commitment to his team, 'The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I'd made my teammates play.' One of the most inspiring moments in NBA history occurred during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. League MVP Willis Reed, center for the Knicks, suffered a torn thigh muscle in Game 5 of the series, which sidelined him for Game 6. With the series tied at 3-3, Reed made a dramatic entrance before the start of Game 7, inspiring his teammates and ultimately leading the Knicks to their first championship. Although Reed was not at his best, he made significant contributions on defense by forcing Wilt Chamberlain to miss some shots. Reed's career was cut short by injuries, much like that of fellow Hall of Famer Bill Walton, another unselfish team-oriented star center who led the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title. Before Nikola Jokić, Walton was often regarded as the greatest passing big man in NBA history. Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with teammate Steve Kerr #25 during game six of ... More the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz on June 13, 1997. After receiving a pass from Jordan, Kerr hit the game winning jumper to secure a fifth championship for the Bulls. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel /Allsport) Point guard Magic Johnson and forward Larry Bird shared a unique rivalry in the 1980s that may have saved the NBA from bankruptcy. As a rookie, Johnson led the Lakers to an NBA championship in 1980, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers. In the absence of league MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was sidelined for Game 7 of the series due to injury, Magic Johnson stepped in to play the center position, showcasing his versatility and team-first approach. He ended the game with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading the Lakers to an NBA championship, their first of five in the 1980s. Larry Bird's performance in Game 6 of the 1986 NBA Finals demonstrated how a basketball player can dominate a game even without the ball. His stat line of 29 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, and 3 steals represented one of the most complete performances a player could have, capping off the Celtics' third NBA title of the decade. The Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s were a defensive-oriented team that prioritized collective identity over individual accolades. A pivotal moment in the Pistons becoming a champion occurred when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1988 NBA Finals. The Pistons were leading the series 3-2 and were ahead in Game 6 when the face of their franchise, point guard Isiah Thomas, severely sprained his ankle. Despite his injury, Thomas delivered a legendary performance, scoring 25 points in the third quarter. Although the Pistons' title hopes fell short in 1988, Thomas' continued determination and leadership helped the Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in subsequent years. Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player in NBA history, was initially recognized more for his individual accomplishments. However, two notable instances exemplified his willingness to trust his teammates in critical situations. In the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals, Jordan penetrated the defense, drawing attention to himself before passing the ball multiple times to his teammate John Paxson, who made several clutch shots to secure the first of six NBA championships for the Chicago Bulls. Six years later, in the 1997 Finals, Jordan passed to an open Steve Kerr, who made the winning shot during the Bulls' fifth championship run. Both instances exemplified Jordan's willingness to sacrifice individual glory for the success of the team. Forward Andre Iguodala, former core player for the Golden State Warriors, defends against LeBron ... More James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals in Oakland, California on June 4, 2015. The Warriors won the series and Iguodala earned Finals MVP. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) Nearly a decade later, the 2007-08 Boston Celtics represented the first modern version of 'Big Three', a team that acquired All-Star players Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen through trades to join Paul Pierce, thereby forming a trio of superstars. In the 2008 NBA Finals, the Celtics showed their team was not merely a collection of stars, but rather a cohesive unit in which each player's skills complemented one another. Pierce was the more ball-dominant offensive player, while Allen effectively utilized screens to hit shots, and Garnett worked the post. All three players were willing to sacrifice points and accept reduced roles in pursuit of a title. As a team, the San Antonio Spurs demonstrated remarkable resilience after suffering a heartbreaking defeat in the 2013 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Holding a 3-2 series lead and maintaining a fourth-quarter advantage, the Spurs lost Game 6 in overtime and subsequently fell in the decisive seventh game. The following season, they battled their way back to the Finals and exacted revenge on the Heat, winning the series 4-1. Their display of resilience was a testament to their leadership core of veteran stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili, and serves as a prime example of collective leadership. During the early years of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, former All-Star Andre Iguodala embraced his role coming off the bench, even though it meant scoring significantly fewer points. His contributions were instrumental in the Warriors' victory in the 2015 NBA Finals, where he was awarded Finals MVP for his exceptional defense against LeBron James. This victory marked the Warriors' first NBA title. Led by team-oriented stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the team went on to win three more titles, with their most recent championship coming in 2022. There are several additional examples of star players showing a willingness to make sacrifices to ensure team success. This year's NBA Finals presents an opportunity for new leadership stories to be written. The Thunder and Pacers have each earned their chance to make history. Regardless of the outcome, the best 'team' will win its first franchise championship.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In high school, Karl-Anthony Towns got sick of learning experiences. Winning followed.
It was just over 55 years ago that a hobbled New York Knicks warrior provided an emotional jolt that propelled his team to victory in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. That big man was Willis Reed, and despite finishing with just four points, his mere presence is credited for elevating New York to that championship – one that remains on the Knicks' Mount Rushmore of triumphs. Advertisement On Thursday, another Knicks star, Karl-Anthony Towns, fought through an injury and willed New York to a 111-94 win – dominating the Pacers with a 24-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. While the scenarios may be different, their 'win-at-all-costs' mentality and toughness under less-than-ideal circumstances are similar. For Towns, the desire to win was forged by his parents, Karl Towns and the late Jackie Cruz-Towns. When he was a junior at St. Joe's Metuchen during the 2012-13 basketball season, I produced "Center of Attention," a documentary about Karl-Anthony. During my reporting, I spent time with his family and soon learned that the dining room in their Piscataway, New Jersey, home was where many of life's lessons were imparted. That season, I observed Karl-Anthony's intense focus on winning and no-excuses attitude begin to crystalize after a loss to East Brunswick High School. Advertisement I was working on the documentary at the family's home when his mother suggested that the loss, the second to East Brunswick that season, should be a learning experience. Her son wasn't having it. 'We lost to East Brunswick the first day, we lost to East Brunswick today. It's always, 'You got to learn from this.' Well, sooner or later, you got to stop learning,' the then-17-year-old calmly explained to his mom. 'It's just like you being in college. OK, you go to college – you learn a lot. If you don't go and use it in the real world, your college education was useless... "And until we learn – actually learn, and decide to go on the street and use what we learn, and actually beat an elite team, for one time, this season, then we will not be what we need to be for the year.' Advertisement Jackie appeared pleased with Karl-Anthony's reasoning. After 19 practices and 12 subsequent games, Towns' St. Joe's Metuchen and East Brunswick faced each other for a third time – this one for the conference championship. St. Joe's Metuchen won, 66-63, in double-overtime. Indiana's Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the site of Saturday night's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, will no doubt be a hostile environment for Towns. Will he use what he's learned and lift the Knicks once again? We'll see soon enough. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: Young KAT got sick of learning from losses. Wins followed.
New York Post
30-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Scenes from a jubilant night at Knicks watch party as excited fans watch team keep season alive
All across the city, on a beautiful cool night inside Central Park, not quite within ear shot of the desperate roars inside the Garden, where the Knicks were making their Game 5 stand against the Pacers, inside bars and restaurants everywhere, inside anxiety-ridden hearts and minds, all the Watch Parties had turned into houses of prayer, asking for divine intervention from the basketball gods to keep alive the hopes and dreams of the championship-starved faithful. Every single one of these springtime playoff joy rides had ended prematurely and/or unceremoniously since 1973, when Clyde Frazier and Captain Willis Reed became two-time NBA champions and reminded the ones lucky enough to experience it why basketball is The City Game. Advertisement But on this night inside Central Park, a night when the city's basketball back was against the wall, it did not end in despair. It did not end with Knicks fans crying in their beer. It ended in jubilation and plans for one more Watch Party on Saturday night, and maybe one more after that, at least.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Generational performance' - Fans praise the New York Knicks as Ben Stiller shares a nostalgic memory involving Willis Reed
Willis Reed (image by) and Ben Stiller (image by Rob Griffith/AP) Big day for the New York Knicks fans as the team marched into the Eastern Conference finals , Game 5, after defeating the Boston Celtics by 4-1. As the team celebrates the feat, fans go through a major throwback moment, as the last time the Knicks went into the finals was in the year 2000. While fans and celebrities across different fields started celebrating the achievement, a heartwarming post involving Willis Reed by Ben Stiller caught the attention of the fans. Veteran basketball professional Willis Reed spent his entire pro-basketball career playing for the New York Knicks Ben Stiller, an American actor, comedian and filmmaker, has been an avid follower of the NBA league, supporting the team New York Knicks since forever now. The actor recently posted an old picture from his childhood that showcased the dedication of the individual towards his favorite team. The photograph showed young Stiller pointing towards the poster of the basketball veteran Willis Reed. One of the most important parts of the team, Reed spent the entire pro-basketball career of his life playing for the Knicks. In 1970, the player was awarded as the team's most valuable player. After retiring as a player, Reed served the rest of his life as a coach for several other teams, like the Atlanta Hawks, the Sacramento Kings and the New Jersey Nets. Ahead of the Knicks match against the Celtics, Stiller posted the old picture as a way of showing his long-lasting support towards the New York-based team. Stiller wrote, 'Been at this for a while. #Knicks in 6.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch Bitcoin và Ethereum - Không cần ví! IC Markets BẮT ĐẦU NGAY Undo The post immediately caught the interest of the fan community and they started commenting on the post, appreciating the Knicks for their performance until now. One of the users wrote while praising Reed, 'One of the first basketball folk legends my dad taught me was on the toughness of Willis Reed. True NYK icon.' Another one wrote, 'Remember my grandfather screaming about Bernard King. Good times' 'I tell @nyknicks are putting on a generational performance, making fans out of adversaries.' 'That's Willis Reed' Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: LeBron James' Homecoming Part 3? The Wild Luka Doncic Factor That Could Pull King James Back to the Cleveland Cavaliers Previously, the Knicks had a chance to march into the finals in the years 2013, 2023 and 2024. However, the team came up short each time. Fans are in joy owing to the significant achievement that has been attained after a gap of almost 25 years. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
