Great Suns Moments to Lift Your Spirits...

[Yuma]

Adams' best year (including statistically) was his first, when he took the league by surprise, as a Center in the body of a Wing.

He was never near powering the Suns to a championship. He was really a man without a position. And not a difference maker.

As history showed us. Being drafted into the NBA by his college coach, then coach of the Suns, asked too much of him.

On another team, as a fringe swing Forward, wouldn't have tied up the Suns center position with a light-weight for a decade.

I also think he was in the league at a time when NBA Centers were arguably at a peak. So many great centers at that time. If you look back at his game, Adams would be one of the premier centers in today's NBA withg his play. A big that could spread the floor! Back in his day, Centers needed to play back to the basket and score within the paint. Poor Alvin was playing underweight basically against real bullies down low. It was amazing how long he playing against a much more physical NBA.

 

[Yuma]

The NBA Finals were always aired live, at least from the mid 1970s on. And the 1976 Finals were definitely aired in real time, as I watched every game and remember it well.

I was a kid growing up in Phoenix at the time, and this series was what made me a lifelong Suns fan. I remember it well, including the weekend games actually being played in the afternoon, outside of prime time - which is unheard of for any sports championship event these days (except the Super Bowl early start time), but was a common practice back in the day. The Game 6 won by the Celtics in Phoenix was an afternoon game.

In fact, the 1993-94 Suns and Bulls series was wrapped up on a Sunday afternoon, too - if anyone else recalls.

I still hate JoJo White! LOL!

 

[Superbone]

The NBA Finals were always aired live, at least from the mid 1970s on. And the 1976 Finals were definitely aired in real time, as I watched every game and remember it well.

I was a kid growing up in Phoenix at the time, and this series was what made me a lifelong Suns fan. I remember it well, including the weekend games actually being played in the afternoon, outside of prime time - which is unheard of for any sports championship event these days (except the Super Bowl early start time), but was a common practice back in the day. The Game 6 won by the Celtics in Phoenix was an afternoon game.

In fact, the 1993-94 Suns and Bulls series was wrapped up on a Sunday afternoon, too - if anyone else recalls.

Yep, I vividly remember watching the '76, triple overtime game in my parents den with long, red shag carpet.

 

[GatorAZ]

There’s very few specific JJ vids with PHX but found b2b game clips. Man he could do it all.

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[Western Font]

Were those games even aired live? I know a lot of games were tape delayed in the 70's and 80's but couldn't find anything definitive on whether the 76 finals were aired on a delay. If they were delayed though that could explain the commentators discussing it. There's no need to have commentators recording the play by play and commentary live if the game isn't airing live, they could record it later or even do the commentary live over the taped broadcast. They could easily cut that part before the play and explain that rule so fans knew what was coming without needing to add a bunch of explanations after the fact.

Here is some info about airing games delayed because they didn't want to pre-empt higher rated programs for it.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association_on_television#History


In another Suns related note, game 6 vs the Bulls has the 2nd most viewers of any finals game next to game 6 in 98, Jordan's last finals game as a Bull. That was also considered his last game ever, at the time. Game 6 of the Suns/Bulls series drew 32.1 million viewers and the Jazz game drew 35.89 million. Here's info on that.

The NBA Finals were always aired live, at least from the mid 1970s on. And the 1976 Finals were definitely aired in real time, as I watched every game and remember it well.

I was a kid growing up in Phoenix at the time, and this series was what made me a lifelong Suns fan. I remember it well, including the weekend games actually being played in the afternoon, outside of prime time - which is unheard of for any sports championship event these days (except the Super Bowl early start time), but was a common practice back in the day. The Game 6 won by the Celtics in Phoenix was an afternoon game.

In fact, the 1993-94 Suns and Bulls series was wrapped up on a Sunday afternoon, too - if anyone else recalls.

Bill Simmons always mentions Magic Johnson’s first finals being tape delayed as an example of how far the NBA has come. I checked and it looks like There were tape delays in the finals from 1979-81 on CBS. I’m a little too young to remember early round and weeknight games on tape delay. It’s funny to think about CBS not wanting local news to report the scores prior to broadcast.

 

[Raindog]

Bill Simmons always mentions Magic Johnson’s first finals being tape delayed as an example of how far the NBA has come. I checked and it looks like There were tape delays in the finals from 1979-81 on CBS. I’m a little too young to remember early round and weeknight games on tape delay. It’s funny to think about CBS not wanting local news to report the scores prior to broadcast.

I do now recall there was a tape delay of Magic's first year finals (1980) clinching game. It was on a Friday night in Philly, and Kareem was out with injuries, so no one expected the Lakers were going to win that game. It was assumed that it was inevitably going to a 7th game on Sunday, but Magic went off for 40 something and the Lakers wrapped it up.

Tape delay games were pretty rare and only occurred on weeknights, as I recall. I know some of the Suns playoff series in the opening rounds in 1978 through about 1982 usually had a tape delay game mixed in. Tape delays for championship rounds were very, very rare even in those years. I know I saw prime time games in all of the Finals series every year in that time span.

 

[Western Font]

.

I do now recall there was a tape delay of Magic's first year finals (1980) clinching game. It was on a Friday night in Philly, and Kareem was out with injuries, so no one expected the Lakers were going to win that game. It was assumed that it was inevitably going to a 7th game on Sunday, but Magic went off for 40 something and the Lakers wrapped it up.

Tape delay games were pretty rare and only occurred on weeknights, as I recall. I know some of the Suns playoff series in the opening rounds in 1978 through about 1982 usually had a tape delay game mixed in. Tape delays for championship rounds were very, very rare even in those years. I know I saw prime time games in all of the Finals series every year in that time span.

I wish I could have seen those games. The first Suns game I remember watching was vs. the Lakers, probably about 1983. I spilled a Hansen’s cola on the rug.

 

[BC867]

I do now recall there was a tape delay of Magic's first year finals (1980) clinching game. It was on a Friday night in Philly, and Kareem was out with injuries, so no one expected the Lakers were going to win that game. It was assumed that it was inevitably going to a 7th game on Sunday, but Magic went off for 40 something and the Lakers wrapped it up..

Not only that, but Magic, at a flexible 6'9"-230, stepped up from Point Guard into Kareem's role at Center to lead the Lakers to victory.

 

[Superbone]

Not only that, but Magic, at a flexible 6'9"-230, stepped up from Point Guard into Kareem's role at Center to lead the Lakers to victory.

So you're impressed when Magic does it but not when Alvan Adams does it. Hmm.

 

[Absolute Zero]

So you're impressed when Magic does it but not when Alvan Adams does it. Hmm.

I don't recall Adams playing point gaurd prior to starting as center. Am I missing something?

 

[Mainstreet]

Not only that, but Magic, at a flexible 6'9"-230, stepped up from Point Guard into Kareem's role at Center to lead the Lakers to victory.

There is talk of some players being able to play all 5 positions but Magic was one of those rare players who actually could and play them well.

 

[BC867]

So you're impressed when Magic does it but not when Alvan Adams does it. Hmm.

Magic 6'9"-230 covering for the absence of Kareem for one game
and leading the Lakers to victory with 40 points . . .

is a lot different than Adams 6'9"-212 starting Center for a decade . . .

with the skinniest physique of any "big man" in the League . . .

And the League catching up with it by Adams' 2nd season . . .

With Alvan's best season statistically being his rookie year
and averaging 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds for his career . . .

And the Suns playing uphill basketball for that decade . . .

And his Suns coach had coached him in college (as close to
nepotism as you could get) . . .

If you call those comparable, there is nothing more to discuss.

 

[Superbone]

Magic 6'9"-230 covering for the absence of Kareem for one game
and leading the Lakers to victory with 40 points . . .

is a lot different than Adams 6'9"-212 starting Center for a decade . . .

with the skinniest physique of any "big man" in the League . . .

And the League catching up with it by Adams' 2nd season . . .

With Alvan's best season statistically being his rookie year
and averaging 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds for his career . . .

And the Suns playing uphill basketball for that decade . . .

And his Suns coach had coached him in college (as close to
nepotism as you could get) . . .

If you call those comparable, there is nothing more to discuss.

Other than that, you're a big fan, right?

 

[BC867]

Other than that, you're a big fan, right?

Alvan Adams was, and is, a good guy. And he is evidently doing a good job overseeing facilities since he retired.

But tying up the Center position with a lightweight for a decade was not good for the team.

After Year 1, opposing Centers stopped following Adams to twelve feet from the basket.

Even their Power Forwards and many Wings had more muscles than the beanpole Adams.

He was a player without a position. Jerry should have overridden John MacLeod sticking with his college protege at Center.

Granted, the Suns were trying to establish a reputation. But establishing one of weakness and "finesse" produced a constant
50-and-fade team with no improvement. Especially as the Valley was growing. To not move ahead is to fall behind.

The story of Alvan Adams is a lot bigger than . . . the story of Alvan Adams. It was about the (lack of) development of the Suns.

 

[GatorAZ]

I listened to a 07’ redraft episode with Bill Simmons and he referenced an article he wrote at the deadline that year regarding the Atlanta pick that had yet to become top-3. I went back and found it:

Of course, the Suns can guarantee immortality with one move: Thanks to the Diaw-Johnson trade, they own Atlanta's 2007 No. 1 pick unless it falls in the top three. Say they packaged that pick with Kurt Thomas' expiring contract and/or Banks' contract for one more blue-chipper. What would happen if they added Rashard Lewis or Mike Miller, gave one of them James Jones' minutes (20-25 a game), then went seven-deep the rest of the way? Starting Nash, Stoudemire, Diaw, Bell and Marion, with Miller/Lewis and Barbosa coming off the bench, nobody would play more than 38 minutes or less than 25, and there wouldn't be a bad shooter or a bad all-around player in the bunch. Five of the seven players would be shooting over 40 percent from 3-pointers. They could go small, they could go big, they could play fast or slow, they could do anything they wanted. They'd be the Dirk Diggler of NBA teams.

Damn... https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070117&lpos=tv1&lid=tab1pos3

 

[Yuma]

Magic 6'9"-230 covering for the absence of Kareem for one game
and leading the Lakers to victory with 40 points . . .

is a lot different than Adams 6'9"-212 starting Center for a decade . . .

with the skinniest physique of any "big man" in the League . . .

And the League catching up with it by Adams' 2nd season . . .

With Alvan's best season statistically being his rookie year
and averaging 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds for his career . . .

And the Suns playing uphill basketball for that decade . . .

And his Suns coach had coached him in college (as close to
nepotism as you could get) . . .

If you call those comparable, there is nothing more to discuss.

Plus centers in that day and age were monsters. I was impressed he played center as long as he did. He had to take a pounding nightly.

 

[BC867]

Plus centers in that day and age were monsters. I was impressed he played center as long as he did. He had to take a pounding nightly.

Not on offense. He played like a third Guard, 12 feet from the basket. He drove the
lane once in awhile, but so did Kevin Johnson.

On defense, he wasn't a challenge to Centers who outweighed him by 30+ pounds.

That's why he put up the career stats he did. Longevity. By avoiding contact.

 

[Yuma]

Not on offense. He played like a third Guard, 12 feet from the basket. He drove the
lane once in awhile, but so did Kevin Johnson.

On defense, he wasn't a challenge to Centers who outweighed him by 30+ pounds.

That's why he put up the career stats he did. Longevity. By avoiding contact.

That's what I mean by pounding, when he played defense. He deserves kudos just for that, but the offensive numbers are just icing on the cake.

 

[Mainstreet]

Great Charles Barkley and Suns moments coming your way.

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