I went back and watched this video in full, because I’d never actually seen it before. Or if you don’t want to wait it out, skip ahead to the 1:30:30 mark of the video for the greatest lob pass in the history of the NBA – that sounds like hyperbole, but given the situation, you can make that argument. I also went to Game 4 of this series, which was almost as remarkable, and became famous in the annals of the NBA for this display by Shawn Kemp.
This video is a natural springboard for several future IN PLAY LOSE posts, of course, as a lot of us who were at this game thought we were witnessing the dawning of a great new rivalry between two up-and-coming teams that would dominate the league. Alas, the Warriors soon reverted to being The Warriors. (And that Bill Simmons profile of the Warriors is the Big Kahuna of all LOSE posts likely to never be matched. I have to give him some credit for giving me the idea for this blog.)
This game and playoff series with the W's was the dawn of a fascinating multiyear run by the Sonics. It was a long strange trip full of lunacy, despair, anger, disappointment, and also some amazing basketball. It was all wildly entertaining and culminated with a trip to the NBA finals. Alas, the Sonics are no more … or are they? … hmm …
But we'll deal with that stuff later. Instead, I urge you to watch this video and witness just how truly beautiful the game of basketball can be.
