When the Game Was War, page 28
on Auerbach, 62
Collins, Doug and, 86–87, 216
on Jordan, 105
as Knicks operations president, 216–217
on Krause, 90
as Lakers coach, 216
on leaders, qualities of, 87
on motivation, 87–88
oddball philosophy, 85–86
Pippen and, 85, 93–95
in playoffs, 155
post-season career, 216–217
quoting Kipling, 86
on Rodman, 142
James, LeBron, 204, 220
Johnson, Dennis “DJ”, 68–70, 76, 79–80, 148, 210
Johnson, Earvin “Magic,” Jr.
at 1979 NCAA tournament, 22–24
on 1992 Olympics Dream Team, 227
Abdul-Jabbar and, 28–29, 32–33
Abdul-Jabbar assigned as mentor for, 32
attempting a comeback, 227
baby skyhook, 56
Celtics vs Hawks playoff game and, 159–160
childhood, 27–28
dominating without scoring, 27
draft eligibility, 30, 115
at Everett High School, 29–30
excelling against Celtics, 54
facing Celtics, 79
Finals, 172, 173, 175, 181–182, 184–186, 190, 193, 199–200
first professional game, 33–34
following Bird’s play, 21–22
gift for comradeship, 35–36
Green, A. C. and, 124
as HIV positive, 225–226
Isiah as close friend to (see Magic-Zeke relationship)
on Johnson, Dennis, 70
on Laimbeer, 137
at Lakers summer camp, 31
Malone and, 227, 228
Matthews as backup for, 120
at Michigan State, 30
nicknames, 29–30, 32
nickname for, 32
playoffs, 164
post-season career, 226–228
rookie contract, 31
Johnson, Earvin, Sr., 28, 175
Johnson, Vinnie, 102, 137, 150–151, 168–169, 180, 184, 200
Jones, Bomani, 219
Jones, K. C., 15–16, 64, 68, 118
Jones, Sam, 64
Jordan, Deloris, 45
Jordan, James, 45, 46, 203
Jordan, Larry, 45–46
Jordan, Michael
1995–96 season, 203–204, 223–224
at All-Star Game, 101
at athletic peak, 83
Bird and, 54, 55, 213
brother Larry, 45–46
buying Hornets, 219
childhood, 44–45
Cousy on, 54–55
critics of, 57
draft eligibility, 50–51
Dunleavy shutting down, 52–53
fashion influence of, 104
first in-game dunk, 45
joining Bulls, 9, 53–54
Jones on, 220
Karl on, 48–49
at Kentucky Derby, 98–99
Laimbeer’s views of, 135
at Laney High School, 45–47
magnetism of, 218
as McDonald’s All-American participant, 47
in Northbrook, Illinois, 53–54
Oakley and, 83, 100–102
outlandish dunks, 49
Paxson and, 92–93
Pippen and, 95
on Pistons’ dirty players, 109
playing in the Olympics, 51–52
playoffs, 155–156
post-season career, 217–220
professional baseball and, 203–204
professional breakthrough, 54
regular season, 150, 153
reinventing his game, 218–219
scouts seeing potential in, 47
Smith and, 50
terrified of drugs, 100–101
testing rookies, 95
Thompson as role model for, 47
on toughness, 206
at Univ of North Carolina, 47–50
Washington Wizards and, 218
wealth of, 219
Jordan Rules scheme, 96–97, 138
K
Karl, George, 48–49, 120
Kasten, Stan, 82
Kelly, Cookie, 124
Kentucky Derby, 98–99
Kerry, Johnny, 104, 107
Kersey, Jerome, 58
Kesler, Greg, 23
King, Bernard, 57–58
King, Bob, 20
King Size Company, 145
Knight, Bobby, 19, 41–42, 51
Koufax, Sandy, 65
Krause, Jerry, 9–10, 83–85, 88, 90–91, 94–95, 217
Kupchak, Mitch, 117, 146
L
Laimbeer, Bill
Abdul-Jabbar and, 127, 135, 168, 190
background, 135–137
Finals, 167–168, 170, 175, 177, 179, 184, 190–191, 194, 197, 198, 201
on playing the Bulls, 82
on playing ugly ball, 130
playoffs, 155, 156–157
post-season career, 212–213
regular season, 107, 151, 153
shoving match with Scott, 198
Worthy and, 168
Laker Girls, 115, 168, 190
Lamp, Jeff, 27, 34
Land of the Lost (TV show), 136
Laney High School, 45–47
Lanier, Bob, 28
“Larry’s Shadow”. See Cooper, Michael
Las Vegas Aces, 213
The Last Dance (documentary series), 187, 213, 215–216, 220, 229
Layden, Frank, 163
Leonard, Kawhi, 204
Levingston, Cliff, 159
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, 231
Lohaus, Brad, 162
Lombardi, Vince, 201
Long Beach Jam, 224
Los Angeles Harbor College, 69
Los Angeles Lakers. See also Finals; players and coaches by name; playoffs
1987–88 season, 122
2007–08 season, 204
acquiring Thompson, 77
believing their destiny, 177
Celtics rivalry with, 56, 76–81
Dallas Mavericks vs, 163–164
Detroit Pistons at, 123–129
dominating 1988 season, 111
fans reflecting team, 205
move to Staples Center, 231
Pistons pursuing, 56–57
in playoffs, 163–164
San Antonio Spurs vs, 163
Seattle SuperSonics vs, 33–34
second team, 168
summer camp, 31
Superman Fan Club, 117
Loughery, Kevin, 54
Loyola Ramblers, 7, 38
M
Madison Square Garden, 59, 214–215
Madonna, 224
Magic-Zeke relationship, 57, 122–123, 165–166, 171, 179, 190, 227
Mahorn, Rick, 106–107, 124, 126, 138, 179, 197
Malone, Karl, 58, 163, 227
Malone, Moses, 57–58
Marathon Oil, 148
Maravich, Pete, 203
Marietta, Georgia, 144
Matthews, Wes, 11, 119–120, 123, 168, 196, 200
Maxwell, Cedric, 24
McAdoo, Bob, 25, 66–67
McCallum, Jack, 13, 95, 201, 207
McCaskey family, 7
McCloskey, Jack, 43, 126, 133, 134–139, 141–142, 146
McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, 47
McHale, Kevin
Ainge on, 160
background, 77
Bird on, 76–77
clotheslining Rambis, 118
as draft pick, 66–67
facing Lakers, 78
foot injury, 14, 76
Mahorn and, 138
nickname for, 78
playoffs, 158, 160–161
regular season, 76–77
as stoic and fierce, 124
Thomas and, 163
Thompson on, 11
“up-and-under” move, 77–78
McMahon, Jim, 55
Miami Heat, 220
Michaels, Lorne, 202–203
Mikan, George, 112–113
Miller, Ralph, 119
Miller, Reggie, 12
Milwaukee Bucks, 28, 115
Moe, Doug, 58
Moncrief, Sidney, 31
Monk, Thelonious, 85–86
Monroe, Earl, 83–84
A Mother’s Courage (film), 39
Motta, Dick, 104
Mullin, Chris, 51
Musburger, Brent, 167, 185
N
Naismith, James, 35
Naulls, Willie, 64
NBA (National Basketball Association)
1976–77 season, 203
1995–96 season, 203–204
2007–08 season, 204
2015–16 season, 204
absorbing ABA teams, 92
The Athletics’ 2022 all-time best list, 230
banning goaltending, 113
Brown as co-creator of, 59–60
Conference divisions, 81–82
Dog Days of, 112
dominating seasons’ teams, 111–112
drafts, affects of, 93
drug problems in, 100–101
dynasty building in, 65–66
fading dynasties, 207
finals (see Finals)
first all-Black team, 63–64
first Black head coach, 64
greatest season survey, 202–204
hip-hop as soundtrack of, 53, 131, 220
playoffs (see playoffs)
reaching its peak, 206
rookies adjusting to the game, 25–26
teams, as family, 99–100
“twelfth man” rule, 143
NCAA tournament, 1979, 22–24
Neal, Bob, 80
Netflix, 187
Nevitt, Chuck, 144–146, 172, 191–192
New Jersey Nets, 111
New York Knicks, 58, 85, 158
New York Nets, 203
The New Yorker, 219–220
Newman, Randy, “I Love L.A.” (song), 174
Nicholson, Jack, 5, 129, 130, 182
Nixon, Norm, 31–32, 118
North Carolina State University, 47, 144
Northbrook, Illinois, 53–54
Northwestern, 38
Nowitzki, Dirk, 66
O
Oakley, Charles
background, 88–91
Dolan incident, 214–215
Ewing and, 214
