NBA History Conversations: Basketball Record

Three-time Olympian / NBA Champion and Australia’s first ever NBA player, Luc Longley.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (first) NBA return. I'm delighted to welcome back Luc Longley to the podcast. We discuss his recollections of the hoopla surrounding MJ's return to the Chicago Bulls, following Jordan's 1993 retirement.

This conversation is much more than simply chatting about Jordan's comeback. We also delve deeper into Luc's career with the Bulls and reminisce about some of Chicago's memorable playoff series', versus:

- New York Knicks (1994: Toni Kukoc's game-winner and Scottie Pippen's monster dunk on Patrick Ewing)

- Orlando Magic (1995: Bulls' shock exit and Horace Grant's post-series celebration)

- Orlando Magic (1996: Chicago's four-game sweep and Luc's match-up against Shaquille O'Neal).

Further, I share my story about meeting Luc in 1991 and he talks fondly about the friendships he developed playing alongside memorable teammates, including Bill Cartwright, John Paxson and B.J. Armstrong. We find time to talk about his assistant coaching role with the Australian Boomers, the future of basketball in Australia and the importance of players like Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Dante Exum.

We also reference a great article that recently appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, titled, "Luc Longley - from running with the Chicago Bulls to falling in love with basketball again" (written by David Sygall). This is a really enjoyable chat.

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Adam & Aaron select their Top 5 NBA Broadcasters / Commentators.

We chat about those responsible for fostering our respective love for the game of basketball. Primarily, we talk about the golden era of not only the NBA, but commentary, too. This episode is littered with sound-bites from some of the most-iconic commentators the game has ever known. We primarily focus on the timeframe 1984 to 1998. We know you'll enjoy this audible trip down memory lane.

A sprinkling of those mentioned / sound-checked in this episode, include: Marv Albert, Mike Fratello, Ron Thulin, Bob Neal, Doug Collins, Bob Costas, Peter Vecsey, Dick Stockton, Hubie Brown, Ahmad Rashad, Michael Jordan, Shawn Kemp, Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, Gary Payton, Dikembe Mutombo, Karl Malone, Toni Kukoc, Reggie Miller and Robert Pack.

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- NBA All-Star Game - February 10, 1985

In this episode, we break down the NBA's thirty-fifth All-Star Game. The game was played at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana, in-front of a then-record NBA crowd of 43,146. We were fortunate to have access to the game DVD, giving us plenty of topics and moments to talk about, including the alleged 'freeze-out' of Michael Jordan, supposedly led by Isiah Thomas.

We chat about Alex English and his humanitarian efforts. Following encouragement from Alex, his fellow stars donated their game payments to an Ethiopian relief effort. The game itself was played at a fast pace, led by perennial All-Stars, Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas. Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon - who finished with similar stat-lines - were the only rookies who played in the game.

This episode continues our coverage of the 1984-85 NBA season. We encourage your interaction. Feel free to suggest specific games, moments and events from within the season, for us to cover in future episodes of the series. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. If you enjoy the content, please share it with your friends!

The most prominent players mentioned in this episode, include: Michael Jordan, Ralph Sampson, Larry Nance, George Gervin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Bernard King, Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings & Calvin Natt.

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NBRPA Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Paul Corliss.

The National Basketball Retired Players Association, was founded in 1992 by NBA luminaries, Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Archie Clark, Dave Cowens and Oscar Robertson. The NBRPA is a non-profit association comprised of former professional basketball players (NBA, ABA, Harlem Globetrotters, and WNBA). It is the only alumni association of its kind, supported directly by the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

We cover Paul's career as a sports writer, after he graduated from college. He then worked at NASCAR and the NFL for the best part of ten years, before commencing his current role in 2011, alongside CEO Arnie Fielkow.

We chat about the origins of the NBRPA and the wide array of (quoted from their website) 'programs, services and benefits designed to help retired basketball players and their families successfully navigate life after the game'.

Paul talks about the NBRPA's unprecedented success at the 2015 All-Star Weekend. The Legends of Basketball participated in community-based projects, celebrated Black History Month and conducted numerous radio and on-air television interviews - in conjunction with NBA TV - that will air over the coming months.

This is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the NBRPA. We even have time to discuss some of Paul's greatest memories of working with Magic Johnson, Bill Walton, Spencer Haywood, Jalen Rose, Teresa Weatherspoon, Ralph Sampson, Tiny Archibald and many other Legends of Basketball.

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- Chicago at New York: January 5, 1985

- NBA regular season - January 24 through February 7, 1985

- Insightful minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history

In this episode, we break down the thirty-fourth game of MJ's professional career. We were fortunate to have access to the game DVD, giving us plenty of topics and moments to talk about. The Bulls were hoping to remain above .500 for the season, whilst the Knicks - losers of eight of their last nine games - had dropped six straight. Bernard King entered the game averaging 40 points a contest, in his past five outings.

Next, we discuss numerous happenings from the next 15-day block of the 1984-85 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls played seven games in this span – three wins and four losses.

We chat about one of the most unusual personnel moves of the era. The Atlanta Hawks - without three of their guards - were forced to activate one of their TV commentators to the playing roster! We also talk about the NBA's best-performing players - including Larry Bird's back-to-back buzzer-beaters - milestones reached and much more.

This episode continues our coverage of the 1984-85 NBA season. We encourage your interaction. Feel free to suggest specific games, moments and events from within the season, for us to cover in future episodes of the series. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. If you enjoy the content, please share it with your friends!

The most prominent players mentioned in this episode, include: Michael Jordan, Mark Aguirre, Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas, Terry Cummings, Dominique Wilkins, Pat Cummings & Tom McMillen.

Chicago Bulls games discussed:

85-01-25 - Box Score: Seattle SuperSonics @ Chicago Bulls

85-01-26 - Box Score: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls

85-01-29 - Box Score: Kansas City Kings @ Chicago Bulls

85-01-30 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Washington Bullets

85-02-01 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Philadelphia 76ers

85-02-05 - Box Score: Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls

85-02-07 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Cleveland Cavaliers

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- NBA regular season - January 9 through 23, 1985
- Insightful minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history

In this episode, we discuss numerous happenings from the next 15-day block of the 1984-85 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls played eight games in this span - four wins and four losses.

We discuss Bernard King's quest to become the 'perfect basketball player', including unique training drills that prepared him for opposition double and triple-teams. We also break down the Chicago Bulls' inconsistency. They alternated losses and wins in this period of time. We talk about Moses Malone's preseason workouts with Hakeem Olajuwon, chat about the NBA's best-performing players, milestones reached - including Larry Bird's 10,000th point and Lenny Wilkens' 1,000th game as coach - and much more.

People mentioned include Michael Jordan, Adrian Dantley, Phil Hubbard, Isiah Thomas, Larry Smith, Jack Sikma, Rod Higgins, Tom Chambers & World B. Free.

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- NBA regular season - December 25, 1984, through January 8, 1985

- Insightful early-season minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history

In this episode, we discuss numerous happenings from the next 15-day block of the 1984-85 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls played just five games in this span - two wins and three losses.

We discuss Bernard King's 60-point explosion on Christmas Day - still not enough to deliver cheer to Knicks' fans. We also break down the Chicago Bulls' splits, as they rounded out the 1984 calendar year. We talk about the Player of the Month winners for November (Alex English) and December (Larry Bird), and chat about the NBA's best-performing players, milestones reached and much more.

This episode continues our coverage of the 1984-85 NBA season. We encourage your interaction. Feel free to suggest specific games, moments and events from within the season, for us to cover in future episodes of the series. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. If you enjoy the content, please share it with your friends!

The most prominent players mentioned in this episode, include: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Purvis Short, Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Dominique Wilkins, Quintin Dailey & Hakeem Olajuwon.

Chicago Bulls games discussed:

84-12-27 - Box Score: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Chicago Bulls

84-12-29 - Box Score: Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls

85-01-02 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks

85-01-04 - Box Score: Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls

85-01-05 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks

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Thank you for being a part of my podcast journey. We've reached 50 episodes of 'In all Airness'. Here's to plenty more, as we kick-off 2015. A special thanks to my beautiful wife, Lisa, for being so understanding and accommodating of my passion for the podcast.

Thanks, too, Aaron - co-hosting 10 of the episodes (and at least - as I type this - a further 16 'NB85' episodes, too). I couldn't ask for a greater guy to have along for the ride. A huge tip of the hat to Luke - my brother; we've watched and played, countless hours of basketball throughout the 1990s & 2000s - and close friends, Todd & Reece - all advocates of the show who share a love for the game of basketball.

Of course, this show would be nothing without two crucial components - you, the listener, and the guests themselves. I won't single anyone out, however, each and every one of you contribute; allowing the podcast to occupy its own unique, online home. If you enjoy the show, please tell your friends about it. That's the best way for the podcast to grow.

I'll round out my appreciation, with a special thanks to Paul and the National Basketball Retired Players Association. I'm excited for what our future collaborations will bring.

To those who have asked, my regular interviews with great guests, will certainly continue - once the 'NB85' series concludes.

Now, on to the show. In this special episode, I'm joined by Aaron & Adam. We chat about how we first fell in love with the NBA & I detail how the podcast originated. We discuss the high-profile guests, including fellow Australians, Andrew Gaze, Luc Longley & Mark Bradtke, as well as USA greats such as Christian Laettner, Kenny Anderson and many more - plus the numerous topic-based episodes, too.

Watch the Google Hangout - recorded live on September 25, 2014 - or, should you prefer the audio-only version (via your podcast app of choice), you'll hear an edited version of the conversation - with better sound quality.

If you view the video, links for each and every podcast episode will appear on screen - as they are mentioned - for your convenience.

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- NBA regular season - December 10 through December 24, 1984

- Insightful early-season minutiae, all but lost to the annals of basketball history

In this episode, we discuss numerous happenings from the next 15-day block of the 1984-85 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls played seven games in this span - two wins and five-consecutive losses - it took a double-overtime victory against Atlanta, for Chicago to end (what would be) their longest-losing streak of the entire season.

We talk about the Bulls' inability to win close games; they would compete with their opposition for 46 minutes, before fading out, late. Our 'NBA Trivia' feature returns in this episode. How strong is your basketball knowledge?! We chat about the NBA's best-performing players, milestones reached - including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar becoming the first player to surpass 32,000 points - and much more.

This episode continues our coverage of the 1984-85 NBA season. We encourage your interaction. Feel free to suggest specific games, moments and events from within the season, for us to cover in future episodes of the series. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. If you enjoy the content, please share it with your friends!

The most prominent players mentioned in this episode, include: Michael Jordan, Otis Birdsong, Bill Laimbeer, Ralph Sampson, Derek Smith, Jawann Oldham, Alex English, Magic Johnson, Otis Thorpe, Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Purvis Short, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, Quintin Dailey, Bernard King, Hakeem Olajuwon & Terry Cummings.

Chicago Bulls games discussed:

84-12-11 - Box Score: Detroit Pistons @ Chicago Bulls

84-12-12 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Detroit Pistons

84-12-14 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ New Jersey Nets

84-12-15 - Box Score: Philadelphia 76ers @ Chicago Bulls

84-12-18 - Box Score: Houston Rockets @ Chicago Bulls

84-12-20 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks

84-12-22 - Box Score: Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls

Show notes | I appreciate all feedback, FB Page 'Likes' and iTunes ratings / reviews.

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Adam & Aaron celebrate the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's (1984) arrival in the National Basketball Association. This episode covers:

- Chicago at Portland: November 24, 1984

- Chicago at L.A. Clippers: November 30, 1984

In this episode, we discuss the fifteenth and eighteenth games of MJ's professional career. We were fortunate to have access to the game DVDs, giving us plenty of topics and moments to talk about. In our first game for discussion, Jordan's Bulls visit Portland and partake in a high-scoring contest, which also doubled as the first professional meeting between the second and third picks of that year's Draft. The next game under the nostalgia microscope, is highlighted by one of MJ's most-incredible moves ever, against the L.A. Clippers.

Aside from a focus on Jordan's burgeoning career, we cover numerous sub-plots, individual milestones, amusing moments and minutiae from both games.

This episode continues our coverage of the 1984-85 NBA season. We encourage your interaction. Feel free to suggest specific games, moments and events from within the season, for us to cover in future episodes of the series. Thanks for taking the time to listen to the show. If you enjoy the content, please share it with your friends!

The most prominent players mentioned in this episode, include: Michael Jordan, Sam Bowie, Derek Smith, Clyde Drexler, Dave Corzine, Jim Paxson, Kiki VanDeWeghe, Quintin Dailey, Orlando Woolridge, Ennis Whatley, Marques Johnson, Bill Walton, Norm Nixon, Junior Bridgeman, Steve Johnson, Caldwell Jones, Michael Cage, James Donaldson, Charles Barkley, Jerome Kersey, Fat Lever, Steve Colter, David Greenwood, Harvey Catchings & Steve Jones.

Topics / articles discussed (every effort has been made to confirm exact dates):

84-11-24 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ Portland Trail Blazers

84-11-24 - Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers (highlights)

84-11-26 - Loss to red-hot Blazers fails to burn the Bulls

84-11-30 - Box Score: Chicago Bulls @ L.A. Clippers

84-11-30 - Chicago Bulls at L.A. Clippers (highlights)

84-12-01 - Jordan rescues Bulls – Desperate shot stuns Clippers

Show notes | I appreciate all feedback, FB Page 'Likes' and iTunes ratings / reviews.

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