Travis Best remembers some playoff heroics; Anderson, Barry, West on the air
TRAVIS BEST REMEMBERS ONE OF PACERS’ BIGGEST MOMENTS
Indianapolis television station Fox59 caught up with former Yellow Jacket and Indiana Pacers’ star Travis Best. The situation: the top-seeded Pacers on the verge of elimination against the eighth-seeded Bucks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Into the spotlight, stepped guard Travis Best.
“I remember like it was yesterday,” said Best. “I always think about it. I’m always reminded about that shot.”
*****
BEST VS. THE BULLS IN 1998
In the wake of the ESPN docuseries, “The Last Dance,” the Indianapolis Star recounts the Eastern Conference finals series between the Bulls and the Indiana Pacers, who pushed the Bulls to only their third game 7 in Michael Jordan’s 37 playoff series. Just three years out of Georgia Tech, Travis Best was a prominent figure on that Pacers team, playing the entire fourth quarter in each of the final three games. He averaged 6.1 points and 1.9 assists in the playoffs that year, and 7.0 points and 2.7 assists in 63 career playoff games.
The other interesting nugget from the look back is that in his previous 36 playoff series, the Bulls had never faced the Pacers at all.
CATCHING UP WITH JON BARRY
In case you missed it last week, former Tech star, NBA veteran and TV analyst Jon Barry took a few minutes out of his coronavirus shutdown to spend a few minutes with Yellow Jackets’ radio voice Andy Demetra.
*****
LEADERSHIP DEBATE – JORDAN VS. JAMES
More discussion following the ESPN docuseries, “The Last Dance,” current and former NBA players debate the leadership styles of Michael Jordan and LeBron James. In an interview with Complex in 2017, former Cleveland Cavalier Iman Shumpert said, “He just takes care of his body. He’s got his trainers there. He put that ice on right after the game — he gonna sit there. Like, people may think it’s diva-ish, but that man will get his treatment and be late. ‘I’ll be late to this event, even though y’all paid me all this money to be here. Because I gotta do everything I gotta do to make sure I preserve my body so I can do this tomorrow.'”
*****
Q&A WITH KENNY ANDERSON
Kenny Anderson’s recent interview with Fireside Nets w/ Spen & Nick. For those who don’t know, Kenny Anderson is arguably one of the best point guards to ever play for the Nets. Although he only played for New Jersey for 5 seasons, Anderson averaged 15.3 points and 7.8 assists with the Nets and formed a lethal combination with big man Derrick Coleman. He ended up playing 15 seasons in the NBA, playing for 8 different teams during his career.
*****
MARBURY’S BEIJING TEAM PREPARING FOR RESTART
Stephon Marbury’s Beijing Royal Fighters scouted two U.S.-based Chinese players during recent training sessions held during the CBA suspension. Beijing has been preparing for a possible restart of the 2019-2020 CBA season, which was suspended since February 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
*****
WOLVES OFF-SEASON NEEDS
Dunking with Wolves examines, position-by-position, the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Josh Okogie will be a third-year player in 2020-21. According to Eric Peterson, “The forward positions are the two most important spots the Timberwolves need to address. At small forward, Josh Okogie has shown he has the ability to lock-down some of the best offensive players in the game, but he needs to improve his own offense. Right now, his skill-set best fits him to come off the bench as an energy guy.”
Under that assumption, Peterson and other writers are debating the Wolves’ need to draft former Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards, and breaking down the lottery odds for the team.
*****
MARIO WEST TALKS JOURNEY TO THE NBA
Former Tech star Mario West walks listeners through his journey from Douglas County to the NBA with on the What the Hoops podcast.
“My Route Was So Different”- Mario West (@MarioWest5) on his Journey to the @NBA 🍑🏀
What The Hoops!? Episode 4️⃣
NOW LIVE:
🎙: https://t.co/BuoXrKsJm9… pic.twitter.com/W8AL7cwLjp— OST247 (@ost247) May 20, 2020
*****
CHRIS BOSH’S NBA JERSEY NUMBER
Chris Bosh explains why he changed his jersey number from the No. 4 he wore in Toronto to No. 1 with the Heat. (He wore No. 4 at Georgia Tech)
Nonstop like the Energizer Bunny 🔋 pic.twitter.com/jSGWoUkqlZ
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 15, 2020
Would you recognize me if I was wearing this at a restaurant? 😂😂Episode 3 of OOLF ‘Out Of Left Field’ available now on my YouTube!
–>https://t.co/SiRQRXI6m9 pic.twitter.com/V4Vpr9HGu5— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) May 20, 2020
Bringing classics back (yeah) — circa ‘04 pic.twitter.com/QvQsUsfqna
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 16, 2020
| PLAYER | DATA | NUMBERS | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
 | JOSE ALVARADO Team: New Orleans Pelicans Number: 15 NBA Experience: 4th season Years at Georgia Tech: 2017-21 Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y. Status: Active | 6-0, 179 lbs 2024-25 Stats 9.8 ppg 2.0 rpg 4.9 apg 39.4% FG 40.9% 3pt FG | Record: 12-32 Standing: 14th place, -24 GB Streak: W4 Last 10: 7-3 |
 | JOSH OKOGIE Team: Charlotte Hornets Number: 12 NBA Experience: 7th season Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-18 Hometown: Snellville, Ga. Status: Active | 6-4, 213 lbs 2024-25 Stats 6.0 ppg 2.9 rpg 0.6 apg 47.5% FG 37.8% 3pt FG | Record: 11-28 Standing: 13th place, -23.5 GB Streak: W3 Last 10: 4-6 |