It's official, Dame is my favorite Blazer ever

[BBert]

I watched a Warriors game a few nights back where Jim Barnett was speaking about how long he has been watching the NBA. Since 1957, so I thought back to when I began watching the NBA.
I think it would have been 1952 when TV first became available in Oregon on Channel 27 and Channel 6 a bit later. We probably did not get Sunday afternoon NBA games on 27, yeah CBS on channel 6. I made it a point to to get a job at the furniture store so I could get in to see a TV on Sunday afternoon.

Bob Cousy was the man, then Elgin Baylor. Yeah there were guys like Bob Pettit others that you hear of but... en. Bill Russel made the league go a few years later.

Seen them all, and my favorite Player, the most skilled in my humble opinion is Arvydas Sabonis. Not as Blazer but as a basketball player. I don't believe there ever was another that could do all the things Sabonis could show you on the court. The first time I saw him play, about 1984 I think, in Germany. After about half a game I thought, maybe I am watching the best Center I ever saw play, Maybe the best basketball player. I caught him one more time, then I watched all his games in Seoul. Yep no doubt.

But as a Blazer, well, have to say Walton/Sabonis, then Petrie and Gross then Lucas. Hard to make Walton any less than first. And Gross, hell I just liked the non stop motor that guy played with,
him running all around to court to finally take a hand off from the High post (Walton) for the clear shot. If he missed, Lucas was right there. I always wished we had had a coach that would impliment a similar system when Arvydas was here. Geez, that would have been powerful.

Geoff Petrie might have been the best shooter I ever saw play, he was and offensive machine for the short while he had knees. The only player I can think of to compare as a shooter with Curry, but we will never know, no three point shots in his day, although that is what he did very well. I think he would still hold the Blazer single game scoring record if his threes made were scored three. Some where over 60.

Oh btw, I never even liked Jim Barnett as a Blazer.

All star post.

 

[BBert]

I never saw Petrie play. But I'm having a hard time believing he would've hit the equivalent of 10 threes in the games where he scored 51 points.

Did his game really rely on hitting shots from 23 feet out or more?

Petrie could flat shoot from downtown. The most beautiful jump shot you've ever seen. He demonstrated three point range when there was no three point shot. But since that shot wasn't worth the extra point, there was no reason to practice it and no reason to prioritize that shot over creating other easier shots.

Had there been the three point shot in Petrie's day, there is zero question he would have been the best three point shooter in the game, and every Curry comparison today would be to Geoff Petrie.

 

[BBert]

Petrie, Bobby Gross, Jerome, and Sabonis are to this day my favorite Blazers.

But Lillard is in the race.