#ThrowbackThursdays

Allen Iverson scores 48 points in his NBA Finals debut and steps over Tyronn Lue.

Iverson led the Sixers to their first finals since their 1983 championship. In game one of the 2001 NBA Finals, Iverson scored a playoff high 48 points and beat the heavily favored Lakers 107–101; it was the Lakers’ only playoff loss that year. In the game he notably stepped over Tyronn Lue after hitting a crucial shot. Iverson would go on to score 23, 35, 35, 37 in games 2–5, all losing efforts though the Sixers were not swept like many predicted. Iverson enjoyed his most successful season as an individual and as a member of the Sixers during the 2000–01 NBA season.

During the 2000–01 season, Iverson led his team to wins in the first ten games of the season, and was named starter at the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, where he won the game MVP. The Philadelphia 76ers also posted a 56–26 record, the best in the Eastern Conference that season. He also averaged a then-career high 31.1 points, winning his second NBA scoring title in the process. Iverson won the NBA steals title at 2.5 a game. Iverson was named NBA Most Valuable Player; at 6 feet and 165 pounds, he became the shortest and lightest player to win the MVP award. He had 93 first-place votes out of a possible 124. He was also named to the All NBA First team for his accomplishments. In the playoffs, Iverson and the Sixers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the first round, before meeting The Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Semifinals. The series went the full seven games. In the next round, the Sixers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, also in seven games, to advance to the 2001 NBA Finals against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, featuring the duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’ Neal.

Dec. 26, 2001 – Patrick Roy became the first goalie to win 500 NHL games

Nicknamed “Saint Patrick,” Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League. Roy won two Stanley Cups with each franchise. In 2004, Roy was selected as the greatest goaltender in NHL history by a panel of 41 writers, coupled with a simultaneous fan poll. On November 13, 2006, Roy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is the only player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (the award given to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs) 3 times and also in different decades. Roy is widely credited with popularizing the butterfly style of goaltending, which has since become associated with goalies from Roy’s native Quebec. Roy’s #33 is retired by the Canadiens and Avalanche. He is currently the co-owner, general manager, and head coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Oct. 3, 2001 – Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth’s season record for walks at 171

He finished the season with 177 walks. Barry is such a threat at the plate that during the 1998 season the Arizona Diamondbacks walked Barry with the bases loaded. They would rather give up one run vice a Grand Slam and give up 4.

Career Distinctions
Besides holding Major League career records in home runs (762), walks (2,558), and intentional walks (688), at the time of his retirement, Bonds also led all active players in RBI (1,996), on-base percentage (.444), runs (2,227), games (2,986), extra-base hits (1,440), at-bats per home run (12.92), and total bases (5,976). He is 2nd in doubles (601), slugging percentage (.607), stolen bases (514), at-bats (9,847), and hits (2,935), 6th in triples (77), 8th in sacrifice flies (91), and 9th in strikeouts (1,539), through September 26, 2007.

Bonds is the lone member of the 500–500 club, which means he has hit at least 500 home runs (762) and stolen 500 bases (514). He is also one of only four baseball players all-time to be in the 40–40 club (1996), which means he hit 40 home runs (42) and stole 40 bases (40) in the same season; the other members are José Canseco, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano.