“A team will always appreciate a great individual if he’s willing to sacrifice for the group.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

“Fundamental preparation is always effective. Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Apr. 23, 1989 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played his last regular season game in the NBA

When Kareem Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the game in 1989 at age 42, no NBA player had ever scored more points (38,387), blocked more shots (3,189, 3rd most in NBA history [Note: blocks were not officially tabulated until the 1973–74 season]), won more Most Valuable Player Awards, played in more All-Star Games or logged more seasons. His list of personal and team accomplishments is perhaps the most awesome in league history: Rookie of the Year, member of six NBA championship teams, six-time NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 19-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, and a member of the NBA 35th and 50th Anniversary All-Time Teams. He also owned eight playoff records and seven All-Star records. No player achieved as much individual and team success as did Abdul-Jabbar.

In college at UCLA, he played on three consecutive national championship teams, and his high school team won 71 consecutive games.

Abdul-Jabbar holds NBA career record for:
– Most points (38,387)
– Most minutes played (57,446)
– Most field goals made (15,837)
– Most field goals attempted (28,307)
– Most All-Star selections (19)
– Most All-Star games played (18)

It’s Time. 2013 NBA Playoffs Begin Today!

While there is sure to be a lot of excitement during postseason play this year in the NBA, the two heavy favorites in each conference are the Thunder in the West and the Miami Heat in the East.

Below are the first-round matchups and game times:

EAST

Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Milwaukee at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Milwaukee at Miami, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Miami at Milwaukee, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Miami at Milwaukee, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 5 – Tue April 30, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Thu May 2, Miami at Milwaukee, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sat May 4, Milwaukee at Miami, TBD, TNT

New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Boston at New York, 3 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Boston at New York, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, New York at Boston, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, New York at Boston, 1 p.m., ABC/R
Game 5 – Wed May 1, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Fri May 3, New York at Boston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sun May 5, Boston at New York, TBD, TBD

Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Atlanta at Indiana, 1 p.m., TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Atlanta at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 5 – Wed May 1, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Fri May 3, Indiana at Atlanta, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sun May 5, Atlanta at Indiana, TBD, TBD

Brooklyn Nets vs Chicago Bulls
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, Brooklyn at Chicago, 8:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 4 – Sat April 27, Brooklyn at Chicago, 2 p.m., TNT
Game 5 – Mon April 29, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Thu May 2, Brooklyn at Chicago, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sat May 4, Chicago at Brooklyn, TBD, TNT

WEST

Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Game 1 – Sun April 21, Houston at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 24, Houston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 27, Oklahoma City at Houston, 9:30 p.m., ESPN/R
Game 4 – Mon April 29, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 5 – Wed May 1, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Fri May 3, Oklahoma City at Houston, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sun May 5, Houston at Oklahoma City, TBD, TBD

San Antonio Spurs vs Los Angeles Lakers
Game 1 – Sun April 21, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m., ABC/R
Game 2 – Wed April 24, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 28, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 5 – Tue April 30, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Thu May 2, San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sat May 4, L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, TBD, TNT

Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Clippers
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Mon April 22, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Thu April 25, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4 – Sat April 27, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 – Tue April 30, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Fri May 3, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sun May 5, Memphis at L.A. Clippers, TBD, TBD

Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Golden State at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Golden State at Denver, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, Denver at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2 
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Denver at Golden State, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 – Tue April 30, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TBD
Game 6 – Thu May 2, Denver at Golden State, TBD, TBD
Game 7 – Sat May 4, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TNT