#MJMondays

MJ and Dr. J

#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.

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

Apr. 24, 1994 – David Robinson scored 71 points against the Clippers, wins the NBA scoring title

STAT LINE: 44 MIN, 26-41 FG, 1-2 3PT, 18-25 FT, 71 PTS, 14 REB, 5 AST

Highlights of The Admiral‘s 71-Point game:

David Robinson averaged 21.1 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game, 3 blocks per game, and 2.5 assists per game over 987 games in his NBA career. Also, he is one of only a very small group of players to have scored over 20,000 career points in the NBA, as well as being one of only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double (with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks against the Detroit Pistons on February 17, 1994), and one of the only five players to record more than 70 points in a single game (with 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 24, 1994), only Elgin Baylor (71 points), Wilt Chamberlainn (70, 72, 73 twice, 78, 100 points), David Thompson (73 points), and Kobe Bryant (81 points) have scored more than 70 points.

Kevin Durant dawns Sports Illustrated cover, tired of always being second and knows his motivation.

“I’ve been second my whole life. I was the second best player in high school. I was the second pick in the draft. I’ve been second in the MVP voting three times. I came in second in the finals. I’m tired of being second. I’m not going to settle for that. I’m done with it.” – Kevin Durant

The return!

The San Antonio Spurs signed NBA veteran Tracy McGrady for the remainder of the season.

McGrady played in the NBA for fifteen season. He is a seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA first-teamer and two-time scoring champion. McGrady is 33 years old and hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since last year’s playoffs. He spent this season dominating the Chinese league averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 31.6 minutes per game. He is eligible for the playoffs.

Apr. 14, 1997 – Allen Iverson set an NBA rookie record by scoring 40 or more points in his fifth consecutive game

Billed as “The Answer,” Allen Iverson arrived on the NBA scene and immediately became one of the league’s most exciting players. With unmatched quickness, Iverson wowed crowds at the new CoreStates Center with a spectacular crossover dribble and a seeming ability to score at-will. While he couldn’t save the Philadelphia 76ers from a disappointing 22-60 season, his play gave every indication that he is indeed the Answer to many of the Sixers’ struggles.

Iverson proved his worth under the national spotlight on All-Star Saturday, winning Most Valuable Player honors at the Schick Rookie Game. But the telltale sign of his explosiveness came in April, when he set an NBA rookie record by scoring 40 or more points in five consecutive games, highlighted by a 50-point outburst against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 12. He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.