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NBA's Top 10 Greatest Collection
Warner Bros. // Unrated // November 8, 2005
List Price: $39.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Introduction
We've all done it. You're sitting there at work trying desperately to check your e-mail and not be bothered by your co-workers, but then it happens. "Did you guys see the game last night?," one downtrodden employee remarks. "Hell ya!" says another. "Dude, that shot at the end of the game was like the most amazing shot in NBA history man..." exaggerates the first. "Nah man, it was good, but I think that game back in '90 when Jordan elevated to the rim, THAT was the greatest..." retorts the other. And thus it has begun...another never-ending discussion of the greatest, fastest, shortest, quickest, sickest of whatever sport is in question. Well, this DVD hopes to end those talks once and for all as they relate to the NBA.
NBA's Top 10 Greatest looks at ten different categories and picks the greatest player/moment/move/etc. of each category. "But Scott, this is a FIVE disc set, so what else is in store for us?" Well kids, the other four discs contain one game each from the past four decades. Each game represents some of the showcase talent in those eras and is basically just the game (in its entirety, and commercial-free!) presented as it was originally seen by the viewers of that time.
There is not much in the way of flare to this set, and as you will see shortly I have several fundamental issues with the presentation...but this is still an entertaining addition to any NBA fans collection. While one of my issues is with the games selected (two Lakers games and two Bulls games?...come on), the first disc which highlights the namesake of the set does provide some solid evidence and commentary on the ten different categories and may help you and your friends end some long-running disputes amongst yourselves.
Here is a blow-by-blow account of what to expect from this solid DVD offering:
Disc 1
The first disc is undoubtedly the highlight and therefore the selling point of the set. It is a show that originally aired on the History Channel and is re-aired in its entirety as the first disc. Hosted by Bill Walton, it stars NBA Hall of Famers Walt Frazier, George Gervin, and Dave Cowens, as well as NBA writer Ric Bucher. The five men sit around and discuss the top "whatever" in 10 pre-selected categories. Clearly the host and the three ex-players all have experience at the NBA level (they have all, in fact, been on a team that won a title), and Bucher himself is well respected in the NBA community as one of the top writers in the game today. This is important because the entire show is therefore diminished by the fact that after lengthy discussions of each topic matter, they go to (as Bill puts it) "see how the fans voted" (at NBA.com no less), which EVERY TIME reveals a play, player, shot etc from the 90s forward. In other words, you bring in NBA legends of eras past to discuss the great moments and players of the game, which they do very well, and then the reaction of the voting audience is never in conjunction with their selections. It's a disservice to the men on the panel, and more accurately it's a disservice to the players of days past that paved the way for the superstar players we see in today's game. In short, that really pissed me off while I was watching this, and kinda ruined the first disc. So, if you are a true fan of the game, just listen to the comments of the panelists and disregard anything that the "fans" that voted at NBA.com have to say.
After Walton introduces each topic, a short series of clips is shown including brief snippets of interviews with current players where they discuss what they feel should be the winner in that particular category. Inter-spliced into that are actual clips of the moments as they happen. This gives you an insight to how the players feel the results should go. It's easy to realize from these interviews which of the current crop of players are actual "students of the game" and which players are just in the league for other reasons. The montages are generally entertaining and informative, and act as quality lead-ins for the panel discussion.
In any event, I will now go through the ten topics, tell you who the "fans" selected, tell you why that's incorrect, and then move on. So, warning, but the following is a series of *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*
NBA Finals Greatest Moment: Michael Jordan's Game 6 1998 Finals. It's worth noting that the second place result was Jordan in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals. This is blasphemous on several levels. First of all, I can think of three better performances off the top of my head: Magic Johnson's gutsy fill in for Kareem, the 1976 Bucks/Celtics triple-OT game, and of course the Willis Reed arrival in 1970. The panel agreed without question that it should have been the Willis Reed drama, but the fans aim to disappoint (as you'll see) and selected Jordan. *sigh*
NBAs Greatest Shot: Derek Fisher over the Spurs in the 2004 Playoffs. Now this was one of the few that I actually could agree with. Sure I'm a Lakers fan, so that helps and even though they went on to lose in the NBA Finals, this was one of those "I remember where I was when it happened" kinda moments. Had the clock been one-tenth of a second past, that shot would have been impossible. Fisher however, beat the odds and nailed it. Other contenders were the Jerry West bomb sending it to OT, and Reggie Miller beating the Knicks with 8 points in 18 seconds. It's hard to determine what makes something a "greatest shot". Is it degree of difficulty, importance at that point in the game, etc. but I think it would have been hard for the fans to go wrong on this one.
NBAs Greatest Duel: Bird vs. Magic. Again, this would have been my pick as well (although I may have included the whole team and said "Lakers vs. Celtics") if only because it can be pointed to as the lead reason for the NBA being in our living rooms as it is today. Add to that the fact that this rivalry actually began in college when they played each other for the national championship (Michigan State vs. Indiana State) and helped vault the NCAA tourney into the national spotlight. It is a duel that lasted for so long, and yet at the heart of it was a great friendship. That makes it special. Russell vs. Chamberlain would be the close second and seemed to be the consensus among the panel.
Greatest Coaching Performance: Phil Jackson, Six Titles in Eight Years. This decision is one that I just can't agree with. Red Auerbach is the greatest coaching mind the NBA has ever seen. He won 8 titles in a row during the Bill Russell 60s, and to hold that kind of dominance over an era is really an unheard of accomplishment. Throw in the fact that Jackson had on his team the greatest player the game has ever seen...it just diminishes the achievement a little bit. Finally, I feel that Jackson (and every coach of the modern era) does less coaching and more "coaxing" with the egos and attitudes that the modern day NBA player brings to the table. Is Jackson one of the greatest coaches ever?...yes, but he's second greatest, to Auerbach.
Greatest Slam Dunk: Vince Carter in 2000. Alright, this is flat out incorrect. First off, it's called greatest dunk, but they were judging based on best performance in a Slam Dunk competition. Clearly, the greatest dunk ever was Tom Chambers on Mark Jackson with Kevin Johnson on the assist. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here is a still shot of what I mean. The sullen-faced Chambers simply glides through the air with the ball in that "get out of the way" position the whole time. It's truly unbelievable. However, if you're looking for the best slam in a competition, it has to be from one of two guys: 'Nique or Jordan. Just go to that competition they had against each other in 1988. That produced not only the most memorable contest of all time, but some of the greatest dunks as well.
Greatest Upset: T-Macs 13 points in 35 seconds. This is a tough category to judge and comment on. My heart says that the greatest upset is (what Shaq mentions) the Pistons beating the Lakers in the '04 Finals. Why? That Lakers team was built for a championship. Malone and Payton were brought in...to win a championship. Shaq and Kobe, personal feuds aside, were at the top of their games and hungry for another ring. Not only did the Lakers get beat by the Pistons, but also they were embarrassed, only winning one of the games, and that only by a miraculous overtime period. Tough one to call, and the panel seemed pretty well split on this one as well.
Greatest New Star: Lebron James. Yawn, yawn. This was so blatantly obvious, I'm really not sure why it was a category. This one is dumb for several reasons. First, the answer is SO clear. Second, how exactly does one define a "new star"? Third, is any new star truly great? I thought greatness was earned, not thrust upon someone. So anyway, Lebron won by a total landslide. Dwyane Wade, Amare, Manu, and Dirk (not sure why...) were next in line...but this one was decided before the ink dried on the storyboard for this segment.
Greatest Dynamic Duos: Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen. In what is arguably the most outrageous of all the decisions on this show, the Bulls "duo" was given the nod. Let's get something straight here, Magic Johnson and Kareem were the greatest duo of all-time. No one lit up the league quite as well as these guys did. Yes, Jordan is considered the greatest player of all-time, still further proof as to why this was not a "duo" that won the rings. It was Michael and his minions. Magic won 5 rings, but he did it with his team. I would have even accepted Stockton and Malone, but they never won the title, which ruined their chances. Russell and Cousy never played with each other at their peaks, so they were out. But Michael and Scottie??...come on, please.
Greatest Move: Jordan's Hand Switch. Come on...come on people!!! This is outrageous. The only reason anybody even remembers this move is due to cross-dressing Marv Albert's call of "Oh, a spectacular move by Michael Jordan!" At least the true "greatest move" got the second highest number of votes on this one. Of course the greatest individual move of all-time was Dr. J going underneath the basket. It's great for two reasons: First, it was just a sick/silly move that no one had ever seen done, and never seen done with such grace. Secondly though, no one has done it since. Sure people do reverse lay-ups all the time, but Dr. J just floated behind the basket when he put that up...one of the most amazing things you'll ever see on a basketball court. Honorable mention goes to Pistol Pete Maravich's fake behind the back and floating finger roll. That was just awesome.
Greatest Championship Team: 1996 Chicago Bulls. I almost threw my TV, DVD player, computer, bed, desk, and pet hamster out the window when I saw this one revealed (alright, maybe I didn't). Maybe they just got a collection of monkeys to randomly press buttons for the voting on this one...unbelievable. That answer is so far from correct it makes me ill. If the question is "what one team is the best" you could pick any of the Celtics teams from the '60s, the '72 Lakers, any of the Showtime Lakers teams in the '80s, or even the second title the Lakers of this century won...and ALL of those teams would eclipse the '96 Bulls. Outrageous. Then if you assume it as the greatest Championship team over a period of time, you would still go to the Celtics in the '60s, the Lakers OR the Celtics of the '80s and then arrive at the Bulls of the '90s. Just blasphemy...I'm sick to my stomach.
By the end of the show, George Gervin looks as though he is going to fall asleep. I can't say I blame the poor man. He and the other panelists are having introspective discussions about the "true" greatness of the game, and then the dumbass fans go and ruin it by looking at their grungy shoes in the closet and seeing that Jordan symbol and voting that direction. That was actually one of the more entertaining aspects of the disc, was watching the men on the panel just get worn down by the idiocy of the voting public.
In any event, this disc is really entertaining as a whole because you do get the insight of former players and you get brief interviews with many of today's stars. You also get archive footage of some of the great moments in the game. If you're a fan of the League in general you should really enjoy this first offering.
Disc 2
This disc (representing the 1970s) contains the entire original broadcast of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. This game would forever be known as the contest in which Willis Reed made an inspirational appearance and lifted the Knicks to the championship. The series itself was an interesting one with the Lakers making it in during a year in which their star, Wilt Chamberlain, had played only a handful of games all season due to injury. The Knicks didn't really have a standout star, but had played solid team ball and had therefore made it in as the East representative. Games one and two were split between the two teams, and game 3 was dramatically won by the Knicks in OT, even after Jerry West bombed a 60-foot shot to send it to the extra period. Game 4 was an OT victory for the Lakers, and then Game 5 was when Willis Reed tore the muscle in his leg. Game 6 was a Lakers rout, and this all set up a seventh and deciding game back home for the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.
The drama of the game occurred as much before the tip-off as it did during the action of the game itself. Willis Reed came out of the locker room with only a few minutes before the game was to begin. He strode out to the raucous cheering of the crowd and promptly got in the mix to practice a few pivot moves and heave up a couple of jumpers. With the Garden rocking, the Lakers stood 50 feet away in awe of what was occurring. The game had suddenly changed from a sure victory over an injury-laden team to a new battle to overcome, and the hometown fans were not going to let them forget it. Reed came out and scored the first two baskets for the Knicks and the Lakers would never recover. Up 24 at halftime, the championship was all but sewn up for the Knickerbockers as they would cruise to a 113-99 victory and the 1970 NBA Title. The game has some outstanding individual performances, and the opportunity to see players such as Chamberlain, West, Reed, Bradley, and Frazier in action is worth every penny.
Disc 3
Disc 2 represents the best game of the 1980s, which in this case is the 1986 1st Round series between the Bulls and the Celtics, Game 2 at the Boston Garden. This series had far less appeal as a whole because the Bulls were clearly out manned and the Celtics would eventually go on to win the title in this particular year. Jordan had an injury-plagued season and thus had not yet really been vaulted up to the superstar status he would eventually obtain. This game was part of the reason that Jordan made that proverbial "leap."
Back in the day, the first round of the playoffs were only best 3-of-5 (in fact, WAY back in the day they were only best 2-of-3, but anyway). This was the case in this series. Boston won the opening game handily by 19 points and appeared as though they might just coast into the second round. Then that fateful game came. Jordan had prepared himself to do all he could to give his Chicago Bulls a chance at victory. Not only did he really want this game, but also he wanted the series, and he wanted his team's season to continue. On the other side was Larry Bird who set records for 3 pointers attempted and made, was second in points, and third in minutes played throughout the '86 playoffs. He was at the peak of his career and had already brought 2 titles to the city of Boston. Jordan had other plans. When it was all said and done, the Celtics had gotten the better of the Bulls, but Jordan had made his statement. His 63 points were an NBA Playoff record, but his team still fell in double overtime. Watching this young Jordan is still entertaining and well worth the 2-hour investment.
Disc 4
The disc covering the 1990s is Disc 3, and it holds on it one of the most outrageous examples of "great players get all the calls" ever displayed in an NBA game. Yup, it's the 1998 NBA Finals, it's the decisive Game 6 and it's Jordan's Bulls in Utah taking on the Jazz. This would prove to be the best chance that the Stockton to Malone duo had to win a ring, and they would fail once again. Admittedly, the series was very entertaining and close throughout. The teams split the first two games, and Game 3 was humiliating defeat as the Jazz could only muster 54 points in the largest margin of defeat in NBA Finals history. I remember watching that game in Myrtle Beach, SC before going out to a party...kinda put a damper on the mood I must admit. Game 4 was also taken by the Bulls and if not for Malone's 39 points in Game 5, the Game 6 drama may have never happened.
It is known as "The Shot" but Jordan's Game 6 heroics need a brief background to be fully appreciated. Moments earlier, Jordan had stripped Karl Malone of the ball on the baseline. At that point, the Jazz were up by one point and seemingly on their way to a deciding Game 7. Then, with 11 seconds left, Jordan brings the ball up the court and, realizing he had isolated on Bryon Russell, decided to go in for a deciding drive. At this point, it was the smart thing to do. He knew he was Jordan, so he would either drive to the hoop and score, or the refs would bail him and out and call a foul. What happened instead was that Jordan stopped ("on a dime", as many would say) and pulled up for a 15-footer that went down smooth. It was Jordan's final shot (as a Bull) and cemented his 6th ring in 8 years. What no one ever talks about is how Russell was actually pushed by Jordan. Clearly I'm not the biggest Jordan fan, but that one play will never leave my memory. He should have been called for the clear out with his off-hand, but of course he wasn't...'cause he's His Airness. Regardless, it is actually an entertaining game, I just get sick of all the praise awarded Jordan for this famed shot...cheater.
Disc 5
The final offering in the box set is Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals between the Lakers and the Spurs in San Antonio. Arguably one of the greatest clutch shots of all time is the highlight of this particular game, but the drama and magic of the final moments of this contest are what make it an "instant classic." You must understand that the 2004 Lakers squad was destined to win the NBA Championship. Granted, they didn't, but the team was put together to achieve that very goal. Kobe and Shaq, while feuding, were still the most dynamic duo in the League. Throw in future Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Karl Malone (both hungry for a ring) and you have an outstanding squad. They had breezed through the playoffs up to that point, but ran into the feisty Spurs who had been led by the solid play of perennial All-Star Tim Duncan all season long. The first four games of the series had not surprisingly been split right down the middle. Was the turmoil of the Lakers "made for Hollywood" cast finally catching up to them?
The stage was set for Game 5 in San Antonio, and like always both teams had come to play. It was an incredibly tight game, with neither team ever charging out to an insurmountable lead. The Lakers had the lead until Tim Duncan threw up and made one of the greatest shots of his career. He had received the inbound pass with under 10 seconds to go, and after a failed attempt to hand off to Tony Parker or Manu Ginobli, he dribbled from the hash mark to the top of the key (closely guarded by Shaq all the way) and with no other options, heaved up a shot that miraculously went in. The entire building erupted as only 0.4 seconds remained on the clock and the whole city thought the game was as good as over. Of course, 0.4 seconds is just enough to allow a player to catch and shoot (anything less only allows for a tip-in play) the ball. The Lakers got the ball on the side and while the whole world wondered if Kobe or Shaq would sink the final shot, Payton instead passed to the curling Derek Fisher who caught, turned, and shot all in one motion...the shot went up, arched, and fell through, nothing but net. Fisher triumphantly bolted off the court as the refs reviewed the play. Sure enough, it had fallen, and the Lakers had one 74-73. I remember sitting in my living room going from completely distraught to yelling out my front door to my surely slumbering neighbors (for no reason in particular). The exact opposite range of emotions could be seen on the faces of the Spurs bench...it was fantastic. Again, one of the greatest shots in the history of the League...it is not to be missed.
Audio/Video
I was not expecting much in this area, and not much was delivered. The History channel special looked fairly crisp, most notably the interviews with the players, but the early video footage from the earlier years of the NBA was understandably worn and the audio weak. All offerings were in standard full frame and even though it's a highlight of today's broadcasts, HD is not an option here. As one would expect, the chronological progression into the more recent games leads to better picture and sound quality, but it is not any more advanced than you would find on any NBA TV broadcast or weekly ESPN game. In fact, these games are exact replications of the original broadcasts as they were viewed by people of that era, so don't expect anything particularly flashy or (more notably) different. I suppose this isn't the kind of DVD set you would expect to see anything technical explained here, which is good, 'cause I got nothing to say. It's an historic representation of the eras, that's all you need to know. Oh, and of course John Tesh gets five cents every time the later games go to break...ya know, 'cause he wrote the long-running NBA theme song. You knew that, right?
Conclusion
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the ultimate NBA fan, and 1 being someone who's not sure what an "opening tip" is I would consider myself an 8. I love the game. I almost got the NBA Season Pass package this year, but my local cable provider doesn't...well, "provide" it (Go to hell Charter!). I also consider myself a pretty good student of the game. I take this to the extent that about 4 years ago I could have named you every number one pick and NBA champion from 1980 forward. I have since lost that skill, but at one time I could do it, and that's what matters. So are you anywhere near my level of NBA know-how? If you are, you must have this set. If you are one of the moron fans that voted in the polls discussed in this review, then you reside in the 3-4 range of my scale, and you TOO should get this set. I mean, it's the equivalent of the "Idiot's Guide" series in which anyone can just jump in and enjoy it. If you have knowledge you can debate with your friends, if you don't you can enjoy the short shorts on the players and the grainy footage.
If you've got a set, if you consider yourself a man, if you can make at least 5 out of 10 free throws consistently you need to own this set. If you can't do those things...buy it for your Pops...he'll appreciate it.
We've all done it. You're sitting there at work trying desperately to check your e-mail and not be bothered by your co-workers, but then it happens. "Did you guys see the game last night?," one downtrodden employee remarks. "Hell ya!" says another. "Dude, that shot at the end of the game was like the most amazing shot in NBA history man..." exaggerates the first. "Nah man, it was good, but I think that game back in '90 when Jordan elevated to the rim, THAT was the greatest..." retorts the other. And thus it has begun...another never-ending discussion of the greatest, fastest, shortest, quickest, sickest of whatever sport is in question. Well, this DVD hopes to end those talks once and for all as they relate to the NBA.
NBA's Top 10 Greatest looks at ten different categories and picks the greatest player/moment/move/etc. of each category. "But Scott, this is a FIVE disc set, so what else is in store for us?" Well kids, the other four discs contain one game each from the past four decades. Each game represents some of the showcase talent in those eras and is basically just the game (in its entirety, and commercial-free!) presented as it was originally seen by the viewers of that time.
There is not much in the way of flare to this set, and as you will see shortly I have several fundamental issues with the presentation...but this is still an entertaining addition to any NBA fans collection. While one of my issues is with the games selected (two Lakers games and two Bulls games?...come on), the first disc which highlights the namesake of the set does provide some solid evidence and commentary on the ten different categories and may help you and your friends end some long-running disputes amongst yourselves.
Here is a blow-by-blow account of what to expect from this solid DVD offering:
Disc 1
The first disc is undoubtedly the highlight and therefore the selling point of the set. It is a show that originally aired on the History Channel and is re-aired in its entirety as the first disc. Hosted by Bill Walton, it stars NBA Hall of Famers Walt Frazier, George Gervin, and Dave Cowens, as well as NBA writer Ric Bucher. The five men sit around and discuss the top "whatever" in 10 pre-selected categories. Clearly the host and the three ex-players all have experience at the NBA level (they have all, in fact, been on a team that won a title), and Bucher himself is well respected in the NBA community as one of the top writers in the game today. This is important because the entire show is therefore diminished by the fact that after lengthy discussions of each topic matter, they go to (as Bill puts it) "see how the fans voted" (at NBA.com no less), which EVERY TIME reveals a play, player, shot etc from the 90s forward. In other words, you bring in NBA legends of eras past to discuss the great moments and players of the game, which they do very well, and then the reaction of the voting audience is never in conjunction with their selections. It's a disservice to the men on the panel, and more accurately it's a disservice to the players of days past that paved the way for the superstar players we see in today's game. In short, that really pissed me off while I was watching this, and kinda ruined the first disc. So, if you are a true fan of the game, just listen to the comments of the panelists and disregard anything that the "fans" that voted at NBA.com have to say.
After Walton introduces each topic, a short series of clips is shown including brief snippets of interviews with current players where they discuss what they feel should be the winner in that particular category. Inter-spliced into that are actual clips of the moments as they happen. This gives you an insight to how the players feel the results should go. It's easy to realize from these interviews which of the current crop of players are actual "students of the game" and which players are just in the league for other reasons. The montages are generally entertaining and informative, and act as quality lead-ins for the panel discussion.
In any event, I will now go through the ten topics, tell you who the "fans" selected, tell you why that's incorrect, and then move on. So, warning, but the following is a series of *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*
NBA Finals Greatest Moment: Michael Jordan's Game 6 1998 Finals. It's worth noting that the second place result was Jordan in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals. This is blasphemous on several levels. First of all, I can think of three better performances off the top of my head: Magic Johnson's gutsy fill in for Kareem, the 1976 Bucks/Celtics triple-OT game, and of course the Willis Reed arrival in 1970. The panel agreed without question that it should have been the Willis Reed drama, but the fans aim to disappoint (as you'll see) and selected Jordan. *sigh*
NBAs Greatest Shot: Derek Fisher over the Spurs in the 2004 Playoffs. Now this was one of the few that I actually could agree with. Sure I'm a Lakers fan, so that helps and even though they went on to lose in the NBA Finals, this was one of those "I remember where I was when it happened" kinda moments. Had the clock been one-tenth of a second past, that shot would have been impossible. Fisher however, beat the odds and nailed it. Other contenders were the Jerry West bomb sending it to OT, and Reggie Miller beating the Knicks with 8 points in 18 seconds. It's hard to determine what makes something a "greatest shot". Is it degree of difficulty, importance at that point in the game, etc. but I think it would have been hard for the fans to go wrong on this one.
NBAs Greatest Duel: Bird vs. Magic. Again, this would have been my pick as well (although I may have included the whole team and said "Lakers vs. Celtics") if only because it can be pointed to as the lead reason for the NBA being in our living rooms as it is today. Add to that the fact that this rivalry actually began in college when they played each other for the national championship (Michigan State vs. Indiana State) and helped vault the NCAA tourney into the national spotlight. It is a duel that lasted for so long, and yet at the heart of it was a great friendship. That makes it special. Russell vs. Chamberlain would be the close second and seemed to be the consensus among the panel.
Greatest Coaching Performance: Phil Jackson, Six Titles in Eight Years. This decision is one that I just can't agree with. Red Auerbach is the greatest coaching mind the NBA has ever seen. He won 8 titles in a row during the Bill Russell 60s, and to hold that kind of dominance over an era is really an unheard of accomplishment. Throw in the fact that Jackson had on his team the greatest player the game has ever seen...it just diminishes the achievement a little bit. Finally, I feel that Jackson (and every coach of the modern era) does less coaching and more "coaxing" with the egos and attitudes that the modern day NBA player brings to the table. Is Jackson one of the greatest coaches ever?...yes, but he's second greatest, to Auerbach.
Greatest Slam Dunk: Vince Carter in 2000. Alright, this is flat out incorrect. First off, it's called greatest dunk, but they were judging based on best performance in a Slam Dunk competition. Clearly, the greatest dunk ever was Tom Chambers on Mark Jackson with Kevin Johnson on the assist. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here is a still shot of what I mean. The sullen-faced Chambers simply glides through the air with the ball in that "get out of the way" position the whole time. It's truly unbelievable. However, if you're looking for the best slam in a competition, it has to be from one of two guys: 'Nique or Jordan. Just go to that competition they had against each other in 1988. That produced not only the most memorable contest of all time, but some of the greatest dunks as well.
Greatest Upset: T-Macs 13 points in 35 seconds. This is a tough category to judge and comment on. My heart says that the greatest upset is (what Shaq mentions) the Pistons beating the Lakers in the '04 Finals. Why? That Lakers team was built for a championship. Malone and Payton were brought in...to win a championship. Shaq and Kobe, personal feuds aside, were at the top of their games and hungry for another ring. Not only did the Lakers get beat by the Pistons, but also they were embarrassed, only winning one of the games, and that only by a miraculous overtime period. Tough one to call, and the panel seemed pretty well split on this one as well.
Greatest New Star: Lebron James. Yawn, yawn. This was so blatantly obvious, I'm really not sure why it was a category. This one is dumb for several reasons. First, the answer is SO clear. Second, how exactly does one define a "new star"? Third, is any new star truly great? I thought greatness was earned, not thrust upon someone. So anyway, Lebron won by a total landslide. Dwyane Wade, Amare, Manu, and Dirk (not sure why...) were next in line...but this one was decided before the ink dried on the storyboard for this segment.
Greatest Dynamic Duos: Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen. In what is arguably the most outrageous of all the decisions on this show, the Bulls "duo" was given the nod. Let's get something straight here, Magic Johnson and Kareem were the greatest duo of all-time. No one lit up the league quite as well as these guys did. Yes, Jordan is considered the greatest player of all-time, still further proof as to why this was not a "duo" that won the rings. It was Michael and his minions. Magic won 5 rings, but he did it with his team. I would have even accepted Stockton and Malone, but they never won the title, which ruined their chances. Russell and Cousy never played with each other at their peaks, so they were out. But Michael and Scottie??...come on, please.
Greatest Move: Jordan's Hand Switch. Come on...come on people!!! This is outrageous. The only reason anybody even remembers this move is due to cross-dressing Marv Albert's call of "Oh, a spectacular move by Michael Jordan!" At least the true "greatest move" got the second highest number of votes on this one. Of course the greatest individual move of all-time was Dr. J going underneath the basket. It's great for two reasons: First, it was just a sick/silly move that no one had ever seen done, and never seen done with such grace. Secondly though, no one has done it since. Sure people do reverse lay-ups all the time, but Dr. J just floated behind the basket when he put that up...one of the most amazing things you'll ever see on a basketball court. Honorable mention goes to Pistol Pete Maravich's fake behind the back and floating finger roll. That was just awesome.
Greatest Championship Team: 1996 Chicago Bulls. I almost threw my TV, DVD player, computer, bed, desk, and pet hamster out the window when I saw this one revealed (alright, maybe I didn't). Maybe they just got a collection of monkeys to randomly press buttons for the voting on this one...unbelievable. That answer is so far from correct it makes me ill. If the question is "what one team is the best" you could pick any of the Celtics teams from the '60s, the '72 Lakers, any of the Showtime Lakers teams in the '80s, or even the second title the Lakers of this century won...and ALL of those teams would eclipse the '96 Bulls. Outrageous. Then if you assume it as the greatest Championship team over a period of time, you would still go to the Celtics in the '60s, the Lakers OR the Celtics of the '80s and then arrive at the Bulls of the '90s. Just blasphemy...I'm sick to my stomach.
By the end of the show, George Gervin looks as though he is going to fall asleep. I can't say I blame the poor man. He and the other panelists are having introspective discussions about the "true" greatness of the game, and then the dumbass fans go and ruin it by looking at their grungy shoes in the closet and seeing that Jordan symbol and voting that direction. That was actually one of the more entertaining aspects of the disc, was watching the men on the panel just get worn down by the idiocy of the voting public.
In any event, this disc is really entertaining as a whole because you do get the insight of former players and you get brief interviews with many of today's stars. You also get archive footage of some of the great moments in the game. If you're a fan of the League in general you should really enjoy this first offering.
Disc 2
This disc (representing the 1970s) contains the entire original broadcast of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. This game would forever be known as the contest in which Willis Reed made an inspirational appearance and lifted the Knicks to the championship. The series itself was an interesting one with the Lakers making it in during a year in which their star, Wilt Chamberlain, had played only a handful of games all season due to injury. The Knicks didn't really have a standout star, but had played solid team ball and had therefore made it in as the East representative. Games one and two were split between the two teams, and game 3 was dramatically won by the Knicks in OT, even after Jerry West bombed a 60-foot shot to send it to the extra period. Game 4 was an OT victory for the Lakers, and then Game 5 was when Willis Reed tore the muscle in his leg. Game 6 was a Lakers rout, and this all set up a seventh and deciding game back home for the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.
The drama of the game occurred as much before the tip-off as it did during the action of the game itself. Willis Reed came out of the locker room with only a few minutes before the game was to begin. He strode out to the raucous cheering of the crowd and promptly got in the mix to practice a few pivot moves and heave up a couple of jumpers. With the Garden rocking, the Lakers stood 50 feet away in awe of what was occurring. The game had suddenly changed from a sure victory over an injury-laden team to a new battle to overcome, and the hometown fans were not going to let them forget it. Reed came out and scored the first two baskets for the Knicks and the Lakers would never recover. Up 24 at halftime, the championship was all but sewn up for the Knickerbockers as they would cruise to a 113-99 victory and the 1970 NBA Title. The game has some outstanding individual performances, and the opportunity to see players such as Chamberlain, West, Reed, Bradley, and Frazier in action is worth every penny.
Disc 3
Disc 2 represents the best game of the 1980s, which in this case is the 1986 1st Round series between the Bulls and the Celtics, Game 2 at the Boston Garden. This series had far less appeal as a whole because the Bulls were clearly out manned and the Celtics would eventually go on to win the title in this particular year. Jordan had an injury-plagued season and thus had not yet really been vaulted up to the superstar status he would eventually obtain. This game was part of the reason that Jordan made that proverbial "leap."
Back in the day, the first round of the playoffs were only best 3-of-5 (in fact, WAY back in the day they were only best 2-of-3, but anyway). This was the case in this series. Boston won the opening game handily by 19 points and appeared as though they might just coast into the second round. Then that fateful game came. Jordan had prepared himself to do all he could to give his Chicago Bulls a chance at victory. Not only did he really want this game, but also he wanted the series, and he wanted his team's season to continue. On the other side was Larry Bird who set records for 3 pointers attempted and made, was second in points, and third in minutes played throughout the '86 playoffs. He was at the peak of his career and had already brought 2 titles to the city of Boston. Jordan had other plans. When it was all said and done, the Celtics had gotten the better of the Bulls, but Jordan had made his statement. His 63 points were an NBA Playoff record, but his team still fell in double overtime. Watching this young Jordan is still entertaining and well worth the 2-hour investment.
Disc 4
The disc covering the 1990s is Disc 3, and it holds on it one of the most outrageous examples of "great players get all the calls" ever displayed in an NBA game. Yup, it's the 1998 NBA Finals, it's the decisive Game 6 and it's Jordan's Bulls in Utah taking on the Jazz. This would prove to be the best chance that the Stockton to Malone duo had to win a ring, and they would fail once again. Admittedly, the series was very entertaining and close throughout. The teams split the first two games, and Game 3 was humiliating defeat as the Jazz could only muster 54 points in the largest margin of defeat in NBA Finals history. I remember watching that game in Myrtle Beach, SC before going out to a party...kinda put a damper on the mood I must admit. Game 4 was also taken by the Bulls and if not for Malone's 39 points in Game 5, the Game 6 drama may have never happened.
It is known as "The Shot" but Jordan's Game 6 heroics need a brief background to be fully appreciated. Moments earlier, Jordan had stripped Karl Malone of the ball on the baseline. At that point, the Jazz were up by one point and seemingly on their way to a deciding Game 7. Then, with 11 seconds left, Jordan brings the ball up the court and, realizing he had isolated on Bryon Russell, decided to go in for a deciding drive. At this point, it was the smart thing to do. He knew he was Jordan, so he would either drive to the hoop and score, or the refs would bail him and out and call a foul. What happened instead was that Jordan stopped ("on a dime", as many would say) and pulled up for a 15-footer that went down smooth. It was Jordan's final shot (as a Bull) and cemented his 6th ring in 8 years. What no one ever talks about is how Russell was actually pushed by Jordan. Clearly I'm not the biggest Jordan fan, but that one play will never leave my memory. He should have been called for the clear out with his off-hand, but of course he wasn't...'cause he's His Airness. Regardless, it is actually an entertaining game, I just get sick of all the praise awarded Jordan for this famed shot...cheater.
Disc 5
The final offering in the box set is Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals between the Lakers and the Spurs in San Antonio. Arguably one of the greatest clutch shots of all time is the highlight of this particular game, but the drama and magic of the final moments of this contest are what make it an "instant classic." You must understand that the 2004 Lakers squad was destined to win the NBA Championship. Granted, they didn't, but the team was put together to achieve that very goal. Kobe and Shaq, while feuding, were still the most dynamic duo in the League. Throw in future Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Karl Malone (both hungry for a ring) and you have an outstanding squad. They had breezed through the playoffs up to that point, but ran into the feisty Spurs who had been led by the solid play of perennial All-Star Tim Duncan all season long. The first four games of the series had not surprisingly been split right down the middle. Was the turmoil of the Lakers "made for Hollywood" cast finally catching up to them?
The stage was set for Game 5 in San Antonio, and like always both teams had come to play. It was an incredibly tight game, with neither team ever charging out to an insurmountable lead. The Lakers had the lead until Tim Duncan threw up and made one of the greatest shots of his career. He had received the inbound pass with under 10 seconds to go, and after a failed attempt to hand off to Tony Parker or Manu Ginobli, he dribbled from the hash mark to the top of the key (closely guarded by Shaq all the way) and with no other options, heaved up a shot that miraculously went in. The entire building erupted as only 0.4 seconds remained on the clock and the whole city thought the game was as good as over. Of course, 0.4 seconds is just enough to allow a player to catch and shoot (anything less only allows for a tip-in play) the ball. The Lakers got the ball on the side and while the whole world wondered if Kobe or Shaq would sink the final shot, Payton instead passed to the curling Derek Fisher who caught, turned, and shot all in one motion...the shot went up, arched, and fell through, nothing but net. Fisher triumphantly bolted off the court as the refs reviewed the play. Sure enough, it had fallen, and the Lakers had one 74-73. I remember sitting in my living room going from completely distraught to yelling out my front door to my surely slumbering neighbors (for no reason in particular). The exact opposite range of emotions could be seen on the faces of the Spurs bench...it was fantastic. Again, one of the greatest shots in the history of the League...it is not to be missed.
Audio/Video
I was not expecting much in this area, and not much was delivered. The History channel special looked fairly crisp, most notably the interviews with the players, but the early video footage from the earlier years of the NBA was understandably worn and the audio weak. All offerings were in standard full frame and even though it's a highlight of today's broadcasts, HD is not an option here. As one would expect, the chronological progression into the more recent games leads to better picture and sound quality, but it is not any more advanced than you would find on any NBA TV broadcast or weekly ESPN game. In fact, these games are exact replications of the original broadcasts as they were viewed by people of that era, so don't expect anything particularly flashy or (more notably) different. I suppose this isn't the kind of DVD set you would expect to see anything technical explained here, which is good, 'cause I got nothing to say. It's an historic representation of the eras, that's all you need to know. Oh, and of course John Tesh gets five cents every time the later games go to break...ya know, 'cause he wrote the long-running NBA theme song. You knew that, right?
Conclusion
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the ultimate NBA fan, and 1 being someone who's not sure what an "opening tip" is I would consider myself an 8. I love the game. I almost got the NBA Season Pass package this year, but my local cable provider doesn't...well, "provide" it (Go to hell Charter!). I also consider myself a pretty good student of the game. I take this to the extent that about 4 years ago I could have named you every number one pick and NBA champion from 1980 forward. I have since lost that skill, but at one time I could do it, and that's what matters. So are you anywhere near my level of NBA know-how? If you are, you must have this set. If you are one of the moron fans that voted in the polls discussed in this review, then you reside in the 3-4 range of my scale, and you TOO should get this set. I mean, it's the equivalent of the "Idiot's Guide" series in which anyone can just jump in and enjoy it. If you have knowledge you can debate with your friends, if you don't you can enjoy the short shorts on the players and the grainy footage.
If you've got a set, if you consider yourself a man, if you can make at least 5 out of 10 free throws consistently you need to own this set. If you can't do those things...buy it for your Pops...he'll appreciate it.
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