Basketball News Blog
 

Atlanta Hawks Beat the Heat at Game 5

Atlanta Hawks

 This month is among the most favorite month of every basketball fan. April holds a lot of things for the basketball junkie. The whole month is filled with a lot of fun and excitement- there is always something to look forward to. If you are looking for a basketball action, look no further as April is here. From rookies to stars, you get to see the best of the best.

With playoff games happening this month, a lot of us are glued to the television sets to watch our favorite teams in the hopes that they are going to win the game. Recently, the Hawks won over the Miami Heat at game 5 with a 106-91 score. The biggest scorer of the night for the Hawks was Joe Johnson with 25 points. Although Miami?s Dwayne Wade got 29 points, it was not enough to lead his team to a win that night. The 3-2 lead of the Atlanta Hawks is one of the farthest this team has reached in the last 10 years are everybody is looking forward to getting another win for this 7-game series. At this time, both teams have become more intense and are doing everything they can to win. Rivalry is getting high, and although it is just a game, players and fans alike cannot seem to avoid feeling the pressure. Game 6 is soon to come and we would again be holding on to our seats to see who will win it.

The NBA finals will be in June, and every year it never fails to bring millions of audience glued to the boob tube, while thousands flock to the stadiums to be there cheering our hearts out during the actual game. Whatever team we are rooting for, we are united when it comes to giving support to our most loved basketball teams.

Golden State Warriors

 WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was first established in 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the franchise won the championship in the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the league that would eventually become the National Basketball Association. In 1962, the franchise was relocated to San Francisco, California and became known as the San Francisco Warriors until 1971, when their name was changed to the current Golden State Warriors. The team has played all of their home games in the Oracle Arena since 1966, with the exception of a one-year hiatus. Along with their inaugural championship win in the 1946-1947 season, the Warriors have won two others in the team’s history, including another in Philadelphia after the 1955-56 season, and one as Golden State after the 1974-75 season, which is tied for 5th in the NBA in number of championships.

Home arenas

* Philadelphia Arena (1946?62)
* Philadelphia Convention Hall (1952?62)
* Cow Palace (1962?64, 1966?71 and two games in 1975 NBA Finals)
* San Francisco Civic Auditorium (1964?67)
* USF War Memorial Gymnasium (1964?66)
* San Jose Arena (now the HP Pavilion) (1996?97)
* Oakland Coliseum Arena/Oakland Arena/Oracle Arena (1966?67, 1971?96 and 1997?present)

Basketball Hall of Famers

* 11 Paul Arizin
* 24 Rick Barry
* 13 Wilt Chamberlain
* 10 Joe Fulks
* 14 Tom Gola
* 6 Neil Johnston
* 16 Jerry Lucas
* 00 Robert Parish
* 17 Andy Phillip
* 42 Nate Thurmond
* Eddie Gottlieb (team founder-owner)

Arizin, Fulks, Gola, Johnston and Phillip played all or most of their tenure with the Warriors in Philadelphia. Chamberlain’s tenure was about evenly divided between Philadelphia and San Francisco. Lucas and Parish were elected mainly for their performances with other teams. Thurmond and Barry are the only Hall-of-Famers who spent significant time with the team since the 1971 move to Oakland and the name change to “Golden State.”

Retired numbers

* 13 Wilt Chamberlain, C, 1959?65 (including 1959?62 in Philadelphia)
* 14 Tom Meschery, F, 1961?71 (including 1961?62 in Philadelphia)
* 16 Al Attles, G, 1960?71 (including 1960?62 in Philadelphia); Head Coach, 1970?83; also team executive
* 24 Rick Barry, F, 1965?67 & 1972?78
* 42 Nate Thurmond, C, 1963?74

Meschery, Attles, Barry and Thurmond are also members of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

The 7 Most Common Basketball Shots

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, both to play and watch. For players, though it can be more of an art form than an athletic endeavor. Playing the game of basketball requires a high level of physical fitness, intricate moves and mental skills that all combine to create points on the court. Far from its humble beginnings, basketball has reached super star status.

Superstar or not, however, the basics are still the most important aspects in the game of basketball. If you want to be good at the game, you have to know the rules and have the skills. It also helps to develop a bag of tricks, and being a top-notch shooter is one of the best ways to see great results on the scoreboard. Here are the seven most common shots in basketball. Try them, practice them, bring them to your game. You will love the results.

1. The Lay-Up The lay-up is one of the simplest shots in basketball and is used in one of two different situations during a game: - When you are under the ring and you get the ball while shooting through the basket. - When you dribble the ball through a crowd and wind up under the net.

2. The One-Handed Underhand This shot must be practiced - a lot - before being put to the test in a game, because it is a tough one. Additionally, you can’t use the one-handed underhand when you are in a set position.

3. The Two-Handed Set The two-handed set is usually saved for long-range opportunities. This shot is not as common today as it used to be. The most well-known player to make this shot popular was Bob McDermott, who became famous for his ability to shoot from any place in the inside court.

4. The One-Handed Set The one-handed set is another one of the basics. It has the same good points as the two-handed set but it gives you improved speed.

5. The Jump Shot The jump shot almost always turns into points on the scoreboard. This shot is often paired with a fake, and it is popular with current basketball players of all levels.

6. The Hook Shot The hook shot can be paired with a number of different moves on the court, so it is a highly versatile basketball shot that can be put into play in distances from mid-range to short-range.

7. The Free Throw Everyone knows the free throw; it’s the one where the rest of the players stand around and watch. A player gets a free throw when they have been fouled by a player on the opposing team, and they make this shot from the free throw line. To be considered good at the free throw, you have to make at least 8 out of 10 of these shots.

These are the seven most common shots in basketball, and although there are more, some others require detailed combinations and variations in skill levels. These can be learned by the beginner and practiced to perfection. For all of these shots, and every other move in the game of basketball, the best thing to do is practice and constantly update your skills.

Larry Bird Boston Celtics Mvp

Larry Bird’s impact on NBA basketball history was immediate. For the 1980 season Larry Bird led the Celtics to superstardom legacy. Bird was named the league’s Rookie of The Year and was voted onto the Eastern Conference All Star-Team. He was honored with this title all for all of his twelve seasons of his career in the NBA. He was scoring 12 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, an outstanding 143 steals and second in assists.

In Bird’s second professional season- he led the Celtics to the NBA Playoffs. Larry Bird helped the Celtics’ deficit by helping them overcome and winning the last three games, which propelled the Celtics into the NBA Finals. They defeated the Houston Rockets in six games.

In 1984 Bird earned the award for Most Valuable Player by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven game final. The following year, the Boston Celtics would have another incredible winning year by defeating The Rockets in six games. Bird again was honored with the Finals MVP Award for that year, averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

In 1987 Bird made his final appearance for the Celtics against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons. That year the Celtics ended up losing to the unmatched Lakers in six games and to the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

Bird’s body continued to deteriorate to injuries to debilitating back problems and to bone spurs in his heels. Both these conditions would eventually lead to his retirement in 1992. Unwilling to stop due to injuries, he joined Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan to play in the United States basketball team for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Names the “Dream Team”- they defeated their competition to win the Gold Medal for the United States Basketball Olympic Team.

Larry Bird’s NBA honors include; elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (1988), NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986), NBA MVP ( 1984, 1985, 1986), Nine-Time All-NBA First Team ( 1980-88), All NBA Second Team (1990), All-Defensive Second Team (1982, 1983, 1984), NBA Rookie of The Year (1980), One of the Fifty Greatest Players in NBA History (1996), Olympic Gold Medalist (1992).