A legendary coin toss ...Who knows how many championships have been won or lost by the toss of a coin? But we can name at least one legend that was created by the loss of a toss! Since it happened way back in the first year of the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= (1950), we had forgotten the story until we recently read a history on how the late Red Auerbach Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20 1917 – October 28 2006) was a highly successful and influential basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. built the Boston Celtics dynasty. It seemed that three outstanding basketball stars had been put up for dispersal in the draft of 1950. They were: 1. Max Zaslofsky Max "Slats" Zaslofsky (born December 7, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York, died October 15, 1985 in New Hyde Park, New York) is a former professional basketball player and coach. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, and St. John's University. , a great shooter and passer whom the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Knicks coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. . Toss: Won by the happy Knicks! 2. Andy Phillips George Andrew "Andy" Phillips (born on April 6, 1977 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees. Andy was raised in Demopolis, Alabama, where he played baseball for Demopolis Academy and then West Alabama Preparatory Academy. , a husky playmaker play·mak·er n. A player in a sport with goals, such as a guard in basketball, who initiates offensive plays. play that had been the soul of the great U. of Illinois teams. Toss: Won by the Philadelphia Warriors. 3. Bob Cousy, the All-American from Holy Cross who probably was the flashiest player in basketball, which made Auerbach dislike him. (He hated flash.) Toss: Not necessary as Cousy was the only player left. Summing up: The Knicks and the Warriors were happy with their choices. But the teams never went anywhere. The Celtics disliked their selection. Two years later, however, Auerbach was calling Cousy the greatest player in the history of basketball! But the Celtics had to wait until Auerbach pulled another rabbit out of the basket. What the Celtics still needed was a great rebounder, and Red knew exactly where to find one--at the U. of San Francisco. Its center was a two-time All-American named Bill Russell. Since Russell was then playing for our 1956 Olympic team overseas, Auerbach couldn't draft him. So he did the next best thing. He put together a package of Celtic stars (Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan) and traded them to the St. Louis Hawks for Russell. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Right from the beginning, both Cousy and Russell started winning titles for assists (Cousy) and rebounds (Russell). Cousy won six in a row, Russell eight. Together the fabulous duo led the Celtics to 12 NBA championships! |
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