Krause's Corner
with Dennis Krause

DRAFT RECAP
David Noel fits what the Bucks were looking for. If he can maximize his athletic ability to become an excellent defender on the NBA level, then the pick will be golden. It's always a plus to get a guy who knows how it feels to win a championship. I also like the fact that, as a senior, he was the veteran who helped mold a young North Carolina team into a winner. I'll be surprised and disappointed if Noel doesn't end up being a solid pro.]

Damir Markota adds to the Croatian feel of the Bucks, joining Andrew Bogut and Toni Kukoc. The Bucks have spent plenty of time and resources on international scouting and obviously like the potential of the 6'10" Markota.

NEW LOGO AND COLOR SCHEME
It was time for a change. The new color scheme reminds me of what the Bucks wore in the 1974 NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see how the new uniforms will compare to that era when they're revealed in September.

SUMMERFEST
If you're out at Summerfest, make sure to check out the show that Jim Paschke and some of the Bucks players put on. You'll enjoy it.

TRIVIA TIME
Q: What Bucks second round draft draft choice ended up scoring over 25,000 points in his NBA career?

A: Alex English was drafted by the Bucks in 1976 out of South Carolina. He played two seasons as a Bucks reserve before leaving as a free agent to Indiana. He later flourished with the Denver Nuggets.

WELCOME BACK, LARRY
Larry Krystkowiak should be a good fit on the Bucks coaching staff. Yes, he was popular here as a player, but more importantly, he's a proven coach. He had considerable success as a head coach at the University of Montana. It's valuable to have head coaching experience, particularly at the major college level. He's had to make tough decisions on playing time, handle the myriad of game situations, run a practice and deal with personalities as the man in charge. That sounds basic, but it really helps a head coach to have an assistant with that insight.

Credit Terry Stotts for stressing the player development of big men as the main reason for bringing Krystkowiak aboard. Larry's NBA playing experience, "working man" mindset and approachable personality should blend well with Andrew Bogut, the most important pupil he will have.

I'm also big on having people in an organization who really want to be here. For Larry and his family, Milwaukee was a place they wanted to be and the Bucks were an organization they wanted to be part of. It's good to have Larry back with the Bucks.

TRIVIA TIME:
Q: Larry Krystkowiak is the fourth former Bucks player to later become a Bucks assistant coach. Who are the others?

A: Mike Dunleavy, Jerome Kersey and current Bucks assistant Lester Conner.

FINALS GAME 6 RECAP
First off, the Miami Heat earned the NBA Championship. It wasn't about officiating or Mark Cuban.

It was about Dwyane Wade. The former Marquette star averaged close to 35 points per game in the finals. He took the series over when it looked like Miami was on its way to being swept.

Winning a title means redemption and satisfaction for Pat Riley, who made the off-season personnel moves and then took over the coaching duties from Stan Van Gundy in December. For veterans Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning, the long title drought is over. The Dallas Mavericks will always think back to Game 3. Up 13 with 6:30 to go. On the verge of going up 3-0. They just couldn't finish off the Heat.

WADE THE CHAMPION
He's an international superstar now. But in the 2000-'01 season, Dwyane Wade couldn't play in games for Marquette because he wasn't eligible. Tom Crean was willing to be patient and make the short-term sacrifice because he saw the greatness in Wade. The seed of Wade going to the Heat was planted in Milwaukee on March 29, 2003. On that day, Pat Riley was on the treadmill in his Milwaukee hotel.

The Heat was in town to play the Bucks the next day. Riley watched on TV as Wade burned Kentucky (Riley's alma mater) in Minneapolis for a triple double in the NCAA Tournament, leading Marquette to the Final 4. Three months later, Riley selected Wade with the fifth pick in the draft. Now, three years later, Wade and Riley are NBA champions.

ROLLING A 7
Unlike last year, there will not a Game 7 in the NBA Finals this season. The Bucks have played in eight Game 7's through the years, compiling a 2-6 record (2-1 at home and 0-5 on the road). Here's a brief look at each of those decisive games.

1974 NBA Finals: Kareem's dramatic skyhook in Game 6 in Boston got the Bucks to Game 7 at the Milwaukee Arena. One game at home for a second world championship in four years. But the Celtics prevailed 102-87 behind 28 points from Dave Cowens.

1978 Western Conference Semifinals: The young Bucks had upset Phoenix in the first round. The Nuggets led the Bucks 3 games to 1 before the Bucks pulled off a Game 5 victory in Denver. The Bucks won Game 6 in a rout, forcing a Game 7 in Denver. David Thompson scored 37 points as the Nuggets won 116-110.

1980 Western Conference Semifinals: The Bucks let the defending world champion Sonics off the ropes. The Bucks took a 3-2 lead in the series with a Game 5 win in Seattle. But the Sonics edged the Bucks 86-85 in Game 6 in Milwaukee, sending the series back to Seattle for Game 7. Gus Williams scored 33 points to lead the Sonics to a 98-94 victory.

1981 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Having switched conferences with the arrival of the Dallas Mavericks, the Bucks and Sixers started their run of epic playoff series in the '80's. Marques Johnson scored 36 points in Game 7 at Philadelphia, but the Sixers edged the Bucks 99-98.

1986 Eastern Conference Semifinals: The Bucks and Sixers went seven games again. This time, the Bucks had the home court and it paid off. Terry Cummings scored 27 points and the Bucks advanced with a thrilling 113-112 win.

1987 Eastern Conference Semifinals: The Bucks had trailed the defending champion Celtics 3 games to 1. Game 4 was a double-overtime classic in Milwaukee. Larry Bird scored 42 points as the Celtics won 138-137. The Bucks bounced back with a 129-124 victory in Game 5 in Boston behind 33 points from Sidney Moncrief. In Game 6 at the MECCA, Moncrief scored 34 as the Bucks won 121-111. The Celtics held off the Bucks in Game 7 at the Boston Garden 119-113. Bird scored 31 points to negate 28 from Paul Pressey. The game proved to be Don Nelson's last as Bucks coach.

2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals: George Karl's Bucks had trailed the Hornets 3 games to 2 and were facing elimination in Charlotte in Game 6. Sam Cassell scored 33 points to rally the Bucks to a 104-97 win and send the series back to Milwaukee for Game 7. Glenn Robinson scored 29 points at the Bradley Center as the Bucks pulled out a 104-95 decision.

2001 Eastern Conference Finals: Down 3-2 to the Sixers, Ray Allen lit up the Bradley Center with 41 points to lead the Bucks to a 110-100 victory in Game 6. Allen Iverson had 46 in defeat for the Sixers. Allen turned an ankle in the second half of Game 7 at Philadelphia. Iverson scored 44 and the Sixers moved on to the finals with a 108-91 win.

TRIVIA TIME:
Q: What member of the 1970-71 Bucks NBA Championship team went on to win another championship with a different team before coming back to Milwaukee to finish his career?

A: Bob Dandridge started for the Washington Bullets when they won the 1978 title. He returned to finish his career with the Bucks in 1981-'82, playing in 11 games.

FINALS GAME 5 RECAP
What a terrific finish. Dwyane Wade does it again. 43 points and an NBA Finals record 21 made free throws. It used to be that Wade was thought of as Robin to Shaq's Batman. Now Shaq is Bill Cartwright to Wade's Michael Jordan. Can you imagine if Devin Harris would have hit that prayer at the end of overtime? He would have been elected mayor of Dallas.

I'm sure Josh Howard feels a bit like Chris Webber. This time it wasn't taking too many time outs but rather taking the last one at the wrong time. The replay clearly showed Howard walking through the lane after gesturing for the time out. He wasn't saying he wanted it after the free throw. He wanted it then. It was costly because the Mavericks couldn't advance the ball to half court after Wade's second free throw. A killer because 1.9 seconds isn't enough time to get something good going the length of the court.

Dallas still has an excellent chance to win the series. The home team has won all five games so far and Games 6 and 7 (if necessary) are in Dallas. The last time Pat Riley coached in the finals, his 1994 Knicks led the Rockets 3-2 heading to Houston. The Rockets won Games 6 and 7 and denied Riley and New York a championship.

If Miami wins the NBA title, Pat Riley will claim another ring--his first since 1988. That 18-year gap between championships for a coach would be the longest in NBA history. Alex Hannum (yes, him again) won his two coaching rings nine years apart in 1958 and 1967.

NEW LOOK, SAME NAME
The Bucks will have new uniforms next season but the nickname remains strong. R.D. Treblicox came up with "Bucks" among 15,000 entrants in a contest to name the new franchise in 1968. He won a new AMC Javelin for having the winning entry. According to the oustanding book "Bucking The Odds" by original Bucks owner Marv Fishman and Tracy Dodds, "Robins" was actually the nickname that received the highest number of votes.

BUCKS PLAYLIST
I love music so it's fun for me to link songs to events of the time. Using that premise, here's a playlist matching the number one song at the time with some significant dates in Bucks history. The music information is courtesy of friend and Bucks fan Joel Whitburn's Billboard books:

October 16,1968 ... First Bucks game in NBA
"Hey Jude" by The Beatles

April 30,1971 ... Bucks win NBA title
"Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night

May 10, 1974 ... Kareem's skyhook vs. Boston in Finals
"The Loco-Motion" by Grand Funk

April 14, 1978 ... Bucks upset Suns in playoffs
"Night Fever" by The Bee Gees

May 2, 1983 ... Bucks sweep Celtics in playoffs
"Beat It" by Michael Jackson

May 17, 1987 ... Don Nelson's last game as coach
"With Or Without You" by U2

May 3, 1990 ... Bucks face Michael Jordan in playoffs
"Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor

May 22, 1994 ... Bucks win NBA Lottery
"I Swear" by All-4-One

August 29, 1998 ... George Karl named Head Coach
"The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica

May 26, 2001 ... Eastern Conference Finals vs. Sixers
"All For You" by Janet Jackson

TRIVIA TIME
Q: Who's the tallest player and who's the shortest player to ever play for the Bucks?

A: The tallest was 7'3" Randy Breuer and the shortest was 5'8" Charlie Criss. They were briefly teammates during the 1983-'84 season. Probably made for some interesting post-ups in practice.

FINALS GAME 4 RECAP
Like I said at the start, Miami in six. I've never wavered (yeah, right.)

My, how quickly things can change. Moments from a 3-0 lead and seemingly on their way to a sweep, the Dallas Mavericks now find themselves tied at 2 games apiece with the Miami Heat. Dirk Nowitzki played like he was still haunted by that missed free throw in Game 3. Dwyane Wade continues to pierce the stratosphere of stardom. I thought James Posey was going to be the best of Miami's off-season acquisitions. He's been spotty this season and in the playoffs but came up big in Game 4. Game 5 is another must-win for Miami because Game 6 and a possible Game 7 will be in Dallas. Remember that the home team is undefeated in this series so far.

DRAFT NOTES
The fact that George Karl's son Coby can even work out for the Bucks is a terrific story. Three months ago, Coby was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. A tumor was removed, treatment was effective and Coby's prognosis is excellent. George is immensely proud of what Coby has shown on and off the court the last few months. Having waged his own battle with prostate cancer last year, George has special appreciation for the maturity shown by the son who was a quiet teen during George's tenure with the Bucks. Coby is expected to return to Boise State to play next season but is gaining valuable experience and exposure through the predraft camp and workouts. In a sad twist of timing, Coby's visit to Milwaukee comes on the same day of the visitation for his high school coach. Homestead's John Chekouras passed away Monday at the age of 53.

I'm anxious to see if the trade market heats up between now and draft night on June 28th. There's no LeBron James or Greg Oden in this year's draft so beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder.

The Portland Oregonian reports that Adam Morrison has talked with Chris Dudley about coping with diabetes in the NBA. Dudley played 14 years in the league with Type 1 diabetes. Morrison has the same condition and is facing questions about dealing with it in the NBA. Morrison says being able to afford a cook and nutritionist will help him make it a non-issue.

NEED FOR SPEED
Watching the playoffs has reaffirmed my thought that fans need to be patient with T.J. Ford. I know he's not a finished product yet--but he's only played one full season in the NBA. His quickness is a rare skill that is hard to find. The "new" NBA favors speed and I would just suggest that the impatient allow Ford the chance to grow up.

ELITE STATUS
It's been well-documented that Michael Redd became only the third Buck to average 25 points per game in a season. He joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Marques Johnson in that rarified franchise air.

But let that sink in a minute. Think about the former Bucks who never achieved that level of scoring for a season. Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings, Vin Baker, Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen just to name a handful. That's pretty impressive stuff. To me, watching Dirk Nowitzki should provide inspiration to Redd. Granted, Michael is not 7 feet tall--but think about some similarities. Both have gotten better each year by working on their games. Both have been criticized for their defense. Remember that Nowitzki reached the finals in his 8th year. It's not just about those guys, it's also about the players around them. The internal improvement of a team and its star is a process that cannot be rushed. Except for a few cases, ultimate championship success in the NBA takes time.

EDDIE
Growing up in Hartford, it's impossible to overstate how big of an impact Eddie Doucette had on me. His unique play-by-play style captured the imaginations of Bucks fans but I've always felt he was somewhat underappreciated nationally. That's why I'm delighted that Eddie's voice can be heard on ABC's classy opening for the finals. Eddie's call of "it's over, it's over" comes from the clinching Game 4 of the 1971 NBA Finals in Baltimore.

TRIVIA TIME
Q: Who hold the Bucks single game record for assists?

A: The late Guy Rodgers dished out 21 assists on October 31,1968 against Detroit. It's amazing that the record was set in the Bucks first-ever victory after an 0-5 start as an expansion team. After 38 years of games and some great point guards in Bucks history, the record still stands.

FINALS GAME 3 RECAP
It was the biggest performance of Dwyane Wade's life. He helped lift the Heat back from a 13-point deficit with about six minutes to play. Miami was on the brink of being down 3-0 to Dallas and the series would have been virtually over. But Wade's strong will would not be denied despite five fouls and a sore knee. 42 points, 15 in the 4th quarter. 13 rebounds including a huge board off a missed free throw by 90 percent foul shooter Dirk Nowitzki. And how about the deflection on the final play of the game to break up the inbound lob? Personally, I wouldn't have had Nowitzki inbound the ball. I want him taking the shot. Devin Harris showed his fearlessness again in the final minute with an aggressive drive but the old veteran Gary Payton picked quite a time to hit his first basket of the game and just his second of the series. And Shaq actually hit a couple of big free throws. But when the dust clears from a great finish, Dallas is still up 2-1. All of the pressure is still on Miami to win Game 4.

I know "game presentation" is important--but can someone please tell the Miami PA guy that we're interested in the game and not his obnoxious screaming?

SIR SID
Avery Johnson ended up being the heir apparent to Don Nelson, a designation originally slated for former Bucks great Sidney Moncrief. After serving as a Mavericks assistant coach from 1999-2003, Sid decided to leave coaching and concentrate on his auto dealerships. While Moncrief is one of my personal all-time favorites, he never quite seemed comfortable as a coach.

OTHER STATE TIES
There are less obvious Wisconsin ties than Dwyane Wade and Devin Harris in the NBA Finals.

In addition to Del Harris, Don Nelson, Gary Payton and Keith Van Horn, there are several other state success stories. On the Dallas side, Don's son, Donn Nelson, is the Mavericks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager. Donn was a regional scout for the Bucks from 1984-'86. He has built up a solid reputation apart from his father with strong international expertise. He is credited for pushing for the Mavericks acquisition of Dirk Nowitzki. Mavericks assistant coach Larry Riley worked for over 10 years in the Bucks organization as a scout, video coordinator and assistant coach. Riley also was an assistant coach at UWM from 1970-'73. Former Bucks player Paul Mokeski is a player development coach and advance scout for Dallas. Former University of Wisconsin sprinter Robert Hackett is the Mavericks strength and conditioning coach, the same position he held for the Badgers after graduation.

For the Heat, Nicolet grad Brian Hecker is Miami's scouting information coordinator. He worked for eight years on the basketball staff at the University of Wisconsin, moving from administrative assistant to assistant coach. Concordia University graduate David Beyer spent time in the Bucks organziation and is currently an assistant to the coaches for the Heat.

RILEY'S FEAT RECALLS HANNUM
Miami's Pat Riley is coaching his third different franchise in the NBA finals. He led the Lakers to four NBA titles in the 1980's and lost in the 1994 finals with the Knicks. Only one other coach accomplished that coaching trifecta and that man got his professional basketball start in Oshkosh and passed through Milwaukee.

Alex Hannum was born and raised in Los Angeles and played college basketball at USC. After playing for an AAU team in Los Angeles, Hannum was signed by the Oshkosh All-Stars of the National Basketball League in 1948. He played in 62 regular season games and in seven playoff games for the All-Stars during the 1948-'49 season. He was not a star, averaging less than six points per game.

In 1949, the All-Stars sold Hannum's rights to the NBA's Syracuse Nationals. Hannum's NBA journey would also include stops in Baltimore, Rochester, Milwaukee (with the Hawks in 1954-'55), St. Louis and Fort Wayne. Hannum's true gift would prove to be coaching. As his playing career was winding down with the St. Louis Hawks, Hannum became their player-coach in 1956-'57. The Hawks took flight under Hannum and reached the NBA finals in 1957, losing a dramatic Game 7 in double overtime to Boston in the Celtics first championship.

The following season, Hannum coached Bob Pettit and the Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship. It was the only time Bill Russell's Celtics lost in the finals. Hannum then took a brief hiatus that his offical NBA bio says was to concentrate on his business career. Hannum returned during the 1960-'61 season as the coach of the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers). After three years in Syracuse, Hannum went west to take over as coach of the San Francisco Warriors. In 1964, Hannum guided Wilt Chamberlain and the Warriors to the NBA finals before losing to the Celtics dynasty. After two more seasons with the Warriors, Hannum returned east as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and would help interrupt that amazing Boston title run.

Hannum's 76ers were a powerful unit in 1966-'67. Led by Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer, the Sixers posted a 68-13 regular season record, at the time the best ever. They added to that bit of history when they ended the Celtics streak of eight straight NBA titles. The 76ers upended Boston in the Eastern finals and then captured the 1967 NBA championship over San Francisco. Between 1957 and 1969, Hannum was the only coach outside of Boston to win an NBA title. Despite winning 62 games in 1967-'68, the Sixers were upset by the aging Celtics in the playoffs and Hannum moved on.

Hannum became the first coach to win titles in the NBA and the ABA when he led the Oakland Oaks to the 1968-'69 ABA crown. His team featured Rick Barry and Larry Brown. Hannum returned to the NBA for two losing seasons with the San Diego Rockets before ending his coaching career by spending three seasons with the ABA's Denver Rockets. During his 16-year coaching career, Hannum coached 12 Hall of Famers and won Coach of the Year honors in both the NBA and ABA.

While his coaching career ended in 1974, Hannum was not inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame until 1998. He died at the age of 78 in 2002. He left behind a rare coaching legacy. A remarkable career in professional basketball that started in Oshkosh almost 60 years ago.

TRIVIA TIME
Q: When Michael Redd scored 40 points against the Pistons in the playoffs this season he became only the fourth Bucks player to score 40 or more in a playoff game. Kareem is obviously one of the other three. He has the two highest-scoring playoff performances in Bucks history with 46 and 44 points. He also scored 40 in a playoff game. Who are the other two Bucks to score over 40 points in a playoff game?

A: Terry Cummings and Ray Allen both scored 41 in a playoff game against Philadelphia. Cummings did it against the Sixers in 1985 and Allen in the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.

FINALS GAME 2 RECAP
The one thing I don't like about these blogs is that it's so easy for you to scroll and see what I predicted about the finals. "Miami in six" certainly isn't looking good right now. (There, I saved you a scroll)

I never thought I'd see Shaquille O'Neal be such a non-factor. I can tell you first-hand that it's not easy to look so old and slow overnight. Dirk Nowitzki was remarkable and Jerry Stackhouse helped Dallas seize control at the end of the first half. While Devin Harris hasn't been putting up huge numbers, he may have scored the most important basket of the night to help hold off a Maimi rally in the fourth quarter. His ball denial on Dwyane Wade has also been terrific in the first two games. Even though the series now shifts to Miami, Pat Riley will have to pull off some miracle adjustments. You would assume that Shaq's wounded pride will produce at least one strong performance at home. So far, Avery Johnson and Del Harris have been brilliant in their game plan design. Only two teams have back from 0-2 down to win the NBA Finals. Portland rallied to beat Philadelphia in 1977 and Boston came back to defeat the Lakers in 1969.

FINLEY, VAN GUNDY CAN ONLY WATCH
Former Badger star Michael Finley and former Wisconsin coach Stan Van Gundy share a painful fate during the current NBA finals between Dallas and Miami. Both can only watch and wonder what might have been.

Sharing a frustrating experience is nothing new to Finley and Van Gundy. The 1994-'95 Badgers season was disappointing for both. It was Van Gundy's only season as UW coach. He was fired after posting a 13-14 record. His star player was Michael Finley, who had passed up a chance to jump to the NBA to return for his senior season. While Finley would average over 20 points per game and become Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer, he shot just 38 percent from the field, hurting his stock for the 1995 NBA draft.

Phoenix selected Finley 21st and he proved to be a terrific pro. Even though they loved his potential, the Suns had to include Finley in the deal with Dallas to acquire Jason Kidd in late 1996. Finley was a rare bright spot and fan favorite as the Mavericks piled up losses in the late '90's. Don Nelson eventually acquired Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (and his considerable cash) arrived in 2000 and Dallas became a consistent playoff team.

But by the summer of 2005 Finley was no longer a rising star. In almost 9 years in Dallas, Finley had scored 12,389 points and been selected twice to the NBA All-Star Game. Still, the Mavericks had been unable to get to the NBA Finals and a clause in the league's collective bargaining agreement allowed Cuban to save close to $52 million by waiving Finley. A free agent at the age of 32, Finley strongly considered Miami before choosing San Antonio. Signing with the defending champions was a clear indication that Finley had his eyes on an elusive championship ring as his career started to wind down. In joining the Spurs, Finley had to make the humbling adjustment from being a star to being a role player off the bench. He did it with class and made some clutch shots in the playoffs.

Yet in a painful irony, the Mavericks beat Finley and the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, eliminating San Antonio on the defending champion's home court in Game 7. Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time by defeating Phoenix in the Western Conference finals.

In Miami, Pat Riley had handed longtime assistant Van Gundy the Heat head coaching job right before the start of the season on October 24, 2003. After an 0-7 start, Van Gundy rode rookie Dwyane Wade to a 42-40 record and a 2004 first round playoff upset of New Orleans. The following summer, Riley took advantage of the Lakers clashing egos and acquired Shaquille O'Neal. In 2004-'05, Van Gundy led the Heat to 59 wins in the regular season and within one victory of the NBA Finals. But a Game 7 loss at home to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals and Riley's subsequent comments about "taking a more active role" clearly put Van Gundy on the hot seat going into the 2005-'06 season. With the Heat staggering at 11-10, Van Gundy resigned last December 12, replaced on the bench by Riley. Van Gundy insisted that the resignation was his choice so that he could spend more time with his family. Riley's imposing presence could not have helped. After an inconsistent regular season, the Heat jelled in the playoffs and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, knocking off the favored Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.

So as the NBA Finals continue, Finley and Van Gundy are, in a way, on the same team again. Rightfully proud of helping build a franchise into a possible NBA champion. Disappointed that they can't enjoy the fruits of their work.

STERN WORDS
NBA Commissioner David Stern was on target with a remark at the finals. "There is something totally wrong with the development system for young American basketball players," Stern said. He added that the NBA may need to get involved because the shoe companies and the AAU system have proven to be ineffective. Figuring out how to fix things will not be a quick or easy process. I would suggest using the wisdom of past NBA coaches and players.

FAMOUS 41'S
It's just not a high-profile number in basketball. Dirk Nowitzki could end up joining Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as the most famous number 41's in NBA history. Mark Pope and Len Elmore were among the Bucks players to wear number 41. Milwaukee Braves baseball fans will remember that Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews wore the number and appeared on the cover of the first edition of Sports Illustrated on August 16, 1954.

ORIGINAL MAVERICKS
Two products of state college basketball teams were in the starting lineup when the Dallas Mavericks made their NBA debut on October 11,1980. Former Marquette star Jerome Whitehead started at center for the Mavericks and Abdul Jeelani (formerly Gary Cole from UW-Parkside and Racine Park High School) was a starting forward. The rest of the starting five included Tom LaGarde, Geoff Huston and Winford Boynes. The Mavericks beat the Spurs 103-92 at Reunion Arena. Jaleeni would play 66 games for Dallas that season before being waived in 1981. It was the end of a 2-year NBA career that had started in Portland in 1979. Whitehead, selected from Utah in the expansion draft, lasted only 7 games with Dallas before being traded to Cleveland along with Richard Washington (who the Mavericks had selected in the expansion draft from the Bucks). Whitehead would craft a solid NBA career that lasted through the '80's with later stops in San Diego, Golden State and San Antonio. I had not remembered until researching that Austin Carr was an original Maverick before being traded to Washington in that debut season for Dallas.

TRIVIA TIME
Q: Who are the three players who have played for the Bucks, Heat and Mavericks?

A: Pat Cummings, Chris Gatling and Damon Jones. If you got all of those, you're sick.

FINALS GAME 1 RECAP
I had wondered who would emerge for Dallas if Dirk Nowitzki didn't have a big scoring night. The answer, at least in Game 1, was Jason Terry. His 32 points helped lead the Mavericks to a victory in the series opener. Terry would have had nightmares if his missed layup ended up being the turning point. Dallas weathered the storm, in part because of missed free throws and turnovers by the Heat. Watching the postgame interviews, Nowitzki's humility was refreshing. It's a good sign for the Mavericks that they can win without a peak offensive night from their best player.

STATE CHAMPS
Either Marquette's Dwayne Wade or Wisconsin's Devin Harris will be an NBA champion after this series. The last player from a state school to win a title was former Badger Wes Matthews with the Lakers in 1988. He also got a ring with the Lakers in 1987. Now his son plays for Marquette.

HUNGRY VETERANS
Both teams in the finals have veterans who have never tasted a championship in 10 or more seasons in the NBA. Dallas features Jerry Stackhouse and Darrell Armstrong. Miami's roster includes old hands Alonzo Mourning, former Buck Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and Shandon Anderson. Payton hopes that a third time is a charm. He lost in the 1996 Finals with Seattle (to Chicago) and the 2004 Finals with the Lakers (to Detroit).

DON'T DO ME LIKE THAT
I've got some Tom Petty in my iPod--but even I'm sick of him after ABC has used his songs to death during the playoffs. You don't know how it feels to be me.

HUBIE
ABC analyst Hubie Brown was a Bucks assistant coach from 1972-'74. He made his head coaching debut with the ABA's Kentucky Colonels. In his first game at Freedom Hall in Louisville on October 18, 1974, he faced the Denver Nuggets--coached by Larry Brown. The Colonels won the game 117-99 and went on to claim the 1975 ABA title. Before that 1974 meeting, Larry Brown had already been a head coach for two seasons with the ABA's Carolina Cougars and is still a head coach with the Knicks. At least for now.

TRIVIA TIME
Question: Who holds the Bucks single game record for rebounds?

Answer: Swen Nater. The native of the Netherlands grabbed 33 boards against Atlanta on December 19, 1976. Nater (Bill Walton's backup at UCLA) spent only one season with the Bucks after three years in the ABA. He was traded to Buffalo in 1977 for a number one draft pick--which turned out to be Marques Johnson. Nater also holds the single game rebounding record for the Braves/Clippers franchise with 32 in a 1979 game.

THE LIVES OF RILEY AND NELLIE
They won't be coaching against each other in the NBA Finals but the basketball lives of Pat Riley and Don Nelson have intertwined yet again. Both of their playing careers ended with the 1976 NBA Finals. Nelson won his fifth title with the Boston Celtics. Riley was a benchwarmer for the Phoenix Suns.

After considering a career as an NBA official, Nelson joined the Bucks as an assistant coach to Larry Costello. Little did Nelson know that his assistant coaching career would last 18 games. Costello was fired after a 3-15 start and Nelson was thrown into the fire as head coach. A coaching star was born. He's won 1190 games as a head coach and I wouldn't be surprised if he adds to that number.

Riley's coaching career also got an unlikely start. After spending time as a beach bum and a broadcaster (two somewhat similar occupations), Riley was an assistant coach with the Lakers when Magic Johnson got tired of Paul Westhead in 1981. At an infamous news conference, it was originally announced that Riley and General Manager Jerry West would be "co-coaches". But West had little desire to return to the bench and Riley seized the opportunity to take charge. He would coach the Lakers to four NBA titles.

While Riley was coaching the Lakers and Knicks, Nelson was guiding the Bucks and Warriors.

Then in 1995, their paths crossed again. Riley left New York for Miami and Nelson, who had left Golden State during the previous season, was hired to replace Riley as coach of the Knicks. Nelson's ride in New York was short. He was fired after 59 games (34-25), largely because Patrick Ewing wanted the offense to revolve around him. After regrouping in Maui, Nelson surfaced again in 1997, taking over the Dallas Mavericks. He helped transform the Mavericks from jokes to their current standing as Western Conference champions. But with Dallas at 42-22 last season, Nelson resigned. With a nudge from Mark Cuban, the "godfather" made way for rising star Avery Johnson.

In Miami, Riley had left coaching in 2003 after back-to-back humbling losing seasons. But in the summer of 2005, the coaching itch returned. In his role as Heat President, Riley's selection of Dwyane Wade in 2003 and trade for Shaquille O'Neal in 2004 had him thinking championship. Stan Van Gundy resigned early this season. Riley insists it was Van Gundy's decision, but it couldn't have helped that Riley was openly pondering coaching again. After an uneven regular season, Riley pushed all the right buttons in the playoffs.

And now, it's Miami against Dallas in the 2006 NBA Finals. Riley is coaching again while Nelson will be watching from the tunnel as a Mavericks "consultant". The Heat may not have gotten there without Riley moving back to the bench. The Mavericks may not have gotten there without Nelson leaving the bench. Two legendary NBA lives intersecting again.

FINALS PREVIEW
Even though Dallas has home court advantage, it's hard for me to pick against Miami. If Dirk Nowitzki has an off night, will Dallas have somebody else emerge to make up for it? Meanwhile, the Heat has the luxury of two superstars in Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. One can make up for the other if he's struggling. I give Avery Johnson a ton of credit for instilling a defensive mindset in the Mavericks. Nowitzki has raised his level of play to the top echelon in the league. Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry are capable of making clutch shots. For the Heat, I've never been a big fan of Antoine Walker or Jason Williams--but Riley has put them in positions to succeed as role players. Maybe I'm underestimating the possibility of Josh Howard or Devin Harris having a huge series, but I'll take the Heat in six.

FINALS NOTES
This is the first time that two franchises are making their first appearance in the finals since the Bucks swept Baltimore in 1971...The Heat became the first team since the 1981-'82 Lakers to make the finals despite a coaching change during the season. Those Lakers went on to win it all after Pat Riley replaced Paul Westhead. Miami is hoping for a Riley Repeat of sorts.

CENTRAL DIVISION FUTURE
The playoff unraveling of the Pistons adds to the drama surrounding the future of the Central Division. Free agent Ben Wallace will turn 32 in September. I just don't see Joe Dumars and Detroit owner William Davidson giving Wallace a "max" contract of 6 years for $132 million. For all of his defensive power, he's a liability on offense and an awful free throw shooter. Chicago is one of the teams that would have the cap space to make a run at Wallace. The Bulls also have the second pick in the draft. They figure to get better, by trade or draft. Cleveland is on the rise simply because they have LeBron James. Indiana appears unstable and perhaps in transition. And, of course, the Bucks hope to build on their playoff appearance by a blend of internal improvement and off-season tweaking. Young cornerstones Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut provide plenty of hope. The Central Division will be challenging and fun again in 2006-'07 and beyond.

TRIVIA TIME:
Question: Which former Bucks assistant coach went on to win two NBA titles as a head coach?

Answer: K.C. Jones. He was a Bucks assistant to Don Nelson during the 1976-'77 season and later guided the Celtics to championships in 1984 and 1986.

PLAYOFF THOUGHTS:
Detroit stayed alive with a Game 5 victory by getting their defensive fire and passion back. Ben Wallace's block of Shaq was the best example of the Pistons rediscovered intensity. Miami coach Pat Riley is trying to become only the second man to coach three different teams to the NBA finals. Alex Hannum hit the trifecta with the St. Louis Hawks, San Francisco Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers. Riley guided both the Lakers and Knicks to the championship round. Other coaches who have taken two different teams to the finals--Phil Jackson, K.C. Jones, Larry Brown, Bill Fitch, Gene Shue and Bill Sharman.

If the Mavericks make the finals, I'll be happy for former Bucks coach Del Harris, now a Dallas assistant. I've said this on the Bucks radio broadcasts and I've said this to him personally. I don't think his tenure in Milwaukee was fully appreciated. He took over for an immensely popular coach in Don Nelson and inherited an aging roster on the way down. Still, he nursed the Bucks to four straight playoff berths with seasons of 42, 49, 44 and 48 wins. Not many coaches could have done that. It was always somewhat ironic to me that people talked about Del struggling to fill Nellie's shoes when Del coached the Houston Rockets to the 1981 NBA Finals and Nellie has yet to coach a team to the finals. I'll always remember Del for a live TV interview I did with him one night when he urged fans to bring cowbells to the upcoming home playoff games. Great TV except that Del tends to take awhile to say things. We went well over our allotted time and I can still hear the producer repeatedly yelling "Wrap!" in my ear. There was no stopping Del when he was on a roll.

LOCAL PRODUCTS
If it's Miami and Dallas in the finals, Dwyane Wade and Devin Harris will get a chance to renew their rivalry from the Marquette-Wisconsin days. It got me thinking about former MU and UW stars to play for the Bucks. It's a short list...

Bucks Players From Marquette: