Donald Arvid Nelson is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. Nelson is second all-time in regular season wins of any coach in NBA history, with 1,335. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors. After an All-American career at the University of Iowa, Nelson won five NBA championships playing with the Boston Celtics, with his number 19 retired by the franchise in 1978.
Craig Anthony Hodges is an American former professional basketball player and former head coach of the Westchester Knicks of the NBA Development League. He played in the NBA for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times. He won two NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, and along with Larry Bird, is one of only two players to win three consecutive Three Point Contests at the National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend, winning the competition in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Hodges also holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19, set in 1991, and the most points scored in a single round at 25, set in 1986. He was later a head coach at Chicago State University, an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach of the Halifax Rainmen of the National Basketball League of Canada.
Kurt Vincent Thomas is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'9", 230 lb. power forward-center, Thomas was known for his hard-nosed playing style and tough defense during his eight year tenure with the New York Knicks. Having played college basketball at Texas Christian University, he was drafted by the Miami Heat in 1995 and went on to play parts of 18 seasons in the NBA.
Vinny Lamont Baker is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games. As of 2018, Baker serves as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Richard Charles Pierce is an American retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player. Nicknamed "Deuces" and "Big Paper Daddy", he was selected as an NBA All-Star (1991) and was twice the NBA Sixth Man of the Year while with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson Sr. is an American retired basketball player. He was a combo guard who had a 13-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1979 until 1992. He played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. Henderson was born in Richmond, Virginia and attended Virginia Commonwealth University.
Brian Joseph Winters is an American former basketball player and coach.
Ernest Grunfeld is a Romanian-American former professional basketball player and former general manager in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In college at the University of Tennessee, he set a new record as the school's all-time leading scorer. He won gold medals with Team USA at the 1975 Pan American Games and the 1976 Summer Olympics. He began his professional career as a player with the Milwaukee Bucks. He served as General Manager of the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association from 1989 to 1999, and as the Bucks General Manager from 1999 to 2003, and then became the president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards from 2003 to 2019.
Paul Matthew Pressey is an American former professional basketball player who was also an assistant coach for seven different National Basketball Association (NBA) teams. Pressey is widely credited as being one of the initial point forwards, combining the attributes of a point guard and forward.
John Arec Gianelli is an American former professional basketball player. At a height of 6'10" tall, he played at the power forward and center positions. He played eight seasons (1972–1980) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the New York Knicks, Buffalo Braves, Milwaukee Bucks, and Utah Jazz.
The 1994–95 NBA season was the Spurs' 19th season in the National Basketball Association, and 28th season as a franchise. During the off-season, the Spurs hired Bob Hill as head coach, re-acquired Sean Elliott after playing one year with the Detroit Pistons, re-signed Avery Johnson after one season with the Golden State Warriors, and signed free agents Chuck Person, and former All-Star forward Moses Malone. Early into the season, they signed free agent Doc Rivers, who was previously released by the New York Knicks. With Dennis Rodman serving two suspensions early into the season, the Spurs struggled and played below .500 with a 7–9 start. However, they would win 13 of their next 14 games, hold a 30–15 record at the All-Star break, then later on post a 15-game winning streak between March and April, and win 21 of their final 23 games, finishing with the league's best record of 62–20. It was also their best regular season record in franchise history, surpassing the 56-win 1989–90 season, which would be surpassed 11 seasons later by the 2005-06 team (63-19), then 10 seasons later by the 2015-16 squad (67-15).
The 1988–89 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 41st season in the NBA and 32nd season in the Detroit metropolitan area. The Pistons moved from the Pontiac Silverdome to the brand-new Palace of Auburn Hills before the start of the season.
During the 1971–72 season the Los Angeles Lakers won their first National Basketball Association (NBA) title since moving to Los Angeles. The Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games to win the title, after going 69–13 during the regular-season, a record that stood for 24 seasons until the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls went 72–10. During the regular season, they would also go on an NBA record 33-game winning streak. The team went on to win 81 regular season and playoff games overall, a record that would stand alone for 14 years until the Boston Celtics matched it in 1986. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball teams of all time, the 1971–72 Lakers were named as one of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History in 1996.
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Lakers' 51st season in the National Basketball Association, and 39th in the city of Los Angeles. On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games. Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled. However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.
Timothy Mark Thomas is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He was a highly ranked prospect while playing at Paterson Catholic High School in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. Thomas played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats and declared for the 1997 NBA draft after his freshman season. He spent thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. Thomas serves as the head coach of the boys basketball team at Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the Bucks' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Bucks acquired Frank Brickowski from the San Antonio Spurs, and acquired Danny Schayes from the Denver Nuggets. However, Larry Krystkowiak would miss the entire season with a knee injury. The Bucks started the season on a strong note winning their first 18 home games on their way to a 25–8 start. However, they would lose ten of their next twelve games, and held a 30–19 record at the All-Star break. Sixth man Ricky Pierce and Alvin Robertson were both selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game; it was Pierce's only All-Star appearance. At midseason, Pierce was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Dale Ellis. In April, the team signed free agent and former All-Star forward Adrian Dantley, as Ellis went down with a lower back injury. The Bucks would make their 12th consecutive playoff appearance finishing third in the Central Division with a 48–34 record, while posting a 33–8 home record at the Bradley Center.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the Bucks' 25th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1992 NBA draft, the Bucks selected Todd Day with the eighth overall pick, and Lee Mayberry with the 23rd overall pick, both from the University of Arkansas. During the off-season, the team acquired Blue Edwards and second-year guard Eric Murdock from the Utah Jazz, and hired Mike Dunleavy as their new Head Coach and General Manager. The Bucks got off to a strong start, winning 10 of their first 13 games. However, they would struggle as they went on an 11-game losing streak in December, then posted a 7-game losing streak in January, and held a 20–31 record at the All-Star break, as Moses Malone only played just eleven games due to a back injury. At midseason, the team traded Alvin Robertson to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Orlando Woolridge, who only played in just eight games for the team due to a broken hand injury, while the team signed free agent Derek Strong. The Bucks lost their final eight games of the season, finishing last place in the Central Division with a disappointing 28–54 record.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the sixth season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Hornets acquired Hersey Hawkins from the Philadelphia 76ers, and Eddie Johnson from the Seattle SuperSonics. Coming off their first playoff appearance, the Hornets won six of their first eight games as they played around .500 for the first half of the season. In December, the team traded Johnny Newman to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Rumeal Robinson. However, the Hornets would soon struggle as Larry Johnson injured his back, and second-year star Alonzo Mourning was out with a torn calf muscle and sprained ankle.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Bucks' 26th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1993 NBA draft, the Bucks selected Vin Baker from the University of Hartford with the eighth overall pick. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Ken Norman. However, the Bucks struggled all season long posting a 10-game losing streak early into the season, and held a 14–34 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, Frank Brickowski was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, while second-year forward Anthony Avent was dealt to the Orlando Magic, and Danny Schayes was sold to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bucks went on to lose 22 of their final 25 games, including a nine-game losing streak in April, finishing last place in the Central Division with a franchise worst record of 20–62, a record that stood for 20 years until the 2013–14 team posted a 15–67 record during the first year of the future Bucks' superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo era.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Lakers' 46th season in the National Basketball Association, and 34th in the city of Los Angeles. The Lakers received the twelfth overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, and selected George Lynch from the University of North Carolina, and also selected Nick Van Exel from the University of Cincinnati with the 37th overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired Sam Bowie from the New Jersey Nets, and re-signed free agent and former Lakers forward Kurt Rambis. The Lakers continued to struggle as they lost 9 of their first 12 games, and held a 18–29 record at the All-Star break. Head coach Randy Pfund was fired after a 27–37 start, and was replaced with interim Bill Bertka for the next two games.
