Michael Cage

Last updated

Michael Cage
Michael Cage 1982-83.png
Cage with the San Diego State Aztecs in 1982–83
Personal information
Born (1962-01-28) January 28, 1962 (age 62)
West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school West Memphis
(West Memphis, Arkansas)
College San Diego State (1980–1984)
NBA draft 1984: 1st round, 14th overall pick
Selected by the San Diego Clippers [1]
Playing career1984–2000
Position Power forward / center
Number44, 4, 45
Career history
19841988 Los Angeles Clippers
19881994 Seattle SuperSonics
19941996 Cleveland Cavaliers
1996–1997 Philadelphia 76ers
19972000 New Jersey Nets
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points 8,278 (7.3 ppg)
Rebounds 8,646 (7.6 rpg)
Steals 1,050 (0.9 spg)
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Representing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Basketball
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Caracas Team competition

Michael Jerome Cage Sr. (born January 28, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player and current broadcast analyst for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Contents

Basketball career

A 6'9" power forward/center from San Diego State, he is the Aztecs' all-time rebounding leader and second leading scorer as of 2011. [2] Cage was the 14th pick of the 1984 NBA draft. He played 15 NBA seasons (1984–2000) with five teams: the Los Angeles Clippers, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets.

On January 19, 1987, Cage scored a career-high 29 points in a loss against the San Antonio Spurs. [3]

During the 1987–88 season when, as a member of the Clippers, he led the league in rebounding with 13.0 per game. He was on a personal duel with Charles Oakley, who was playing with the Chicago Bulls at the time. Cage needed to register 28 rebounds in his final game to beat out Oakley for the rebounding title. He ended up grabbing 30. [1] Just weeks later, during the 1988 NBA draft, Cage was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics for a future first-round pick and Gary Grant. [4] During his first season in Seattle, Cage would make the postseason for the first time in his career. [4] Several years later, during the 1993 NBA Playoffs, Cage and the SuperSonics would come within one game of reaching the NBA Finals, losing to the Charles Barkley-led Suns in seven games. [5]

During his career, Cage earned the nicknames "John Shaft" and "Windexman" [1] (as in "cleaning the glass") for his rebounding prowess and hard work on defense.

Cage held the record for most career 3-point attempts without a make (0–25) until Zaza Pachulia reached 0–26 for his career during the 2017–2018 season. Pachulia retired after the 2018 - 2019 season and he still holds the record at 0 - 31.

Cage's final game was on January 17, 2000, in a 96–101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers where he recorded 3 rebounds and 1 assist, but no points.

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
 * Led the league

NBA

Source [4]

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1984–85 L.A. Clippers 754121.5.543.7375.2.7.5.47.1
1985–86 L.A. Clippers 781220.1.479.000.6495.31.0.8.46.7
1986–87 L.A. Clippers 807636.5.521.000.73011.51.61.2.815.7
1987–88 L.A. Clippers 727036.9.470.000.68813.0*1.51.3.814.0
1988–89 Seattle 807131.7.498.000.7439.61.61.2.710.3
1989–90 Seattle 82*82*31.6.504.69810.0.91.0.59.7
1990–91 Seattle 82*5526.1.506.000.6256.81.11.0.76.4
1991–92 Seattle 826930.0.566.000.6208.91.11.2.78.8
1992–93 Seattle 826626.3.526.000.4698.0.8.9.66.1
1993–94 Seattle 82*4220.8.548.000.4865.4.5.9.54.6
1994–95 Cleveland 82*2124.9.521.000.6026.9.7.7.85.0
1995–96 Cleveland 828032.1.556.000.5438.9.61.11.06.0
1996–97 Philadelphia 822415.2.468.000.4633.9.5.6.51.8
1997–98 New Jersey 791715.2.512.000.5563.9.4.6.61.3
1999–00 New Jersey 20712.1.5001.0004.1.5.4.41.4
Career1,14073326.1.515.000.6647.6.9.9.67.3

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1989 Seattle 8021.9.609.000.4095.8.6.9.47.1
1991 Seattle 5016.0.429.7654.2.4.6.45.0
1992 Seattle 9421.9.5591.0005.7.4.7.94.3
1993 Seattle 19219.9.525.3895.8.5.7.44.8
1994 Seattle 5518.6.375.3335.4.8.81.02.8
1995 Cleveland 4020.3.444.000.0004.5.8.51.04.0
1996 Cleveland 3333.7.571.6009.3.7.71.76.3
Career531420.8.523.000.4935.7.6.7.64.9

Personal life

On September 17, 2014, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced Cage would be joining their broadcast team, replacing analyst Grant Long. [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "CLIPPERS: Catching up with Michael Cage – 8/9/11". nba.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  2. Canepa, Nick (February 25, 2011). "According to Cage, SDSU a strong enough 'team' to conquer Jimmer". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  3. Michael Cage scores a career high 29 points (1987)
  4. 1 2 3 "Michael Cage NBA stats". Basketball Reference . Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. 1993 NBA Western Conference Finals SuperSonics vs. Suns
  6. "Michael Cage to Join Thunder Broadcast Team". thunder.nba.com. September 17, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.