LONG before Rick Adel man’s Yao Ming-less Rockets amassed the second longest winning streak in NBA history (The Bobcats are bound to become 21st straight victim tonight if the home team doesn’t get caught looking ahead to Sunday’s play date with the Lakers), he was by far the league’s all-time most underrated coach.
In 16 previous seasons Adelman’s three teams (Blazers, Warriors, Kings) were denied making the playoffs a total of zero times. Portland twice reached The Finals. Equally remarkable is his .610 winning percentage (752-481) and just three of those seasons were below .500, his first as a Blazer in 1989 (14-21) when Rick replaced Mike Schuler in mid-February and both years (36-46 and 30-52) with Golden State.
No wonder Kings president Geoff Petrie did everything in his power to keep the Maloof Brothers from cutting ties with Adelman.
There are no secrets to Adelman’s success: He treats his players like men; shows no favorites; is disciplined within reason; operates an uninhibiting, free-flowing, back-cutting offensive style that’s enjoyable to play (and watch); and his fidelity is fearsome.
In three decades of covering Adelman as a player and a coach I have yet to hear him utter a disparaging word about any of his players; he always has had their back.
If pressed the length of the pool by CIA interrogators, I couldn’t come up with another name renowned for not cheating on someone close to him at one time or another.
Who have the Rockets beaten during their streak (eight minus Yao), you scoff? Only every team on their schedule.
*
This just in: Column contributor Sally Wise reports The Sexual Harassment Hacienda has announced plans to retire Eliot Spitzer‘s No. 9.
What does it say about tri-state voters that we elected as governors, John Rowland in Connecticut (twice re-elected), Jim McGreevey in New Jersey and Spitzer in New York?
If you’re keeping score at Scores, they were done in by unpaid renovations to a summer house, unusual trips to a rest stop and unethical visits to a Washington hotel.
Thank goodness I’m a registered anarchist.
After the Knicks and Nets dropped their Texas I-Saw Massacre by a combined 47 points at Dallas and Houston, Spitzer was incredulous as to how either coach could remain employed.
How crazy was Wednesday? The Nets and Knicks stepped up (Cavaliers and Heat) and the governor stepped down. Sources say Spitzer is hanging around the job site for the weekend to take care of unfinished business, like pardoning Knicks ticket buyers.
*
Why wouldn’t Isiah Thomas pick up Gerald Green for the remainder of the season? It’s not like the Knicks are saturated with explosive small forwards flaunting inhuman athleticism and a decent mid-range jumper.
Jermaine O’Neal (out since Jan. 16; left knee) hopes to surprise the masses by showing up for duty any day now. He’ll have a month at most to save the jobs of Larry Bird, Jim O’Brien and Quinn Buckner.
San Antonio has lost its last three on the road (Denver, Phoenix and New Orleans) by a combined 45 points, and was outscored, 24-8, in the final dozen minutes Wednesday night in the Bayou. The 25-point defeat was the Spurs’ worst of the season.
Don’t ask me what’s up with the Spurs, but I’m sure it’s nothing Mensa-man Gregg Popovich can’t figure out. Should they beat the Pistons tonight at Auburn Hills or the 76ers tomorrow night in Philadelphia, I expect Pop to demand the right of first refusal on all future stock trades.
A couple of weeks ago, Hawks ownership refused to approve the sacking of coach Mike Woodson, leaving GM Billy Knight in a helpless position. Though Atlanta remains in the East’s pitiful playoff hunt, disharmony and defensive delinquency (except for Wednesday’s 83-75 home loss to Houston) have reigned since the aborted firing. Regardless of whether the Hawks crash the postseason party, it appears Knight and Woodson are about to run out of road.
Congratula tions to Dirk Nowitzki, who has be come the Mavericks’ all-time lead ing scorer. By my count, this makes him the first player to go around – in successive games – Rolando Blackman and Renaldo Balkman.
This just in: Spitzer decided to resign, reports column contributor George Caballero, “the moment he heard Stephon Marbury planned to testify on his behalf.”
Maybe if Marbury comes back next season he can change the name on the back of his Knicks jersey to “CLIENT.”