The NBA that everyone is currently enjoying right now is the 75th NBA season.
It is going to be a memorable season for sure because of the world’s situation right now. No crowds allowed! Restrictions everywhere! Fans will still be following the season though.
We will now go back in time… to season 65. Let’s see what the league was like 10 years ago. Maybe remembering the NBA’s past will make us appreciate the NBA we have today.
Here we go…
ATLANTA HAWKS
Hawks fans were relieved to know that Joe Johnson re-signed.
Larry Drew became the new head coach.
Team Atlanta won the Shooting Stars contest during All-Star Weekend. Al Horford, Coco Miller, and Steve Smith were the representatives.
BOSTON CELTICS
Ray Allen overtook Reggie Miller in the “three-pointers made” list.
Celtics had two O’Neals: Jermaine and Shaquille.
This would be Shaquille’s last season in the NBA.
BROOKLYN NETS
They were still based in New Jersey.
Deron Williams arrived via trade.
The NBA games in London featured the Nets and Raptors.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
They were called the Bobcats.
Larry Brown stepped down as coach.
Go-to guy: Stephen Jackson.
CHICAGO BULLS
Derrick Rose won MVP. We all miss healthy Rose.
Tom Thibodeau won Coach of the Year.
Reached Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Miami Heat.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
LeBron left town.
Fans burned his jerseys.
Suffered a 26-game losing streak during the season. The No-LeBron Effect.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Won the NBA Championship!
Everyone felt bad that Steve Nash was not a part of this team.
Dirk Nowitzki‘s name will live forever.
DENVER NUGGETS
The end of the Carmelo Anthony era in Denver.
Nuggets led the NBA in points per game: 107.5
Ty Lawson made 10 three-pointers… in a row! He missed his 11th attempt in that game.
DETROIT PISTONS
Tracy McGrady… T-Mac… was part of the roster…
…but they missed the playoffs!
Team retired the #10 jersey of Dennis Rodman.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Assistant Keith Smart was promoted and became head coach.
Jeremy Lin became the first Taiwanese-American to play in the NBA.
Go-to guy: Monta Ellis.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Yao Ming got injured. This would be his last season in the NBA.
Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowry were part of the roster.
Marcus Cousin was on the roster too. Not to be confused with DeMarcus Cousins!
INDIANA PACERS
Frank Vogel became a head coach.
Paul George was in his rookie season.
Go-to guy: Danny Granger.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Blake Griffin‘s rookie year. Classified as a rookie because he missed the previous season.
Blake jumped over a car during All-Star Weekend.
Blake: Rookie of the Year.
Spoiler Alert: The Clippers would go on to be called Lob City the following season.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Lakers started the season by raising their championship banner and getting their rings.
Lamar Odom: Sixth Man of the Year.
Kobe Bryant was the All-Star Game MVP.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
The phrase “Grit and Grind” was born.
Hamed Haddadi was part of the roster. He was the first Iranian to play in the NBA.
Grizzlies got their first playoff win.
MIAMI HEAT
The HEATLES!
Miami started the season 9-8…
…but would go on to reach the Finals and lose to the Mavericks.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Andrew Bogut led the league in blocks per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was still in Greece.
Go-to guy: Brandon Jennings.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Coaching staff included Kurt Rambis and Bill Laimbeer.
Picked Wesley Johnson in the draft while players like Paul George, Gordon Hayward, and DeMarcus Cousins were available.
Go-to guy: Kevin Love and Michael Beasley.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
They were still called the New Orleans Hornets.
This would be Chris Paul‘s last year with the team.
The Hornets were sold to the NBA.
NEW YORK KNICKS
The start of the Carmelo Anthony era.
Rookie Landry Fields caught everyone’s attention.
Coaching staff included Mike and Dan D’Antoni.
Spoiler Alert: Linsanity would go on to captivate the world the following season.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
3rd year in Oklahoma.
Kevin Durant led the league in points per game.
Reached the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Mavericks.
Spoiler Alert: The Thunder would go on to reach the NBA Finals the following season.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Patrick Ewing was an assistant coach.
Dwight Howard: Defensive Player of the Year.
Amway Center, their home court, was brand new.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Quin Snyder was the assistant coach. (He is currently the head coach of the Utah Jazz.)
Elton Brand was a player back then. (He is currently the general manager of the 76ers.)
Allen Iverson, after 14 seasons, is out of the NBA.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
“Frail” Blazers! Greg Oden and Brandon Roy were just a couple of the players who couldn’t stay healthy.
This would be Brandon Roy’s last season in Portland.
Damian Lillard was still in college and two years away from joining the Blazers.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Paul Westphal was the coach.
Start of the DeMarcus Cousins era.
Tyreke Evans was the reigning rookie of the year.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Spurs lost to the 8th-seeded Grizzlies in the playoffs.
Antonio McDyess was part of the team.
Kawhi Leonard was still in college and would arrive the following year.
TORONTO RAPTORS
Chris Bosh left the team which started the rise of DeMar DeRozan.
Fans still had hope when it came to Andrea Bargnani.
Kyle Lowry was still playing for the Rockets.
UTAH JAZZ
End of the Jerry Sloan era. Sloan was Utah’s coach for 22 years!
Andrei “AK47” Kirilenko’s last season with the Jazz.
Jazz led the league in fouls per game.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Flip Saunders was the coach.
John Wall would have been rookie of the year if Blake Griffin did not qualify.
End of the Gilbert Arenas era.
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Main Credit Image: Embed from Getty Images
