Over and Back: Stories About NBA History

We look at Julius Erving’s ABA championship years with the New York Nets in the latest episode of Over and Back’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s with basketball-history enthusiast Reinis Lacis @LamarMatic, host of The Handle podcast. We discuss how Erving fit in with new coach and NBA veteran Kevin Loughery, how Erving became a complete player who filled the box score, how Erving blended with h...

We look at the early days of Julius Erving’s ABA career in the latest episode of Over and Back’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s with basketball-history enthusiast Reinis Lacis @LamarMatic, host of The Handle podcast. We discuss how Julius Erving got his Dr. J nickname, playing college basketball largely in obscurity, developing his legend at New York’s Rucker Park, feeling the freedom to play a...

We look at the history of the Kentucky Colonels, who won more regular season games than any other ABA team but continuously failed in the postseason until finally winning a championship in 1975 with Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel and coach Hubie Brown. We are joined by Adam Johnson of Basketball Pantheon and talk about the wacky early history of the Colonels, including their show dog mascot Ziggy and a...

We take a look at why the 1973 New York Knicks seem to be an afterthought compared to the 1970 team in the latest edition of Over and Back’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. We are joined by Rafael Canton of the NBA Trades blog and podcast to discuss the 1970s Knicks with Clyde Frazier, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Earl Monroe, Phil Jackson, Jerry Lucas, Cazzie Russell and Dick B...

Over and Back's Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series continues with a look at the proliferation of the slam dunk in the 1970s. Topics on today's show include the origins of the slam dunk, how it was viewed in the 1950s and 1960s NBA, what the NCAA did to curtail its rise including the "Lew Alcindor Rule" banning the dunk, and the innovators who brought it to the next level incl...

We look at the 1975 Golden State Warriors’ upset over the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals and where it ranks among all-time pro basketball upsets in the latest edition of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. We look at how the Warriors' Finals run came as a surprise to virtually everyone, how they managed to sweep a powerhouse Bullets team with Wes Un...

The most amazing seasons (Dr. J, Kareem, Bob McAdoo & more!) of the 1970s is the topic in today's episode of the Over and Back Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s summer series. Seasons focused on include Spencer Haywood's dominant rookie year with the Denver Rockets, veteran Zelmo Beaty's career resurgence with the '71 Utah Stars, the best individual season for Kareem Abdul-Jabb...

We wonder if anyone carried a great team like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did on Over and Back’s latest episode in its Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series. Topics discussed include: Kareem's nearly unprecedented value to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he ranks among other all-time greats in a number of statistical categories, the percentage of Milwaukee's production came from Kareem as well as an...

We discuss the great Indiana Pacers teams of the 1970s that won three ABA championships with Pacers.com writer and historian Mark Montieth (markmontieth.com) in Over and Back’s latest episode in its Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series. Topics discussed include: how the team was built around Roger Brown, Freddie Lewis, Bob Netolicky and Mel Daniels, how coach Slick Leonard got the team to play...

The oddest NBA and ABA team owners and the wild stories of their ownership are the central topic on the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. The 1970s were a wild time in professional basketball and nowhere is that more evident than the eccentric owners that ruled the decade. From penny-pinching MLB owners enacting mustache bonus to an owners...

The 1971 ABA champion Utah Stars with Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise, Ron Boone and coach Bill Sharman are discussed with special guest Curtis Harris of Pro Hoops History on the latest episode of Over and Back’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. They talk about Sharman’s inspirational speech after the Stars lost in the Finals in 1970, Beaty becoming the second major NBA star to defect to the ABA, the f...

Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch continue their Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series with a detailed look at how many teams were added, subtracted, moved or changed their name during the 1970s. Topics include multiple new Houston franchises, the ever-changing ABA including the Anaheim Amigos, Pittsburgh Pipers, a Minnesota team leaving and joining in the same season, San Diego's record three a...

Kevin Pelton of ESPN joins us on the latest episode of our Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series to discuss the late ‘70s and early ‘80s Seattle Supersonics with Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma and Gus Williams. The Sonics reached back-to-back Finals and won the 1979 NBA championship before dissension broke up the team prematurely. Also discussed in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NB...

Some of the biggest and most interesting trades of the 1970s are discussed in the latest episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s series. Jason Mann and Rafael Canton of the NBA Trades blog and podcast discuss how the changing times in the NBA and ABA produced a great flurry of trades involving star powers. Trades that are discussed include: Oscar Robert...

The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who won 33 games in a row and the city’s first NBA title, are discussed by Jason Mann and Shawn Fury, author of “Rise and Fire,” in the seventh episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. They talk about how an aging team led by Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West thought to be on the decline ended as of one of t...

Sportswriting legend Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe joins us to discuss the 1973-76 Boston Celtics in the sixth episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. Jason Mann joins him to talk about the high and low points of a team that won two titles in three seasons and 68 games in 1973. Also discussed: how Red Auerbach was able to rebuild the Cel...

Who launched the three-pointer? The fifth episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast's summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s—explores the origins of the three-point basket. Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch discuss how the three-pointer came to be, whose idea was it to bring it to the ABA, the other leagues that had experimented with it and the transformative properties the three-...

Why the first two ABA champions immediately abandoned their cities is examined in the fourth episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch discuss the 1967-68 Pittsburgh Pipers led by Connie Hawkins and the 1968-69 Oakland Oaks led by Rick Barry (and owned by famed singer Pat Boone). Discussion topics include: how...

The life of an ABA player is discussed in the third episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. Jason Mann is joined by Indiana Pacers great Bob Netolicky, who played all 9 seasons in the ABA, and Ted Green, who has produced documentaries on Pacers legend Roger Brown and coach Slick Leonard. Discussion topics include: How the ABA forced inn...

The late Nate Thurmond’s quadruple-double, one of four in NBA history, is discussed in the second episode of the Over and Back Classic NBA podcast’s summer series — Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s. Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch talk about the hardest aspect of a quadruple-double, Thurmond’s time with the Warriors (with and without Rick Barry), his trade to Chicago and fitting in with the Bulls, p...

The Over and Back Classic NBA podcast launches their summer series (Basketball Mysteries of the 1970s) with a look at the best players of the decade. In this episode, Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch introduce the series, explain its origins, what they hope to accomplish from the season and of course, dive into the first mystery: Who were the best players of the decade? Using basic and advanced statis...

Upon Tim Duncan's retirement, Jason and Rich look back at the Spurs legend's career and conclude that, yes, he was interesting (and one of the best NBA players who ever lived). They discuss what about Duncan’s game made him seem boring to some, why the debate over whether he was a power forward or center misses the point, his fear of sharks, competing with Alonzo Mourning at age 16, why he...

The Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast returns to talk recent news this time: Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors! Jason and Rich discuss the historical significance, why this is so unique and how to unpack discussions on Durant. Topics include other examples of all-time great players joining established great teams, parallels between Durant and LeBron James, whether RINGZ culture i...

We discuss where Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals ranks among all-time Game 7s, putting the performances of LeBron James and Steph Curry in historical context, comparing LeBron to the best Finals MVPs, comparing LeBron’s Game 5 and 6 to the all-time best Finals performances, where Draymond Green’s terrific Game 7 rates among the best, what losing means for the legacy of the 73-win Golden State Warrio...

We conclude our #RussellMania series, a deep dive into the life and career of Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics dynasty, with a discussion of some of our favorite stories of Russell’s life and career and our final thoughts on the project. Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch share stories of Russell’s interactions with his teammates, including Frank Ramsey, John Havlicek, Tommy Heinsohn, and Bob Cousy,...