Peter Edmiston: Desmond Bane through his first 10 career playoff games: 15 ppg 50% FG 48% 3PT 90% FT Bane joins Reggie Miller, Sleepy Floyd, and Jason Terry as the only players to have begun their playoff careers with a 10-game run of at least 50/45/90.
Tag: Sleepy Floyd
Where Rockets rank among the greatest nicknames in NBA history
“Hakeem the Dream” and “Clyde the Glide” are among Houston’s best contributions to elite NBA nicknames, but they’re far from alone. Here’s a comprehensive list through Rockets history.
The best sports nicknames are colorful accents that effortlessly add a dash of flavor to the games we watch and play.
Some originate as terms of endearment, while others are bestowed as labels of ineptitude. That got us wondering about where some of the greatest players in basketball history — such as Michael Jordan (Air), LeBron James (King James) and Earvin Johnson (Magic) — rank in the pantheon of great NBA nicknames.
Baseball, with its long and rich history, once generated vivid monikers such as the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Splendid Splinter (Ted Williams). But basketball, with its playground roots and hip-hop culture, arguably is the sport with the most imaginative sports nicknames today.
With that in mind, Thomas Neumann of Rookie Wire took a shot at ranking the 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history. See below for where players with ties to the Houston Rockets were ranked in that list.
All nickname commentary and history is from Neumann.
A fun (but true) item for NBA fans on April 1:
The 101 greatest nicknames in NBA history https://t.co/Vz9PIo4mIz via @rookiewire
— Thomas Neumann (@tnn95) April 1, 2021
The best college prospect in 1985 …
The best college prospect in 1985 wanted to go to the Warriors. The former Georgetown star was huddled with his college coach John Thompson and his agent David Falk for the 1985 NBA Draft lottery, and he was hoping for a specific outcome. “We were all there, watching and waiting and anticipating, you know, hoping that …” Ewing told SiriusXM NBA Radio’s Frank Isola. “First I wanted to go to Golden State because Eric Floyd played there and he was a teammate of mine at Georgetown. And the next one was the Knicks. Once Golden State didn’t win, I definitely wanted to go to the Knicks.”
Warriors Playoff Rewind: Sleepy Floyd erupts for 51 points vs. Showtime Lakers in 1987
In 1987, Sleepy Floyd ripped off a record-breaking performance in the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors past the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers.
When the calendar turns to the month of May, the NBA playoffs are usually in full swing. However, with the 2019-20 season on hold for over two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no playoff basketball on the current radar.
Despite the league going on hiatus, the Golden State Warriors playoff hopes were already decided with 17 games remaining. With a league-worst 15-50 record, the Warriors became the first team in the association to be eliminated from playoff contention.
With playoff action on hold until further notice, Warriors Wire is digging deep into Golden State’s postseason history to find rewatchable matchups and standout performances.
Before there was Stephen Curry, “We Believe” or “Run TMC,” Eric “Sleepy” Floyd led the Golden State Warriors with a thrilling playoff moment.
May 10, 1987
After taking out the Utah Jazz in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs, the Warriors advanced to play the Los Angeles Lakers in round two.
With their star-studded lineup of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Byron Scott, the Showtime Lakers blasted past the Warriors in the first three games of the series.
The Warriors were down 14 points heading into the final quarter of game four with Floyd recording a modest 22 points. Facing elimination, Floyd exploded for an eye-popping scoring performance.
The Georgetown product erupted in the fourth quarter to put Golden State on the comeback trail. Floyd shattered a pair of playoff records with 29 points in the fourth quarter and 39 points in the second half. The Warriors sealed their comeback with a 129-121 victory in Oakland to extend the series.
The 1987 All-Star guard racked up 51 points against the Lakers on 18-of-26 shooting from the field in 44 minutes. Floyd added 10 assists and three rebounds.
Scott, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson combined for 71 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Golden State guard.
Along with Floyd, only Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry and Kevin Durant have scored 50 or more points in the playoffs donning a Golden State kit.
Watch highlights from Floyd’s career-night via YouTube:
The Warriors couldn’t translate Floyd’s magic in Los Angeles, dropping game five to the Lakers, 118-106. After eliminating Golden State, the Lakers swept the Seattle Supersonics in four games before advancing to the NBA Finals. The Lakers cruised past their rival Boston Celtics in six games to put an exclamation point on their run to a championship.
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