Yup, Cazzie & Riordan played about 20 mpg, Stallworth more like 17 mpg and Bowman gave Willis 5 or 6 minutes rest. You're a lot younger than me Beast. I was 17 that year and remember that team very well given that it was the best of time in NYC.
The Knicks Are Back
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NCJ, It was great meeting you and your lovely wife this past season. I always yield to your knowledge of the Knicks. Thanks for the correction!
As a lifelong Bill Bradley fan though, did you think Cazzie was better but Dollar Bill a better fit as a starter since Cazzie could fill it up off the bench (similar to Havlicek on the Celts)?
Definitely one of the most hotly debated topic amongst us teenagers that year. Cazzie was clearly a better scorer but Bradley a better team player and a guy Red trusted more.
Cazzie for Lucas gave us the 2nd Chsmpionship. I had no idea that Lucas was such a great outside shooter. He was dangerous from 35 feet and in. He also played forward for the Royals and Warriors but center for the Knicks. Of course he was a genius (I think perfect 4.0 at Ohio State) but was he known as an outside shooter with the Royals?
In the mid 60s when he played for the Royals with the Big O, he was an incredible rebounder averaging between 17 and 21 rebounds per game 5 years in a row. I didn’t see him play as much then but I remember he was always a good free throw shooter and had a good set shot.
Riordan was a member of the Minutemen. They were Knicks subs who played for a minute here and there. I believe he became an all star after being traded to the Baltimore Bullets.
MarkRedman
Well-known member
Red use to send a "minuteman" into the game to give a foul to spare a starter from having to do so
Our own Johnny Warren used to be the "minuteman" when he first joined the Knicks
Riordan inherited the job later on and, yes, played meaningful minutes later on in his Knicks career
Riordan went to Holy Cross HS and Providence College. I don't remember this ever being discussed at all, no less prominently. Does anyone remember Riordan at HC high school. Presume that would make him their most successful player from that school.
12th round throwaway pick that made a nice career for himself in the NBA. Had three very good seasons for the Bullets after the trade.
Lucas was a terrific player, strong rebounder, good shooter, unbelievably poised and intelligent player.
Wrote more than 50 books after retiring, centered around memorization and education. Was considered a legitimate authority on memorization techniques and frequently gave seminars and demonstrations on those techniques. I forget the exact points but he once proved to a reporter he knew the exact amount of steps it took him from a specific starting point in Penn Station to his locker in the Garden (my parameters as an example of the feat, the steps involved were in the thousands).
MarkRedman
Well-known member
Lucas used to memorize telephone directories among other things
Lucas was on the kids show Wonderama and all of the kids in the audience stood up. As he went through the entire audience, he identified each kid by name at which point the kid had to sit down. He had to go back to one or two kids but he did get the all.
I was 16 for the '69-70 Knicks squad and a devoted fan. I liked Riordan and although he was not a major contributor, he did give them solid minutes not just to foul. Tough-nosed D always. A little rough and tumble and opponents thought a little dirty.
Donnie May (Dayton's best) and Hoskins of Ohio State played sparingly.
Cazzie was snazzy and was like a microwave instant offense, but Bill Bradley ran his opponent ragged with his constant perpetual motion, almost always leading to him getting an open jumper, which was a good thing, because his lift was minimal. Great passer and defender for someone not too athletic. Cazzie was awesome too.
Later on Jerry Lucas was an amazing deep shooter, whose range was like Steph's is now. His was more of a push-shot than a pure jumper.
Lucas went on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and could give Johnny the name and telephone number of any random pick Johnny made from anywhere in the Manhattan phone book, it was incredible.
Donnie May (Dayton's best) and Hoskins of Ohio State played sparingly.
Cazzie was snazzy and was like a microwave instant offense, but Bill Bradley ran his opponent ragged with his constant perpetual motion, almost always leading to him getting an open jumper, which was a good thing, because his lift was minimal. Great passer and defender for someone not too athletic. Cazzie was awesome too.
Later on Jerry Lucas was an amazing deep shooter, whose range was like Steph's is now. His was more of a push-shot than a pure jumper.
Lucas went on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and could give Johnny the name and telephone number of any random pick Johnny made from anywhere in the Manhattan phone book, it was incredible.
Think the Wizards already signed him unfortunately...