Chet Walker—a Hall of Fame forward for two NBA teams in the 1960s and 1970s—died Saturday, according to a Saturday evening report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that cited the NBPA. He was 84.
One of the most consistent performers of his era, Walker never averaged fewer than 12.3 or more than 22 points per game in a season.
A native of Bethlehem, Miss., Walker played collegiately for Bradley. He averaged 24.4 points per game in a spectacular three-year career with the Braves, still the fourth-highest average in Missouri Valley history.
The Syracuse Nationals drafted Walker 12th in 1962; he played one season with the franchise before their 1963 move to Philadelphia. Walker made three All-Star teams in six seasons with the rechristened Philadelphia 76ers, and helped the team win a title in 1967.
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame forward Chet Walker — a seven-time All-Star and a member of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor — has passed away at 84, per @TheNBPA. Walker won an NBA championship with Philadelphia in 1967 and was a two-time All-American at Bradley. pic.twitter.com/sv1ct73YAK
Walker spent his last six years on the Chicago Bulls, with whom he made four more All-Star teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Bulls' Ring of Honor in 2024.
Among the four major North American sports leagues, the NBA has traditionally stood out in the popular imagination as being the league of the dynasties. The Boston Celtics of the 1960s begat the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s begat the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s, and so on and so forth.
For this reason, it may surprise you to learn that in the NBA Finals' entire history—from its quaint 1947 origins to the present day—professional basketball's final series has seen just nine sweeps.
Here is a look back at the nine perfect performances in the event's annals. Note before we begin that there were four best-of-five finals sweeps in the history of the National Basketball League, the NBA's immediate predecessor.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Celtics 118, Lakers 115
Game 2
Celtics 128, Lakers 108
Game 3
Celtics 123, Lakers 110
Game 4
Celtics 118, Lakers 113
The very first Finals between Boston and the Lakers, and the only one that took place while the Lakers were located in Minneapolis. The first of the Celtics' run of eight straight championships, the longest streak in the history of the four major North American sports. Boston center Bill Russell averaged 29.5 rebounds per game, which will play.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Bucks 98, Bullets 88
Game 2
Bucks 102, Bullets 83
Game 3
Bucks 107, Bullets 99
Game 4
Bucks 118, Bullets 106
The Milwaukee Bucks' first title, and their only title until 2021. The first of six rings for Bucks center Lew Alcindor, the future Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The most recent of two series, along with the 1956 Finals, played under a 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 format in which the two teams alternated home games.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Warriors 101, Bullets 95
Game 2
Warriors 92, Bullets 91
Game 3
Warriors 109, Bullets 101
Game 4
Warriors 96, Bullets 95
Both the Golden State Warriors (Al Attles) and Washington Bullets (K.C. Jones) had Black head coaches, which hadn't happened before in any league. The Bullets actually took three of four from Golden State in the regular season, anticipating a highly competitive matchup. A 14-5 run late in Game 4 gave the Warriors their last title until 2015.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
76ers 113, Lakers 107
Game 2
76ers 103, Lakers 93
Game 3
76ers 111, Lakers 94
Game 4
76ers 115, Lakers 108
A fitting conclusion to Hall of Fame center Moses Malone's third and final MVP season. Polished off a 12-1 playoff run after Malone predicted the Philadelphia 76ers would need only four games to win each series. The last major Philadelphia championship until the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series in 2008.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Pistons 109, Lakers 97
Game 2
Pistons 108, Lakers 105
Game 3
Pistons 114, Lakers 110
Game 4
Pistons 105, Lakers 97
The Detroit Pistons' first title after a grueling seven-game loss to the Lakers the season prior. Featured a superb performance from Pistons guard Joe Dumars, who averaged 27.3 points per game. The curtain call on Abdul-Jabbar's spectacular 20-year career.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Rockets 120, Magic 118 (OT)
Game 2
Rockets 117, Magic 106
Game 3
Rockets 106, Magic 103
Game 4
Rockets 113, Magic 101
Notorious for the Orlando Magic's complete meltdown in Game 1, during which guard Nick Anderson missed four crucial free throws to open the door for Houston Rockets guard Kenny Smith's game-tying three. The Rockets, seeded sixth, became the lowest-seeded team to win the title. Houston's title followed a seven-game championship win over the New York Knicks in 1994.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Lakers 99, Nets 94
Game 2
Lakers 106, Nets 83
Game 3
Lakers 106, Nets 103
Game 4
Lakers 113, Nets 107
The Lakers' third consecutive championship, and center Shaquille O'Neal's third consecutive Finals MVP award. Los Angeles overcame a superb individual series from New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd, who had averaged a triple-double in the Eastern Conference finals. The last Finals aired on NBC to date.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Spurs 95, Cavaliers 76
Game 2
Spurs 103, Cavaliers 92
Game 3
Spurs 75, Cavaliers 72
Game 4
Spurs 83, Cavaliers 82
Noted for its astoundingly low scores, Game 3 was the lowest-scoring Finals game since 1955. The first Finals for Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, and for every Cavalier apart from veteran guard Eric Snow. Despite several close games, only in Game 4 did Cleveland lead in the second half.
GAME
RESULT
Game 1
Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114 (OT)
Game 2
Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103
Game 3
Warriors 110, Cavaliers 102
Game 4
Warriors 108, Cavaliers 85
The sweep everyone remembers. Began with a bizarre overtime game in which Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith appeared to forget the score at the end of regulation and James scored 51 points in defeat. The average margin of victory, 15, is the largest in any NBA Finals.
One point. That’s all there was to separate the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers after a thrilling six-game series that ended with New York’s series-clinching victory Thursday night. The Knicks scored 650 points in the series. The Sixers scored 649.
This series had everything. It had spectacular individual performances, like Joel Embiid’s 50-point game, Tyrese Maxey’s 46 and Jalen Brunson’s four straight games with at least 39 points. (The last player to score 39 in four straight playoff games? Michael Jordan.) It had electrifying finishes, like Maxey’s clutch shot-making in Game 5. It had local animosity as the two nearby rivals met in the postseason for the first time in 35 years and Knicks fans invaded Philadelphia.
Game 6 might have been the best of the series. When the Knicks jumped out to a 33–11 lead in the first quarter, they seemed poised to cruise to victory. But then the Sixers came storming back and, after 17 second-quarter points by Buddy Hield, took a 54–51 lead into halftime. Hield was the most unlikely of heroes. He hadn’t played in either of the previous two games after scoring just two points in limited action in the first three games of the series. He knocked down five of his seven three-point attempts in the quarter and out-scored the entire Knicks team by himself.
Hield’s incendiary quarter made it a new game, and by the middle of the third quarter the Sixers managed to stretch their lead to 10. But the Knicks didn’t blink and with a 22–12 run over the final six minutes of the third were able to tie the game at 83. That led to a back-and-forth fourth quarter that featured four ties and three lead changes.
To borrow a word from Knicks announcer Walt Frazier, Brunson was the catalyst in the fourth. He had 14 points in the quarter, twice as many as any other Knicks player, and scored or assisted on eight of the team’s 13 made field goals. It was just the latest in a series of superstar performances from Brunson, who has cemented himself this season among the game’s elite players. He finished the game with 41 points on 13-of-27 shooting and also added 12 assists.
But the beauty of this Knicks team is that, while Brunson undeniably leads the way, they have a solid backbone of role players who are equally crucial to their success. In Game 6 it was Brunson’s former Villanova teammates Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Hart had 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and DiVincenzo had 23 points, seven assists, three blocks and two steals. DiVincenzo played all 48 minutes of the game and was tasked with being the primary defender on Maxey. After Maxey torched the Knicks for 46 points in Game 5, he managed just 17 on 6-of-18 shooting Thursday.
The Sixers posed a more difficult challenge for the Knicks than a 7-seed usually does for a 2-seed. That’s because Philadelphia was forced to play without Embiid for much of the season and thus its record did not accurately reflect the quality of the team when at full strength, which it was in the postseason after Embiid (although hobbled at times by his knee injury) was able to return. Either of these two teams could have reasonably expected to reach at least the conference finals, so it’s a shame that one of them had to be sent packing so early. No matter which team won the series, it would have been crushing for the loser to exit in the first round. But the quality of both teams made for one of the best first-round series in recent memory.
On Thursday night the New York Knicks moved on to the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by way of a 118-115 win in Game 6 over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jalen Brunson was magnificent once again, recording 41 points (including 14 points in the fourth quarter) to put the persistent Sixers away. ESPN analyst Jay Williams was so in awe of his performance he went on Friday morning's episode of Get Up to sing the point guard's praises.
He may have gone a bit far, though. Even for the most diehard of Knicks fans. Williams said he believes Brunson will go down as one of the greatest Knicks of all-time— if not the greatest.
"I really think Jalen Brunson is going to go down as one of the greatest Knicks, if not the greatest Knick ever."
Brunson has been incredibly impressive and the marks he's hit as noted by the chyron are historic. However, Williams himself acknowledges he may be getting a bit over his skis by speaking so highly of Brunson's place in franchise history when he hasn't won a championship yet. Patrick Ewing didn't get one but Walt Frazier and Willis Reed both did. Even the most ardent Brunson supporter would balk at arguing Brunson is above any of those three in the franchise hierarchy as of now.
This sort of Brunson-mania is completely understandable through the lens of recent Knicks history. The organization was desperately searching for a new face of the franchise for nearly five years after Carmelo Anthony left and hadn't been seriously competitive in nearly a decade. The years between Ewing's retirement and the Melo trade aren't even worth discussing in this space. The Knicks were seriously lacking in 21st century legends before Brunson came along.
And he is perfect for the Knicks, just like franchise faces of old. Anthony was a walking highlight reel but didn't draw the love of the more gritty, earn every inch segment of the fanbase in the same way Brunson has. Knicks fans love a grinder and Brunson, if anything, is exactly that. Plus, before Brunson signed the best point guard to grace Madison Square Garden was 2007-'08 Stephon Marbury and he didn't win a single playoff series. It's been a while.
Brunson is very exciting to watch and feels tailor-made for the New York Knicks. He's still a long ways off from the heights reached by Frazier and Willis and even Ewing. A great first round series makes a franchise legend not, but perhaps this is the year when that changes.
Brunson poured in 14 of his game-high 41 points in the fourth quarter to help the New York Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 118-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, doing so in a familiar setting at the Wells Fargo Center, where he played some of the biggest games of his college career for the Wildcats.
At one point, Brunson, after hitting a clutch shot in the fourth quarter, appeared to look skyward at Villanova's 2016 championship banner hanging in the rafters.
Then, during a postgame interview with TNT's Inside the NBA crew of Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, Brunson made sure that Smith, an alum of the University of North Carolina, didn't forget the 2016 national championship game, where the Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels.
Jalen: "Is this Kenny?"
Kenny: "Yes it is!"
Jalen: "2016 banner Kenny!" 😂
Brunson had to remind Kenny of Villanova's 2016 Championship after the W in Philly 🤣 pic.twitter.com/XAkpe73k0g
Barkley began the interview by asking Brunson if he felt that Philadelphia was a special place for him to play. Brunson replied that he believes it "definitely" is, pointing out the program's three championship banners. Then, it was Smith's turn to ask a question.
Brunson, hearing Smith's voice, asked, "Is this Kenny?"
"Yes it is!" Smith affirmed.
"2016 banner, Kenny," Brunson said, as Smith and his TNT peers burst into laughter.
Well played by Brunson, who couldn't resist a little trolling at Smith's expense, reminding him of his Wildcats' 77-74 win over Smith's Tar Heels back in April 2016.
Brunson and the Knicks will next take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, which begins May 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The New York Knicks eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers from the NBA playoffs Thursday night, scoring a 118-115 win in Game 6 to take the first round series 4-2. The Knicks fans who made the trek to Philadelphia for the game were not shy afterwards, unleashing a "f--- Embiid" chant as they made their way to the exits.
Video of the incident is below, but be warned it contains some bad language.
“Fuck Embiid” chants at Wells Fargo Center after the Knicks eliminate the Sixers pic.twitter.com/9q1LyJ7Wxy
Embiid faced accusations of being a dirty player during this heated series. In Game 3, he was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for an incident involving Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. During an awkward sequence, Embiid fell to the ground attempting to draw a foul. When the whistle didn't blow, he grabbed Robinson's right leg out from under him. Robinson eventually left the game with an ankle injury. New York guard Donte DiVincenzo called the play dirty, and Knicks fans were irate.
During the Sixers' 112-106 overtime win in Game 5, Embiid hit Knicks' star Jalen Brunson in the head on a late drive. He was called for Flagrant 1 for unnecessary contact to the face. After those two incidents, Knicks fans will almost certainly regard him as a dirty player for the rest of his career, hence the post-Game 6 chant.
Embiid was excellent in the series, averaging 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals in 41.5 minutes per game. He dropped 50 points in that Game 3 win, had 34 in Game 2 and 39 in Game 6. It was an incredible performance in a losing effort by the 2023 NBA MVP. But no one will recall those numbers. Instead, they'll remember the two flagrant fouls.
The Knicks-Sixers series was competitive, contentious and incredibly entertaining. It was exactly what you'd expect from a budding NBA rivalry. That made the victory even more sweet for Knicks fans, who let their feelings for Embiid be known after the series was won.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had an all-time series during the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, culminating with a dominant 41-point performance to close out the Sixers in Game 6 on Thursday night.
During the final four games of the series, Brunson truly came into his own, scoring a total of 167 points during that span. He scored no fewer than 39 points in any of those four games, making him the first player since Michael Jordan in 1993 to score 37 or more points in four consecutive playoff games, according to Justin Russo of Russo Writes.
Additionally, Brunson becomes the first player since Oscar Robertson to score 35 points and record 10 assists in three separate games in a single playoff series, another nod to the historic run the 27-year-old went on to help New York reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Brunson, who had 39 points in Game 3, is the first Knicks player since Bernard King to record 40+ points in three straight playoff games. King achieved the feat in four consecutive games back in 1984.
Brunson rarely saw the bench during his torrid four-game stretch, too, logging at least 44 minutes in every game during that span, as Tom Thibodeau leaned heavily upon his star guard to close out the series for the Knicks
He'll look to keep his dominating offensive play going when New York takes on the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals.
Galveston, Texas took it on the chin this weekend.
The Gulf of Mexico resort city—minding its own business during the NBA playoffs—suddenly gained notoriety when Hall of Fame forward and TNT analyst Charles Barkley proposed the city as an alternate vacation destination to Cancun for teams after uninspired playoff efforts.
"We're not even gonna send them to Cancun. We're gonna send them to Galveston with that dirty-a-- water," Barkley said after the New Orleans Pelicans lost 106-85 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the first round Saturday. "Y'all quit. Drive your a-- down to Galveston."
However, Galveston has struck back. Per TMZ, mysterious billboards taking shots at Barkley have sprung up around the city.
Messages include "Hey Charles, our water is cleaner than your golf swing," "Hey Charles, come on down—the water's fine!" and "Hey Charles, you've never turned down any of our great food."
All are signed, "Love, Galveston."
Who would've guessed a feud between a television personality and a city that has produced two NBA players ever—and a city close to one of Barkley's old teams, the Houston Rockets—would rank among the most compelling rivalries of these NBA playoffs?
The Philadelphia 76ers made an improbable comeback on Tuesday night to force Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Playoffs first round series against the New York Knicks. Tyrese Maxey made two huge three-pointers with the help of a favorable whistle to send the series back to Philadelphia where the team owners are literally giving away tickets in hopes of actually having some sort of home court advantage.
To mae things even more interesting, the NBA announced this morning that Scott Foster would be the crew chief for the pivotal contest, which sent fans into a tizzy. New York fans smelled a conspiracy while Sixers fans saw a great opportunity to force Game 7 because teams trailing in a series seem to have such success with Foster working games that he's been nicknamed "The Extender."
Bill Kennedy and Mark Lindsay will work the game alongside Foster tonight. While neither has the same reputation as Foster, Kennedy is a true personality, especially on the mic during replay reviews.
Hopefully there's enough screen time for everyone involved. Between Foster and Kennedy, there's a great chance that the broadcast will have incredible entertainment value, no matter how good the actual game is.
As long as you're not rooting for the team that loses, because there's a 99% chance you're going to end up complaining about the officials. Especially when you know exactly who to blame.
The 76ers owners are willing to go to great lengths to ensure that doesn't happen again.
On Wednesday it was reported that the team's ownership group, consisting of Josh Harris, David Adelman, and David Blitzer, teamed up with Fanatics founder Michael Rubin to purchase over 2,000 tickets to Game 6 on Thursday evening. They plan to give out those tickets to essential workers in Philadelphia, which is obviously great and a lovely way to give back to the community.
But, as Rubin himself said, it also serves the dual purpose of taking tickets off the market for those dastardly Knicks fans who might be looking to make the Amtrak trip down from New York City.
Josh Harris, David Blitzer, @david_adelman and I just bought more than 2,000 tix for Sixers Game 6 - we absolutely CANNOT let Knicks fans take over our arena again!!! Giving them to first responders, health care professionals and other local Philadelphia-based organizations once… https://t.co/HQkOWJpHgB
This is, of course, one big PR stunt and really just a drop of water in an ocean since the Wells Fargo Arena capacity clocks in at 21,000. Which means there are still roughly 19,000 tickets to be purchased for any Knicks fan who really wants to go.
Nevertheless, this whole situation feels a lot like a teacher stepping after one kid whined that things weren't fair. As Embiid pointed out, Philadelphia is widely recognized as one of the best sports towns in the country. The franchise superstar challenged the fanbase. Let them step up to the plate without the intervention of billionaires with endless pockets.
How successful the gambit ultimately is will be revealed at 9 p.m. ET tonight when Game 6 tips off between the Sixers and Knicks.
