Forwards
The great forwards of the NBA were often great rebounders and great scorers, and many could dunk the basketball very effectively. Larry Bird revolutionized the position because he brought to it the ability to pass like a point guard. Today, power forwards have to be able to shut down the other team's top offensive players, but they must also be able to score themselves. They are also expected to get a lot of rebounds at both ends of the basketball court.
Larry Bird: Boston
Larry Bird did everything well. He passed, rebounded, shot, played defense — and won. Larry brought out the best in his teammates and the result was three NBA championships. He was always at his best when important games were on the line. Larry was also known for hustling so hard all the time that he would end up jumping over the scorer's table or into the stands to get a loose ball. After having great teams in the 1960s Boston had struggled in the late 1970s, but Larry changed that, becoming the face of the Celtics from 1979–1991.
With teammates such as Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, the Celtics won 10 Atlantic Division titles. Larry was a 12-time All-Star team selection. He was also good at the fundamentals, leading the league four times in free-throw percentage. During one streak in his career, Larry made 71 free throws in a row. Though he was not as athletic as Michael Jordan, “Larry Legend” made seemingly impossible shots, ranging from 35-foot jumpers over defenders to layups that seemed to defy the laws of physics. He even reined in jumpers from behind the backboard on occasion.
Bounce Back
Rebounding is a big part of what a forward does in basketball. There are a lot of words that start with “re.” Can you figure these out?
Re___ ___ ___
To respond to something
Re___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
To place something again
Re___ ___ ___ ___
To go back to where you were
Re___ ___ ___ ___
The device you use to change channels
Re___ ___ ___ ___ ___
To lie down
Re___ ___ ___ ___ ___
To decorate and fix up again
Larry won a gold medal with the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics, and even though he talked tough with his opponents, publicly he was understated and even humble. Through his hard work and amazing skills he became a favorite not just in Boston, but around the league. From rural French Lick, Indiana, Larry was the original Hoosier. He lived to play basketball and brought love of basketball into the lives of fans.
TIP - IN
Bobby Knight was Larry's first college coach when Larry went to play at the University of Indiana. But Larry, who was from a small town in Indiana, was overwhelmed by the big campus and dropped out of college after only a few weeks on campus. He took a year off to work and then enrolled at Indiana State University.
LARRY BIRD
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
24.3 |
10.0 |
6.3 |
Karl Malone: Utah, Los Angeles
Karl Malone was the face of the Utah Jazz, along with John Stockton, for nearly two decades. Karl played for the Jazz 1985–2003, earning two NBA MVP awards. Though the Jazz were regulars in the playoffs, without a dominant center to complement Karl they never won an NBA title. When Karl did steer the Jazz into the NBA Finals in 1997, they were beaten by Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Karl's solid fundamentals and unselfish play helped Utah establish itself as a force to be reckoned with each year in the West. Karl went to the Lakers his final year just to try to win a title, but the team came up just short, falling to the Pistons in four games in the NBA finals. Nonetheless, Karl put the “power” in power forward.
Karl was built like a bodybuilder and his opponents found it very hard to block him for rebounds. They even had difficulty stopping him as he drove the ball toward the basket. He was solid and consistent — thus his nickname, “The Mailman.” He was a valuable part of the Olympic Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics.
KARL MALONE
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
25.0 |
10.1 |
3.6 |
Julius Erving: New York, Philadelphia
He was known as “Dr. J,” and before Michael Jordan came into the league, Julius Erving was the player with the highflying dunks. He was an All-Star all 11 years he played in the league, 1977–1987, and he was clearly the most offensively dominating player of his era. Julius was the most respected player of his time and he always conducted himself as an ambassador for the league.
When he started playing professionally, Julius joined the Virginia Squires of the ABA. He was traded to the New York Nets in 1973. When the ABA and NBA merged in 1976, Julius was traded again, this time to the Philadelphia 76ers. In the five ABA seasons he played, 1971– 1976, he won three scoring titles, three MVP awards, and two ABA championships. He was NBA MVP in 1981 and led Philadelphia to the NBA title in 1983. Combining both his ABA and NBA statistics, Julius remains one of the top 10 scorers in the history of the game.
At 6 feet 7 inches, Jullius was powerful yet sleek. He glided to the basket for his famous one-handed dunks that brought crowds to their feet. Dr. J's ABA dunk over 7 feet 2 inches Artis Gilmore and 6 feet 9 inches Dan Issel was the highlight of the day.
JULIUS ERVING
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
22.0 |
6.7 |
3.9 |
John Havlicek: Boston
John Havlicek played as both a guard and a forward in his career, which spanned the years 1962–1978. He was known for his big performances in important games and helped lead the Celtics to eight championships and appeared in 13 consecutive All-Star games. John played 16 years and scored 26,395 points, grabbed 8,007 rebounds, and handed out 6,114 assists. He was one of the most balanced guard-forward players in league history. He was also a top defensive player, earning All-Defensive team honors eight times. John, the son of immigrants from Czechoslovakia, was known for tiring out his opponents by out-hustling them and constantly running from place to place on the court, earning praise from an opposing coach who said “Hondo” Havlicek was the best-conditioned player to ever play the game.
JOHN HAVLICEK
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
20.8 |
6.3 |
4.8 |
