This is the pic that I remember the most from Deke's career. Deke had a great career. This guy led the last seed to beat the Supersonics in the first round at that time that was a HUGE upset. It would almost be the equivalent of the Thunder knocking off the Lakers now..
Easily. You have to put his career stats in perspective. The last few years here, all he did was bring his career averages down.
That was an absolutely amazing year. People also forget that we fell behind 3-0 against Utah in the next round and then came back to force a game 7. We win that game, and we're playing you guys in the conference finals. I'm not sure we beat you, but for some reason that Nuggets team played you guys well and Hakeem always had to work to get his points against Deke (and yes, it tells you how good Hakeem is when you say he "really has to work" to get 31 & 12 a game). The Nugs won the regular season 3-2. Once again, I doubt the Nugs win that series (you guys had really rounded into form in the playoffs and taken it to a new level), but I think we would have made you sweat.
I think the eligibility rules allow voters to consider his efforts outside of the game. If that's the case then 1st ballot unquestionably.
I remember rooting for you guys.. To be honest I was hoping you all would take down the Sonics because for some reason we always had trouble with them. That pic of Deke is to Denver is what the pic of Elie blowing the "Kiss of Death" is to Houston. It's a time we will never forget for the rest of our lives.
