Reinis Lacis's Basketball Blog

The Handle Podcast – Glenn McDonald: 05/31/18

Glenn McDonald, the hero of the legendary 1976 NBA Finals Game Five! The former Boston Celtic revealed what persuaded him to play for the underdogs that were the Long Beach State 49ers, how veterans like John Havlicek took him under their wings at Boston…

May 31, 2018 · Leave a comment

The Handle Podcast – Coby Dietrick: 05/24/18

This episode could have been called “Coby Dietrick Steals the Show” if I actually did titles for each conversation. A 13-year pro in the ABA and the NBA, most notably with the San Antonio Spurs, and someone with experiences in Europe and the CBA, Dietrick had…

May 24, 2018 · Leave a comment

The Handle Podcast – Brian Taylor: 03/08/18

Two-time ABA champion and All-Star Brian Taylor came on the podcast to take us through the significant stops he has had in his basketball career. From being quite the pioneer at Princeton and a New York Net in the ABA to fun times with the San Diego Clippers…

March 9, 2018 · Leave a comment

Fact or Myth: Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Sky Hook Was Efficient

Have you ever wondered what was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s percentage on Sky Hooks? Data and uncut footage of Abdul-Jabbar’s entire 1982-83 playoffs.

February 22, 2018 · 5 Comments

The Handle Podcast – J. Bruce Miller: 01/29/18

Whether it is the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels or any of the attempts of bringing them back in the form of an NBA team, J. Bruce Miller has long been involved in Louisville’s professional basketball scene. A conversation with him gave us the chance to explore his career as…

January 29, 2018 · Leave a comment

Trail Blazers from the West in the Latvian Basketball League (Pt. 1)

The first part of an oral history series on the first foreign players in the Latvian Basketball League in the early 1990’s (in Latvian).

December 22, 2017 · 1 Comment

The Handle Podcast – Ray Scott: 12/13/17

When the 1961-62 Detroit Pistons made the Division Finals, Ray Scott was their impressive rookie forward. When the team first won 50+ games in 1973-74, he was their head coach. Thus we talked about the Pistons, yet also about the city of Philadelphia (and Wilt Chamberlain), fun with the Virginia Squires…

December 13, 2017 · Leave a comment

The Handle Podcast – Mark Montieth: 12/04/17

“Reborn: The Pacers and the Return of Pro Basketball to Indianapolis” is a recently released book which I enjoyed very much. Its author Mark Montieth joined me on the podcast to talk about the many topics concerning it. The first professional…

December 4, 2017 · Leave a comment

The Handle Podcast – Steve Chubin: 10/30/17

Steve Chubin is among the basketball pioneers in more than one way. We talked about him going overseas to play in Europe after his college career when few players did so, the first season of ABA basketball in 1966-67 during which he played with the Anaheim…

October 30, 2017 · Leave a comment

The Handle Podcast – Gar Heard: 10/13/17

An NBA lifer of 30 years in the league, Gar Heard had plenty of stories to tell on this episode of The Handle Podcast. From debuting in the NBA as a rookie on Lenny Wilkens’s Seattle SuperSonics and being the glue guy for the fast-paced Buffalo Braves to making the Finals with the 1975-76 Phoenix Suns. The years…

October 13, 2017 · 1 Comment