Legendary NBA teams always thrive with a deadly duo in their run for fame and immortality. The Boston Celtics in the 50’s and 60’s have Bill Russell and Bob Cousy. The Los Angeles Lakers “showtime” in the 80’s were anchored on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The Chicago Bulls of the 90’s were led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. And most recently, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are the one-two punch of the San Antonio Spurs. Karl Malone and John Stockton of the Utah Jazz is one of the most deadly combination in the NBA annals not to win a single championship but left their legacy just the same.
Fast forward to the present as we take a look at the top five dynamic tandems in the NBA:
1. LeBron James and Maurice “Mo” Williams of the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is a happy man in Cleveland ever since Williams joined the Cavs before the 2008-09 season. LBJ had been longing for years for a backcourt partner who will consistently take the pressure off him from playing too much in the PG position. James is currently averaging 30.0 ppg/8.4 apg/7.1 rpg while Williams is submitting norms of 16.3 ppg and 4.9 apg.
2. Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz. This duo represents the present-day Malone and Stockton tandem. Both played on the gold-medal winners Team USA in the Beijing Olympic summer games two years back. Boozer is currently posting scores of 19.4 ppg/11.2 rpg/3.3 apg and Williams at 18.3 ppg/9.9 apg/4.2 rpg.
3. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns. These two is the beginning and the end of the dreaded Phoenix running game. Seeing Nash and Stoudemire on the floor is like watching a horserace with Stoudemire grabbing the carom and pitching it immediately to Nash, who rushes downcourt for a neat finish or a dish off to an open teammate for the completion of a fastbreak. Nash presently has averages of 17.6 ppg/11.2 apg/3.3 rpg with Stoudemire submitting 21.3 ppg and 8.8 rpg.
4. Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups of the Denver Nuggets. “Mr. Bigtime and Mr. Bigshot”. What a lethal combination. Anthony, one of the leading scorers in the league this season and Billups, one of the most experienced and dependable backcourtman the league has seen in recent years, are playing good music once again. Anthony is currently averaging 29.2 ppg/6.4 rpg/3.5 apg while Billups is doing his usual chores at 19.8 ppg and 6.1 apg.
5. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is the tandem of the future. Both “Durantula” and Westbrook are combining forces in the surprising ascent of the Thunder to the league’s upper echelon this season. These two exciting youngsters are consistently dishing off their A-games night in and night out as Oklahoma City shoots for its first-ever post-season appearance. Durant is having a career season with averages of 29.8 ppg/7.5 rpg/2.9 apg while Westbrook is posting norms of 16.4 ppg/7.7 apg/5.2 rpg.
*****
Remember Raymond Townsend? Yes, he is the only Filipino-American who ever made it to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Townsend, 55, currently works as a Youth Coordinator in sports for a High School in San Jose, California.
Townsend broke the barrier after a successful college ball career at the famed University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Yes, it is the same school which produced the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Marques Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes, Baron Davis and Reggie Miller among others. Townsend was picked 22nd over-all in the first round of the 1978 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 4.8 ppg and 1.4 apg in 154 games for the Warriors and the Indiana Pacers from 1978 to 1982.
He is still hoping that another player with pinoy roots will see action in the NBA in the near future. "I would love to see another Filipino or Filipino-American player just somebody beside myself [play in the NBA] because it’s been a long time," he said.
Townsend was born to a Filipina mother from Batangas and an American father. He was a member of the legendary John Wooden’s last NCAA championship team in 1974 as a starting backcourtman with the Bruins.
In 1980, Townsend led a barnstorming selection that played several exhibition games and conducted cage clinics in Manila. Among the members of that team were NBA players Clifford Ray and Derrick Dickey.
"I have never shirked nor been quiet of my ‘pinoy’ heritage," Townsend added. "I am a proud Filipino but in those days when I played your culture or heritage were never an important issue because the game was dominated by the black athlete. I think that Filipino athletes need to come to America, they need to pay their dues, play in college, [and] take a risk. You know what, what’s the worst case? They could always come back and play in the Philippines."
With the transformation of the NBA into a Global phenomenon, Townsend is endorsing himself to NBA officials as he eyes a possible role as “Philippine Ambassador to the NBA”.
That for sure will make us very proud.
*****
Herwith are the completed transactions covering the period February 17 to 22:
Monday, February 22
Oklahoma City signed guard Antonio Anderson and waived forward Matt Harpring.
Friday, February 19
Boston traded guards Eddie House and JR Giddens, forward Bill Walker and a future conditional second-round pick to New York for guards Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.
San Antonio traded center Theo Ratliff to Charlotte for a protected 2016 second-round pick.
Houston traded guard Tracy McGrady to New York for forwards Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill, a protected 2012 first-round pick and the right to exchange first-round picks in 2011.
Sacramento traded guard Kevin Martin and center Hilton Armstrong to Houston for forwards Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey and waived forward Kenny Thomas.
New York traded guard Larry Hughes to Sacramento for guard Sergio Rodriguez and waived forward Brian Cardinal.
Washington traded forward Dominic McGuire to Sacramento for a future second-round pick and cash.
Philadelphia traded guard Royal Ivey, center Primoz Brezec and a second-round pick in 2010 to Milwaukee for guard Jodie Meeks and center Francisco Elson.
Chicago traded forward Tyrus Thomas to Charlotte for guards Ronald Murray and Acie Law and a future first-round pick and waived forward Chris Richard.
Utah traded guard Ronnie Brewer to Memphis for a protected future first-round draft pick.
Thursday, February 18
Cleveland traded center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the draft rights to forward Emir Preldzic and a first-round pick to Washington for forward Antawn Jamison.
Los Angeles Clippers traded guard Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland and Al Thornton to Washington for Drew Gooden from Washington.
New York traded forward Darko Milicic and cash to Minnesota for forward Brian Cardinal.
Detroit named Alan Ostfield president and CEO.
Milwaukee traded forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander to Chicago for guard John Salmons and 2011 and 2012 second-round picks.
Wednesday, February 17
Minnesota traded forward Brian Cardinal to New York for center Darko Milicic and cash.
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