All is fair in love and war, and since battle terminology is often the metaphor used in sports, for better or worse, let’s discuss the day the San Antonio Spurs and David Robinson successfully staged a coup to overtake the Orlando Magic’s Shaquille O’Neal for the 1993-94 scoring title.
The Admiral’s battle plan was simple: Stay in the game for as long as he could and take every opportunity to score.
Definitely an interesting read, especially in light of Devin Booker's 70 point game this season, and some of the criticism of it being manufactured.
Spurs coach John Lucas had the team feed Robinson the ball even when he was double- and triple-teamed for much of the 44 minutes he played to help Robinson score 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 24, 1994.
The Spurs’ method proved infuriating for purists: Robinson’s teammates began fouling Clippers players to get back on offense quicker, even though the Spurs were blowing out Los Angeles.
Said Magic coach Brian Hill to the Chicago Tribune: “We certainly wanted Shaquille to win the title. But we didn’t make a mockery of the game like they did in Los Angeles.”
“Those were a legit 71 points. He played 44 minutes when he should have played 48,” Lucas told the Los Angeles Times.
“It would have been nice, but 50 wins was more important to me than the scoring title,” O’Neal told reporters.
“I heard they ran every play to [Robinson]. If that would have happened down here, I would have 70 points, too. I didn’t care,” the San Antonio Express-News quoted O’Neal as telling the Associated Press.
