Anybody else remember this Don Nelson shot from the 1969 Finals?  If so you must be old too.

Celts vs Lakers (featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West).  1:33 to go in Game 7, 1 point game, his desperation shot hits the back of the rim and bounces above the backboard and then drops in without touching the rim.  Celts won by 2.

This was the era of dynasties - Celts in the NBA, UCLA in men's basketball, Yankees, Packers (sorta).  I was so tired of watching the Celts win every year (Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons + 2 championships in college).  I was rooting hard for Jerry West but the Celtics kept pulling stuff like this.  West had a 53 point game in that series and averaged 38 but it wasn't quite enough.

This is how I remember Don Nelson, long before he became a coach.

 

Before I was born, but I remember seeing this shot over and over as a Lakers fan growing up when I was an adolescent in the 80s. This was constantly replayed until the Lakers beat the Celtics in 1985.

Of course, Cuban being the kind of guy he is stuck to Nelson.

Big Nellie will be missed, a great coach and an even better man. He changed the direction of the franchise.  Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and Mavs nation.

Rip legend