Rivalries, and when to quit

Hi, Doug. I just read the book about the Knicks in the ’90s and it brought back a lot of memories of the rivalry they had with the Heat and the Pacers. Since the Knicks have been pretty bad since then, I’m guessing that the animosity when those teams play has died down. I know some basketball rivalries last for a short period of time, but can you share any basketball rivalries that have stood the test of time?

Mark O.

Philadelphia-Boston always seems to have some juice and has had for years and years. And I suppose Lakers-Clippers has some spark.

I’m sure you saw that Dirk Nowitzki commented recently that he keeps thinking whether his last two years in the NBA were worth it, as he thinks if he had quit earlier he’d be able to move better and play soccer with his kids. I’ve seen various reactions to this, ranging from that it’s sad for someone to already be feeling regrets to others saying that he got $10 million for those two years, so they don’t sound that sympathetic. Your thoughts?

Sportschic

I’m sure there’s a 20/20 hindsight situation with a lot of players if their bodies have taken a beating over many years and, for the best of them, I think the extra money is either estate planning or worrying that your kids’ kids’ kids won’t have to work. But … the allure of the lifestyle and familiarity with being around a “team” and all that goes with it would certainly be a reason to hang on as long as possible.

What’s your take on coaches who used to be players? I’m thinking of Jason Kidd (Dallas), Steve Kerr (Golden State) and, of course, our national treasure Steve Nash (Brooklyn).

Kerry

There’s no right or wrong answer and it depends entirely on the individual’s communication skills, teaching skills, desire to do the work and the players at their disposal. There used to be a school of thought that the very best players wouldn’t make good coaches, because they would have a hard time accepting many of their players not being able to do what they did. Not sure that was ever correct.