Kevin Durant’s Instagram handle is @EasyMoneySniper. It’s an appropriate nickname for one of the greatest scorers in basketball.

Durant is one of the smoothest operators when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. He’s got every shot in the book. He makes things look easy money. His career 27.2 points-per-game average puts him in the top 10. He makes 39% of his 3-point shots and 50% of his shots from the field; mostly from his favorite spot on the court — the midrange. And he is a career 88% shooter from the free throw line.

Durant — who was traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a historic seven-team deal — moved into fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, jumping ahead of Michael Jordan. Only Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James are ahead of Durant.

OMFB pulled together a list of the most efficient scorers in modern NBA history, with the following stipulations: 1) a player must have a career points-per-game average of at least 20 (PPG); 2) minimum 400 games played; 3) above the line in field goal percentage (47%), 3-point shooting (35%), and free throws (80%). Note: Because the 3-point line wasn’t introduced in the league until 1979, players such as Jerry West and Oscar Robertson were not included on the list.

Kevin Durant
PPG: 27.2 FG pct: 50.3 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 88.2
KD is listed at 6-10 but with a 7-5 wingspan. Because of his remarkable length and above-average ball-handling skills, he is able to shoot over any defender.

Stephen Curry
PPG: 24.8 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 42.2 FT pct: 91.2
The four-time NBA champion and 3-point king is regarded by many as the greatest shooter in basketball. Steph is the all-time leader in 3-point makes, with an accuracy of 42%.

Larry Bird
PPG: 24.3 FG pct: 49.6 3PT pct: 37.6 FT pct: 88.6
Larry Legend won three consecutive MVPs from 1984-86 and arguably one of the 10 most influential players. The three-time NBA champ would be the ideal stretch-4 in the modern NBA.

Dirk Nowitzki
PPG: 20.7 FG pct: 47.1 3PT pct: 38.0 FT pct: 87.9
Dirk helped revolutionize the game by moving the traditional low-post game to the high post. The elbow was his operating room, and he carved up defenders with his signature one-legged fadeaway.

Kyrie Irving
PPG: 23.7 FG pct: 47.4 3PT pct: 39.4 FT pct: 88.8
Kyrie is one of most gifted scorers the game has ever seen. Armed with an insanely tight handle and creative mind, Kyrie is a spectacular bucket-getter who plays his best in the clutch.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PPG: 25.0 FG pct: 50.8 3PT pct: 36.0 FT pct: 86.5
SGA won an MVP, NBA championship and NBA scoring title before the age of 27. As a 6-6 point guard, he is a physical mismatch against the vast majority of guards. He plays with remarkable consistency.

Karl-Anthony Towns
PPG: 23.0 FG pct: 52.1 3PT pct: 39.7 FT pct: 83.9
Big KAT proclaimed himself “the greatest big man shooter of all time.” Based on statistical evidence, Towns might be right. His career combination of volume and efficiency is unmatched.

Nikola Jokic
PPG: 22.2 FG pct: 56.1 3PT pct: 36.3 FT pct: 82.4
Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the secret to Joker’s efficient is that he doesn’t fight it. The big man from Serbian makes the game look easy because he doesn’t force things.

Zach LaVine
PPG: 20.8 FG pct: 47.0 3PT pct: 39.1 FT pct: 83.5
LaVine entered the league mainly known as a spectacular dunker, winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest twice. He became a prolific scorer after he was traded from Minnesota to Chicago.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Being a basketball fan is truly exciting right now. The game is transitioning smoothly from one era to the next. LeBron James has had an incredible two-decade career, and it’s time for King James to relinquish the crown. The luster of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors’ decade-long success is beginning to fade.

The NBA is currently undergoing a rebranding, and it’s happening at an ideal time. TNT Sports’ 35-year television partnership with the NBA will conclude after the 2025 season. The league will begin its new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal with ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime starting in the 2025-26 season. Additionally, John Tesh’s iconic “Roundball Rock” theme music is making a return, introducing a new generation of basketball fans to its catchy tune. There couldn’t be a better way to kick off this rebranding than with some fresh headliners.

The 2025 NBA Finals features two burgeoning superstars in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly crowned 2025 NBA MVP, and Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Shai and Tyrese are not superstar-level yet, but they are at the doorstep. They are spearheading this new wave of contemporary talent and ushering in the yet-to-be defined era.

“We’re witnessing the changing of the guard,” said former L.A. Clippers guard Lou Williams on the “Run It Back” podcast on FanDuel TV. “We are seeing the LeBrons and Kobes of our time. These young superstars are starting to make their mark on the game and define where it’s headed in the future. SGA is going to be one of those special players.”

Lou Will had a unique perspective on Shai’s development, having been his teammate during SGA’s rookie season with the Clippers. “This is my rook,” said Williams, who recognized Shai’s maturity from Day 1. He observed how Shai dedicated himself to improving at just 20 and is now seeing him emerge as one of the best players in the league at 26.

“[Shai] was always a responsible player who carried himself like a mature professional,” Williams noted. “He had big aspirations and was clear about his endgame. He knew his abilities.”

Lou Will’s praise for Shai’s work ethic underscores SGA’s character. The Clippers had a strong feeling that SGA could become an All-Star caliber player, but an NBA MVP? “Not in my wildest dreams,” Lou Will admitted. “I’m sure Shai had [MVP] on his vision board.”

SGA embodies the qualities of a throwback player who understands the importance of consistency and patience in achieving the ultimate goal of winning a championship.

The same holds true for Haliburton. The 25-year-old Pacers guard possesses an unorthodox shooting style but plays like a classic point guard with modern capabilities. He can dominate a game without scoring, pushing the pace like an ’80s playmaker while boasting an astonishing 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. For context, a 3:1 ratio is considered well above average, while 4:1 is excellent. Haliburton is operating on an entirely different level in terms of minimizing turnovers.

Few players can match Haliburton’s killer mentality. He has made headlines by leading two historic comebacks with game-winning shots that thwarted the playoff hopes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. He also delivered a memorable choke sign celebration at Madison Square Garden after making a dagger shot that seemingly floated five feet in the air before swishing through the net. That shot and choke sign celebration will linger in the memories of Knicks fans for a long time.

The Pacers achieved remarkable comebacks, erasing a seven-point lead in 34.7 seconds to eliminate the Bucks in five games, then erasing another seven-point deficit in 46.7 seconds to take a 2-0 lead against the Cavaliers. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, they came back from a nine-point deficit in 52.5 seconds in Game 1, with Haliburton sinking critical shots during each comeback.

SGA and Haliburton — alongside Anthony Edwards (23), Jalen Brunson (28), Cade Cunningham (23) and Luka Doncic (26) — are entering their prime years. Five of the six made the 2025 All-NBA teams (Luka didn’t qualify because of games missed), and they represent the present and future of the Association. They represent the major shift in the NBA as we head into a new era.

HISTORY LESSON: BREAKING DOWN DIFFERENT ERAS IN THE NBA

How did we arrive at this point? Let’s pop the VHS tape into the VCR and press rewind. The first 75 years of the NBA can be divided into six distinct eras.

In the league’s formative years of the 1950s and 1960s, eight basketball pioneers — Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell — established the groundwork for greatness. Bill Russell and his Boston Celtics didn’t just participate; they dominated the era, clinching 11 championships in 13 seasons. This is an astonishing achievement that is unlikely to ever be matched.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Rick Barry, George “Iceman” Gervin, and Julius Erving carried the torch through the colorful and turbulent era in the 1970s. This was a challenging time marked by the competition between the ABA and NBA, resulting in dwindling audiences.

The arrival of Magic Johnson in L.A. and Larry Bird in Boston revitalized basketball during the 1980s, often regarded as the league’s golden era. It was a period of glitz and grit. Showtime vs. Celtic Pride. East Cost vs. West Coast. This period also saw the emergence of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons, along with three-time MVP Moses Malone’s move from Houston to Philadelphia. Moses teamed up with Julius “Dr. J” Erving in the 1982-83 season and co-authored one of the most dominant playoff runs, sweeping Magic’s Lakers in the ’83 Finals and capping off a 12-1 postseason record. Moses’ audacious move may be the first variant of a superstar player joining another superstar player to form a super team.

The Air Jordan era took flight in the 1990s. After grabbing the baton from Magic and Bird, Michael Jordan ruled the ’90s, winning six championships in eight years and denying peers Sir Charles Barkley, Karl “The Mailman” Malone, and Patrick Ewing from winning rings. Jordan’s Bulls was a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals and pulled off the three-peat twice.

Hakeem Olajuwon benefited from Jordan’s brief two-year retirement, leading the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995. David “The Admiral” Robinson teamed up with Tim “Big Fundamental” Duncan in San Antonio, winning titles in 1999 and 2003.

The immediate post-Jordan era was dominated by five players: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Duncan. Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan combined to win 13 NBA titles, four regular season MVPs, and eight Finals MVPs from 1999 to 2010. For a decade, the road to the NBA Finals went through Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan. It was the dueling dynasties era. Shaq and Kobe led the Lakers to a three-peat — one of only five three-peats in NBA history. Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers did it. Russell’s Celtics did it. Jordan’s Bulls did it twice. And Shaq and Kobe were the last to do it in 2002.

Nowitzki bridged the gap between the Kobe Bryant era and the LeBron James era. Nowitzki ended Kobe’s reign as the world’s best player when Dirk’s Dallas Mavericks squad knocked off Kobe’s Lakers in the 2011 playoffs. In the same playoff run, Nowitzki pumped the brakes on LeBron’s title run when his Mavs defeated LeBron’s Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

LeBron’s appearance in the 2011 Finals started a run of eight consecutive trips. He put together a super team in Miami, winning two titles in 2012 and 2013, but lost to the Mavs in 2011 and Duncan’s Spurs in 2014. After a four-year run in South Beach, LeBron returned to Cleveland to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship to his hometown team. He delivered on the promise by winning a title in 2016, ending Cleveland’s 52-year professional title drought.

Dirk and KG revolutionized the game, ushering in a new era of big men. The Big Ticket made it possible for high schoolers to skip college and turn pro at 19. Nowitzki opened the door for European bigs who preferred to face the basket instead of having their back to it. Nowitzki and Garnett were instrumental in the game’s evolution, as more and more teams shifted away from traditional power forwards and opted for stretch-4s.

LeBron took the Cavs to four straight NBA Finals but could muster just one victory in four matchups against Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors. Curry led the Warriors to four championships in eight seasons — two of those championship banners were aided by the addition of Kevin Durant.

The Dubs Dynasty opened the portal to the “small ball” era and advanced metrics. Analytics experts preferred shooting 3s over 2s — it’s either a layup or dunk or a 3-ball — and the midrange shot was viewed as somewhat of a dinosaur idea. The modern NBA puts a premium on pace and space.

The Pacers and Thunder are extensions of the pace-and-space approach, with some added features. Much like today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, the game continues to evolve. Sure, the traditional back-to-the-basket center may be extinct, but centers are more valuable than ever. Small ball is becoming out of style like skinny jeans. Big-boy basketball is back — with pace and space.

Spurs 7-foot-6 center/forward/guard Victor Wembanyama is the type of player every team craves. Wemby is a big man with a handle who can shoot threes while being an anchor on defense. There’s only one Wemby, but teams will scour the Earth to find a similar player.

OKC found a Wemby-type unicorn in Chet Holmgren. Holmgren may not be as tall as Wemby but he can do all the things Wemby does. Holmgren has a decent handle for a 7-1 player, which allows him to get to his hot spots. Holmgren is also one of the best shot blockers in the NBA, which allows OKC defenders like Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso to press up and stay attached because they know Chet has their back.

The Thunder and Pacers both subscribe to the pace-and-space philosophy, but what allows them to consistently play at hyper-speed is depth. Indiana and OKC throw a wave of bodies at teams, saving their starters from having to play heavy minutes.

Today’s NBA is littered with 3&D wing players and big combo guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Cade Cunningham. What’s also becoming in vogue is skilled big men. Teams are looking for the next Nikola Jokic, a 5-man who can be the hub of an offense. We are deep in the era of positionless basketball where forwards can play center and centers can play guard.

Because the ball is in the hands of principal scorers, the traditional point guard is being phased out. What used to be the primary job of the point guard is now being distributed to other positions.
Haliburton might be one of the last of the Mohicans in terms of pure point guards, much like the gas-guzzling SUVs with V6 engines. It’s becoming harder and harder to find them. Suppressing point guards and centers isn’t healthy for the game. We need more of them, not less.

Shai, Cade, and Luka, on the other hand, are the archetypes of today’s point guard. They are big, heliocentric guards (6-6 and 6-7) built to play downhill, able to attack a compromised defense while coming off ball screens. They can score or draw fouls in the paint or draw multiple defenders and kick it out for open threes. It’s essentially an extension of what LeBron or James Harden have been doing for the past decade.

What separates SGA from Luka and Cade is his ability to do damage in the midrange area. The midrange (or the high post) is the area on the court that’s 4 to 5 feet below the 3-point line or roughly 15 to 20 feet away from the basket. It stretches from one side of the free throw line elbow to the next. Attack the mid-range is a core part of SGA’s game, and he’s proficient at it. During his 2024-25 MVP season when he averaged a league-leading 32.7 points per game, Shai made 57% of his mid-range attempts. The average NBA team’s midrange field goal percentage is around 42%.

There’s a fictitious narrative in basketball in terms of the mid-range shot. Many pundits and players jumped on the 3-point shot bandwagon and shoved the middie to the side of the road. But the middie never really went away. It is still the weapon of choice in the postseason, and it is still the best shot that’ll lead to a title. Outside of Steph Curry’s Warriors and Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics, the mid-range or the mid-post is where championship teams earn their money.

The adage of “what’s old is new again” seems fitting here because SGA is making the old mid-range shot the new viral trend.

As much as we’d like to see our sports heroes play forever, they can’t. Every now and then they might be able to summon a flicker of their greatness, but eventually the flame will go out.

We’ve been fortunate enough to watch all-time greats like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant entertain us for years. However, Father Time is undefeated and the clock will eventually run out on LeBron (who turns 41 next season), Steph (36), and KD (36).

It’s time for a new generation of stars to entertain us. Embrace the changing of the guard and get excited. It’s going to be fantastic.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net. Follow and subscribe to his YouTube channel at @onemanfastbreak1.

The NBA honored its 75 greatest players — 76 to be exact because of a tie — on Feb. 20, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. LeBron James was one of 45 members of the all-time 75 team who came in person and participated in the festivities.

For LeBron, being a part of an event to honor basketball’s greatest fraternity was like seeing the posters on his bedroom wall come to life. “To see those guys and then be on stage with those guys — it’s just crazy,” he said.

Bill Russell was one of the living legends who were honored in Cleveland. Russell won 11 championships in 13 years with the Boston Celtics. The man has more rings than fingers. Commissioner Adam Silver summed it best when he called Russell basketball’s Babe Ruth.

The NBA 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of current and former NBA players, coaches, general managers, team and league executives, WNBA legends, sportswriters, and broadcasters. Voters were asked to select the 75 greatest players in NBA history without regard to position. Panelists did not rank their selections. Current and former players were not allowed to vote for themselves.

Choosing the 75 greatest players in the history of the NBA was no easy task. For the most part, the blue-ribbon panel got it right. But there were a few notable misses.

OneManFastBreak thought it would be fun to revisit the list and rank them in order from 1 to 75, with some editing to make the list our own. The benchmarks were based on individual accomplishments, team success (with more weight placed on postseason resume and titles), how they performed against other great players in their era, overall influence and impact on the game, and legacy. But more importantly, the question we have to ask while ranking the best of the best is this: can you write the story of the first 75 years of the NBA without this player?

Here are the 75 greatest basketball players of all time, based on one man’s opinion.

1-Michael Jordan

2-Kobe Bryant

3-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

4-Bill Russell

5-Magic Johnson

6-LeBron James

7-Shaquille O’Neal

8-Tim Duncan

9-Larry Bird

10-Stephen Curry

11-Wilt Chamberlain

12-Julius Erving

13-Hakeem Olajuwon

14-Kevin Garnett

15-Jerry West

16-Dirk Nowitzki

17-Moses Malone

18-Oscar Robertson

19-David Robinson

20-Kevin Durant

21-Dwyane Wade

22-Giannis Antetokounmpo

23-Nikola Jokic

24-John Havlicek

25-Isiah Thomas

26-Willis Reed

27-Bob Pettit

28-Scottie Pippen

29-Rick Barry

30-Bob Cousy

31-Karl Malone

32-Charles Barkley

33-Kawhi Leonard

34-Jason Kidd

35-Dave Cowens

36-Bob McAdoo

37-Bill Walton

38-Allen Iverson

39-Wes Unseld

40-John Stockton

41-Dennis Rodman

42-Clyde Drexler

43-Elgin Baylor

44-Walt Frazier

45-Elvin Hayes

46-Gary Payton

47-Kevin McHale

48-James Worthy

49-Joe Dumars*

50-George Mikan

51-James Harden

52-Russell Westbrook

53-Klay Thompson*

54-Patrick Ewing

55-Manu Ginobili*

56-Tony Parker*

57-Dwight Howard*

58-Dennis Johnson*

59-George Gervin

60-Paul Pierce

61-Nate Archibald

62-Steve Nash

63-Earl Monroe

64-Ray Allen

65-Dikembe Mutombo*

66-Sam Jones

67-Hal Greer

68-Draymond Green*

69-Billy Cunningham

70-Bernard King*

71-Alonzo Mourning*

72-Reggie Miller

73-Pete Maravich

74-Dominique Wilkins

75-Paul Arizin

* Wasn’t included in the original NBA 75th anniversary team

Honorable mention: Lenny Wilkens, Nate Thurmond, Robert Parish, Dolph Schayes, Jerry Lucas, Bill Sharman, Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Artis Gilmore, Sidney Moncrief, Adrian Dantley, Dan Issel, Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Rudy Gobert, Chris Paul, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Damian Lillard.

OMFB’s top-12 list is rock solid. The gap between each of them is minuscule. You won’t hear pushbacks here if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was placed ahead of Michael Jordan, or LeBron James ahead of Kobe Bryant, or Shaquille O’Neal ahead of Magic Johnson. The order can be rearranged but the history of basketball can’t be written without mentioning Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, Bill Russell, Magic, LeBron, Shaq, Tim Duncan, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving, and Stephen Curry.

Jordan is universally recognized as the Greatest of All Time — aka the GOAT. Air Jordan’s resume speaks for itself. MJ was a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals and named Finals MVP six times. Once he dethroned Magic in 1991, he never relinquished the crown until he retired.

Kobe is No. 2 on the OMFB list. Black Mamba was a facsimile of Air Jordan. He was the closest thing to MJ. Kobe and Mike were the same height and had the same body type. Kobe even sounded like Mike. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Jordan gave rare praise to his contemporaries, but he made an exception for Kobe. “He was a mentally tough kid, maybe even tougher than I was,” Jordan said of Kobe, who tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020. Jordan spawned millions of ballers who wanted to be Just Like Mike. Kobe gifted the next generation of hoopers the “Mamba Mentality.” If you’re still not convinced that Kobe deserves to be No. 2 on the all-time list, pull up the YouTube video from Jan. 22, 2006. Kobe authored arguably the greatest individual performance in NBA history when he scored 81 points in 42 minutes. Phil Jackson, who coached Michael Jordan in Chicago, was sitting on the Lakers bench for Kobe’s 81-point game. He put it in proper perspective. “It was another level,” Jackson said. “I’ve seen some remarkable games, but I’ve never seen one like that before.”

Some LeBron fans might be aghast seeing their beloved king at No. 6. But here are the cold, hard facts. LeBron lost six times in 10 trips to the NBA Finals. He has a 22-33 win-loss record in The Finals. Magic (24-26), Erving (10-12) and Wilt (16-19) are the other top-12 players who had sub-.500 records in the NBA Finals. LeBron lost to Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs twice and he could have been 0-3 against Duncan if Ray Allen hadn’t made a ridiculous late-game 3-pointer, saving the Heat’s season and forcing a Game 7. LeBron is 1-3 against Steph Curry. It’s an unfair record because Curry teamed up with Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018 against James, but they were “Ls” on LeBron’s resume nonetheless.

LeBron’s place among basketball’s all-time greats is secure. To say he’s had a better career than Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, Magic, Russell, or even Duncan is up for debate.

Steph Curry broke into the top 10 after winning his fourth NBA title. Curry is considered the best long-range shooter in the sport, and the numbers back it up. When Steph hangs up his Under Armour sneakers, a strong case could be made that he was the most influential. Because of Steph — the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made — there’s a generation of players at various levels launching shots from beyond the arc.

OMFB made the difficult decision to remove 10 players from the league’s original top-75 list and inserted 10 new names: Joe Dumars, Dennis Johnson, Dwight Howard, Dikembe Mutombo, Klay Thompson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bernard King, Alonzo Mourning and Draymond Green.

Dumars was a two-time NBA champ and Finals MVP in 1989. Thompson is a four-time NBA champ and arguably the second-greatest 3-point shooter we’ve ever seen. Thompson pulled off an unthinkable feat in 2017 when he scored 60 points in 29 minutes, using just 11 dribbles. Dennis Johnson earned three championship rings and was Finals MVP in 1979. Larry Bird considered DJ the best player he ever played with. Howard was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), carried the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009, and won a title with the L.A. Lakers in 2020. Mount Mutombo was a four-time DPOY and pulled out the “finger wag” each time he blocked a shot.

Parker inspired a generation of new-age point guards. Aside from winning the 2007 Finals MVP, the four-time NBA champion’s biggest contribution to the game was his signature shot: the tear-drop floater. The vast majority of guards in today’s game, from high school to college to the pros, have a floater in their bag of shots. Parker’s backcourt mate in San Antonio, Ginobili, sacrificed personal statistics in order for the Spurs to win titles. Ginobili posted modest numbers throughout his career (13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists), but his 72% winning percentage ranks among the all-time best. Ginobili also introduced one of the best basketball moves in recent memory — the Eurostep.

Alonzo Mourning was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Pat Riley’s famed “Heat Culture” in Miami wouldn’t exist without Zo. He embodies what Heat Culture is all about. The Heat prided itself on being the hardest-working, best-conditioned team, and that defined Mourning’s career until a rare kidney diseased robbed him of his athletic prime.

Bernard King was a scoring machine until he wrecked his knee at the peak of his powers. Armed with a smooth turnaround jumper that was nearly impossible to stop, King put on a show in the 1984 playoffs as he averaged 34.8 points and almost single-handedly led the New York Knicks to the conference semifinals.

Outside of Dennis Rodman, four-time champ Draymond Green might be the most unique player. The 2017 DPOY won’t blow you away with individual stats but he’s arguably the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Green is the primary playmaker on offense as the point forward and the anchor on defense.

The first 75 years of the NBA can be broken down into six eras.

From the 1950s through the 1960s, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell were the pioneers.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Rick Barry, and Julius “Dr. J” Erving carried the torch through a rough patch in the 1970s when the ABA and NBA canceled each other and the audience dwindled.

Magic and Bird revived basketball in the 1980s, arguably the league’s golden era that also included the rise of Isiah Thomas’ “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons. Moses Malone teamed up with Dr. J during the 1982-83 season and together they co-authored one of the most dominant playoff runs, sweeping Magic’s Lakers in the ’83 Finals and capping off a 12-1 postseason.

Michael Jordan took the baton from Magic and Bird and ruled the 1990s. Jordan won six championships in eight years, pulling off the three-peat twice and denying peers Sir Charles Barkley and Karl “The Mailman” Malone from winning rings. Hakeem Olajuwon benefited from Jordan’s brief retirement, leading the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995. David “The Admiral” Robinson teamed up with Tim “Big Fundamental” Duncan in San Antonio, winning titles in 1999 and 2003.

The immediate post-Jordan era was dominated by five players: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Duncan. Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan combined to win 13 NBA titles, four regular season MVPs, and eight Finals MVPs from 1999 to 2010. For a decade, the road to the NBA Finals went through Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan.

Dirk and KG revolutionized the game and ushered in a new era of big men. The Big Ticket made it possible for high schoolers to skip college and turn pro at 19. Nowitzki opened the door for European bigs who preferred to face the basket instead of having their back to it. Nowitzki and Garnett were instrumental in the game’s evolution, as more and more teams shifted away from traditional power forwards and opted for stretch-4s.

Nowitzki bridged the gap between the Kobe Bryant era and the LeBron James era. Nowitzki ended Kobe’s reign as the world’s best player when Dirk’s Dallas Mavericks squad knocked off Kobe’s Lakers in the 2011 playoffs. In the same playoff run, Nowitzki put a pause on LeBron’s title hopes when his Mavs defeated LeBron’s Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

LeBron’s appearance in the 2011 Finals started a run of eight consecutive trips. He put together a super team in Miami, winning two titles in 2012 and 2013, but lost to the Mavs in 2011 and Duncan’s Spurs in 2014. After a four-year run in South Beach, LeBron returned to Cleveland to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship to his hometown team. He delivered on the promise by winning a title in 2016, ending Cleveland’s 52-year professional title drought.

LeBron took the Cavs to four straight NBA Finals but could muster just one victory in four matchups against Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors. Curry led the Warriors to four championships in eight seasons — two of those championship banners were aided by the addition of Kevin Durant.

The Warriors opened the portal to the “small ball” era and advanced metrics. Analytics experts preferred shooting 3s over 2s — it’s either a layup or dunk or a 3-ball — and the midrange shot was viewed as somewhat of a dinosaur idea.

The modern day NBA put a premium on pace and space. The traditional back-to-the-basket center is becoming extinct and today’s game is dominated by versatile wing players like LeBron, Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. All of whom can anchor a defense like a center and initiate the offense like a point guard. We are now in the era of positionless basketball.

Basketball is cyclical. What may be considered old school could swing back to new school. The next generation of players will determine what the NBA will become in 25 years when we celebrate the league’s 100th anniversary.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Kobe Bryant is doing all he can to help the Lakers land the eighth spot in the Western Conference to earn a playoff berth. (GETTY IMAGES)

Kobe Bryant accomplished a rare feat at his age last night in the Lakers’ 113-106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to Elias Sports, Bryant’s 47 points, five assists, and three steals made him the third player (since steals became an official statistic in 1973-74) to go for 45-plus points, five-plus assists and three-plus steals at the age of 34 or older. The other two players to accomplish that feat? Larry Bird (March 15, 1992) and Michael Jordan (Dec. 31, 2001).

Kobe guaranteed that the Lakers would make the playoffs and it looks like he is definitely doing whatever he can to make that come true. He also had four blocks, and made 14 of his 27 shots from the field (51.8%).

His 47 points set a record in Portland, eclipsing the previous best of 44 by LeBron James in 2011.

“That’s what you try to do is you try to do whatever you can,” Bryant told the Los Angeles Times of his all-around effort. “You don’t look for excuses, you don’t wait for anybody else to make rotations, you do it yourself and by doing it, it sets an example for everybody else to do the same thing.”

I’ve been watching Kobe since he was acquired by the Lakers on a 1996 draft day trade with Charlotte. He continues to amaze me with his game. I am a diehard Lakers fan, but just when I think I’ve seen it all, he does something truly special.

That’s the NBA slogan: Where amazing happens.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at djroxalot@hotmail.com.

John Stockton, Chris Mullin, and Charles Barkley revel in the moment after clinching the gold medal for the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Twenty years ago, when NBA players were allowed to participate in the Summer Olympics it changed the entire landscape of the sport of basketball.

The global impact of the 1992 U.S. men’s basketball team — also known as the Dream Team — was enormous. They opened the door for international players such as Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker to become NBA stars and heightened the popularity of the sport around the world.

A documentary presented by NBA TV sheds light on how the Dream Team came together and the untold stories behind the greatest team ever assembled.

The first call went to Michael Jordan as then NBA executive Rod Thorn called the reigning league MVP and explained to the Bulls’ megastar that “this is bigger than the NBA Finals . . . and we need you.”

Jordan was hesitant at first because he had already gone through the whole Olympic experience. He needed to be convinced and told who else was joining the historic squad. So Thorn made his next move. He called Magic Johnson.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” Johnson said. “I was in from Day 1. I figured if I jumped in first and said I wanted to play then I would get guys to want to participate as well.”

“I think if Magic wasn’t on that team it wouldn’t have been as spectacular as it was. To finish out our careers was important for both of us,” said Larry Bird, who was named team captain along with Magic.

“Once you get guys like Magic and Larry committing on the team then all of a sudden it becomes something very, very special. Representing the USA is already a tremendous honor. To know that you’re gonna be on a dream team is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said center David Robinson, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic squad that finished a disappointing third  in the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea. It was the watershed moment that sparked the whole NBA-led Olympic movement.

“They called in the big guns,” Patrick Ewing said.

One by one the Dream Team started to take shape. After Jordan, Magic and Bird eight other Hall-of-Famers accepted the invitation: Robinson, Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, John Stockton, and Clyde Drexler. The last spot was filled in by Duke University standout Christian Laettner — whom many referred to as “the college guy.”

“It didn’t matter if you called me last. I got the call,” Malone said.

There was one major omission from the squad and that was Detroit All-Star Isiah Thomas. Jordan and Pippen both admitted they didn’t want Thomas — the ring leader of the Motor City bad boys, who tormented the Chicago Bulls for years — on the roster and the bad blood between the Bulls and the Pistons spilled over into the selection process of the Dream Team.

“I don’t think [Jordan] wanted [Isiah] on the team,” Pippen said.

The first official win for the Dream Team was the 77-point blowout against Cuba in the Tournament of Americas in Portland. The starting five who took the floor that day was Magic, Jordan, Barkley, Bird and Robinson. It was the first time Magic, Bird and Jordan — arguably the three greatest players in basketball history — shared a court together as teammates.

Magic made it a point to compete against Jordan in anything, anywhere, and anytime from HORSE games to free-throw shooting contests in practice to card games.

In Monte Carlo the scrimmages were intense as Daly split the practice squads and held live four-quarter games. On one side it was Jordan, Pippen, Mullin, Barkley and Ewing. Magic’s team had Drexler, Malone, Bird, and Robinson.

“Michael never liked to lose,” Pippen said. “He always got that look. When you see that look then give him the damn ball and get out of the way.”

Jordan said as much as it was five-on-five games it gravitating toward a Michael vs. Magic showdown.

By the time practice was over even Magic, who won five championships in the 1980s with the L.A. Lakers, had to acknowledge that basketball’s landscape had changed forever. “Larry and I were talking and Michael walks in and he says ‘There’s a new Sheriff in town.’ And we both hit each other like ‘Well, he’s not lying.’ ”

Monte Carlo definitely had its perks and Barkley, easily the most quotable star on the team, wasn’t shy about sharing one of those private moments. “Everyday after we got back from practice we made a beeline to the swimming pool with all those girls laying out topless,” Barkley said.

Barkley also admitted that you didn’t want to get in a beer-drinking contest with Bird because “Larry Bird drank Budweiser and Budweiser is the strongest beer in the world. And my head hurt for like two days.”

Robinson and Drexler also marveled at how Jordan could play round after round of golf yet still have enough energy to practice basketball. “I remember thinking ‘Does this guy ever sleep?’ ” Drexler joked.

The Dream Team officially didn’t lose a game, but there was that one dubious “loss” to the U.S. Select squad — which included then college studs Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Rodney Rogers, Eric Montross, and Chris Webber — at the start of training camp.

The college players defeated the Dream Team, 62-54, during a scrimmage in UC San Diego, but assistant coach Mike Krzyzewski saw it differently.

“Chuck [Daly] threw the game,” Krzyzewski said of the Dream Team coach’s master plan.

“If you looked on how much Jordan played and how much he subbed guys in, not picking up, not making any adjustments. He knew what he was doing,” Krzyzewski said. “I hate to burst their bubble, but it was a game thrown. Not many people would have done it, and he did it.”

Krzyzewski added: “It was brilliant on Chuck’s part to be able to orchestrate that and play along like he did.”

So why didn’t he tell his staff? “We probably would have screwed it up,” Coach K explained.

The next day the Dream Teamers flexed their muscles and showed why they were basketball legends. Barkley boasted his side won by more than 100 points and Coach K remembered the Select Team had all kinds of problems putting the ball in the basket. And, oh by the way, Jordan played a lot more in the rematch.

“It was gratifying to Chuck to have our butts beat like that because now we had to listen to him,” Jordan said.

Malone recalled Daly’s one and only speech to the players, and the message was crystal clear. “His speech was anybody can get beat,” The Mailman said.

From that point on the team never lost and none of the games were even close. The ’92 U.S. Olympic team ripped through the competition in Barcelona en route to the gold medal. They showcased total domination, execution, and basketball genius that left a lasting legacy that still resonates 20 years later.

“We made the game a worldwide game,” Barkley said. “I talked to Tony Parker, I talked to Ginobili, I talked to Dirk Nowitzki. Those guys said their first love of basketball started with the Dream Team. And I’m really proud of that.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller’s NBA record for most 3-pointers in a career. Allen now has more than 2,800 3-pointers in his illustrious and soon-to-be Hall-of-Fame career. However, despite having the distinction of being the NBA’s all-time 3-point king, is Ray Allen the best pure shooter in the game today? Moreover, where does Allen rank among the all-time great pure shooters in NBA history? There’s sniper from the Bay Area who may have an argument. Let the debate begin.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the 10 best pure shooters in NBA history. Editor’s note: As much as we’d like to include Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Pete Maravich, Kobe Bryant or even Dirk Nowitzki on this list, they’re more great scorers than pure shooters. A pure shooter is someone who is more about quality than quantity. They don’t need to dominate the ball to have a major effect on the game. They often rely on screens and excels in an offense that highlights ball and player movement. Pure shooters can also stretch a defense with their ability to make jump shots from beyond 23 feet. And they can go for long stretches without touching the basketball, yet when given the opportunity they rarely miss. #snipers

10. Drazen Petrovic
It is unfortunate that Petrovic died at 28. The basketball world only saw a short trailer of the Croatian sensation’s made-for-TV career. Petrovic was a natural-born shooter and his impact in the NBA, even though it was shortlived, was undeniable. His game blossomed after he was traded from Portland to New Jersey, instantly becoming the Nets best scorer. His range was unlimited, and he oozed with remarkable confidence for someone who was totally out of his element. During the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Petrovic was the only player who stood up to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the U.S. Dream Team.

9. Glen Rice
You want “Minute Rice” or “Instant Rice?” That was the question posed by Glen Rice to teammate John Salley before the start of the 2000 NBA Finals. It’s not boasting when you own one of the sport’s deadliest jump shots. The man used to be known as G-Money was a pure gunner who never took a shot he didn’t like. Once Rice got off the team bus, he was open. He was an absolute sniper. His range was unlimited and his form was almost perfect. It was a stunner whenever he missed because it seemed like every shot he took looked good coming out of his fingertips. Rice averaged more than 20 points per game six times during his career, and drained 1,559 3-pointers.

8. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic was drafted in the first round in the 1996 draft by the Sacramento Kings, one of Geoff Petrie’s major draft gems. His 1,760 3-pointers ranks in the top five all-time and is a 40% shooter from behind the arc for his career. Peja’s incredible shooting was one of the reasons the Kings were one of the best scoring teams in the NBA from 2001-05. He’s made more than 100 threes 10 times in his career – 240 in 2003-04 with the Kings, 231 in 2007-08 with the Hornets. He’s currently a key contributor to the Dallas Mavericks as a sniper off the bench. At 6-foot-9, Stojakovic is a shooting guard in a forward’s body, which allowed him to shoot over any defender. He loved to drift to his left side to set up his jump shot, a step-back move that became his signature shot.

7. Kyle Korver
There are only three players in the NBA’s top-10 list who shot the 3-ball better than 40 percent: Steph Curry (43%), Ray Allen (40%), and Kyle Korver (43%). Korver has made more than 2,200 threes in his 15-plus NBA career. Korver’s best years came with the Atlanta Hawks. He set a then-NBA record by hitting a 3-ball in 127 consecutive games until Curry obliterated that mark. Korver doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot off, and he is nearly automatic on the free-throw line. Korver led the NBA in 3-point percentage four times and holds the record for highest 3-point percentage (53% in 2009-10).

6. Chris Mullin
The former collegiate star from St. John’s University wasn’t fast nor flashy and wasn’t blessed with great athleticism. But he made his living by perfecting a deadly baseline jump shot, a smooth left-handed stroke that would enable him to last 16 years in the NBA and amassed almost 18,00 points. A member of Golden State’s formidable trio “Run TMC,” Mullin averaged more than 20 points six times in his career and shot 86% from the free throw line. When the 1992 Dream Team was being constructed, Mullin was called to provide the greatest team in basketball history some much-needed outside shooting. He averaged 12.9 points, which was fourth on the Dream Team.

5. Klay Thompson
Anyone who doubts the son of former Los Angeles Lakers standout Mychal Thompson belongs on this list should watch Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference playoff series between Golden State and Oklahoma City. That was the night when Klay almost single-handedly kept the Warriors’ season alive with a shooting exhibition for the ages. Klay swished an NBA playoff record 11 treys and scored 41 points in an elimination game on the road. The out-of-this-world performance cemented Thompson’s place as one of the game’s best long-range shooters. Chris Webber said it best: “All heart and will.” In December 2016, Thompson did something that may never be duplicated. He scored 61 points on just 11 dribbles and held the ball for just 90 seconds. Talk about efficient.

4. Reggie Miller
Most Indiana Pacers fans were scratching their heads when Miller was chosen by the team in the 1987 NBA draft, especially when Indiana’s favorite son, Steve Alford, was still on the board. Well, more than 25,000 points and 2,560 3-point shots later, the Pacers were left satisfied with their pick. Miller basically invented the art of running off defenders on screens. To do so, you had to be in tremendous physical condition, which he was. Miller worked extremely hard at his craft. He was always one of the first players in the gym shooting jump shots. He also was one of the league’s best trash talkers, and he backed up his big talk more often than not (see Reggie Miller v. Spike Lee at Madison Square Garden, 1994 NBA playoffs).

3. Ray Allen
In terms off work ethic, very few in the game has worked harder than Ray Allen. Even during the twilight of his career, Allen remained one of the best-conditioned athletes and never seemed to run out of gas. Allen had incredible endurance and leg strength. Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton were extremely fit during their primes, but Ray Allen blows both of them away. Allen has taken the art of running off screens from Miller and enhanced it with his own style. Allen also has a unique shooting stroke because his release is uncanny and hard to teach. He may have one of the quickest shots in the sport, a shot so smooth and compact that it is almost perfect. The defining moment of Allen’s NBA career came in the closing moments of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals as a member of the Miami Heat. Allen sent the game into overtime by knocking down a corner 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. That 3-pointer changed the course of history. It propelled the Heat to their second straight championship, while denying Tim Duncan and the Spurs a title.

2. Larry Bird
In terms of technique or statistical achievement, Bird is not on par with his constituents. For his career, Bird was only a 37% shooter from 3-pointer range and never made more than 98 in one season. His career total of 649 doesn’t even crack the NBA’s top 100. Heck, J.R. Rider (667), Rodney Rogers (690) and George McCloud (920) made more threes than Bird. However, when the stakes are at its highest and the lights are at its brightest, very few can compare with Bird. Larry Legend saved some of his best shots during the postseason, helping the Celtics win three titles in 1980s. Adding to his legendary legacy, Bird was also legendary during All-Star Weekend. He won the 3-point contest three straight years. One time he didn’t bother to take off his warm-up jacket. That’s Larry Bird for you. He won’t wow you with stats or amazing highlight plays, but he is a pure assassin when it’s money time.

1. Stephen Curry
Wardell Stephen Curry is redefining shooting guard position. Yes, folks. He’s really a shooting guard masking as a point guard. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry could very well be the greatest basketball sniper we’ve ever seen. His resume speaks for itself. He holds the record for most 3-pointers made in a single season (402), and he has led the NBA in 3-pointers made five times. He also has remarkable range and accuracy. He can pull up from 25-feet or beyond with relative ease. He has never shot below 42% in a season from behind the arc and he shot 45% during his record-breaking season in 2015-16 when he shattered his own mark by hitting 116 more threes. NBA legend Jerry West said Curry is changing the way we look at the game. Throughout the history of basketball, the game was played inside-out. Winning the battle under the basket usually translates into championships. But Curry and the Golden State Warriors are shattering that mold. The 3-point shot has gone from a desperation move to a powerful weapon. Today’s basketball analytics say 3 beats 2 every time, and more and more teams are subscribing to that strategy. Steph has not only become the face of the NBA but he is setting the bar for a new generation of ballers.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird are about as different as they come off the court, but on the court they both valued the bottom line – winning.

Johnson is a happy-go-lucky, extrovert who is part basketball player and part movie star with a nickname that perfectly fits his alter ego. Bird is a shy, introverted farm boy from Indiana who guards his privacy. And, oh by the way, Johnson was black and Bird was white, creating a racial division from West to East.

HBO documented Johnson’s and Bird’s story in a very revealing and entertaining made-for-TV special titled “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals.”

The special is narrated by the great Liev Schreiber with commentary from former Los Angeles Times beat writer Steve Springer, Boston Globe columnist Jackie McMullen, actor and comedian Arsenio Hall and friends and family members of Johnson and Bird. The whole production was well done and each basketball legend told some very interesting stories.

Bird openly discussed about his feelings the time when his father, Joe, committed suicide. The show also uncovered the real reason why Bird began having back issues later in his career, and Bird said he should have retired after the 1988-89 season.

Johnson credited Bird winning rookie of the year in 1980 as his main motivation to win Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the 76ers. Magic also revealed a very emotional phone call from his chief rival the day he told the world he was HIV positive. Johnson said, while fighting back tears, he was eternally grateful that Bird reached out to me and was genuinely concerned for his well-being. “That’s when you know who your friends are,” Johnson said.

The Magic-and-Bird rivalry started in the 1979 NCAA championship won by Johnson, and to this day Bird says is “the worst loss he’s ever had.” The rivalry continued in the NBA as Bird went to the Celtics while Johnson was drafted by the Lakers. Bird’s Boston’s teams were considered lunchpail guys, while Johnson’s L.A. teams were tabbed as “Showtime.”

It was a matchup made from basketball heaven and may never happen again.