Title/Author:
“Unfinished
Business: On and Off the Court with the
1990-91 Boston Celtics” by Jack McCallum
Tags:
Basketball,
professional, history, Celtics
Published:
September
29, 2013
Length:
274 pages
Rating:
4 1/2 of 5
stars (excellent)
Review:
The
1990-91 season was a time of transition in the National Basketball
Association. Michael Jordan was becoming
the face of the league. The reigning
dynasty would shift from the Detroit Pistons to Jordan’s team, the Chicago
Bulls. One of the teams that was the
powerhouse, the Boston Celtics, was going through a time of transition itself
much like the league. How the franchise
dealt with that season is portrayed in this excellent book by Jack
McCallum.
McCallum
has shown to be one of the best authors of books on the NBA and this one is no
exception. His style of portraying the
season through equal parts of game recaps, anecdotes about the players and
coaches, and even some commentary on social issues of the day will grab the
reader’s attention and won’t let go.
The
writing and story mirrored the Celtics is many ways. While the “Big Three” of Larry Bird, Kevin
McHale and Robert Parish were getting older, a new crop of talented players
were trying to make their own mark on the storied franchise. While the attention of fans and the press
was naturally paid to Bird and his back issues, McCallum adds many interesting
stories on these younger players such as Dee Brown (that year’s slam dunk
contest winner, something that certainly did not fit the usual Celtic image)
and Brian Shaw.
The
franchise was also facing other transitions, such as a new coach for that
season in Chris Ford, the retirement of legendary radio play-by-play man Johnny
Most and the realization that the Boston Garden had outlived its usefulness and
would soon have to be replaced. Add
that to the play of the team on the court and you truly have a franchise in
transition. The team was trying to become more athletic while still playing the
style that the three future Hall of Fame players enjoyed that produced three
championships and three more trips to the finals in the 1980’s.
This was
the best season in which to write an interesting story on this franchise, and
McCallum does in an entertaining manner.
Readers who enjoy books on basketball history or are Celtics fan will
want to read this one.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
Excellent. In typical McCallum fashion, he stuck with
the timeline of the season in chronological order, and anecdotes were not ones
that required flashbacks or staggered the pace of the story.
Do I recommend?
Book Format Read:
E-Book
(Kindle)
Buying Links:
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