Tuesday, August 26, 2008
KEVIN DUCKWORTH: 1964-2008
I woke up this morning to the news that former Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth has died at the age of 44.
Kevin Duckworth played a key role in the first Game 7 the Blazers ever played, in 1990, during their run to the NBA Finals. It wasn't necessarily what he did on the court, but what happened a few minutes before the game that I'll remember. I was sitting in the second row behind the hoop on the Blazers' side. Duckworth had been injured and wasn't expected to play in the decisive game. And when the team came out to the floor for the pregame shootaround, Duckworth was absent. But after several minutes, to my left, I heard a stirring. And sure enough, here comes Duck, a bit wobbly, but still making his way through the tunnel onto the court. And the crowd went nuts. Not to compare Duckworth to a guy with the talents of Willis Reed, but it was just like that legendary Knicks game in the 1970 Finals when a wounded Reed hobbled onto the court to a lengthy roar from the crowd.
This moment fired the Blazers' crowd up, and the intensity remained throughout the game. It was a close, tight game the entire way. Late, though, the Spurs burst out to a 7-point lead, and it seemed like all was lost. Just over two minutes remained. My brother and I were sure the game was over. But then Kevin hit a free-throw-line jumper to make it a five point game, and then Clyde hit a three to close to two points, and then a beautiful jam by Jerome tied it up and bedlam ensued. We won in overtime, and we were ecstatic, and what I'll remember the most is Kevin Duckworth's entrance and that seemingly-innocuous two-point jumper late in the game that kept us close.
It was surprising, in that I didn't expect to wake up to hear of his death, but after having seen Mr. Duckworth on television within the last year, it is not surprising at all that he is gone. If you thought the man was huge during his playing days, you should have seen him being interviewed this one night during the last NBA season. The man had become absolutely gargantuan. It looked like he had eaten a 12-cow omelette every morning. He was simply colossal. So I'm guessing, having not heard confirmation of the cause of death, that it was likely a heart attack.
But anyway, it's a blow. I met him once at an autograph signing at a local stereo store back in maybe 1989. He was a very friendly guy. He'll be missed, and certainly remembered as one of the pieces of the Blazers' return to the NBA Finals in the early 1990s.
Kevin Duckworth played a key role in the first Game 7 the Blazers ever played, in 1990, during their run to the NBA Finals. It wasn't necessarily what he did on the court, but what happened a few minutes before the game that I'll remember. I was sitting in the second row behind the hoop on the Blazers' side. Duckworth had been injured and wasn't expected to play in the decisive game. And when the team came out to the floor for the pregame shootaround, Duckworth was absent. But after several minutes, to my left, I heard a stirring. And sure enough, here comes Duck, a bit wobbly, but still making his way through the tunnel onto the court. And the crowd went nuts. Not to compare Duckworth to a guy with the talents of Willis Reed, but it was just like that legendary Knicks game in the 1970 Finals when a wounded Reed hobbled onto the court to a lengthy roar from the crowd.
This moment fired the Blazers' crowd up, and the intensity remained throughout the game. It was a close, tight game the entire way. Late, though, the Spurs burst out to a 7-point lead, and it seemed like all was lost. Just over two minutes remained. My brother and I were sure the game was over. But then Kevin hit a free-throw-line jumper to make it a five point game, and then Clyde hit a three to close to two points, and then a beautiful jam by Jerome tied it up and bedlam ensued. We won in overtime, and we were ecstatic, and what I'll remember the most is Kevin Duckworth's entrance and that seemingly-innocuous two-point jumper late in the game that kept us close.
It was surprising, in that I didn't expect to wake up to hear of his death, but after having seen Mr. Duckworth on television within the last year, it is not surprising at all that he is gone. If you thought the man was huge during his playing days, you should have seen him being interviewed this one night during the last NBA season. The man had become absolutely gargantuan. It looked like he had eaten a 12-cow omelette every morning. He was simply colossal. So I'm guessing, having not heard confirmation of the cause of death, that it was likely a heart attack.
But anyway, it's a blow. I met him once at an autograph signing at a local stereo store back in maybe 1989. He was a very friendly guy. He'll be missed, and certainly remembered as one of the pieces of the Blazers' return to the NBA Finals in the early 1990s.
