19 years ago today, Australia’s Bill Russell, big Lucien ‘Luc’ Longley — aka Lucky Luc, aka Cool Hands Luc, aka the Thunder from Down Under — bestrode the court at America West Arena in Phoenix, and stared big Patrick Ewing and skinny-ol’ Marcus Camby right in the eyes as Luc’s Phoenix Suns hosted the New York Knicks. Now, Big Luc knows you get two for flinching, so he gave Ewing and Camby the ol’ one-two-Kostya Tszyu in the goolies on the way to the FOURTH HIGHEST SCORING GAME of his long and illustrious NBA career!
That’s right, showing he still had a bit left in the tank after carrying Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson to three straight NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls — and while going up against two of the best defensive big men of the ‘90s — the Giant Sandgroper threw down what would be the HIGHEST SCORING GAME of his final three seasons!
Now, in his youth Big Luc moved like Baryshnikov crossed with a Kalashnikov, but by this stage of his career he was more like Tiger Woods crossed with a Tiger tank… Didn’t matter: he was still more bloody effective than Tiger’s script for the morning after pill, as evidenced by a huge 21 & 10 he lay on the Knicks like Tiger laying wood at a Orlando Dennys!
Yep, proving he belongs firmly atop any list of ‘Most Dominating NBA Big Men Ever’, Big Luc crammed 21 points down on Patrick Ewing’s flat-top, going 10-of-21 from the field and adding a perfect 1-of-1 from what Kyle Sandilands’ missus probably calls her Brazilian: the charity stripe.
Possessing more hops than Skippy and more ready to bang than Scottie Pippen, Big Luc also tore down 10 rebounds, throwing elbows at Pat Ewing’s head with a degree of delight usually reserved for small children opening birthday presents while flipping out on red cordy and mum’s fairy bread.
On top of that, Big Luc also had an assist so beautiful that a bleached-haired Jason Kidd later bought it an apartment in downtown Vancouver and cheated on Joumana with it.
How’s that though!? 21 &10 while battling ‘Space Jam’ star Patrick Ewing and nursing knees sore from carrying MJ & Scottie to three titles!? Not bloody bad mate! Better still, Big Luc’s such an Aussie ledge he’s out there coaching up a new generation of Aussie superstars to follow in his giant footsteps!
#ONYA Big Luc!
