40th Anniversary All-Time Teams

And finally...the top individual MBA lineups for the first 40 seasons, starting with third team.

THE ALL-TIME TEAM FOR THE FIRST 40 SEASONS OF THE MBA







As we have after each 10 seasons of play and in honor of having just completed the 40th MBA season, we have compiled the top teams for each franchise based on the awards received by a player while playing for that franchise. Two guards, two forwards and a center will be represented in the All-Time Starting Lineup and subs will be all those players who have amassed five or more awards with that franchise who are not in the All-Time Starting Lineup. In the event of a tie, the player who played the longest time for that franchise will get the nod.

Also, a Top Player Ever will be named for all franchises.

Additionally, a more subjective Golden Era will be included for each franchise.

















NOTE; MAX PAYNE SHOULD BE LISTED AS ACTIVE

Season 40 Retirees Laid to Rest

NEXT UP--40th Season Anniversary OFF-SEASON SPECIAL FEATURE ---BEST SQUADS EVER, TEAM BY TEAM

Season 40 Playoff Summary and Stats

The Oklahoma City Lariats (8-2, 5-0) capture their second championship and second in six seasons. Only the Houston Iguanas of Season 34 (9-1, 5-0) can boast a better overall record for one season.

This is Dave's 10th title in 40 Seasons compared to 30 for Tyler.
However, this is Dave's fifth title in the past six seasons.

The Lariats are the first team since Houston of Season 34 to go 5-0 in the playoffs. They are the 9th team in league history to run the table in the playoffs and the second to do so since Season 15.

They set a record for most points per game averaged during the Season (90.0) and most points per game during the playoffs (95.4. They began the playoffs with a 100-point game in Game 1 against Milwaukee and ended the playoffs and the season in the championship-clinching game against Seattle. The closest anyone came to Oklahoma City in the playoffs was 10 points, which Milwaukee did in Game 2 of the semifinals, 93-83.

Hall of Famer Naf Naf of Oklahoma City wins his first Playoff MVP award in his first finals appearance to go with his four consecutive MVP awards for the regular season. He is the third Lariats player to win the award, the others being Hall of Fame center Diamond Dallas Paige in Season 12 and guard Streetcar Johnny Masterson in Season 13. Those two previous winners came on second place teams.





** Naf Naf's 32 points per game set a record, eclipsing the mark of 27.6 by Hall of Fame guard Dan Mann of Milwaukee in Season 11.
** Naf Naf's 43 3-point baskets eclipses the playoff record of 28 set by Didger A'doo of Chicago in Season 35.

** Max Payne is now the most honored center of all time.
** Max Payne's playoff rebounding title is his second.
** Max Payne's playoff blocked shots title is his fourth (he holds the single playoffs record with 37).
** Max Payne's playoff steals title is his third.
** Max Payne now has 5 championship rings, four coming in the past 6 seasons. This total is tied for third place on the all-time rings list, with only Cam Bodia and Tug Hershorts, six each, having more.


LEMON JELL-O ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME
** Rookie of the year
** One-time All-MBA
** Six appearances in All Star Game
** Season 35 Championship Ring
** All-time MBA steals leader with 7 consecutive steals titles.
** Led league in free-throw shooting once
** Led his team in scoring 3 times
** Led his team in assists 5 times
** Led his team in steals 8 times
** Led his team in blocked shots 3 times
** Led his team in free-throwing 2 times
** Played 100 consecutive regular season games over a 10-season career, never missing a game.
** He is the 44th player to make the MBA Hall of Fame





Hall of Fame Rankings
25 AWARDS
1. Curly Hogbottom 6-10 Forward Seasons 16-24 (9)

21 AWARDS
2. Uncle Bob Masterson 6-2 Guard Seasons 4-13 (10)

19 AWARDS
3. Sagittal Occlusal 6-8 Forward Seasons 25-32 (8)
3. Cappy Gambol 6-6 Guard Seasons 1-7 (7)
3. Hrundi V. Bakshi 6-7 Guard Seasons 29-? (12+) STILL ACTIVE (up from 6th place)

18 AWARDS
6. Boone Doggle 6-10 Forward Seasons 23-31 (9)
6. Mamadou Zongo 6-4 Guard Seasons 15-31 (17)

17 AWARDS
8. Link Lennex 6-7 Forward Seasons 7-12 (6)
8. Stu Nod 6-3 Guard Seasons 6-17 (12)
8. Max Payne 7-0 Center Seasons 26-? (15+) STILL ACTIVE (up from 13th place)

16 AWARDS
11. Diamond Dallas Paige 6-11 Center Seasons 12-18 (7)
11. Jonny Cockaroo 6-9 Center Seasons 18-29 (12)

15 AWARDS
13. Doc Watson 6-2 Guard Seasons 9-17 (9)
13. Cam Bodia 6-6 Forward Seasons 15-25 (11)
13. Naf Naf 6-0 Guard Seasons 37-? (4+) STILL ACTIVE (up from 22nd)

14 AWARDS
16. Cheetos Jones 5-11 Guard Seasons 28-34 (7)
16. Dan Mann 6-1 Guard Seasons 5-13 (9)

13 AWARDS
18. Tommy Zoop 6-6 Guard Seasons 18-24 (7)
18. Guru Gannon 6-7 Forward Seasons 11-17 (7)
18. Raisin Sport 6-9 Forward Seasons 1-13 (13)

12 AWARDS
21. Bill Rustler 6-9 Center Seasons 1-10 (10)
21. Rip Slamjam 6-11 Center Seasons 5-19 (15)

11 AWARDS
23. Ching-Chong Chung 5-10 Guard Seasons 26-37 (11)
23. Tom Kondla 6-8 Center Seasons 28-33 (6)
23. Shucks Oyster 6-4 Guard Seasons 17-22 (6)
23. Gato Do Mato 6-11 Forward Seasons 30-36 (7)

10 AWARDS
27. Joey Two-Tones 6-3 Guard Seasons 18-23 (6)
27. Soul Duran 6-3 Guard Seasons 3-8 (6)
27. Bart Pitbull 7-2 Center Seasons 17-23 (7)
27. Shooter Flatch 6-7 Forward Seasons 19-25 (7)
27. Alex Pal 6-11 Center Seasons 5-10 (6)
27. Doug Fresh 5-11 Guard Seasons 1-15 (15)
27. Art Vandelay 6-7 Forward Seasons 34-39 (3)


VETERANS COMMITTEE SELECTIONS
9 AWARDS
34. Marshall Stax 6-7 Forward Seasons 7-13 (7)
34. Mable Reed 7-1 Center Seasons 6-16 (10)
34. Tarjetas Indice 6-7 Forward Seasons 9-17 (9)
34. Ama Spikie 6-8 Center Seasons 29-37 (9)
34. Bub Wright 6-5 Forward Seasons 1-7 (7)
34. Tug Hershorts 6-11 Forward Seasons 25-33 (9)
34. Lemon Jell-o 6-1 Guard Seasons 30-39 (10) (Most recent)

8 AWARDS
41. Silo Chamberlin 5-10 Guard Seasons 1-6 (6) 8 awards
41. Benny Gumm 6-0 Guard Seasons 19-31 (13) 8 awards
41. Oscar Mudcat 6-6 Guard Seasons 1-8 (8) 8 awards
41. Rowdy Ron Clutch 6-7 Forward Seasons 1-9 (9) 8 awards

Lariats run the playoff table on way to second franchise title

OKLAHOMA CITY 100, SEATTLE 64
SEVEN RECORDS SET OR TIED BY NAF NAF
AND COMPANY IN SEASON 40 CLINCHER
OKLAHOMA CITY -- With the ecstatic home crowd whooping it up and imploring their beloved Lariats to hit the century mark, Hall of Fame guard Naf Naf rose up for the 19th time behind the 3-point line and with 2 time units remaining in the game, buried a record 12th trey of the contest, giving his charges 100 points in this title-clinching game.

With that bucket, the following records were set or tied:
* Naf Naf tied his own personal best one-game mark of 44 points in one game, originally set in Season 38. This tied the third-highest point total ever scored by one player in one game.
* Naf Naf's 44 points set a new individual playoff scoring mark for one game, eclipsing the 41-point effort he established two games earlier.
* Naf Naf's 12 3-pointers made breaks the playoff record of 11 he set two games earlier.
* Naf Naf's 12 3-pointers tied his own overall record of 12 treys he set in Season 38.
* Naf Naf's last trey helped set a new playoff team record of 16 3-pointers, eclipsing the 15 the Lariats scored two games earlier when they tied Houston's Season 33 playoff record.
* Naf Naf's last trey tied the all-time team mark of 16 jointly held by Dallas over Milwaukee in Season 30 and Oklahoma City vs. Seattle in Season 38.

Additionally, Naf Naf set a new playoff scoring average of 32 points per game, blowing past the longstanding former record of 27.6 points per game held by Hall of Fame guard Dan Mann of Milwaukee some 29 seasons past, way back in Season 11.

This was the second championship won by the Lariats, the first coming in Season 35, both under head coach Benny Gumm, in whose honor thousands of sticks of gum were dropped from the Saddle Dome ceiling, much to the chagrin of the stadium janitors who watched in dismay, armed with large scrapers they would be forced to utilize late into the evening.

It is also the fifth title won by Dave Masterson franchises in the last six seasons, with Lariats championships serving as bookends.

PLAYER OF GAME
NAF NAF of Oklahoma City had what was probably the finest individual playoff game in MBA history. He needed 28 points to set a new overall playoff scoring mark and came away with 44...despite the fact that he sat out the second half of the third quarter. Six points separated him from the all-time scoring mark of 50. In this game he was 15-for-23, going 12-for-19 from 3-Point Land, adding 3 rebounds and 3 assists and totally dominating veteran guard Ginger Vampire, Seattle's best player. Naf Naf finished with a flurry, scoring 17 points in the final quarter.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Hall of Fame Lariats center Max Payne earned the fifth ring of his career, one short of the record. He was Oklahoma City's center when they won in Season 35, then left for four seasons to play for two other franchises (where he added his third and fourth rings) and returned to secure another Oklahoma City championship. He has now surpassed Diamond Dallas Paige and Jonny Cockaroo to become the most honored center in the history of the MBA. In this game, the 15th-year vet scored 15 points, had 2 assists, 1 steal and led everyone in both rebounds (8) and blocked shots (3).

-- Oklahoma City rookie forward Sloppy Dollop had his finest game of the playoffs, netting 22 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing 2 assists, dominating Jairo Capoiera all game.

-- Tea Time Typhoo, the power forward for Seattle, was the team's lone bright spot, getting a team-high 22 points and pulling down 5 rebounds.



Top Scoring Games All Time

50 Tommy Zoop, Oklahoma City, Season 24

49 Horn E. Goatweed, Milwaukee, Season 24

44 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Playoffs Season 40
44 Soul Duran, Chicago, Season 7
44 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Season 38
44 Tommy Zoop, Chicago, Season 21

42 Funsy VanSlochum, San Jose, Season 26

41 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Playoffs Season 40
41 Uncle Bob Masterson, Philadelphia, Season 11
41 Ching-Chong Chung, Houston, Season 31

40 Shooter Flatch, Dallas, Season 20

NEXT UP: POST SEASON STATS AND HONORS

Lariats coast to within one win of second title

OKLAHOMA CITY 87, SEATTLE 76
LARIATS, LED BY MASTERFALCON TAKE GAME 2
SEATTLE--The final score does not reflect how easily the visiting Oklahoma City Lariats won this contest. The favored Oklahoma City team started the game on an 11-0 run that, in the end, turned out to be the winning margin of victory. On the way, they led by as many as 23 points, and by 16 entering the final quarter. The final score is actually as close as the home team ever got to getting back in the contest.

Oklahoma City won this one, basically, without the services of its all-everything Hall of Fame guard Naf Naf, who played very little and took just 6 shots before finally fouling out with 53 time units remaining in the game. But the rest of the Lariats, especially Yipeekayee Masterfalcon, rallied to make winning this contest appear easy.

The teams now return to Oklahoma City where the Lariats are expected to clinch the Season 40 title in front of the home crowd.

Game note: Just three fouls by Seattle in the entire game.

PLAYER OF GAME
Oklahoma City shooting guard YIPEEKAYEE MASTERFALCON, played most of the game at the point, thanks to the foul trouble his running mate Naf Naf found himself in throughout the contest. The sixth-year, two-time All-MBA guard responded with a game-high 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting that included 5-for-7 from 3-Point Land. He also tied for team high in assists with 3 and pulled down 3 boards.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Hall of Fame center Max Payne of Oklahoma City scored 18 points and led his team in rebounds with 7. The co-leader in steals this season had a game-high 3 thefts as well as a game-high 2 blocked shots and got a slight upper hand in this battle of 7-foot centers.

-- Second-year Lariats forward Bang-Bang Reiner scored 16 points, pulled down 4 boards and tied for a team-high 5 assists.

-- Point guard Ginger Vampire of Seattle dominated Naf Naf with a team-high 20-point performance, with Naf in constant foul trouble before eventually fouling out. Vampire added 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 rebound.

-- Seattle shooting guard Bob Kittle had a game-high 6 assists and 15 points.

-- Retiring Seattle center George Gershwin battled hard against his Hall of Fame opponent in the pivot, coming up with a game-high 9 rebounds, 15 points and 1 steal. Five of his 7 buckets were beautiful-move dunks and one of the remaining other hoops a 3-pointer.

Naf' sets playoff scoring marks in Finals debut as Lariats cruise

OKLAHOMA CITY 97, SEATTLE 64

HOME CROWD TREATED TO EXPLOSIVE VICTORY
OKLAHOMA CITY -- It's hard to believe that Seattle actually led 18-16 after one quarter, because from then on it was scoring carnage, courtesy of Naf Naf and the Oklahoma City Lariats, who went on to a 97-64 Game 1 triumph. It took him until his fourth season to make the Finals, but Naf Naf seemed ecstatic to be here and put on quite the show.

Along the way:
** Naf Naf scored 41 points, breaking the playoff scoring record of 38 in one game which he had tied in Game 1 of this playoff season vs. Milwaukee. (Hall of Famer Dan Mann's two 38-point games were also erased from the record book.)
** Naf Naf buried 11 3s, breaking the playoff record of 9 he set in that same Game 1 against Milwaukee.
** Oklahoma City tied the playoff record of 15 3s for a team originally set by Houston vs. Seattle in Season 33.

Ginger Vampire was ice cold for Seattle, and the magic of Jairo Capoeira also faded for the Stampede, which managed but a 45.9 percent shooting game. Meanwhile, the Lariats shot 63.3 percent, including 65.2 from beyond the arc.

PLAYER OF THE GAME
NAF NAF's peformance for Oklahoma City in his first Finals game is arguably the best single post-season game of all time. Not only did he score a record 41 on 14-of-21 shooting, he tossed in a record 11 treys in 16 tries, dished out 2 assists, and grabbed a game-high and personal best ever 7 rebounds in the process. The 41-point effort ties Naf for seventh-best scoring game all-time with Uncle Bob Masterson and Tommy Zoop.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Naf Naf running mate at guard Yipeekayee Masterfalcon contributed a trio of treys and 17 points, as well as 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
-- Oklahoma City second-year forward Bang-Bang Reiner had 23 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in a superlative game.
-- Bob Kittle, the 5-11 veteran guard for Seattle, continues to play well, getting a team-high 23 and pulling down 2 rebounds.
-- Seattle's power forward Tea Time Typhoo played another excellent game, getting 14 points and a team-high 6 rebounds. He also had 2 assists.


(In a recent discussion with Tyler, it was mistakenly said that Naf Naf's top scoring game was 39 points...not so...I forgot about him scoring 44 during a Season 38 game against Seattle. This effort today is his second-best single-game output ever.)

Top Scoring Games All Time
50 Tommy Zoop, Oklahoma City, Season 24

49 Horn E. Goatweed, Milwaukee, Season 24

44 Soul Duran, Chicago, Season 7
44 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Season 38
44 Tommy Zoop, Chicago, Season 21

42 Funsy VanSlochum, San Jose, Season 26

41 Naf Naf, Oklahoma City, Playoffs Season 40
41 Uncle Bob Masterson, Philadelphia, Season 11
41 Ching-Chong Chung, Houston, Season 31

40 Shooter Flatch, Dallas, Season 20



NEXT UP; To the West Coast, where Game 2 takes place in Seattle amidst an air of inevitability.

Seattle eliminates defending champs, advances to finals

SEATTLE 92, CHARLESTON 70

STAMPEDE DOMINATES MOUNTAINEERS

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Stampede, picked unanimously to finish last in their division, advanced to the championship series with an unceremonious drubbing of the defending champion Charleston Mountaineers, 92-70. The convincing victory gave the home team two straight semifinal wins and a ticket to the MBA finals for the first time since their lone championship in Season 37.

After a high-scoring and close first quarter, Seattle took advantage of a forced injury rest to Beezow Bop-Bop of Charleston just 6 time units into the period, dominating the backboards and general play all the way to halftime, where they led 51-35. All three front-line players for Seattle grabbed eight rebounds in the game.

It was never close thereafter as Seattle doubled Charleston in rebounding 28-14, a problem for the defending champs all year long. But while Charleston, last in rebounding in the league, could be expected to struggle on the boards, the Mountaineers defense, third in all of basketball, was almost totally and surprisingly ineffective.

For the second game in a row, Seattle forwards Tea Time Typhoo and Jairo Capoeira dominated play, and in this game, Ginger Vampire returned to his normal leadership role as well.

Charleston ends its season 7-3, 0-2 while Seattle will play for another championship against Oklahoma City, advancing with a 5-5. 2-0 slate.

CO-PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Seattle forwards TEA TIME TYPHOO and JAIRO CAPOIERA shared Player of the Game honors, Capoiera getting the nod for the second consecutive playoff outing. Typhoo scored 20 points on the heels of his 22-point Game 1 effort as he dominated Charleston's fine rookie Pietro Destroyer. Typhoo was 9-for-10 from the floor, grabbed 8 boards had 1 assist and led everyone with 2 blocked shots. Capoeira, who had 20 in the first game, scored 21 in this one, also grabbing 8 rebounds and tying for team high in assists with 2. He was 6-for-6 from the foul line, making him 11-for-11 from the charity stripe in the Semis. For the second game in a row, he totally out-played two-time All-MBA forward B. Quiet.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Seattle point guard Ginger Vampire took advantage of Charleston's move to guard him with Jesus Moron Joseph. Vampire lit up Joseph in the first half for 18 points, then went on to lead all scorers with a total of 24. Bop-Bop was on him in the second, but went out early to a forced rest. Vampire added 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
-- Following a one-game injury, 7-foot center George Gershwin returned to the starting lineup and played Charleston's star center J.J. Gargantuan to a standstill. Gershwin, the league's second-best rebounder pulled down 8 boards, which tied for game-high with two of his teammates. He added 12 points on 50 percent shooting against a defensive juggernaut.
-- Charleston guard Beezow Bop-Bop tied for team-high scoring honors with 14, tied for game-high in assists with 3, grabbed 2 boards and had 1 blocked shot.
-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan tied for game-high in scoring with 14 points, had 3 rebounds, 1 block and a game-high 2 steals.



FINALS NOTES
This will be the first time in the 40-year history of the MBA that these two original franchises, Oklahoma City and Seattle, will meet in the Finals.
Seattle, minus Ginger Vampire, dealt Oklahoma City one of its two losses this season, beating them 75-62 in a game that basically qualified the Stampede for the playoffs.

Oklahoma City, Naf Naf advance to finals

Oklahoma City 93, Milwaukee 83
LARIATS SHAKE OFF PESKY GREYHOUNDS FOR WIN

MILWAUKEE -- The Oklahoma City Lariats completed a two-game semifinals sweep of the Milwaukee Greyhounds, 93-83, advancing to the championship round for the first time since their one and only title in Season 35.

It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter that the favored visiting squad grabbed the lead and finally solidified the victory that will take the most prolific scorer in MBA history, Naf Naf, to his first finals.

Milwaukee, with Naf in a forced rest for all but 10 time units in the first quarter, grabbed a 22-16 lead after one. After Oklahoma City charged back, both the second and third quarters ended with the score tied.

Finally, Oklahoma City seemed to gain control at crunch time, leading by seven before Milwaukee made their final charge. They were within two points, 83-81, with posession, when the Lariats' Yipeekayee Masterfalcon stole the ball. Hall of Fame Lariats center Max Payne slam dunked at the other end and the Greyhounds never threatened again.

The home team went balls out in this one, with coach Fly Davia using the same five players throughout and the Greyhounds emulating their mascot namesake by flying up and down the court, jacking up 70 shots. But in the end, the highest scoring team in history put the pedal to the proverbial metal with a 32-point fourth quarter and left Milwaukee in the rear-view mirror.

PLAYER OF GAME
Fourth-year center UGATTA NOLUVFER SPIKIE of Milwaukee was every inch the biggest man in the MBA in this game as the 7-1 pivot pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, scored 17 points, blocked 1 shot and stole 1 pass. He played Hall of Famer Max Payne to a virtual standstill and was a driving force in the near-win.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Despite sitting out almost all of the first quarter and much of the third, Oklahoma City's Hall of Fame guard Naf Naf led everyone in scoring with 26 points. The dead-eye point guard followed up his record-setting performance of 9 playoff treys by popping in 8 on 11 attempts, going 8-for-13 overall. He also led everyone with 2 steals.
-- Yipeekayee Masterfalcon, the two guard for Oklahoma City, stepped up big time when Naf was on the bench. Masterfalcon scored 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, was 3-for-4 from deep, led the team in rebounds with 6, had 3 assists and 1 steal.
-- Hall of Fame center Max Payne, after scoring 17 in Game 1, delivered 20 big points in Game 2, matching his much younger opponent's overall effort. The 15-year vet showed he has not lost a thing in rim-protection ability, leading both teams with 5 blocked shots. He also pulled down 3 boards.
-- Point guard Baskets Weaver of Milwaukee scored 18 points, dished a team-high 4 assists, blocked 1 shot and pulled down 2 boards in the loss.
-- The MBA's best forward this season, Baba Brinkman led his Milwaukee team in scoring with 20 points, grabbed 2 rebounds and had a team-high 2 blocks.
-- Milwaukee small forward Danke Shame scored 15 points, had 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

UP NEXT; The Seattle Stampede looks to complete a first-round upset as it hosts the defending champion Charleston Mountaineers. The Stampede is ahead in the best-of-three series 1-0.