THOUGHTS FROM A SEPTUAGENARIAN. Sports have changed radically since I made my debut in a little over 72 years ago. Here’s an example of how the NBA has morphed since then.

Let’s just look at the two teams in the NBA finals and start with the Pacers. They didn’t even come into existence until I’m 14 when the American Basketball Association was formed. When the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, Indiana along with 3 other teams in the ABA became part of the National Basketball Association when I was 23. The franchise had made one NBA finals in 2000 losing to the Lakers when I was 47.

Moving to the Thunder. Also came into existence in 1967 as an expansion franchise but as the Seattle SuperSonics. Played in three NBA finals with one championship that occurred in 1979 when I turned 26. Moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and one trip to the finals in 2012 losing to the Heat. I was 61 when that transpired.

Starting to catch the drift here? Neither team came on my radar until I was 14 and have not even been an occasional blip but more of an anomaly in the next 68 years.

Starting Thursday these two veritably newbies will vie for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Either way The Association has made exponential advance since my first NBA finals when the Minneapolis Lakers, not the Los Angeles Lakers, defeated the New York Knicks in 1953.

For the better? I’ll let you answer that for yourself.

Book it Dano!