Probably the best book I have read about a single game or season. But though it's ostensibly about the 79-80 trailblazers, it really isn't. It's more about the NBA, and professional athletes in general, in the 60s and 70s, in that difficult time when things were going from minor to major money. It took me a while to get into it as I wasn't keen on the intro or Halberstam's style. But by about page 30 he warmed on me and subsequently found many examples of the perhaps the best sports writing I have ever encountered (my favourite being the paragraph where he explains the xenophobia/racism destroying potential of sports). Some of theses stories are absolutely incredible (particularly Kermit Washington's) and it is amazing that he was able to get so many people to speak to him so honestly.
This is a must read for basketball fans but I would say it is also a must read for sports fans in general, people interested in the professionalization/commoditization of sports and any one who likes good non-fiction story telling. Fantastic.
