Throwback Night thoughts from a guy who was there

I fell asleep Saturday afternoon and missed most of the first half of the game at Indiana. I felt as if the guys who wore those old uniforms, I think they were the first ones that were Nuggets uniforms (discounting the 1949 team) instead of Rockets uniforms, those guys (Dan Issel, David Thompson, Bobby Jones, Ralph Simpson, The late Marvin Webster, Byron Beck, Claude Terry, Gus Gerard et al.)would have blown out the current Indiana team. I didn't clue in right away that the Indiana team was wearing their throwback uniforms too. The thing that clued me in was the thought "hey I didn't know they still used the 'hand on the ball P' logo". Then I realized they were having throwback night too. I remember the Pacers that used to wear those uniforms; Mel Daniels (built kind of like Elton Brand but far better skills, would have been an NBA all-star, one of the most underrated players ever), George McGinnis (a great scorer before he got to the Nuggets), Bob Netolicky, Don Buse (didn't look at all like a basketball player but could handle the ball and shoot, sort of like Steve Nash only a way better shooter) and Darnell Hillman (the undisputed king of the afro hairstyle). Later on they show some old guy standing on the court and lo and behold it's Darnell Hillman! Who would have ever recognized him? He was the leapingest 6' 9" guy you ever saw (Well maybe Blake Griffin jumps better but that's it) and he actually played for the Nuggets a little bit on the downside of his career. It's a shame that they couldn't have broken out the red, white and blue basketballs for the night. In fact I think they should adopt a rule that the Nuggets, Spurs, Pacers and Nets are allowed the option of playing their home court pre-season games with the red, white and blue ball. Then when fans demand more they would be allowed to play their regular season games with it and before you know it the whole league would be using it. If you ever saw a game with the red,white and blue ball you'd wish they were all played with that ball. You can see the spin on the ball and you can tell where the ball is coming off on rebounds. Back in the ABA days, the Pacers were a team that you wanted to go see; them and the Colnels and the Nets/Squires (whichever Dr. J was playing for). It was the biggets heartbreak ever when those Nuggets lost the ABA championship series to the Nets. Nowdays they try to credit Dr. J for that championship but it was really a guy named Jon Williamson that won that final game for the Nets. We've never been to a championship series since. Saturday was quite the trip down memory lane But it was disappointing that Darnell Hillman was the only ABA guy we saw that night. I hope when the Nuggets have their home throwback night they can show more of the guys I mentioned.