Hoops Habit
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The 10 Best Debuts Of The NBA Playoffs

By Josh Eberley

Apr 12, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) is defended by Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) is defended by Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1970’s: Gary Brokaw #25 of Milwaukee Bucks shoots against the Washington Bullets during a mid circa 1970’s NBA basketball game at the Baltimore Coliseum in Baltimore, Maryland. Brokaw played for the Bucks from 1974-76. (Photo by Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1970’s: Gary Brokaw #25 of Milwaukee Bucks shoots against the Washington Bullets during a mid circa 1970’s NBA basketball game at the Baltimore Coliseum in Baltimore, Maryland. Brokaw played for the Bucks from 1974-76. (Photo by Focus On Sport/Getty Images) /

Gary Brokaw, Milwaukee Bucks, 1976

Age 22
Points 36

Who is Gary Brokaw? Don’t worry, I didn’t know either.

Here’s the remarkable thing–I doubt many of the old timers even know who Mr. Brokaw was, what kind of player he was, or can recall a single memory. He played only 241 games over the course of four seasons, which might make his 36-point explosion in the playoffs even more impressive.

Over the course of his sophomore season, Brokaw averaged only 19.6 minutes a night; he wasn’t an instant sensation and he wasn’t running the offense on a nightly basis.

So here come the playoffs. Bob Lanier and the fifth-seeded Detroit Pistons head into Milwaukee for Game 1 and Brokaw goes bonkers. Over the course of the night he converts 13 buckets and makes 10 of his 11 free throws. The Bucks won the game 110-107. They lost the next two games, but I’m sure that weekend was LIT in Milwaukee.

Next: Mitch Richmond 1989