March 7 1982
Andrew Toney puts on an absolute performance for the home Philadelphia crowd gets to enjoy against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. Toney would finish shooting 21 for 29 off the Philadelphia 76ers bench, marking his name as one to watch for years to come. He would be voted an all star the following season, averaging 20 a game for the second consecutive year.
Toney's most known quality on the basketball court was his ability to take over games from the offensive end of the floor. He was often compared to another scoring forward of the 80s, Bernard King, who would oftenly carry the New York Knicks offense. Toney was given the notorious nickname "The Boston Strangler" due to his ability to dominate games from the offensive end, something he did very well against Boston in the playoffs.
Andrew Toney is one of the worst cases of poor player management by a sports organization in the history of professional sports. After telling the Philadelphia 76ers he was experiencing discomfort in his feet, the team didn't believe him, and it was later discovered Toney was playing on stress fractures in both feet. This led to chronic injuries that would hinder his NBA playing career to only 8 seasons, cutting short a career on the Hall of Fame trajectory, something the decade of the 1980s knows a lot about. This costly decision by the 76ers stunted their 80s contention hopes as well, with Erving aging, there was no forward to take his place with a sidelined Andrew Toney. Their title window closed, and they shipped off their young, talented power forward in Charles Barkley to Phoenix. Their also mystifying trade with Washington involving trading away a young Brad Daughtery pick also helped sink the ship. Jeff Ruland.
Charles Barkley claims Toney is the greatest player he ever played with, ahead of names like Moses Malone and Julius Erving. Barkley believed Toney was more talented than them.
Danny Ainge was once asked which player he worried about the most come playoff time. "Not Magic or Dr J, it's Andrew Toney that keeps me awake at night." Toney retired in 1988.
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