Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: 10 best players from 1st NBA decade (1976-86)

By Phil Watson

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MAY 1984: Buck Williams #52 of the New Jersey Nets shoots during the 1984 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks in May 1984 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MAY 1984: Buck Williams #52 of the New Jersey Nets shoots during the 1984 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks in May 1984 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets
BOSTON, MA – 1986: Otis Birdsong #10 of the New Jersey Nets shoots against the Boston Celtics during a game circa 1986 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1986 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /

147. . SG. Acquired in trade from Kansas City, June 8, 1981. Otis Birdsong. 5. player

The New Jersey Nets pulled off a big trade on draft night in 1981, acquiring All-Star guard Otis Birdsong and the rights to second-round pick Steve Lingenfelter from the Kansas City Kings in exchange for Cliff Robinson.

Birdsong was coming off an All-NBA campaign with the Kings. But injuries were a near-constant with Birdsong throughout his time in New Jersey, as he missed significant time due to knee and hamstring problems.

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He was limited to 37 games in his first season with the Nets and only played in 62 in 1982-83.

In 1983-84, Birdsong returned to the All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career, averaging 19.8 points and 3.9 assists in 31.4 minutes per game, even as he played only 69 games.

He topped the 20-point-per-game mark in 1984-85, but missed 26 games with injuries. 1985-86 was his healthiest campaign in New Jersey, as Birdsong appeared in 77 games and put up 15.8 points in 31.1 minutes per game.

He would stay with Jersey for two more injury-truncated seasons before being waived by the Nets in August 1988. Birdsong made a late-season cameo with the Boston Celtics in 1989 before retiring.

In the 1976-86 period, Birdsong averaged 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30.9 minutes per game on a .506/.241/.597 slash line. He also played in 16 playoff games, putting up 15.6 points, 3.8 assista dn 1.8 steals in 34.8 minutes while shooting .438/0-for-5/.536.

In the Nets’ first NBA decade, Birdsong was second with 5,194 points, third with 1,122 assists and fifth with 370 steals.

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