The Breaks of the Game

By: David Halberstam

Narrated by: Brian Troxell

A New York Times best seller, David Halberstam's The Breaks of the Game focuses on one grim season (1979-80) in the life of the Bill Walton-led Portland Trail Blazers, a team that only three years before had been NBA champions.

More than six years after his death David Halberstam remains one of this country's most respected journalists and revered authorities on American life and history in the years since WWII. A Pulitzer Prize-winner for his groundbreaking reporting on the Vietnam War, Halberstam wrote more than 20 books, almost all of them best sellers. His work has stood the test of time and has become the standard by which all journalists measure themselves.

The tactile authenticity of Halberstam's knowledge of the basketball world is unrivaled. Yet he is writing here about far more than just basketball. This is a story about a place in our society where power, money, and talent collide and sometimes corrupt, a place where both national obsessions and naked greed are exposed. It's about the influence of big media, the fans, and the hype they subsist on, the clash of ethics, the terrible physical demands of modern sports (from drugs to body size), the unreal salaries, the conflicts of race and class, and the consequences of sport converted into mass entertainment and athletes transformed into superstars - all presented in a way that puts the listener in the room and on the court, and The Breaks of the Game in a league of its own.

©2012 David Halberstam (P)2016 Hachette Audio

A look at the past in the NBA

Great look at the Blazers and the NBA era in the late 70s. Halberstam weaves in interesting stories on some famous and not so famous players while illustrating the challenges the league had prior to Bird and Magic coming into the league.

Loved it!

Brought back so many memories of that era and watching these players as a young fan. Really enjoyed both the story and the excellent narration.

Fifty-five 5’s

Great analysis of the building and breaking of a great team and the league in transition.

Truly one of the all time great sports books

The fact that Halberstam, a world renown American historian, put as much effort into chronicling an era of the NBA as he did with wars and presidential administrations makes this a must read for any sports fan, even if basketball isn't your thing.

Great!

A classic from David halberstam. Takes you back to the days of the early NBA what a great read!

The best book about pro basketball

Great behind the scene story of pro basketball in the Walton era. The portraits of the players and coaches are revealing.

Patience

It starts out a bit slow, but builds in interest and story telling until you get to the point that you’re sad the book is about to end.

Early NBA Lore

Loved the book, especially the parts about Walton and the San Diego Clippers. I was first introduced to basketball in San Diego in late 1978 as a first grader. Was obsessed with the sport especially the high scores and the even taller players. Brought back excellent memories of my early years of fandom.

The writing was excellent and the back story on the players and the league was phenomenal.

The NBA of 1979-1980

David Halberstam's The Breaks of the Game joins Terry Pluto's Loose Balls as my favorite books about basketball, and my favorite portraits of professional sports leagues. They also benefit from having excellent audio productions.

Breaks does so much well, and it's interesting to read about the successes and anxieties of the time. Interesting to see which successes and anxieties of the league remain the same & which successes and anxieties remain different.

If anyone is hesitant to read because of the fact that this book is about a team that ultimately limped into the playoffs in 1979-1980, I would tell you to put your concerns down, because the 1979-1980 Portland Trail Blazers, while clearly being the focus of this book, ultimately serve as a vehicle that tells the story of many. You get portraits of rookies such as Magic Johnson & Larry Bird, the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Marvin "Bad News" Barnes, Dennis Johnson, the early 1970s Knicks, and how some thought they would eventually be the next dynasty after the Celtics of the 50s & 60s, and so much more.

Time Well Spent.

This book is a must read for all NBA junkies.

This book is a must read for NBA junkies. This covers an in-depth look of the Portland Trail Blazers from 1977-1980. Led by Bill Walton, the '77 Blazers thrilled many basketball purists with their unselfish style of play. Following the '77 season, injuries and chemistry problems led to decline of the team and their unsuccessful pursuit of a potential dynasty.

More importantly, the story also tackles many topics such as race, racism, contract disputes, loyalty, television advertising, team chemistry, team politics, Bill Walton, corruption in college basketball (this is in the 70s which is crazy!), college vs. pros, the Blazers making one of the WORST trade of all time by trading Moses Malone to the Houston Rockets for a bag of chips, a player by the name of Marvin Barnes who could've been the GOAT but ruined his career by doing drugs and many more.