Book-browsing the other day, I came across the latest issue ofRolling Stone, their 40th Anniversary issue. Interesting in that it had 20 interviews with various VIPs and their recollections of 1967, The Summer Of Love.
Jimmy Carter, Patti Smith, George McGovern, Jane Fonda, Michael Moore, Paul McCartney...
... and not a single person of color.
Not a one.
Now, I know, it's Rolling Stone. Dedicated to keeping rock and roll alive, music that if you believe some is mostly white: The Beatles, Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Stones, Chicago, Led Zep, The Doors...you get the idea. Never mind the fact that R&R orgins are rooted in rhythm and blues, or the Chuck Berrys, Otis Reddings, Little Richards who helped shape the genre.
And I have no problem giving props where they are due - I have and play music from all of the above in my collection. But RS has always seemed to accept its roots with reluctance, preferring the "rock" in "rock and roll" - and that is not my reality.
Speaking of reality, quick: What were the two defining issues of 1967 - if not the decade? If you chose anything other than Civil Rights and Vietnam, kindly go back into hibernation.
And the faces of civil rights were...King, Ralph Abernathy, Stokley Carmichael, Huey Newton, Andy Young, Fannie Lou Hamer, and so on. (Notice a trend?) The most hated man in 1967 America?
Muhammad Ali, of course, refused induction ("I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong") and unjustly stripped of his title that June at the peak of his serious, serious game.
And Rolling Stone decided that out of 20 interviews they couldn't have ONE interview of an Ali, Andrew Young, Smokey Robinson or Carlos Santana? Was Bill Russell or Jim Brown busy? How about a close associate of the late, great, Ceasar Chavez?
What, all of their phones were disconnected?
Rolling Stone blew it. By design.
Then again, whitewashing history is so... 1967...
And that's why that issue stayed on the rack, unbought.
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In other news, the Spurs Robert Horry was ready and willing to compare his Spurs to the great teams of the 1980's.
"We would beat them," he boasted.
"No disrespect to the guys back in the 80's and the 70's, but the guys now are so much better than those guys," Horry said. "I don't care what they say. If you look at old films, guys only went right. They turned and kept it in their right hand. Look at the things LeBron (James) can do, Tim (Duncan) can do, Tony (Parker) can do, Manu (Ginobili) can do. Little (Daniel) Gibson over there. There's no way you can compare those guys. We watched what they did and expanded on that."
OK Big Shot Bob, are you telling me that everyone in today's NBA can go left? Please! You've been in the league since Mikan, and the next time I see you post twice in a row will be the first. I'll be the first to say that this league has more athletes than ever. I'll also say that basketball skills are still in shorter supply league-wide than common sense in the Paris Hilton household.
While I'm on this subject, Tim Duncan would have to play center, assuming that we use the 06-07 Spurs in this comparison. Honestly, does anyone really believe that Fabrico "Little Fabio" Oberto would last against Robert Parish, Kareem, or Moses Malone? I'm disqualfiying him on his hair alone. Nah, Timmy D, you're going to have to man up and be what you are - a center.
Now onto the comparison:
1985 Lakers vs 07 Spurs:
Backcourt:Magic v. Tony Parker. Parker would probably draw Bryon Scott, I suspect Magic would guard the offensively challenged Bruce Bowen or the solid, but aged Michael Finley. Scott would not only slow down Parker somewhat, but unlike Eric Snow, Bryon had a deadeye out to three point range. And who guards Magic? Ginobili would get posted more than a Gabrille Union pin-up. Bowen couldn't stop LeBron from posting - do you think he'd do better with Magic? Edge:Lakers, but not a huge one.
Frontcourt: Big Game vs Big Shot. James Worthy , A.C. Green and Kurt Rambis vs Bruce Bowen, Horry, and Oberto. I suspect that Bowen would start by guarding Magic, hence Horry would get the PT on James. For stretches, Horry would hold his own - after all, Worthy is the forefather of Horry - a tall (Worthy goes 6-9 to Horry's 6-10), "long" explosive 3 on the wing.
Alas, Horry may have been "The New", it doesn't mean he's "The Improved". Worthy is far more offensive-minded and can score inside or out, depending on the situation. A young Horry would have made this a really interesting confrontation with his defense and length. But over 7 games, if the series goes that long, Horry gets ground down, forcing Bowen or Finley to deal with number 42. A.C. Green/Rambis and Elston/Oberto would be a standstill.
But the special matchup would be The Hair of Oberto vs The Jehri Curl of Green. A.C.'s grease would give him a small edge inside, where he'd be harder to grab, but it would be hell on his shooting touch.
Edge: Lakers, Worthy being the difference.
Center: Kareem vs Duncan/Oberto/Elston - Possibly the two most fundamentally sound big men to ever play square off. The Skyhook v. The Bank Shot. The Old Stone Face versus... The Younger Stone Face. Duncan would get the edge running the floor on the 40-year-old "Cap", but the skyhook is money - and I'm talking Euros (have you seen the dollar lately?). Kareem basically took most of the regular season off from rebounding, but stepped it up in the playoffs. Duncan's D would make life difficult for Jabbar, and Elston would #### to make life painful and slow The Old Man down. I suspect Horry would even take a turn here. But Duncan isn't used to guarding prolific post men. He usually left the dirty work of guarding Shaq to Robinson or Malik Rose until the 4th period. He won't have that luxury against this team.
Edge: Draw.
The Bench: Spurs bring the 6th man of the year in Ginobili. Brent Barry would drop in some threes. Horry would be the swing man playing the 3-4-5 slots. But the Lakers would bring Michael Cooper, the Bruce Bowen of the 80s (minus the cheap shots) to lock down Parker or G-Nose (more likely), and to match Barry or Bowen on 3's. Mychal Thompson and Kurt Rambis would provide more scoring than Elson or Oberto, and could guard Duncan credibly. Thompson and Kareem at the 4 and 5 have a clear edge on any Duncan combo that the Spurs could throw out.
Edge: Lakers, slight.
Overall, I actually like the 85 Lakers more, with a younger Kareem, but their bench wasn't quite as deep (Silk Wilkes was getting up there in age, as was Bob McAdoo), and no A.C. Green.
And I'd like the Spurs to take a couple of games on guts, Parker, and a big game from Manu supporting Duncan. But the Lakers' superior depth and running game and Magic would be too much over the course of seven games. The Spurs would have to slow the tempo, and the great secret of the Showtime Lakers was that they could play it either way, much to the chagrin of the Spurs.
Quote of the Week: At dinner Sunday night, I mentioned that final episode of "The Sopranos" killed the Spurs and Cavs last week in the TV ratings "war".
A dinner companion said, "They needed to kill SOMETHING!"
All Hail The King.
Not you LeBron.
I'm talking the San Antonio Spurs... The Spurs have moved into dynasty status with their sweep of the Cavs.
But I am SO not feeling the capital "D" dynasty.
Why? Shouldn't a dynasty team go at least back-to-back once?
Don't blame them for being "boring" - that's a function of horrible Finals matchups as anything else. The 99 Knicks? Strike year. Ewing was hurt (which might have helped the Knicks that year), and the Knicks were outgunned. The '03 Nets? Offensively challenged, and I'll be nice and leave it there. The '05 Pistons were the most worthy competitor, but played as bland a band of basketball as the Spurs.
And you can read this entry to see what I thought of the Cavs, a team that made the '03 Nets look like the second coming of the Showtime Lakers.
It is not the Spurs fault that their stiffest competiton came within their conference, and they took care of business when they could. They have been the most consistent team of the decade, a tribute to their front office, coaching, and players. But their "dominance" hasn't been the type that inspires awe. The Lakers' pulled off a Thee-peat on Duncan's watch, as Kriegle misses that point.
Great organization.
Not a great dynasty.
But I'll be damned if I bet against them right now.
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Bud Selig just doesn't get it.
As any happily married couple will tell you, it never hurts to same "I'm sorry".
"We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward ... Steroids and all that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it." -Jason Giambi
Speaking truth to power can get you in trouble. Speaking truth to no one in particular can get you suspended in MLB. Jason nailed it, and his reward?
Speak to George Mitchell - or get suspended.
If I was Jason, I'd tell Bud to stick it. The man shows a conscience, and THIS is what he gets? Barry Bonds looks smarter every day.
(And that's the last time I'm bringing her fine behind - or face - up in this conversation.)
The only drama left in this finals is whether LeBron finds his inner Kobe and goes 1 on 5 against the Spurs. The only way Cleveland can win even one game is if LBJ goes for at least 40. Forget this "Make your teammates better" ####.
Who is it easier to make better anyhow: Manu Ginobilli or Drew Gooden?
The Cavs scored 33 and 35 points in the first half of the first two games. I'm willing to bet a Happy Meal that the Browns - yes, the Browns with Brady Quinn - will score 30 points in a half this year.
The real remaining pressure is on David Stern. This has not been a good year for the comish, who could not have mishandled the New Ball Fiasco any worse than Phil Leotardo handled his meeting with Tony Soprano.
(And there is your obligatory Sopranos mention.)
Back to The David: The NBF was bad - the NBA playoffs were worse:
First, a 67-win Dallas Mavs team folded like wet origami to the one team that matched up with them (and don't kid yourselves - the Spurs had few answers for Dallas - Coach Pop should do the class thing and send fruit baskets and mixtapes to Oakland in gratitude).
Third, because of the above, we got a painfully boring Spurs-Jazz conference final.
Fourth, the NBA Draft lotto totally bombed, as the three worst teams in the league were locked out of the three top picks. With the two best college players in long time going to the Pacific Northwest, the Eastern Conference pretty much ensured themselves a few more years of June beatdowns.
Fifth - For the fourth time this decade, the Finals isn't an anti-climax - it is freakin' irrelevant. 2001-03, the Lakers and Spurs dispatched the Nets and Sixers, surprising absolutely no one. At least the Sixers had AI's Game 1 to hang their hats on. 2004 featured a Pistons upset, but not a watchable series, and the following year was even more boring. Now in '07, the common perception is that NBA champ was decided in the conference semifinals. And they are right.
Let's face it, the NBA Finals isn't the Super Bowl. As Tim Keown points out, it isn't even the BCS Championship game, and you know you're in trouble when the BCS gives the world a better product.
What are you to do Mr. Stern?
For starters, here are a few ideas:
Re-weigh the lottery so that the worst team has at least a 40% chance instead of 25%. Make sure that the worst team can finish no worst than 3rd in the lottery. If a Portland gets lucky - fine. But we shouldn't have THREE Portland's getting over on the system.
Forget this re-seeding the playoffs that always comes up, that just kills the whole concept of having a conference. I'd go one further:
Move San Antonio to the Eastern Conference. Or Dallas perhaps? Swap the Bucks and Hornets for good measure. Look, if the Baltimore Colts could spend 20 years in the NFL Western Division, and the Atlanta Falcons could spend 30 years in the NFC West, why not put a Texas team back in the Eastern Conference? Think the Rockets or Mavs wouldn't be a huge threat in the East?
Mr. Stern, the next time you hear someone call you the "Greatest Comissioner In Sports", RUN LIKE HELL. Far away. I can make a case that you've read too many of your press clippings, because...
...it's about the game sir. Once you get past the bling, the slick marketing, it always comes back to the game. You waited too long to get rid of all of the excessive physicality. Too many 86-77 games killed your committed fan base. But the game is cleaner now. Now widen the court and lengthen it. Go from 94x50 to 100x55. Half-court sets in the NBA remind me of pickup games at the Y, when we play 5 on 5 half court. Crowded.
Take some of those games back from ABC. Last year, some of the best and/or most exciting basketball (Cavs-Wizards and Suns-Clips come to mind) was never watched because it was on cable. And it was on LATE. Same with these Finals. You don't need a MJ or Bird to sell the Finals. But you do need to sell the league. And you can't do it all on cable. What's next - Pay Per View?
When you do get some of those games on free TV, give them to Fox or NBC if ABC won't promote them properly. And when you do, make sure you get Kenny Smith, Sir Charles and Ernie Johnson to provide analysis. They are the most fun since Cosell and Meredith had their A-game. They are an asset to the league.
Get rid of the best of 7 first rounds. Go back to best of 5, and end the silly layoffs. You're doing it for ratings, and the ratings suck anyway because the games have no interest. And it would be nice to see the season end before the fourth of July. Besides, a shorter season means more time to rest for the players. That means they'll be healthier for the following season.
Time to do the counter-inutitive. Like, right now.
But I’m sorry, the Cleveland Cavailers will not win this series. Cleveland taking this series to six games will be an upset. LeBron stands a better chance of eloping with Eva Longoria. Paris Hilton has a better shot starring in "Penitentiary 3".
Yes, I said this even before that hideous Game 1 performance “won” by the Spurs 89-71.
There is this part of my brain that wants to make it so. And almost every time I went with that atrophied slice of my head, I lost. Badly.
I could give you a deep analysis, such as that famed stat geek John Hollinger, but I have a peeve about belaboring the obvious. Sometimes, Occam’s (Ultra Close) Razor is better than any stat. For those of you that missed “Contact”, Occam’s Razor goes like this:
When in doubt, pick the better team.
Fact: Cleveland isn’t that good, and the NBA Finals never cut severely flawed teams a break.
Fact: The best team almost always wins. You’d have to go back to 1975 when the Warriors led by Rick Barry swept the heavily favored Washington Bullets with Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. And I can make a case that the Warriors were seriously underrated (their roster included Keith (Jamal) Wilkes, Phil Smith, All-Defensive center Clifford Ray (think Ben Wallace with better hair) and Gus Williams), not to mention a weird format that year with a 1-1-1-1 format instead of 2-2-1-1-1 working against the Bullets.
What about 2004 you say? Lakers-Pistons? The Lakers may have had more pure talent, but Karl Malone was hurt, and the atmosphere with Shaq and Kobe had reached toxic levels. And the Pistons proved to be a far better team than we knew. Throw an asterisk on that baby.
Every other time, the clearly superior team won, and usually easily.
Fact: In the history of the NBA Finals, the seven game playoff series goes to the better team - barring major injury or internal strife. Every damn time.
You can claim all you want that LeBron James makes his teammates better than Kobe as the misguided Mark Kriegal did. The truth is, the biggest difference between the two is that LBJ and his teammates play in the pathetic Eastern Conference. Yeah, LeBron loves his teammates. As any single person past 25 will tell you, love ain’t enough. In the Western Conference, the Cavs win 45 games - maybe.
Yes, Cleveland plays solid defense. Teams that can’t score had better. If Charlie Rosen even deigns to read this, he’ll hate this, but it has to be said: Some teams try to outscore their opponents to offset any defensive shortcomings, and some teams grind it out because they can’t score. Guess which box the Cavs go in?
Eric Snow – Can’t score 20 in an empty gym. He’s a nice defender – he’d better be. He can’t shoot.
Larry Hughes – A creative scorer when healthy. Note, I didn’t say a good shooter. A scorer. Note, I said “when healthy”. He isn’t.
Damon Hughes – Looks better in a suit (assuming you are watching him with a welder’s mask on) than in an NBA uniform. Lord love him for cashing in on that one big season with Shaq.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - The slowest big man to make an All-Star team since George Mikan. Nice shot, but did I mention that he is slow?
Drew Gooden – He’s big. He scores a bit. Sort of like a poor man’s Carlos Boozer. Ouch.
Daniel Gibson – I forgive the fact that he went to Texas, since he’s a Houston kid. Then again, he went to Jones High School – I went to Yates. What a loser. Oh yeah, he’s got a streaky shot, and since Game 6, the bar has been raised. To about 6 inches. And he’s still small enough to walk under it without ducking.
Andy Varejao – He’s taken the flop to new heights – or is that depths? Nice energy guy. Translation: Annoying enough to be effective for short periods. Limited enough that he’s one of your seven best players, you aren’t winning many titles.
By the way, is it just me, or does Mike Brown looks a LOT like “Smart Brother” from the movie "Undercover Brother"? Or is he Al Roker’s taller, younger twin?
The Spurs are boring - and look even more unwatchable against a team like the Cavs. They whine far too much. They got a big assist from Golden State (being the worst possible matchup for Dallas), and from David Stu Jackson-Stern in the Phoenix series to get to the finals.
They also have Tim Duncan, one of the best 15 centers ever (he’s a power forward in name only), and please don’t waste my time telling me different). They have Tony Parker torching whomever the Cavs put in front of him. Parker has Eva Longoria. Spurs bring Manu “The Nose that Roared”, and Michael Finley.
Better team? The Spurs.
Hotter team? The Spurs – who finished the regular season 37-7. Both of the Cavs wins came before that run. This series goes five games. My only consolation is David Stern squirming over the lowest TV ratings since the Magic Era began.
Walt Frazier once said you make your name in the regular season; you make your fame in the playoffs. Greatness sustained in the regular season will make a player money and fame. Don’t confuse that fame with “Fame” with the capital ‘F’. That only comes from playoff brilliance and championships. And nowhere can you do more than in a Game Seven. You ball in a Game Seven, and one day, they’ll read your name in reverent tones from a scroll on a mountain.
If Willis Reed hobbles back on to the floor for a February 1970 game against Seattle, it’s appreciated by his teammates only.
But when Willis Reed limps onto center court at Madison Square Garden in Game 7, and the name Willis Reed is synonymous with courage. Two hours and an epic victory later, and few remember that he scored a mere four points (the first two baskets of the game), and was barely able to play the first half. The legend was made for a lifetime.
Game Seven pressure isn’t for everyone. Doug Christie admitted being overwhelmed by the moment. He went 2 for 13. The Kings lose. (Chris Webber took all the heat for some reason, but I digress.) Dennis Johnson once went oh-for-14 in a Game 7. He came back the next year to be Finals MVP, proving that redemption is possible, but never assured.
Game Seven just has that attraction. The finality of the game. The ultimate “must win” for both teams. None of this “it’s a must win” #### when a team is down 2-1 in the series. You win and move on – or capture the prize, or you lose and go home. The setup and build up is important. The eyes of the world focused on this stage, and that desire we have for heroes to rise up, and frankly we also live to see who will sink under the pressure. One game. For survival.
In what has already been an incredible playoff season, in less than four hours we’ll start not one, but two Game Sevens. Steve Nash, Sam Cassell, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker... who will enhance their cred, who will create a legend tonight?
In that vein, let’s look at the great moments of Game Sevens Past. The surprise may be in the names you will NOT see here. Magic’s 42 point, 15 rebound, 7 assist gem in 1980 vs. Philly? Sorry, it was a Game 6. Kareem’s 29 points in Boston Garden that finally ended the Celtic mojo on the Lakers? Ditto. Don’t look for Michael Jordan either. The Bulls never went to a Game 7 in the Finals, and his other Game Sevens, while nice, they don’t make the cut here. Sam Jones and Oscar Robinson had some games that came close in the 1960s, but they were in decisive best-of-five series. My personal tough omission was Bernard King’s one-man demolition of the Pistons in 1984, but again, it was in a 5-game series.
Tim Duncan last year? He made a nice run in the third period of Game 7 last year, but once you get past the spin control of the announcers, you realize that he was 10-27. Sorry, but Magnificent Seven ballers need no validation from the media. Their performance is gives them their cred and we, the fan, acknowledge and recognize.
One day, if they ever come up with a Game Seven Most Valuable Baller award, name it after Bill Russell. Why? Let me preface my remarks thusly: I love Wilt. I think he was the greatest center ever, and possibly the greatest player to ever lace up Chuck Taylors, Nikes, or whatever anti-gravity boots ballers will wear in 2106.
But Bill was 10-0 in Game 7. Read that again. Ten Game Sevens, the man never lost. Four times against Wilt's teams, he won by a combined total of nine points. Some of those involved luck (especially 1965 and 69), but 10-0 is hard to beat - or impeach.
Read on:
1970 Clyde and Willis – Even fans who weren’t born in 1970 know about the 1970 Knicks. The Setup: Willis Reed went down with a thigh injury in Game 5, and the Knicks rallied for a miracle win. Game 6 featured Wilt Chamberlain (himself recently back from a major knee injury) putting up 45 and 27 ballboards in a blowout win.
The Inspiration: Just before game time, Willis got two injections that allowed him to walk on to the floor (wait a minute, isn’t that a performance enhancing drug?). Nothing written can do the ovation he received justice. Just watch the replay. And everyone was caught up in the moment, Knicks, their fans, and alas, the Lakers as well. Reed hits the first two shots of the game, and the rout was on. 63-39 Knicks at the half, they cruise to their first title 113-99. The Devastation: Many tend to forget those first two baskets were Reed’s only points of the game. As Walt Frazier put it, “Willis provided the inspiration, I provided the devastation.” 36 points and 19 assists. Think about that, 19 dimes in a game where you score 36. And at least four steals of his rival Jerry West. Willis got the MVP, but a second should have been made for Clyde.
1969 Finals: The Logo Falls Just Short – Six times, the Lakers played the Celtics in the 1960s for the title. Three times, it came to a Game Seven.
The Setup: The previous five times, Boston came out ahead. In every series, Boston had home court. But this time, the Lakers at 55-27 had home court over the 48-34 Celtics. Moreover, after having no real threat to Bill Russell in the middle, the Lakers had picked up Wilt Chamberlain from the Sixers. The Lakers were favored, and went up 2-0 in the series. Only a Sam Jones miracle basket at the buzzer to save the series for Boston. Meanwhile, Jerry West was a beast. The Logo goes off for 53 points and 10 assists in a Game 1 win, and had cracked 30 points in four of the first six games. For the first time in this rivalry, the Lakers would host Game Seven. Laker owner Jack Kent Cooke was so sure of victory, he ordered 10,000 balloons to be put into the rafters at the Forum, to be released when the Lakers finally won.
The Game:West did his part, playing 46 minutes with a badly damaged hamstring and jammed finger. Mr. Clutch dropped 42, with 13 boards and 12 assists, his fourth game of at least 39 points in the series. However, this game is better remembered for:
· - Jack Kent Cooke’s balloons in the Forum rafters. The Celtics got wind of the plans, no doubt helped by a glance upward into the rafters where the balloons sat. Russell said, “It’s going to be fun watching them take those balloons down one at a time.” Suitably inspired, Boston jumped out to a 24-12 lead and maintained control throughout until a massive fourth quarter rally by the Lakers.
· - Butch Van Breda Koff benching of Wilt for the final five minutes of the game. The Lakers had cut a 17 point deficit to 9 when Wilt (who outscored Russell 18-6, and outrebounded him 27-21 in five fewer minutes) limped off the floor with a leg injury. After a minute, he attempted to go back in, but was told to sit. The Lakers got within one, but no closer because of:
·…Don Nelson’s shot clock buzzer-beater that hit the back iron went straight up and fell through to give the Celtics the breathing room they needed to win their 11th title 94-92.
Footnote: Insult to Injury? As Finals MVP (the only one awarded to a player on the losing team), West won a car. It was green. To this day, West is still the only player on the losing team to win the MVP. The balloons? They were donated to a children’s hospital. Of special note to the bricklayers remaining in the playoffs: The Lakers shot 28 for 47 from the chairty stripe.
Hakeem Olaujuwon: 1994 Finals – 1994 marked the first time neither team broke 100 in any game. But there was a Game 7 of note. Hakeem cemented his status as the league’s premier player in the absence of Air Jordan.
The Game: Hakeem scored 25 points 10 boards, 7 assists and 4 blocks against his rival Patrick Ewing. As he did in Game 6, Hakeem came up with a big block and a rebound late in the game. Hakeem pulled down the MVP honors making him the first player in NBA history to win regular season and Finals MVP and Defensive Player Of The year in the same season.
Footnote: Shooting Blanks - No Knick fan can remember this series without remembering All-Star John Starks’ 2-18 stat line in Game 7. Nor should Pat Riley be forgotten for not going to a hotter – or less cold – shooter when it was obvious that the streak-shooting Starks was having an off game. I thank Knick fans for that whenever I see them.
1957: And The Rookies Shall Lead – I consider this one of the true hidden gems of the NBA. The 1957 Finals was one of the greatest playoff series ever. Really. Short-shorts, running hook shots, and set shots aside, Game 7 is arguably the best single NBA basketball game ever played. This game had it all: Seven Hall of Famers on the court (the Celtics started four, and brought Frank Ramsey off the bench), double overtime, last second baskets, and a Hail Mary that nearly pushed this classic to a third OT. The league should do everyone a favor and find the full tape of this game.
The Setup: The St. Louis Hawks made the Finals thanks to a trade with Boston. The Celtics sent All-Star Ed Macauley and future All-Star Cliff Hagan to St. Louis for the draft rights to an offensively challenged stringbean named Bill Russell. The trade got St. Louis to the Finals four times in five years. The trade would get Boston a dynasty. Did I mention that Red Auerbach used to work for Hawks owner Ben Kerner? And that Red punched him in the mouth before Game 3? And you thought Mark Cuban was interesting.
The Game: Double digit lead changes? Try 38 lead changes. 28 ties. Last second shots? A last second shot by the Hawks Jack Coleman forced overtime. Then late free throws forced a second OT. Russell came up with 19 points, 32 boards and (unofficially) 12 blocks. Tom Heinsohn, who actually won Rookie of the Year that year, poured in 37 points and 23 ballboards before fouling out.
With the C’s up 125-123 and 2 seconds remaining, Hawks player-coach Alex Hannum checks himself into the game for the first time with a special play: Hannum inbounds the ball from under his defensive basket. He hasHall of Famer forward Bob Pettit to station himself at the foul line while Hannum launches a pass from the opposite baseline. “I’ll throw it off the backboard and rim, you crash the glass and tip it in” said Hannum. Pettit said years later, “We’re all wondering, Alex has a hard time hitting the rim from 15 feet; how in the heck is he going to do it from 94 feet?”
And guess what? Not only did Hannum flawlessly manage to get the ball off the backboard and the rim, Pettit got the rebound. And as Pettit tells it, “I should have made the shot, really. Alex’s pass was perfect, I just rushed it.” The last shot circled the rim and fell off, and the Celtics begin the Russell Era with an amazing 125-123 win.
Footnote - History goes to the Winners: The C’s needed every point from Russell and Heinsohn. The Celtics starting backcourt of Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman combined to go – brace yourself – 5 for 40 from the floor. Two Hall Of Fame and Top 50 players shoot 12.5% in a Game 7. With that type of bricklaying, we have an idea of where some of those rebounds came from. It also shows that when you win, all is forgiven.
Lakers and Celtics 1962: Oh So Close – The 1969 loss may have been the most painful one for Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Co. to take. But the Lakers never came closer to ending the Celtics streak of eight straight championships than on April 18, 1962.
The Setup: The Celtics had designs on a mere four-pete in 1962, having won three straight already. The Lakers had come into their own with Jerry West (30.8) and Elgin Baylor (38.3) being the league’s most lethal 1-2 combo (Jordan and Pippen eat your heart out). The Lakers had the firepower, with Baylor’s 61 point explosion winning Game 5 at the Garden. But the Celtics had balance, and they had Russell. That proved to be the difference.
The Game:A tense affair from wire to wire, the Celtics led by 6 at the half despite a 1 for 10 start for Sam Jones. The Lakers rallied to tie the game at 100 on consecutive baskets by Frank Selvy. After a Boston miss, the Lakers had a shot to win the title in regulation. West and Baylor were covered. The pass went to a wide-open Selvy who put up a 10 foot jumper from near the baseline, a shot he made 8 times out of 10. The shot skidded just off the rim, and into the loving arms of Russell. Overtime. Once there, the Celtics held off the Lakers 110-107. Sam Jones came back to score 27, but it was Russell who won it for the Celtics. The career 15.1 per game scorer went for 30 points with 40 -yes you read that right -forty rebounds!
Footnote - Byron Russell meet Elgin Baylor: For years, Baylor maintained he got shoved out of bounds just before he could tap in Selvy’s last shot. Several years after the game, he got a copy of the game film, and it showed Sam Jones shoving him right out perfect rebounding position, “Right into the referee. There was no foul call there either.” Jones later admitted his “crime”. If you get away with it, it’s legal, right?
1982: The Boston Strangler gets The Leprechaun. It was a familiar nightmare for Sixer fans. The Setup: In 1968 the Sixers blew a 3-1 lead to Boston, losing Game 7 in the Garden by 2 points. In 1981, the Celtics rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take down the Sixers, winning game 7 at “Da Gahden” 91-90. In 1982, the Sixers again led 3-1. Again they lost the next two. Again they had to play a Game 7 in…you guessed it. Celtic fans, who could match Philly fans in sheer obnoxiousness, were primed. The Boston Garden was know to #### teams, players, and even referees whole in pressure situations. Being merely strong wasn’t enough to survive. The garden could only be conquered by the fearless. Enter Andrew Toney. Always a consistent and fearless scorer, Toney turned his game up several levels against the hated Green. Toney already had three games of 26 or more points in the series against the Celtics, many of them with his signature unorthodox but lethal jumper. Game Seven would immortalize Toney with his politically incorrect, but perfectly accurate moniker.
The Game: The Sixers led, the Celtics kept the pressure on. You kept waiting for the Celtics to break the Sixers. Boston Garden crazies, Bird, Parrish, Tiny…the C’s would make a run, but Dr. J (28 points), or Bobby Jones would have a big basket. Most of all, it was Andrew Toney, with no fear, with a game high 34 points (series average of 26.5) with repeated daggers to the heart of the Celtics and the Garden faithful. The breakage never came. The Sixers cut down the Celtics 120-106 in Game Seven, only the second time ever that the Celtics had ever lost a Game Seven in their house. And Andrew Toney forever became “The Boston Strangler”.
Footnote - Shockingly Classy Sendoff: In the closing moments, when it became obvious that the Curse of The Leprechaun was broken, the Boston crowd rose to their feet and paid tribute to the Sixers with a spontaneous “Beat LA!” chant.
1988: The Gunfight at The Garden – The Eastern Conference Semifinals featured the Boston Celtics at the end of their great run and the Atlanta Hawks, a powerful team in their own right. Alas, they had the misfortune of playing the same era – and conference - as the Celtics, Bulls, and Pistons. But in Game 7, the Hawks and their leader, Dominique Wilkins had their finest hour.
The Game: The game was close, but nothing special – well, by the criteria of this article. However, when the game was tied at 86 with about 10 minutes to go, something happened. A basket by Bird, an answering basket by Wilkins. After that, Nique and Larry Bird decided to strap ‘em on. As Kevin McHale said, "It was like two gunfighters waiting to blink. There was one stretch that was as pure a form of basketball as you're ever going to see." And it was. For the remainder of that game, you didn’t leave the TV, you turned down phone calls, although I made at least two screaming into the phone “You got to turn on the $%*&@ TV to the game! Nique’s goin’ OFF!”
But so was Bird, with 9 points in two minutes. But Wilkins answered again and again. In one sequence, Bird hit a jaw dropping jumper in traffic. Celtics up by 3. Wilkins promptly comes down and nails a deep three from the left wing. Game tied. Bird got the go-ahead basket with a little over 3 minutes, but the Celtics couldn’t shake the hawks. It was like match point between Andre and Sampras. Back and forth, and back and forth again. The game didn’t end until an intentional free throw miss by Nique was tipped away by Parish at the final horn. Celtics 118 Hawks 116. The Celtics didn't win - the Hawks simply ran out of time. Bird had 20 points in the fourth quarter on 9-10 shooting, and 34 total on 15-20 shooting. Wilkins was even better: 19-24 for 47 points. I’m no fan of the “noble in victory”, and as a Laker/Rockets fan, has always had a healthy dislike of the Celtics. Yet, no one I know who saw the game wanted it to end. Basketball in heaven would have duels like this every day.
1988: The Pistons are Not Worthy – Do you want to earn a nickname? Drop a Triple Double in a Game 7. There haven’t been many of them in the past. James Worthy, who lived in the shadow of his teammates for most of his career, had developed an interesting habit. Only once in his career did he not average more points and rebounds in the postseason than he did in the regular season. 1988 was a war between the Lakers and the rising dynasty that was the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons served notice with a 105-93 Game 1 victory.
A Game Five win put the Pistons up 3-2, but back in the Forum, the Lakers won Game 6 with 26 from Worthy, which was just enough to withstand Isiah Thomas’ epic 25 point third quarter despite a badly sprained ankle. All of this set up Game 7.
The Game: Big Game James fueled a third period rally (hitting their first 10 shots of the second half) to go up by as many as 15 in the fourth period. The Pistons got to within one, but could not close the deal. And even with the brilliance of Magic Johnson, it was Big Game James Worthy stage. 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. A monster triple double, and it made the 88 Lakers the first repeat champs since the 1969 Celtics.
Footnote – The Lakers became the only team to win three seven game series in one playoffs, having beaten Dallas and Utah in the previous series before the Pistons.
Honorable Mentions:
1981 Western Semifinals - Calvin Murphy, the Rockets’ star 6th man, was placed back into the starting lineup for Game 7 of the Western Semifinals. He went for 42 points as the Rockets upset the San Antonio Spurs on their way to the Finals that year.
1984 NBA Finals -Cedric Maxwell told his teammates before the game, "Get on back boys, and I'll carry you home." He did just that with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals. Larry Bird might have been the Finals MVP, but there was no doubt that Maxwell was the Game 7 MVP. If I could add one more to my list, it would have been this performance.
1987 Eastern Conference Finals – The evil demons of the Boston Garden strike again. Vinnie Johnson and Adrian Dantley bumped heads in a loose ball collision in the fourth period. Neither man was 100% the rest of the way, and the Celtics exploited this to pull out a narrow win. It was Boston’s last conference championship.
2002 Western Conference Finals – Kings have a chance to win at the buzzer, but Peja Stojakovic air balls a long jumper. Kobe and Shaq hold off Kings in OT, as the badly outplayed Lakers somehow win the series.
1971 Eastern Conference Finals – Baltimore outguts the Knicks 93-91 in a classic seven game war, capped by a great Game Seven. Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe outscored Walt Frazier 26-13, and current commentator Fred “The Man With The Point” Carter hit what proved to be the winning basket.
Update from Dallas: Stu Jackson, NBA watchdog against acts of random violence (mostly because no sane team will let him coach), suspends Jason Terry for a half punch thrown while on his back in a pileup that a TV camera half-caught. Jason felt that getting his head pushed into the floor by Michael Finley demanded action. Of course, Finley got a pass.
But Kobe Bryant gets a pass for belting Raja Bell twice in the head with an elbow. Reggie Evans get his hand under Chris Kaman's shorts and checks him for possible genital deformities. He gets a fine.
Got to love Stu's logic, "Certainly one clear difference is in the case of Reggie Evans we didn't have a clear view exactly what happened," Stu Jackson, the NBA vice president who handles such punishments, said Thursday. "We understand he reached underneath the player, but you couldn't see the end result. It's really an apple and an orange."
First Stu, it's more like apples and er, walnuts. Secondly, no one had a clear view, but the Spurs found a camera with the right angle and rushed it to the league in record time. Thirdly, when even Greg Popavich looked guilty at this Xmas present, just maybe you and Comissioner Stern (rumor has it Stu's mouth only moves when The David's hand is in his back) should take a good hard look at this "policy".
When training as a referee, I was always told one thing: don’t decide the outcome of games if you can avoid it. Let the players decide the game. Now league officials have taken on that role. I think our leaders in Washington have proven that the whole ‘resolute’ thing has not worked, so show some flexibility. I admit I’m rooting for Dallas tonight.
And if Phoenix can win a Game 6 without Raja Bell - on the road no less - don't think that Dallas will fold.
I think Antonio McDyess is still sitting on the Piston bench in deep shock.
It won’t be too long until I see a headline titled “BUSTED!” with Rasheed Wallace’s mug on it.
I’m not going to lie – I saw this as a 5 game series for the Pistons. Of course, so did Rasheed Wallace. Three games later, the Cavs have a chance to close at home in what would be the biggest playoff upset…ever? The only thing that comes close would be the Rockets taking down the Lakers in the dearly departed mini-series back in 1981.
LeBron James has been all that – as expected. The unexpected was Donyell Marshall dropping 14 and 13 in Game 5.
What was unexpected was the poise of the Cavs, who rallied and took a valuable life lesson from the loss of Larry Hughes who lost his younger brother last week. Said James, "We're all grown men, and this is just basketball," James said. "It's not life and death, and it's not like they're the big bad wolf and we're the three little pigs. We all lace our shoes up the same way."
Much props goes to LeBron for staying true to himself. He dished for the winning basket last nigh, a sweet feed to Drew Gooden after LBJ drew three men to him. You know damn well if Gooden blows the bunny layup, how many haters would be ripping James for not taking the big shot?
(Aside: the win takes Eric Snow off the hook for the unbelievably brain dead pass he threw with 5 seconds left, expecting to run out the clock. Lindsey Hunter ran it down and got the Pistons one more chance with 1.9 seconds remaining. What in the name of Fred Brown and Brett Favre was he thinking?)
And most unexpected? The loss of poise from the Pistons. Why wasn’t Tayshawn Prince dropping the glove on LeBron (or at least trying to slow him) from the opening tip? What was Chauncey Billups thinking when he committed a 6th foul on a
breakaway with a minute remaining? Why did Flip Saunders have Rasheed Wallace on the bench and Ben Wallace on the floor in an offensive situation on the Pistons last two possessions, and why why WHY was Prince taking the big shot with 6 seconds remaining when Rip Hamilton and McDyess (who was red hot in the 4th period) ready and waiting?
Unreal.
Flip Saunders got out of the first round once in eight years in Minnesota. If the Pistons blow a 2-0 lead, home court, and lose to an inferior Cavs squad…well, Larry Brown might want to take that buyout after all and head West…
Speaking of coaches under the gun, what in the hell was Mike Dunleavy thinking in Games 1-5?
Game 1 – Suns win, go on crucial run with Elton Brand on the bench (while racking up career-high numbers) taking a breather. Shawn Livingston is on the floor while Sam Cassell is riding pine. Sam is more clutch than Indiana Jones in The Temple Of Doom – AND HE'S RIDING PINE?! Livingston commits a pair of pressure turnovers.
Game 3 – Cassell spends all but 35 seconds of the 4th period on the bench. Livingston runs out of gas and big plays. SEE GAME 1! I'M TIRED OF REPEATING MYSELF! Suns pull out a late win.
Game 5 – Clips rally from 19 down to win in OT. Sam I Am actually is on the court at the end, but Livingston throws away a crucial inbounds pass (I’ve lost track of the number of pressure TOs Shawn has complied in the series). For some reason unknown to anyone but himself, Mike D. brings in Daniel Ewing, who hasn’t played since gas was under 2.50 a gallon. Even though the Clips had a foul to give, Ewing doesn’t foul, and Raja Bell nails a 3 with 1.9 seconds left to force OT.
All through the series, in pressure situations, I look in Dunleavy’s eyes and see a little Peyton Manning.
Twice in Portland, he was good enough to coach his team to the Finals, only to get seriously outcoached by Chuck Daly and Phil Jackson. There are worse guys to fall to, but you wonder if he’s learned anything?
Sam Cassell has two more rings than his coach. His entire career, he takes the big shots, he MAKES the big shots. If you've seen that “Major League 2” celebration of his, you know he has, um...cajones grande?
Repeat afterme: EVERY crunch time possession should go through Sam and Elton Brand.
Every damn possession.
In three different games - all Clipper losses - Cassell and/or Brand have been out of the mix. And that’s on the coach. Period.
I believe that one day, Shawn Livingston will be an All-Star. Today, the Clips are Sam Cassell’s team. In Cleveland, LeBron is going to see the ball every time down the stretch. Number 13 will have it in his hands for the Suns. Imagine Kobe NOT committing an assault on the court if he was bypassed for a big shot. Get the pattern?
Game 6 – Nothing unexpected here. The Suns are, as they say down South, “tie-ed”, as in “Lawd, my feet is tie-ed from walking all day. The Suns are the best conditioned team in the league, but a hard 7 game series with the Lakers, a short bench, and now another way with the Clippers, and is it any wonder that shots are going flat?
On to the G-Report.
Phoenix Suns - BUY!
Steve Nash (98/105/Buy!) – The last few games have the Nash haters coming out of the woodwork. The guy has dead legs, as does almost everyone in the Suns top 7 except for Tim Thomas. Not playing until Monday might give his legs the juice they need.
Tim Thomas (70/75/Buy!) – Watched the game last night at The Grand Lux in The Beverly Center. Good viewing (and not just of the game). Good food. Made a new friend. Homeboy (a Philly native) had the best line of the night, “Who stopped feeding Tim the Ny-Quil? He never balled like that in Philly!” I’m inclined to give him the bennie on Game 6. Look for him to man up on Brand in Game 7 and do something that 17 previous teams and 30 former coaches have never seen before – deliver.
Boris Diaw (85/85/Buy) – Not a great game, but the Suns point center still came up with 14, 9 and 7 dimes. Better yet were the two sick up-and-under moves on Kaman and Elton Brand straight out of the Kevin McHale low post Handbook. Daym. He’ll have to play much better to get the Suns out of Game 7 with a win.
Leandro Barbosa (90/87/Buy) – He’s 6’3”, but did you know that he has a 7 foot wingspan. No wonder he’s so dangerous in traffic.
Brian Grant (0/2/DUMP!) – This is a series that was SCREAMING for his talents. Tell me that Grant could not have ####ed on a body or two down low. Either he really set off D’Antoni, Marcus Allen-Al Davis style (unlikely), or this great undersized warrior is truly done. Which is sad.
Mike D’Antoni (95/100/Hold) – Game Six was a throwaway, as far as I’m concerned. Bad news was that this game stayed close. A blowout could have gotten him to clear the bench. He’s made the counter-adjustments whenever needed. Expect the same on Monday.
Clippers (Buy with caution)
Chris Kaman (70/80/Hold) – One day, I’m just waiting for Geico to run a commercial that states “Our insurance is so easy, even a Kaman can use it.” I am a marketing genius.
Sam Cassell (90/90/Buy) – The Alien lives for Game 7’s. Last time he was in one, versus the Lakers in 2004, Sam was too hurt to be a real factor and the Lakers buried the T-Wolves. He’ll be ready…
Corey Maggette (90/85/Buy!) – 25 and 8 ballboards, while missing only one shot. That was the X-factor that the Suns had no answer for. That was the Corey we were expecting in the playoffs!
Shawn Livingston (60/55/Hold) – Just one turnover in 19 minutes last night. Can’t see that happening again. Not wishing ill on the Stick Man, just wondering how Game 7 will affect him...
Elton Brand (100/100/Buy!) – He went to Duke, but I like him anyhow. Game 7 will give this hammer the due he’s been denied for too long. If you lived on the West Coast, you knew how good he was. Now the rest of the US knows…
Quinton Ross (60/40/Hold) – One shot told you all you needed to know about Ross last night. Last play of the first half, Ross catches a pass with his hands all wrong, between his legs, hoists the ball up and shoots in one motion. ####. No hating on Ross, but brotherman had pixie dust on him last night. Buy his lockdown defense, sell on his offense.
And now for the really fun part of the G-report:
Scottie Pippen (5/20/SELL!) – Talk about guzzling hater-ade. Last night, he ripped Nash, saying that he’s been “exposed” in the playoffs.
Look, I didn’t vote Nash for MVP, my vote went to LeBron. Kobe and Nash were fighting for runner-up. Kobe got plain shafted by some writers. But to sit around here and say in effect that Nash is overrated and getting “exposed”, well, that is textbook hating from Scottie. The Suns have played every other day for almost a month. The wonder is that the team has kept their legs this long. It’s amazing how Greg Anthony and Pippen come out the woodwork after a Suns loss. If the Suns make it to a Game 7, will it be another fluke?
Detroit Pistons (Hold)
Chauncey Billups (80/90/Buy) – The single worst mistake he made was his 6th foul in Game 5. He’s the man who has to steady his team at Crunch Time. He’s the man who takes – and makes – the big shots.
Ben Wallace (70/85/Buy!) – heard a rumor that Shaq saw Ben’s 0-7 ‘performance’ from the line the other night, and offered him some advice for end of game situations. “Be seated”.
Flip Saunders (70/85/Hold) – He’s taking heat. He deserves it. But the players were tired of Larry getting all the love. Now it’s time to step up and prove the naysayers wrong. But Flip, why did Tayshawn take the last shot?
Tayshawn Prince (65/75/Hold) – I like most of his game, but why again, why in the hell was he taking the last shot? And why wasn’t he locking down LeBron from the getgo?
Cleveland (Buy!)
LeBron James (100/100/Buy!) – I may not think he’s perfect yet, but judging by that 4-step travel before the game-winner against the Clippers, the refs have already anointed him the next Jordan. Just what the NBA needs, another overprotected superstar.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (65/55/But – with caution.) I’ve seen Z-Man in a slasher flick, damned if I can remember which one. It took five games for Z to remember he actually made an All-Star team.
Anderson Varejao (70/50/BUY!) – Sideshow Bob hair, and a Master’s degree from the Vlade Divac school of flopping. What is there not to like?
Damon Jones (20/20/Hold) – I’d rate him a 40, except for the wardrobe.
Larry Hughes (70/40/Buy!) – He’s supposed to return for Game 6. I expect an inspired player that his teammates will feed off.
Coach Mike Brown (60/50/Buy) – OK. He looks strangely like Smart Brother from “Undercover Brother. The last three games, he’s been coaching like it. But can he teach his team to close the deal?
The G-Report looks at his plasma screen crystal ball:
Mavs upset the Spurs tonight.Josh Howard and Devin Harris will rise up in a big way. Why do I think Mark Cuban is going to hand out 20,000 "Remember The Terry" Towels with "31" emblazoned on them? Because I would?
I love Mike Finley, and I hear he's a nice guy and class act. But he'd better make a quick exit out of Dallas, win or lose tonight.
Pistons survive in a close one tonight to force Game 7.
Raja gets the ‘bow, and now he gets a game off to recover. He deserved the suspension.
Kobe deserved the clothesline.
Sorry Lakers fans (and I count myself as one of them), I’m being objective. Kobe can now officially add Raja Bell to his Rogues Gallery. In fact,The Ocho’s nickname among his peers is probably “He Hate Me”. Raja Bell, Shaq, Ray Allen… Why else did Kobe get up with a sheepish grin on his face, besides the fact that he knew that Bell’s road rage would likely cost his team his services in a must-win Game 6? Because Kobe knew that he had gotten away with some marginal shots of his own.
I saw the two elbows. The first elbow looked incidental, Bell’s flop notwithstanding. The second one was clearly a cheap shot that reminded me of a Bill Laimbeer “Ooops - was that your head I hit with this elbow?” classic.
Even better was David Stern's comment when delivering the suspension, "It was a unmanly act." Did I miss the cross-dressing somewhere? I can tell that His Majesty has played a lot of ball...
The trouble of course is that too many refs are unable to use odd numbers. Refs almost never catch the 1st or 3rd punches, they catch the 2nd and 4th . Bell has been in the league long enough to know better. Do not shed too many tears for Raja, the man clearly "Jerry!" contestant-level stupidity. His Artest-ian moment of thoughtlessness has his already undermanned team in a deeper hole.
Idea: What the NBA could do in playoffs is allow a replay ref to look at those shots that escape the first view, and assess a technical at the half or dead balls for any flagrant fouls. That way, the sneaky guys get their just desserts. The refs clearly allowed too much to go on for too long, while calling cheap fouls on Kwame Brown.
Having said all that, I had the Suns in 6, clearly that will not happen. (I'm going to go out on a long thin limb and take the Suns in 7.) And Kobe is the reason. In the last regular season game with Phoenix, "Kobi" (note the “I”) was determined to show up Raja at every turn, and while he hung 43 on him, the Suns won rather handily. Clearly KobE got the message. A considerably more team-oriented Bryant gives the Lakers the opportunity to use their superior size advantage. Brown and Lamar Odom are looking like Karl Malone and Wes Unseld against the midgets that comprise what passes for the front line of the Suns.
Heck, even the shy Luke Walton and soft Brian Grant have been spotted taking the ball to the rack for the first time since college. Kobe deserves credit for finally “getting it”.
But he doesn’t deserve the MVP.
My vote was for LeBron James based on his all-around brilliance in raising the level of his game - and his team’s - despite the loss of Larry Hughes for 60% of the season, and the Z-Man for the last month. 31 points, 6 boards and 6 assists – only The Big O and Jerry West have played in this rare air. He’#### big shots when needed all season. He got my vote over my runner up Steve Nash. Yes, Kobe got 3rd on my ballot. As incredible as his season and scoring has been, Nash played without an effective traditional big man (although Shawn Marion has been a stud, with career numbers). Amare out all year, Kurt Thomas sideline for 30+ games, and Brian Grant basically done. Yet the Suns got a Number Two seed. It impressed me more than the Lakers performance overall.
Speaking of LeBron and the Cavs, shame on the NBA for not showing more of the Wizards and Cavs nationally. This is a great series, even better than I had thought and I had the Wiz taking this in 7. No back down here from me. Look for the Other Guys to decide this series. Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler will provide a bit more than Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden. This series features two evenly matched teams on the rise. No tired cynical veterans, just energy and the Next Generation led by James and the Wizards' Gilbert Arenas. I'm enjoying every moment.
In my other bad call, I had the Bulls going down in 6 to the Heat. While the Heat is in position to close this out, it’s pretty clear to me that the only reason why the Bulls trail is…well, they believe that the Heat are better. They aren’t. I’m not another team in the East is as fast in the backcourt as Chicago with Kurt Hinrich and Ben Gordon, but it is clear that the Heat have been exposed as an old, slow bunch. In the words of analyst Mark Jackson, Gary Payton has gone from The Glove to The Isotoner. Pretty, but not very functional. Being 37 will do that. Jason Williams and Antoine Walker have never been known for defense, and Shaq is only a spot defender, as 340 lbs and an indifference to conditioning have taken its toll. Yet as long as Alonzo Mourning is reasonably healthy, you have a true back line of defense for the quicker Bulls to deal with. Miami needs to close this team out before the Bulls realize that they are the harder working and more deserving team. And is this the coming out jam for Andres Nocioni or what?
Final Notes: I had the Spurs in 6 against the Kings, but I think this goes 7, which should excite their West rivals. Anything that wears down Tim Duncan and Crew is a good thing. Ron-Ron Artest has delivered and Bonzi Wells has been incredible. Remember that the Kings had no problems playing the Spurs WITHOUT Artest in Game 2.
Congrats to the Pistons and Mavs for taking care of business. Rip Hamilton dropped 40 in the clincher. I'm totally feeling it. As for the Nets and Pacers, the Nets should have dumped this team in five games. It should give us pause. However, we may be witnessing the coming out party of a young force in Nenad Kristic. This team needs an enforcer at the 4, but can you handle a three-headed monster of Kidd, Vinsanity, and Jefferson with a low post option? Good luck. I think the Heat won’t get past this crew.
Random Thought: I was really hoping to see the Nets and Wizards play against each other in their throwback gear. Sue me. It looks good.
