Josh Q. Public:  One love.  One blood.  One life.  You got to do what you should.  -U2

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  I know.  I know I said the Celtics would wrap this thing up last night. I said the Lakers were demoralized.  Dispirited.  Discouraged.  Disheartened.  I said they did not stand a chance.  That they did not have the intestinal fortitude to overcome.  I know, like Fonzie, I was wrrr.  I was wrrrr.  I was wrong.  Face it, I say I a lot of things.  I’m a shameless homer.  I know this.  I know things.  I’m smart!  Not like everybody says…like dumb.  I’m smart and I want respect!  Paul Pierce wants respect.  He’s getting it.  The Celtics may have lost last night but it was no fault of the Truth.  The Truth is, Paul Pierce has been the best basketball player in this here post-season.  Better than King James.  Better than the Mamba.  Better than everybody.  Last night, Paul Pierce scored thirty-eight points for the Celtics.  That was the third-highest point total by any Celtics player in an NBA Finals game.  Only Hondo Havlicek who scored forty points in Game Six of the 1968 Finals and forty-three points in Game Two of the 1969 Finals has scored more.  Paul Pierce is securing his Celtics legacy.  Paul Pierce is proving Bob Ryan correct.  Bob Ryan says Pierce is the best scorer the Celtics have ever had.  It sure looked that way last night.  Went to the hizzouse at will last night.  At will.  Shotgun blasts are heard.  When I rip and kill, at will.  That was the Truth.  Ripping and killing at will.  KG was in foul trouble.  Sugar Ray Allen shot four of thirteen and fouled out.  But there’s no need to fear, Paul Pierce is here.  Pierce carried the Celtics.  Carried them as far as they could go last night.  Carried them while playing all but two seconds of the game on a gimpy right knee.  Carried them and played the final three and a half minutes with five fouls.  Make no mistakes, the Celtics will win this.  They will win it riding on the broad shoulders of Paul Pierce.  Singer sing me a given.  Singer sing me a song.  Standing on the shoulders of giants.  Everybody’s looking on.  Everybody’s looking on as Paul Pierce and the Celtics prepare to hoist banner number seventeen.  And that’s the double truth, Ruth!

Public Acknowledgements:  Happy Days, Godfather, LL Cool J, Underdog, REM and Senor Love Daddy

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Well, man, could it be that the girls and boys are trying to be heard above your noise?  And the lonely voice of youth cries “What is truth?”  -Johnny Cash

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  That’s right.  All Celtics.  All the time.  All Paul Pierce.  All the time.  At least in this time.  World Championship time.  Growed folks time.  Win or go home!  You all know by know by now I love Paul Pierce.  I love the Truth.  Like my main Galileo always says:  “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.”  I understand the Truth.  I understand Paul Pierce.  I understand he wants this thing.  Wants it real bad.  Wanted it real bad last night.  Last night, Kendrick Perkins stepped on Pierce’s right ankle.  Last night, Pierce’s knee twisted and popped.  Last night, Pierce contorted on the floor clutching his right leg.  Last night, Boston gasped a collective gasp as Pierce’s teammates had to carry him off of the court.  Everybody’s been comparing it to Willis Reed.  Everbody’s been talking on air it to Willis Reed.  Everybody’s been hot airing it to Willis Reed.  I disagree.  Mike Wilpon alluded to it.  I was there.  I was there where the real similarity took place.  I was there when Larry Bird’s head bounced off the Parquet with a thump.  A deafening thump.  A thunderous thump.  A thunderous thump that reverberated throughout the hallowed halls of the old Boston Garden.  I was there in 1991 against the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs.  Boston led by ten after the first quarter, but the Pacers tied it at 58-all by halftime.  Late in the second quarter, Bird crashed to the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.  His head bounced hard off the parquet.  He stayed down.  Stayed down.  Stayed down for what seemed like an eternity.   Then he headed to the locker room.  And just like last night, Boston gasped a collective gasp.  Bird did not return with his teammates for the start of the third quarter.  When he finally came through the tunnel in the third quarter, the Garden crowd erupted.  It was electric.  Boogie oogie oogie.  Just like last night.  Last night the garden crowd erupted as Paul Pierce buried back-to-back threes.  Erupted as Pierce went for fifteen points in the third.  Erupted as he went five-for-five from the field.  Three-for-three from beyond the arc.  Sticking dagger after dagger into the hearts of the Los Angeles Lakers.  Just as Bird stuck dagger after dagger into the hearts of the Pacers.  So you can Willis Reed me all you want.  All I saw were shades of Bird.

Public Spectacle: 

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

 

Josh Q. Public:  What they say?  You ain’t nothin’ but a soldier.  Yeah, straight hard truth soldier.  Believe.  You ain’t nothin’ but a soldier.  Yeah, hard truth soldier.  -Public Enemy

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times.  I’ve said Paul Pierce is the most underrated player in the world.  That’s what happens.  That’s what happens when you don’t play in big games on the big stage.  When you don’t play in big games on the big stage, you become underrated.  Well, the Truth is, Paul Pierce ain’t underrated no more.  He just played his biggest game on the biggest stage against the biggest star in the league and he came on top.  Like my main Winston Curchill always says, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the Truth has a chance to get its pants on.”  The Truth got its pants on last night.  The Truth got its pants on and scored forty-one points.  Scored forty-one big points to lead the Celtics to victory.  The smell, you know that gasoline smell.  The whole hill.  Smelled like… victory.  Someday this war’s gonna end.  It ain’t gonna end ’till Paul Pierce says it’s gonna end.  And yesterday afternoon, he said no such thing.  Yesterday afternoon, Paul Pierce put the Celtics in the Conference Finals for the first time since 2002.  Yesterday afternoon, Paul Pierce did his best Cornbread Maxwell imitation.  The Perfessor.  Did his best Cornbread Maxwell imitation and said, “Climb on my back, boys.”  Before Game Seven of the 1984 Finals against the Showtime Lakers, Maxwell told his teammates to climb on his back and then proceeded to torch Big Game James Worthy as the Celtics won their 15th title.  Yesterday, the Truth proceeded to torch LeBron James as the Celtics won another Game Seven.  KG:  “Tonight was basically get the ball to Paul Pierce and everyone else just get out the way.”  Get out the way while the Truth scores twenty-six points during the first half.  Get out the way while the Truth nails down pull-up Js.  Get out the way while the Truth knocks down killer threes.  And finally, get out the way while the Truth dives to the floor to get the loose ball, call a time out, and put this one in the bank.  It ain’t over yet.  No fat ladies singing yet.  Now Paul Pierce and the Celtics must go against the Deetroit Pistons.  The Deetroit Pistons have been here before.  I came in the door.  I said it before.  I never let the mic magnetize me no more.  The Deetroit Pistons are in the Conference Finals for the sixth straight season.  The mic ain’t magnetizing them.  Paul Pierce might.  Might mageitize them.  Hypnotize them.  Mesmerize them.  Tantalize them.  Captivate them.  Devastate them.  If Paul Pierce keeps this play up, the Celtics are headed for title number seventeen.  And that’s the double-truth, Ruth!

Public Acknowledgements:  Apocalypse Now, Yogi Berra, Erik B & Rakim, Beastie Boys and Mister Senor Love Daddy

Public Spectacle: 

Peace out homies.  Six Two and even!

Josh Q. Public:  Every since I could remember, I been poppin my collar.  I been poppin my collar.  I been poppin my collar.  -Three 6 Mafia

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  Playing great defense and winning by four just wasn’t enough.  Wasn’t enough Marshmallow Fluff.  Wasn’t enough to make you huff and puff.  HR Puff N’ Stuff.  Always there when things get rough.  HR Puff N’Stuff.  You can’t get a little if you can’t get enough.  Celtics got a little last night.  Celtics got enough last night.  Sixteen-point beatdown last night.  Sweet sixteen-point beatdown last night.  Punks jump up to get beat down!  Bron Bron jumped up to get beatdown.  King James.  Witness.  Witness the Celtics holding King James to six for twenty-four last night.  Witness the Celtics holding King James to two for eighteen in Game One.  Witness the Celtics holding King James to a shooting percentage of just nineteen in these here playoffs.  Nineteen!  That nineteen percent is the lowest shooting percentage in the NBA playoffs in the shot-clock era among players who attempted at least forty shots over any two consecutive games in one postseason.  Yowza!  So now you have to ask yourself, is the Celtics defense that good; or is LeBron that bad?  Those are your two options.  Your only two options.  I don’t think LeBron is that bad, so I must say, the Celtics defense is that good.  Good to the last drop.  All night, the Celtics hand their hands in a face.  All night, the Celtics were clogging the lane.  All night, the Celtics had a booty on a brother.  All night, the Celtics were doubling on the pick and roll.  All night, the Celtics were crowding mugs on traps.  Coach Mike Brown said the King’s shots were just not falling.  Coach Mike Brown said he has to go back and watch the tape.  He don’t need to watch no tape.  I’ll tell him.  I’ll tell him what happened.  I know it.  You know it.  Tracy McGrady knows it.  And now LeBron James knows it.  This Celtics defense is the best defense we’ve ever seen.  The best defense there’s ever been.  Better than Afrosheen.  That’s what happened.  The Cavaliers’ offensive game that usually flows so easily has been brought to a screeching halt.  The shots that normally drop have been clanging off the rim.  Cleveland’s Superman has been reduced to Clark Kent status in these Eastern Conference semifinals.  The Celtics are the Kryptonite.  Dy-no-mite!  Dolemite.  Bone-crushing, skull-splitting, brain-blasting action!  Credit goes to Paul Pierce.  Credit goes to James Posey.  But credit also goes to Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Big Show Leon Powe and everyone else who chased down Bron Bron and gave him fits.  This a team effort.  Tom Thibedeau defense.  Team defense.  Five players on the floor functioning as one single unit.  Team, team, team.  No one more important that the other.  Welcome to Boston Celtics basketball.  Roll Celtics roll!

Public Acknowledgements:  Sid and Marty Krofft, Brand Nubian, Maxwell House, Jimmy Walker, Rudy Ray Moore and Hoosiers

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  The long and winding road that leads to your door will never disappear.  I’ve seen that road before.  It always leads me here.  Leads me to you door.  -Beatles

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans.  Kevin McHale is not walking through that door.  And Robert Parish is not walking through that door.   And if you expect them to walk through that door, they’re going to be gray and old.  Who needs them?  And on the cool check in.  Center stage on the mic.  And we’re puttin’ it on wax.  It’s the new style.  The New Style Celtics.  The Boston Celtics have won just three playoff series in the fifteen seasons since Larry Bird retired.  If they win three this year, they will be in the NBA finals.  The New Style Celtics will win three.  The New Style Celtics will be in the NBA finals.  With the Big Ticket, The Truth and Jesus Shuttleworth, how can they not be?  With the Big Ticket, The Truth and Jesus Shuttleworth playing the best defense on the planet, how can they not be?  The New Style Boston Celtics dominated foes night after night.  The New Style Boston Celtics dominated foes fight after fight.  The New Style Boston Celtics dominated foes like JJ Evans, dy-no-mite! They won forty-five games by at least ten points.   They led the league in point differential averaging over ten points a game.  Yowza!   They finished 66-16 after going 24-58 last season.  A forty-two game improvement that shattered the old record of thirty-six set by the San Antonio Spurs.  Shattered, shattered.  Love and hope and sex and dreams are still surviving on the street.  Look at me.  I’m in tatters!  The New Style Celtics left the rest of the NBA in tatters.  Led the league in opponents field goal percentage.  Led the league in opponents three point field goal percentage.  Second in the league in opponents scoring.  Defense wins championships.  The Celtics play defense.  Stifling defense.  Asphyxiating defense.  Michael Hutchence defense.  Tom Thibodeau defense.  Leading the way is the Big Ticket.  Here’s your ticket.  Hear the drummer get wicked.  The Big Ticket may get shammed out of the MVP.  May get travestied of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a shammed out of the MVP.  He won’t get travestied of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a shammed out of the Playoffs MVP.  That, boys and girls, is his and his alone.  As is the Finals MVP.  But like my main man Red Auerbach always says:  “Individual honors are nice, but no Celtic has ever gone out of his way to achieve them.  We have never had the league’s top scorer.  In fact, we won seven league championships without placing even one among the league’s top ten scorers.  Our pride was never rooted in statistics.”  Our pride is back.  Celtics Pride is back.  So climb aboard.  Climb aboard the victory train.  This train is bound to glory. 

Public Acknowledgements:  Rick Pitino, Beastie Boys, Good Times, Rolling Stones, INXS, Public Enemy, Woody Allen and the Ethiopians

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Struck me kinda funny, seemed kinda funny sir to me.  At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe.  Bruce Springsteen

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Woooo doggy!  Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans.  Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door.  They don’t need to.  It’s the new style.  Four and three and two and one.  When I’m on the mic, the suckers run.  Suckers are running.  The Boston Celtics just put the entire basketball world on notice.  The Boston Celtics just sent the entire basketball world a message.  Oh the lonely days are gone.  I’m coming home.  My baby, she wrote me a letter.  Yes, the lonely days are gone.  The Celtics wrote a letter.  The letter said, “I’m Godzilla.  You are Japan!”  What?  You thought this was a fluke?  Thought they’ve been lucky?  Thought this was an accident?  Thought you said are you all right, Spider.  Think again.  The Celtics’ position atop the NBA, contrary to popular opinion, has not been a result of a soft first half schedule.  The Celtics’ position atop the NBA, contrary to popular opinion, has not been a result of a soft Eastern Conference.  The Celtics’ position atop the NBA, contrary to popular opinion, has been a result of one thing and one thing only.  They’re good.  Real good.  Last night, the Boston Celtics clinched a playoff spot by smashing everybody’s pet pick in the East.  Smashed the Beasts of the East.  Smashed them real good like.  The Big Ticket smashed them.  He didn’t fill it up for fifty while jawing with Spike Lee against the joke of the league.  He did the right thing.  He put on his hard hat and went to work.  Put on his hard hat and scored thirty-one.  He put on his hard hat and played defense.  Tough defense.  Rough defense.  Dare I say it?  Tenacious defense.  The Celtics played team basketball.  Five players on the floor functioning as one single unit: team, team, team.  No one more important that the other.  The Truth had fifteen, nailing the three-point dagger, threecola! Larry Bird style.  Rajon Rondo contributed sixteen, including a thunderous, posterizing don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk in the mugs of  Rip Hamilton and Jason Maxiell.  Kendrick Perkins notched ten points and twenty boards.  Twenty rebounds!  Big Al who?  The Celtics never trailed in this game.  The Celtics never trailed in this statement sending game.  This buckwheats sending game.  Buckwheats is a whole other animal.  A guy orders a buckwheats hit, it just doesn’t mean take the guy out, it means take the guy out in the most painful way possible.  It means the vic should suffer.  Typical buckwheat hit is to shoot a guy up the ####.  Yeah, uh, ba-bing.  A slug up the ####, you don’t die so much as contort for a good fifteen minutes, then you die.  I imagine it’s like crappin’ white-hot razor blades.  I imagine the Pistons are crappin’ white-hot razor blades right now.  Heck, I imagine the whole daggone NBA is crappin’ white-hot razor blades right now.  As for the Celtics?  They’re sipping boat drinks.

Public Acknowledgements:  Jed Clampett, Rick Pitino, Beastie Boys, Box Tops, Things to Do When You’re Dead In Denver, Goodfellas, Hoops World and Coach Norman Dale

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even! 

Josh Q. Public:  Only the beginning of what I want to feel forever.  Only the beginning. Only just the start.  I’ve got to get you into my life.  Got to get you next to me.  Only the beginning.  Only just the start.  -Chicago

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Boston Celtics Basketball.  The new Big Three.  Think Big!  Pierce.  Garnett.  Allen.  The PGA Tour.  These guys are good.  Before we get started, know this:  I love the Red Sox.  I love the Patriots.  I love the Boston College Screamin’ Eagles.  I love the Celtics more.  I started going to games in the year 2 BB.  Before Bird.  Dave Cowens.  Hondo.  Jo-Jo.  Ernie D.  The Polish Powerhouse Steve Kuberski.  The following year we saw Pistol Pete. We saw Bob McAdoo.  Cornbread Maxwell and Tiny had just arrived.  But none of the games stood out.  The team was horrible.  I was just a little kid who was glad to be out with his older brothers.  But then it happened.  John Havlicek night happened.  The night of his retirement.  Greer is putting the ball in play.  He gets it out deep and Havlicek steals it!  Over to Sam Jones!  Havlicek stole the ball!  It’s all over…It’s all over!  Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!  The Garden was electric.  It was the first time in my life I was there when it was sold out.  It was sold out and people were going crazy.  Bedlam.  Pandemonium.  I was hooked.  I knew, then and there, that I was going to be spending a lot of time in that old place.  The following year, my family got seasons, the Celtics got Bird, and I got the treat of my life.  A chance to see a dynasty first hand.  I want to see another one.  In 1986, I never saw the Celtics lose.  Never.  I want that felling again.  Why not us?  Why not now?  The time is here.

It all started last fall.  First there were the Iverson mumblings.  Then there were the Pau Gasol rumblings.  Then the Matrix grumblings.  Garnett says no.  The Celtics lose out in the Greg Oden/Kevin Duran sweepstakes.  More of the same old - same old.  Next thing you know, Sugar Ray Allen is a Celtic.  Nice move.  I could live with that.  Then came the big one.  The Big Ticket one.  Oh, this is the biggest one I ever had.  You hear that Elizabeth?  I’m coming to join you honey.  Kevin Garnett is a Celtic.  MVP Kevin Garnett.  Ten time All-Star Kevin Garnett.  All-Star MVP.  Eight time All-NBA and All-Defensive teams.  The first guy to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for 6 consecutive seasons.  The first guy to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for 9 consecutive seasons.  The first guy to reach at least 18,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, 1,200 steals, and 1,500 blocks in his playing career.  The Big Ticket.  The Kid.  The Franchise.  KG.  He’s here.  He’s really really here.   

Now in all this all this hoop-la with Allen and Garnett, let’s not forget about the Truth.  The Truth is, he’s the most underrated player in the world, and nobody can tell me different.  But Paul Pierce could not do it alone.  When I was young, I never needed anyone.  And making love was just for fun.  Those days are gone.  All by myself.  Don’t wanna be all by myself anymore.  Now that Boston got somebody to rebound the ball effectively.  You can’t win without the ball.  Now that Boston got somebody to rebound the ball effectively and they have somebody to handle the ball with consistency.  You can’t win if you can’t hold onto the ball.  Now that Boston got somebody to rebound the ball effectively and they have somebody to handle the ball with consistency, they will start winning some ball games.  A lot of ball games.  Throw in a guy who can shoot the ball, that’s a lot more ball games.  Once they start winning ball games consistently, Pierce’s accolades will come.  It’s tough to win awards, when you’re not winning ball games.  The Celtics will win ball games.  Pierce will win awards.  And that’s the double truth, Ruth.

So now we begin a new journey.  You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind.  A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!  The first step in the journey takes place tonight at the soldout TD Banknorth Garden where the Celtics open the season against the Washington Wizards.  Why not us?  Why not now?  The time is here.  It all starts now.

Public Acknowledgemets:  Danny Abelman, Johnny Most, Sanford & Son, Eric Carmen, Senor Love Daddy and The Twilight Zone

Josh Q. Public:  Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.  -James Madison

Public Knowledge:

1.  Big trouble in the Big Apple.  Down goes Curry!  Eddy Curry who has been coming up big lately, fell down hard.  Fell down hard and strained his left calf on a baby-hook.  That does not bode well for Zeke or the  Knicks.

2.  Willie Randolph gets a three-year deal with the Mets.  Good. He deserves it.  Should have won Manager of the Year. 

3.  With the Patriots out of the picture, I’m rooting for Devin Hester.  Devin Hester, Mr. Anytime, the pound your chester, the bulletproof vester, the very bester.  I’m rooting for Devin Hester to join Desmond Howard as the only special team player to win the Super Bowl MVP.  Mr. Excitement.   Is there any play in football more exciting than the return for the touchdown.  From Pop Warner to the pros, we love it.  It brought Lovie Smith to tears.  We loved Billy White Shoes Johnson.  We loved Mel Gray.   We loved Desmond Howard.  We loved Dante Hall.  We loved Eric Metcalf.  We loved David Meggett.  We loved Greg Pruitt.  We love Devin Hester, Mr. Anytime, the very bester.

4.  What’s going on down in Kenmore Square?  Remember that episode of #### Eye For The Straight Guy?  The Fab Five making over Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, and other Sox?  Well, the creators of the show are about to start looking for contestants to be in another reality show that will involve the team, entitled Sox Appeal.  A woman will be paired up with a date for two innings o####ame, then another date for another two innings. Then, in the 7th inning stretch, she’ll decide which one she wants to stay with for the rest of the game.  Just stupid.  If that ain’t enough, John Henry, the Sox’ principle owner is looking to become 50% owners of Roush Racing, a top NASCAR team.  Too many fingers in too many pies.  How ’bout focusing on winning another title?  Huh?  How ’bout that? 

5.   Who dey?  Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was sent to jail for two days after pleading guilty to allowing minors to drink alcohol in his hotel room last spring.  How do you keep a guy like that on your team?  What kind of message are you trying to send out.  Just disgraceful.  Kenton County District Judge Greg Grothaus:  “You brought shame with this on yourself.”   Sounds a lot like Slapshot:  “You do dat, you go to da box, you know, uh, two minutes by yourself, and you feel shame, you know, and then you get free.”  Denis Lemieux style. 

6.  Here keep coming the Suns.  It took them nearly 40 years to win 15 straight games. They needed only a month to do it again.  Between them and the Mavericks the West is looking mighty tough.  Mighty tough.  And with Chairman Yao coming back after the All-Star break, we should have ourselves a good ole fashioned bahn burnah.

7.  On Wisconsin!  On Wisconsin!  Grand old Badger state!  Wisconsin smashed Michigan 71-58 last night to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games, breaking a 66-year school record.  Alando Tucker, Brian Butch and company sure look tough.  Tougher than leather.  Tougher than Leather Tuscadero.  The Big Ten is proving to be a formidable conference.  That’s gonna be one great tournament to watch. 

8.  What had happened was.  Here we go.  T.O. says he wasn’t taking a shot at the Tuna with his comments after the Cowboys head coach announced his retirement on Monday.  Are you sure?  It really sounded like you were.  Well, I guess I believe you.  Why shouldn’t I?

9.  We all love LeBron, but is he clutch?  King James scored 13 points in the second overtime period but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer in an attempt to extend the game.  In his career, LeBron has made 4 of 14 potential game-tying or game-winning field-goal attempts in the final second of either the fourth quarter or overtime.  You be the judge.  Judge Wapner.  Judge Judy.  Judge Nelson.  Mike Judge.

10.  You can’t handle the Truth.  Or more to the point, you can’t handle the NBA without the Truth.  My Celtics drop their record to 2-15 in games without Paul Pierce this season.  And not for nothing,  with a loss at Sacramento, the Bucks’ record fell to 1-8 this season without Michael Redd.  And that’s the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothin’ but the Truth, Ruth.

11.  The Mamba’s boy.  Chucky Atkins.  Chucky came off the Grizzlies‘ bench to score 29 points and hand out 15 assists in a 132-130 overtime victory at Utah. Atkins was the first NBA player with at least 25 points and 15 assists in a game he didn’t start since Cleveland’s Bobby Washington (26 points, 15 assists) did it against the Lakers on Feb. 9, 1971.

12.  If you were able to find out where the Versus Channel is on your network dial, good for you.  If you did, you saw history.  If you did, you saw Joe Sakic.  You saw Joe Sakic get four assists.   You saw Sakic’s seventh multiple-point game in All-Star play, breaking the record he had shared with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier and Luc Robitaille.  Way to go Joe.  Super Joe.  Super Joe Charbeneau.

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!