Spread the news: It’s officially fun to watch NBA basketball again. After a lackluster first two games in the Eastern Conference Finals in which neither Cleveland nor Detroit eclipsed 80 points, LeBron James put his Cavs’ team on his back and carried them back to the Q (that’s Quicken Loan Arena to you) with a chance to close out the Detroit Pistons. Thanks to a little help from his friends (hello, Daniel Gibson!) the Cavs are moving onto the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, becoming the 3rd team to ever rally from a 2-0 deficit to win a Conference Finals series. .
After 37 years of waiting, Cavs fans can watch their team play for an NBA championship
This series as a whole cannot be talked about without mentioning LeBron’s epic Game 5 performance. In easily the best NBA game (not opinion, it’s a fact) since the turn of the century, LeBron James scored 29 of the Cavs’ final 30 points to lead Cleveland to a 109-107 double-overtime victory at the Palace. Twice in the final minute of regulation, LeBron flew past his defender and took off for two majestic dunks – the first that gave the Cavs the lead, the 2nd which forced the first overtime – to keep his team alive. Those two plays single-handedly catapulted LeBron into legendary status. The “Witness” shirts some Cavs fans were wearing during Game 6 were fitting. Anyone watching LeBron on Thursday night was a witness to history.
It was Magic at the Spectrum, MJ at the Delta Center, Reggie at the Garden. It was all those wrapped up into one. There was absolutely nothing that the Pistons, or anyone in the building for that matter, could do. LeBron was not letting his team lose. For every Pistons’ rally, LeBron had an answer. Detroit’s last attempt at a knockout low came when Chris Webber took four steps (doing his best Patrick Ewing impression), nailed a jumper plus the foul to give Detroit a three-point lead with just over a minute left in the 2nd overtime. LeBron calmly bounced back off the ropes to nail a 25-footer to tie it. One minute to go, tie game, Detroit with the ball on their home court…yet, the game was already over. I knew it, you knew it, the Pistons knew it and LeBron certainly knew it. After a Rasheed Wallace jumper was blocked by Anderson Varejao, it wasn’t a matter of if LeBron was going to score -- the only question was how much time Detroit would have to tie it when they got the ball back. The final haymaker was delivered on LeBron’s acrobatic driving lay-up which gave Cleveland the lead for good and ultimately the series victory.
LeBron at 22 is going to play in the NBA Finals... MJ at 23 scored 63 at the Garden but the Bulls were swept by Boston in the 1st Round
To put LBJ’s Game 5 performance in perspective, from the 7:48 mark of the 4th Quarter to the end of the 3rd overtime (19:48 in all) a Drew Gooden free throw was the only Cleveland point scored by someone not named LeBron. 48 points on 18-33 shooting, 9 rebounds and 7 assists was his final line. It absolutely has to be put in at least the top three greatest playoff performances in NBA history. Personally, after watching Magic’s 42-15-7 performance (in which he played CENTER to replace the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in Game 6 to clinch the 1980 NBA Finals on ESPN Classic, I have to put that #1. Then LeBron almost has to be 2nd. I’d consider Jordan’s 63 point (still a playoff record) outburst at Boston Garden in ’86 but the Bulls lost that game and were swept in the series. Reggie Miller’s 25-point (39 in all) fourth quarter in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals also comes to mind, but the Pacers dropped the final two games to the Knicks and lost that series as well. Wherever this latest performance ranks, the bottom line is that it was special. It was one of those games that twenty years from now you’ll remember where you were when you watched it.
Cavs coach Mike Brown said after the game, “I feel bad that my words don’t do justice for what he did.”
You’re right Mike. You had to be a “Witness” to truly believe it.
Swish: The City of Cleveland
After the Cavs’ 109-107 Game 5 victory, I called up my good friend Eric who went to IU with me but is from Shaker Heights, Ohio and a huge Cavs/Indians/Browns fan. The following conversation ensued:
Me: (impersonating ESPN First Take’s Skip Bayless) “LeBron is just not a winner.”
Eric: (from a crowded bar) “I can’t <expletive> believe it!”
Me: “Unbelievable. Best game I’ve seen in years.”
Eric: “Yeah. I mean, they’re still gonna end up losing the series in seven but damn, I really enjoyed that.”
“Yeah, but they’re still going to lose” -- that is, or at least was, the Cleveland mentality. It’s a city that hasn’t celebrated a championship since the Browns’ NFL title in 1964, and whose teams are better-remembered for their spectacular failures than successes. In fact, sometimes just two words sum up their ineptitude. Both “The Drive” (John Elway in the 1986 AFC Championship) and “The Fumble” (Earnest Byner in the 1987 AFC Championship) victimized the Cleveland Browns. Pile on top of that Jordan’s shot over Craig Ehlo, and Edgar Renteria’s walk-off single in the World Series and it becomes apparent that Cleveland sports fans have had to endure much suffering (but don’t feel too bad for my buddy Eric, he also loves Ohio State football). But, all of that could change in 2007. The Cavs are in the Finals for the first time in franchise history (circa 1970, the same year as the Kent State shootings, Apollo 13, and the opening of Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh), the Indians are a stellar young, gritty, and exciting first place baseball team, and the Browns are looking to turn things around after having the best Draft in recent memory. Boston just enjoyed their Sports renaissance (Pats/Sox), is Cleveland next?
Swish: Daniel Gibson
Gibson was a former five-star ultra hyped recruit from Houston that went to Texas to replace T.J. Ford and hopefully lead the Longhorns to another Final Four. Instead, Gibson was solid but unspectacular in two years in Austin and bolted for the NBA Draft last June where he was selected in the 2nd round by Cleveland, the only team he worked out for. After a quiet regular season, Gibson emerged in the Conference Finals with 21 points in Game 4 before besting that with a career-high 31 points (5-5 3-pt FG), 19 coming in the 4th quarter, to offset a poor performance from LeBron James and lead all scorers in the Cavs’ 98-82 victory. Finally, LeBron has his John Paxson/Steve Kerr.
"Boobie" as he's called by his mother, was huge for the Cavs in Game 6
Brick: Flip Saunders
How do you let Daniel Gibson beat you? Despite holding LeBron James to just 20 points on 3-11 shooting the Pistons’ still lost, and lost big. And on top of everything, Saunders was out-coached by Mike Brown. Have a nice summer.
Air-Ball: Rasheed Wallace
After being ejected last night, Wallace ran his technical foul count to seven this postseason. SEVEN. Now “Sheed will have to find something else to whine about. Take your bald spot and get on up outta here.
SHOOTING THE REST OF THE SPORTS WORLD:
Swish: NBA analysts turned General Managers
Steve Kerr, TNT analyst and Yahoo! NBA writer, is slated to become the next General Manager of the Phoenix Suns. Also, it is reported that Mark Jackson, an ESPN NBA analyst, is considered to be the favorite to land the Memphis Grizzlies’ GM job. Even fellow ESPNer Greg Anthony is often rumored in many of these GM vacancies, but he has yet to run a team. I’m hoping once The Shots sweeps the country in the upcoming months, maybe I can be considered for an NBA General Manager position. Maybe even of my beloved Knicks. Lord knows I’d do a better job that Isiah. Now if I could only coax John Starks out of retirement…
Brick: Lou Pinella
Let me preface this by saying I feel kinda bad for Lou. He had received some unwarranted criticism for not showing enough fire in the dugout during the Cubs’ recent skid. Lou has always been known for his managerial tirades on umpires from his days in Cincinnati, Seattle and Tampa but had yet to have a similar meltdown in his debut season in Chicago. That all changed Saturday when third-base ump Mark Wegner called Angel Pagan out trying to advance on a passed ball and Pinella proceeded to have a complete meltdown, like Brooke from The Real World. After throwing a dirt-kicking, hat-throwing fit, Pinella was fined and suspended indefinitely by Major League Baseball on Sunday. The worst of it was that replays proved that Wegner actually got the call right.
Not for one second do I believe that Pinella actually thought that Pagan was safe. I think he felt pressure to show a little fire and that’s what he did. He was purely putting on a show, one which ended with a standing ovation from Cubs’ fans after Pinella retreated to the dugout. Reality is that the Cubs on paper should be much better than what they are, especially in the NL Central which has about as much talent as a low-level girls’ softball league. Seriously, the Red Sox would win 140 games if they played in that division. For that, Lou has to take some of the blame. But, he shouldn’t have to feel the need to appease fans by throwing a fake tantrum and getting thrown out. That’s not a good way to set an example for a losing ball club.
Things have not gone well for Lou in the Windy City this season
Air-Ball: Carlos Zambrano
I know catcher Michael Barrett played a part but it looked like Zambrano was clearly the instigator in the dugout/clubhouse brawl earlier last week. The altercation stemmed from Barrett’s passed ball coupled with an ugly throwing error that led to a Braves’ run in the 5tth inning. First off, fighting with teammates is absolutely inexcusable under any circumstances. Secondly, Zambrano gave up three doubles in that inning which led to four runs, whose fault is that? Don’t let your catcher be a scapegoat for your poor performance. And worst of all, Barrett ends up suffering two black eyes and needs stitches after the fight. This wasn’t a frat house at 3 AM on a Saturday -- this was a Major League clubhouse. Zambrano’s 5.62 ERA is embarrassing enough. He didn’t need this on top of it. Good luck getting Barry Zito money this summer.
Air-Ball: Gary Sheffield
Sheff has said some stupid things in the past but he really topped himself this week when he said in an interview that the reason baseball has more Latin than African-American baseball players is because Latin players are “easier to control.” Sheffield said, “You’re going to see more black faces, but there ain’t no English going to be coming out.” Guess what Sheff, “there ain’t no English coming out” of your mouth either. Who are you, Stuart Scott? What an insulting and idiotic comment. I truly feel sorry for David Ortiz, Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran and some of the other outstanding Latin players (and people in general) in the game today that had to be degraded because of a racist comment by a steroid-using, big mouth jerk like Sheffield.
The Shot’s What to Watch this week:
Spurs vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals – Thursday/Sunday
Thanks to LeBron, the NBA Finals are actually worth watching. On talent alone, I’d lean towards San Antonio in five/six but because the Spurs are the most boring team in NBA history and they were given a free ride through the playoffs with the Suns’ suspensions, The Shots is predicting the Cavs in 7. Karma is a bitch.
Red Sox vs. Diamondbacks and Mets vs. Tigers – Friday/Saturday/Sunday
The only two series worth watching in an otherwise craptacular Interleague weekend in baseball. Boston, the best team in baseball, visits Arizona, baseball’s hottest team, and probable playoff teams Detroit and the Mets square off at Comerica.
Oh, and don’t miss Colorado/Baltimore either. Major League Baseball: I’m Feeling This!
Ducks/Senators NHL Stanley Cup Finals
<holding laughter> I almost kept a straight face during that one.
The Shot’s YouTube clip of the week:
Sports related - http://youtube.com/watch?v=DgfSpdNi9aU
Every single one of LeBron’s final 29 points and all called by Marv Albert. Just a side note, and I’m not saying this because I grew up with Albert doing Knicks broadcasts, but is there a better announcer in all of sports? Listening to Marv makes you wonder how Jim Nantz and Joe Buck have jobs.
Non-sports related – http://youtube.com/watch?v=hKoB0MHVBvM
Fun with Diet Coke and Mentos.
The Shot's Chick Pick this week: Eva Mendes
Yow.
See you next week.
Shoot your own Shots in the Mailbag: derek@espn950.com
