Slam Dunk Central

The video monitor on the overhead scoreboard at the Staples flashed? the words “Not In Our House” seconds before the opening tip Sunday night as the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Boston Celtics in game five of the NBA Finals. The Lakers who allowed the “Green Team” to come back from a 24 point deficit in game four were on the brink of elimination. Lose and they went home for the Summer, win and they would live to fight for at least one game. Los Angeles accomplished their goal, but they will win no style points, and frankly were quite lucky to come out with the victory. The series will head back to Boston after the Lakers defeated the Celtics 103-98. However they know that if they play the same way in game six as they did in game five, they will be dancing at the “New Garden” Tuesday night.

In a lot of ways this game was eerily reminiscent of game four. For the second consecutive came the Lakers came out with guns blazing in the first quarter. In game four it was Lamar Odom who keyed the offense, in game five it was Kobe Bryant. Kobe hit 4 treys and had 15 points, and the Lakers shot 65% in the first quarter, and led at the end of the period 39-22. It looked like it was going to be more or the same early in the second period as?the Celtics fell to 19 points behind 43-24. But then Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson put in a very strange lineup including Trevor Ariza, and Chris Mihm. Mihm who was injured during the regular season, had not played a second in the playoffs. The lineup change backfired on the “Zen Master” who really has been out coached by Boston coach Doc Rivers during this series. The Celtics proceeded to score the next?15 points, to cut the lead to?4 at 43-39. Boston forward Paul Pierce led the way as he scored 21 points in the first half, and it was just a three point game at the half with the Lakers leading 55-52.

The?”Green Team” had owned the third quarter in the first four games of the series, and it looked like the trend would continue in game five. The Celtics tied the game 57-57 at 10:25 left in the third, and took their first lead of the game at 58-57 with 9:59 left in the quarter. But Boston got sloppy, creating six turnovers in the period, and Los Angeles had a 9 point edge heading into the final 12 minutes leading 79-70. The Lakers pushed the lead to 14 points as they were up 88-74 with 9:17 left to play in the game courtesy of a Luke Walton jumper. But the Celtics got a boost off the bench as one of their “Old Lions“?Sam Cassell scored the next 7 points for Boston. The game was tied at 90-90, when Kevin Garnett hit an outside shot with 4:35 left in the game. But the comebacks took their toll on the Celtics, and they never could quite get over the hump, giving the Lakers the win, and extended their season.

Kobe led the way for the Lakers as he scored 25 points,?7 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists, in the Los Angeles victory.?Lamar Odom recorded a double-double, as he scored 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, Pau Gasol also?had a double-double as he scored 19 points, grabbed 13 boards, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal. Derek Fisher scored 15 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 rebounds, Jordan Farmar came off the bench and scored 11 points, 1 block, 1 steal, 1 assist, 1 rebound.

Paul Pierce had an incredible game as he scored a game high 38 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal. Ray Allen scored 16 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, before fouling out, and Kevin Garnett recorded his fourth consecutive double-double, as he scored 13 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, 2 steals. The series heads back to?Boston for game six with the Celtics leading the series 3-2.

?? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net

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If ever there was a song that best expressed the emotions that sports fans have of professional athletes, it would have to be the old Janet Jackson song “What Have You Done For Me Lately“. You can have a 56 game hitting streak, and then not hit for the next seven games, and you will hear catcalls and boos from your so called fans. It’s the nature of the business, in the NFL, MLB, and the NBA. You are only as good as your last performance.

We live in an age of hyperbole, the significance of the words “great, and the greatest” have lost their lustre. Too many members of my profession overuse the word on far too many athletes. Let’s look at the bottom line, you have to be a superior athlete to make it up to the pros even for a “cup of coffee.” Other wise these men could not command the money they make. Now once we get to that rareified air, we can break it down further. But instead of using the perfectly respectable terms above average, or good, media members especially on television use the word great repeatedly. Jeff Van Gundy up until the Lakers lost Thursday night to the Boston Celtics, must have called Kobe Bryant the “Greatest Player on the Planet” at least two or three times in every quarter of the series.

Earlier this week, ESPN.com starting making the Kobe/M.J. comparison. I personally thought it was ludicrous, but I have a lot of respect for ESPN.com, and they are certainly entitled to their opinion. It also is not by any means the first time that I have?disagreed with the views of ESPN. You might remember, at the end of the last century that the Network chose their?”Greatest?Athlete of the 20TH Century.” They named Michael Jordan, I myself would have gone with either Babe Ruth or Muhammad Ali. That is one of the cool things about sports, everybody has their opinions based on their own criteria, it’s all subjective!

Is Michael Jordan the greatest player in the?history of the Association??You can make a valid argument that he is, but there are many other players that could also qualify. Bill Russell won 11 NBA Championships in 13 seasons, a mark that will never come near to being approached. And he played against the most dominant center of all time Wilt Chamberlain. I would?say that is pretty special! Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double for an entire NBA season. I would say that is pretty special. Magic Johnson won five NBA Titles in 12 seasons, before he retired prematurely after contracting the HIV Virus (he came back for 32 games in 1995-1996, but was a shadow of himself.) Jordan got six Championships in 15 seasons. Julius “Dr. J” Erving believed he could fly long before M.J. ever laced them up at Chapel Hill. But he spent part of his career in the old ABA, and then came into the NBA when it was at it’s lowest ebb of popularity. If Larry Bird had walked off into the sunset after the 1986 season, he would be looked at as even greater than we regard him today. From the 1979-1980 campaign, through the 1985-1986 campaign “The Hick from French Lick” won three NBA Championships, and won the NBA MVP Award three years in a row. Only two other players in the history of the Association accomplished that, Russell, and Chamberlain. But he was beset by injuries starting in 1987, and his numbers suffered because of it. So as you can see M.J. is not a lock for “Greatest NBA Player Of All Time.” One of the greatest without question, but as I wrote earlier, it’s a subjective call.

However ever since Michael retired the media, and I think at least to a certain extent the Association itself, have been looking for the “Next Jordan.” Many players have had the label put on them but were not able to live up to the billing. Harold Minor, (please!) Grant Hill, Vince Carter, but the last few years it has been Kobe. Now please don’t misinterpret what I am writing, Kobe Bryant is an extraordinary player, and one of the bestplaying the game today. But the “Greatest Player on the Planet?” Not in my eyes. Kobe will turn 30 years old on August 23. He right now is at the apex of his career, he may have, one, two or three more incredible seasons, but then the downward trend will begin. LeBron James?will not turn 24 years old until December 30, can you even imagine what he will be like at age 30? It boggles the mind, to think what he could possibly accomplish! If you are a?NBA General Manager which player would you choose?

So how does the Janet Jackson song fit in you ask? Well Saturday on ESPN.com they have changed their tune, now the Los Angeles guard in their eyes is no longer worthy of the Jordan comparison. ESPN?columnist Marc Stein wrote an article saying that many thought that the Finals were going to be a coronation for Bryant (actually, this was the first I heard of this, I thought Boston was favored in the series!) Stein also wrote that Bryant will not be saddled with the Jordan label after this series. The last time I looked, basketball is a team game. I have always gone by the theory you need three great players to win a NBA Championship. Bird, McHale, and Parish, Kareem, Magic, and Worthy, Jordan, Pippen, and Grant. If one player could win a NBA Championship, Chamberlain would have the 11 rings, not Russell.

A former member of the Cleveland Indians, told me in the Tribe locker room one day he always gives the following advice to rookies. Pay no attention what they write in the papers, or say on the talk shows. You will never be as great as they say you are when you are having a good streak. And you are never as bad as they say you are when you are scuffling. As Janet Jackson sang long ago the attitude of sports fans towards their athletes is “What Have You Done For Me Lately“.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net?