Another Best Of....

By now, you've heard everybody wax poetic about the epic 7- game series between the Bulls and Celtics and where it stands amongst the all-time list of playoff series. Without all the usual palaver, here are, in my opinion, the 10 best playoff series of the last 25 years:

10. 2005 West Semis: Phoenix over Dallas in 6

This was the year of the coming out party for The :07 Seconds or Less Era and never was it more apparent than in this series. Under then interim coach Avery Johnson, the elements of NellieBall were still in effect, as neither team scored less than 102 points in any of the 6 games.

Also in full effect was Steve Nash's F You to the Mavs for letting him walk the previous summer. He had 3 30+ point games in the series including a 48-pointer in Game 4 and 39 in the Game 6 OT clincher including a 3-pointer to force OT in the final seconds of regulation.


Unfortunate side of this series was Joe Johnson's eye injury early in the series which kept him out of the West Finals against the Spurs which the Suns would lose in 5. The 05-08 Suns rank atop the list of "What If?" teams.

9. 1989 East 1st Round: Chicago over Cleveland in 5

Each game decided by single digits, the final two decided by a combined 4 points and of course this.....



8. 2002 East Finals: New Jersey over Boston in 6

Sort of forgotten in the shuffle of the blockbuster that was the West finals, this one had some mothers too.

There was of course the Celtics' memorable 24-point 2nd half comeback in game for a 94-90 victory which, until last year, was Paul Pierce's defining moment in Boston. Two days later on Memorial Day (the day after the Lakers did nearly the same), the Celtics came back from 14 down in the 4th to tie the game, but Lucious Harris hit two free throws in the waning moments and neither Pierce nor Tony Battie could convert to tie.

The Nets would take Games 5 and 6, the latter including a mini 4th quarter rally of their own to put the bow on one of the most improbable turnarounds in NBA history.

7. 1990 West Semifinals: Portland over San Antonio in 7

As you'll see later, having a Game 7 go to overtime certainly helps your case.

The heroics of Clyde Drexler and a thin Rod Strickland doing his best Damon Jones impression for the spurs seals the win for Portland, who would advance to their first of 2 NBA Finals appearences in 3 seasons.

6. 1987 East Finals: Boston over Detroit in 7

A Game 7 decided by 3 points and of course......

"Annnnnnnd......Now there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in!!...Right at one second left!! What a play by Bird! Bird stole the inbounding pass, laid it up to DJ, and DJ laid it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! OH, MY, THIS PLACE IS GOING CRAZY!!!"

5. 1993 East Finals: Chicago over New York in 6

While the Knicks would get over an MJ-less Chicago bunch the next season, this was the peak of the rivalry.

The two had faced off in a 7-game semifinal the year before and the Knicks revamped the roster during the offseason solely to top the budding dynasty. They would take the first 2 games at home, including John Starks' poster of Air Jordan and Horace Grant. The Bulls returned the favor at Chicago Stadium including Jordan going off for 54 on Memorial Day in Game 4. While the series progressed, the allegations of Jordan's gambling habits made their way into the media.

Game 5 was a back and forth epic that culminated in the Bulls swatting Charles Smith several times under the basket in the final moments as the Bulls snapped the Knicks' 27-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks were still mathematically alive in Game 6, but for all intents and purposes, after the Bulls stunned the New York crowd 2 nights earlier, it was over.

4. 2000 West Finals: Lakers over Portland in 7

Not only a great series, but altered the fortunes of two franchises in dramatic fashion.

The Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the series, only to have the Blazers led by the veteran leadership of Scottie Pippen and the fire of Rasheed Wallace, storm back to tie the series and led 75-60 in the 4th quarter of Game 7 with just under 10 minutes to play. What happened next, changed two teams forever.

Portland went 1 for its next 18 as the Lakers outscored the Blazers 29-9 to finish.

Consider this: If Portland makes even two shots during that fatal stretch, maybe the Shaq/Kobe dynasty never happens. Instead, even Met fans consider that fourth quarter by the Blazers to be one of the purest chokes in sports history. Though I suppose Steve Smith being Shaqtastically hip-checked on the way to the hoop late and not having Dick Bavetta call it didn't help matters either.

With the exception of the '05 rebuilding and first-round losses to Phoenix in 06 (an epic series in its own regard) and '07, the Lakers have been a title contender every year of the decade. Portland has only just begun to recover.

3. 2009 East 1st Round: Boston over Chicago in 7

This series had it all: The coming out party of Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo going toe to toe with the rookie and just about anybody else wearing red, Ben Gordon and Ray Allen having their own version of Home Run derby, Joakim Noah finally earning his keep in the NBA (and thankfully losing), two teams matching shot for shot and making one big play after another, two racous crowds that didn't need gimmicks to get wild, the Celtics valiantly defending their crown with pride minus their best player AND an unexpected Game 7 hero.

Side note To Kevin Garnett: we get it, you're intense and you can drop more 4-letter bombs than the average VH1 reality show, it's looking less and less like you care that much and more and more like you have an act to uphold. And did we see you mimicking running through the phone book the other night? Quit while you're ahead.

2. 2002 West Finals: Lakers over Sacramento in 7

Games 4 through 7 all decided by 6 points or less. Game 4 decided on Robert Horry's buzzer-beater to cap a 24-point rally over the course of 2 halves. Mike Bibby made the game-winning shot with 8 seconds remaining in Game 5. That Game in a moment. The finale featured four of the best words in sports: Game Seven in overtime. Ultimately, the Lakers would flex their championship muscle and pull away in OT on the road but......

The only reason this series isn't #1 is because of Game 6. Without the alleged fix, that epic Game 7 may have never happened. If you don't believe me, check out Parts 5, (especially) 6 and 7 of The Greatest Tragedy In Sports on youtube.

1. 2006 West Semifinals; Dallas over San Antonio in 7

Game 7 going to overtime was just the icing on the cake for this series.

Game 1 was decided on a missed final shot by Dallas, the Mavs won Game 3 by 1, Game 4 in OT. Game 5 went to the Spurs by 1 and featured a scrum in which Jason Terry gave Michael Finley the business, which cost him the Game 6 defeat to the San Antone 91-86.

The deciding game saw Dallas race out to a 20-point lead, only to have the Spurs take a 104-101 lead on a Manu Ginobili lead for the first lead of the night with 32 seconds and the prospect of a double choke (a 3-1 lead and the Game 7 lead) adding to the notion that Cuban's Employees couldn't close seemed to ring truer than ever. Dirk then went hard to the hole and converted a 3-point play after Manu commited a puzzling foul( just think how close the Spurs were to a 5-peat if not for 2 freak plays). The OT was all Dallas and for for a few weeks, put the postseason demons to rest.

Honorable Mention: Phoenix-LA 2006, Indiana-New Jersey 2002, Toronto-Philadelphia 2001, New York-Miami 2000, New York-Miami 1999, Utah-Houston 1997, Indiana-New York 1994, Seattle-Phoenix 1993, Boston-Atlanta 1988 and New York-Detroit 1984.

BOHICA Kobe

That means Bend Over Here It Comes Again.

Props in order to the Celtics for leaving no shadow of a doubt who the better team was in this series. Congrats to The Truth, KG and Shuttlesworth on finally getting the title.

But that's not what this is about. This is about the ESPN hyperbole (future post down the road)on Vail, CO's most infamous resident finally being put to a rest.

Not counting Sunday night's victory, here's how Kobe's teams have fared the last 5 times they have faced elimination: Lost by 28 (vs. SA 2003), 13 (2004 NBA Finals at DET in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score), 31 (2006 1st round at PHX after a 3-1 lead), 9 (2007 1st round vs. PHX), and 39 (last night)

Kobe's performance in those games:
2003: 20 points, 9/19 FG
2004: 24 points, 7/21 FG
2006: 24 points, 8/16 FG
2007: 34 Points, 13/33 FG
2008: 22 points, 7/22 FG

In any of Jordan's elimination games in his career, MJ's Bulls never lost by more than 19, and that was Game 7 of the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals in which Scottie Pippen went 1-10 and removed himself with a "migraine". Regardless, MJ lost to 2 title teams before he started his era of dominance, but never allowed himself to suffer the kind of 1 and 2 asswuppin that the Lakers received last night. If Kobe really could impose his will in the same way Jordan was notorious for, he would not have let an embarassment like that happen, whether his teammates had shown up or not.

Now I do have my issues wiith Kobe, but this isn't what this about. This is about going toe to toe when your team needs you and Kobe basically resigned himself to defeat by the time the C's concluded their 26-6 run to close the 1st half.

And for one more parting shot. You gotta hand it to ESPN, '05 USC, '07 Pats and now Kobe, yet they refuse to quit. Even Wily. E. Coyote is impressed.

Much thanks to Colonel Angus at SOTSG for helping to supply some of the material for this post.

They're Goin' Back to Cali

The Celtics thanks to the possibly gritty play of Paul Pierce (arguably the series MVP to this point) and the unexpected contributions of Sir-Mix-A-Lot (aka Leon Powe) have taken a 2-0 lead to the Staples Center and a chance to bury the Lakers in Game 3.

Many point to the reason that the Celtics have largely dominated the first two games have been because of the passion exhibited on both ends of the floor and lackthere of by the Lakers, largely by Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Conventional thinking by analysts seems to be that the Lakers now know what they need to do and will be ready to be physical against the C's in L.A. I'm not so sure.

Physicality is something entirely different than attitude. It's not like they can be like the Shaq-Kobe Lakers and flip the switch, when to be honest, that switch was never there to begin with. This team as constructed cannot play rough against team whose whole attitude is built on it. While the Lakers may get an energy burst from the Staples crowd and the sense of desperation in Game 3, it may not be enough.

The Celtics know this may be there best and possibly only shot at a title and are playing like a team possessed right now. That's not to throw dirt on the Lakers, but with the Spurs and Suns aging fast and the Mavs' window all but closed, the Lakers, with a hypothetically healthy Andrew Bynum, which adds a new dynamic to a team that hasn't had him in their starting 5 since the Gasol trade and will likely add some bruisers in the offseason, essentially have just New Orelans and the Spurs to hurdle for the next 4 or 5 years (Kobe's likely peak years), so while the Lakers desire for a title is certainly there, it is definitely not what the Celtics are displaying at the moment.