I don't care about Lebron James

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

In case you hadn't heard, "King James" is in negotiations with ESPN (man I hate that channel) to air a one hour special Thursday night so he can announce where he will sign. Who does Lebron James think he is? The last time I checked, he was just a basketball player. He isn't a doctor, or scientist who heals the sick or helps cure cancer. He isn't a teacher who helps educate the youth. He is just a man born with great athletic ability who can play basketball.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge sports fan. It just bugs me that someone who plays a game can hold this much influence over people. While he seems like a decent guy, much better than many athletes, he's not the type of person I want as a role model for my sons. It's not his fault either. I blame the public because they're mostly sheep and buy into these stars as demigods.

Realistically, not one "expert" out there knows where he's going to sign. Personally, my best guess is he returns to Cleveland, and is hailed as the savior of a hard luck city. The thing most people forget is he has not won ANYTHING in the NBA yet. Luckily for him he's only 26, and has 7 years of experience under his belt. Unfortunately for him, none of that helped when he stuck head in the sand against the Celtics this post season. If he does get his special aired on ESPN tomorrow night I will not be tuning in. After all, his team still isn't going to be better than the Celtics, Magic or the Heat.

Rant over. What do you think?

NBA Draft: Winners and Losers

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The NBA Draft was full of predictability at the top, and chaos the rest of the way down. Here's my winners and losers:

WINNERS

Blake Griffin
His knees are intact. And whether or not the Clips' medical staff screws up another pair, the big man out of Oklahoma gets his pay day. Game, set...match.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Their draft picks, to be blunt, were duds. But by making a trade for Shaquille O'Neal, they are sending a clear message to the rest of the league. No longer will they be let down by Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- they're going to be one of the league's most physical teams. Even at 38 years old, Shaq can still put in some solid minutes.

Golden State Warriors
You have to envy Don Nelson's situation right now. On June 25, the Warriors traded Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton; they followed up by drafting run-and-gun Stephen Curry -- a guy whom the run-and-gun Knicks had been salivating over for weeks. Now, Nellie's starting five looks like this: Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins. That's a big lineup that perfectly fits his style.

Off the bench, you have one of the class's best pure scorers (Curry), two reliable backup point guards (Claxton and Law), long-range shooting (Marco Belinelli) and reliable frontcourt bodies (Ronny Turiaf, Jermareo Davidson). Rumors have circulated about Curry going to the Suns in a deal for Amare Stoudemire, but I say to heck with it.

San Antonio Spurs
Once again, the Spurs thrived by picking up some of the draft's most underrated prospects. Last year, it was Roger Mason. This year, its Pitt's DeJuan Blair, who fell all the way to the second round after being rated as a lottery pick in some circles. His Big Baby-like game will give them a boost. Jack McClinton was one of the NCAA's deadlist shooters, and Nano De Colo will be the umpteenth "development" player to contribute nicely.

Lester Hudson
For the unheralded UT-Martin combo guard to get to this point is a story in itself. Coming from one of the nastiest neighborhoods in Memphis, he had the SEC and Memphis looking into him, but was unable to qualify academically -- check that, he didn't even graduate high school. Instead, he earned his GED in his first semester of junior college, but after two years he couldn't find anybody but UTM to take a chance on his 2.5 GPA. But the man is a scoring savant, registering over 1600 points in just two seasons and leading the nation in scoring average (27.5).

Now, he takes this feel-good comeback story to Boston, where the Celtics might have uncovered a hidden gem. How he fell to them at 58 is a quandary, and now he has the chance to disprove those doubters.

Memphis Grizzlies
For once, the Grizz played it smart. GM Chris Wallace decided to stay put, not trade the No. 2 pick, not play ball with Ricky Rubio's posse, and draft the most gifted shot-blocker since Dikembe Mutombo. Now their starting five looks like this: Mike Conley Jr., OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Hasheem Thabeet. This is like the 06-07 Celtics without veteran leadership, but without a missing piece. Missouri gunner DeMarre Carroll was a nice late-round pickup, too.

Portland Trail Blazers
Jon Brockman has toughness issues, but the Blazers get a nod here for picking up the steal of the draft, St. Mary's point guard Patrick Mills. How the HELL did this guy fall to 55? They also freshened their Spanish pipeline -- and cemented their rep as the Spurs of the Pacific Northwest -- with their pick of Spanish shooter Victor Claver. The 6-foot-9 Spaniard is expected to stay overseas, but could make an impact in a year or two on an already deep bench.

LOSERS

Minnesota Timberwolves
The Ricky Rubio gamble is already backfiring; the Spanish point guard prodigy was a no-show at the team's introductory press conference, and it appears that Rubio might stay in Spain a few more years. So now they are stuck with Wayne Ellington, a Dutch guy who isn't ready for the NBA, and Jonny Flynn. If they manage to pull Rubio into Minneapolis, expect Flynn -- who I think would have challenged for the No. 1 spot if he wasn't 5-11 -- to be traded. And that would be a shame.

New York Knicks
The Knicks wanted Stephen Curry so bad they could taste it. So when the Warriors swooped in and stole their thunder, they responded by picking up...Jordan Hill? The 6-foot-10 underachiever from Arizona whom everyone labeled as "raw"?

Detroit Pistons
This is a turning point in the Pistons' propped-up "Dumars is a genius" bravado. First, it was Darko Milicic. Then, it was the Iverson trade and hiring Dumars' buddy Michael Curry to run the team into the ground. Now, we have this: three prospects with questions about their toughness on a franchise notorious for a bruising style of play. Austin Daye is nice, but at 195 pounds he needs to put on serious muscle if he wants to bang with the big boys. DaJuan Summers is not quick enough to defend on the perimeter, and Jonas Jerebko needs to develop his perimeter game to be effective.

Sacramento Kings
The one franchise that could play ball with Ricky Rubio's buyout clause decided to play it safe, for reasons I don't understand. They're going to get a nice player in Tyreke Evans, who will go on to enjoy a nice career in the NBA. But I'm of the camp that if you're a perennial loser, you've got to roll the dice because you have nothing to lose. If you lose, you still suck. If you win, and Rubio turns out down the line to be the European Maravich, then you're labeled a "genius".

Charlotte Bobcats
Really? You have the 12th pick, and you waste it on Gerald Henderson? Derrick Brown has an unconventional release that might actually work in a league where Kevin Martin is the face of a dwindling franchise, and Robert Vaden is the Bobcats' next "project" player (man, do I hate that term), but there were so many better players available at No. 12.

Turkoglu makes sense, but do the Celtics have the cents?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Making the rounds on the airwaves and blogs this morning is the news that Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu will opt out of his contract and become a free agent on July 1. That's nothing but music to the ears of Celtics fans, who would no doubt love to have a quintessential Celtic-killer in Celtics colors next season.

Believe me, I'm all for it -- in the tradition of Wes Welker, if you can't beat 'em, sign 'em. Having a guy like Turkoglu in your arsenal is win-win. This is a guy who can fill multiple spots in the frontcourt, can create plays on the wing, and has a deadly shot from long range. You can also run an offensive set through him -- can you imagine Rajon Rondo and Turkoglu in transition together? You could honestly run a secondary break.

But it's not that simple. The Celtics are going to have to clear some serious room for this guy.

With some help from HoopsHype.com, here's how the salaries break down next season...

-- Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are on the books next year for more than $55 million combined. Garnett is signed through 2011-12, Ray Allen comes off the books in 2010, and Pierce has a player option for 10-11.

-- Kendrick Perkins is on for $4.5 million, while Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen are on for 3.4 and 2.5, respectively. All three come off the books in 2010.

-- Eddie House has a player option for 2.8 million. Rajon Rondo is on for 2.6, with a qualifying offer of 3.7 for 10-11.

-- J.R. Giddens is on for 1 million, while Bill Walker is on for 730,000. Both have team options for 10-11 and 11-12.

-- With Stephon Marbury, Leon Powe, Glen Davis and Mikki Moore all entering free agency, that brings the payroll to $73 million.

Turkoglu's option was set to pay him $7.3 million next season. I predict he's going to want somewhere in the 10-millon-a-year range at least.

Let's assume the Celtics aren't braindead and decide to part ways with Marbury and Moore. Should the Celtics go after Turkoglu, either Davis or Powe now becomes expendable. The question is, is it worth it? Davis had a breakthrough season, enough that he should command starter value on his contract. Powe showed alot of promise before his season-ending knee injury. Scalabrine isn't going anywhere, because he will draw minimal trade value.

If you stick with Davis, and land Turkoglu, you could be looking at a payroll of close to $90 million, which is Knicks-like in luxury tax damage. Powe might be more cost-efficient, but at this point, what's the difference between five and 10 million? And aren't the Celtics one of the five most lucrative franchises in the league? If there's any franchise out there that defines "recession-proof" in this city, it's the C's. If you disagree, you haven't been to a game since 2007.

Seven bona fide starters on your roster? Sounds good to me.

Lakers are NBA Champions; Kobe finally "gets his"

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Let the floodgates open. Let the overkill, and the overexposure, commence.

The Los Angeles Lakers quickly overcame a nine-point deficit to build a 10-point cushion early in the second quarter of game five of the NBA Finals. The Orlando Magic were never able to cut into it cleanly, and the Lakers went on to win their 15th title in franchise history.

I theorized before this series that the Lakers were soft on the interior, and they proved to me that they’ve come a long way since the 2008 Finals. The combination of Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, and with Lamar Odom coming off the bench, was lethal enough to outlast Dwight Howard and Co. in the frontcourt. More importantly, everyone knew their role on this team – Kobe see, Kobe do – and didn’t get in the way.

And now, since SportsCenter now conveniently operates directly across from the Staples Center, we shall be reminded every day for the next three months the following:

-- Kobe finally won one without Shaq.

-- Phil Jackson has now won more championships in any North American professional sport than anyone else – more than Scotty Bowman, more than Red Auerbach – which means he must now be the greatest coach since Knute Rockne. Phil Jackson is of Deity status (Woj already beat me to the punch, though he’s not tongue-in-cheek).

-- Pau Gasol has evolved into a mecha-beast on the low post.

-- Kobe finally won one without Shaq.

-- Kobe finally won one without Shaq.

-- Shaq, will you go to Cleveland please?

-- Lebron. 2010.

And they're probably going to promote the heck out of those "MVPuppets" and their neighbor "Lil' Dez". It’s going to be a beautiful disaster of a summer. By mid-August we’re going to know everything about these cool, hip bunch of yuksters that we’re going to be screaming for the NFL season to start. I can’t wait.

But I digress. Here are my game balls for the series:

Kobe Bryant
The Finals MVP played like someone with a chip on his shoulder in this series, averaging more than 33 points per game, to stamp himself as the world’s greatest player. He made difficult shots look easy, and didn’t take for granted the open looks he got. In the force-fed “Kobe or LeBron?” debate, I officially want Kobe taking the last shot.

Trevor Ariza
A question now arises as to what the long-term plans are for the upstart forward. It’s not a question of whether they keep him or not – they’d be stupid to even contemplate it – but how much to throw at him. Jackson entered Ariza into the starting lineup full-time for the Finals, and he played like a bona fide veteran. He was the best defender in this series, and provided key long-range shots when needed. Rack 'em.

Derek Fisher
Just for his shot in game four alone, you have to give the man some sort of merit. But more importantly, he played with an even-keeled, smooth tempo, and quietly had a very consistent series. This is why Kobe likes him – he never gets in the way, and hardly makes a mistake. When you need him to score, he scores.

I will have a season wrap, and look ahead to the future, in tomorrow’s entry. Until now, enjoy this championship.

Better luck next year?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic Thursday night, 99-91, to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals (and I do mean commanding); and while the Magic could realistically force a Game 7, what with their unorthodox style and hot shooting, you have to wonder if their fourth quarter quasi-rally was the last gasp.

Orlando was completely blown out in the third quarter, getting outscored, 30-14. The Magic endured a quarter like that in the first game of this series, and made the score respectable towards the end, but I didn't come away convinced that they've got alot of fight left in them.

For a team that loves to shoot from the perimeter, their three-point percentage -- 7 for 21 -- is kind of startling. Hedo Turkoglu -- a guy who has established himself as a 3-point assassin this postseason -- took just three attempts, nailing one. Dwight Howard had an average night on the floor (5-12 fg, 6-14 ft) despite his 16 rebounds and Finals-record nine blocks. Ironically, they outrebounded the Lakers, 41-39, something they have not done well in the past two series.

Tonight, I'm looking for several things to happen:

-- At some point, Stan Van Gundy is going to go back to running that lineup with Mickael Pietrus, JJ Redick and no point guards, running plays through Hedo Turkoglu. You have to put the ball in the hands of your most consistent scorer when you're climbing a hill this steep.

-- Trevor Ariza is going to have three or four big defensive rotations early, and the Lakers will run off four or five straight baskets. How the Magic respond in the rest of that quarter will tell you all you need to know.

-- Pau Gasol will get fouled, will get in somebody's face, bark a few inaudible syllables and turn away realizing that, as long as he bears the resemblance to a llama, he will intimidate nobody.

-- If the Lakers start the game off cold, I predict that Phil Jackson will get out of the triangle set earlier than usual (around the start of the fourth quarter, if you notice, he lets go of the leash on Kobe Bryant).

-- We will no doubt hear 2,479 mentions of either "Phil or Red?" or "Kobe finally gets his" should the Lakers build a blowout lead at the half.

But for all intents and purposes, this one could be over tonight.

Van Gundy is gutsier than we thought

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Three nights after Stan Van Gundy took some criticism for playing his star point guard Jameer Nelson too many minutes -- in his first action since February -- the Orlando Magic head coach comes back with an even bigger twist.

Thursday night, I suggested that Nelson got too many minutes, and just enough time to make the enigmatic Rafer "Skip 2 My Lou" Alston unnerved. Team leader, model citizen or not, you can't just throw a guy into the fire on his first game back, especially if it's the NBA Finals. That's how you screw up chemistry (and it's also classic "Ewing Theory" in action). I was talking about this with St. Mark's coach David Lubick over coffee Friday afternoon, and he suggested something different: you need Nelson in the lineup to some extent, because a flashy player like Alston is not a guy you want making decisions down the stretch.

Van Gundy apparently agrees with the both of us. Alston got about 10 more minutes than Nelson; but for the last six or seven minutes of the fourth quarter, and all of overtime, both sat on the bench. Van Gundy went with a bold, unorthodox move of putting Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Mickael Pietrus and J.J. Redick on the floor. Redick played the one, while Turkoglu manned the three spot in a "point forward" role (Phil Pressey, anyone?).

When Pietrus fouled out, Van Gundy replaced him with rookie Courtney Lee.

Literally, Van Gundy put the ball in the hands of his most consistent playmaker. If you're a fan of Malcolm Gladwell, you probably think this lineup gave them the best chance. It almost pulled through for them, too, until Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol took over in the extra frame to take a 101-96 win and 2-0 series lead.

As for the Lakers starting five...the more and more I watch this lineup of Bryant, Gasol, Derek Fisher, Trevor Ariza and Andrew Bynum, the more I love it. Lamar Odom played 45 minutes off the bench tonight, and was 8 of 9 from the floor, as Bynum (five fouls) and Ariza (3 for 13 fg) struggled. Gasol (7 of 14, 24 points, 10 rebounds) was crucial in the overtime period, scoring seven points. When you have a guy as foul-prone as Bynum, having Odom as your first guy off the bench -- playing alongside Ariza and Gasol in the frontcourt -- allows you to play big like few other teams in the league can.

Call me stupid, but I still think this series is going to go at least six games. This is turning into a great chess match between two of the game's top basketball minds, and this is hardly the last trick in Van Gundy's sleeve. Phil Jackson is, of course, Phil Jackson. I don't think a whole lot of rhetoric needs to be said at this point.

Nelson Theory 101

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Before you get it twisted, let's not: Stan Van Gundy is a good coach.

Alright, he's a bit arrogant, and a bit brash. I know guys that played from him at UMass-Lowell who would agree with both sentiments.

But so is Geno Auriemma, and both guys can flat-out coach. This is a guy who, with the Heat coming off a 25-win season, put the ball in the hands of a rookie -- Dwyane Wade -- and let him take off (they won 42 games, a first-round series and nearly knocked off the Pacers). He is not a system guy; this is a guy who scans his team's strengths and gives them a style that gives them the best chance of winning. Better yet, this is a guy who doesn't try to hide the fact that he's a prick.

All that said, I can't believe what I saw tonight. Jameer Nelson played 23 minutes in game one of the NBA Finals, and not surprisingly the Lakers blew them out, 100-75.

Oh, there were other factors that led to their downfall tonight. They shot just 29 percent from the field, including 8 of 23 on three's, and were outrebounded a startling 55-41 (nothing new if you've been watching these guys, but just saying). But Van Gundy deserves some criticism for this move tonight.

Granted, he deserves all the credit for sticking to his guns in the Celtics series and keeping his starting five on the floor at the end, contrary to Dwight Howard's criticism. By standing firm, the team shook up its complacency and reaffirmed Van Gundy's acumen.

That was a turning point in the Magic's playoff run, much like this folly.

I'm a big believer in Bill Simmons' "Ewing Theory". For the uninformed, Simmons asserts that the Knicks often played better when their star center, Patrick Ewing, was in foul trouble, on the bench or injured. There are tons of examples to back this theory up -- this year's Rockets, the 2001 Mariners, the 1997 Flyers, to name the most glaring examples. He'll no doubt add this year's Magic to the list.

Listen, there is no doubt that Jameer Nelson is the alpha dog of that backcourt. This organization wouldn't be where it is without his character, and his commitment. But he's been out for four months; you can't just throw a guy into the lineup with major minutes if he's been out for four months, especially if it's GAME ONE OF THE FINALS.

And besides that, isn't this why you traded for Rafer Alston?

Marc Spears' article last week on Chris Herren has a great quote from Jerry Tarkanian about the difference between Herren and Alston when they played together at Fresno State: "Rafer was the first one in the gym and last one out. Chris had other things going on." Alston is a gamer, no doubt. But when you've cut your teeth on the famed New York City playgrounds, and you're THE Skip To My Lou, you're going to have an ego that needs to be soothed. Just ask Stephon Marbury, Sebastian Telfair, Kenny Anderson and any other point guard from the Big Apple. Alston is a guy that needs to play 35 to 40 minutes a night to stay happy, and stay productive. When you give him just a minute more than Nelson, he's no use to you. He gives you a 2 for 9, 1 assist 6 point night.

If you really want to make this Nelson experiment work, stick him at the end of the bench.

-- One other minor note...attention Orlando Sentinel subscribers, please ignore your columnist Mike Bianchi's musing that "a win for Van Gundy is a win for the blue collars". You live in a tourist trap. Mickey Mouse. Sea World. That dinky Back to the Future ride. International Drive. Go-Karts.

Don't ever forget that for one second. Your city has no culture. That is all.

Lakers, Cavs not invincible...but their alpha dogs are

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Last night's playoff game was one of those "Where were you?" moments.

I was at my Boston apartment, relaxing big-time, even though there's like seven Irish pubs within a two-block radius. Incredibly lame, I realize that now.

Anyways...

Not since the Trail Blazers' 2000 playoffs meltdown have we seen such a polarizing string of events in professional basketball. LeBron James scored 32 straight points to carry the Cavaliers to a 10-point victory over Orlando and keep their season alive for at least another two days.

And not since the days of Jordan have we felt so compelled to write such passionate prose about a singular player. This, of course, can be a good AND bad thing.

By propping up LeBron as a damn near Deity, we've created this illusion that the man can win every game by himself. Don't get it twisted, Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson had tremendous nights as well, but this series has been all about LeBron, LeBron, LeBron.

I've always harped on the man through the years for what I see as a flawed game. Primarily, he lacks that defensive tenacity that complete Jordan, and his long-range shooting had been a few notches above abysmal. But I'm not going to diss the guy's game any more after this series -- at least, most of the time.

Sometimes, a win can be discouraging, and that's what I saw last night. You cannot go 1-on-5 the entire night, every night, and expect to come away victorious.

LeBron's freakish game masks what I see as two major flaws in the team:

1) The ol' "stand around and watch somebody" gameplan

This is the standard Cavs' offensive play: high screen for the ball carrier out of a 1-4 set, give the ball to LeBron somewhere on the wing and let him do something. That might work in college or high school, but at the NBA level it's vital that all five guys are moving around, creating space and calling for the ball. Sure, Varejao, Szcerbiak and Ilgauskas have been great, but in the crunch they are often setting picks.

2) Lack of toughness

Dwight Howard's sixth foul on a driving LeBron will be debated much over the next 24 hours. It's a tough call to make, but I wouldn't have blown the whistle on that one, and Dwight has reason to be somewhat outraged. I bring this us up because this is LeBron's style of play more often than not: take off from the wing, barrel into the lane, throw yourself at the basket and hope they call a foul. The Cavs, in my opinion, get more calls than they should, and they spend more time complaining about calls than any other team still playing right now.

The Lakers, in my opinion, have often gone through these two aforementioned phases this postseason (ahem, Houston). The difference between the Lakers and the Cavs is they don't stay still for long. Phil Jackson's gameplan is based on perpetual motion; he makes sure the ball gets distributed evenly around the court before letting Kobe run free out of the triangle for the final quarter.

That's the major difference between the Cavs and Lakers.

Magic in six. Lakers in seven.

What we learned: Cleveland is not Murderer's Row

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Go ahead, call me a caveman, an introvert, a hermit. But I haven’t watched SportsCenter in two days (my brain cells need to grow back), so I’ve missed the inevitable media freakout after LeBron’s game-winner in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

But if it was anything like tonight’s “for the 27th time, this is what happened two nights ago” in-game vignettes, I’m glad it passed me over.

There are a handful of organizations in sports that I like to call “Publicity Machines." They have such a top-notch PR staff, and delusional fan base, that when the team is playing well, they tend to get puffed up and their flaws get masked. In no particular order, these are the regulars: Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Jets, NY Giants, NY Rangers, Dodgers, Lakers, Pacers, Packers, Colts, Knicks, Maple Leafs, Cowboys, Notre Dame football, Indiana basketball, Kentucky basketball, Ohio State football, Duke basketball, USC baseball. For as long as LeBron is in Cleveland, let’s include the Cavs.

Now, don’t get it twisted. LeBron is the most dominant yet amoebic force to hit the NBA since Michael Jordan – notice I used the term “amoebic." He is charismatic, a quality teammate who makes the teammates around him play better, and is ultimately a great selling point for the game.

With that said, because he is such a polarizing force, the LeBron bandwagon tends to overheat. Two problems I see with the Cavs that get overlooked are their lack of perimeter defense and lack of interior toughness. Often times, head coach Mike Brown will pound the scorer’s table, or a player whose name ends with “Varejao” will get called for being out of position, throw his hands in the air and do his best Miguel Cairo impression (“you mean I’m out?”).

The Cavs are no doubt one of the most explosive offenses in the league. But they also know how to work the media, the refs, and the fans (by the way, who the heck still uses Quicken software these days? I thought online banking would make that company obsolete). They’ve earned their stripes, but they want their brownie points, too.

Which is why I’m glad things turned out in Game 3 the way they did, a 99-89 Magic win that was dominated by Dwight Howard. Winning 66 games in the regular season does not make you a juggernaut; winning physical battles in the playoffs does. Time to let a little air out of the ball.

Score one for the Magic in the intimidation factor, and let the blood bath continue. This one’s far from over.

-- My friends who cover the UMass basketball team at the Daily Collegian just got the press invitation kit for the “100 Years of UMass Basketball”, and one of the interesting points they make is that the Minutemen experienced “one of the most extreme turnarounds in history.”

When you think about it, they actually have a point. When you think about what a dormant program UMass was in the 80s before Calipari took over – 10th worst record in Division 1 for the 80s, period – and what they were able to do in the early to mid-90s, it really gets lost on this generation about how truly special that era was. It’s been taken for granted.

Anyways, it got me thinking about what teams rank as the five most improbable powerhouses. In no particular order, with coach in parentheses: Gonzaga (Dan Monson-Mark Few), UMass (John Calipari), Loyola Marymount (Paul Westhead), Long Beach State (Jerry Tarkanian).

Rick Pitino’s Providence teams miss they cut because it’s been argued many a time that his 1987 squad was the worst team to ever make a Final Four. Dana Kirk’s Memphis State teams don’t count either, because the dude thugged his way to a Final Four and subsequently got cold-cocked by the NCAA banhammer. Tark, for the record, sued the NCAA and won.

In turn, here are my five most underachieving programs of the last 25 years: DePaul, Houston, Rutgers, Maryland, Georgia.

Keys for the Celtics in Game 7

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

If you're superstitious, you have to love Patrick Ewing's declaration yesterday on ESPN Radio in Washington, D.C., that the Magic will win tomorrow night's Game 7.

He's biased, of course, being an assistant with Orlando and all. But you had to appreciate the retort to the media by his former Knicks teammate, Doc Rivers: "Patrick Ewing did that? We feel great. We feel great about that. I've been on those Knicks teams where he had some predictions. But you know what I've always said about predictions, what else are you going to say? Are you going to say no? But the Patrick prediction makes me feel better."

Of course, we all said the same thing back in 2005 when the Indiana Pacers blew the C's off the door hinges in Game 7 of the first round, effectively ending the game before halftime. No way the Celtics lose this one. We've got these chuckleheads right where we want them. Although this Celtics nucleus is about 10 times more equipped against a breakdown like that, the possibility still lurks.

Which is why the following needs to happen tomorrow night:

Don't walk...RUN

Despite the great play from Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins and even Brian Scalabrine (seriously), the Celtics' frontcourt is still overmatched without the presence of either Kevin Garnett or Leon Powe. Simply put, Rashard Lewis has great range for a power forward, and Dwight Howard is simply a freak of nature.

At every other level, you have seen overmatched teams find success playing at an uptempo pace. Charlestown High won four straight state titles doing nothing but running and pressing. In this year's tournament, Missouri flew under everyone's radar and made it all the way to the Elite Eight running Mike Anderson's "Fastest 40 Minutes" style of play (or alternately, if you prefer, "40 Minutes of Hell").

Whenever the Celtics have run in this series, they've found success. Rajon Rondo has proven as much, averaging double-digits in assists and rebounds. The Celtics should be running for the first five minutes of the second and fourth quarters to keep them off-guard. Rondo is a running point guard, give him the ball and let him do his thing.

Keep Big Baby out of foul trouble...

Doc Rivers said that if Glen Davis gets a foul in the first quarter, he'll sit him. This means Brian Scalabrine will probably enter the game in the first quarter. Listen, I've been hard on Scal during the playoffs, and granted he is the funniest and most affable guy in the C's locker room. But the man is just terrible at perimeter defense. You bring him out to the top of the key with his arms flailing, and he's about as effective as a tip jar at a tollbooth. He's probably a little better than me in my pickup games in Dorchester.

Inevitably, Big Baby is going to get a foul in the first quarter -- and probably a terrible call at that, because they're probably going to use the Inter-High officiating crew again. Kendrick Perkins is going to push the envelope and have four fouls in the third, because he's always a brawler at heart. And with that in mind, the Celtics just cannot afford to have their two best forwards on the bench in foul trouble. Baby needs to play smart, and know when and when not to make contact. Given that the officiating in the playoffs has been about as consistent as a Sonic Youth track, that's going to be pretty difficult. But it has to be done.

...but at the same time, why not Hack-A-Dwight?

To borrow from Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, "You've heard of Hack-A-Shaq? How about Plight of Dwight?"

Like all centers with big hands, Dwight Howard is not exactly the world's best foul shooter. He is a career 58 percent free throw shooter, and has been a little better than 60 percent in this year's playoffs. In Game 2, the Celtics won 112-94 and Dwight went 2 for 8 from the stripe. In Game 6, an 83-75 Magic win, Dwight was just 5 for 12.

While I'm not exactly shedding a tear at the lack of minutes for Mikki Moore, you could employ him with a primary duty of double-teaming Howard and drawing contact. Howard will not shy from contact, but the chances of him missing at the free-throw line are pretty even.

Create shots for Ray Allen

Simply put, more than any other player on the roster, the Celtics DO NOT win when Allen goes cold from the field. Rivers felt after today's practice that Allen was due for a breakout night, and history has been on his side in the 2009 postseason.

A look inside the numbers

Conference Quarterfinals vs. Chicago
Game 1: 1-12 fg, 0-6 3pt, 4 pts
Game 2: 9-18 fg, 6-6 3pt, 30 pts
Game 5: 3-8 fg, 2-4 3pt, 10 pts
Game 6: 18-32 fg, 9-18 3pt, 51 pts

Conference Semifinals vs. Orlando
Game 1: 2-12 fg, 1-7 3pt, 10 pts
Game 2: 7-15 fg, 2-7 3pt, 22 pts
Game 3: 3-13 fg, 0-5 3pt, 8 pts
Game 4: 6-13 fg, 0-5 3pt, 12 pts
Game 5: 3-11 fg, 2-5 3pt, 13 pts
Game 6: 2-11 fg, 0-7 3pt, 5 pts

Good shooters don't stay cold this long. Make Allen your first option in half-court sets, whether they're anticipating it or not. He has the quickest release in the league -- give him a fraction of a second, and he'll make it happen.

Turkoglu channels his inner Andrew Toney, forces Game 7

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Text message tonight from my good friend Brian Comeau, who works at the Hotel Commonwealth, two hours before tonight's tipoff:

"Have the Celtics and Bruins ever advanced to the next round on the same night?"

Spoke too soon...and to answer the question, not in our lifetime.

The Celtics will be playing what has got to feel like the 17th Game 7 after tonight's 83-75 loss to the Orlando Magic.

Dwight Howard's 23 points and 22 rebounds will be the biggest headline in tomorrow's papers, because of the way he went out and backed up his comments after calling out the coaching, but please heed the sweet stroke of Hedo Turkoglu. The big man lives for these dagger moments against the Celtics, and tonight he got his. Forget that he only had seven points. His wide-open 3-pointer from near the top of the arc made it a six-point game for Orlando with a minute to go. And while that's an eternity, this one had that "aw, crap" feeling. Beat the traffic, and let's hope for a win in Game 7.

As for Dwight, this is how an All-NBA First Teamer is supposed to respond. That's the difference between superstars like Howard and above-average guys like Gilbert Arenas. When you chirp, you've got to back it up. Does it prove anything from a coach's standpoint? I beg to differ. Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston and Rashard Lewis were in there at the end to close it out. I think ultimately the legacy of Howard's Game 5 comments will be that he shook up what had become complacent. The Magic were playing loose tonight.

Tonight was a low-scoring, defensive affair; the kind of game you can't play with your best player sitting on the sidelines. As athletic as the Magic starting five is, the Celtics can run the floor better. Running a break, I'll take Rajon Rondo over Alston any day of the week.

Ray Allen's five points on 2 of 11 shooting -- including 0 for 7 -- is startling. I fully expect him to recover in Game 7.

It all ends Sunday night. Let's hope none of us get any jinx-worthy text messages.

All-NBA Team Released

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The NBA released its All-NBA Teams today, and they are as follows:

First Team
Dwyane Wade
Kobe Bryant
Dwight Howard
Dirk Nowitzki
LeBron James

Second Team
Brandon Roy
Chris Paul
Tim Duncan
Paul Pierce
Yao Ming

Third Team
Chauncey Billups
Tony Parker
Carmelo Anthony
Pau Gasol
Shaquille O'Neal

Interesting switcheroo here, as there's usually a spot reserved for Tim Duncan on the First Team. The Spurs didn't live up to expectations this season, and without Ginobili they lost some of that toughness that made them a treat to watch. Nowitzki gets the nod, even though he was only in the top five in one major category (points per game) and top 10 in two others (free throw percentage, defensive rebounds). I will say that he doesn't crumble in the post like he used to, and that he's generally one of the league's better shooters, and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because there was alot of parity after the top four on the First Team. Dirk's spot could have easily been Yao's, or Chris Paul's, or Carmelo's, Gasol's.

I would have liked to have seen Billups on the Second Team. Billups' arrival in Denver did more to transform the team than you think. Before he came, the Nuggets were one of the team's most talented yet dysfunctional lineups. Billups weathered the storm, just like he did in Detroit, and the team became one of the league's best defensive lineups. Alot of teams in the league have flash; few have true grit.

Nice to see Shaq back in a spot where he used to be permanently fixtured. I'm telling you, there is something Phoenix's training staff is doing to their players that so many players are able to revive their careers (and no, I don't think it's steroids).

I'm fine with Garnett, Allen and Rondo not making it, but I'm surprised at how low they were on the balloting. With that in mind, here's my All-Snub Team:

Chris Bosh
Devin Harris
Ben Gordon
Joe Johnson
David West

Celtics squeeze another one out, officially most fun team to watch this month

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The late rapper Mac Dre once mused, "Get in where you fit. And if you don't fit, squeeze."

After last night's 92-88 comeback victory over Orlando, I think that's the best way we can sum up this year's Celtics squad. Not exactly healthy, not exactly deep, but man oh man can these fellas grind it out.

It takes resolve, focus, and toughness to rally from a 14-point deficit with nine minutes to go. After the way things ended in game four, you had the feeling the Magic were going to pull out some new schemes to slow Rondo and Co. down. For the most part, they were successful.

Over the last five minutes, though, things seemed to unravel. I'd like to take Dwight Howard's side and say there was no reason for Stan Van Gundy to sub in Rafer Alston and Rashard Lewis for Anthony Johnson and Tony Battie, but I can't. Why? Because when you build a lead like that with reserves, it's time to put your hottest five on the floor and throw a nail in the coffin.

(Not surprised, by the way, that somebody in that locker room has a problem with Van Gundy)

Really, this is more about the Celtics' resolve than Dwight Howard's choke down the stretch. The C's made big play after big play; the biggest? There's a ton to choose from, but I'm going with Rajon Rondo's rebound, followed by a toss off a Magic player's knee, with 10 seconds to go. The man only coupled his nine rebounds with six points and five assists, but I'm giving him the game ball.

True story...watched the game with a nice group of ladies at a pub near my house, and when Rondo makes that play, THE girl I'm with (emphasis on THE) yells, "Five Tommy Points!" Folks, keeper is spelled K-E-E-P-E-R.

This one's over. Bring on Cleveland, its gray skies, its lake that catches fire once a year, and its cheesy chalk dust.

A few more thoughts rolling off the tongue here:

-- Second game ball: Doc Rivers. Why? Mikki Moore and Tony Allen played a combined ZERO minutes.

-- Rut-roh, Tim Floyd. Still no word on whether the NCAA is going to drop the ban-hammer on USC football, though, and that's a crying shame.

-- Kenyon Martin's mother is understandably upset at Marc Cuban for his less-than-choice words to her Saturday night, but to grill Cuban for not apologizing sooner? Come on now, we're acting like this is the first time Martin's been called a "thug". Ever. Have we forgotten the whole "fan intimidation" debacle from two seasons ago THAT quickly?

Not saying, but just saying...

-- Lakers by 40? So what. I'm sticking by my pick. Rockets in 7. Trust me.

-- Forgive my shamelessness, but the Eddie House Face has allegedly caught on in Canton, West Barnstable and Merrimac, N.H. How do I know? BlackBerry Messenger, that's how.

-- P.S. on the shamelessness, yesterday afternoon was a historic day in my basketball career. Not since the 92-93 Westminster Biddy League season have I been this hot. Yesterday in my weekly pickup game in Dorchester, I nailed FOUR straight turnarounds, then I rebounded a fifth and sank it from the baseline (backboard angle, too). I don't know what came over me yesterday -- Vitamin Water, Thermo-Burst, or finally getting Julian Benbow to come out for a game -- but I've officially turned over a new leaf.

Dan Farrell 3-on-3 Tournament, you're next.

Glen Davis is a ragebag, but neither an animal nor lunatic

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Release the hounds.

The father of the kid that got pushed aside by Glen Davis after hitting yesterday's game-winning shot is demanding an apology from the player, according to a blog post on the Orlando Sentinel.

According to the Sentinel, a front-row season ticket holder by the name of Ernest Provetti wrote an email to the NBA today demanding an apology from Davis, saying that he went way overboard and "embarrassed" his son.

Among the more colorful language from Mr. Provetti:

-- "The NBA makes it clear to not cross the sideline. If I cross that line, the NBA will take away my tickets. It's a double standard."

-- Davis acted like a "raging animal with no regard for fans' personal safety."

-- "How do you like to be a 12-year-old and see a raging lunatic coming at you?"

Readers have been quick to rake this guy over the coals for his overreaction. When I started writing this, there were 118 comments about the Sentinel's blog entry, mostly negative against Provetti.

I can understand the guy's anger. I'm only 24, and thus have no idea what it's like to raise a kid, but I'd be pretty pissed off if my son was getting goofed on by the SportsCenter dweebs for something he had no control over (by the way Tim Legler, you're still a hack). But what I don't understand is A) why so much anger is directed at Big Baby, and B) why he had to use such potentially-racist language in scolding him.

Thankfully, about 10 minutes after I started writing this, the dude officially backed off, saying he "reacted emotionally."

People, when you trip over a rock, it's your own fault. Stop looking for a handout and violin music every time something doesn't go your own way. Think rationally, not passionately. Please.

Big Shot Big Baby

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Robert Horry, step aside please.

In case you were pre-occupied with Bruins and Red Sox television coverage, here's what happened in a nutshell in tonight's Celtics-Magic game four:

Baby. Went. Off.

More specifically, Mr. Glen Davis had 21 points tonight, including five of the Celtics' last six points, in a 95-94 thriller to even the series at 2-2. That includes one heck of a game-winner.

The play was perfectly executed, and Davis made it look surprisingly easy. One of those plays that makes the defense think "in hindsight, how did we not see this coming?" Understandable that, with Paul Pierce taking the inbound, they'd sag to Pierce's side for a double-team, leaving Davis wide open on the left wing -- I'd rather have the ball in Baby's hands than Pierce if I'm Orlando. But Davis made them pay, swishing an 18-footer to send Doc Rivers into a happy-fit.

It's clear after this series, win or lose, that the C's can defend as good as anyone in the league (why isn't Tom Thibodeau fielding more interest from teams with coaching vacancies? Kings anybody?) But from herein, don't expect the Magic to take Baby lightly. He is giving Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard a hard time, despite what their stats show; look for them to make some adjustments on him next time out.

Not going to make any Hall-of-Famer comparisons here (because I might be crazy, but I ain't stupid), but does Baby remind anyone else of Dave Cowens? Before you start laughing consider both players' makeup: undersized, goofy, throws in a flashy post move every now and then, out-hustles and frustrates the crap out of his opponents. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar always says that Cowens and Wilt were the only two players in his career that were a huge pain.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cowens and I share the same nickname: "Big Red")

Not saying, but just saying...

A few other notes (please pardon the light-hearted tone, my mind is in fifth gear):

-- Came across this tremendous article yesterday in the New Yorker speculating about why more underdogs don't full-court press. Well-written, well-researched, and the only sports article I've come across that manages to intertwine mathematics, Rick Pitino, Lawrence of Arabia and a 12-year-old girls' basketball team so seamlessly. Required reading for any serious hoops fan.

On that note -- and I'm crossing my fingers here -- but I want to believe Doc Rivers is coming around to this whole concept of running. With Garnett out of the lineup, they're going to HAVE to run on at least 60 percent of their possessions to make up for the frontcourt mismatch. They did a tremendous job with this in Game 3, and were adequate in Game 4.

Hate to say it, but I think their problems in the run game come down to who's carrying the ball. When Rondo is manning things, it is -- in a word -- Poetry In Motion.

Marbury? Not exactly a dud, but there's a reason why Mike D'Antoni wanted him out of Phoenix and New York. Just because you went to Lincoln High doesn't mean you're the next Bo Kimble. Just ask Sebastian Telfair.

Boston's subs are going to have to learn to push better from herein.

-- We've already been entertained many times by "Gino" and that dancing kid, and we love getting "Rondo'd", but I would like to suggest another item to add to this generation's Celtics folklore. Ladies and gents, I bring you the Eddie House Face.

Just study that bio photo for a few minutes. What a great scowl for such a deadly shooter, no? Half smirk, half smile, all business. If this were a James Brown track, it'd most definitely be "Paid the cost to be the boss."

I can totally see this catching on with the college crowd. How it hasn't yet, and the Jon Scheyer Face has, troubles me.

-- The non-call on Antoine Wright last night was just garbage. Pure garbage. In French, "le garbage."

The easy, and instinctive, conclusion for how this happened is that the league hates the Mavericks, and especially Mark Cuban. But an even easier conclusion to make is that these referees have just lost their minds. I know it's arguably the toughest sport to officiate in this country, but I'll say it again: David Stern needs to sit down and take a hard look this offseason at how playoff officiating crews are merited.

-- Rockets in 7. There, I said it.

C's make a series of it again, 112-94

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Anyone else taken aback by that final score? It almost bears repeating ad nauseum.

Boston 112, Orlando 94. Let that sink in for a minute.

How the heck did they pull this one off without Kevin Garnett, with Paul Pierce in foul trouble most of the night, and with Brian Scalabrine playing a kid-you-not 34 minutes? Two things happened last tonight that triggered this explosion.

First, the Celtics dictated the tempo -- and it was uptempo, for sure. The C's attempted 80 shots (10 more than Orlando), committed 34 assists to just 10 turnovers, and had almost every major contributor rating at least a plus-nine. The only guy who played more than two minutes to get a negative plus-minus for the night? Take a wild guess (Marbury).

When Rondo is on, this team is hard slow down. And apparently, it no longer matters that two of the Big Three aren't on the court -- when he's clicking, there's just no stopping him. Fifteen points, 11 rebounds, 18 assists and just three turnovers? Sweet deal.

The second thing they did was find open shots on the perimeter. In case you missed it, Eddie House had yet another night for the ages, pouring in 31 points (including a perfect 4 for 4 on 3's) and was nearly perfect from the field (11 of 14). A few more games like this, and I bet we start comparing him to Gerald Henderson in the category of "role guys who absolutely bailed out the Celtics in the playoffs."

The combination of those two put Dwight Howard out of synch. He got his double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds), but wasn't nearly as effective on offense (5 for 13 field goals). Having to sag to the perimeter more to cope with the shooters, Howard ended up with zero blocks after making a Nike commercial out of the C's in Game 1.

I think we underestimated these guys up until this point. There's a lot of fight left in them.

A few more thoughts from around the basketball world: 

--At the beginning of the season, I thought there were six legitimate contenders for the title: Boston, Cleveland, San Antonio, Detroit, LA Lakers and Houston. I'm sticking with my Houston pick as a dark horse, and you saw why in Game 1. Without their biggest defensive liability (Tracy McGrady) on the court, they became a grittier team that is less prone to late-game collapses. Yao Ming has transformed into a solid pure center, Battier routinely takes on opponents' best player with success, and Luis Scola does the dirty work. Even Ron Artest is acting civil for once in his career.

--Two x-factors in this series: the Lakers' much-hyped Andrew Bynum, and the Rockets' shifty backcourt of Von Wafer, Carl Landry and 5-foot-6 Aaron Brooks. Almost Rondo-like in terms of fun to watch. Seriously.

-- The Nuggets and Mavericks don't play again until Saturday. That's a FOUR-day layoff. Somebody needs to fix this.

-- Cringed a little when I saw this story about Toledo basketball today. Things have swiftly hit the fan over there in the form of a point-shaving scandl, which is unfortunate for a classy guy like Stan Joplin to have to deal with. Glad to see former Charlestown High great Ridley Johnson (who absolutely owned my alma mater Oakmont in the 2005 state final) was not one of the players named in this scandal.

-- You know those new Heineken commercials, where these 20-something hipsters are singing Biz Markie in the back of a cab with the driver? Anyone else think the commercial's tagline -- "Let a stranger drive you home" -- goes against everything we were taught growing up? I'll tell you what's next...a Bud Light commercial urging us to "go ahead, take that candy from that creep in the van."

Celtics losing their Magic dust?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

OK, so we're in for a rough series here, fellas.

Yes, the Celtics climbed back late to make a game of it, but that 93-90 final score will veil the ugly stuff to the unassuming. Don't be fooled, this was a tough one to watch.

Maybe I'm just cranky. I hope it's just me. But I don't see the Celtics pulling it out this round.

Don't get it twisted. That fourth quarter was encouraging, despite Paul Pierce's lack of urgency in the final 30 seconds. Ray Allen cannot have these kind of nights anymore in the playoffs (nine points), or this is what happens (a 20-point halftime deficit).

It's not just that they had a great game plan for neutralizing Allen. Orlando is too overwhelming to deal with if you don't have a long stopper like Kevin Garnett, and the Magic frontcourt has proven as much tonight. Dwight Howard (6 for 12) and Rashard Lewis (8 for 13) had their way with the C's from two-point range, while the likes of Hedo Turkoglu, JJ Redick and Mickael Pietrus (17 points) had a little downtown party (seven combined 3-pointers).

Don't expect the Magic to stay this cold from long-range. The Magic jack it up more than anyone else in the league, and have been hitting them at a very respectable rate. We all know Hedo Turkoglu is a Celtics killer, and we all know what a freak of nature Dwight Howard is; but the two biggest keys in this series are the most unheralded.

In what has turned out to be a great move in the wake of Jameer Nelson's season-ending injury, the Magic traded away Brian Cook to the Rockets and a first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston. Set aside his legal troubles and his streetball antics, and he's a pretty steady player. Since his first full 82-game season in 2003-04, he's averaged roughly 13.5 points, 6.7 assists and shot at around a 40 percent clip. In these playoffs alone, he's got a 4 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and is averaging 15.2 points.

He's no Rondo in regulated games, despite what those And1 highlights may convince, but he's not turnover-prone.

As for Lewis, Orlando management took alot of criticism for giving an $82 million contract to a guy that, for all intents and purposes, didn't deserve it. But now we see why. The guy is averaging 19 points per game for the playoffs, can step out and shoot (37 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs), and he can slash. Not to mention, he's 6-foot-10.

Combine that with Howard and Turkoglu, and that's a tall task to topple without KG, no matter how many overachievers you've got on the floor.

Hey KG. Suck it up and play

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

According the Boston Celtics, there is no structural damage to Kevin Garnett's knee.  Until the Celtics either win it all, or get bounced from the playoffs, fans and media will not know the full extent of the injury.  That uncertainty has led to some rampant rumors of his return to the court or his inability to play through the pain.  

KG has a sterling reputation for giving all he can on the court, so many people believe that he's just too injured to play and he'll have off season surgery.  That may be the case, but why don't the Celtics just come out and let everyone know?  Personally, I think he's injured, may need surgery to clean a few things up in the knee, but could step on the court and play with the pain. So, KG, get your shorts on and get out there and play.  If he could contribute 12-15 minutes, it would give the Celtics bench the big man they need.  

Odds are the Celtics wouldn't be able to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 7 games series anyway, but you need to make every effort to get there.  

Kevin Garnett, the Boston Celtics need you.  Will you answer the call?

Game ball, Eddie House

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

This was the Eddie House we had all been waiting for.

In truth it seemed only a matter of time before House, who set a franchise record this season in three-point percentage (46 percent), found his groove again -- shooters never stay cold for long. And the timing couldn't have been any better.

Yes, this is a game he will be telling his grandkids about. Perfect from the line (2 for 2) and a perfect 5 for 5 from the field -- including 4 for 4 from three-point range -- spelled doom tonight for the Bulls, as the ninth-year man out of Arizona State threw down several clutch shots late to quell a furious Chicago rally and finally win this series, 4-3.

This was a night when several Celtics grew up. Kendrick Perkins, on the heels of a career night, put in another solid performance (14 points, 13 rebounds) and refused to get pushed around on the blocks. Glen Davis (15 points) showed us some moves tonight that made me remember that in high school he was a 6-foot-8, 330-pound running back.

Brian Scalabrine, for once, proved he's actually worth the minutes Doc put him in for. Even Mikki Moore (aka the homeless man's PJ Brown), in just under three minutes, proved some mettle (four points, two rebounds and ZERO fouls).

If the Celtics had somehow squandered that second-quarter cushion, I'd probably be carrying on ad nauseum about what a horrendous call that Hinrich-tripping-over-his-own-feet call was on Pierce. I don't know what's worse, that call, the infamous Chuck Knoblauch "ghost tag" on Jose Offerman in the 99 ALCS, or every call by Bennett Salvatore in the 06 Finals.

But you know what? Tonight, much akin to the spirit of a good broadcasting team, I'm going to stay quiet and let the emotions paint the picture. Let's be content for the moment that we just witnessed a beautiful roller coaster of a run, and not worry for at least 24 hours that we have to now deal with Dwight Howard and Hedo FREAKIN Turkoglu.

The night is young. And tonight, it has a green tint to it.

Celtics in for a Game 7 screamer

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Voicemail from one of my college roommmates, a diehard Lakers fan, after the Celtics lost Game 6 to the Hawks: "Hey, HEY hey, where you watching Game 7 homey? Where you watching? Ahhhh-hahahaha!"

Text from said former roommate: "Where you watching Game 7?"

Stupor-induced cat-call from across the bar by another old UMass buddy, Brookline resident and San Diego transplant, Vaughn: "Good one, Red. Lakers, baby. LAY-kers."

Everyone seems to be enjoying this seven-game, first-round, modern-day Othello except us Celtics fans. For the fourth time in six games, Game 6 went into extra frames -- this time three overtimes -- before the Chicago Bulls snuck away with a 128-127 victory, before a raucous United Center crowd and a plethora of half-nervous/half-angry Boston faithful watching from big screens all over the 617 area code.

Unlike that Hawks series last year, where you knew the Big Three were going to come out of the gates steaming mad and take control form the get-go, I feel like the ball is in Chicago's court. The Bulls could totally take this Game 7 by double-digits, and the viewing public would no longer be shocked. The Bulls have been shocking the establishment for the past two games, and now they've got nothing to lose in this final act of the series.

Should KG give it a go? I'm not going to cling to my crazy theory from Game 5, but at this point I'll take a wounded Tony Battie. Heck, I'll take Vitaly Potapenko, Eric Montross, Stojko Vrankovic, anybody at this point. The C's starting rotation needs some help, in the most desperate way.

That's all I got for now. More to come this afternoon.