We are only a couple of weeks away from the announcement of the rosters for the 2011 MLB All-Star game. With the starting position players being voted on by the fans we can expect at least a couple of undeserving players (*cough*Jeter*cough*) to take the field at the mid-summer classic. In a game designed to be for the fans, popularity rules over fairness. The players having the best seasons don't always make the team. While track record should be a factor, given that to this point in the season we are still working with a relatively small sample size, often times a player's name carries much more value than what they are able to produce at this point in their careers.
In a perfect world, what would the rosters look like? Well, here is one man's opinion of what they should look like once the final rosters are assembled.
Keep in mind that each team is allowed 34 players and each of the Major League teams must have at least one player representative.
American League
C - Victor Martinez: I know, he's a defensive liability and doesn't even spend the majority of his appearances behind the plate, but with Joe Maur missing most of the season due to injury, V-Mart has been far and away the best hitting player eligible at the position.
1B - Adrian Gonzalez: the Sox new slugger has surpassed all our expectations by leading the league in hits, AVG, RBIs and extra-base hits.
2B - Robinson Cano: putting up big numbers already, despite his history of being a slow starter. If he adds on his usual strong finish, how good will those numbers look by the end of the season?
3B - Adrian Beltre: in a close race with A-Rod and Youkilis, but gets the nod due to superior defense.
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera: Jeter will get voted in by the fans, but anyone paying attention knows he's not even close. A-Cab has been one of the league's best hitters on the league's biggest early season surprise team.
OF - Jose Bautista: I guess last year's home run barrage wasn't a fluke after all. Currently leads the league with 24 bombs.
OF - Curtis Granderson: finally figuring out how to hit lefties has led to a monster season.
OF - Jacoby Ellsbury: outstanding bounce back season after missing most of last year with a rib injury. He leads the league in steals, is 3rd in hits and has added a little pop in his bat (8 HRs)
DH - David Ortiz: Big Papi is back! His abysmal slow starts are a thing of the past. His bat speed is back and he's hitting lefties again.
SP - Justin Verlander: Leads the Majors in quality starts and may be the most dominating pitcher in the game right now.
Reserves
C - Matt Weiters: the former hyped prospect is starting to show signs of the promise we all predicted.
C - Joe Maur: He doesn't really belong, but who from the Twins does? If not for his injury issues there's no reason to think he wouldn't still be the game's best catcher.
1B - Miguel Cabrera: put off-season drama behind him to begin another MVP caliber campaign
1B - Paul Konerko: tough call over Teixeria, as most of their numbers are similar and Tex is the better defender, but Konerko leads by a large margin in OBP and SLG.
2B - Dustin Pedroia: started to heat up with the bat this month. Still a great defensive player and he's the gritty dirt dog that keeps the Sox engine running.
3B - Alex Rodriguez: whispers about another injury are concerning, but he's been getting it done so far.
3B - Kevin Youkilis: AVG has declined, but the OBP is still there. Added bonus that he can play 1B as well, because we don't already have enough of those guys on the team.
SS - Alexi Rameriz: what, were you expecting Derek Jeter?
OF - Josh Hamilton: missed a lot of time with an injury, but couldn't leave last year's AL MVP off the roster. He's hit as well as ever when healthy, Slugging over .500.
OF - Alex Gordon: just when we had given up on him, he finally breaks out with the kind of year we always expected from him. Plus, we needed a Royal.
UTIL - Ben Zobrist: big bounce back season for Zorilla, plus he can play all over the diamond, making him a perfect fit for the last offensive bench spot.
P - Josh Beckett: back to being the ace we remember.
P - Jon Lester: ERA is higher than expected, but K's and Wins are still there.
P - Jered Weaver: leads the AL in ERA.
P - Dan Haren: gives the Angels a formidable 1-2 punch to lead their rotation.
P - James Shields: "Big Game" James is back, watch out!
P - David Price: Tampa's rotation has kept them in contention despite off season losses.
P - Felix Hernandez: Not as dominant as last year's Cy Young season, but still one of the game's best.
P - Michael Pineda: ROY front-runner has destroyed the opposition. Future ace to pair with the King.
P - Gio Gonzalez: Needed someone from the A's and he's been their best pitcher.
P - Alexi Ogando: fair to say the transition from the bullpen to the rotation has been a success.
P - Mariano Rivera: No explanation needed.
P - Chris Perez: fast start for Cleveland should help him get noticed more.
P - Jonathan Papelbon: ERA is higher than you would expect, but most of the damage was done in non-save situations. Still converted 13 out of 14 save chances.
Snubs - these players are on the fence. Many of them deserve to be on the roster, but due to the rules of requiring each team to be represented, we are forced to leave them off the team. They may still make it on as injury replacements, or if a player decides to skip the festivities (wait, nevermind - Manny is out of the league now).
C - Russell Martin; 1B - Mark Teixeria; 2B - Ian Kinslar; 3B - Evan Longoria; SS - Elvis Andrus,
OF - Adam Lind, Brennan Boesch, Matt Joyce; P - CC Sabathia, Jordan Walden, Phil Humber, CJ Wilson.
National League
C - Brian McCann: best in the majors at this position this year, and it's not even close.
1B - Joey Votto: power numbers are down a bit from last year's MVP campaign, but OBP and SLG show he's having another elite season.
2B - Rickie Weeks: big drop off at this position in the NL and his numbers are clearly deserving.
3B - Chipper Jones: the elite NL third basemen have been crippled by injuries (Wright, Zimmerman), so seems fair to give Chipper a lifetime achievement vote.
SS - Jose Reyes: NL is loaded with good young talent at the position, even with Hanley Ramirez having a terrible year. Reyes edges out Tulo for the start.
OF - Matt Kemp: first half MVP easily on pace for a 40/40 season
OF - Ryan Braun: one of the league's best hitters, forms half of a formidable duo in the middle of the Brewer's lineup
OF - Justin Upton: Another 5 tool player, finally putting it all together for his best season yet
DH - Prince Fielder: Leads the NL in RBIs. Been the best 1B in the league, but Votto's glove helps edge him out for the starting spot, leaving Fielder to DH.
SP - Roy Halladay: take your pick of Phillies starters, they have 3 guys that deserve this spot, but Doc is still the best pitcher in the game.
Reserves
C - Miguel Montero: Season ending injury to Posey weakens the talent pool, but Montero is quietly having another good year in the desert.
1B - Ryan Howard: numbers continue to decline across the board, but he's still driving in runs
1B - Gaby Sanchez: you would know more about him if anybody ever went to watch the Marlins play
2B - Brandon Phillips: multi-tool player still one of the game's best defensively at the position
2B - Neil Walker: leads all 2B in RBIs
3B - Ryan Zimmerman: Not many options in the NL and injuries have deprived him of most of the season, but he's back now and getting it done in the field and at the plate.
SS - Troy Tulowitzki: if you were looking to start a franchise right now with any position player in the game, this guy would have to get some serious consideration.
SS - Starlin Castro: Rookie has been one of the few bright spots for the Cubs this year
OF - Lance Berkman: back in the NL again, the Puma has been rejuvenated
OF - Andrew McCutchen: one of the reason's Pirates have a chance to finish above .500 for the first time in 19 years.
OF - Michael Bourn: Had to pick an Astro. Leader in Steals would be a perfect pinch runner to bring off the bench.
P - Cole Hamels: numbers nearly even with Halladay
P - Cliff Lee: Another deserving Philly ace, coming off 3 straight complete game shutouts.
P - Clayton Kershaw: Kid K continues to mow down opposing hitters
P - Tommy Hanson: having a great season that warrants a spot on the team, as long as he can return from the DL before then.
P - Jair Jurrjens: somehow getting it done despite poor K rate (5.17 K/9).
P - Shaun Marcum: Zach Grienke grabbed the headlines when he arrived in the off-season, but their other off-season pitcher acquisition has been the team's ace this year.
P - Jhoulys Chacin: numbers are even more impressive when you consider he plays half his games in Coors Field
P - Tim Lincecum: The Freak is 3rd in the NL in K/9 while leading the staff for the defending World Champs.
P - Ian Kennedy: Yankees must regret trading him away instead of Phil Hughes
P - Brian Wilson: league leader in Saves despite missing the first couple weeks with a rib injury
P - Jonny Venters: 1.26 ERA is the lowest in the league for pitchers with at least 50 innings. 2 seam fastball is un-hittable.
P - Joel Hanrahan: hard throwing closer has been as reliable as they come
P - Heath Bell: Padres most valuable player, at least until they trade him.
Snubs
1B - Albert Pujols (injured, likely would miss the game anyway); OF - Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, Carlos Gonzalez, Chris Young, Hunter Pence; P - Anibel Sanchez, Kyle Lohse, Matt Cain, Craig Kimbrel
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Bruins are back!
I'm going to be honest up front, I don't typically watch a lot of hockey. At least not compared to the amount of time I spend following the other major sports. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Bruins and have always rooted for them, but with the hockey season taking place at the same time as the NBA season, as well as partially overlapping the NFL and MLB seasons, it doesn't leave a lot of time for the NHL.
That's not to say that I don't care about the team or that I know nothing about the sport - that's simply not true. I did come in first place in my Fantasy Hockey league, so I'm not completely ignorant about the league. I'm too young to have seen the last championship season for the Bruins, back in the days of the great Bobby Orr. I grew up watching guys like Ray Bourque and Cam Neely. I still have my autographed Neely photo from when I met him at a Stop & Shop when I was about ten years old.
For a variety of reasons (no titles in my lifetime, a cheapskate owner, dwindling popularity and a plethora of foreign players with names that were difficult to pronounce), hockey has taken a back seat to the other three major sports. I have still always followed the Bruins, they just weren't the priority amongst the other great Boston sports teams. This season, the B's managed to pull me back in, as I found myself getting wrapped up in the excitement of their playoff run that resulted in their first Stanley Cup title in my lifetime. In honor of their achievement, I'm attempting my first ever hockey column. Let's see how this goes.
The Bruins journey through the postseason was packed with drama. Whether it was opposing fans calling 911 to report Chara for a vicious hit in Montreal, avenging last year's agonizing defeat in Philly, or the emergence of Tyler Seguin in the Tampa series, there was always a dramatic storyline to help fuel the excitement. It all culminated in the end with a thrilling 7 game series against Vancouver for the Stanley Cup.
The first two games of the series could not have been played any closer, with both games ending in heart-breaking fashion for the B's. Game 1 slipped away as the Canucks scored the only goal of the game with 18 seconds remaining to damper what had been an outstanding battle between the two goalies. Game 2 would need to be settled in overtime, but it wouldn't last long, as the Canucks again shocked the B's by scoring 11 seconds into the OT period. It only added insult to injury that the hero of the game for the Canucks was Alex Burrows, who many believed should have been suspended for the game for biting the fingers of Patrice Bergeron during a scuffle. The league ruled the evidence of his shameful actions were not conclusive enough to warrant a suspension, but it was clear to anyone wearing black and gold. Despite a resilient effort in both games, the B's found themselves down in an early hole.
Back in Boston, the fire was finally ignited for this team. The biting incident with Burrows and the annoying flopping routine by the Sedin twins angered the B's, but the turning point was when Nathan Horton was blindsided by a cheap shot from Aaron Rome. While Rome was suspended for the rest of the series for his actions, Horton would also be forced out due to a concussion. At the time it seemed like a crushing blow to lose one of their top forwards in a series where they already trailed, but the cheap shot seemed to awaken a sleeping giant. The B's used this as motivation as they piled up 8 goals in the final two periods to trounce the Canucks. The Big Bad Bruins were back!
The Bruins would dominate each game in Boston, as they shut out Vancouver in Game 4 and won a convincing Game 6. In between, the Canucks pulled out another narrow 1-0 victory as goalie Roberto Luongo continued his trend of appearing unstoppable in the comforts of their home building, while being an unreliable wreck on the road. His home/road differential was shocking, as he let up a total of only 2 goals through the first 3 games on their home ice, yet was a mess for the games in Boston. Credit the Boston offense for playing well at home, but there were several goals he let up that a goaltender of his caliber typically would stop. This from a guy who was critical of Bruins goalie Tim Thomas for the one goal he gave up in Game 5, stating Thomas' aggressive style cost him, while his approach would have allowed him to stop that game winning shot. “It’s an easy save for me," he boasted. Great, pick on the best goalie on the planet for letting up one goal after you just let up a total of 12 goals in the previous two games. Good idea.
Luongo would ignite further controversy by complaining that he felt disrespected by Thomas for his lack of praise for him. "I have been pumping (Thomas’) tires ever since the series started. I haven’t heard one nice thing he had to say about me.” Sorry, but this is the Stanely Cup Finals. Timmy has more important things to think about than your feelings and injured pride. Plus, given how Luongo had played in the games in Boston, there wasn't a lot of good things to say about him at that time. Perhaps Thomas gets more praise, from you and everyone else, because he's better than you! If his outstanding Vezina award winning season, in which he set an NHL record for save percentage (.938), wasn't enough to prove that, then this series certainly was.
The series shifted back to Vancouver for Game 7, where the Canucks had appeared unbeatable. It wasn't just Luongo that played far better at home, they were a different team at home from top to bottom. Their struggling stars, such as Ryan Kessler (1 assist) and the Sedin Twins (combined 2 goals, 1 assist) had yet to contribute much in this series, but seemed primed for a breakout performance in front of their passionate home crowd. Instead, it was the opposite, as the Bruins jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Canucks seemed exhausted and disinterested by the end of the game as they accepted defeat without much of a fight. Actually, this game really did have the least amount of penalties and fighting of any game in this series. The two teams stood toe to toe all series long, exchanging blows, but it was the Bruins that delivered the knockout punch.
Watching the Bruins players take their turns skating around the ice hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup was a special moment for Bruins fans. The die-hards will scoff at so called bandwagon fans like myself celebrating this victory. While I appreciate their passion for their team, I disagree with the "bandwagon" label. I've been a fan of the Bruins my whole life, they just weren't as big of a priority as the Celtics, Red Sox or Patriots. They were a clear 4th of my list, but it wasn't a distant 4th, and it takes nothing away from the pride I feel as a fan in this championship season. What it boils down to is that I'm a Boston fan. I'm passionate about my city and all it's sports teams. Ok, maybe not the Revolution, but nobody cares about soccer in this country anyway. Each of the 4 major sports teams in Boston has won a title in the past decade and I proudly cheered for each of those teams. Just because I happen to know more about basketball, football or baseball takes nothing away from they joy I felt last night watching Tim Thomas accept the Conn Smythe award for his outstanding postseason performance before raising the Cup high above his head in triumph. It was a hard earned victory for this Bruins team and a victory for all Boston sports fans.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins for a fantastic season. This playoff run was more exciting than any stretch of hockey that I can remember. You've successfully pulled me back in. Maybe now you will be more of a priority.
That's not to say that I don't care about the team or that I know nothing about the sport - that's simply not true. I did come in first place in my Fantasy Hockey league, so I'm not completely ignorant about the league. I'm too young to have seen the last championship season for the Bruins, back in the days of the great Bobby Orr. I grew up watching guys like Ray Bourque and Cam Neely. I still have my autographed Neely photo from when I met him at a Stop & Shop when I was about ten years old.
For a variety of reasons (no titles in my lifetime, a cheapskate owner, dwindling popularity and a plethora of foreign players with names that were difficult to pronounce), hockey has taken a back seat to the other three major sports. I have still always followed the Bruins, they just weren't the priority amongst the other great Boston sports teams. This season, the B's managed to pull me back in, as I found myself getting wrapped up in the excitement of their playoff run that resulted in their first Stanley Cup title in my lifetime. In honor of their achievement, I'm attempting my first ever hockey column. Let's see how this goes.
The Bruins journey through the postseason was packed with drama. Whether it was opposing fans calling 911 to report Chara for a vicious hit in Montreal, avenging last year's agonizing defeat in Philly, or the emergence of Tyler Seguin in the Tampa series, there was always a dramatic storyline to help fuel the excitement. It all culminated in the end with a thrilling 7 game series against Vancouver for the Stanley Cup.
The first two games of the series could not have been played any closer, with both games ending in heart-breaking fashion for the B's. Game 1 slipped away as the Canucks scored the only goal of the game with 18 seconds remaining to damper what had been an outstanding battle between the two goalies. Game 2 would need to be settled in overtime, but it wouldn't last long, as the Canucks again shocked the B's by scoring 11 seconds into the OT period. It only added insult to injury that the hero of the game for the Canucks was Alex Burrows, who many believed should have been suspended for the game for biting the fingers of Patrice Bergeron during a scuffle. The league ruled the evidence of his shameful actions were not conclusive enough to warrant a suspension, but it was clear to anyone wearing black and gold. Despite a resilient effort in both games, the B's found themselves down in an early hole.
Back in Boston, the fire was finally ignited for this team. The biting incident with Burrows and the annoying flopping routine by the Sedin twins angered the B's, but the turning point was when Nathan Horton was blindsided by a cheap shot from Aaron Rome. While Rome was suspended for the rest of the series for his actions, Horton would also be forced out due to a concussion. At the time it seemed like a crushing blow to lose one of their top forwards in a series where they already trailed, but the cheap shot seemed to awaken a sleeping giant. The B's used this as motivation as they piled up 8 goals in the final two periods to trounce the Canucks. The Big Bad Bruins were back!
The Bruins would dominate each game in Boston, as they shut out Vancouver in Game 4 and won a convincing Game 6. In between, the Canucks pulled out another narrow 1-0 victory as goalie Roberto Luongo continued his trend of appearing unstoppable in the comforts of their home building, while being an unreliable wreck on the road. His home/road differential was shocking, as he let up a total of only 2 goals through the first 3 games on their home ice, yet was a mess for the games in Boston. Credit the Boston offense for playing well at home, but there were several goals he let up that a goaltender of his caliber typically would stop. This from a guy who was critical of Bruins goalie Tim Thomas for the one goal he gave up in Game 5, stating Thomas' aggressive style cost him, while his approach would have allowed him to stop that game winning shot. “It’s an easy save for me," he boasted. Great, pick on the best goalie on the planet for letting up one goal after you just let up a total of 12 goals in the previous two games. Good idea.
Luongo would ignite further controversy by complaining that he felt disrespected by Thomas for his lack of praise for him. "I have been pumping (Thomas’) tires ever since the series started. I haven’t heard one nice thing he had to say about me.” Sorry, but this is the Stanely Cup Finals. Timmy has more important things to think about than your feelings and injured pride. Plus, given how Luongo had played in the games in Boston, there wasn't a lot of good things to say about him at that time. Perhaps Thomas gets more praise, from you and everyone else, because he's better than you! If his outstanding Vezina award winning season, in which he set an NHL record for save percentage (.938), wasn't enough to prove that, then this series certainly was.
The series shifted back to Vancouver for Game 7, where the Canucks had appeared unbeatable. It wasn't just Luongo that played far better at home, they were a different team at home from top to bottom. Their struggling stars, such as Ryan Kessler (1 assist) and the Sedin Twins (combined 2 goals, 1 assist) had yet to contribute much in this series, but seemed primed for a breakout performance in front of their passionate home crowd. Instead, it was the opposite, as the Bruins jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Canucks seemed exhausted and disinterested by the end of the game as they accepted defeat without much of a fight. Actually, this game really did have the least amount of penalties and fighting of any game in this series. The two teams stood toe to toe all series long, exchanging blows, but it was the Bruins that delivered the knockout punch.
Watching the Bruins players take their turns skating around the ice hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup was a special moment for Bruins fans. The die-hards will scoff at so called bandwagon fans like myself celebrating this victory. While I appreciate their passion for their team, I disagree with the "bandwagon" label. I've been a fan of the Bruins my whole life, they just weren't as big of a priority as the Celtics, Red Sox or Patriots. They were a clear 4th of my list, but it wasn't a distant 4th, and it takes nothing away from the pride I feel as a fan in this championship season. What it boils down to is that I'm a Boston fan. I'm passionate about my city and all it's sports teams. Ok, maybe not the Revolution, but nobody cares about soccer in this country anyway. Each of the 4 major sports teams in Boston has won a title in the past decade and I proudly cheered for each of those teams. Just because I happen to know more about basketball, football or baseball takes nothing away from they joy I felt last night watching Tim Thomas accept the Conn Smythe award for his outstanding postseason performance before raising the Cup high above his head in triumph. It was a hard earned victory for this Bruins team and a victory for all Boston sports fans.
Congratulations to the Boston Bruins for a fantastic season. This playoff run was more exciting than any stretch of hockey that I can remember. You've successfully pulled me back in. Maybe now you will be more of a priority.
Monday, June 13, 2011
NBA Finals Recap
With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror it's time for the NBA Finals to begin. This year's finals showcases a re-match of the 2006 Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. The teams may be the same from 5 years ago, but many of the players have changed. Will the outcome change as well? Let's find out!
Game 1
The first game of the series kicks off in Miami, thanks to a "meaningless" game in April to end the regular season when the Heat bench players trounced Toronto, giving the Heat a one game lead over a Mavericks team nobody expected them to face in the Finals.
Both teams shot terribly, falling below 39% from the field for the game. Good defense on both ends gets some of the credit, but both teams also missed some wide open shots, as well as a few lay ups and dunks (yes, we're still laughing at you for that miss Brendan Haywood).
Miami's trio of All-Stars spread the scoring fairly evenly amongst them, but due to the low scoring nature of the game none of them stood out as an outstanding performance. Bosh's abysmal 5-18 shooting night could have been a costly performance if not for the 9 points he added at the free throw line on a team high 12 attempts.
After a slow start in the first half, it was Wade that took over down the stretch. He scored 7 of his 22 points in the 4th quarter, while adding 3 key assists and a momentum shifting block. As Dallas tried to claw their way back in a two possession game, Wade blocked a jumper from Marion, which led to a 3 pointer on the other end by Wade that essentially sealed the victory.
On the bright side for Dallas, they managed to keep LeBron and Wade off the charity stripe for most of the game, as the two combined for only 7 attempts from the line. That's a big difference from the free throw parade Wade showered on them in their last Finals match. The strategy of keeping those two out of the lane and off the free throw line should typically work, and if it weren't from a combined 6 of 9 shooting from three point range between them then perhaps it would have worked. History shows us that those two have to cool off eventually, because neither has been nearly this accurate from that range in their careers. The fall away three pointer by LeBron to end the third quarter was ridiculous!
Offensively for the Mavs, they need to find a more reliable scoring option aside from Dirk. Their bench is typically one of their strengths, especially against a team like Miami that essentially has nobody that is a threat in their 2nd unit, yet the Mavs bench were outscored 27-17 by their Heat counterparts. That differential proved to be the difference in the game. Jason Terry hit a few big three pointers, but that was all he hit on his way to an underwhelming 3-10 shooting night. JJ Barrea, who had been such a sparkplug off the bench in these playoffs, was basically invisible in his 18 minutes of play, scoring only 2 points on 1-8 shooting. They clearly don't have the same level of talent at the top with their one super star against Miami's Big Three, so it's the role players that have to make up the difference. On this night, they failed to do so.
To make matters worse, Dirk reportedly tore a tendon in his finger late in the game. It's on his non-shooting hand, so Dirk vows to play in Game 2 regardless of the pain, but any injury to their star must have Dallas holding it's collective breath.
Game 2
The Mavs bench was mostly ineffective again, but at least they were able to get Jason Terry going a bit. He chipped in 16 points and tied Dirk with a team high +13 in the plus/minus column. With the starters logging heavy minutes, Terry was the only reserve to see significant action.
After the Mavs struggled just to stay even with the Heat in the first half, they seemed in danger of falling into a deep 2-0 hole in this series when Miami led by as much as 15 points in the 4th quarter. Yet the resilient Mavs found a spark that pushed them back into the game. Was it another example of the late game heroics Dallas has shown throughout the postseason, or did Miami just get a bit too comfortable with their lead? Perhaps it was a little of both. Credit the Mavs for an amazing come back victory, but Miami must also be troubled by how they seemed too content to coast to the finish line, becoming stale on offense and not hustling enough on defense. LeBron and Wade each missed several long jumpers while their supporting cast made some sloppy turnovers as the Mavs chipped away at their lead.
As the final few minutes ticked away, Dirk took over, scoring the final 9 points for his team, including a deflating three pointer with 26 seconds remaining. Although Mario Chalmers was able to tie the game seconds later, it left the deciding shot in Dirk's hands. He toasted Bosh on a drive to the hoop, effortlessly flipping the ball up for the game winning layup.
After losing at home for the first time this postseason, Miami will have to regroup and find a way to regain the momentum as the series shifts to Dallas.
Game 3
In a series that had thus far been a low scoring defensive affair, this game would of course come down to a 4th quarter shoot out between Dirk and Wade. Each seemed incapable of missing down the stretch as they carried their respective teams on their backs in a tight game.
Wade poured in a team high 29 points to pick up the slack for the lackluster performances by LeBron and Bosh. LeBron had a fairly efficient game, but settled for being a distributor (9 assists) down the stretch, seemingly content with allowing Wade to show the killer instinct to take over when the team needed him to.
Dallas trailed for most of the game, but it was close entering the 4th quarter and remained so through the rest of the game. Their comeback attempt was aided by some ill timed loose ball fouls that put the Heat in the penalty early, giving Dirk the chance to earn some easy points at the free throw line.
In the end, the game came down to two plays that few could have predicted based on how the series had gone. First, it was Chris Bosh bailing out his team by hitting a mid-range jumper from the left side to put the Heat ahead by two. After hitting a woeful 16 of 52 shots from the field in this series, Bosh did not seem like the most likely of the Heat's trio to take the shot with the game on the line.
With only seconds remaining, Dallas still had one last shot to win or force overtime. They had to feel good about their chances once they got the ball in the hands of Dirk, but great defensive pressure forced him into a long off balance jumper that clanged off the rim, sealing victory for the Heat. Dirk, who has been so clutch in the playoffs and had seemed almost automatic late in games missed the most important shot of the series thus far.
The Mavs will have the benefit of having the next two games in Dallas to try to get back in this series, but they would be disappointed to know that the Game 3 winner in a Finals series tied at 1 has gone on to win the title each time since the 2-3-2 format was put in place.
Game 4
It wasn't quite like MJ's infamous "Flu Game," but another strong 4th quarter performance from Dirk, despite battling a 102 degree fever, proved to be just enough. The Mavs star chipped in 10 of his 21 points in the final quarter to help even the series at two. His weary body appeared to be on the verge of collapsing at times. Every shot of him slumped on the bench showed him wheezing into a towel with a mixture of exhaustion and misery painted on his face. Yet he still managed to find the strength to push himself back on the court and hit some key shots down the stretch. It won't look that way in the box score, but given the circumstances of Dirk's health, as well as the situation of being in what amounted to a must win game, this may have been one of the most impressive performances of his career.
Needing to find a way to shake things up to avoid falling into an insurmountable hole, Dallas swapped DeShawn Stevenson out of the starting lineup in favor of JJ Barea. While the Mavs ended up winning the game, I'm not convinced that this adjustment actually helped. Perhaps it was done to help jump start the struggling Barea, but he continued to disappoint, failing to finish several attempts near the basket and finishing with a team low -7 in the +/- column. Stevenson on the other hand contributed a trio of 3-pointers that helped get Dallas back in the game. The move to bring him off the bench may have had more to do with the need to bring him in to match up against LeBron when Marion needed a rest. I agree with that strategy, but going forward I'd rather see Terry in the starting lineup instead of Barea. I realize Terry may be more comfortable in his 6th man role, but he plays nearly the same amount of minutes as the starters anyway. It would benefit the team more to let Terry and Stevenson take away more of Barea's minutes if he continues to struggle.
Speaking of struggling, LeBron James may have his face plastered on a milk carton this morning as he appeared to be missing from this game. Despite playing a game high 46 minutes, he delivered a career playoff low 8 points. True, he contributed in other areas (9 rebounds, 7 assists), but he had a poor game efficiency wise (3-11 from the field, 2-4 from the free throw line, 4 turnovers) and failed to attempt to take over the game at any point.
The heavy lifting was once again left to Wade, who had a spectacular 32 point effort that was nearly enough to steal another victory. They had some chances near the end, but a 1-9 shooting slump for the Heat down the stretch (Wade had the only field goal) doomed their chances.
Poor shooting defined the game, as both teams shot under 43% from the field. Miami started out terribly, but managed to stay in the game due to their dominance on the offensive glass. 6 of their first 8 points came off second chance baskets.
After four games the teams are tied at two game apiece, with the last three games all coming down to a one possession game in the end. As much as Dallas had to have this game, the next game will be of equal importance. They can't afford to head back to Miami needing to win two road games to finish the series.
Game 5
Redirkulous. Sure, its a made up word, but it seems to be a fitting way to describe the role the Mavs are on right now, thanks in big part to Dirk. His game high 29 points led the way, capped off by a thunderous slam that gave Dallas the lead for good with under 3 minutes remaining.
Welcome to the party JJ Barea! After ineffectively being placed into the starting lineup last game, Barea finally broke out with his best game of the series, scoring 17 points, which included four 3-pointers.
LeBron rebounded from the worst playoff game of his career to post a triple-double (17-10-10), yet his point total still left much to be desired. Like the rest of his teammates, he struggled down the stretch as the Heat blew another game late in the 4th quarter. While he did seem a little more engaged than his puzzling performance in Game 4, there are still some troubling signs for LeBron and the Heat as they face elimination.
One of those troubling signs in this game was their defensive play. This was the highest scoring game of the series thus far, with both teams shooting well over 50% from the field. You wouldn't necessarily expect Dallas to keep up their stingy defense for long, but Miami was one of the top 3 best defensive teams this season. Even when they struggled in other aspects of the game in their earlier losses in this series, they at least could point to their defense as a bright spot. That wasn't the case after this game. They can't afford to allow that to happen again, as they now trail in the series and have their backs against the walls. As LeBron said, it's now or never.
Game 6
Apparently never was the appropriate response. Well, not never, but not this year in any case. Not for Lebron James and the Heat.
Dirk started out a woeful 1-12 from the field in the first half, yet the Mavs still managed to come away with a series clinching victory despite the uncharacteristic performance from their best player. Dirk would finish with 21 points thanks to a resurgent second half, but it was Jason Terry that was the hero in this game. His game high 27 points helped lead Dallas when Dirk's shot wasn't falling. The man who tattooed an image of the championship trophy on his bicep before the season started backed up his prediction by helping to deliver the Dallas Mavericks their first title in franchise history.
The series had gotten heated at times, but none more so than in the second quarter when things nearly erupted after DeShawn Stevenson shoved Udonis Haslem as the two crossed paths during a timeout. Several other players crowded around to intervene as the two players jawed at each other near mid-court. Since a timeout had already been called, there were already bench players on the court when the incident began. This led to speculation over how the league would view the situation in terms of possible suspensions. League rules dictate that a player that leaves the bench during such an altercation automatically receives a 1 game suspension, but in this case some players were already off the bench, so how would they determine which players, if any, came close enough to getting involved to warrant a suspension? Luckily, the Mavs saved us from the tragedy of facing a Game 7 impacted by key suspensions by winning this series in 6 games.
Miami made one positive adjustment that proved to be too little too late. They inserted Mario Chalmers into the starting lineup and allowed him to combine with Eddie House off the bench to replace the struggling Mike Bibby. Chalmers and House combined for 27 points in the game, easily outproducing Bibby's total (19) for the entire series.
As for the Miami trio, each had a solid, yet far from spectacular line from looking at the boxscores. Bosh had the most efficient game of the group, but he seemed like an after thought at times down the stretch, despite that the Mavs frontcourt was in foul trouble, making him even more difficult to cover in the post. LeBron started out strong in the first few minutes of the game, but then quickly disappeared again for long stretches. He finished with a team high 21 points, but aside from that early first quarter burst, it never felt like he was in control of the game. While the other key Heat starters all finished on the positive side of the +/- column, LeBron's -24 for the game is a telling eye sore. It's not often that you can say that this team is better with LeBron on the bench, but that sadly became the story by the end of this series.
Result:
The victory for the Mavs avenges their controversial meltdown against the Heat in the 2006 Finals. 5 years later Dirk finally found that elusive championship ring, which enhances his legacy and perhaps pushes him up the list of elite forwards in history above ring-less elites such as Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. The Finals MVP battled through a torn tendon in his finger, a sinus infection, a fever, and the pressure of being labeled "soft." He overcame all obstacles while putting together one of the greatest playoff performances in recent history.
Jason Kidd, one of the all-time elite point guards, finally won a ring as well. After 17 years in the league and 3 Finals appearances, it's a long awaited achievement as his career winds down.
Miami entered this season as heavily hyped favorites, so the loss comes as a crushing blow for a team carrying the burden of so many expectations. Granted they brought much of that on themselves by the way their star trio came together and for the celebration they had before even playing a game together, but before we crush their legacies based on this series, keep in mind that this team of stars in their prime will return for the next several years. They aren't going away and they will likely get another chance at some point. Wade already has a ring, so a Finals loss doesn't do much to effect him, particularly given how well he played this postseason. Bosh had never come close to making it this far in the playoffs before, so his stock could only have gone up.
The only one in danger of being viewed differently from a historical standpoint with this result is LeBron, who once again showed a puzzling pattern of disappearing at times and deferring to his other All-Star teammates. Was he unable to figure out Dallas' zone defense? Was he fatigued from too many minutes? Are the rumors of more off court drama distracting him again? Whatever it is, this was not the same King James we are used to seeing, and for the second straight season we have witnessed him fade away as his team was eliminated. The lasting impression he leaves on this series will be that he showed this Heat team belongs to Wade, not him.
Miami already had their parade before the season. Time for the true champions to have theirs.
Game 1
The first game of the series kicks off in Miami, thanks to a "meaningless" game in April to end the regular season when the Heat bench players trounced Toronto, giving the Heat a one game lead over a Mavericks team nobody expected them to face in the Finals.
Both teams shot terribly, falling below 39% from the field for the game. Good defense on both ends gets some of the credit, but both teams also missed some wide open shots, as well as a few lay ups and dunks (yes, we're still laughing at you for that miss Brendan Haywood).
Miami's trio of All-Stars spread the scoring fairly evenly amongst them, but due to the low scoring nature of the game none of them stood out as an outstanding performance. Bosh's abysmal 5-18 shooting night could have been a costly performance if not for the 9 points he added at the free throw line on a team high 12 attempts.
After a slow start in the first half, it was Wade that took over down the stretch. He scored 7 of his 22 points in the 4th quarter, while adding 3 key assists and a momentum shifting block. As Dallas tried to claw their way back in a two possession game, Wade blocked a jumper from Marion, which led to a 3 pointer on the other end by Wade that essentially sealed the victory.
On the bright side for Dallas, they managed to keep LeBron and Wade off the charity stripe for most of the game, as the two combined for only 7 attempts from the line. That's a big difference from the free throw parade Wade showered on them in their last Finals match. The strategy of keeping those two out of the lane and off the free throw line should typically work, and if it weren't from a combined 6 of 9 shooting from three point range between them then perhaps it would have worked. History shows us that those two have to cool off eventually, because neither has been nearly this accurate from that range in their careers. The fall away three pointer by LeBron to end the third quarter was ridiculous!
Offensively for the Mavs, they need to find a more reliable scoring option aside from Dirk. Their bench is typically one of their strengths, especially against a team like Miami that essentially has nobody that is a threat in their 2nd unit, yet the Mavs bench were outscored 27-17 by their Heat counterparts. That differential proved to be the difference in the game. Jason Terry hit a few big three pointers, but that was all he hit on his way to an underwhelming 3-10 shooting night. JJ Barrea, who had been such a sparkplug off the bench in these playoffs, was basically invisible in his 18 minutes of play, scoring only 2 points on 1-8 shooting. They clearly don't have the same level of talent at the top with their one super star against Miami's Big Three, so it's the role players that have to make up the difference. On this night, they failed to do so.
To make matters worse, Dirk reportedly tore a tendon in his finger late in the game. It's on his non-shooting hand, so Dirk vows to play in Game 2 regardless of the pain, but any injury to their star must have Dallas holding it's collective breath.
Game 2
The Mavs bench was mostly ineffective again, but at least they were able to get Jason Terry going a bit. He chipped in 16 points and tied Dirk with a team high +13 in the plus/minus column. With the starters logging heavy minutes, Terry was the only reserve to see significant action.
After the Mavs struggled just to stay even with the Heat in the first half, they seemed in danger of falling into a deep 2-0 hole in this series when Miami led by as much as 15 points in the 4th quarter. Yet the resilient Mavs found a spark that pushed them back into the game. Was it another example of the late game heroics Dallas has shown throughout the postseason, or did Miami just get a bit too comfortable with their lead? Perhaps it was a little of both. Credit the Mavs for an amazing come back victory, but Miami must also be troubled by how they seemed too content to coast to the finish line, becoming stale on offense and not hustling enough on defense. LeBron and Wade each missed several long jumpers while their supporting cast made some sloppy turnovers as the Mavs chipped away at their lead.
As the final few minutes ticked away, Dirk took over, scoring the final 9 points for his team, including a deflating three pointer with 26 seconds remaining. Although Mario Chalmers was able to tie the game seconds later, it left the deciding shot in Dirk's hands. He toasted Bosh on a drive to the hoop, effortlessly flipping the ball up for the game winning layup.
After losing at home for the first time this postseason, Miami will have to regroup and find a way to regain the momentum as the series shifts to Dallas.
Game 3
In a series that had thus far been a low scoring defensive affair, this game would of course come down to a 4th quarter shoot out between Dirk and Wade. Each seemed incapable of missing down the stretch as they carried their respective teams on their backs in a tight game.
Wade poured in a team high 29 points to pick up the slack for the lackluster performances by LeBron and Bosh. LeBron had a fairly efficient game, but settled for being a distributor (9 assists) down the stretch, seemingly content with allowing Wade to show the killer instinct to take over when the team needed him to.
Dallas trailed for most of the game, but it was close entering the 4th quarter and remained so through the rest of the game. Their comeback attempt was aided by some ill timed loose ball fouls that put the Heat in the penalty early, giving Dirk the chance to earn some easy points at the free throw line.
In the end, the game came down to two plays that few could have predicted based on how the series had gone. First, it was Chris Bosh bailing out his team by hitting a mid-range jumper from the left side to put the Heat ahead by two. After hitting a woeful 16 of 52 shots from the field in this series, Bosh did not seem like the most likely of the Heat's trio to take the shot with the game on the line.
With only seconds remaining, Dallas still had one last shot to win or force overtime. They had to feel good about their chances once they got the ball in the hands of Dirk, but great defensive pressure forced him into a long off balance jumper that clanged off the rim, sealing victory for the Heat. Dirk, who has been so clutch in the playoffs and had seemed almost automatic late in games missed the most important shot of the series thus far.
The Mavs will have the benefit of having the next two games in Dallas to try to get back in this series, but they would be disappointed to know that the Game 3 winner in a Finals series tied at 1 has gone on to win the title each time since the 2-3-2 format was put in place.
Game 4
It wasn't quite like MJ's infamous "Flu Game," but another strong 4th quarter performance from Dirk, despite battling a 102 degree fever, proved to be just enough. The Mavs star chipped in 10 of his 21 points in the final quarter to help even the series at two. His weary body appeared to be on the verge of collapsing at times. Every shot of him slumped on the bench showed him wheezing into a towel with a mixture of exhaustion and misery painted on his face. Yet he still managed to find the strength to push himself back on the court and hit some key shots down the stretch. It won't look that way in the box score, but given the circumstances of Dirk's health, as well as the situation of being in what amounted to a must win game, this may have been one of the most impressive performances of his career.
Needing to find a way to shake things up to avoid falling into an insurmountable hole, Dallas swapped DeShawn Stevenson out of the starting lineup in favor of JJ Barea. While the Mavs ended up winning the game, I'm not convinced that this adjustment actually helped. Perhaps it was done to help jump start the struggling Barea, but he continued to disappoint, failing to finish several attempts near the basket and finishing with a team low -7 in the +/- column. Stevenson on the other hand contributed a trio of 3-pointers that helped get Dallas back in the game. The move to bring him off the bench may have had more to do with the need to bring him in to match up against LeBron when Marion needed a rest. I agree with that strategy, but going forward I'd rather see Terry in the starting lineup instead of Barea. I realize Terry may be more comfortable in his 6th man role, but he plays nearly the same amount of minutes as the starters anyway. It would benefit the team more to let Terry and Stevenson take away more of Barea's minutes if he continues to struggle.
Speaking of struggling, LeBron James may have his face plastered on a milk carton this morning as he appeared to be missing from this game. Despite playing a game high 46 minutes, he delivered a career playoff low 8 points. True, he contributed in other areas (9 rebounds, 7 assists), but he had a poor game efficiency wise (3-11 from the field, 2-4 from the free throw line, 4 turnovers) and failed to attempt to take over the game at any point.
The heavy lifting was once again left to Wade, who had a spectacular 32 point effort that was nearly enough to steal another victory. They had some chances near the end, but a 1-9 shooting slump for the Heat down the stretch (Wade had the only field goal) doomed their chances.
Poor shooting defined the game, as both teams shot under 43% from the field. Miami started out terribly, but managed to stay in the game due to their dominance on the offensive glass. 6 of their first 8 points came off second chance baskets.
After four games the teams are tied at two game apiece, with the last three games all coming down to a one possession game in the end. As much as Dallas had to have this game, the next game will be of equal importance. They can't afford to head back to Miami needing to win two road games to finish the series.
Game 5
Redirkulous. Sure, its a made up word, but it seems to be a fitting way to describe the role the Mavs are on right now, thanks in big part to Dirk. His game high 29 points led the way, capped off by a thunderous slam that gave Dallas the lead for good with under 3 minutes remaining.
Welcome to the party JJ Barea! After ineffectively being placed into the starting lineup last game, Barea finally broke out with his best game of the series, scoring 17 points, which included four 3-pointers.
LeBron rebounded from the worst playoff game of his career to post a triple-double (17-10-10), yet his point total still left much to be desired. Like the rest of his teammates, he struggled down the stretch as the Heat blew another game late in the 4th quarter. While he did seem a little more engaged than his puzzling performance in Game 4, there are still some troubling signs for LeBron and the Heat as they face elimination.
One of those troubling signs in this game was their defensive play. This was the highest scoring game of the series thus far, with both teams shooting well over 50% from the field. You wouldn't necessarily expect Dallas to keep up their stingy defense for long, but Miami was one of the top 3 best defensive teams this season. Even when they struggled in other aspects of the game in their earlier losses in this series, they at least could point to their defense as a bright spot. That wasn't the case after this game. They can't afford to allow that to happen again, as they now trail in the series and have their backs against the walls. As LeBron said, it's now or never.
Game 6
Apparently never was the appropriate response. Well, not never, but not this year in any case. Not for Lebron James and the Heat.
Dirk started out a woeful 1-12 from the field in the first half, yet the Mavs still managed to come away with a series clinching victory despite the uncharacteristic performance from their best player. Dirk would finish with 21 points thanks to a resurgent second half, but it was Jason Terry that was the hero in this game. His game high 27 points helped lead Dallas when Dirk's shot wasn't falling. The man who tattooed an image of the championship trophy on his bicep before the season started backed up his prediction by helping to deliver the Dallas Mavericks their first title in franchise history.
The series had gotten heated at times, but none more so than in the second quarter when things nearly erupted after DeShawn Stevenson shoved Udonis Haslem as the two crossed paths during a timeout. Several other players crowded around to intervene as the two players jawed at each other near mid-court. Since a timeout had already been called, there were already bench players on the court when the incident began. This led to speculation over how the league would view the situation in terms of possible suspensions. League rules dictate that a player that leaves the bench during such an altercation automatically receives a 1 game suspension, but in this case some players were already off the bench, so how would they determine which players, if any, came close enough to getting involved to warrant a suspension? Luckily, the Mavs saved us from the tragedy of facing a Game 7 impacted by key suspensions by winning this series in 6 games.
Miami made one positive adjustment that proved to be too little too late. They inserted Mario Chalmers into the starting lineup and allowed him to combine with Eddie House off the bench to replace the struggling Mike Bibby. Chalmers and House combined for 27 points in the game, easily outproducing Bibby's total (19) for the entire series.
As for the Miami trio, each had a solid, yet far from spectacular line from looking at the boxscores. Bosh had the most efficient game of the group, but he seemed like an after thought at times down the stretch, despite that the Mavs frontcourt was in foul trouble, making him even more difficult to cover in the post. LeBron started out strong in the first few minutes of the game, but then quickly disappeared again for long stretches. He finished with a team high 21 points, but aside from that early first quarter burst, it never felt like he was in control of the game. While the other key Heat starters all finished on the positive side of the +/- column, LeBron's -24 for the game is a telling eye sore. It's not often that you can say that this team is better with LeBron on the bench, but that sadly became the story by the end of this series.
Result:
The victory for the Mavs avenges their controversial meltdown against the Heat in the 2006 Finals. 5 years later Dirk finally found that elusive championship ring, which enhances his legacy and perhaps pushes him up the list of elite forwards in history above ring-less elites such as Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. The Finals MVP battled through a torn tendon in his finger, a sinus infection, a fever, and the pressure of being labeled "soft." He overcame all obstacles while putting together one of the greatest playoff performances in recent history.
Jason Kidd, one of the all-time elite point guards, finally won a ring as well. After 17 years in the league and 3 Finals appearances, it's a long awaited achievement as his career winds down.
Miami entered this season as heavily hyped favorites, so the loss comes as a crushing blow for a team carrying the burden of so many expectations. Granted they brought much of that on themselves by the way their star trio came together and for the celebration they had before even playing a game together, but before we crush their legacies based on this series, keep in mind that this team of stars in their prime will return for the next several years. They aren't going away and they will likely get another chance at some point. Wade already has a ring, so a Finals loss doesn't do much to effect him, particularly given how well he played this postseason. Bosh had never come close to making it this far in the playoffs before, so his stock could only have gone up.
The only one in danger of being viewed differently from a historical standpoint with this result is LeBron, who once again showed a puzzling pattern of disappearing at times and deferring to his other All-Star teammates. Was he unable to figure out Dallas' zone defense? Was he fatigued from too many minutes? Are the rumors of more off court drama distracting him again? Whatever it is, this was not the same King James we are used to seeing, and for the second straight season we have witnessed him fade away as his team was eliminated. The lasting impression he leaves on this series will be that he showed this Heat team belongs to Wade, not him.
Miami already had their parade before the season. Time for the true champions to have theirs.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Shaq Retires
After a prolific 19 year career, Shaquille O'Neal has decided to hang up his size 23 sneakers. He leaves behind a legacy of one of the most entertaining careers in NBA history that will surely lead to his induction into the Hall of Fame.
There are many great Hall of Fame centers near the top of the hierarchy of NBA legends. Russell won 11 titles, Wilt piled up stats at an unprecedented rate, Kareem has scored more points than any player in history. Yet none of them ever seemed as dominant as Shaq was in his prime. Just his sheer size and power made him stand apart from everyone else. Whether he was slamming glass shattering dunks or using his size to control the paint, Shaq was an unstoppable force unlike anything we've ever seen.
Here is a quick run-down of what Shaq accomplished in his career:
Shaq has always known the NBA to be what it is - a business. With that in mind he thinks of himself as a business man, and has done an incredible job of marketing himself through his career. Shaq has used his charisma to land roles in everything from commercials to movies (ok, so Kazaam may not have been the best business decision). He's been featured in video games like Shaq-Fu. He even came out with a rap album. Everywhere you looked, Shaq was putting his stamp on the entertainment industry. No other athlete in any sport can say they've accomplished that much in so many different areas.
In Boston we got a small taste of this when he signed a minimum level deal to join the Celtics for his final shot at another title. From the moment he arrived, the city was buzzing with excitement over the Big Shamrock. Whether he was posing as a statue in Harvard Square, dressing up for Halloween on the city subways or conducting the Boston Pops, Shaq was always finding ways to entertain people, even when he wasn't able to be on the court.
As much fun as Shaq's career had been at times, it was also littered with controversy along several of his stops in his career. There were some that clashed with the fun loving giant along the way. A young Shaq had some well documented issues with fellow star Penny Hardaway that led to Shaq fleeing Orlando for a big contract in LA. After winning three titles together with the Lakers, his feud with Kobe Bryant boiled over to the point that Shaq was essentially forced out, leading to him being traded to Miami. After winning a title alongside Dwayne Wade, Shaq soon wore out his welcome in South Beach as he clashed with coach Stan Van Gundy (Shaq recently referred to his former coach as the "Master of Panic", showing there may still be some bad blood between the two). He was then shipped to Phoenix, a move which sabotaged the exciting "7 seconds or less" offense the team has employed under Mike D'Antoni. That was a decision made by the organization and coaching staff, so it clearly wasn't Shaq's fault that the team wanted to go in a different direction, but when the plan failed and the team struggled, Shaq unfairly took much of the blame. While it wasn't always his fault for how things unraveled in the end, he burned a lot of bridges on his way out of town with many the teams he played for earlier in his career.
The last few years of his career were far less controversial, as a more mature Shaq came to terms with the fact that his aging body no longer allowed him to be the dominant force he had once been. He accepted the part of being a role player by trying to fit in as the missing piece to put Cleveland over the top to "win a ring for the King." When that didn't work out and LeBron fled Cleveland, Shaq moved on to team with a trio of fellow future Hall of Famers in Boston.
Unfortunately, Shaq's 39 year old legs would not cooperate over the course of a long season. He battled a string of injuries that limited him to only 37 games and a total of only about 10 minutes of court time in the playoffs before he was forced to shut it down for good. Yet looking back to the beginning of the season, a healthy Shaq was still very productive. His 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game aren't that far off his career numbers on a per minute basis. Look at the impact he had on the rest of the team, particularly Rajon Rondo, who averaged nearly 14 assists per game through the first two months of the season, thanks in part to being able to throw up lobs at the rim for the big fella. It's no wonder the Celtics were 29-8 with Shaq in the line-up, the best record in the East at that time.
It's unfortunate that such an outstanding career had to end, but as Shaq said himself, Father Time has finally caught up to him. The man known by a wide variety of nicknames now has one more to add to his list: the Big 401k. When we look back at his career we won't remember the controversies or the injuries that dragged him down in the end. We'll remember the lovable character that made us smile with his jokes, dancing and wild sense of humor. We'll remember him for his long resume of accomplishments. Most importantly, we'll remember him for being the most dominant big man the league has ever seen.
There are many great Hall of Fame centers near the top of the hierarchy of NBA legends. Russell won 11 titles, Wilt piled up stats at an unprecedented rate, Kareem has scored more points than any player in history. Yet none of them ever seemed as dominant as Shaq was in his prime. Just his sheer size and power made him stand apart from everyone else. Whether he was slamming glass shattering dunks or using his size to control the paint, Shaq was an unstoppable force unlike anything we've ever seen.
Here is a quick run-down of what Shaq accomplished in his career:
- 28,596 career points (5th all-time)
- MVP award (2000)
- 3 time NBA Finals MVP (2000-2002)
- 4 NBA Championships (2000-2002 - Lakers; 2006 - Heat)
- 15 time All-Star
- 1993 Rookie of the Year
Shaq has always known the NBA to be what it is - a business. With that in mind he thinks of himself as a business man, and has done an incredible job of marketing himself through his career. Shaq has used his charisma to land roles in everything from commercials to movies (ok, so Kazaam may not have been the best business decision). He's been featured in video games like Shaq-Fu. He even came out with a rap album. Everywhere you looked, Shaq was putting his stamp on the entertainment industry. No other athlete in any sport can say they've accomplished that much in so many different areas.
In Boston we got a small taste of this when he signed a minimum level deal to join the Celtics for his final shot at another title. From the moment he arrived, the city was buzzing with excitement over the Big Shamrock. Whether he was posing as a statue in Harvard Square, dressing up for Halloween on the city subways or conducting the Boston Pops, Shaq was always finding ways to entertain people, even when he wasn't able to be on the court.
As much fun as Shaq's career had been at times, it was also littered with controversy along several of his stops in his career. There were some that clashed with the fun loving giant along the way. A young Shaq had some well documented issues with fellow star Penny Hardaway that led to Shaq fleeing Orlando for a big contract in LA. After winning three titles together with the Lakers, his feud with Kobe Bryant boiled over to the point that Shaq was essentially forced out, leading to him being traded to Miami. After winning a title alongside Dwayne Wade, Shaq soon wore out his welcome in South Beach as he clashed with coach Stan Van Gundy (Shaq recently referred to his former coach as the "Master of Panic", showing there may still be some bad blood between the two). He was then shipped to Phoenix, a move which sabotaged the exciting "7 seconds or less" offense the team has employed under Mike D'Antoni. That was a decision made by the organization and coaching staff, so it clearly wasn't Shaq's fault that the team wanted to go in a different direction, but when the plan failed and the team struggled, Shaq unfairly took much of the blame. While it wasn't always his fault for how things unraveled in the end, he burned a lot of bridges on his way out of town with many the teams he played for earlier in his career.
The last few years of his career were far less controversial, as a more mature Shaq came to terms with the fact that his aging body no longer allowed him to be the dominant force he had once been. He accepted the part of being a role player by trying to fit in as the missing piece to put Cleveland over the top to "win a ring for the King." When that didn't work out and LeBron fled Cleveland, Shaq moved on to team with a trio of fellow future Hall of Famers in Boston.
Unfortunately, Shaq's 39 year old legs would not cooperate over the course of a long season. He battled a string of injuries that limited him to only 37 games and a total of only about 10 minutes of court time in the playoffs before he was forced to shut it down for good. Yet looking back to the beginning of the season, a healthy Shaq was still very productive. His 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game aren't that far off his career numbers on a per minute basis. Look at the impact he had on the rest of the team, particularly Rajon Rondo, who averaged nearly 14 assists per game through the first two months of the season, thanks in part to being able to throw up lobs at the rim for the big fella. It's no wonder the Celtics were 29-8 with Shaq in the line-up, the best record in the East at that time.
It's unfortunate that such an outstanding career had to end, but as Shaq said himself, Father Time has finally caught up to him. The man known by a wide variety of nicknames now has one more to add to his list: the Big 401k. When we look back at his career we won't remember the controversies or the injuries that dragged him down in the end. We'll remember the lovable character that made us smile with his jokes, dancing and wild sense of humor. We'll remember him for his long resume of accomplishments. Most importantly, we'll remember him for being the most dominant big man the league has ever seen.
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