|
Classic matchup
Of all the tourney games so far, this is the first one to receive the "ESPN Classic" stamp. It will start with Stephen Jackson saying in the newspaper that Larry Bird was "overrated" and that he guarded better players, like Ron Artest, Shawn Marion and Kevin Garnett.
"They're taller, more athletic than Bird," Jackson said. Then he goes into Isiah Thomas mode: "The real reason Bird gets all the attention is because he's white."
The bulletin board material stirs up the old Boston Garden faithful, where this elimination round is played. The on-court temperature will register as high as 102 degrees and people already are throwing heated pennies at the Class of '97 team.
This will be a great game, as the stars will shine. Tim Duncan will dominate Mychal Thompson, Wayne Cooper and Dave Corzine inside, going for 26 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Tracy McGrady will go Dominique Wilkins-like nuts, scoring 42 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists. At one point, T-Mac will score 17 straight points as the '97 group takes a 73-62 lead in the middle of the third quarter.
However, Chauncey Billups will have a productive but not quite efficient game. He will score 18 points, but he will be hounded into 6-for-17 shooting as he is guarded by Maurice Cheeks (five time all-NBA Defense team), Micheal Ray Richardson (two time all-NBA Defense team) and Michael Cooper (eight time all-NBA Defense team). Billups will have 8 assists but also 6 turnovers.
And Bird will get his. He'll start off hot, burning Keith Van Horn for 12 first-quarter points. Later, the much anticipated matchup of Bird and Jackson is set up as Jackson asked to be switched on Bird. Bird will miss his first two shots vs. Jackson, and Jackson will later dunk on Bird in transition -- causing the Garden faithful to boo mercilessly. But later, Jackson will struggle and will finish with 16 points on 6-of-17 from the field (though he will go 3-of-7 from 3-point range, grab 6 rebounds and have 3 assists).
Trailing 92-84 at the end of the third quarter, the Class of '78 will rally behind the fourth-quarter play of Bird, Reggie Theus and Phil Ford. A John Long jumper will tie the score at 109 with 4:01 left and regulation will end with the score tied at 115.
In overtime, T-Mac will go cold, hitting 1-of-6 shots. Duncan continues with his inside dominance, but with Van Horn fouled out the Class of '78 crowds in on him in the final three minutes of the second overtime. Duncan misses 3 of 4 free-throws in the clutch, while Bird scores his team's final eight points. The last shot will be a classic -- a turnaround jumper from the corner over Jackson's outstretched arm. Bird can seen mouthing these words at Jackson:
"Game over, m***** f*****. Time to go home."
Bird's final stat line: 38 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists.
FINAL SCORE: Class of '78 134, Class of '97 130 (2 OT).
P.S. I would like to know what over teams are in this region for the Class of '78 to be ranked sixth (as good as the 1999 and 1997 drafts were, I don't see them being better than the '78 class by much, if at all).
__________________
"(Mike) Tyson got a bad rap. He's NEVER messed with anyone outside of boxing. ... What normal person has Tyson blown up on?"
TRAGEDY, who made arguably the most inexplicable quote of 2008.
Last edited by Najee : 04-14-2008 at 04:31 PM.
|