Shaquille O’Neal has many nicknames, several of which he has bestowed upon himself, including the “Big Aristotle†and the “Big Deporter†(coined after his Lakers eliminated several playoff teams that started foreign-born players at center). In order for the Cavaliers to maximize their chances to win a championship this year, O’Neal may have to turn […]
Category Archives: Player Spotlight
LeBron James Magnificent Playoff Run is One for the Ages
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers fell six wins short of their ultimate goal but that should not obscure the fact that James put together one of the greatest individual performances in playoff history. He became the only player to ever average at least 35 ppg, 7 apg and 7 rpg for an entire playoff […]
Brad Daugherty – The Shrubs Are My Brothers
Every now and then a hint of the coiled spring deep within the man once labeled soft and passive pops up. A swing at Detroit Piston Bill Lambier in January of 1989, after being elbowed in the throat. A somewhat alarming pronouncement regarding NASCAR: Brad Daugherty admitted that he “likes to see the violenceâ€, to […]
Mark Price Shot, Passed and “Split” His Way Into The NBA’s Elite
It is commonplace now for NBA point guards to split the two defenders on a pick and roll play, compromise the defense by penetrating the lane and then either shoot a runner or dish to a wide open teammate—but most people don’t realize that Cavaliers guard Mark Price brought this split technique to the forefront. […]
Shawn Kemp – The Unfathered Father
Seek not every quality in one individual. — Confucius Thomas Jefferson had several. George Washington was widely rumored to have a few. Murphy Brown had only one but sparked a nationwide debate. Somewhere in the middle is Shawn Kemp. Shawn doesn’t talk much about fathering out-of-wedlock children except to say he wishes he could spend […]
Ron Harper – The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Michael Jordan
I Roc-a-Fella like Shawn Carter with more game than Ron Harper —Deadly Combination, Big L Candace Parker, WNBA rookie superstar and first female Bballer to be seriously compared to the NBA, admires one player above all: I respect Jordan — he is the king — but I would walk past Jordan to get Ron Harper’s […]
Tree Rollins – His Bite is Worse Than His Bark
I’m tryin’ to see the forest but there’s this one tree –Reuben Studdard In 1987, Curry Kirkpatrick, writing for Sports Illustrated, reflected on a memorable 1983 Hawks-Celtic Playoffs fight. Tree Rollins elbowed Danny Ainge; Danny made the mistake of tackling Tree; one tetanus shot and a permanently reduced ability to give anyone the finger later, […]
Billy Thomas – Welcome to Cleveland
Billy Thomas is ready for the Playoffs: I want to be there when the games matter most. I want the chance to be the guy. (Source: The Kansas City Star January 29, 1998) The feeling is mutual. After a 2nd 10-day callup bringing Billy from the D-League’s Colorado 14ers to Cleveland, the Cavs extended an […]