um, guys, the SA-NO series ain't over. Please don't jinx this.

As for CLE-BOS, no doubt about this one for me. Lebron James makes me want to vomit.

Today is the 13-year anniversary of Reggie Miller's 8 points in 11 seconds against the Kicks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PATkYHF1dEU

Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't have the entire end of the game, so here's an ESPN description:

QUOTE:
In what many sports writers consider the most spectacular nine-second, game-ending scoring run in history -- as well as one of the most horrific end-of-the-game collapses -- Reggie Miller hits a 3-point shot with 16.4 seconds left, immediately steals the ensuing inbounds pass and quickly dashes out to the 3-point line and drains another three to tie the game at 105 with 13.3 seconds left -- all this in a dizzying, mind-spinning span of 3.1 seconds on May 7, 1995.

"We were shell-shocked," says Anthony Mason, the former Knick, years later. "We went numb after his second three. We became totally disoriented. It was like a terrible nightmare that you couldn't wake up from. I still think about it today. I can laugh about it now. I wasn't laughing then, that's for sure."

After Miller's second 3-pointer, the Knicks' John Starks is fouled on the ensuing possession, but he shockingly misses both free throws. The Knicks' nightmare appears to end when the rebound of the second miss is grabbed by Knicks center Patrick Ewing, but he promptly clanks a 10-footer. Then Miller, of all people, grabs the rebound and is fouled, leaving the Knicks and Madison Square Garden in stunned disbelief.

Miller begins taunting celebrated front-row Knicks fan Spike Lee and everyone else in The Garden. Then he makes two free throws with 7.5 seconds left, giving Indiana the lead, 107-105. The completion of the Knicks' comedic and embarrassing collapse ends in laughable agony when guard Greg Anthony falls down while driving to the hoop in the final second, setting off a wild Pacers' celebration.

Miller, in one of the most blatant acts of trash talking in history, proclaims on national TV that the Pacers -- who had been eliminated from the playoffs the previous two seasons by the Knicks -- would now likely sweep the Knicks. He then dashes inside the tunnel to the Indiana locker room, shouting, "Choke artists! Choke artists!" -- a phrase that was splashed across the sports pages of the New York tabloids the following morning.

A hero.

Amen.

I think I posted the choke photo on otgold.

If I close my eyes and think about it, it's probably one of the top basketball moments I've seen during my life. Maybe Jordan's shot against Cleveland, Petro's Willem DaFoe impression against Cleveland, and Reggie Miller's inexplicable insanity. It's especially crazy when you see how fast he stole it, turned around and shot the 3.

What I would've given to be in Spike Lee's shoes that fateful afternoon.

I really liked the Knicks back then, but Reggie Miller was pretty awesome. Don't forget his 25 point quarter.

Here's the full broadcast of the last two minutes of the "choke artists" game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhPMPrwiRsI

I had completely forgotten that Byron Scott played for the Pacers back then.

I remember Scott and Larry Brown. I remember Scott had a slamdunk when they beat Atlanta that tore the roof off of the old Indiana arena. They were certainly a great team to watch under Brown.

I still think of that game, and wonder how they're last in the league in attendance.

There's a funnier picture of Miller that was in the Daily News the next day. He made the choke sign when he was jumping in the air with an absolute crackhead-crazed look in his eyes with his crackhead-spindly spider legs off to the sides.

That was the kind of game that I was expecting in Utah. Hopefully the Lakers can keep their wits and steal a win on Sunday, avoiding another trip back to Salt Lake. Gasol was particularly disappointing last night, and Plaschke in his column this morning went about his usual M.O., over-reacting to any sort of development, and pronounced that the guy doesn't have the mental strength to win in the second round, let alone the Finals, based on one bad game on the road against the team with the best home record in the NBA.

Not strictly on-topic, but since this thread is about professional basketball: Hey Inca, how about those USC Trojans?

Again, I don't see how it's anyone's business how much a player gets, who he gets it from, or why he gets it; as long as it's not from dealing a kilo of cocaine, a shipment of surface-to-air missles, or a contract on someone's life. It's the N(azi)CAA.

These should be fun times for USC, especially when Master P flies them out for a celebration party in Baton Rouge.

Big shock. Plus they were docked two basketball scholarships. Let's see if Lil' Romeo still gets a free ride.

Oh, and you might have read me complaining about the pro-USC slant of the LA Times...I know the Mayo story has just came out recently, but there's still nothing on the LA Times news website, just on their USC blog.

I'm sure the NCAA will let the school skate, and the administration won't pressure Mike Garrett to clean things up at all.

um, guys, the SA-NO series ain't over. Please don't jinx this.

Uh...yes. I think it's time to hold off the Spurses'

So did anyone else watch the ESPN report on the Mayo scandal? Like the Reggie Bush investigation, it's all come to light because of one pissed off guy, but he has receipts of purchases allegedly given to OJ Mayo by Ronald Guillory, who is sort of an advance guy, someone that becomes friends with an athlete to win his trust, employed by the agency that Mayo signed with, and all of the purchases were made by Guillory with money floated to him by the agency. There were also wire transfers going to Mayo back when he was in high school. Apparently Guillory first contacted Mayo when Mayo was in 9th grade. Christ.

The ESPN reporter approached both Mayo and Guillory after Mayo's press conference announcing his declaration for the draft and his signing with the agency, and their reactions where priceless. OJ just started looking around at everything but the reporter and laughed nervously, then some guy came over and took him away. Guillory had a "where'd you hear that?" look on his face and said something like "you'd have to ask OJ" before repeating "no comment" over and over. Best of all, ESPN was on this story for months, so they have video of Guillory at USC games--one shot panning away from OJ on the cout to Guillory in the stands--and even a photo of Guillory standing next to Tim Floyd.