Kobe vs Shaq Again:

We all know about Shaq reveling in Kobe's loss in the 2008 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics. Shaq asked Kobe in a freestyle rap, how his ass tasted. Shaq also said Kobe could not win without him. With that the ball is not in Kobe's court, rather Shaq has benched Kobe.

Since the two parted ways, Shaq has one championship to Kobe's none and that prompted Shaq to freestyle dis Kobe. Kobe is much more likely to win with a dominant center. But that will not stop Shaq from pretending he is still that guy.

Why shouldn't Shaq rub his metaphorical ass in Kobe's face? Perception is reality. Yet all the naysayers in the media that have to say Shaq is just being immature.

Really? Or is Shaq is marketing himself? Shaq is not going to sit idly and give up the limelight to Kobe, who he views as arrogant. All publicity is good publicity and getting revenge at the same time is a fringe benefit. Don't forget that Kobe threw Shaq under the bus in Colorado and was more than happy to rip the Los Angeles love out of Shaq's paws.

The media is telling us Kobe is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. That's not true at all. Kobe is damned because he isn't (ever genuine). In the days leading up to the finals, he loved being compared to Jordan. He had even said as much in a 2000 interview with Sports Illustrated that he and Jordan were the two greatest players ever. Flash forward to 2008, he's pretending to be modest telling Stephen A Smith to "let it go man."

This is not a matter of who is behaving right or wrong. This is a matter of who people love Shaq or Kobe (or neither)?

Kobe was on the Dan Patrick show this morning and he was predictably pretending to be the professional. He's too zoned in on the upcoming Olympics and preparing for next year's seasons to be concerned with that, Kobe told DP. That excuse is Kobe's favorite white wash answer and he has no problem using it over and over. I guess part of that focus includes calling in from his yachting vacation.

Kobe is playing to the lowest common denominator, not Shaq. Because while Shaq is keeping it real (or at least expressing himself), Kobe continues to assume that the general fan base is stupid enough to buy into his disingenuous statements. Kobe is the one asking us how his ass tastes. You can get a close smell and pretend it smells lemony fresh if you want but ShotsHeard will not do that.

Derringer Shots #1: A special soldier, Venus overpowering Four Names

Shots Heard is introducing a new feature. I've come to the realization that not every notable happening in sports deserves 300 words. We are a highlights society. Do not worry though Shots Heard readers I'll still give you the meat when the time is right.

On the other hand, we do have that penchant for highlights, hold the blather. I love writing in the AP style and thoroughly giving you the here's the A plus B and therefore C and even occasionally taking you deeper into the deep Pythagorean realms of sports. But as a practical matter, I do not always have time to write everything and you do not always have time to read everything, right?

Also this allows me a way to run on instinct a little more. Part of the reason I created this site was to present an outlet for my usually educated sports opinions. But it was meant to be in a way that was not guarded and beholden to no outside interests. Unfortunately, my desire to be respected for my journalistic output has made me understandably sanitize my work (somewhat). Derringer Shots will allow me to spew out my thoughts in more of a Budweiser Hot Seat fashion.

Blindness won't deter special forces soldier

Like it or not, war is a sport even though the stakes are much higher. There's strategy and there's the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. So all of our combat troops in the field are athletes, including Captain Ivan Castro who lost his sight from mortar fire in Iraq.

Nobody would blame Captain Castro if he packed it up and quit. Out of the other 100 blinded soldiers in Iraq, 98 of them understandably did. But Captain Castro plans to keep serving as a special forces operative in the field. That is an athlete!

Wimbledon: Venus Williams hits 127 mph on the radar gun

Venus Williams ended her fourth round match with Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez with a 127 mph ace. As impressed as I am with that feat, I have to ask why does her opponent need four names in her surname? Someone give her a class in marketing 101. The greats are almost always known by succinct names. For instance, Jordan, Pele, Tiger, Ruth, Montana, etc.

But back to the 127 mph serve. Let's hope that the incredibly fast serve is a result of the anomaly that is the amazon William sisters. We do not want to lose those great volleys that have helped make women's tennis the only sport that actually out sells men's sports. Anyhow, the next generation of hot tennis players will probably keep the status-quo.

Actually tennis has something that David Stern is hopelessly trying to manufacture. Synergy. When men's tennis does well, so does women's tennis and visa versa. That is why the men and women play at that same time at these grand slam events like Wimbledon. Meanwhile, NBA fans gnash their teeth when they think that built into their ticket prices are the costs of subsidizing the terrible WNBA.

Look for more Derringer Shots

This was the warm-up for future segments. Future Derringer shots will likely cover more topics and be more brief in nature.

2008 NBA Draft: Best and worst selections

The 2008 NBA Draft was a good draft for most of the teams. There were a a couple teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks who had to watch everybody else have all the fun. But most teams accomplished taking care of their most important needs. In honor of that I've listed eleven 'best selection' to only four 'worst selections' for this year's NBA Draft.

In case you are wondering, the absence of Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley on the lists is not a commentary on the picks being good or bad. Both teams wisely picked them one and two respectively. But this list is about getting the best bang for your buck in the cases of 'Best Selections' and making a unwarranted move in the cases of 'Worst Selections.'

Best Selections

1. #11 Overall - Jerryd Bayless, Guard - Traded to Portland Trail Blazers

Adding a 6'3" guard that can attack the rim, when you have Oden in the middle and Roy who is already unstoppable at times is big. The Portland Trail Blazers just got scarier. The Blazers' starting line-up will include Jerryd Bayless and Brandon Roy on the wings to go with big men LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.

2. #9 Overall - DJ Augustin, Point Guard - Charlotte Bobcats

Gerald Wallace is a great athlete and has turned himself into one of the best scorers in the league. But it has come at a cost. He scores while the rest the team watches. The problem can be fixed by a point guard that is ready to completely run the offense. Felton has not consistently been the involved. With Adam Morrisson's second season in the NBA he may actually get some open looks with Augustin opening up the floor.

3. #23 Overall - Kosta Koufos, Center - Utah Jazz

He is the 7'1" big man with the skills. If Mark Eaton had any type of shot, the Jazz may be sitting on two or three championships right now. Koufos does have a bit of a shot and would have been a lottery pick if he had stayed in school another year.

The Jazz can bring him along while Mehemet Okur resumes the reigns at center. He also adds to an impressive front court pressence that already include Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer. Also, this is a little insurance if Boozer leaves after this season.

4. #10 Overall -Brook Lopez, Center - New Jersey Nets

Centers in the NBA get an unfair shake. Lottery picks are expected to average 20 points and 10 boards or their soft. Lopez likely will be the 13 points and 8 rebounds guy. I was happy to see the Timberwolves not pick him with the third pick. He would have had to have been subjected to unfair comparisons to the 2005 Draft #1 overall pick, Andrew Bogut

Bogut is a solid center and is coming along at 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds last year (his third year) on a team that inexplicably ran little of their offense through him. Just as Bogut has to defer more than necessary to Redd, so will Lopez have to defer too much to Vince Carter.

Lopez is a center that reminds me of a Vlade Divac type of player. He has great range for a big man and great passing skills. He's also a little taller, so he has great shot blocking potential.

5. #38 Overall - Kyle Weaver, Point Guard - Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats got a 6'6" point guard that plays the game the right way. Drafting their second point guard, even one like Weaver that needs to develop his jumper, showed the rest the league that Raymond Felton is on the trading block.

Shaun Livingston of the Clipper had to develop a mid range game before he could be one of the top 15 point guards in the league. Livingston developed a nice 14-17 foot shot but then he decimated his knee; becoming the first athlete ever to ever completely tear all three ligaments in the knee on one play. Once Weaver develops he could be a top tier guard and the Bobcats would feel good about playing Augustin and Weaver together.

6. #15 Overall - Robin Lopez, Forward/Center - Phoenix Suns

Dock points for not trading down and drafting with,about the 20th selection, but the Suns got the big man they needed. Shaquille O'Neal is a 50-60 games a season player and he's about a 25-35 minute a game player in the playoffs. The Suns needed another big that could defend and rebound. It's an added bonus that he should be able to improve his mid range game to fit in more with the Steve Nash style of basketball.

7. #27 Overall - Darrell Arthur, Power Forward - Traded to Memphis Grizzlies

Kidney problems can really slow a player down. What is worse, is it can slow a player down and he is not even aware or the 10-25 percent it is robbing him from his game. So I do not blame teams for passing up on him.

But by the time you get to the 27th overall pick and one of the best players is on the board, you have to think about going for it. Arthur is a leader on the court and his composure and ability to score were essential in the Kansas Jayhawks 2008 title run.

8. #29 Overall - D.J. White, Power Forward - Traded to Seattle Supersonics

The Sonics will not win with Kevin Durant jacking up shots every night. If it did not work with Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, then there's no reason to think it will with Durant. White gives the Sonics a needed low post scorer. Next the Sonics need to upgrade the point guard combo of Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson.

9 #35 Overall - DeAndre Jordan, Center - Los Angeles Clippers

Benoit Benjamin was not a bad center for the Clippers. But the fact that he was drafted third overall ahead of guys like Karl Malone, Chris Mullin and Joe Dumars in what was not a very weak 1985 draft was still hurts for Clippers fans to remember. Lesson learned though, as this time the Clippers got the serviceable center with the 35th overall pick.

10. #57 Overall - James Gist, Power Forward - San Antonio Spurs


The San Antonio Spurs are victims of their own success. Every year they have to use their late first round pick on a Ginobili or a Parker that someone overlooked and then try to get a big man to help Duncan down low on the block. His speed allows him to get out and run with Parker and Ginobili and make sharp cuts to the basket when Tim Duncan gets double teamed.

11. #40 Overall - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Small Forward


I heard that Douglas-Roberts is going to say all 39 of the players that were drafted ahead of him. That's a parody (joke) as Paul Pierce is said to have done that for the 10 people that were drafted ahead of him.

Douglas-Roberts would have unquestionably been a lottery pick if he had showed more respect for the game. His Detroit streets attitude caught up with him. But sadly, he probably will not see it that way. But it is so. I have a hard team believing that teams really wanted to draft Joe Alexander or Jason Thompson ahead of him if he had a great attitude.

But for the Nets to take Douglas-Roberts at #40 after showing Richard Jefferson the door is a savvy move. He has already displayed NBA quickness and a quick striking game that will make it harder for teams to run away with games against a young team that will already have a hard enough time staying in games.

Worst Selections

1. #4 Overall - Russell Westbrook, Shooting Guard - Seattle Supersonics

Westbrook's shot looked anemic during most of the tournament. He threw up so many flat bricks I could scarcely watch. His ball-handling is also below average. He is being drafted this high based on speed and potential. It shows that as "deep" as this draft is, there is probably a lack of future superstars in it.

Someone in Seattle needs to be fired. I guess that's what you get when you hire your general manager, Sam Presti based on one accomplishment. As an assistant GM, is credited for picking Tony Parker. That was enough for the Sonics to hire him after six years serving in the Spurs front office.

2. #3 Overall - O.J. Mayo, Guard/Forward - Traded to the Memphis Grizzlies


He'll likely end up averaging between 12 and 21 points in his NBA career. But he does not have great court vision. Worse, his selfish attitude is not what championships are made of. What is worse than that is that the Grizzlies will have had to give up the fifth pick overall, Kevin Love and established NBA scorer Mike Miller to find this out.

3. #39 Overall - Sonny Weems, Small Forward - Chicago Bulls

The Bulls already have a hard time getting minutes Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha who are backing up for Luol Deng. Why they felt the need to get another small forward that struggles with shooting consistency, I do not know.

Weems is supposed to be one of the better athletes in the draft and the school of thought is to just go with whoever works out the best. The strategy could work. Look how it worked out for Isiah Thomas.

4. #30 Overall - J.R. Giddens, Shooting Guard - Boston Celtics

I am just not for drafting the players with "character issues." Sometimes labels are unfair or in other cases players mature and advance. But more often then not the issues rear their ugly head at the worst time and GMs end up with egg on their face. I think Danny Ainge is buying into the hype that he can do no wrong.

However, Ray Allen will probably be the first of the Big Three to expire. Giddens is a good shooter and could be the replacement they need. For that reason, I did not want to put Giddens on the 'Worst Picks' list. But I still had to with guys like Chalmers and Weaver available.

2008 NBA Draft Coverage

Expect the Chicago Bulls to take Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley

ShotsHeard top three draft values, hold the Mayo

Best and worst selections

The story of Verus and Priscus: The two greatest athletes of all-time

In 2003, Warner Brothers released a documentary, 'Colosseum: A Gladiator's Story.' The documentary follows the life of a gladiator named Verus. If athletes today think they have it rough, they do not have anything on Verus, a gladiator and the central figure in the documentary.The following is mostly an account from the details found in that documentary.

Conquered and enslaved

In approximately 78 A.D., Verus was taken prisoner while defending his settlement in Moesia, which is composed of parts of modern day Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. Verus was put to work in a stone quarry, where he worked from sunrise to sunset.

The stone was being quarried for the Colosseum that was being built in the center of Rome. Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus had commissioned the great work in hopes of creating their legacy, but even more importantly to stabilize political unrest. The men of the quarry called it 'the pit,' Verus said. Work in the pit was excruciatingly difficult. Vespasian's days were numbered and Titus sought to avoid assassination, the slaves of the pit were harshly worked, in an effort to finish construction of the Colosseum.

Verus said the men of the pit had a saying, "There are no old bones in the pit."

Verus and Priscus: The gladiators

After 10 months working in the pit, Verus was beginning to lose hope. Then one day a lanista or owner of a gladiator school came to the pit looking for recruits. After not being initially picked, Verus started a fight with the toughest man in the group, a man named Priscus. The lanista, a former gladiator named Druscus who had won the wooden sword and consequently his freedom, was impressed with Verus and Priscus's fight. He took Verus and Priscus, who swore allegiance to the lanista.

Verus described his decision to be a gladiator, "To be come a gladiator is to make a pact with death. For me it was freedom compared to the pit. This way my fate would be in my own hands."

Once Verus had trained for three months and satisfied the lanista, he was ready to fight in the potentially deadly combat. Like athletes today, the gladiators started out fighting in small arenas.

However, the gladiator sport was by far the most popular in Rome and the gladiators were the rock stars of their society. Feasts and festivals were held on the nights prior to fights. Widows or divorcees would often pay to be with the men who might be killed or kill someone else the next day. A gladiator that won one bout could earn up to one year of a Roman soldier's salary, Verus recounted.

It is a myth that gladiators always fought to their death, Verus recounted. If a gladiator was killed, the sponsoring aristocrat would have to reimburse his school and thus a gladiator had a nearly 90 percent chance of survival. Though the ten plus percent that did die accounted for the Romans' love of the bloodthirsty savagery to be found in the sport.

In Priscus's first fight, he fought Septimus, a retiarus (net fighter) famous for his skill in literally netting opponents and trident (use of three pointed sphere). Priscus won the bout. Verus would not be so lucky as he lost his first bout to a murmillo (a heavily armored gladiator).

At the same event, Verus requested a second fight, even though he was sure two losses in the same day would certainly mean death. But he wanted to prove himself as a gladiator. He took on a Thracian, Ferox who already had two victories

The hard path of Verus

Verus would attend the funeralof Serverus, on his "family of gladiators" that was killed. He was part of the funeral club that helped pay for the funeral. He promised his widow, Claudia that he would protect her. He later lived up to it, pulling her out of her burning residence during the great Roman fires of 80 A.D.

At one point, in the middle of the night Verus was ushered by Roman guards to a wealthy man's villa. He was told there was someone that wanted to meet him. That was just a cover story, as Verus was pressed into a battle to the death.

Verus would win the contest. Later he would lament that the first time he killed a man was not in an arena but at a party for the rich. His lamentation deepened when he returned to his school and found out that Priscus had been sold to another school. It was just part of the business he was told.

Completion of the Colisseum (80 A.D.)

Vespasian had died just before the Colosseum's completion, leaving the empire to Titus. After that, in 79 A.D. The city of Pompei had been destroyed in a volcanic eruption. In 80 A.D., fires had burned large parts of Rome. A writer named Suetonius wrote that the people began to wonder if Titus had fallen out of favor with the gods.
Titus confided to his advisers that assassination seemed imminent.


Titus's one chance for survival seemed to be in the success of the Colosseum's grand opening. It would be a glorious grand opening, spanning 100 straight days of games. Gambling was encouraged and the rich noblemen were all given free premium seats. The women and children would be seated in the upper concourses.

The opening day of the Colosseum

Wild beasts such as lions and tigers were brought in to fight against criminals. But in the opening day, the beasts were too spooked by the noise, and the beast master was brought out and killed in front of the crowd.

According to Verus, those games were different. Titus wanted blood and it was a gladiator's duty to die should he lose a fight. According to Suetonius, Titus, who's duty it was to spare a gladiator's life or spare the gladiator, was letting the crowd pick if a loser lived or died and the crowd reveled in the increased bloodshed.


Two friends fight to the death

Long before Captain Kirk and Spock were forced to fight to the death, Verus and Priscus were really doing it. Verus was fighting in the main event. He did not know who his opponent was, just that Titus had personally requested him. He would be astonished to see that it was his long lost best friend, Priscus.

The Verus vs. Priscus bout is the only known contest to be recorded in detail. The Roman poet, Martial said that the emperor and thus his referee followed the law of requiring the gladiators to go without shields after Verus lost his shield.

The men fought without shield each sustaining slashing wounds. When Priscus lost his sword, Verus then threw his sword away. The men would fight with only their bare strength and later spiked knuckles. Ultimate Fighting or Ali vs. Frasier would have nothing on this!

Having watched both men fight valiantly, Titus ended the fight. In the only time in gladiator history, both men were declared victors. The emperor sent out wooden swords (symbols of freedom) and victory palms to both men.

The triumphant celebration that Priscus and Verus likely had at the Emperor's palace or at a rich villa is unimaginable. They had won their freedom and had a feeling of glory that only a select few will ever experience.

Titus too would likely revel in his newfound livelihood and in the honor of presidng over the world's two greatest gladiators of all-time. But the joy would be short lived. Titus would die six months later from an unknown ailment. He was one of the most beloved emperors in Roman history.

Verus had won his freedom. He was also perhaps the most beloved man in all of Rome. Power and riches undoubtedly awaited him. But rather than stick around and enjoy it, he humbly made his way back to Moesia in search of his long-lost family.

Consider the reality, not the source - Part 5: 2002 Kings legacy stolen

We should remember that the real tragedy is that the Kings and its fan base were robbed of a championship and the glory that goes with it. The Kings were head and shoulders better than the Lakers that year. Yet there will never be a restitution of that glory. In the modern sports era, nobody remembers the team that finished second, no matter what the circumstances were.

The 2002 Kings were so good and so deep that they could have been considered in the same breath as the 85 Lakers and the 86 Celtics. Instead the Kings will have the stigma of being remembered as the Queens, compliments of a pompous Shaquille O’Neal and the corrupt league he plays for.

Yes you heard that shot right. The 2002 Kings were that good that they would have been able to play and compete against the best Celtics and Lakers teams. In 2001, when the Lakers were at their best and steamrolling the competition, including the Kings, Magic Johnson was asked who would win between his Lakers and the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. Magic responded that it wouldn’t be close. His Lakers were just too deep with Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, McAdoo and himself.

In other words, the Lakers (and the Celtics) were not going to be beat by a two-man show no matter how good they were. Rick Fox, Robert Horry and Derrick Fisher were good players who played well in their roles, but essentially never in league history has purely spot-up shooters been so glorified, thanks to all the free looks they got off of teams double-teaming Shaq and sometimes Kobe.

The Kings were not a two-man show though. They were eight players deep (at least). The only position in which they were not two players deep was at power-forward. But due to their fast-ball movement and preference to shoot early in the shot clock that was of little consequence. The Kings also adapted to that bye going with different big and small line-ups and forcing the other teams to adjust to them. But the 2002 Kings or more officially the 01-02 Kings were not good overnight, although that would not be far from the truth.

The 1998-1999 Kings burst onto the scene

I got a call from a friend. “Let’s go watch the Clippers,” he said. Of course, as the Clippers perpetually sucked, the inevitable follow-up question to that was who were they playing?

“The Kings,” he said.

“The Kings!” The Kings and Clippers was traditionally the worst of the worst match-up. Imagine watching the 08 Heat vs. 08 Timber Wolves. Also imagine the teams sustaining that degree of ineptness for the better part of two decades.

“No, the Kings are the most fun team to watch this year,” he said. “They make all sorts of crazy plays.”

I had a hard time believing it, but I went along since I could hear actual sincerity in his voice. I was not prepared for what I would see. Chris Webber would be making 80 foot skip passes and throwing behind-the-back passes 30 feet across the court. Vlade (Vlade Dade) Divac was throwing no look passes to Webber in Corliss Williamson for dunks.

A rookie nicknamed ‘White Chocolate,’ Jason Williams, played with a street-baler flair. He was constantly getting on the break or crossing players over. He even would pull up on a three on two fast-break and nail threes or take threes from four feet behind the line. He had no problem doing it, even though he only shot 28.7 percent from behind the arc that year.

Predrag Stojakovic was instant offense off the bench. Not since Larry Bird had there been such a pure shooter. The crowd got excited every time he hoisted a shot. This guy was the real “machine.” Unlike Sasha, he had no problem nailing a shot in someone’s grill.

Who were these guys?

I could not believe what I saw. A bunch of write-offs, underachievers,, no-names and wash-ups were all of the sudden the best offensive team in the league (The Kings would go on to be the league’s perennial highest scoring team).

Chris Webber was once the most high school basketball player in Michigan since Magic Johnson. In his first year at the University of Michigan he led a starting line-up full of freshmen all the way to the NCAA Championship. The same group would make it to the championship game the next year too.

Webber had amazing coordination around the post. His eye-hand coordination in conjunction with his foot work was second to none. It would have been probably the all-time post match-up to watch him square off against a Kevin McHale in his prime.

In Webber’s first five season’s in the league, he would resurrect the fortunes of two teams, the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards; bringing them to the playoffs. But he would wear out his welcome with both organizations. Webber would find himself traded to the Sacramento Kings , a trade he initially did not like.

Webber, who hated to play center in his only year with Golden State. Coach Don Nelson, who loved smaller line-ups would play him at center at times though. He would not have to worry about that though as the Kings traded for Vlade Divac. The Kings also brought in second year player, Scott Pollard to be a quality back-up center.

To everyone’s surprise, Divac was still a very good player too. He had been traded to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the draft-day move that brought Kobe Bryant to the Lakers. But in his last of two years with the Hornets he looked like he was on his last wheels, as his numbers bottomed out on a weak team. Maybe the two packs (of cigarettes) a day had caught up to him? That was one of the infamous long-lasting NBA rumors of all-time. Years later, Divac said he was not a smoker and that he did not know how the rumor started.

Webber would love the edgy run and gun play of Jason Williams. He was able to get out on the break. He also was great in the two-man game with Webber. Teams would have to respect Williams range and that he would wildly drill 30-foot shots. The overplay on pick-n-rolls often left Webber open to drill 18 footers.

Webber and Divac also had a great two man game down on the block. It was the type of game Webber had already perfected over the years with college and NBA teammate Juwan Howard. But Webber would be even happier to find out Divac was the best passing center in the league. He could hit Webber for an alley-oop from the elbow of the key or anywhere else on the floor with uncanny precision.

Another important piece to the puzzle (at least for then) was Corliss Williamson. Corliss was a proven winner. He was the centerpiece on an Arkansas Razorbacks team that won the NCAA championship in 1995. He played small forward, but his strong frame and propensity to score down on the block allowed Webber to farther from the basket. Webber could bang when he needed to, but he preferred to avoid that situation night in and night out.

Close, but no cigar (or two packs of cigarettes)

In their first two years together, Webber, Divac, Williams made their impression on the league and fans. In the first round of the 1999 playoffs, the Kings took the two-time Western Conference champion Jazz the full five games before losing.

In the 1999-2000 season, seemed to make some strides towards improvement. But inconsistency left them with a 44-38 record and the eighth seed. They would be matched up against the Lakers who were 67-15. After losing the first two games in the round against the Lakers by an average of 12 points, the Kings refused to lay down and die. The Kings went on to win the next two games at Arco Arena by an average of 10.5 points. But the Lakers crushed the Kings by 27 in the deciding Game 5. The Kings would remember that game and it would be an important motivator all during the 01-02 season for gaining home court advantage.

A letdown in 2001

The Kings battled in a tough Western Conference all year. They finished the season with the third seed with a 55-27 record, just behind the Spurs (58-24) and the Lakers (56-26). That season, the rivalry had been fueled up. The Kings had lost a classic overtime game to the Lakers in November. The Lakers looked to reassert their dominance with two more wins that year.

But in the final match-up of the year the Kings blew the Lakers out on Wed., March 28, 2001, the Kings blew the Lakers out 108-84. I was at that game. The Kings blew the Lakers out. The ball movement was perfect. Stojakovic was nailing threes left and right.


When the playoffs came the Lakers had the home court advantage and they took advantage of it, squeezing out victories in the first two games of the semifinals. Kings fans were hopeful still, remembering how the Kings had came home the prior year and won two playoff games.

The Lakers also remembered and this time did not take their foot of the Kings throat. The Lakers routed the Kings by 22 in that game, taking hold of the series and paying the Kings back for the regular season 26-point thumping. The Lakers went on to sweep the Kings in four games.

Priming up for a championship run in 2002

Realizing that inconsistent guard play was what did them in their 2001 run, the Kings looked to solidify their backcourt. Kings fans were shocked to find out that the team had traded their beloved point guard Jason Williams to the Grizzlies for Mike Bibby.

Most the experts agreed Mike Bibby was the better, more consistent force at point guard that the Kings needed. But it was hard for many Kings fans to think that they would never be seeing White Chocolate’s flashy moves any more. But it was those tricky moves that motivated the Grizzlies to make the trade. The Grizzlies were moving from Vancouver to Memphis and needed a player like Williams to sell tickets for a team that would end up having the third worst record in the league during the 2002 season.

The Kings also added electrifying reserve guard, Bobby Jackson to the mix. Jackson could play at the one or the two slot. Having suffered in mediocrity in his first three seasons in the league with Denver and Minnesota, he would quickly make a name for himself in Sacramento. He was instant offense. And even though he was only about 6’ tall he could cram it on a big man’s face for a dunk or race up and down the court and nail a couple quick threes.

Also adding to the instant offense that the Kings needed off the bench, was Turkish-born player Hidayet (Hedo) Turkoglu who played shooting guard and small forward. In his second season in the league he would average double digits in points while just averaging playing half the game and being about the fourth or fifth option.


Turkoglu would continue to elevate his play through the year and was instrumental in the playoffs that year as Stojakovic who missed playoff games due to an ankle injury.

Beginning with the 00-01 season the Kings featured Doug Christie. Christie was a promising athlete early in his career, but knee problems forced him into the journeyman role. But with a healthy knee and a thirst to win, it seemed he had finally found his home.

The Kings were estatic to have Christie. Before Bruce Bowen, Christie was best 'Kobe Stopper' in the league. Christie played tenacious defense and often fueled the Kings intensity. He also reveled in the family atmoshphere that the Kings had.

Running on all cylinders (The Kings 2001-2002 season)


The Kings were at their peak during the 01-02 campaign. They were so good that year, that experts were begrudgingly calling the Kings the favorite to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy and not the back-to-back champion Lakers.

The Kings were all young or in their prime. Seven players averaged double digits that year. The players were Webber (age 28), Stojakovic (24) Bibby (23), Christie (31), Jackson (28), Divac (33) and Turkoglu (22). The eighth and ninth men Pollard and Funderburke also combined for double digit points. The Kings were so good that year, that their 19-year-old high flying phenomenon, Gerald Wallace was mostly relegated to the bench that year. Wallace did show flashes of brilliance that year, averaging 14.5 points per 36 minutes of play. But he was not to be an integral part of the Kings run that year.

The Kings went 1-3 that year against the Lakers. But that record was deceiving since it included a one-point loss at Arco and a meaningless end of the season match-up at Staples. This was the Kings season as they finished 61-21, three games ahead of the Lakers and Spurs.

Disaster strikes - Stojakovic injures his ankle

In the third quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Mavericks, Stojakovic went down with a severe ankle sprain. Stojakovic would not be able to return in the series.

Stojakovic had been so good that year, making his first all-star team. He had been so good that that many in the media questioned if it was his team or Webber’s team. This despite the fact that Webber averaged a career high 24.5 ppg with 10.0 rpg.

Losing Stojakovic was an unfathomable blow to the Kings. But the Kings would show how good they were that year by winning the game and the two games after that to wrap up the series in just five games. It was a statement to win a team that featured three all-star caliber players; Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley.

The match-up everybody wanted: Kings and Lakers

The Kings and Lakers were the new Pistons-Bulls or Knicks-Pacers that the NBA had been wanting. The Kings and Lakers would match-up against each other in the playoffs for the third consecutive year, this time in the Western Conference Finals. This time the Kings were the favorites and this time they had home court advantage. But it was not all good news as the injured Stojakovic was still out indefinitely.

The Lakers would steal away Game 1, 106-99 and leave Kings fans with a familiar feeling of opening game disappointment. The Kings would rebound and win Game 2, 96-90.

The Lakers accomplished the art of stealing a game in one of the first two road games. But this was the Kings year and they were ready to deflate the Lakers. The Kings took it to the Lakers in Game 3, going up by as many as 24 points before settling on a 103-90 victory.

The Lakers had been humiliated but it was the Kings who came out in Game 4 with something to prove. The Kings again led by as many as 24 points and looked poised to go 6-0 on the road in the playoffs. Such road dominance was the sign of a true champion.

A 3-1 lead and two of the next three games (if necessary) at Arco was in the works. But then there was a bad omen. A shot that was much more “lucky” than Robert Horry ever made. Samaki Walker made a three pointer at the halftime buzzer to cut the lead to 15. Walker had no outside game and he looked like a 40-year-old brick layer trying to win a car on a half court shot. But somehow it went in.

The Lakers would make a second half surge and the game would come down to the final possession. With the Lakers down by two, Kobe drove into the lane and missed a floating runner. The follow-up by Shaq was off. And thinking the time was about to expire, Vlade tipped it out to Robert Horry hanging out on the three-point line. He had just enough time to sink the shot and tie up the series.

The Kings could have felt sorry for themselves after letting a golden opportunity get away. Instead they came back and won Game 5. The game was a back and forth classic and in the end the Lakers but the Kings pulled it out on a memorable shot off an inbound pick-n-roll by Webber and Bibby. The play personified how brilliantly, Webber and Bibby executed the two man game all series.

Had the Kings went onto win the series, two plays would have been the biggest in Kings history. The two plays would be the Game 5 shot by Bibby and a dunk by Divac, in which he got as much air as he ever got to re-energize the Kings when they needed it.


Of course a third play would be in the trio of greatest Kings plays of all-time. Stojakovic, who came back for the last three games of the series, air-balled a wide-open three at the end of regulation in Game 7 that would have sent the Kings to the finals.

Stojakovic came back for the last three games of the series. But Stojakovic was not the same player that averaged 21.2 ppg in the regular season. Stojakovic combined for only 20 points on seven field goals in 23 attempts. Although Turkoglu did a great job of filling in for him, the Kings missed his stellar shooting. That shooting that spread the court would have been very valuable in a game like Game 4, when the Kings needed shots to spread the defense.

After taking a 3-2 lead, the rest of the story is pretty well known. The Kings lost an atrociously officiated Game 6 (that this series ‘Consider the reality, not the source’ is written about) and the over-time Game 7 at Arco.

The Kings were easily the best team that year and would have won that series nine out of ten times. Even Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaske conceded that the Lakers were not the better team that year. The Kings were prime while Shaquille O’Neal was overweight and the enmity between Kobe and Shaq was beginning to boil.

The Kings still would have had to beat the Nets. But had the Kings won they would have undoubtedly went onto steamroll the Nets in the championship, just as the Lakers did. Except, ShotsHeard believes the Kings would have likely swept the Nets that year.

The Kings suffered a lot of bad breaks in that series and the heartbreak would be complete when the franchise’s hopes of winning a championship buckled completely with Chris Webber’s knee during the 2003 playoffs.

But to this day, Kings players and fans do not worry about how many championships could have been won. They think about the one and only that was taken away from them.


View all five parts of the series: 'Consider the reality, not the source'

Part 1: It doesn't take a convicted felon...

Part 2: What transpired in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals

Part 3: NBA personnel reactions to the 2002 Western Conference Finals officiating and Donaghy allegations

Part 4: Stern tries to whitewash the issue of NBA corruption regarding the 2002 Western Conference Finals

Part 5: 2002 Kings legacy stolen

Part 6: Another NBA smokescreen, ESPN in on the act

2008 NBA Draft: ShotsHeard top three draft values hold the Mayo

This 2008 NBA draft, teams cannot trade down fast enough; except that there have been no takers yet.The Timberwolves, who hold the three pick are a prime example. The Wolves want a big man to compliment Al Jefferson. Kevin Love or Brook Lopez will do. But to use a third pick on one of them, while by-passing OJ Mayo seems fruitless. Teams that may want an OJ Mayo or Jerryd Bayless may be content to hold pat, knowing an Eric Gordon may still be around.

Here's just a brief, not nearly all-inclusive analysis on some of the players in the draft. Being a value does not mean I think these are the top three values in the draft. It means I think they are the best value for the expected range of where they are predicted to be drafted. I'll bypass analyzing Rose and Beasley who are expected to go one and two as you can already read about them on ShotsHeard. My top three draft values are as follows:

Jerryd Bayless
--Expected to be drafted 4th - 8th overall

Like Derrick Rose, he can put on a high flying act. But Bayless has a higher basketball IQ. He averaged 2.7 assists in his one year at Arizona. He will need to get up to seven or eight assists in the NBA to be an effective point guard. But if he cannot do that, he has the drive to be a good shooting guard. He led the Arizona Wildcats in scoring with 20.0 ppg.

DJ Augustin
--Expected to be drafted 8th - 18th overall

He was on the Durant led Texas team that could not make it to the Sweet 16. This year, when it was his turn to lead the team, they got one game away from the Final Four before being blown out by a much more talented Memphis team. Besided Chris Paul, he should be the NBA's best under 6' player.

This kid is fast and he is the pass-first point-guard that teams thirst for. A lot of general managers are going to be beating themselves in the head a year from now that they passed up on drafting Augustin.

DeAndre Jordan
--Expected to be drafted 12th - 25th overall

This kid is a bigger presence than his stats indicate. He only averaged 7.9 points last year, but on 61.9 percent shooting. He is a monster in the middle. In a 71-57 win against Baylor he got six blocks and ten rebounds. He's not going to be a big impact player right off. But after a few years he can anchor the paint in the same way that Kendrick Perkins did this year during the Celtics' championship run.

Hold the Mayo
--OJ expected to be drafted 3rd-6th overall

If I am a GM I stay away from the me-first type of player. OJ Mayo was too busy "marketing" himself breaking rules by taking thousands of dollars in gifts from a sports agent to care about who he was or the institution he represented. I would not draft Mayo at any point. That's not the type of person I want in my organization. Short-cuts are for people that put themselves ahead of the team.

And for those that think, the scandal has not affected him, I will remind you that he was once considered to be a potential first overall pick. Those days are long gone and do not fool yourself into believing it does not have anything to do with how he has conducted himself. Teams like the Bulls and Heat are just to savvy to tell you that.


2008 NBA Draft Coverage

Expect the Chicago Bulls to take Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley

ShotsHeard top three draft values, hold the Mayo

Best and worst selections

2008 NBA Draft: Expect the Chicago Bulls to take Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley

The Bulls have called it 50/50 as to whether they will pick Rose or Beasley. But the Bulls already know they want to bring in that player that will remind their fans of MJ even if Rose is not MJ. The Bulls just do not want to show their hand as to leave all options on the table. Expect Derrick Rose to be wearing that Bulls hat on draft night.

Derrick Rose may be a high flying shoot first point guard that wears number 23 (in college). He may end up getting drafted by the Bulls. But Rose is not the second coming of Michael Jordan! That is not just counting athletic ability. Jordan always displayed amazing discipline and heart that Derrick Rose knows nothing about.

Jordan made the game winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship Game verse Georgetown. In the 2008 Championship Game, Derrick Rose clanked the first of both free throws he needed to ice the win. The announcer was quick to point out that he backed up as he took the free throw. Then after making the second free throw, he independently full court pressed Kansas point guard Sherron Collins and he let get completely past him.


After going past Rose, Collins shovel passed the ball on a redirect pass to Mario Chalmers. Rose who had let up on the play for a split second, was the one whom Chalmers shot the game-tying (and essentially winning) shot on him.



Then with 2.1 seconds left his teammate elected not to pass the ball into Rose but to a 6-9 forward, Rober Dozier who was not going to make the winning shot. Shortly thereafter, instead of being disappointed in himself for the missed free-throw or lapse in defense, Rose pretended to have an ankle injury (Watch the play, at least Paul Pierce had a knee to stand on).

Even though it has came out that Michael Beasley is 6'7" and not 6'10", I would still consider him the best all around player in the draft. He is a 20-10 guy, with one of the best mid-range games we have seen in a long time.

Beasley is efficient and comes to work ready to get the job done. That is why Beasley went to Kansas State, while others like OJ Mayo was worried about "marketing" himself. In Beasley's first round match-up against Mayo's Trojans, Beasley's Wildcats won by 80-67. Beasley put on his hard hat and work boots, scoring 23 points on just 12 field-goal attempts. He also added 12 rebounds.

Teammates will likely love Beasley in the same way many Celtics' players love Kevin Garnett. Teammates will likely silently detest Rose in the same way some Lakers' players detest Kobe Bryant.

Beasley is the smart choice on the court. But there's more than the court. There's dollars and cents. The high flying Rose could mean more tickets sales, more merchandising, higher ratings and consequently more advertising dollars. On the other hand sometimes winning means more money. Beasley is definitely the player that will bring results faster.

Lastly, it's really not much of a reason, but the Bulls will want to take Rose since he fits in better with the Bulls current personnel. Current Bulls point guard, Kirk Hinrich should be a shooting guard and drafting Rose would allow him to move to the two spot. Also the Bulls also already have a possible all-star small forward in Luol Deng. Deng is softer than Beasley, but he has shown flashes of brilliance. He was good enough to be the center-piece in a possible trade that was going to ship Kobe Bryant over to the Bulls.

Rose will be the man in Chicago, but don't expect them to un-retire #23. Even if the Bulls do unexpectedly pass on Rose, do not expect the Heat, who hold the second pick, to un-retire Jordan's number for Rose!


2008 NBA Draft Coverage

Expect the Chicago Bulls to take Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley

ShotsHeard top three draft values, hold the Mayo

Best and worst selections