Off the Glass

When a player scores 48 points in a conference championship game, and that’s not the most amazing, eye-popping, face-slapping stat of the night, that’s really saying something.

Something like, “Was that the greatest performance in NBA playoff history”?

LeBron James’ out-of-his-mind Game 5 just might have been.

Take your pick of which stat makes you feel like you have to go back and read it again more: King James scoring 29 of his team’s final 30, or the Cavs’ final 25 of the game. All this done on the road, and in the closing moments of regulation and two (two!) overtimes.

ESPN talking heads Greg Anthony and Stephen A. Smith were arguing today whether LeBron’s night was the greatest performance in NBA history. Both said no.

Anthony said Magic Johnson’s Game 6 of the 1980 NBA finals vs. Philadelphia (42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists as a rookie subbing in at center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). Stephen A. said Michael Jordan’s Game 2 of the 1986 first round vs. Boston (63 points, a playoff record, scored against the eventual champions).

Tough to argue against those, but LeBron’s performance should be ranked up there, as well. To score like that in a decisive game, on the road, with such a poor supporting cast and a terrible coach that basically calls a clear-out for LeBron every time down the court, is simply amazing.

Larry Bird said “I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan,” after that game in ‘86.

I think that may have been Jordan disguised as LeBron last night. 

I know it hurts. The Warriors loss in Game 2 of the Western Semis felt like a punch to the gut for Dubs fans. A vicious, soul-crushing punch to-the gut.

But it ain’t over. The series, that is.

The Warriors are coming home, we’re they’ve been just about unbeatable this season, especially in the playoffs. Two quick wins, and the Warriors have another chance to grab the series by the throat back in Utah for Game 5. They can still close out the series in Game 6 in Oakland.

And why not? Sure, the Warriors handed Game 2 to the Jazz by clanking at the free-throw line at the most inopportune time. They lost a game they should have won. There’s no way that doesn’t hurt.

But, then again, it might not matter in the long run. The Arena in Oakland is going to rocking on Friday and Sunday, and the way the Dubs have fed off the crowd energy so far, there’s no reason to think that won’t continue.

Sure, the Jazz outrebound the Warriors like Utah was all 7-footers and he Warriors were all sitting on chairs. Sure, they hit clutch shots while the Warriors clanked most of theirs.

But the Jazz are playing above their heads right now, keeping up with the Warriors’ run-and-gun. They can’t keep it up. Really, well, probably, they can’t.

Don’t worry. It takes four games to win a series, and Utah has only won two. The Warriors just need to steal one game in Utah, and they have two more chances.

Don’t count them out yet.

As I write this, I’m crying all over my keyboard. Tears of joy, wonderful, wonderful tears of joy.

OK, maybe not. But this is an emotional high not often reached from the stands, or the couch.

The Warriors upset the Mavericks, winning their first round series four games to two. It’s the first time a No. 8 seed has knocked out a No. 1 seed in a seven game series in the NBA. With each shocking victory, NorCal hoops fans started to believe more and more. Even with the upsetting Game 5 setback, it seemed like the Dubs would do it. Then, in a Game 6 that seemed like a party, they finished the job.

Warriors advance. The world has been sufficiently shocked. People around the office are saying they’ve never seen me this happy.

What in sports can compare to this win? Obviously, the Red Sox coming back from a 3-0 hole to the Yankees takes the cake for the can’t-believe-my-team-just-did-that moment. After all those years of coming up short, a Dave Roberts steal here and a Big Pappi home run there, and the upset happens.

The Warriors didn’t have 87 years of suffering, it’s been more like 13. But still, to make the playoffs, then give their fans such a special postseason series? Amazing, unbelievable, shocking. (And a national spotlight - how cool was it to hear all the commentators praise Warriors fans as the best in the NBA? I’ve been saying that for years!)

Relish this feeling, Warriors fans, young and old, longtime sufferers like myself, and recent bandwagon jumpers. This feeling, so glorious, is the joy being a sports fan can bring.

All right, who’s got a dry hankie?

Somebody pinch me. The Warriors? In the playoffs? Yeah, right.

But somehow, it’s true. The Warriors are going to the playoffs for the first time since 1994.

I want to celebrate, to yell “Playoffs baby!” like any other fan, but I can’t. Something doesn’t feel quite right. I mean, are they REALLY in the playoffs?

It’s been so long, it’s been as though the Warriors were never even eligible for the postseason.

The world has changed so much since Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell were leading the W’s against the Suns in the ‘94 playoffs. I mean, Ace of Base had the No. 1 single that year. Ace of Base!

For the Warriors, though, not much changed over those years, except for the players the fans could blame.

NorCal hoops fans have seen Joe Smith drafted as the team’s savior and flame out; Chris Webber was drafted and then left in a huff; Adonal Foyle and Todd Fuller were drafted mere spots before Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady were, in back-to-back seasons; Mookie Blaylock skipped practice to play golf; Antawn Jamison was drafted instead of Vince Carter; Gilbert Arenas spent two seasons progressing in Oakland, then turned into a star with the Wizards; Mike Dunleavy was drafted, then signed to an extension; Same with Troy Murphy; Dave Cowens, Brian Winters, Eric Musselman, Mike Montgomery, Rick Adelman, etc., you get the point, have coached badly, and moved on. Misery, misery, misery.

With Don Nelson returning this season, hope was up, but still, we’re talking about the Warriors here, so not too much had to be expected. And wouldn’t you know it, it took until the final game of the season for the G.S.W’s to lock up a playoff spot. Nothing is easy for these boys.

So yeah, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. Warriors? In the playoffs? I’ll believe it when they tip the ball.

Junior Russell, Santa Cruz High’s amazing point guard during its state title run in 2004, has been released from his scholarship obligation to Long Beach State.

That’s not a bad thing. Junior wasn’t sure how up-tempo the 49ers were going to be after firing coach Larry Reynolds, so he found a more suitable place for his dazzling talents  - Cal State Fullerton. That’s where former West Valley coach Bob Burton runs the show, and Junior played under Burton’s protege, Danny Yoshikawa, at West Valley.

“Going to Fullerton is a win-win for both he and their basketball program,” Pete Newell said.

Check for the complete story by Isaiah Guzman in Friday’s Sentinel. 

Gilbert Arenas, it turns out, is an avid blogger. In his latest blog on NBA.com, Agent Zero rips on former Mercury News columnist Skip Bayless, now a talking head for ESPN.

Isn’t that great? An athlete using a writer’s means to rip him back? I certainly appreciate the back-and-forth.

A number of NBA players have blogs that are worth a glance at least, especially the Cave Man himself. Hopefully this trend will catch on in baseball as well.

A-Rod blog, anyone? Nick Swisher? Or Barry L. Bonds? I’d read it.

It took until the Sweet 16 for some truly great NCAA buzzer-beaters and close games, but now we’re here, and the view is lovely.

Sure, my bracket had Georgetown going out, and Texas A&M staying in, but so what? Those were two excellent games. USC’s meltdown (courtesy of coach Tim Floyd) also made for great theatre. Then of course, there is Greg Oden skying to block a last-second shot and keep his college career going at least another week.

Saturday, and the Elite Eight, should be just as fun.

The Aptos Jr. High boys team had a stellar year, finishing 29-3 and winning three tournaments, including the Mayor’s Tourney in San Jose, an invite-only tournament for the top 16 teams in northern California.

The star of the team is Colin Gruber, son of Harbor coach Mike. Colin was named MVP of all three tournaments Aptos won. Jon Bogaard and Nicholas Grieves were also all-tournament selections. According to Chris Grieves, the boys went 66-3 in their three years playing together.

Here’s hoping we hear a lot more from this crew in the future.