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Over the All-Star break, news broke that longtime Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss had been hospitalized and was battling cancer.
Monday, Dr. Buss passed away.
[Heisler on Buss: As owners go, he stands alone]
Many NBA players (former and current), owners and personnel sent their regards via Twitter.
If you’re looking for an illustration of why Celtics-Lakers is the best rivalry in the NBA – and perhaps the most enduring of any in the four major pro sports – then read the piece below.
Before each game throughout the NBA Finals, we have been encapsulizing the top five Game 1s, Game 2s, etc.
As the Thunder and Heat steel themselves for what should be a pretty intense Game 4 tonight, we offer you our top five Game 4 showdowns in recent NBA history.
All five games include the Lakers, and all but one of the matchups includes the Celtics.
Keep in mind that our historical cut line is 1984, when David Stern first became commissioner and the playoffs first went to a 16-team format that required all teams to play four postseason rounds. So we are not even including some of the classic Celtics-Lakers matchups of the 1960s, when the teams met a staggering six times in the Finals.
All of those showdowns were won by the Celtics. The rivalry has been much more balanced during Stern’s reign, as you will see below.
And if you’d like, you can also catch up on our picks for best Game 1, Game 2 and Game 3.
5. THE CELTICS STORM BACK: In 2008, the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time in 21 years. Neither team broke through on the road through the first three games, and that trend looked like it would continue in Game 4 as the Lakers opened a 35-14 lead after one quarter. The lead grew to 24 points with less than five minutes before halftime and was still 70-50 midway through the third period when the Celtics finally awoke. Boston got a huge boost from bench players Eddie House, James Posey and P.J. Brown while LA was getting nothing from reserves Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf. The Celtics closed the quarter with a 21-3 run, and when Leon Powe scored to open the final period, the game was tied. “The air went out of the building,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. The Lakers briefly rebuilt a four-point lead before the Celtics took control for good with an 11-2 burst triggered by Posey’s 3-pointer as a swarmed Kobe Bryant went without a shot for three minutes. Posey stuck in the dagger with another 3 for a 92-87 lead at the 1:13 mark, and the Lakers never again had the ball with a chance to tie. Posey scored 18 points, three more than LA’s reserves. The Lakers were limited to 33 second-half points in a crushing 97-91 loss that virtually assured Boston’s 17th championship, which the Celtics secured five days later on their home floor.
4. DJ DRILLS A DAGGER: The 1985 Finals between the Celtics and Lakers featured huge momentum swings. Boston won the first game on its home floor by 34 points, then abruptly lost the next two and found itself fighting for its series life in Game 4 at the Fabulous Forum. In the final minute of a tense fourth quarter, the Celtics forced a miss on a baseline skyhook by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But Magic Johnson – who had a triple-double with 20 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds – sneaked in for the offensive rebound and putback that tied it, 105-105, with 17 seconds to go. With the luxury of holding for the last shot, the Celtics initiated their set with Dennis Johnson at the top and Larry Bird coming off a right side curl. On the catch, Bird was doubled by Magic. He took one dribble to freeze Magic, then pitched back to Dennis Johnson, who buried an 18-footer at the horn for the win that evened the series. The shot capped a simply spectacular game for Dennis Johnson, a Finals MVP in 1979 with Seattle who had 27 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds while adding to his resume as a clutch performer. The Finals went 12 years before seeing another pure buzzer-beater.
3. KOBE BRYANT COMES OF AGE: Despite Kobe Bryant’s meteoric rise to superstardom over his first four years, the Lakers were still Shaquille O’Neal’s team when they met the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals. O’Neal won MVP honors that season, and Bryant was still the beta dog, intermittently picking his spots in and around O’Neal’s dominance. But in Game 4, he fully emerged from Shaq’s shadow. Bryant badly sprained his ankle in Game 2 and sat out Game 3, which the Pacers won on their home floor to get back in the series. O’Neal was his usual unstoppable self with 36 points and 21 rebounds. But he missed a potential game-winning jumphook at the end of regulation and fouled out with 2:33 left in overtime, handing the reins to Bryant, who wasted no time proving he was up to the challenge. On consecutive possessions, he answered baskets by Rik Smits with jumpers. After the second one, he retreated on defense while pushing his palms downward, as if to tell his team, “Calm down, I got this.” Which he did, putting home a reverse layup off Brian Shaw’s miss with 5.9 seconds to go. The Lakers survived a potential game-winning 3-pointer by Reggie Miller and held on for a 120-118 win, regaining control of the series in one of the more underrated Finals games in NBA history. At practice the following day, I bumped into Bryant as he left his media session and headed down a back corridor for treatment on his ankle. I told him that Game 4 would always be remembered as the day when he emerged from Shaq’s shadow. “Really?” he responded, sincerely pleased. “I hope so.”
2. THE JUNIOR, JUNIOR SKYHOOK: In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met in the Finals for the third time in four years. The Lakers were rested and won the first two games at home rather easily, averaging 133.5 points. The Celtics got back in the series with a home win in Game 3 and appeared positioned to win even the series as they opened a 16-point lead in the third quarter. The Lakers staged a furious rally to tie the game with 5 1/2 minutes to go, then rallied again after Boston rebuilt an eight-point lead two minutes later. An alley-oop dunk from Magic Johnson to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gave the Lakers a 104-103 lead with 29 seconds to go. Larry Bird drilled a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead for Boston, and LA went to Abdul-Jabbar, who was fouled. He made the first shot and missed the second, and the ball was ruled out of bounds off Kevin McHale, allowing the Lakers to retain possession with seven seconds to play. The Lakers called timeout and went to Johnson, who used a hesitation dribble to get into the lane and floated a running hook – which he later called a “junior, junior skyhook” – over the outstretched arms of McHale and Robert Parish with two seconds left, silencing the Boston Garden crowd. Bird was able to get free of James Worthy for a 3-pointer from the left corner that bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded, giving the Lakers a 107-106 win and a 3-1 series lead. In the moments after the game, James Brown of CBS interviewed Johnson in the cramped corridors of Boston Garden. During the interview, shouting could be heard in the background. It was Celtics GM Red Auerbach, reading the referees the riot act.
Go to the 3:45 mark of the video below for Red’s rant.
1. THE CELTICS BULLY THE LAKERS: The 1984 Finals began with the Lakers nearly taking the first two games on the road from the Celtics, who were rescued by a timely steal by Gerald Henderson to win Game 2. Back in Los Angeles, the Lakers pounded the Celtics in Game 3, and Larry Bird called out his team in the media, calling it “a bunch of sissies.” Only he didn’t say “sissies.” He said a word that begins with P and is a synonym for a cat. The Celts decided that they would go down fighting. Bird shoved Michael Cooper in the second quarter and nearly came to blows with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the third period. But the most memorable altercation was Kevin McHale’s clothesline takedown of Kurt Rambis on a fast break that resulted in several scuffles with multiple players coming off both benches. In today’s game, McHale would have been suspended for at least five games, and many others would have been facing bans of at least one game. But incredibly, no one received as much as a technical foul. Despite the rough stuff, the Lakers led by five points with a minute to play but allowed a three-point play on a follow shot by Robert Parish, who later stole a pass by Magic Johnson after Larry Bird sank the tying free throws. In overtime, a three-point play by James Worthy gave the Lakers a 123-121 lead before Bird tied it with two free throws and – after Magic missed a pair from the line – gave the Celts the lead for good with a turnaround jumper with 16 seconds left. Worthy drew a foul, but when he missed the first free throw, Celtics forward Cedric Maxwell walked across the lane and made the “choke” sign. Boston held on for a 129-125 win as Bird had 29 points and 21 rebounds, Parish added 25 and 12 and Dennis Johnson had 22 and 14 assists. Abdul-Jabbar scored 32 points, Worthy had 30 and Magic Johnson had a triple-double with 20 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds. It is inarguably one of the greatest Finals games of all time.
In any seven-game series, the biggest adjustments by coaches are usually made between Games 1 
and 2.
Those adjustments – and a sense of urgency – have contributed to some of the best Game 2 showdowns in recent NBA Finals history.
As we will do throughout the Finals, we have compiled a list of the five best Game 2′s since 1984, when David Stern became commissioner (and the playoffs went to a 16-team format).
In all five games listed below, the team that lost Game 1 bounced back to win Game 2. Three of the games went to overtime. In some cases, the win meant nothing, serving as a mere speed bump for the opposing team. In others, it permanently turned the momentum of the series.
If you missed our best Game 1′s, click here.
5. BOUNCING BACK FROM THE BOSTON MASSACRE: The 1985 Finals was a rematch of the previous year, when the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games – and improved to 8-0 against them in the championship round. In Game 1, the Celtics embarrassed the Lakers, 148-114, in a game known as “The Bostin Massacre.” People were already throwing dirt on the Lakers, particularly center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who looked old and slow in scoring 12 points. However, “The Lord of the Rings” showed he was far from done, toasting Robert Parish for 30 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. Michael Cooper scored 22 points off the bench and Magic Johnson added 14 and 13 assists for the Lakers in a 109-102 front-running victory. Ten days later, the Lakers won again in Boston for their first title over the Celtics. Coach Pat Riley wore that season’s championship ring for many years afterward.
4. THE PISTONS GIVE ONE AWAY: The Detroit Pistons were heavy underdogs going into the 2004 Finals but surprised the favored Los Angeles Lakers by winning Game 1 on the road. They were just as good in Game 2 and appeared to be headed home with a 2-0 lead when they gave away a win by fouling when they shouldn’t have and not fouling when they should have. Detroit held a six-point lead with under 40 seconds to play when Shaquille O’Neal rebounded Kobe Bryant’s missed 3-pointer. Instead of letting him score and maintaining a two-possession lead, Ben Wallace fouled O’Neal, who made the free throw to cut the deficit in half. After Chauncey Billups missed a leaner, the Pistons had chances to foul O’Neal on the inbounds catch and Luke Walton after he took a handoff and dribbled. Walton handed off to Bryant, who drilled the tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left. The Lakers never trailed in overtime as the Pistons shot 1-of-9 and lost, 99-91. At the time, it was considered a devastating loss because no one believed Detroit could beat LA four times, much less after giving away a win. But the Lakers, who had been bickering all season, imploded and lost the next three games as Bryant sabotaged the series, ending his tandem with O’Neal.
3. CLYDE DREXLER’S PERFECT PREDICTION: In 1990, the defending champion Detroit Pistons beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener on their home floor. At the shootaround prior to Game 2, Blazers star Clyde Drexler made a bold prediction to the media. “We’re winning tonight, and we’re not coming back,” he said, implying that Portland would win the next three games on its home floor. Drexler backed up his words with 33 points, and the Blazers took a lead into the fourth quarter before Pistons center Bill Laimbeer caught fire, draining six 3-pointers to tie the Finals record at the time. The game went to overtime, where two 3-pointers by Laimbeer helped give the Pistons a 102-98 lead before the Blazers scored six straight points. Another 3-pointer by Laimbeer gave Detroit a 105-104 lead with 4.1 seconds left before Drexler drove hard on Dennis Rodman and drew a foul. He made both shots for a 106-105 lead, and Cliff Robinson preserved it by blocking James Edwards’ shot at the buzzer. As for Drexler’s prediction, he was right on the money. The Blazers lost all three games at Portland as Detroit repeated as champions.
2. DIRK DOES IT FOR DALLAS: Until this game in 2011, Dirk Nowitzki had been unfairly cast as a great player who could not get it done in the clutch. (Kinda like someone else we know, hunh?) As the alpha dog for the Dallas Mavericks, he shouldered the blame for the team’s 2006 Finals loss to Miami and first-round exits in 2007, 2008 and 2010. It looked like a remarkable playoff run was over after Dallas lost the opener to Miami and trailed by 15 points in the final period of this one. But Jason Terry sparked a comeback with six straight points before Nowitzki took over in the final three minutes, scoring Dallas’ last nine points. His 3-pointer with 26 seconds left gave the Mavs a 93-90 lead, and when Mario Chalmers got loose for a tying 3-pointer, Nowitzki did it again, driving past Chris Bosh and around Udonis Haslem for a layup with 3.6 seconds remaining before Dallas held on for a 95-93 win. The stunned Heat never fully recovered, losing in six games as Nowitzki won Finals MVP and handed the unclutch label to Miami’s LeBron James.
1. HENDERSON STOLE THE BALL: In 1984, NBA fans were treated to the first Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers Finals matchup in 15 years. The Lakers won Game 1, 115-109, on Boston’s floor and late in Game 2 were leading by two points with possession in the backcourt. James Worthy was inbounding from the sideline and had Magic Johnson right in front of him but chose to throw a crosscourt pass that was intercepted by Gerald Henderson, who streaked in for the tying layup. The Lakers had another chance in regulation, but Johnson – who had 27 points, 10 boards and nine assists – lost track of the clock and dribbled it out before getting up a shot. In overtime, Boston’s M.L. Carr had a steal and dunk that sealed the win. The Lakers also blew a late lead in Game 4, another overtime loss. The Celtics eventually won in seven games. Afterward, Bird said, “Let’s face it. The Lakers should have won in four games.”
MIAMI – OK, he did it again.
LeBron James, the talented and tormented Miami Heat forward, declined to take a late-game shot Friday at Utah. He saw a double-team coming and passed to forward Udonis Haslem, who missed a jumper. The Heat lost, 99-98.
You’d be tempted to think it was the All-Star game all over again. It wasn’t. This wasn’t some made-for-TV pickup game. It was a regular-season game. It mattered. Now, the LeBron debate can continue.
“At the end of the day, games are not lost on one shot at the end, or me not taking a shot,” James said after the game. “But I know the chatter will begin.”
He’s right about that.
Let’s bottom-line this thing: LeBron is among the NBA’s top three players, but he’s not among the NBA’s top three closers.
I could even take things a step beyond that, which means saying LeBron doesn’t have the same late-game killer DNA as, say, in order, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce or Carmelo Anthony. They’re among the best in the league.
I’d put LeBron in the second group with (in no particular order) Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, maybe Chauncey Billups (maybe), and a few others. And that’s OK.
The point is, LeBron is definitely a top 10 closer in the NBA.
There’s no shame in that, except when you’re LeBron you’re supposed to be in that upper echelon in every glamour category.
Hey, James is still feared late in games. At least that’s what Pierce said.
“I think late-game,” Pierce said of James, “he is unstoppable.”
I asked Pierce about LeBron and his game-closing skills during All-Star weekend, two days before the meaningless All-Star game controversy and seven days before the more meaningful Utah Jazz ending.
Pierce said he couldn’t psychoanalyze James and know whether his late-game struggles are bothersome. But Pierce thinks the truth gets overshadowed because of James’ high-profile status.
“I know that I’ve seen him in late-game situations save his team with big shots,” Pierce said. “So I think a lot of that (gets) overblown because he is who he is, and he’s missed on some late-game situations. (It’s) because he’s one of the biggest stars in the game.”
Sometimes players have issues, or blind spots, or whatever you want to call it. Numerous all-time greats couldn’t hit free throws – Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal, to name a few. Numerous all-time greats couldn’t win a title – Karl Malone, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, you know that list.
They’re still elite. LeBron is still elite. He’ll still be remembered as one of the best small forwards to ever play the game.
Of course, LeBron is no Larry Bird, considered by many as the best small forward of all time. But LeBron is up there with Julius Erving, Elgin Baylor, Scottie Pippen and James Worthy. And in my book, LeBron is already ahead of John Havlicek, Rick Barry, Dominique Wilkins, Alex English, Adrian Dantley and that ilk of Hall of Famers.
So this missing late-game gene is all a matter of perspective. LeBron is money. He’s one of the all-time greats at his position.
Of course, it’d complete the fairy tale for LeBron to collect multiple titles, become a late-game assassin, and then be a success in his post-NBA life. But maybe things won’t happen that way. Maybe LeBron never wins a title. Maybe he never becomes a successful late-game assassin.
Now, the obvious problem with that scenario is the Heat needs LeBron to be a late-game asset. Wade can’t do it alone. Chris Bosh might not be enough help. The others – Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, etc… — are complementary guys. They might or might not hit that clutch shot. But that’s not their job.
Hitting that clutch shot is LeBron’s job. It’s why he was hired.
If LeBron doesn’t become a top-tier closer the Heat might not win a title. LeBron has to figure a way to get it done consistently late in games.
Pierce said a successful closer has certain qualities.
“I think you just have to have a certain type of attitude,” he said. “I think you have to have a willingness to want to be in those situations.”
I think LeBron has the desire. I don’t think he shies away from the moment.
At the same time it’s clear he doesn’t rise to the moment as well as Kobe, D-Wade, Pierce or ’Melo.
Disregard what you saw in the All-Star game. It’s not the real world. Criticism of LeBron for not shooting against Utah is legitimate. He made a good pass. Haslem just missed the shot. Then again, James had 35 points, 17 in the fourth quarter. He was hot.
Maybe we can all agree LeBron is a second-tier closer in the NBA — feared and respected, but not as feared or respected as some of his peers. The big question is whether the Heat can win a single title, let alone multiple titles, if James doesn’t eventually become a top-tier closer.
Chris Perkins is a regular contributor to SheridanHoops.com, covering the NBA and the Miami Heat. His columns regularly appear every Tuesday. Follow him on Twitter.
