More Questions Than Answers Left Behind After the Finals

Photoshop by Payton Wales

This NBA season was brilliant, seriously, just brilliant. It couldn't have played out better, and not because the Whore of Akron lost in the Finals. Honestly, I would have preferred he lose to the Sixers but that's just me.

This season was about more than LeBron James and the disgusting amount of media coverage that followed him. It was a great coming-of-age story for players such as Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

For others, the year was a taste of bitter sweet reality. Tracy McGrady, Richard Hamilton, Derek Fisher, Yao Ming and Vince Carter are drawing near the end of their careers, seemingly making way for a new generation of talent to take their rightful place.

But that didn't happen. See I, like most of the world, thought three things were going to happen.

1. The Lakers or the Celtics, the old guard for discussion sake, would win the title and maintain their hold on the league for another year.
2. If not the old guard, then definitely someone from the new. (I'm referring to Miami, Oklahoma City, Chicago or Portland. All very capable of winning it and ushering in a new era.)
3. Ke$ha would, hopefully, fade into oblivion.

I, like the rest of the word, obviously struck out on those assumptions.

None of that happened. Instead, a new champion from the old guard was crowned. And that champion left with more questions than answers when it comes to the future of the NBA.

It was thought this would be the year James solidified his position as the best player in the NBA. Instead, he shied away from the title, disappearing in the Finals. Maybe he cracked under the pressure, maybe he isn't the player everyone thought he could be, maybe this just wasn't his year, maybe, to hear LeBron tell it, God just didn't want him to win this year.

Without James, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose managing to place an imprint on the league during the Finals, fans are left wondering who will be the dominant team and players of the future. It's not that the Mavericks can't repeat as champions, but somehow I don't see a dynasty coming out of a team who's two or three years away from pudding time, at least by NBA standards.

Compile that with the looming lockout, and the wonder begins on where the league is headed in the near future.

It's obvious the generation of James, Durant and Rose will be the future. But when will they pry it from the dying grip of Kobe Bryant (Lakers), Kevin Garnett (Celtics), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) and Tim Duncan's (Spurs) dying hands.

Or maybe the better question is who will pry it from their hands?

The Miami Heat would seem most likely to become the team of the future, even with this year's failure. Although it could be said this year wasn't a failure at all. Many pundits did not pick them to reach the Finals, let alone get past the Celtics. But the Heat overcame lofty expectations, overcame the large amount of scrutiny and pulled it together by the end of the season to make a rather superb run to the Finals.

Doing it again is a whole separate affair. Teams in the East have gotten a taste of what the Heat are serving and they now have some idea of what it will take to stop them. That's not to say Miami can't get better as well, but their cap space is minimal and they still have a few holes to plug.

Miami will have to make sure they stay ahead of the pack. The Bulls, Knicks and even the aging Celtics are only one player or two away from giving the Heat massive problems next year. Top that off with the upcoming CBA and what limitations it may put on maxed-out teams like the Heat, and you will be sure to find some financially smart teams keeping pace with Miami's super team.

While on the subject of the Heat, Lebron James' name is inevitable to come up. The subject may be worn out, but the questions are still there. Who will James become?  He hasn't shown to be the player everyone labeled him: the next MJ, the next Big O, half Magic-half Michael. Maybe everyone had it wrong. Maybe he is more like Dominique Wilkins. Maybe we shouldn't label him at all until he establishes himself in some way.

The Heat will not win a title. At least not in the next two years, if at all. It's going to take a lot of work and there is just too much that can happen while they are trying to put it together. Dwyane Wade has a lot of miles on his body, the team has limited cap space and Chris Bosh seems lost, even when he is putting in work. The league and its players are just as pissed about the super union as the rest of America. If the Heat can embrace that bad guy role and Riley makes some magic happen with their salary cap, they may have a chance.

With all that said, who is next to step up to the proverbial challenge?

As much as I want to say the Lakers will regain their dominance, I really think it's Oklahoma City. They have the nucleus in place and are a bench player or two away from cementing their place in history. The Thunder have the cap space and and trade pieces to make some moves, and on top of that, they are versatile. They are getting stronger year by year and noticeably learning on the fly.

What could knock them out of contention? Injuries would be a major cause and the possible bad apple in the famously family-oriented locker room. There are already rumors Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have some co-existence issues. But, on a team like this, that can be easily fixed.

If the Thunder have a good draft/offseason, a championship could be on the horizon for the Oklahoma Skyline in the near future.

The Lakers will have something to say about this though. LA is not young, but they are not old, despite the stories. Derek Fisher may look old, but that's because he is a bench player in a starting role. It has been time for him to take a backseat for awhile and this upcoming year may be that time.

This middle-aged -- at least by NBA standards -- group of misfits will need to get younger at the point guard position rather quickly. They have done a good job of drafting some size at the power forward and small forward positions for the future and, baring injury, Andrew Bynum should be a dominate center for the next decade.

Drafting a point guard with athleticism and good defensive ability will be important. (This actually happened as this column was being written.) The second part of returning to form will either be getting Shannon Brown to become a consistent producer or trading him for someone who will produce.

The third factor that could help the Lakers is a lockout. A lockout will help the Lakers as well as the Spurs and Celtics. An extra month or two to rest, get treatment on ailing injuries and rehab will help the aging and injured stars on these teams. The Lakers, who are younger than the Celtics and Spurs, would stand to reap the most benifit from this time off.

But why will the lockout serve the older teams more than younger teams. Young teams need offseason mini camps, instruction and guidance. Whether it's learning new plays, a new defense or just adding more weapons to the team's general arsenal, a young team needs extra time to implement this things. Older teams with veteran players find it easier to implement these changes, if they need any changes at all.

The Lakers don't have many holes, and they are very capable of returning to the throne. The question is will they make the right moves to do so? With a new coach in tow and more rest this summer than any of these players has seen in the last two years combined, the Lakers should make a solid run at it. Add in a small lockout and that road will become a little bit easier.

The questions for the Celtics this offseason are many. They are obviously old. KG and Paul Pierce seemingly ran out of steam in the playoffs, and whether Celtics fans want to admit it or not, something happened to the team's chemistry when they traded Kendrick Perkins. Can they get it back? Sure. It's a new season on the horizon, but they will have plenty of holes to fill.

Jeff Green was not the answer they thought he might be, and Troy Murphy is, well, he is stiff when it comes to production. Add the free agency of Glenn Davis, who virtually disappeared (virtually because physically you can't hide a man that size) and you will have some serious gaps to close.

Getting rid of Davis may be an option, and they will surely need to find someone better than Troy Murphy to help out in the paint. But make no mistake, the Celtics will be competitive, and in a title hunt, so long as the Fabulous Four are playing together, and after what the Miami Heat did to them, this year they will have plenty to play for.

The rest of the league still has questions, too. How will the lockout play out? Will the CBA force teams like the Heat to get rid of a player like Chris Bosh? Will the Heat ever sell out a game and stop pumping in crowd noise? Can the Grizzlies find a way to keep Marc Gasol and keep their team on its meteoric rise? Will James become the player we expected him to? Will we see another dynasty in the upcoming decade? And, of course, who will be the next player to step up to the challenge of being considered the greatest ever?

One thing is for sure, there will be plenty to argue about and look forward to this upcoming year. Lockout pending, of course. If any questions were answered this year about the direction the league is headed, it's this one: The NBA has once again risen to must-see TV, a league where almost anything is possible and the days of claiming things are watered down are long gone.

Celtics v. Knicks: Series Recap

NEW YORK -- It was as simple as one, two, three, four for the Boston Celtics, who completed a four-game sweep of  the New York Knicks April 24.

The series, which promised to be one of the most exciting going into the 2011 playoffs due to the teams' regular season matchups, ended up being somewhat of a dud.

The Knicks came into the series swinging like a boxer with nothing to lose, giving the Celtics all they could handle in the first two games, showing gumption and a strong physical presence, pushing the Celtics to win their games in the fading seconds of both Games 1 and 2.

Games 3 and 4 were a completely different story as the Celtics went to New York and dominated the Knicks. The wins included a record-setting performance from Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. The Knicks, whose nucleus had only played 18 games together, were battling a multitude of injuries throughout these playoffs and were hoping to come together against the reigning Eastern Conference champions.

But when the dust settled Sunday night in Madison Square Garden  it was the Celtics that had grown together as a team. Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists,  Kevin Garnett added 26 points and 10 rebounds while  Ray Allen and  Glen Davis each added 14 points for the Celtics to finish the clean sweep of the Knicks.

It was the first sweep the Celtics have had since 1992, beating the Indiana Pacers in three games. The win helped the Celtics advance to the second round early and also allowed them to get some rest before they play their next opponent: winner of Heat-Sixers. The Heat missed their opportunity to close out the Sixers April 26, losing in Philadelphia.

For the Knicks, the series loss left them with some big questions going into the offseason, including the status of head coach Mike D'Antoni, rumored to possibly be on the hot seat. Also, the Knicks have some glaring holes in the defense and rebounding categories that they have to address in the future.

Regardless of this year's outcome, it looks as though the Knicks will be a perinnial contender in the immediate future. For the Celtics, the future and their chances of a title will continue May 1.

Celtics v. Knicks: Game 4 Preview

New York -- Win or go home! Or, in the case of the Knicks, stay home.

The Knicks are coming into this Game 4 facing elimination and with the fresh wounds of a Game 3 drubbing at the hands of Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics. Rondo recorded his sixth postseason triple-double and had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists. Rondo set the Celtics record for assists in the postseason and is one of only seven players all time to record six triple-doubles in the postseason for their career.

Behind Rondo and Ray Allen's amazing shooting -- 75 percent from behind the arc for the series including eight threes in Game 3 -- the Celtics crushed the will of the Knicks early along with any hope the Knicks may have had of getting out of the first round.

The Knicks will come into Game 4 hoping to overcome the injury of Chauncey Billups, out for Game 4, and Amar'e Stoudemire who is listed as day-to-day. They will depend heavily on Carmelo Anthony to try and lead this team to victory even if Stoudemire is in the lineup.

The Knicks will need to play hard-nosed defense, try to slow Boston, penetrate and kick attacks by Rondo, while trying to get out in transition and score before the Celtics can recover. The Knicks will also look to aggressively attack Kevin Garnett and the rest of the Celtic's big men, hoping to get them in early foul trouble and opening up the paint for Stoudemire and Jared Jeffries.

There is much on the table in the way of hope for the Knicks, but they will not roll over and go quietly into the night. If anything, expect this game to get rough and physical before it's over, especially if the Knicks find themselves down big early.

If the Knicks can't beat them, they will at least try to send them home wounded for their second round matchup with the winner of Heat-Sixers.

So, the question is will the Knicks win and pack for Boston?. Chances are the Knicks will be packing suitcases tonight. It's just their vacation clothes that will be going inside.

Celtics v. Knicks: Game 2 Recap

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics once again eeked out a win against the New York Knicks, 96-93, in front of a packed Boston Garden on April 19. Coach Doc Rivers said, "we were lucky to win" when asked in postgame interviews. The win came on a go-ahead basket from Kevin Garnett with about 14 seconds left in the game. Garnett would then make the key defensive play 10 seconds later, diving on the floor to steal the ball from Knicks center Jared Jefferies to clinch the win.

The Knicks, playing without starting point guard Chauncey Billups, withstood a first-half point guard clinic by Rajon Rondo to keep the game close and go into halftime with a lead. Rondo, who had 14 points in the first quarter, finished the game with 30 points, a career playoff high for the All-Star point guard.

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony also had a career night, matching his playoff high for points with 42. Anthony also pulled down 17 rebounds and six assists while playing tenacious defense on the Celtics Paul Pierce, who struggled from the field, ending the night with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting.

Amar'e Stoudemire finished the night on the bench alongside Billups due to back spasms that began bothering him late in the first half. Toney Douglas, who replaced Billups in the starting lineup, had 14 points. Stoudemire's replacement, Jeffries, ended the night with 10 points and the critical turnover for the Knicks.

Anthony was criticized slightly after Game 1 for taking a long three while double teamed. He chose to pass the ball this time to Jeffries, who turned the ball over after receiving Anthony's pass with 8 seconds left in the game. When asked about Anthony's decision, coach Mike D'Antoni said Anthony made the right play.

The Knicks will now return to Madison Square Garden down 0-2 in the series but with plenty of reason to believe they can extend this series past four games.

"The Celtics didn't do anything special," Anthony said. "They won two games on their home court. Now, it's our turn to go to our home court and try to do the same thing."

And return they shall, April 22, to the cheers of a crazed New York crowd who would love nothing more than to send the Celtics back home tied 2-2.

Playoff Preview -Round 1: Celtics vs. Knicks

Rivalry.

Paul Pierce swears there isn't one between the Celtics and Knicks. At least not in this decade. There are millions of Knick fans that would argue the opposite. Maybe the Celtics look at the Knicks as lesser mortals, but the Knicks definitely see Boston as a stone-cold enemy. If you don't believe me, look at their battles this year. Bloody, beaten ragged and scathed could describe both teams after each game in the regular season.

That's what we have to look forward to: a war, no prisoners. Both teams dislike each other; both teams want to win. Don't let Boston fans fool you when they say this isn't a big game and this series won't impact them. Boston is scared. They come into the series limping, and it's possible this isn't a limp that can be miraculously healed by a wheelchair ride back into the locker room. Even if the Celtics have what it takes to win this series, they will not come out unscathed.

The physical nature of these teams may take its toll on the winner. Boston is older and has been slightly injury-prone this year with the likes of Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal taking the brunt of those injuries. This series is sure to issue a few more.

Boston is the odds-on favorite to win, and they have to win, it's expected of them. They have to prove they were more than a flash in the pan this year. The Knicks, well, they are playing with house money. Not even expected to make the playoffs, they have exceeded the hopes of fans and the front office. The Knicks simply have nothing to lose, and they have the egos to think they could pull this off.

The Knicks just don't have enough fire power to win this series. As a team, they have a lot of questions left to be answered. Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire have not figured out how to play well together at the same time. Chauncy Billups has been almost nonexistent the past 10 games and will need to be far more productive if New York has any chance to win. Landry Fields has the potential to be an offensive spark and the X factor for the Knicks while Melo will look to up his defensive prowess as he has in previous playoff series. That's where the compliments for the Knicks end.

Boston has New York outgunned at every starting position, except perhaps small forward. But as much as Paul Pierce will have trouble stopping Anthony's scoring binges, Pierce is just as much of an offensive tyrant. Rajon Rondo is too young, fast and brilliant to let Billups slow him down, Kevin Garnett and Stoudemire will  likely be a wash, which leaves the deciding factor as Ray Allen, the 3-point shooting king. As long as Allen stays productive, the Knicks will have fits closing out on the Celtics.

Boston will win this series in six games. That really isn't the question of the series. The bumps, brusies and wounds they're going to receive are. They will have to do their best to minimize those because they'll be looking at a quick turnaround to play the Miami Heat, who seem to be chomping at the bit to take down the Eastern Conference champions, something that should have Boston fans worried if their last game together was any indication of the future.

The best way to look at the Knicks in this series is not as a Cinderella, rather as meat tenderizer for the Miami Heat.

And that's what a rival is. Because if they can't beat you, they will surely try to make it easier for someone else.

Beyond The Hardwood: Troy Polamalu

It's fitting the athlete to be featured first in Beyond the Hardwood would be one of the most unique athletes on the planet. For as quiet and humble as he is in his everyday life, he is equally vicious and aggressive while on the field of play. In a sport filled with talented and outspoken athletes whose livelihood seems to thrive on their bravado, NFL safety Troy Polamalu separates himself, choosing to quietly go about his work.

He seems to shy away from the spotlight, choosing to acknowledge team over self. Yet if you let his teammates tell it, he is their MVP, the heart and soul of their team. Polamalu is a quiet leader, who lets his actions speak for him. You'll never see him running his mouth a mile a minute on Sportscenter about how he is going to punish the other team this week or how he's come to pound them into the ground. Never will you see him exit the team tunnel enveloped in smoke, fireworks crisscrossing above his head in the backdrop as he does some dance that's supposed to symbolize his Samoan warrior spirit. No, he conserves that energy, uses it for when it matters, puts it where it counts.

He places value on his family both on and off the field, investing time in the development of both. He represents his heritage, friends, team and family with a quiet, soft-spoken intensity and integrity that seems to invite you in, portraying love and caring above all else to the point that the public almost sees him as strange, unique, even perplexing. How can one of football's most decorated players -- six Pro Bowls, two-time first team All-Pro selections, second team All-Pro selection, team MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion -- be so humble? How can a guy so aggressive, resilient, intense, relentless and passionate on the field of play just turn it off when he steps off?

The answer to the question is he doesn't. None of those qualities changes off the field. In fact, it could be said those qualities were in place long before football, before USC, before the Steelers. Those were the qualities he had as a young man, and he learned how to focus them on the things he loved: his faith, family, friends, education and, of course, football. The only thing that changes while on or off the field is where he focuses those qualities.

So when a man like this devotes himself to something outside the world of sports, when he dedicates his time and voice to a cause, you take notice. You perk up your ears, focus your eyes on what he is doing and listen. Because when it comes to Troy Polamalu, what you see and hear is what you get. No strings, no bullshit, no self-serving agenda. You know on the occasions that he speaks out, you should listen because it's important because his words have value.

Well, now is one of those times to perk up and listen. Take an interest in more than what so-and-so is wearing or tweeting about their personal life. Actually, check that, that's exactly what you should do. You should check out what Troy is tweeting about. If you visit his Twitter profile @tpolamalu you'll find hundreds of tweets referencing TwitChange.

What is TwitChange? And why is a guy who begrudgingly got a Twitter account tweeting so much about it? Well, TwitChange is a global celebrity auction where Twitter users can bid to get two things: be followed by their favorite celebrity on Twitter or mentioned by them in a special tweet, plus retweeted by them.

 

                        

 

The real fun of the program is left up to you, the fan, the non-celebrity tweeter. First, make sure you are following @tpolamalu and @TwitChange on Twitter. Then, go to www.TwitChange.com. From there, you will be able to tweet to your favorite celebrities and ask them to get involved (over and over if you must) with the auction. It's very simple, something you can do while listening to music and working on you computer. It really only take minutes to send out invites to your favorite celebs. What if your favorite celebrity isn't on the TwitChange list? Feel free to cut and paste their Twitter handle into the TwitChange invitation and send away. Once you've done that, just take the time to pay attention to the timelines of Troy or TwitChange to see if your celebrity signed up. It's that easy, and you, the user, has all the power to make the difference.

Now for the best part. Your work, and anything you bid in the auction, will go toward OOIAL -- Operation Once In A Lifetime. Started by a soldier, OOIAL is a non-profit organization who has made it their mission "to make the dreams of U.S. soldiers and their families come true by providing free financial and moral support to U.S. service members, their families and veterans regardless of rank, deployment, physical condition or branch or service," according to their Web site.

It's a wonderful chance for you to make a difference by doing something you more than likely do everyday, tweet. It's for an amazing cause and you couldn't have a more impressive, humble and trustworthy person leading the charge in Troy Polamalu. It's a cause that goes beyond favorite teams and players on the field, and to our favorite human beings and heroes, our U.S. servicemen. I implore you to take those few minutes in a day, get involved, send some invitations, spread the word and do something that extends beyond the field of play. Take this wonderful opportunity to go Beyond the Hardwood.

Ray Allen: Pure As It Gets

"Jesus," I exclaim. The name itself carries double meaning here, but we'll get to that later.

"Will someone guard him already?" My frustration is building.

"You can't leave that guy open. Anyone but him!"

Not that it would matter if the defender actually closed out on him. It wouldn't be enough to phase him anyhow. A few more minutes pass by, another blown defensive assignment, an expletive from my mouth. But that doesn't change the outcome. The net makes a sound. If its your guy, it's one as smooth as Sinatra. If it's not, well, it's nauseating.

It's June 7, 2010 and Ray Allen's evisceration of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the 2010 playoffs isn't nearly finished. Allen is composing a masterpiece, like he has so many times before. This one will start out to the key of seven straight 3-pointers. It will end in a striking crescendo, 11-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc to set the all-time playoff finals record for most 3-pointers in a game. A total of 32 points on the way to a Celtics' 103-94 Game 2 victory, in a word, is perfect.

Jesus, there is that name again. A name whose story and symbolism are well known throughout the world. A perfect man dying for the sins of the imperfect men that surround him, a savior for the masses. It's fair to say it's a name that carries some weight and culpability. So on the eve of a game where the opportunity to break one of the NBA's most prestigious and oft-thought unattainable records -- most 3-pointers made all-time -- it's only fitting the man poised to break it carry the nickname of Jesus. The burden that comes with the name might not be the same, but one of its qualities -- perfection -- is.

Ray Allen's game is just that, perfect, or at least the closest thing to it on a basketball court. To watch it is to watch pure grace. The way he comes of a screen, planting his feet, catching the ball, and releasing it all in one motion, it's majestic, the product of countless hours of tedious work, repetition and correction. His form has long been considered by coaches, peers and admirers to be the gold standard, a gleaming example of excellence. Even the man poised to become his predecessor has gawked at Allen's game. But there is more to Ray Allen's game than his jumper.

Over a 15-year NBA career, Allen posted an impressive basketball resume. He was the fifth pick overall in the 1996 NBA draft, an All-Rookie second team selection, an Olympic gold medalist (2000), All-NBA third team selection and NBA 3-point shootout champion (2001), NBA Sportsmanship Award winner (2003), All-NBA second team selection (2005), 10-time NBA All-Star and NBA champion (2008).

Allen has made a career out of taking the correct shot, not pushing or forcing it, making sure to try and shoot his team into games, not out of them. He has made a career of rubbing off screens or coming off the dribble for a three. It's this style of play that garnered Allen numerous NBA shooting records, some of which won't be touched for years, if ever.


Regular Season
- Seasons leading the league in three-point field goals made: 3 (2001-'02, '02-'03, '05-'06)
- Consecutive seasons leading the league in three-point field goals made: 2 ('01-'02, '02-'03)
- Three-point field goals made in a season: 269 ('05-'06)
The previous record was held by Dennis Scott at 267. 
- Three-point field goals made in a half: 8 (second half when with the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte Hornets, April 14, 2002)

Playoffs
- Three-point field goals made in a seven-game series: 28 (for Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 2001 Conference Finals)
- Three-point field goals made in a game: 9 (for Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers,  June 1, 2001; tied when with Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls, April 30, 2009 (3 OT))
- Three-point field goal attempts in a game: 18 (for Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls, April 30, 2009 (3 OT))

Finals
- Three-point field goals made in a six-game series: 22 (for Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 2008 NBA Finals)
- Three-point field goals made in a game: 8 (for Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers, June 6, 2010)
- Three-point field goals made in a half: 7 (first half for Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers, June 6, 2010)
- Three-point field goals made in a quarter: 5 (second quarter for Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers, June 6, 2010)
- Three-point field goal attempts in a six-game series: 42 (for Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 2008 NBA Finals)

His career stats are a testimate to his consistency through training and practice. Practice which got him to fourth in the league all-time in free throw percentage; 11th all-time in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.8 percent, a number that could increase this year with Allen on a terror from beyond the arc, currently shooting 46 percent through Feb. 10. But most importantly, it has him poised to enter the record books by attaining the all-time 3-pointers made record tonight. It's a record hallowed by many, a record that represents the hard work, dedication and attention to detail that can't be attained through simple pure athletic talent.

When Allen enters the Garden tonight, he will enter it two 3-pointers away from passing Reggie Miller, whose current mark of 2,560 was long considered unattainable. To make the achievement more unique, Allen will be facing the Celtics longtime rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, a fitting opponent for such a momentous occasion. There is no doubt his teammates, fans, friends and family would love to see him break this record while in the midst of such a storied rivalry. Even if you're a Laker fan, you have to tip your hat to the man who would be king.

So tune in. Witness. There is history to be made tonight. Watch as The Garden applauds him, his effort, his tenacity in a standing ovation to one of its icons, its legends. Enjoy this perfect moment because chances are we may never see this record broken again. Once Allen breaks it, he will own it like no other has. He will have the opportunity to increase it. He will set the standard for all that come after him in this league, a standard of perfection. A standard that could only be attained by one man.

I'll watch tonight, just like the rest of the league, like the man who is about to watch his record be surpassed. I'll hold my breath just like everyone in attendance every time a 3-pointer is launched. And when the net finally makes that smooth sound for the second time tonight, there will only one word that leaves my lips, "Jesus."

I'll say it with a smile, happy I had a chance to witness.