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2006 Basketball In Review

George Mason, Kobe, LeBron highlight year's best and worst

© Mark Barnes

Dec 29, 2006
In a year filled with excitement and controversy at every level of basketball, Suite101 ranks the top 3 best and worst basketball moments of 2006.

THE BEST

  1. JayMac's shooting performance: An autistic, New Jersey high school basketball manager, Jason McElwain, never played a single minute in a high school basketball game, until the final game of his senior season. Late in the contest, with his team winning comfortably, the coach decided to send JayMac into the game. The crowd went nuts, as everyone understood the impact of having this particular team manager play. Not only did JayMac score, he made a school-record six straight 3-pointers, each a bit farther away from the basket than the other. In one of the most heartening stories of the year, JayMac showed America what true spirit is all about.
  2. George Mason's run: With all the drama of a made-for-television primetime special, the George Mason Patriots stormed into the 2006 NCAA tournament and taught America the true meaning of March Madness. Entering the tournament as an 11 seed from the barely mid-major Colonial Athletic Association, George Mason shocked NCAA Tournament giants North Carolina and top-seeded Connecticut, before the storybook journey ended against eventual national champion Florida. It was arguably the greatest NCAA Tournament run in history.
  3. Cavaliers-Wizards NBA playoff series: Rarely do NBA playoffs bring the kind of electricity that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards brought in six incredible games. In LeBron James' first-ever NBA playoff series, the Chosen One didn't disappoint, averaging 35.6 points per game, including a triple-double in the opener and a spectacular game-winning reverse lay-up in game 5. Four of the six games were decided by a total of eight points -- three by one point apiece. Wizards star Gilbert Arenas averaged 34 in the series, including 41 in an epic game 5 battle with James and a buzzer-beating 32-foot 3-pointer to send game six into overtime. The series ended with little-used Cavs guard Damon Jones nailing a 3-pointer from the corner with less than five seconds remaining. It was his only shot of the game.

THE WORST

  1. Kobe's 81 points: Although this one makes the best side on most year-in-review lists, Kobe Bryant's 81 points in a victory over the lowly Toronto Raptors is a testament to bad showmanship and true selfishness. In a sport hailed as the ultimate team game, Kobe proved that against some opponents, one man can win, and his teammates are irrelevant. On this fateful night, when teamwork was left for dead, Kobe launched 46 shots. Sure, he made a remarkable 60 percent of them, but aren't great players supposed to get their teammates involved? This type of offensive explosion is not what the NBA needs. Besides, if you want to watch one NBA player launching shots all game, tune in to any game Allen Iverson is playing. Kobe Bryant is supposed to be better than this.
  2. The synthetic NBA basketball: In one of NBA Commissioner David Stern's worst moments, he decided to introduce a new, non-leather, basketball to the NBA. It was, Stern claimed, supposed to improve the game. It would be easier to grip, enhancing ballhandling and shooting. The ball did neither, and the players hated it from day one, which was before the regular season even started. A little over two months into the season, Stern decided to scrap the new ball, in favor of the classic one. This, too, was a bad idea, as the players had just started getting used to the new ball. One new ball; two bad decisions. Sounds like the NBA at its finest.
  3. Carmelo Anthony and the brawl: Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was having an NBA MVP season. He was leading the league in scoring and helping his Nuggets team compete in the Western Conference. Then, Denver traveled to New York for a game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. A fight broke out, involving numerous players, including Anthony, who sucker-punched a player, then tiptoed away, faster than a ballet dancer. Anthony was suspended for 15 games, but worse than the suspension, Anthony now looks far more like a cowardly thug than an MVP candidate.

The copyright of the article 2006 Basketball In Review in Basketball is owned by Mark Barnes. Permission to republish 2006 Basketball In Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




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Comments
Jan 4, 2007 2:16 PM
Phil Partington :
Hey Mark,

Nice review of '06! Just a few comments.

First, it's interesting that shooting is actually down now that they've returned to the old ball. Now, I'm actually hearing a few players complain a bit that they've gone away from the new ball! Players will never be happy.

Second, I think it's interesting that you refer to Kobe's 81 as a negative. I don't necessarily disagree with you, and I am by no stretch of the imagination a supporter of Kobe Bryant. However, if I do recall, the Lakers were losing early in the game by something like 18 points and that Kobe didn't start taking over until it was clear that they weren't making any kind of a run. Admittedly, I didn't see the game, but do you think that changes anything? Just curious.

3. I was very disappointed about Carmelo. I was one of his biggest critics until late last season when I saw him start to play a true role of leadership both on and off the court. He had ceased with his whining and had because the mature adult nobody thought was possible. He really stifled that hard-earned title when he threw that sucker-punch. He kind of came across as a pansy as he ran away. Sad, sad times.
Jan 4, 2007 2:21 PM
Mark Barnes :
If the Lakers were down, Kobe should definitely take over. 55 in the second half is just crazy though. The rest of the guys were just standing around watching him; it was like everyone was saying, "Hey, let's see if he can get to 100."

I totally agree with you about Carmelo Anthony. It's a shame about what happened; he had really turned it up a notch this year.

Happy New Year.
2 Comments
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