i can hardly wait for game 6. duncan was awesome in 5! -- nudy

I beg to differ U. Duncan was awesome for 3 periods.

Here's three words for you to chew on: Big Shot Bob

Robert Horry has more 3-pointers in the NBA Finals than anyone. He passed Michael Jordan to take sole possession of the number one spot. He has 5 NBA Championship rings. I'll say that again. He has FIVE NBA Championship rings. From 1991 to 2003 , three men have been responsible for all the NBA championships. Agree or not, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Robert Horry have been responsible for 13 straight championships between them. If it weren't for the Pistons last year, that run would be extended to 15 this year. Granted he's played with some of the biggest names in the game (Olajuwan and Drexler in Houston, Shaq and Kobe in LA and T-Dunc now) to be aiming to put yourself in the same league as Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with six NBA rings is worth note. The only players to surpass these six rings were the Boston Celtics of the Bill Russell era which is a stand-alone in NBA history.

Horry has played 197 playoff games which is 2nd in league history. He's also second, to Reggie Miller no less, on the playoff 3-pointers-made list.

Today, he had a grand total of zero points before halftime. After the interval, he was everywhere. From putbacks of missed lay-ups, to key rebounds, mixing it up with the regular 3-pointer and showing off some playground moves with the lefty dunk he had in the fourth (Horry is right-handed!) He had 21 points in the second half and over-time.

Tim Duncan was great for 43 minutes in the game. When it counted, he missed 6 shots, including a possible game-winning put-back, went 0-for-6 from the line and even botched at entry pass. If you're the Pistons, you don't mind putting Duncan on the line by fouling him. What you don't do--ever, ever, under any circumstances (you listening 'Sheed?!)--is leave Robert Horry open for a clutch, game-winning 3-pointer at the top on an inbounds play coming out of a time-out.

This game was a classic. For the first 43 minutes, Chauncey Billups fought it out with Tim Duncan in a battle of the last two Finals' MVPs. Billups, who last year acquired the Big Shot tag during the Finals run against the Lakers, kept the Pistons pushing for a win with the help of Hamilton and Prince while the Wallaces swatted out unwanted visitors. Duncan kept his Spurs in contention with Ginobli and Parker by his side and Bowen being his usual pestering self on defense. With the game on the line, and the chance for another Big Shot, Robert Horry decided it was time to take his game off ice. Every time the Pistons pulled away, Horry pulled the Spurs right back.

All in all, this game was worth sleeping barely 2-hours, waking up at 6 in the morning and skipping history class for.

I feel no shame in saying that I hated Horry during his years in LA but that was only a recognition of his ability and his presence in the hated Lakers. The Lakers were made up of some great championship pieces but they were never a great team. Plus, they eliminated San Antonio and/or Sacramento every year.

If anyone remembers, last year I was ecstatic when the Pistons won because they were a team. With all due respect to the fantastic Detroit team that I love, the Spurs are my team and have been for the last 6 years. Tim Duncan is The Man. The Big Fundamental is where it all begins and ends. I've been telling people for the last 10 days that this ends in Game 6. I'll stick by that.