Jameer Nelson Guarantees A Win
After a game four loss to the Bulls in the ’96 Eastern Conference Semi’s, Derek Harper told the New York media that the Knicks would take the fifth game, guaranteed. They’d only lost game four 94-91, and Harper tossed in 15 points and 5 assists. But Harper’s words made it to the chalkboard in the wrong locker room, sparking His Airness to hit for a cool 35 points. Harper’s 6 points and 6 assists were far less memorable than his pre-game guarantee.
Now also on the brink of elimination, Jameer Nelson put himself in Harper’s position with his a similar game five guarantee.
“You know what, we’re going to make some adjustments and we’re going to go there and win this game,” Nelson predicted. “I’m not being arrogant or cocky or anything like that, but tonight, we let it slip out of our hands, let Game 2 slip out of our hands, and we’re going to win this game in Detroit.”
There is good news for Nelson: there’s no MJ on the other side of the ball to anger when he starts talking reckless. While Nelson’s guarantee has sparked some expected trash talk from ‘Sheed, the man that really needed to hear his speech is Rashard Lewis. Just as Rashard’s 33-point explosion in game three pushed the Magic to a win, the Knicks took game three from the Bulls on the heels of John Starks‘ 30 points.
However, Starks disappointed in game five, making 1 of 4 tries from downtown for 10 points in the Knicks’ 94-81 loss. Rashard Lewis doesn’t have the super-human task of trying to run around and check Jordan on the defensive end, so he’s already better off than Starks was. If this series continues to follow the ’96 ECS game-for-game, the Magic’s fate rests on Lewis’, not Nelson’s shoulders.
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May 12th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Flying_Dutchman says:
We (Piston fans) need a… GuaranSHEED
May 12th, 2008 at 9:34 am
GEE...This thing is bigger than Nino Brown. This is big business. says:
This is dumb to me. Unless you are an actual star player who can drop about 30 on a team and possibly change the outcome you should hush.
Nelson is aight I give him that but he ain’t the main staple on that team.
Sure you might be trying to pump your team up or whatever but it’s just not smart when you really don’t play a super key roll in points.
He should have been encouraging Hedo to play smarter (wow he is making some dumb decisions) and Lewis to show up and be consistent. Why motivate a team that beat you without one of their star guards??? Dumb. Sounds like a T-Mac/Orlando Magic move of looking forward to the 2nd round. What????
I am really going to be checking for dudes point total in game 5.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Austin Burton says:
Good for Jameer. It bugs me when the media makes a big deal out of someone guaranteeing a win, as if every player and coach isn’t in the locker room saying “We’re are GOING to win this game!” What is he supposed to say? “Geez, I sure hope we can win tonight fellas. That’d be swell!”
I don’t think it gives the opponent any extra “bulletin board material.” This is the playoffs. If you’re not sufficiently pumped up enough just by that alone, why are you playing?
May 12th, 2008 at 10:14 am
cbizzle says:
Austin, I see you. This didn’t bug me, even as a Pistons fan. If you don’t go into a game thinking you’re going to win, why come in and play? Just because Jameer didn’t give a ho-hum Politically Correct answer doesn’t mean you have to bury the guy. With that said, you gotta back it up. Dude just put a life-size target on his back. If he don’t show and play tomorrow night, and the Magic get eliminated, he’s got some explaining to do.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:16 am
DaPro says:
Not really a big deal.
I’m with you AB, it would be a bigger deal if he said he guarantees the Magic will lose. That should make the papers
May 12th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Austin Burton says:
And I’ve been in locker rooms and seen how reporters try to bait guys into making a guarantee…
Reporter: “What’s the feeling in this locker room heading into an elimination game?”
Player: “We feel like we can win, definitely.”
Reporter: “So are you guaranteeing a win?”
Player: “I mean … yeah. Yeah. We’re gonna win.”
Then the next day the newspaper says, “PUT UP OR SHUT UP: NELSON GUARANTEES A WIN.”
May 12th, 2008 at 10:27 am
K Dizzle - Nonpanickin Laker fan says:
Dude should start by throwin the ball up to Superman over and over, all night long. His assists total should be higher than his point total and this team should live and die with Dwight
May 12th, 2008 at 10:42 am
yoda says:
its not problem when he said things like this. problem is when theirs highest paid player doesn’t say things like this. lewis needs to start paying off that 118mil contract. so far, hes riding on howards/hedos back.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:51 am
GEE...This thing is bigger than Nino Brown. This is big business. says:
LOL Jameer ain’t no Mike Hart he should have shut his mouth.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Juanito says:
jameer already did what he could to try and win this series by taking out Chauncey’s legs in Game 3. That didn’t work, so I guess the next step is to talk a load of shit. The funny thing about this is how Orlando thinks Detroit is its main rival. Let’s clear something up: you need to actually be able to beat a team for them to consider you a rival back. Getting owned for years on end does not qualify. Right now, Orlando should consider teams like Charlotte and Miami as their big rivals, but they need to wait a few years before they can eat at the adult’s table…
May 12th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Austin Burton says:
The Pistons aren’t Orlando’s rival, they’re Orlando’s hurdle. Kind of like they were for MJ and LeBron, they’re becoming that for Dwight. Or like the Bulls were the Cavs’ hurdle during the Mark Price era.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Tim says:
Yeah I’m not blaming Nelson for saying this…but for some reason I have the feeling that Rip is just gonna go after him…and if Chauncey plays…Nelson will be in major trouble…if not Stuckey could put it to him too.
I honestly think Game 4 crushed Orlando…to think you were up 15 and still lost to a team without its most important player ( i was gonna say best, but thats been Prince so far). The Palace will be rockin’ and Sheed will feed off of it. I say Sheed gets close to a 20/10 game.
Bring on the Celtics/Cavs winner…
oh the thoughts of the intro videos of Pistons/Celtics..bird throwing the ball at Laimbeer and all that….damn that will be fun.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Myrie says:
Was that the Knicks/Bulls series where Derek Harper smacked up Joe Joe English in a fight at halfcourt?
May 12th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Remy Nguyen says:
Is this a money back guaranteed for the fans. I am going to the game BTW.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
doc says:
If u on my team u better say you’re gonna win.If u not get out the locker room.What Detroit gonna play better because of that or somthing.I think Mike would’ve dropped 35 if Derek Harper would’ve said.I think we gonna get our ass kicked and Mikes gonna drop 35.IT DONT MATTER.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
fallinup says:
You know how Detroit feeds off talk like that though. Jameer just became the motivational message on the white board in the Pistons locker room before this game. Detroit loves being “disrespected”. Even though it really wasn’t a disrespect…I expect the Pistons to push for a blow out…that’s just the way they are.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
cbizzle says:
What I don’t get is Rashard Lewis saying that Orlando is “still the better team” Huh? What makes you think that? That the had a better record- no, that’s not it. They won the season series- nope, not that either. Maybe it’s because they are up 3-1. No. What in the world is Lewis talking about? I mentioned it earlier, but I don’t mind what Jameer said, but what Rashard Lewis said was just stupid. Way to go Orlando again for throwing 118 mil at a role player. Have fun fishing