Mr. Clutch

Clutch shooting is synonymous with the great Larry Bird. Then comes Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant. Another clutch shooter who has been wallowing in the shadows of the marquee players but is equally at par is Robert Horry, the never-say-die, cool-as-cucumber swingman of the San Antonio Spurs.

The 6-10, 235lbs forward from Alabama has 5 NBA championship rings on his resume and he is on the verge of getting his 6th championship ring as all indications seem to be going their way.

Robert Horry entered the league during the '92-'93 season, hooking up with the Houston Rockets and averaging a solid 10.1 pts, 5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1 block per game in his rookie year. He won 2 back-to-back titles with the Rockets, being part of the nucleus that includes Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith.

He was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the start of the '96-'97 season and came over to the LA Lakers in a mid-season deal where he was a big part of the three consecutive Laker title run. Horry wore out his welcome in LA LA Land after six seasons and the San Antonio Spurs accepted him with open arms.

Horry has added depth and veteran leadership plus championship experience to an already formidable lineup. Never mind if he's chasing 35 years and a bit slow, but that driving dunk with over a minute left in overtime on game 5 was a sight to behold. It floored the Piston fans at the Palace and jump-started those at SBC Center.

Then there was the three's. Boy, they were timely and precise that it rivals all those fancy laser sights on high-end pistols. Horry made five three-pointers and all the time he was taking and making those shots, Horry was a picture of complacency and coolness. It's the same coolness that helped the Lakers win three straight titles and this same coolness under pressure will carry the Spurs to the championship.

The Detroit defense was focused on Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili that they overlooked that creaky old forward who blew them goodnight kisses when opportunity came. Like good vintage wine, Robert Horry comes better with age.

Surely, the Pistons will do some adjustment today and will try to extend the series to seven games. But I'm so sorry to burst your bubble Detroit fans, Aljew and Donger included, there will be no game seven. As Frank Sinatra croons, "...and now, the end is near..."

My Don Bosco batchmate, Joe Villanueva, a trivia freak, never fails to point out stuff on my articles that I had overlooked. Thanks, Joe! Another Bosconian, Jojo Dinsay, asked why I was biased towards Detroit in their conference finals againts Miami. Well, the seven games notwithstanding, Miami was too raw for Detroit. Maybe in three years time, Jo.

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