Robert Horry Does Not Play Golf
Robert Horry has done the truly amazing once again. No, we are not talking about his unbelievable second half/overtime performance of last night. It is much greater than that. The Fresh Prince of the NBA has somehow made us feel that the last 12 years are all happening simultaneously. Every June we turn on the NBA Playoffs and see Big Shot Bob doing the unthinkable, yet somehow expected, extricating his teams from the jaws of defeat. Last night, after sitting by as an observer while his team got hammered in games three and four of the NBA Finals, Horry decided to take matters into his own hands. Instead of passing up shots, he took them. And he made them, with alarming consistency. And when he was not banging down triples, he was reliving the days of his youth, flying through the paint and extending his lanky 6’10” frame to dunk right on top of the unsuspecting Pistons. Year in and year out Big Shot Bob steps it up in crunch time. We have followed Horry’s career since we sat courtside in Houston and watched him help Hakeem bring the city of Houston its first professional sports championships. And ever since, it seems like every time we turn on the tv, there he is. Whether it be in Rockets' red, Laker purple and gold or the black and white of the Spurs, Horry has found a way to keep playing basketball deep into Spring while other players make tee times.
Over the past 13 years he has played the role of supporting character to some of the league's best players. But he is not just riding their coattails; he is complimenting their game the way the great role players have throughout the history of the league, lessening the load for his All-League teammates and making big plays at crucial times, whether it be hitting clutch threes, coming up with a timely steal or blocking an important shot. Horry has hit the most threes of anyone in NBA Finals’ history, but he also set a record with seven steals in a Finals’ game for the Rockets against the Magic in 1995. And he gets back on defense, as evidenced with his four blocks against the Pacers in game two of the 2000 Finals. When he retires, they may have to add a new wing to the Hall of Fame. They can call it the Philip Seymour Hoffman or Steve Buscemi Wing, and Horry can be the first inductee.
He lurks in the shadows, sometimes for games, but when it is winning time, Big Shot Bob almost always comes through. He did it again last night, with probably his greatest performance to date, beating the defending champions on their home court in a must-win game with only seconds remaining. Every year we promise to never again be shocked by the silky-smooth grace of one of our all-time favorite payers, and each year he brings us to our feet and makes us ask, “Did he just do that?” By the way, what year is it, anyway? In fact, we’ve just thrown away our calendars. The only way we know what year it is anymore is by checking out Horry’s haircut.
