Xmas in August!

Well, close enough. The Sports Guy finally unveiled the schedule for his stint as Director of Programming for NBATV this coming weekend. The highlights:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27
3 a.m.: Rockets vs. Spurs (Game 2, 1995 Western Finals)
(Vengeance Scale Alert! Vengeance Scale Alert!)
Before this game, David Robinson was presented with his 1995 MVP award, so he gave a speech and thanked some of the centers who had won before him. Well, he didn't mention Hakeem. Big mistake. Hakeem exploded for 41 points and 16 boards, including 29 in the second half alone.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28
12 p.m.: Suns vs. Warriors (Game 3, 1994 First Round)
(Vengeance Scale Alert! Vengeance Scale Alert!)
The set-up: Barkley was ticked off about a Nike commercial that showed C-Webb dunking on him.
The result: Barkley goes 23-for-31 for 56 points, including 27 in the first quarter. Sir Chazz at his absolute apex.
Fun wrinkle No. 1: Barkley was double-teamed a total of zero times during the game. Don Nelson at his absolute anti-apex.
Strange wrinkle: This was the last Warriors playoff game. Since this game was played, they're 254-566. And yet everyone makes fun of the Clippers. Go figure.

4:30 p.m.: Nets vs. Celtics (Game 3, 2002 Eastern Finals)
Just the fourth quarter. Greatest comeback in NBA history. Also one of my five drunkest nights ever in Boston. Good times all around.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29
Now we're entering the Larry Legend Marathon: 27 straight hours of the Basketball Jesus. Try to contain yourselves. Anyway ...

6 p.m.: Pistons vs. Celtics (Game 5, 1985 Eastern Semis)
Classic '80s playoff game: Laimbeer, Isiah, Tripucka, Terry Tyler and the immortal Vinnie Johnson (fresh off an unconscious 22-point fourth quarter in Game 4) on one side; Bird, McHale, Parish, Ainge and DJ on the other. Not wanting to head back to Detroit down 3-2, Larry finishes with 43, including 17 in the final quarter. Enjoyable series, fantastic game. The Garden at its best, during one of the last seasons before they priced out the diehard fans and the suits took over.

12 a.m.: Celtics vs Hawks (March, 1985)
The famous 60-point game, highlighted by the Hawks high-fiving on their own bench. One of the craziest shooting displays of all-time. I can't discuss this game rationally.

6 a.m.: Bucks vs. Celtics (Game 7, 1987 Eastern Semis)
Another epic. McHale slaps up a 26-16 on that same broken foot -- unbelievable -- and Larry takes over down the stretch. Maybe the classic test of the "Team with the best player always wins the series" theory. The Bucks had no business losing this thing. But Bird just wouldn't let it happen.
(Great Bucks team, by the way -- just watching a clean John Lucas playing the point is worth the price of admission here. Plus, Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma, Paul Pressey, Ricky Pierce, Randy Breuer AND Paul Mokeski were involved. Between both of these teams, the record for "Most awkward-looking white guys in one series" will never, ever, EVER be surpassed.)

10 a.m.: Celtics vs. Sonics (Dec. 30, 1987 -- fourth quarter only)
Ho-hum ... another Bird buzzer-beater. This is the one where Bird points out a spot for Xavier McDaniel, then makes the winning shot on that exact spot. As the X-man describes in "Larry Bird: A Basketball Legend," And I was like ... damn.

I am seriously thinking about buying a Tivo.