Special thanks to Steve Porter, Lindsay Tillis, and Jacqueline Kauffman for making this interview happen.

DJ Steve Porter

You grew up in Western Massachusetts in the 1980′s.  You love basketball—even had a half-court in your backyard as a kid. Naturally, you fell in love with the Boston Celtics. You grew older on a healthy diet of Larry Bird, trophies, banners, parades, and the nutritious hatred of Magic Johnson and all things Laker.

You played basketball until you realized you’d never be able to dunk. Never be Larry Bird. Never be Kevin McHale.

Now, the Boston Celtics are playing the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, and the last commercial you made in collaboration with the NBA marketing division is set to air.

Welcome to the life of Steve Porter,31, a DJ and producer who grew up in Amherst, MA, just 95 miles west of the TD Garden.

MUSICAL GROWTH

Steve began producing when he was 16, in his dorm room at Williston-Northampton School—a boarding school in Easthampton, MA.  While his friends studied, played sports, and hung out, Porter spent most of his days on his computer, downloading production software and creating innovative electronic dance music.

“I started tinkering around with software that I could find off the internet back in 1996,” Porter said. “I was downloading stuff off of dial-up.”

Porter practiced his DJ’ing at all school events, even his Senior Prom. After graduating from Williston, Porter decided to forego college and, instead, pursue a musical career. Porter quickly hooked up with a local record store, The Grow Room—open from 1997-2004—jumpstarting his life as a DJ.

“It was all about hard work,” Porter said. “I produced music like a madman–I still do.”

Porter’s popularity steadily rose, and he began DJ’ing in Boston and New York. In 2002, Porter began a global tour, DJ’ing around the world until 2009, when he began working with the NBA’s marketing division, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Porter may have travelled across Europe, Asia, and Australia but, to him, there is not a place in the world like the TD Garden at capacity crowd.

“The TD Garden is just hyped. It’s about the fans, it’s about the fun, it’s about the sound–non-stop.”

But what about the Staples Center, where Porter attended Game 1 of the NBA Finals?

“[The game] was amazing,” Porter said. “I just felt priveliged to be there.”

“I will say though, that the experience at the Staples Center doesn’t come close to what you get at the TD Garden. It’s more of a sitting crowd. I felt like I was in a stuffy hotel.”

VIDEO REMIX BEGINNINGS

Though Porter’s NBA commercials are a hit, his role in television advertising came about almost completely by accident. Porter created a new type of video remixing which exploded in popularity on Youtube. In his spare time, Porter would take a video, cut and splice the audio, rearranging the dialogue  to match up with his own musical composition.

Video remixing became an internet sensation with Porter’s creation of Rap Chop, a remix of the Slap Chop infomercial which advertises a blade that dices, chops, and minces fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc. in a matter of seconds. The rap-like video remix has generated more than 10 million views on Youtube and became so popular that it was used as the real Slap Chop infomercial.

“It was probably the third or fourth video I uploaded,” Porter said. “I was really, honestly, just experimenting and I had no idea that  I was doing something I was good at.”

But Rap Chop was just the beginning of video remixing for Porter. Soon after, he created a video called Press Hop, which featured Allen Iverson’s infamous “We talkin’ bout practice” press conference and other sports hysteria. This video remix has been viewed more than  2.5 million times and has received attention from the NFL, NBA, and network television.

“Press Hop seems to be everybody’s favorite,” Porter said. “That video kind of started it all. The whole NBA campaign was anchored around the genesis of that video.”

Since the Youtube release of Press Hop, Porter has done video remixing for the NFL, Showtime, NBC’s sitcom, Community, and ABC’s sitcom, Cougartown.

NBA VIDEO REMIX COMMERCIALS

In September 2009, the NBA contracted Porter to compile 15 video remixes, the first airing November 3, 2009, and the last one airing this week during the NBA Finals. Porter’s NBA commercials have been a huge hit and a viral sensation—uploaded and viewed countless times on the internet.

Porter recently finished the last two installments, which will air during the NBA Finals. Both of the commercials are 60-second remixes of earlier installments. One of the commercials will remix the Amazing is the Dream spot, which focused on the legends of basketball.

“It’s a real tearjerker,” Porter said. ”It’s the kind of spot that will have grandpa snapping his fingers and crying a little bit.”

The final commercial will be all about the Celtics-Lakers rivalry.

“We tweaked the teamwork commercial,”Porter said,”the one with Magic Johnson saying,’we gotta get back-into-our-game.’ It’s a 60-second version of that, and it’s all Lakers- Celtics. It’s really cool.”

After 10 months of exhausting work on the NBA project, Porter’s is excited to prepare for a tour of Asia in July, followed by Lolapalooza– an eight stage music festival in Grant Park in Chicago– from August 6-8.

“The NBA project was the biggest undertaking of my entire career,” Porter said. “It’s been exhausting– it’s taken all the creative energy I have. I put everything I have into this project.”

Imagine that: the man behind the NBA’s newest commercials, the man who has been making music since he was 16, the man who travelled around the world DJ’ing, has finally lost his energy.

Somehow, I don’t believe Mr. Porter. I think one more Celtics win, or another creative challenge, and all that energy will come flooding back.

And he may need it soon. Because there could be a party in Boston.

Who better to DJ?

Kobe Bryant tried to beat the Boston Celtics by himself Sunday night in Game 5 at the TD Garden, but he–and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers– failed the task.

Bryant scored 38 points but Pau Gasol (12 points) was the only other Laker in double-figures, and the Celtics pulled ahead 3-2 in the series with a convincing 92-86 win.

With the NBA Finals tied at two games each, The Big Three emerged from a collective Finals-slumber, combining for 57 points on 23-42 shooting. Paul Pierce spearheaded the Celtics effort with 27 points, including 11 points in the pivotal third quarter in which he squared off with a sizzling Bryant. Bryant scored 19 of the Lakers 26 points in the third quarter–making seven of his nine shots–but Boston somehow extended their halftime lead of six points to eight heading into the fourth quarter.

In the first half, Boston set a great pace offensively, resulting in defensive switches and easy hoops. Pierce had 15 points on 7-10 shooting, the Celtics shot 58% for the half, and Kobe was just 4-12. Yet, the Celtics lead by only six points, 45-39. Los Angeles hung around in the first half because they had eight offensive rebounds and Boston committed 11 turnovers.

With 4:55 left in the second quarter, Kevin Garnett went up for a transition layup and was fouled hard by Ron Artest. Rajon Rondo came to Garnett’s defense by shoving Artest, which quickly earned Rondo a technical foul. The technical seemed to refocus the team, which began playing with more effort and intensity.

Pierce went on a scoring barrage to finish the second quarter and on into the third. Considering the stakes, Garnett played perhaps his best game of the post-season, with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. Garnett once again attacked Pau Gasol in the painted area, earning himself short buckets and multiple trips to the free throw line. Rondo added 18 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, but he also committed 7 turnovers.

Like Pierce, Bryant was also feeling the summer heat in the third quarter–and admittedly hit some world-class leaners– but it came at the expense of his teammates. Bryant wanted the ball on every possession, and he could be seen verbally assaulting other Lakers who dared to shoot. Bryant reamed out poor Luke Walton for a drive that created a wide-open three-pointer for Derek Fisher.

Because Kobe took so many shots,27, the rest of the Lakers were inactive both offensively and defensively.The Celtics outscored the Lakers 46-32 in points in the paint, and shot over 56% for the game. Pau Gasol never established himself in the post and took only 12 shots in 38 minutes of action. Ron Artest and Fisher were both 2-9 from the floor, while Artest was nothing but an orange drill-cone for the elusive Pierce most of the game.

The Boston Celtics lead most of the game, but, in the fourth quarter, the Lakers cut the lead to five after Ray Allen fouled Bryant on a three-pointer and he made all three free throws. With about 45 seconds left, Kevin Garnett and Derek Fisher were in a jump ball on the Celtics offensive end. Fisher quick-jumped Joey Crawford’s toss and stole the tip, which ended up in the hands of a streaking Artest. Pierce fouled Artest, who missed both free throws.

After Artest missed the pair, Pierce rebounded the ball and Boston called timeout. On the ensuing inbounds play, Garnett threw a high-arching pass to a sprinting Pierce, who caught the ball and passed it to Rondo for a layup–all in a matter of seconds. Rondo’s layup gave the Celtics a seven point lead with 35 seconds to go, and put the finishing touches on the Game 5 win.

After scoring 11 fourth quarter points, 16 for the game, Derek Fisher cried in his post-game interview with Doris Burke.

Why the hell was he crying?

No one but Derek Fisher seems to know. He had played his best game of the playoffs and his team had won. He has won 4 NBA titles and made crucial plays, crucial shots before. So why was he so emotional after this particular win, this particular clutch performance?

I don’t know and I don’t care–there should be no crying in basketball unless your season or career has just ended. If the Lakers and Fisher win the 2010 NBA Finals, Fish can cry all he wants, he’ll have earned the right to celebrate the season however he sees fit. But crying in the middle of the NBA Finals because you helped your team win a close game? Unacceptable.

I thought I disliked Fisher before tonight–he just seems like a complete phony. But after tonight, I thoroughly dislike–maybe even hate– Derek Fisher. Not only did he just destroy my team’s chance of going up 2-1, but he cried about it like a baby afterward. Give me a break. Pau Gasol is supposed to be the one crying on the Lakers.

The Celtics may have lost 91-84 Tuesday night at the TD Garden, but the Garden fans played their part perfectly.

I don't know if Lamar Odom was scared by these masks, but they make Khloe look like the spawn of Satan.

Thirty minutes before tip-off, the Garden was rocking and the crowd’s excitement was building. 5,000 Khloe Kardashian masks had been passed out to fans to rattle Laker forward Lamar Odom, who married Kardashian earlier this season. According to Evan Brunell of NESN,”the Lakers forward had previously worried about bringing Kardashian into the TD Garden, wondering how she would be received.”

Apparently, she was well-received by the 5,000 fans who donned her mask and taunted Odom. Fans also brought degrading signs, including one funny sign that compared Laker center Pau Gasol to a llama.

Check out the sign on the right. Gasol really DOES look like that llama.

When the ball was tipped, a surging wave of energy overtook the frenzied crowd, and the Celtics rode that wave to an early 12-5 edge. The crowd was frenzied, frenetic, and fantastic from tip to horn, but, unfortunately, the Boston Celtics could only siphon off so much energy from the crowd.

A crowd cannot make shots for you, or defend the Fisher-Kobe pick-and-roll. But a crowd can provide a team a boost like a pile of cocaine for Tony Montana before he faces Sosa’s men in Scarface. If you haven’t seen Scarface, believe me, that’s one hell of a boost.

And after returning from LA, where celebrities and wannabes ruled the Staples Center, it was as refreshing as a cold Budweiser on a humid summer day to return to the raucous rank and file of the TD Garden. I’m hurt and mildly upset by the Game 3 loss, but I have hope for the series, and much of that hope rests in the group at the Garden.

I have faith that Games 4 and 5 will fill the Garden with faithful fans. I have faith that the Celtics will–like they have done so many times in the past– use the crowd as a springboard to success. I have faith that home court advantage will surface and propel the Celtics to wins in both Games 4 and 5.

Kobe:" I don't get why you suck so bad in the regular season, Fish."

Basketball Goddess is a slut.

In Game 2, she loved Ray Allen, and he became a Basketball God. All night, she held his hand, and danced with him to the tune of 32 points, and an NBA Finals-record eight three-pointers.

The Celtics rejoiced in victory.

But,in Game 3, Basketball Goddess  jilted Allen– left him for another man, Derek Fisher.

Fisher scored 11 fourth quarter points, helping the Lakers withstand a late Celtics surge, taking a 2-1 series lead with a 91-84 win.

And poor Ray Allen didn’t see a thing coming. None of us did.

As the misses piled up, Allen seemed confused, perturbed– as if he wanted to ask Basketball Goddess, ‘How could you do this to me? How could you desert me now, when I need you most?’

Ray Allen finished with just two points, and  he missed every shot he took, including eight three-pointers.

Boston fought hard to overcome a 17-point first half deficit, but couldn’t quite get over the hump as Los Angeles made all the big shots, and Allen missed all of his.

Boston played well enough to win–their defense was top-notch, they took care of the ball (10 TO’s), Kevin Garnett regained his earlier playoff form–but both Pierce and Allen disappeared when Boston needed a big basket.

Meanwhile, for the regal group in purple and yellow, Fisher was using the pick-and-roll to get into the lane and score throughout the fourth quarter. Kobe made some shots that only Kobe can make. And the Celtics didn’t have any juice left in their orange to squeeze out another Finals win.

Kevin Garnett scored on the Celtics first three possession and Boston surged ahead 12-5 while playing with superb energy inspired by the boisterous TD Garden crowd. After the 12-5 start, however, Los Angeles went on a 32-8 run that spanned from the last half of the first quarter to the first minutes of the second quarter and gave the Lakers a 37-20 lead.

Other than Garnett and Rajon Rondo, none of the Celtics shot well and the value of a basket shot through the roof like the price of oil after a roadside bombing in Iraq.

Both teams played sensational, swarming defense, and neither team shot well from behind the arc. Boston shot 4-18 from three-point land, while Los Angeles was 2-15.

With the combination of pesky defense and poor shooting, the game bogged down in the trenches of half court offense. Rajon Rondo was the Celtics general, commanding his team with 8 assists and zero giveaways. However, Rondo was unable to control the pace of the game, and was a scoring liability in the half court. Whomever was guarding Rondo–usually Kobe Bryant– played WAY off him on the perimeter, daring Rondo to become a shooter. Rondo didn’t succumb to the pressure to shoot, but he wasn’t able to penetrate effectively either.

If Boston is going to win this series, Rondo must be willing to shoot the open 15-footer with no hesitation–and not just when the shot clock is clicking down to zero. Rondo must keep the Lakers defense honest in order to open up driving lanes for Allen, Pierce, and himself. In Game 2, Rondo practically rented the painted area from Lakers owner, Jerry Buss, and the Celtics won. In Games 1 and 3, Rondo has only sporadically knifed his way past the Lakers body-armor into the soft underbelly of the defense, and the Celtics have lost. I’m noticing a trend…

After playing like “horseshit” in Games 1 and 2 ( KG’s words, not mine), Garnett was as vintagely fresh as a Michael Jordan Bucs high school jersey. He continuously attacked Pau Gasol off the dribble, exploding past him regularly on his way to 26 points on 11-16 field goals.

Kendrick Perkins grabbed 11 rebounds and generally played well, but he was just 1-4 for 5 points–once again a non-factor offensively. Glen “Big Baby” Davis provided some much-needed interior offense, adding 12 points off the bench, while Tony Allen also played well for the second-unit, defending Bryant proficiently and adding 7 points.

Bryant scored 29 points for the Lakers, but took 29 shots to get there. Ron Artest scored just 2 points,  Gasol only 13, and Andrew Bynum was limited to 9 points. Boston executed the game plan perfectly on defense, but didn’t shoot well enough to win. Credit to the Lakers defense, which forced Boston out of their sets and into tough, contested shots.

The Lakers defense is their biggest improvement from 2008 and is the main reason LA leads the series. In 2008, Los Angeles was a decent defensive unit, but Boston seemed to score on them when they REALLY needed to.  Now, in 2010, Los Angeles has added that extra gear on defense that all great champions have: they can earn precious stops when the game hunkers down in the last five minutes and each basket is like a nugget of gold.

In the end, the game was all about that cheating whore, Basketball Goddess.  She was fed up with Ray Allen, and traded him in when she saw the chance to reignite with her old Finals fling, Derek Fisher.

Game 4 is another day, though, and Basketball Goddess will choose another lucky player to ascend with her to Mt. Naismith for the night. Hopefully, the vicious vixen prefers her men in Green.

Boston advances to the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons

Led by the electric point guard play of Nate Robinson–yes, Nate Robinson–Boston silenced the doubters after game 4 and 5 losses, closing out the series 96-84 on their home court in Game 6.

Robinson has been used sparingly in the playoffs, averaging just 5 minutes per game, but when Rondo was shaken up at the end of the first quarter, Nate Robinson started the second quarter.

And what a quarter it was.

Robinson forced Jameer Nelson out of his game with chest-to-chest pressure defense and sparked the offense with 13 second quarter points. Robinson opened the quarter with a three-pointer at 9:49, then followed with another three with 8:21 remaining. The Celtics stretched the lead to 21 points during the second quarter, before a late surge by Vince Carter (13 second quarter points) cut the halftime lead to 13, 55-42.

After losses in Games 4 and 5, the Boston Celtics heard all the comparisons to the Boston Bruins–who lost a 3-0 playoff lead to the Philadelphia Flyers. But the Celtics proved–once and for all- that they are NOT the Bruins.

Boston opened the game shooting very well, but for the first six minutes, their defense was lacking. Howard had three dunks in the first five minutes of play and the Orlando Magic took advantage of open driving lanes.

In the last six minutes of the first quarter, however, Boston locked in defensively, allowing just five Magic points, extending the lead from 17-14 to 30-19. Rondo led Boston with 12 first quarter points, before being hurt with 32.7 seconds left in the quarter. Rondo was injured on one of his many forays into the lane, when he made contact in the air with Dwight Howard, and fell hard on his hip and back.

As Rondo lay on his back, The Garden chanted “Rondo! Rondo!” but it was Nasty Nate Robinson–not Rondo– who answered the call.

To start the second half, Ray Allen hit back-to-back three-pointers , followed closely by a Paul Pierce three–stretching the lead to 22 points– and the rout was on. Ray Allen nailed three three-pointers and scored 20 points. Celtic captain Paul Pierce hit timely shots all night, finishing with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The second half was a glorified victory lap for the Boston Celtics, who were heartily cheered on by the faithful fans of the TD Garden. Late in the fourth quarter, as the win became inevitable, “Beat LA” chants echoed throughout the Garden.

Though the game was in hand for Boston, credit to Dwight Howard for playing all-out until the final horn sounded. While the rest of the Magic appeared defeated sometime in the middle of the third quarter, Howard continued to play with passion and energy. Howard finished the game with 28 points and 12 rebounds.

Now, the Boston Celtics await their next and final challenge, either the Los Angeles Lakers, or the Phoenix Suns, whomever emerges from the Western Conference Finals. Most Celtics fans would welcome a rematch of the 2008 Celtics-Lakers Finals, but it’s hard to root against Phoenix Suns fan favorite, Steve Nash.

Boston split the season series with Los Angeles, 1-1. Boston lost both games they played against the Phoenix Suns this season.