Everyone loves Delonte West, says Doc Rivers, because he’s competitive and willing to sacrifice for his team. Everyone loves Delonte West, a true statement which speaks volumes about the way we choose our favorite players.

We love West, because he drives to the hoop with no hesitation even while nursing a broken wrist that still isn’t 100% (and still, according to Rivers, is at risk of further harm). We love West, because he’s the type of person who would fight Brock Lesnar if Rivers asked him to. We love West, because he runs an offense well. Because he can shoot, pass, defend, dribble, and rap about Kentucky Fried Chicken. Because he laughs and jokes and goofs around, but when he steps onto that court, he’s ready to play. Always.

We love West, despite knowing he once drove a three-wheeled motorcycle while carrying a fully-loaded Ruger .357 Magnum, a fully-loaded Beretta 9mm handgun, a Remington 870 shotgun, an 8.5-inch Bowie knife, and 112 shotgun shells.

I don’t mention the charges to rehash bad memories. From what we can tell, West is dealing with his mental illness appropriately and progressing well, and the weapons charges resulted from one mistake in a mostly well intentioned life. I don’t mention the charges to opine that we should never forgive West, either. From what we can tell, West deserves forgiveness. He made one mistake, and yes, it was grave, but nobody was truly harmed and West seems to be back on the right path. I mention the charges only to point out that we love West, despite his drive that night, despite knowing that we’ll never fully understand what he meant to do with all that ammunition, despite wondering whether his arrest actually saved him from a far more sinister outcome.

We can forgive violence, or at least the threat of violence, from our favorite teams’ players.

We can’t forgive erratic play, which is why I still haven’t (and probably never will) let Tony Allen back into my good graces. Watching Allen play was like watching a driver weave in an out of traffic, while driving the wrong way down a highway. Even when Allen didn’t cause an accident, the next one was never far behind.

We can’t forgive bad shot selection, which is why we were okay (fine, I was ecstatic) when Nate Robinson was traded away. Every time I saw Nate shoot one more pull-up three-pointer on a three-on-one fast break, I honestly felt like I could play a better point guard — and I’m an overweight, out-of-shape, slow, former Division-Three bench warmer with Ben Wallace’s handle.

We can’t forgive a lack of hustle, which is why we still occasionally use Patrick O’Bryant and Mark Blount as punching bags. To stand seven feet tall and rebound so poorly, one must try not to try. If that makes any sense at all. (Note: For whatever reason, Rasheed Wallace is still beloved by many Celtics fans, despite showing all the hustle of an oak tree during his Boston stay. I only mention Sheed because he’s the exception to the rule… and because more Celtics fans should realize how despicably poorly he played last season.)

We can’t forgive a lack of talent (sorry J.R. Giddens), a body that never cooperates (Jermaine O’Neal), a wasted draft pick (Michael Olowakandi, I’m staring right at you), a coach without a plan (Rick Pitino ring a bell?), or a GM who traded for Vin Baker (Chris Wallace, how did you ever get another job?).

Yet we do forgive Kevin Garnett when he punches an opponent in the balls or elbows someone in the face, Paul Pierce when he throws up gang signs or wraps his head in a fake bandage, and Rajon Rondo when he clothelines Brad Miller or sqaures off with Kirk Hinrich (actually, no need to forgive Rondo there — we loved him for that). We forgive the talented and the hard-working, and especially the talented hard workers.

I’m simplifying things, of course, but the moral of the story remains. We can forgive one mistake, or even a few mistakes — you know, as long as they don’t cost our team a game. We forgive our favorite players, and even grow to rationalize and love their flaws. We love that Garnett cusses every other word, because it shows how much he cares. We love that Perk never seemed to have fun and always started beef with his opponents, because basketball’s a war, goddamn it! We love that Pierce talks a whole lot of trash, because it reveals his competitive side. We love that Rondo’s arrogant and considers himself the world’s best, because don’t you want your point guard to have that type of confidence, too? When it comes to our favorite players, we can forgive and rationalize almost anything.

Just don’t let a ground ball roll between your legs, or miss four consecutive free throws in a game’s final minute. As Bill Buckner and Nick Anderson have learned, there are certain things fans will never just forgive and forget.

Rasheed Wallace has retired from the NBA

Rasheed Wallace retired from the NBA today, according to NBA.com and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix.
Chris Mannix tweeted a few minutes ago,”Rasheed Wallace has retired.”

This tweet was followed shortly by another tweet:

NBA.com first to report Wallace’s retirement. No surprise, Doc Rivers hinted as much after Finals.

Rasheed Wallace just finished his first season of a three year contract at the mid-level exception with the Boston Celtics. With his retirement, Wallace will have his contract voided and the Celtics will save about $13 million.

Shortly after the NBA Finals, Celtics coach Doc River told media that Wallace was seriously considering retirement. Wallace averaged 9 ppg and 4.1 rpg this season for the Boston Celtics. The Celtics reached the NBA Finals, but fell in seven games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

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?

The Phoenix Suns bench, led by Slovenian point guard Goran Dragic, secured a Game 4 victory for the Suns, evening the series at 2-2. The Suns bench combined to score 54 points, culminating with this spin move on–who else–Derek Fisher by Dragic, who scored the lay-up to give the Suns their biggest lead of the night, 103-90, with four minutes left in the game. Phoenix won 115-106.

Perkins manhandling the man-child. With a fist-full of jersey...

Watching Kendrick Perkins dominate Dwight Howard defensively in Game 1 got me thinking, “How did Perk NOT make the NBA’s All-Defensive 2nd team?”

Clearly, Howard deserved the nod as the center on the 1st team– he’s a defensive rebounding and shot-blocking machine who forces tough, altered shots from anybody brave enough to visit him in the paint. But, after watching Perkins manhandle the man-child once more, I was curious to see who beat out Perkins for the center spot on the second team.

The answer: Tim Duncan.

I’m a huge Duncan fan, and he’s been a great defender his whole career, but this award was clearly based on reputation more than production. Duncan is on the back-side of a Hall of Fame career, and he’s  not the defender he used to be. Duncan was never the best leaper or the most athletic big man, but with recent injuries to his feet and knees, Duncan’s mobility has taken a serious hit. Nowadays, Duncan relies solely on his intelligence and grit to be a successful defender. This season Duncan averaged 1.5 bpg, almost a full block below his career average of 2.3 bpg.

Compare that to Perkins, who averaged 1.7 blocks–while playing 5 less minutes per game than Duncan. Also, Perkins has to share the load–both rebounding and shot-blocking–playing alongside Kevin Garnett, a fantastic defender and a good shot blocker as well, while Duncan is the sole shot-blocker on his team.  I can recall many times when both Perkins and Garnett jumped up together to block a shot, before Garnett “steals” the block from Perkins, or vice versa. On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the same thing happen with Duncan and Matt Bonner, or ACL-less Dajuan Blair. Hell, Dajuan Blair would have a tough time beating Glen Davis in a jumping contest. Actually, so would Tim Duncan at this stage of his career.

And Perkins’ shot-blocking is not even his biggest strength as defender. Dwight Howard would be the first to tell you that Perkins is hands-down the best post-defender in the league. He just spent Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals proving that much. I don’t even think there is an argument. Perkins is the ONLY post-defender who can guard EVERY center one-on-one. Even Dwight Howard  receives help in the post occasionally. When was the last time you saw Doc Rivers send a double-team on Perkins’ man?

On the other hand, Duncan is once again past his prime as a one-on-one defender. He routinely receives double-teams and extra help from his teammates while guarding the elite centers in the NBA. For most of the season, the San Antonio Spurs struggled to be the elite defensive team they have been for the past decade. Most of the blame was heaped on newcomer Richard Jefferson unfairly. Not to say Jefferson is an all-world defender–he most certainly is not– but the extra help Duncan now needs in the post makes the perimeter defensive rotations much harder.

Simply put, Duncan won this award because of the reputation he deservedly established over his career as an elite defender. But this year? There’s no chance he was the second best defensive center in the league. And that’s why I have such a problem with the media voting on the defensive teams. Most of the voters vote strictly based on reputation: How often do you think media members focus on each player’s individual defense when they are watching games? I’ll tell you how often– it’s never.

Just look at the 1st team all-defense. Kobe Bryant made the 1st team over Josh Smith. In almost every game this season, Kobe guards the worst perimeter player on the other team for at least three quarters, then sometimes switches onto a better player in the fourth-quarter to satisfy his ego.  Bryant hasn’t fought over a pick-and-roll ONCE in any Lakers game I’ve watched over the past three seasons, while  Smith is a one-man wrecking crew defensively for the Hawks.

Yet, Kobe gets the nod for first team all-defense, while Smith is relegated to the second team. But there is an easy way to fix these injustices: let the players vote for the defensive awards. Because only after you are guarded by someone can you really tell how good of a defender someone is. Throw reputations out the window and let’s see who the players think is the best defender, the guy who makes who you cringe when you realize he’s matched up against you.

Pierce partying after either the championship or his 3-point contest victory, I'm not which

Paul Pierce won the NBA 3-Point contest with a 20 point final round, defeating rookie Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Chauncey Billups of the Denver Nuggets.

In Pierce’s only other 3-point contest appearance in 2002, he finished in last place. Curry posted the highest first-round total, with 18 points, while Billups and Pierce advanced with 17 points each.

In the finals , however, Pierce shot first, making all five money-balls on his way to 20 points, and neither Curry (17) nor Billups (14) could match him. Pierce and teammate Eddie House both lobbied hard for inclusion in the 3-point shootout.

Throughout the contest, fellow All-stars Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett were cheering loudly for Pierce, rooting for him to take the hardware, the trophy, back to Boston.