Last Week's Best: The Top Five Games (5/26-6/1)

This week featured a bit less drama, but contained a variety of interesting, meaningful games nonetheless.

There was the debut of a phenom, an epic collapse and an inning of redemption. But the most significant development of the week in sports was the end of an era in the National Basketball Association.

5. MLB: Reds 9, Pirates 6 (5/27).

In a week with hardly any instant classics, the debut of Baseball America’s top prospect is a big enough story to make this list. Bruce’s first game was certainly a big deal in Cincinnati, where fans gave him a standing ovation before his first at bat.

Bruce proved himself worthy of the fans’ affection quickly, reaching base during each of his five plate appearances in the Reds’ victory. He looked like a seasoned veteran, hitting two singles to the opposite field and showing patience in taking two walks.

And he has not slowed down since. Bruce has played in six games since being called up, and in those six games he is batting 13-for-22 with two home runs and six RBIs. Saturday night, he hit a walk-off home run in the tenth inning against the Atlanta Braves. Best yet, the Reds have won five of the six games.

When I was watching the Pirates-Reds series on TV this week, much of the Reds’ announcers’ commentary was centered around the excitement Bruce has brought to the team, specifically to veterans such as Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr.

Early on, this does seem to be the case. Griffey and Dunn seem to be doing everything they can to help bring Bruce along (hazing included). Suddenly, the Reds are a force to be reckoned with in the NL Central.

4. NBA, Eastern Conference Finals Game 6: Celtics 89, Pistons 81 (5/30).

What was perhaps the Celtics’ best road game of the playoffs (not that there is much to pick from for a team that is 2-7 on the road) couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Celtics won this game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pistons 29-13 to overcome an eight-point deficit and set up a classic NBA Finals match-up with their old rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

This victory perhaps meant the most to lifelong Celtic Paul Pierce, and thus it was fitting that he yet again was the key to the Celtics’ success. Pierce’s 27 points paced the Celtics, as “Big Three” cohorts Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett could only manage 17 and 16, respectively.

The Boston victory was also keyed by defense—not surprising when you hold the other team to 13 points in the fourth quarter. James Posey led the charge, capping the defensive effort with a crucial frontcourt steal while the Celtics were clinging to an 83-79 lead with under two minutes left.

Perhaps what was most surprising was the Pistons’ inability to put up a fight in the fourth quarter. They had their chances—Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups both missed wide open three-point attempts that would have put their team back in it without about a minute left—but it was not to be. They’ll probably contend again next year, but their window is going to close soon.

3. MLB: Cubs 10, Rockies 9 (5/30).

Friday afternoon looked to be a much-needed bright spot in what has been a disastrous season for the defending National League champs. Through five innings, the Rockies led the Chicago Cubs, holders of the best record in the NL, 9-1.

But sometimes it’s just not your season. So instead of cruising to victory, Colorado gave up nine runs over the next two innings—yes, not only did the Rockies blow an eight-run lead, but they had blown it by the seventh inning.

Former closer Manny Corpas was yet again the culprit, allowing hits to all three batters he faced, including the eventual game-winning home run to Mark DeRosa. It was Corpas’ third loss and fifth blown save of the year.

Corpas, one of the unhittable stars of Rocktober, is one of many key Rockies who have performed frightfully below their 2007 standards. The devastating loss to the Cubs was only the latest chapter in a season that is beyond repair.

On the flip side, for Chicago it was just another miraculous victory in a season in which the Cubbies can do little wrong. The bullpen was exceptional yet again, allowing two runs in six innings to pick up starter Ted Lilly.

So far, the Cubs’ season has been the polar opposite of the Rockies’. They can only hope 100 years is a very special number.

2. NCAA Baseball Tournament, Regionals: Oklahoma State. 9, TCU 8 (6/1).

Oklahoma State closer Jordy Mercer toed the rubber in the ninth inning ready to cap a memorable personal game. The relief pitcher had already hit two home runs, and his Cowboys were clinging to an 8-7 lead after TCU had scored five runs in the eighth.

But a storybook ending was not in the cards Sunday afternoon, as Ben Carruthers homered off of Mercer to tie the game at eight. Suddenly, unthinkably, the Cowboys’ hitting star was now the goat.

Or maybe a storybook ending was in the cards after all. Mercer came up again, in the bottom of the ninth, hoping to at least partially atone for his pitching troubles in the top half of the inning; he did much better than that.

Mercer homered—again. The home run, his third of the game, gave Oklahoma Statethe walk-off win. Mercer hit this shot off of TCU pitcher Andrew Cashner. Cashner is projected to be a first-round pick in Thursday’s MLB draft.

Suddenly, Mercer was the hero again. And nobody was going to take that away from him this time.

1. NBA, Western Conference Finals Game 4: Lakers 93, Spurs 91 (5/27).

This was not the most dramatic game of last week—that game earned the number two spot on this list. But the Lakers’ victory in San Antonio garnered the top spot on this list because it signaled a changing of the guard in the NBA.

It wasn’t just that the Spurs would go on to lose the series. The Spurs have lost several series during the length of their dynasty. In fact, San Antonio has never repeated as a champion. But this wasn’t like the other losses.

In this game, on their home floor, in front of their fans, San Antonio looked like the team of the past, and their opponents looked like the team of the future. The Lakers ran the Spurs off the floor at times, jumping out to a 22-8 lead and never trailing.

The Spurs, playing their typical game, almost came back multiple times. They benefited from a great performance by reserve Brent Barry, a typical hard-nosed, fundamentally sound San Antonio player.

But, when Barry’s desperation three bricked as time ran out, it was clear that fundamentally sound play just doesn’t cut it anymore. The Spurs almost lost out to youth last round, but Chris Paul’s Hornets weren’t quite ready to take the torch. Kobe Bryant’s Lakers—a lively team, but an experienced one with an experienced star—were more than ready. And it only took five games.

Kobe’s Lakers are the first in a new era of exciting basketball teams. Give Paul and the Hornets another year or two, and they will be right up there as well. The Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, and even the Seattle Sonics aren’t too far behind, either. The age of the Spurs and of slow, methodical basketball is officially over.