The big "Kie" to the Finals

While the sports world continues to absorb just how much the stature of Allen Iverson grew on Sunday night--as both a basketball player and a human being--the fact remains that Iverson, for all of his excellence--and actually, precisely because of his excellence--will not be the X-factor for the Philadelphia 76ers in their NBA Finals matchup against the mythically mighty Los Angeles Lakers.

No--those who can't stand Shaq, who dismiss notions of the Lakers' all-time greatness, who root for the Eastern Conference, and who like to chant, "Beat L.A.!", should all be saying something like this right about now:

"Aaron! Hey, YOU! AARON! Listen up, heah! Heah's how ya shoot da basketball: ya get cha elbow tucked in deah. Ya get cha arm squared with the basket deah. Ya get da gooseneck wi' da wrist action deah. I tell ya, Aaron, ya gonna getcha open looks in dis heah series, and if ya make 'em, da Sixers are gonna win, I tell ya! Be da man, Aaron, pleez!"

Yes, Aaron McKie will be the focal point of the 2001 NBA Finals.

Consider this: after Iverson went off for 26 points in the fourth quarter of game six against the Bucks, the big question surrounding game seven was this: would Iverson's re-entry to the zone carry over into game seven, or would it serve to make Milwaukee more focused, and thereby more effective, in limiting Iverson's effectiveness? The question was authoritatively answered by The Answer: momentum, bay-bee!

As a result, it's fair to suggest that the rejuvenated Iverson will get his share of points in this series, but also at the expense of tremendous scrutiny and pressure from the Lakers' extremely underrated, almost ignored, defense.

Then consider Eric Snow, Iverson's fellow guard. With a fractured ankle, it would be a reach to expect Snow to consistently hit three-pointers, which the Sixers--and any team--will need to beat the Lakers. As fearsome and formidable as Shaq and Kobe are on offense, the key to beating the Lakers is to excel at the offensive end and make a 30-point effort by Shaq become a few points less than what Shaq needed to score.

Snow, despite his remarkable 7-of-9 effort in game five against the Bucks, will probably not be Philly's main second scoring option. He'll have to nail some clutch jumpers, but his health--and his importance to the team in other areas--will not make him the essential ingredient of the Sixers at the offensive end of the floor.

Dikembe Mutombo? Yeah, he scored 23 points on Sunday... against Ervin Johnson, not Shaq.

It will be up to McKie, a wing player who can light it up on occasion, to shoot lights out in the series. When McKie does hit threes and keeps defenses from doubling Iverson as much as they'd like, the Sixers become a very tough team to beat.

Up to now, McKie has been a solid player who has made important contributions to the Sixers' success. Like just about everyone on the Sixers, he's a gritty (the "g-word" might be used a ton, but with the Sixers, it truly applies just about each and every time it's employed) defender whose hunger has enabled the Sixers to get this far. He'll complement his perimeter game with slashes to the basket, getting to the foul line and creating opportunities for Mutombo.

For all the pluses he gives his team, however, one thing can also be said about McKie, in these playoffs and in general: he's not a wow-type player who delivers wow-level performances. McKie doesn't drop 35, even on occasion; his shooting is spotty; he doesn't create too many shots on his own (although he doesn't need to very often with Iverson drawing attention). If anyone can give the Sixers a really big lift in terms of scoring production, it's McKie; yet, he has not been able to deliver with the consistency of a big-time scorer.

Going up against the big-time, all-time Showtime team in prime time, the one member of the Sixers who must elevate his game to another level is Aaron McKie. If he does, the Lakers' quest for perfection might not be the only thing to be swept aside. Their already-conceded title might be in jeopardy as well.