T2TB Week: Everything Is Possible

Before I begin with my moment, I have to say that I absolutely hate the Finals spot where the talking basketball is reliving Michael’s post-championship moment. Everything about that spot feels wrong to me.

OK, now that we’ve got that out of the way, if I could talk to any basketball, I think I’d choose the ball from the 2008 Finals. I’d want to know the many curses of Kevin Garnett, the relief of Paul Pierce, and the dignified joy of Ray Allen. I’d like to hear about the motivational words Doc Rivers said to his guys and the jubilation of Leon Powe coming off of the bench to score 21 points on six-for-seven shooting. I’d want to hear about Rajon Rondo becoming an All-Star in front of our Finals-watching eyes. To hear about the Celtics greats smiling, the fans cheering, and of course, the whereabouts of Paul Pierce’s wheelchair.

I’d also like to know whether the basketball could hear Kobe Bryant seething, or feel the smoke coming out of his ears as he fell just short of getting his fourth ring. While there are so many amazing Finals moments, seeing Kevin Garnett’s “Anything is possible” postgame interview with Lisa Salters was a moment I’ll never forget as a sports fan. Having three All-Stars come together and put ego aside for a common goal, seeing KG finally get a ring, hoist the trophy, become a champion? I was as speechless as he was. For these reasons—and so many more—I’d like to listen to that basketball. And then I’d like to find Lisa Salters and re-enact KG’s moment.

Holly MacKenzie is a lover of all things basketball, especially rookies and underdogs. Getting her start interning for SLAM, the basketball Bible, her grandmother still has an issue of the magazine sitting on the mantle because it was the first time her granddaughter’s name appeared in the masthead. The draft class of ’96 holds a special place in her heart and she is currently wondering why she is writing in the third-person. You can follow her on Twitter @stackmack.

—Photo AP/Charles Krupa

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More from “Talking To Talking Balls Week” at the Good Men Project:

Bethlehem Shoals: The Absurd Talking Balls

Peter Schrager: The Great Frank Brickowski

Tim Burke: A Cavs Fan’s Love for Laimbeer

Tom Ley: The Ballad of Adam Morrison

Andy Hutchins: Nice Try, Kobe

Eric Nusbaum: Lakers Flags

Patrick Hayes: Patrick and The Admiral

Graydon Gordian: Sprewellian Anxiety

Alan Siegel: The Hypocrisy of Jordan’s Ball

Andrew Bucholtz: Chuck, This Is Goodbye

Kurt Helin: Lee’s Layup