Mon Feb 08 2010
Quick, what do the last two NBA champions from the Eastern Conference have in common?
For starters, they had stars.
The 2006 champs, the Miami Heat, had one of the most sensational guards in the game in Dwyane Wade and perhaps the most dominant big man ever in Shaquille O'Neal.
The current champs, the Boston Celtics, had what is simply known as the "Big Three."
That trio of forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and guard Ray Allen played a crucial role in the biggest turnaround in NBA history.
But there is one small footnote most people overlook when it comes to both those franchises. And those who follow the Twinsburg Tigers closely, you know who I'm talking about.
Both of those teams had James Posey, a hard-nosed forward who graduated from Twinsburg in 1995.
I wouldn't be surprised if Posey didn't start a single game for either the Celtics or the Heat. But make no mistake about it, neither squad would be holding the Larry O'Brien trophy if it weren't for the former Tiger.
If you watched the Celtics dismantle the Lakers during the finals earlier this month, the green and white's No. 41 was on the floor in just about every critical moment.
It seemed like he made all of his 3-point shots and just about all of them took place at pivotal moments.
If he wasn't shooting, Posey grabbed just about every loose ball imaginable or frustrated Laker player after Laker player with his pit-bull style defense.
Like former NBA coach and current ABC commentator Jeff Van Gundy said, "I'll take James Posey on my team anytime."
If you were stunned by Posey's heroics against the Lakers, shame on you. He did the exact same thing for Miami when the Heat made its improbable run to the finish line.
Posey won't be confused with LeBron James in terms of statistics. He averaged a modest seven points, four rebounds and one assist per game during the finals.
But if you want to measure the true value of one of Twinsburg's finest athletes, check out this number: The Celtics outscored the Lakers by 9.35 points per game when Posey was on the floor.
Any way you look at it, the guy is a winner.
Oddly enough, Posey never won a championship in high school. His days in a Tiger uniform, however, have plenty of moments that will be cherished forever. The standout post player led Twinsburg to the regional competition -- a destination the Tigers haven't reached since Posey suited up for longtime coach Bob Pacsi.
As for Pacsi, he still remains very close to his former star. In fact, when the Celtics took the floor for their first finals' game in 21 years, the Twinsburg coach, who has won more than 500 games during his career, had a good seat.
And when Posey joined the Celtics prior to the season, Pacsi was hoping his former star pupil would catch some "Leprechaun" fever.
"I'm a big Celtics' fan, so when James became available, I kept telling him, 'Check out Boston; Check out Boston,'" he said. "I'm extremely happy for him. He doesn't get a lot of attention. He just does his job."
Pacsi knew he found gold when Posey first got varsity time on the high school team..
"When James was a sophomore, I was telling everybody, 'I have the Ohio Player of the Year," he said.
Life in the NBA provides very little stability. Posey, however, manages to sneak into his alma mater from time to time.
"He keeps in touch," Pacsi said. "He has walked down the hallway a couple of times. He comes back to see the teachers he had. James doesn't forget his roots."
Right now, Posey may want to keep enjoying the good life. He has just won his second ring over a franchise that has been the Celtics' heated rival for decades.
And to make it worse for Laker fans, former Los Angeles forward James Worthy's cool nickname no longer applies to him.
Today's "Big-Game James" is James Posey.
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