Courtesy New York Post

(May 29, 2009) Imagine having had sweet seats for Tuesday's fabulous Cavs-Magic game, but the guy next to you all game hollered numbers in your ear: "Sixty-eight percent!" "Twelve for 29!" "Third in the league since 2005-2006 on odd days, hike!"

That's much what TNT's Doug Collins did. And does. He's another game analyst who asks us to ignore the game, especially those parts that demand analysis, to pay closer attention to stats. And Collins doesn't merely recite stats, he falls for them.

In 2000 he told NBC's audience that heading into the playoffs, the 56-26 Pacers (pretty good, no?) must improve their offensive rebounding because they have the fewest in the league. That their offensive rebounding chances were reduced by superior field goal shooting didn't matter to him. (Nor did he report that the team with the most ORs was the 19-63 Warriors, the NBA's second-worst shooters.)

Given a flush opportunity to speak genuine, see-the-game analysis, Tuesday, Collins passed. With 3.2 seconds left in OT, the Cavs' Mo Williams was inbounding after an Orlando free throw. Astonishingly, the Magic did not guard Williams, did not have a tall fellow waving his arms while jumping up and down in front of him (see: Phil Jackson, NY Knicks, 1968). The Magic gave Williams an unobstructed view of the entire court Citi Field patrons would be envious -- at the one moment they couldn't allow such a thing.

And that's insane. Times two, times 10, times multiples of always. Two games earlier, the Cavs' Game 2 loss became a win when Williams, left alone, inbounded from side-court to LeBron James for a three at the horn.

(Five words should always come to mind: Grant Hill to Christian Laettner. Duke beat Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA Tournament because Rick Pitino didn't choose to guard Hill, allowing him full range and vision to throw a long inbounds pass to Laettner, who scored at the buzzer.)

As Williams prepared to inbound Tuesday, Collins said that Orlando "better not let LeBron get his hands on this ball." But, as it became clear that the Magic again would provide the Cavs with non-resistance assistance, Collins said nothing more. His silence was impossible!

And with nothing blocking his view or his path, Williams threw a long pass to James, who just missed at the buzzer. Two games later, the Magic dared, invited, begged James to do it again!

Maybe, if he sees it happen 20 or 30 times more, Collins, always impressed by big numbers, will say something.