BOSTON -- If this continues to go his way, he will have just as many championship rings as Kobe Bryant, overcoming what had to seem a life-time sentence with the Clippers.
Sam Cassell began the season with the NBA's doormat only to end up playing for the Celtics in the Finals, in his own way pulling a Bryant and demanding to go where he might have a chance to win it all.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, June 07, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 36 words Type of Material: Correction
Lakers: In Friday's NBA Finals section, a photograph of Lakers Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher going through a security checkpoint was incorrectly credited to T.J. Simers. The picture was taken by Times staff photographer Wally Skalij.
"Cost me a couple of hundred thousand dollars," Cassell said, "but it was worth it."
Cassell pushed to buy out the remaining year of his contract with the Clippers, the Clippers having nothing more to play for and so saving more than $800,000 by letting him go.
"We were 4-0 at one time," joked Cassell, talking about the only games he can remember this year that mattered while playing in L.A.
Now every game, and sometimes every play matters -- Cassell getting the chance to maybe end his career with a third NBA title, the first two coming in his first two years in the league with Houston. There were also stops in Phoenix, Dallas, New Jersey, Milwaukee and Minnesota.
"I wouldn't say I'm the luckiest guy in the world; I'd be that if I was winning $130 million in the lottery," he said. "Then I wouldn't have to be here doing this."
Cassell, 38 and still wanting to play one more year despite an offer from Boston Coach Doc Rivers to join his staff next season, had been playing poorly in the playoffs. He made only 24% of his shots against Cleveland, 23% against Detroit, but then made his first three-point shot over Derek Fisher, who was all over him.
"We needed a lift," said Cassell, who finished with eight points on four-for-nine shooting. "I know I can shoot it, but we have the Big Three who do the scoring for us, so it's tough to get a shot. When you do, you've got to be ready."
Rivers said, "I thought we needed his offense in the first half, and he obviously made a big shot in the second half. But I got on him once for taking a quick shot out of time out."
Coaches are always getting on Cassell, and he's usually got something to say in return.
But Cassell probably deserves the most credit for convincing the Clippers they could win and getting as far as the Western Conference semifinals a few years back, which makes him somewhat of a miracle worker.
And although a reserve now, he remains the life of the locker room -- loud, challenging and over-the-top confident in his own abilities.
