Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 9:00 am  |  58 responses

The Stephon Marbury Redemption

by Marcel Mutoni

When the Boston Celtics signed Stephon Marbury a few months back, the thinking in Beantown was, If “Starbury” doesn’t implode, and somehow manages to help us win a big Playoff game, this will all have been worth it. Many outside of Boston (including yours truly) were understandably skeptical of this.

Last night, however, Steph proved the Boston front office to be a band of geniuses. Marbury played an outstanding fourth quarter when his team needed him the most, and helped jumpstart their incredible rally late in Game 5 against Orlando.

Afterward, Marbury talked about what it took to get here, far and away his best moment in a Celtic uniform.

From the Boston Globe:

“It’s been very difficult,” Marbury said. “But for me, I think the mind-set and the focus is to see the big picture. When you look at a puzzle, what’s the most important thing? A lot of guys would say different things. The picture, that’s the most important thing. The big picture is to win a championship. Whatever is needed for me to come here and do, I was willing. It didn’t matter.”

[...]

“It felt good,” said Marbury, who made 5 of 10 shots from the field and had two assists. “I know that we needed it and the timing was right. It was right for me to go in and do what I did for us to win the basketball game. When I went into the game, my whole mind-set was to go out there and try to create something so we could change the flow of the game.”

And in case you were wondering, this is the part of the movie where each and every Knicks fan throws himself in front of a moving train.

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  • ikot Posted: May.13 at 9:04 am
    1st

  • German Reignman Posted: May.13 at 9:05 am
    Not so fast …. in a couple of days he might talk about his lack of playing time or something like that ….

  • Bryan Posted: May.13 at 9:12 am
    F*cking knicks.

  • cdef28 Posted: May.13 at 9:25 am
    Wow, he plays one good game and SLAM has to do an article on it. Look, Sam I Am was a lot better fit last year with Boston and he didn’t get as much publicity as this guy. There should be an article about Stan Van: how Shaq correctly stated he panics, and how Howard called him out. Not that this was why Orlando lost, but why would the refs change that Rondo airball call? Just because Doc Rivers whines? It wasn’t even close to hitting the rim.

  • RedRum Posted: May.13 at 9:28 am
    Slam = Marbury whores

  • Jeff Fox Posted: May.13 at 9:35 am
    I’ve never been a big Marbury fan. I feel all you need to know about him is that whenever he leaves a team (New Jersey, Phoenix) the next season they become a title contender. Enough said.

  • Daanswer Posted: May.13 at 9:37 am
    wow….Steph has had a rough one and brought it on himself…..But now that he’s having a moment to shine and redeem himself a bit from being the selfish cat he acts like, ya’ll want to hate on him…..? Boston in 6

  • Blinguo Posted: May.13 at 9:44 am
    This is an “I was wrong” Mutoni spot. Don’t hate or we’ll never get another one of these again and more “Rockets are dum dums, blew up yo! Lakers in 5″ video highlight headlines.

  • Moose Posted: May.13 at 9:48 am
    Boston, Massachusetts . . . where dreams come true.

  • TADOne Posted: May.13 at 9:50 am
    Somewhere, Lang is smiling.

  • Ritchie Posted: May.13 at 9:53 am
    STARBURY!!!

  • vtrobot Posted: May.13 at 9:57 am
    i don’t think i’ve sworn at a TV as much as i did last night. that game was UGLY. cedf: of course i’m biased, but i think that ball did graze the rim. it would help to see it if they would have shown it from any other view than the two they kept replaying (which didn’t show anything). in one of the replays, it did look like the spin of the ball changed when it “hit” the rim. i’m glad steph turned it around because he was pissing me off as much as anybody last night. the ball doesn’t have much of a chance of going in if you don’t shoot it.

  • cdef28 Posted: May.13 at 10:00 am
    It was not clear-cut enough to reverse that call.

  • Mendel Posted: May.13 at 10:03 am
    Starbury hit some shots. About freakin time. The Sports Guy has trashed him these playoffs. Iwonder how he reacts today

  • TADOne Posted: May.13 at 10:03 am
    I think we have learned from these playoffs that even if it is clear-cut, it doesn’t make a difference to the refs.

  • MattM Posted: May.13 at 10:11 am
    Rondo’s shot definitely got rim. I was pretty shocked at the no call on Hedo’s drive and I’m a Boston fan.

  • overtime Posted: May.13 at 10:14 am
    Was great fourth quarter for Marbury, Celtics would be in BIG trouble without him

  • al Posted: May.13 at 10:22 am
    now they need to sign antonie walker, then they will have a redeem team

  • JY Posted: May.13 at 10:24 am
    The guy who said Sam Cassel was a better fit obviously didn’t watch last year’s playoffs. Sam was by far the worst player on the Celtics. The reason why Boston won was because Doc eventually gave Eddie House Sam’s minutes, especially in big games (game 7 vs. Cavs, game 4 vs LAL). Cdef28, you should watch the games before commenting. I do agree it was just one game for Steph though.

  • Ryan D. Posted: May.13 at 10:38 am
    I still wouldnt want him on the Knicks. Just because the guy has one good game does not mean NY should be kicking themselves in the ass for getting rid of him. His attitude changed in Boston because it HAD to change in Boston or he would be playing overseas somewhere. If he would have remained in NY he would still be up to his old tricks, Boston has “humbled” Marbury because of the star power it already has.

  • wayno Posted: May.13 at 10:42 am
    Take it for what it’s worth…it’s Marbury, he’ll probably be crying about something next week. I hope I’m wrong, but I kind of doubt it.

  • RedRum Posted: May.13 at 10:47 am
    come on, we know slam are AI and Starbury whores.. they have been hyping them 10 years now.. look what happened to denver as soon as AI left, they are contenders! no word from Slam on this.. Marbs hits 5 shots in a quarter, he is a hero. Some people really have no clue about basketball and winning…

  • Darksaber Posted: May.13 at 10:47 am
    Really? One game, and it’s a REDEMPTION. One game, and he’s a savior. Wow, accolades come quick for some. When did he join the team again? Guess he was biding his time, waiting for the right moment for his superb outburst. Give me a break.

  • Blinguo Posted: May.13 at 10:53 am
    “SLAM doesn’t care about winning?” – Dan Dickau 2009, ladies & gentlemen.

  • Blinguo Posted: May.13 at 10:55 am
    And even Dan got his shine in SLAM ink despite his one liner, when he helped the Hornets win a handful of games way back when.

  • PK Posted: May.13 at 10:57 am
    Marbury has one of these freak games every once in a while. He still contributes close to nothing overall, but god damn his timing was good last night. The refs were AWFUL both ways, truly terrible. I was in shock when the reversed that airball call. Replays were inconclusive but I’ll take it! And I always wondered why they never ran plays for Dwight Howard but he really has no offensive game outside of two feet from the basket. The only play I’d call for him is an alley-oop!

  • nate the great Posted: May.13 at 11:02 am
    hmmm. interesting. Marb its 5-10 shots. BAM he’s a hero? so your saying he sucks so much, makes 5 shots, and he’s a hero?
    this is pathetic…
    eddie house is god then.

  • nate the great Posted: May.13 at 11:03 am
    im serious i like house, he = god.

  • cdef28 Posted: May.13 at 11:08 am
    Sam was a much better fit THAT MARBURY. Can you read? It does not even mean he worked well with them.

  • ABIMATOR Posted: May.13 at 11:09 am
    Thanx Starbury, now your trade makes some kinda sense cuz depuis q t à Boston, you have been playing like some1 who is learning how 2 play BBall.
    What a victory!!!
    Go Boston go!!!

  • Ritchie Posted: May.13 at 11:09 am
    So much hate for Starbury.

  • vmcb Posted: May.13 at 11:14 am
    All you haters are crazy. Ever since coming to Beantown, Marbury hasn’t done anything to upset the team’s chemistry. He may not be playing very well, but (as far as I know) he hasn’t openly complained about anything.

  • Michael Posted: May.13 at 11:16 am
    Coming next season, Houston trades T-Mac to Boston, T-Mac wins game 3 in Boston with a buzzer beater, SLAM praises his good name and clutch skills.

  • mat smith Posted: May.13 at 11:21 am
    he didnt play that well, nothing special at all, why arent you guys talking about aaron brooks or something? steph gets WAY too much press.

  • Coach Master Posted: May.13 at 11:53 am
    Nonsense! Marbury is shooting 31% from the field in the playoffs. One could argue that had he hit more of his first half shots, the come back wouldn’t have been necessary.

  • JB Posted: May.13 at 11:59 am
    I think the word “redemption” (at least in terms of play) is a little premature. He’s had 1 good quarter in 11/12 playoff GAMES, this year?

  • wayno Posted: May.13 at 12:18 pm
    redemption = 1 good quarter…

  • Darksaber Posted: May.13 at 12:19 pm
    my sentiments exactly.

  • EL Posted: May.13 at 12:45 pm
    Just can’t wish this guy well. Redemption. What a joke.

  • thesubwayconnection Posted: May.13 at 12:49 pm
    Jeff, that’s like saying wherever Shaq goes, they’re bound to win it all. Things change.

  • albie1kenobi Posted: May.13 at 1:37 pm
    his hand wave dance to get closer to God finally paid off.

  • DONONE Posted: May.13 at 2:06 pm
    DO NOT START HATING, HATERS!!!

  • Jeff Fox Posted: May.13 at 2:29 pm
    Exactly, subwayconnection – Shaq makes teams win, and Marbury, with his controlling of the ball and shooting horribly (not to mention being a headcase), causes teams to lose.

  • JY Posted: May.13 at 2:41 pm
    So shooting worse than Marbury and being an awful defender is a better fit? Makes a ton of sense

  • tealish Posted: May.13 at 2:48 pm
    I like Starbury too, but you guys take it a bit far. One good quarter was about time. He hadn’t been making a shot until then. I was happy to see the shots go down, but this article is perhaps better served to someone like Aaron Brooks. But I do understand the loyalty.

  • Dru Ha Posted: May.13 at 3:52 pm
    I’m shocked this publication hasn’t been named yet: Slambury

  • Josh D Posted: May.13 at 4:23 pm
    I bet he’ll be out of beantown by this time next season

  • doyouwantmore Posted: May.13 at 4:25 pm
    tick…tick…tick…

  • NJim Posted: May.13 at 5:26 pm
    Its funny to see people talk about its “only one good quarter”. Hey assholes! That one good quarter won a very important playoff game! Someone always gotta hate on the guy and I AM a Knicks fan, and I’m rooting for Steph all the way. The Knicks terrible management treated him like crap and I hope THEY’RE the ones throwing themselves in front of a moving train! Go Starbury!

  • NJim Posted: May.13 at 5:28 pm
    Coach Master Posted: May.13 at 11:53 am
    Nonsense! Marbury is shooting 31% from the field in the playoffs. One could argue that had he hit more of his first half shots, the come back wouldn’t have been necessary.
    ——————————————-
    He doesn’t shoot enough for your point to be valid. Oh yeah, if he 50% of his first half shots they would’ve been down 10 instead of 14, please. Be the bigger man and say congratulations on a job well done

  • wayno Posted: May.13 at 5:52 pm
    NJim = In denial…

  • abgh Posted: May.13 at 6:06 pm
    I’m no big Starbury fan, but here’s what the article actually said (in case you missed it in your rush to hatehatehate): “When the Boston Celtics signed Stephon Marbury … the thinking in Beantown was, If ‘Starbury’ doesn’t implode, and somehow manages to help us win a big Playoff game, this will all have been worth it.” “A” big playoff game. One. Which he did. That one quarter was worth a dozen regular season games. The C’s paid him next to nothing and he’s already done what they asked, all while keeping his mouth shut. So why are people angry? I mean, was cdef28 that Knicks intern’s boyfriend until she got in Marbury’s truck?

  • KRoq Posted: May.13 at 6:37 pm
    Man, some of you dudes just don’t get it with SLAM. They show love to the guys that don’t get it from anyone else, and that’s why I love this mag. I love seeing guys like Ron, Steph,etc. start to put it together . . . it’s coming late, but damn,there’s nothing like a redemption story. Steph isn’t done yet; his shot has been turrible, but you can see that he still has that bounce in his step. You’ll see.

  • Dacre Posted: May.14 at 12:02 am
    Jeff Fox Posted: May.13 at 9:35 am
    I’ve never been a big Marbury fan. I feel all you need to know about him is that whenever he leaves a team (New Jersey, Phoenix) the next season they become a title contender. Enough said.
    ________________________________________________
    So…your saying that about the Knicks then…?

  • niQ Posted: May.14 at 1:23 am
    he hasn’t been getting many assists while in boston.. and i remember how he (And SLAM) used to brag about how he had career averages of 20 and 8 (pts and assists).

  • Hisham Posted: May.14 at 3:30 am
    I agree that redemption goes a bit far, but it was definitely a sweet moment. I’m still a fan.

  • Harlem_World Posted: May.14 at 3:55 am
    I’m a Knicks man and I’m happy for Steph. All he’s tried to do in Boston is fit in. It was one quarter, but he needs to know that this is how he needs to play all the time for the C’s. He has the ability and if he can bring that to the game and not second guess himself on offense, it will go a long way in the C’s finding another guy to make up for all their injuries. Steph playing like he’s capable of makes the C’s MUCH better and good enough to eliminate those punk as* magic. True Knicks fans know the time when it comes to our management. We’ve been having dumb and dumber lead the franchise ever since the days of Spree and Big L, so blaming Steph for all that went wrong is just stupid. He’s been through enough. As long as he buckles down and plays ball, let him have his shot at success and redemption – as a ball player not a sideline entertainer.

  • chintao Posted: May.14 at 5:03 am
    Thanks, Harlem World. That needed to be said. Actually, the thing that hurts worst is that I like almost every player on the C’s, while I like only two Knicks. It gets hard to root for empty jerseys. Can’t we just switch players and coaching staffs wholesale? Boston can keep Eddie House and Scrub-aline; New York will hold onto Nate and Wilson Chandler.

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