Look out, Rex Grossman. There’s a new gunslinger in town.
After the buzzer, Kirk Hinrich hurled the ball the length of the court, sinking the shot to add a cherry to the top of Saturday night’s 100-97 win over the Heat at the United Center.
“I asked myself, ‘What would Rex do?'” Hinrich said. “And then I just chucked it. Seems to work for him, so why not me? Truth be told, I was aiming for a fan who’d been heckling me all night, so I guess I just got lucky.”
But Hinrich’s miracle shot was overshadowed by what general manager John Paxson called a “cheap shot” on big man Ben Wallace. Wallace’s knee crumpled under the weight of Udonis Haslem’s giant melon head and he had to be carted off the court with five minutes left to play.
After the game, Paxson accused Heat coach Ron Rothstein of asking Udonis Haslem to take Wallace out.
“It was definitely a takeout move,” Paxson said. “How could [Haslem] miss Wallace’s knee with a head that size? His head is so big, he uses a rake for a comb.”
The Parting Shot
Shaquille O’Neal was held out of the lineup against the Bulls, since according to Rothstein, “He’s not ready to play back-to-back games.” But crime never sleeps and while his teammates where on their way home from Chicago, Shaq was helping arrest an alleged hit-and-run driver.
Careful in Miami, Tank. Shaq’s looking for you.
