Number One Stunner

The 76ers are now Big Tymers* after grabbing the Bulls by the horns and flinging them out of the playoffs. For only the fifth time in the history of the Association, an eight seed vanquished the supreme seed. Sure, some of the luster is lost since the feat occurred as recently as last year, when the Grizzlies surprised the west's best Spurs in six, and because the Bulls were weakened without Derrick Rose and their ever-running engine, Jokim Noah. Noah, nursing a sprained ankle, dressed for the game, but never checked in. He probably should have, since his substitutes came up short.

Carlos Boozer, the subject of serious scrutiny due to his $80 million-dollar, had said he was on a mission to silence his critics, did nothing to dispel that he's like Beck - a loser^ - as he made one field goal of eleven attempts. Omer Asik from Turkey was a turkey with the game on the line, missing two free throws that could've put the Bulls up by three points with seven seconds remaining and then fouling Andre Iguodala on a drive with two seconds to go.

Iguodala, also an $80-mill. man, who has been damned with faint praise for most of his career - either as "the other AI" or billed as a "third-banana" at best - calmly sunk the pair of foul shots, as the 76ers advanced to the second round for the first time since 2003, the year before Iguodala, the longest-tenured Sixer, was drafted by the team.

There was no guarantee that Iguodala, who wound up with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting - accompanied by 7 assists - would hit the foul shots. Like Boozer, he had been called-out for folding when the stakes were high. Secondly, he was shooting a career-low percentage from the free throw line (61.7%). The secret to his success, the source of his serenity in those series-settling seconds: teammate Tony Battie told Iguodala to picture something he loved, so Iguoudala said he envisioned his son.

Both Boozer and Iguodala are perceived as being overpaid, but on Thursday one was overwhelmed by the obstacles placed in his path, while the other overcame them. Overpaid? Perhaps. However, in that moment, Iguodala, his teammates and fans, were overjoyed. It was a feeling long overdue, one you can't put a price on.

Yes, this a reference to a defunct rap duo and a tune from a dozen years ago.
^Another dated music mention, this one even older