These days, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Deron Williams is basically an iPhone 3G.
In 2009, it was an absolutely elite, top of the line product. Today, you can take it off the shelf, and when it’s fully charged, it still works, and works quite very!
The @cavs plugged in their Iphone 3G today ( Deron Williams ) and found out it still works very well! #DefendtheLand #Illini #nba
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) April 23, 2017
Shaquille O’Neal on Deron Williams ‘ performance (14 points, 5-6 shooting, 2-3 from 3PT) in game five of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
“Today, Deron Williams is the unexpected guy. He looks like the young Deron from Utah. When you have unexpected guys chipping and getting it done, it makes a difference.”
D. Will may not be the Cavaliers starting, or best point guard, but he is the one with the best acumen for basic physical science.
On to the NBA Finals (our full series preview and prediction here), and the match-up that we all knew was coming since April.
The whole postseason up to this point meant nothing beyond the arms race between the Warriors and Cavs. These two teams did the basketball equivalent of what the United States and Soviet Union did from the 1950s-1980s; showing off in order to instill fear into the opponent.
If you’re only tuning into the NBA postseason just now, trust us, you didn’t miss anything.
During the NBA Finals media conference call, ABC/ESPN NBA Analyst Mark Jackson (transcript via ESPN Media Zone) articulated the improvements and augmentations that Cleveland has made as the season has gone on. Those augmentations include Deron Williams, a NBA veteran of the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and his hometown Dallas Mavericks.
“They’ve done an outstanding job of adding depth to that basketball team without duplicating it,” said Jackson.
“Adding Kyle Korver’s ability to stretch the floor. Needing a legitimate back-up point guard. Going to get a veteran, playoff-tested guy in Deron Williams who looks like he has more life in his legs lately, playing at a higher level.”
“The guys that they’ve added throughout the lineup, they’re a deeper basketball team. They’re much more equipped to handle the challenges that face them in playoff basketball, which has been proven thus far.”
Williams was drafted out of Illinois in 2005, and a dozen years later, this is his first NBA Finals, so you know he’ll be all in it to win it. He also has the individual experience and personal history of hitting the critical shot in the big moment.
Remember the 2005 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament-Regional Final: Illinois vs. Arizona on March 26, 2005?
In one of the most thrilling comebacks in NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament history, U of I was down by 15 points with just four minutes left in the second half, but all hope wasn’t lost as Deron Williams and the Fighting Illini stormed back with a 20-5 run to force overtime.
After nail biting back-and-forth OT session, the Illini’s road to the Final Four was secured in this 90-89 victory. That Elite 8 game would go on to be known as the “Miracle on Mannheim” and it made Deron Williams
It was Deron Williams who hit the game-tying shot which completed the massive comeback, thus verifying the proverbial “ice water in his veins.”
Don’t be surprised if there comes a chance this series for Williams to achieve another huge moment.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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