Ian Mahinmi: NBA CHAMPION!

There were a lot of story lines going on in the NBA Finals. Dirk Nowitzki hit Larry Bird-style shots all playoffs long and finally cast off the choker label. Jason Kidd got a championship ring after 17 years in the league. And the 4th quarter travails of LeBron James will be analyzed for another year as he came up short, playing 2nd and sometimes even 3rd fiddle in the Heat's Big 3.

But who wants to hear about those stories when the lamestream sports media will be covering them ad nauseam. That's not why you come to The Danger Zone! You want to hear about the story within the story, behind another story, lurking sketchy-like in the shadows, its grotesqueness cowering from the light!

Every foul increased their chances of victory.

In that spirit, I continue my coverage of Mavericks center Ian Mahinmi and his mercurial rise to the top of the NBA.



Now I'm not saying I've been instrumental to Ian's impressive career trajectory, but who else believed in him and called for more playing time for the NBA's #1 manbeast? Just look at the line he put up in the Mavs' deciding Game 6 win:

11 minutes, 2/3 FG, 3 rebounds (2 offensive), 1 steal, 4 points, and of course the requisite 5 fouls

But as I've said many times before, with the greats you've got to look beyond the numbers to see a player's full value. Check out this incredible buzzer beating shot by Mahinmi to close out the 3rd quarter, setting the tone for the final stanza:

Where does he go from here? I'm thinking more minutes, more rebounds, more blocks, and hopefully just a few less fouls and carnage.

Congrats to Mahinmi and the Mavs!