The Intangible Man

There’s something about Robert Horry that makes you wonder if he was born under a good sign. Horry is probably the luckiest National Basketball Association (NBA) player ever. Now in his 13th NBA season, he’s never missed playing in the playoffs—quite a feat, considering he’s suited up for four teams so far. And in five NBA Finals he’s played, he’s walked away with a championship ring each time.

Horry, 34, was on two Houston Rockets title squads in 1994 and 1995 and three Los Angeles Lakers championship teams in 2000, 2001 and 2002. A clutch player, Horry has averaged more points in 10 playoffs than the regular season. He’s known to jack it up when the stakes are highest.

In the raging NBA Finals, Horry is playing a major role for the San Antonio Spurs as a sixth man against the Detroit Pistons. He compiled seven points, three rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes in Game 1 which the Spurs won, 84-69. Then, Horry collected 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals in another scintillating 28-minute job in San Antonio’s masterful 97-76 decision in Game 2 last Sunday (yesterday morning, Manila).

Horry has knocked down four triples in the two Finals outings, boosting his career total to 42 and tying Michael Jordan for most three-point conversions in the Last Dance. He already holds the playoff record for burying the most treys without a miss, hitting 7-of-7 against Utah in 1997, and the Finals record for most steals in a game, chalking up seven against Orlando in 1995.

In Game 2, TV announcer Hubie Brown called Horry the ‘Intangible Man’ for doing a lot of impact things that don’t show up in the stats sheet, like changing the opponent’s shots, deflections, disrupting the flow of the offense, setting picks, screening off in rebound situations, diving for loose balls and encouraging his teammates to go for the kill.

It was Horry who hit San Antonio’s final points, a triple, in Game 2. He was the only Spur who came off the bench to score in double figures and did an excellent defensive job on Rasheed Wallace.

San Antonio erected its biggest lead at 69-46 on Bruce Bowen’s trey in the third period and withstood a furious Pistons rally early in the fourth to pull away down the stretch. Detroit trimmed the deficit to eight on a 10-2 blast opening the payoff quarter but the Spurs ignited a 13-0 bomb to quell the uprising in a hurry. San Antonio shot 10 free throws during the 13-0 juggernaut where Detroit was slapped three technicals.

Pistons coach Larry Brown could’ve used Elden Campbell—who played quality minutes against Shaquille O’ Neal in the Miami series—to slow down Tim Duncan but opted to sit out the veteran for the second straight game. Duncan got away with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Not too many fans know that Horry is a devoted family man. He married his wife Keva Develle in 1997. They met as students at the University of Alabama. They have two children, Ashlyn, 11, and Robert Camron, 6. Ashlyn was born without part of her first chromosome, a neurological syndrome similar to cerebral palsy. She stayed in the hospital for six months after her birth. She can’t speak, walk and eat on her own. She is fed through a tube in the stomach. Ashlyn has undergone physical therapy and emotional rehabilitation at the Pediatric Therapy Center in Houston since she was two. Horry’s son is perfectly healthy.

A reason why Horry left Los Angeles to move to San Antonio was to be closer to his family in Houston.

"People say I’ve just been a lucky guy to be on good teams," said Horry. "But all I know is no matter what, my family will still love me. Family is what is really important to me. The other stuff is just other stuff."

Horry said it’s during the playoffs when he proves his worth.

"In the playoffs, I’m just in the right spot at the right time," said Horry whose highest salary was $5.3 million in 2001-02 and 2002-03. "There is no pressure on me. It’s all on the megastars. I just go out and play my game and whatever happens, happens. I’m just having fun."

Detroit hosts the next two games and a fifth, if necessary. Game 3 is a must-win situation for the Pistons and the fans will surely come out to motivate the home team. Brown would’ve liked to steal one in San Antonio to put the pressure on the Spurs at the Palace in Auburn Hills. But that didn’t happen. Now, he’s faced with the tough task of trying to win three in a row over San Antonio at home then going back to the SBC Center for two chances to clinch.

For the Pistons to win Game 3, Tayshaun Prince must be more aggressive on offense and force Manu Ginobili to work on defense. Prince was 1-7 from the floor and scored only three points in Game 2 while Ginobili had 27. Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton must establish their offensive game early. The Wallace Boys must play physical and take away San Antonio’s inside points. Brown must also get quality minutes from his shock troopers like Lindsey Hunter, Antonio McDyess and Campbell. A strategy could be to allow Duncan his points while limiting the production of Ginobili, Parker and Bowen. Detroit’s usually intimidating defense has not surfaced in the Finals. San Antonio is making the Pistons look like they need some retooling in the machine shop. Detroit’s engine isn’t humming—in fact, it’s sputtering. The Pistons, for instance, flubbed at least 12 layups or dunk attempts in Game 2.

But the Pistons know what it’s like to come back from adversity. They survived a pair of twice-to-win sudden death situations against New Jersey last year and Miami this year. Detroit must make a stand in Game 3 and show the Spurs just can’t steamroll the Pistons on their turf. If the Pistons aren’t able to put up a fight in Game 3, the series won’t go back to San Antonio for sure.