Let us take this moment, while basking in the radiant green glow of Aron Baynes’ career-high 26 points, to remember one of the greatest lines of the season, brought to us by Tommy Heinsohn a week in:
“I tell yah, I took a look at Baynes… in the showah… he looks like all of Australiah! *Nervous laughter by Mike Gorman* He is really… put togethah.”
Did I say one of the greatest lines? I meant the greatest line. Full stop. I don’t know how you could top something like that. What was Tommy thinking? It’s one thing to voyeuristically peep at dudes in the shower, but to admit it to everyone on live TV in the most homoerotic way possible? I get that it’s 2018 (well, it was 2017 when he said it), but that’s bold. That’s a bold move.
He got away with it though, because he’s still commentating. I don’t know for how much longer, because he’s old as heck and his grasp on reality seems tenuous at beast, but however long he keeps going, he will keep delivering the goods. He said some sus stuff at the end of this one, but to be honest, I’d be saying some weird stuff too if I just saw Baynes score 26 points in a little over 2 quarters of work.
Baynes scored his last bucket with 7:41 left in the third. Shortly thereafter, he was subbed out, never to return. We were definitely robbed of a 30-point Baynesplosion, if not 40, but I’m not too mad. This was more than enough Baynes to last a lifetime. The Nets were simply uninterested in putting a body on him. How many of these offensive rebounds were even contested? He just walked in there, grabbed the ball, and put it in. Add in a few jumpers, and you have the makings of a legendary night. Kevin McHale would be proud, except for the distinct lack of up-and-unders.
Or any post moves at all.