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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

NBA: Gibson emerges in supporting role to James

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

When the older kids in his Houston neighborhood would pick on him or beat him up, little Daniel Gibson would run home crying to his mother. She gave him a nickname for not fighting back.

“Crybaby Boobie,” Gibson said.

It’s just Boobie now.

Well, this crybaby knows a thing or two about 3-point shooting, and he made Rasheed Wallace and the Pistons cry all the way home to Detroit.

During Cleveland’s unprecedented playoff run to the NBA Finals, the 21-year-old, always-smiling Gibson has emerged as an unlikely postseason hero.

The second-round pick who left Texas after two seasons has become LeBron James’ co-star and sidekick.

In the Cavs’ conference-clinching Game 6 win over the Pistons on Saturday night, Gibson scored a season-high 31 points by making all five of his 3-pointers, including four in the fourth quarter, when he outscored Detroit 19-16.

In the midst of a scoring flurry nearly as stunning as James’ 48-point effort in Game 5, more than 20,000 fans inside Quicken Loans Arena began chanting “Boo-bie, Boo-bie.”

“It gave me goose bumps,” Gibson said. “I really truly thought it was all a dream.”

Not long after he completed target practice on the Pistons, Gibson was given a royal escort to the postgame news conference by King James himself, who hollered, “Out of the way for the superstar” to clear a path for Gibson.

James, who is 14 months older than Gibson, has been in his younger teammate’s corner from the start.

“When we got Daniel in the second round (No. 42 overall), I believe it was a blessing in disguise,” James said. “I believe we got a steal.”

Notes

The Orlando Magic are close to resolving their coaching fiasco by agreeing to a deal to dismiss Billy Donovan and hire Stan Van Gundy, according to reports. ESPN.com reported Donovan and the team were close to finalizing an agreement for his departure. Terms would prevent Donovan from coaching in the NBA for five years, sources told the outlet. Van Gundy, a former Miami Heat coach, declined to comment. … Cleveland forward LeBron James, enjoying the highest point of his professional career, is also thrilled about the upcoming birth of his second son with girlfriend Savannah Brinson, who had the couple’s first child, LeBron James Jr., in 2004. Brinson is due on June 17, when the Cavs are tentatively scheduled to host Game 5 in Cleveland.