Another year, another Chinese Basketball Association championship for Stephon Marbury and his Beijing Ducks, as the former NBA All-Star point guard continues his career's remarkable second act overseas.
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The former Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics guard scored 24 points, dished seven assists and snagged four steals as the Ducks defeated the Liaoning Flying Leopards, 106-98, to close out the CBA Finals in six games and earn both their second-straight championship and the club's third in the last four seasons. Marbury earned the first Finals MVP trophy of his six-year CBA career after averaging 29.6 points per game in the series, teaming with fellow ex-Knick Randolph Morris (19 points and seven rebounds in the deciding game) and sweet-shooting Zai Xiaochuan (27 points and six rebounds) to push Beijing past a Liaoning squad led by former NBA guard Lester Hudson.
When Marbury left American soil after the 2008-09 season to ply his trade in China, many expected his career, which had run off the rails in the U.S., to continue declining overseas, albeit in a quieter fashion removed from prying eyes amid the night-to-night NBA grind. Instead, the former Georgia Tech star and Coney Island legend has flourished in China, bouncing around a bit before finding happiness and a home in Beijing, where he's thrived in the pick-and-roll for head coach Min Lulei and become something of a folk hero among the hoops-mad Chinese fanbase. They've accepted Starbury, warts and all, with open arms, and he's responded in kind, continuing to produce on the court and lead Beijing to glory.
Few would have believed that Marbury would go to China and help build a championship dynasty, but after three titles in four years, that's precisely what's happened. Marbury, clearly, continues to draw inspiration from others' skepticism and strength from his own confidence that he can still get it done as he nears age 40. From Anthony Tao of Beijing Cream:
“I said we wanted to build a dynasty here in Beijing,” Marbury told reporters in the locker room following the Beijing Ducks’ series-clinching Game 6 win over Liaoning, 106-98, on the opponent’s court. “A lot of people said that I was crazy for saying that, but I believed in my teammates, I believed in Coach Min, I believed in the Beijing organization. We’ve done everything in our power to make this work. To be able to be in this light right now, I’m just thankful and I’m just humble.”
(Before that: “The real men will rise. The real men will rise. I just want to thank my God Jesus Christ for giving me the light to do all the things that I’ve been able to do. It’s been beautiful journey in Beijing, baby. They said I was old, they said I can’t play no more, the critics said I can’t do it no more — it’s all good. It’s all good, baby. Can I get my championship shirt, please?”)
Well, maybe "humble" isn't quite the right word, but hey, who can blame the man for being excited? He was just named Finals MVP!
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While he Marbury celebrated, as is his right, by thanking his haters for all the motivation:
Jesus did it!! Back 2 Back championships!Keep talking behind behind my back and God gone keep blessing me in yo Face! http://ift.tt/19Lcwgg
— I AM PEACE STAR (@StarburyMarbury) March 22, 2015 ... and he singled out particular old New York media chum, longtime Knicks beat man Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, for specific "thanking."
@FisolaNYDN when I think about You lying to all the New York people in saying that I couldn't play basketball is crime. #RevokeHisPen
— I AM PEACE STAR (@StarburyMarbury) March 22, 2015 You can take the baller out of Brooklyn, but you can't take the Brooklyn out of the baller. Bless you, Steph, and congratulations.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
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