The Lineup
NBA FINALS
46 Off to the Races
To beat the Spurs, Detroit has to handle the headlong assaults of Manu Ginobili
by Jack McCallum
TRIBUTE
52 The Original Big Man
George Mikan (1924--2005) arrived at the time when pro basketball needed him most
by Jack McCallum
FRENCH OPEN
54 Roger vs. Rafael
Rafael Nadal won his first major and confirmed his rivalry with Roger Federer
by L. Jon Wertheim
BASEBALL
58 Not So Bitter Now
Sammy Sosa, in Baltimore, is ready to leave the past behind--well, almost
by Tom Verducci
66 BASKETBALL
THE
OTHER
GAME
THE AND1 TROUPE AND ITS VIDEOS HAVE SPREAD HIP-HOP HOOPS FAR AND WIDE
Departments
8 Leading Off
16 Catching Up With ...
21 Letters
23 Air and Space
Tear someone's head off and rub his face in the dirt: the genteel pleasures of rugby by Steve Rushin
24 Scorecard
• Tape brings 49ers to new low
• Drew Carey, soccer photographer
• Farewell Hy Peskin, Herb Wind
37 Faces in the Crowd
39 Players
88 The Life of Reilly
Meet Zakki Strunk, 11, a baseball player whose disease-ravaged heart is still pure by Rick Reilly
Inside ...
82 Soccer
• Donovan shines for U.S. team
83 Track
• Williams proves she's sprint queen
85 Baseball
• Giants foundering without Bonds
Cover
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II/1DEUCE3 PHOTOGRAPHY
BACKGROUND: Peter Gregoire; INSET: Chuck Solomon
SI Extra
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• For more coverage of the NBA Finals--including breaking news, the latest scores, up-to-the-minute photos and Web-only analysis by SI experts Jack McCallum, Chris Mannix and Marty Burns--go to SI.com/NBA.
COLOR PHOTO
DAMIAN STROHMEYER (SOSA)
WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN?
Being an Oriole has revived ex-Cub Sammy Sosa (page 58).
THREE COLOR PHOTOS
MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II/1DEUCE3 PHOTOGRAPHY (3)
 From the top: Spyda, Helicopter, AO