You could say this story rings a Bell. It's the classic tale of the unlikeliest hero, an athlete transforming from anonymous to illustrious in a single, glorious evening. Unoriginal though it may be, this tried-and-true script never ceases to inspire, serving a reminder that hard work, dedication and the right dose of fortune can always make an impact, even in the NBA.

Raja Bell glides in for a layup in Game 1. Catherine Steenkeste/ NBAE Photos

The latest incarnation of our favorite drama stars Raja Bell. In the city that produced Rocky, a new underdog has stepped to the fore, as the rookie guard first emerged from deep on the 76ers' bench in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to help his team defeat the Bucks and advance to the NBA Finals.

He had played only 29 minutes in the first six games of the series, scoring 11 points. But in nine unforgettable minutes in Game 7, Bell erupted for 10 points, providing his injury-depleted team with an unexpected and much-needed spark off the bench.

After his stirring performance, Bell remained humble, as any good underdog should. Instead of lobbying for more minutes, he realized that he might not even play in Game 1 of the Finals.

"I had a good game, but it was a small part of what we did that night. I was glad to help," Bell said. "I'm going to be ready. If they ask me to go in there and play defense on somebody I'm going to try to go out and do it, but I don't see it really turning my role around on this team. It's basically going to be the same."

Oops.

Instead, Bell found himself guarding Kobe Bryant early in the second quarter of Game 1 -- and stripped the All-Star. Bell picked the ball up and drove the length of the floor before being fouled and hitting two free throws. By the time the night was over, Bell had played a career-high 19 minutes, scoring six points and playing a part in limiting Bryant to 15.

When he entered the game for the first time, the enormity of the moment could have left Bell awestruck. Instead, he was as poised as a 10-year veteran.

Bell helped bounce the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals: 28.8+ | ISDN+

"At that point, I wasn't thinking about anything except stopping [Bryant]," Bell said. "When [Larry Brown] first put me in, I was like "Wow, I'm about to go in there in a critical game, a critical point of the game, in the NBA Finals and I've got a job to do.' And I just tried to do it."

So much for a limited role.

In fact, for Bell, simply having a role is good enough. After being cut by San Antonio in training camp, he spent the majority of the NBA season toiling in obscurity, playing in the CBA and the IBL and recovering from a left leg injury. It looked like Bell's dream of appearing in an NBA game would be put on hold at least another year, and possibly forever, before fate intervened.

Desperate for healthy bodies, the 76ers signed Bell on April 6. The Florida International product impressed the Sixers enough during the last two weeks of the season to land a spot on the playoff roster.

"I was kind of just all over the place -- CBA, IBL, at home -- and I just got a call one day after my leg got healthy and they brought me in," Bell recalled. "I think they had seen me in the summer league and with San Antonio and I know Pop [Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich] and Coach Brown are great friends, so I think Pop went to bat for me and the ball started rolling from there."

It was Bell's defense that caught Brown's eye. The 6-5 guard is capable of guarding all three perimeter positions, and it was that skill that earned him his Game 7 appearance. The Game 7 scoring binge was a shock, even to Bell, and entering the Finals, he made it clear that his role would remain that of defensive stopper.

Sure enough, there he was on the floor in Game 1, being asked to guard Bryant. And as if it were scripted, Bell was still on the court when the final buzzer sounded, his team victorious. After all, the story had to end happily -- this is Hollywood.

Jordan Brenner is a member of the NBA Editorial staff.