Mega Powers Collide

Well we are two games into the conference finals and guess what?? “We ain’t found shit” Most of the questions and thoughts posed by the experts going into both the Mavs-Thunder series and the Bulls-Heat series are still out there in the open waiting to be answered, repackaged, re-wrote, second guessed,etc. I picked the Heat to meet the Thunder in the finals going wayyy back to the start of the playoffs; I think that will still happen, but what the hell do I know. As I type this the whole world could be coming to an end and we might not even see the NBA finals. However, that will not stop from posting some thoughts on what has transpired this week in the Association.

1. First off it was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to the 2010-2011 Memphis Grizzlies last Sunday after a valiant effort against the Thunder and an enjoyable run through the Western conference playoffs. I will miss Zach Randolph’s snarl, Tony Allen’s fast break hijinx and most of all the misadventures of Greivis Vasquez and Hamed Haddadi off the bench. Come back next year, Grizz you made these playoffs a lot of fun.

2. It seems like these playoffs have been either a personal crusade in support of or a vendetta against Russell Westbrook’s game for almost every NBA writer. I find myself falling somewhere in the middle and bored of this narrative. There are times when Westbrook has gone haywire in fact he has gone a lot haywire at certain points. However, it is not all Westbrook’s fault. I would say the Thunder have been plagued at points by poor coaching from Scott Brooks, who has been just abysmal with some of the Thunder’s play calling late in games and often puts Westbrook in a no win situation with the ball. Also, at times most notably in the 4th quarters against the Grizz, Kevin Durant was not doing him any favors by failing to shake Tony Allen or Shane Battier, which often left Westbrook holding the bag with very few seconds left on the shot clock.

(- Russell Westbrook, NBA Hipster )

Now, do I think that there are some hero complex/issues at play between Durant and Westbrook that have affected Russ West’s game quite possibly? I do not think we are talking about Marbury/KG like issues that occurred in Minnesota, but I do feel that Westbrook is an emerging player in this league and wants to be treated as such and from my recliner it looks like he feels that he can takeover games much the way D-Rose is capable of doing. And for the majority of the playoffs it seems like that style has benefited the Thunder at times and hurt them in other instances. So, like I said I am firmly entrenched in the middle on this Russell Westbrook thing. He maybe a hipster, but I do not think Russell Westbrook is a heel that would turn on Durant; but it will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few years not the next few games. Therefore, can I please stop reading or seeing this Russell Westbrook tragic hero/anti-christ narrative every day after a Thunder game.

3. The defense being played has been pretty good so far by both the Bulls and the Heat in fact it has been damn good. So, I expect to see a lot of these games scoring in the 80’s maybe low 90’s. To me this series comes down to two obvious, but crucial things rebounding and bench play. The Bulls won in game 1 because of it, but lost in game 2 because the Heat did it better. I know I sound like a recycled version of sideline reporter getting a coach’s thoughts, but if the Bulls can not dominate the Heat in those areas then essentially that puts these teams on an even playing level and their two superstars are capable of making more plays than the Bulls one superstar.

4. After my last point I think I am obligated to state that the Bulls need somebody to step up besides Derrick Rose if they want to beat the Heat. Carlos Boozer and so on and so on…



5. I would watch a channel called Dirk vs. Durant, which could be just non-stop programming of both of these guys just practicing shooting jump shots, playi9ng games of H-O-R-S-E between the two of them and maybe the occasional NBA game or jam session with Wayne Coyne

I was planning on doing a long Mark Jackson style outro for this post, but something about father time catching up with me and such prevented me from doing so




Till next time… Enjoy the Rapture... RIP “Macho Man” Randy Savage