Good morning, Mr. Magpie. We are one week away from the start of the NBA playoffs, which makes me giddy. I have long since tired of watching meaningless regular season games prominently involving non-playoff teams like the Utah Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks. Sh*t!! The Hawks made the playoffs?? In this post I would like to kind of layout a schedule of what “valuable” insight I will be offering during the playoffs.
First off a big congrats needs to go out to the Bulls of Chicago for clinching the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This Bulls team continues to amaze on the defensive end and again words can not describe how awesome it is to watch Derrick Rose night in and night out.
I think home court advantage will serve this Bulls team very well especially against battle tested teams like the Magic, Celtics/Heat and hopefully the Lakers down the line. For as great as this Bulls team is they have yet to win a playoff series and playoff basketball is a whole different animal than the regular season.
As for my “writing” during the playoffs I hope to have a least a little blurb up each day or at least every other day once the games start next Saturday. I will probably be rolling out a playoff preview by next Thursday once all the matchups are set in stone. From there the posts will consist of some game diaries, links to all things NBA, thoughts on the Bulls (since they are actually relevant again) and some other little nuggets and tidbits with guest appearances possibly along the way.
In non-NBA related news I would recommend that anybody check out the new Strokes album “Angles”, which is a welcome return from what I felt like was a fairly underwhelming previous album. It has the feel of an early ‘80’s Cars record with splashes of the Strokes’ earlier material. Some other releases that the cool kids on the interwebz are buzzing about that are quite good is the debut album by Yuck, an English band which sounds like it was made in 1993. Also, the new Pains of Being Pure at Heart album “Belong”, which is a solid follow-up from their debut disc. If you have not done so yet do yourself a favor and start watching “Justified” on FX. Trust me it’s worth it.
In a one man operation you have the right to label yourself as a Monarch.
It’s been a long time… In fact it has been about 7th months since I have updated this blog. I feel like Tim Thomas in that I had an incredible run through the playoffs. Then I got paid and decided to coast all the way through the regular season, put myself into a position where I could be released/traded just in time to turn it on again for the playoffs and get that next big mythical payday.
So, you ask what have I been doing with my time? Well, I could say coming up with the next hot statistical metric that would justify calling Luke Harangoady a serviceable player in the NBA, attending a Lil Wayne concert or contemplating the cultural and economic impact of the Japanese Tsunami. The fact is that I have been really busy with work related items, but that does not mean I have still not watched, read, listened, or tweeted a great deal about the NBA. I mean have seen this Rose kid play?? He’s going to be pretty good for someone without a qualifying SAT score.
Without question the 2010-2011 NBA season has been one of the best in the past decade or so. I think “The Decision” was a great kickoff to the season as far as raising the interest level of fans, not so much as a television program. The TV ratings have been fantastic and the resurgence of likable top tier talent has made the NBA into sort of a comeback story among casual fans (I’ll get to this in a moment). It also helps that in pretty much all of your major markets the teams have been pretty successful.
Living around Chicago has made this season a little more unique. It seems that people, who forgot the NBA existed after MJeff left the Bulls are finding a way to enjoy not only this Bulls team, but especially Derrick Rose. You go out around town and people are actually talking Bulls basketball, the sound of the game is actually on at local establishments and everybody and their brother has on a throwback Craig Hodges jersey like he’s Dennis Savard. That last thing has obviously not happened, but it would be great if it did. The reason I inserted Savard’s name there is because it seemed like the Blackhawks swept up the city into Hockey-mania last year from about April to June and I think to a certain extent this Bulls team could do that as well. In the coming week I will probably have a longer post about all things Bulls, but for this post I want to focus on the stretch run to the playoffs and my observations of the NBA so far.
So, on to some NBA power rankings or what some may call an easy writing ploy to help me get back in the swing of things.
Gone Fishing…
It’s pretty safe to say that the following teams can pack up their bags hit the golf course or strip club of their choice and get ready for the next season in 2014.
30. Cleveland Cavaliers - With Lebron leaving most people expected the Cavs to be bad and guess what? They are bad as in worst in the NBA, but at least Baron Davis will play hard for them…
29. Washington Wizards - John Wall will be good at some point and JaVale McGee is a pretty solid player. I can't think of anything else so that tells you how exciting the 2010-2011 Wizards must have been for the people of Washington.
28. Toronto Raptors - I hear Toronto is great place for visiting NBA teams, so at least they have that going for them.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves - Kevin Love was a fun story, but I am guessing Lakers fans are happy that Kurt Rambis took this job.
26. New Jersey Nets - Just move to Brooklyn already and hire TV on the Radio as your house band for home games.
25. Sacramento Kings - Well at least 1st round pick Demarcus Cousins made it through the season without any altercations. Oh, wait…
24. Detroit Pistons - Charlie Sheen seems more functional than this band of misfits with bad contracts.
23. Utah Jazz - Jerry Sloan was ran out of town followed by the departure of D-Will and all your left with is a decent post player in Al Jefferson and season ticket holders, who have 7 wives.
22. Milwaukee Bucks - “Fear the Deer” was a cute little fan campaign, but for a team whose third best player is Johnny Salmons… enough said.
21. Golden State Warriors - I love watching the Warriors, but unfortunately league rules only allow you to play with one basketball at a time. Because they have a number of players, who need it in their hands at all times.
20. Los Angeles Clippers - The Blake Show has been fun to watch all season and if Eric Gordon could stay healthy the Clips could be dangerous in the near future.
So, you’re saying there’s a chance… Near playoff teams and the lucky few, who will be eliminated in round 1.
19. Phoenix Suns - Nash has still been solid, the trade with Magic at least netted them Marcin Gortat, who is a nice bench big, but the addition of Vince Carter immediately takes away any chance they have at making a slim run to get into the playoffs.
18. New York Knicks - Yes, the Knicks will still make the playoffs. However, they have been 7-12 since the Carmelo trade and 8 of those losses have come to teams under .500 and Chauncey Billups is their point guard…
17. Charlotte Bobcats - The Bobs are fighting for the 8th spot in the East. Although, they might as well save MJ the trouble of making the playoffs, so he can hit the golf course early and work on drafting Jimmer Fredette, so he can pair him with Adam Morrison in the backcourt.
16. Indiana Pacers - Pacer basketball is alive and well led by Tyler Hansbrough in the push for the 8th seed in the East. I really hate Psycho T so that last sentence was really hard to write.
15. Houston Rockets - The Rockets have the 3rd best record since the All-Star break, but barring a miracle won’t make the playoffs. At least they won’t have to cart around Yao Ming’s corpse after this season…
14. Philadelphia 76ers - Doug Collins has done a good job helping his team recover from a brutal start to the season, but their roster still needs a lot of work before they could win a playoff series.
13. Atlanta Hawks - Wow, they really love their Hawks in Atlanta… Joe Johnson may have been the worst signing of the summer. This team really reminds me of the late 80’s-early 90’s Cavs teams that would always make the playoffs, but never stick around long enough to make any noise.
12. New Orleans Hornets - David West’s torn ACL killed any chance the Hornets had of making a run. Chris Paul will be gone along with professional basketball in New Orleans in 2 years. So, I would say it is not a good day to be a Hornets supporter.
11. Memphis Grizzles - When he is not supposedly setting up major drug deals Zach Randolph is one of the best PF’s in the game
10. Portland Trailblazers - Another team I really enjoy watching. The Blazers have had horrible injury luck, but still have solid players like Aldridge and the newly acquired Gerald Wallace that could scare some teams in the West.
9. Denver Nuggets - George Karl has done a great job with the team both pre and post trade. I am also glad that Karl is back on the sidelines because I don’t think I could have read another Rick Reilly piece about him watching basketball with Karl.
The Contenders…
All of these teams have a shot at making a run to glory. Some not as much as others…
8. Orlando Magic - They dumped Vince Carter, which gave them an immediate boost to their title chances. However, they replaced him with Gilbert Arenas…
7. Oklahoma City Thunder - I love Durant and Westbrook has come into his own this season, but this team is still a legit third scoring option away from winning the West.
6. Dallas Mavericks - Dirk is well, Dirk. The Mavs have a roster loaded with some talent and savvy veterans; nevertheless it still will not be enough to get them through in the West. Although, I am looking forward to Mark Cuban ridiculously over paying an aging veteran center during the summer to help the Mavs make a title run in 2013.
5. San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs are running away with the 1st seed in the West. Then again it is the regular season; we will see what happens if Duncan can come back healthy and the Spurs are able to adjust to post-season basketball where you can’t always turn games into a track meet.
4. Boston Celtics - It is awfully quiet in Beantown… What was that Kevin Garnett?? I can not hear you after your muscle left in the form of Kendrick Perkins. Sure, the C’s can turn it on for the playoffs, but we’ll see.
3. Miami Heat - I hate to say it, but the Heat are slowly creeping up in the East. Only 2.5 games back of the 1 seed and playing some pretty good basketball. It remains to be seen how this group will perform in the playoffs, but I think we can say for certain that Chris Bosh is not a superstar.
2. Chicago Bulls - I will let Dan Majerle explain why this Bulls team works…
1. Los Angeles Lakers - Playing great basketball since the break. Lamar Odom has been awesome, but can Kobe be clutch for them down the stretch??
And with that we are finished with the first post in 7 months. Take it away Bob Seger...
“I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees/ I’ll never marry but Ohio don’t remember me”
- The National
I am pretty sure that Ohio will remember LeBron James and at that on 7/8/10 at 8:27 (CT) he completely ripped their heart out. It’s 11:00pm and I am sitting in my room feeling disgusted for having watched the conclusion of this week long saga, which culminated in an hour long ego stroke from our friends over at ESPN. But hey it was for charity at least, right? The following won’t be written from the perspective of a pissed off Bulls fan, but rather an NBA fan that feels used like a sorority girl at a Frat house.
I wrote a post on LeBron James back in May defending him and his potential legacy as one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers in the NBA. I liked LeBron James even with the constant celebrations and his self endorsement as “The King” even without winning a title. Many of bar arguments in the last few years I had LeBron’s back so to speak. And at times he has been a tough guy to defend, but I always thought LeBron was a refreshing presence in the NBA and that in time he would be paid off by winning a title in his hometown and doing so his way. Well as of 8:27 pm (CT) my opinion has changed. I’ll probably get a million “I told you so” from those same drinking compatriots, who have hated LeBron all along, but much like LeBron will have to do I am willing to take the criticisms. Here are two things I can’t criticize LeBron on: 1) He still is a very talented player and probably either 1 or 1a as far as current NBA players go. 2) Nobody can now say that he would rather make money than win championships. Yes, LeBron kids won’t be starving and in the end he only sacrificed a few bucks to sign with the Heat, but it’s clear that he wants to win a title no matter what it costs or takes away from his legacy and in his mind Miami was the best place to do that.
Now that my positive praise portion for LeBron has ended let’s get down to the good stuff…
- It’s clear now that LeBron James would rather be Robin instead of Batman. I have always said that LeBron James should never be compared to MJ, but instead more likened to Magic Johnson (Although, at this point I should not sell Magic short. He was always willing to take big shots and was always the Alpha-Dog on his Lakers title teams). Well, he better get used to that sort of comparison because at the end of the day that’s what he will have to become for this to work: the ultimate facilitator. It’s the ultimate back seat move by a guy that has never taken a back seat to anyone and that’s what I liked about LeBron. He always to me seemed willing to be a guy, who said hop on my back and we’ll do this. Now I see a guy that doesn’t want to carry that burden, so he might as well pass the crown to King Wade because Miami is still D-Wade’s team and that won’t change. Sure Prince James will probably win his titles, but he won’t go down with the NBA elites. Where is his competitiveness? If he supposedly holds all this power and wants to go down as the best ever (“The King”) then he should have lured another piece to Cleveland/Chicago/Knicks and then pointed his sights on taking down Wade & Bosh rather than playing with them. Because that is what a true King would have done; kill the competition.
- All of the basketball aspects of this move has yet to come to a conclusion, but there is certainly one conclusion I can firmly make right now and that is the best way to describe this entire last week for LeBron James and more specifically the "Decision 2010" special is: Amateur Hour. I guess dog and pony show would have worked as well. I am sure it was a tough decision to leave his hometown and I am pretty sure he was never going to announce his decision where we would just see it as a crawl on ESPN’s bottomline, but to do this to your hometown on national tv is just downright stone cold. This hour long special and the farce of all these meetings was an absolute joke. And you know what? Most of us fell for it or at least we did until today and the build up for "Decision 2010". The minute the camera panned on James to me he gave off a look of a boy, who made a huge mistake and there was no turning back. Where was the smile LeBron? Instead it felt like a televised funeral where the casualty was LeBron James’ pride. If he honestly didn’t know what decision his was going to make until today then that’s a joke as well. If it killed you to leave Cleveland then why do you do it? So, it boils down to that this has been a huge self-marketing ploy for a guy that should not need to be self- marketed. A twitter account, a website and a marketing team being run by a guy, who biggest deal to date is landing Johnny Flynn a used car commercial in Minnesota. Is this the new LeBron? I guess so and that’s biggest reason my opinion has soured on James over the past few days. I realize this is not the glory days of watching sports where guys had to work other jobs in the off-season and that players certainly have opportunities to market themselves and make more money, which I am fine with to a certain point. And yet for me in no time LeBron went from being just an icon to a self-promotional d-bag in my eyes that was constantly referring to his “team” during his special not as the Cavs or anybody else, but rather a bunch of 25 year olds, who handled this about as well as Obama has the BP oil spill. From the minute I turned on “The Decision” special tonight I felt pissed at myself for buying into this image of LeBron as the guy that didn’t bring unwanted attention to himself off the court and for the most part I saw him as player that all he cared about was having fun and playing basketball. I guess I should have seen this coming with the in-season visits to Kentucky to woo John Wall to his marketing company or his statements of wanting to be the 1st athlete billionaire. In the end I guess I was just as naïve as LeBron was to this whole process. This decision was made in his mind as soon as he left court after game 6 in Boston and for him to drag it out and stab Cleveland in the heart on national tv was just a disgrace. Not to mention all the kids he crushed at the Boys & Girls club in Greenwich, who were probably hoping he would sign with the Knicks.
- Not only was this a disaster for LeBron’s image, but it was also a bad basketball decision. Objectively the Bulls roster was a better fit for LeBron James and apparently many others thought that as well. Coming to Chicago would not have preserved his rep in Cleveland, but I think it would have tempered some of the ire being directed at James.
- Dwayne Wade was never going to leave Miami. I don’t care that he took a second meeting with the Bulls or that his kids live in Chicago he was not leaving. I don’t think he was a spy so to speak, but he wanted to play this out just as much as LeBron did. He hired a camera crew to film him and lapdog Chris Bosh as they took these” meetings” to add some drama to a foregone conclusion. Dwayne Wade didn’t do an hour long special, but he also wasn’t immune to stroking his own ego during this process.
- Apparently, Chris Bosh has the most power in the NBA? Bosh is a good player, but not a superstar. He had the most to gain in this process as far as getting his name out there and becoming more of a known quantity. Like I said I don’t think Wade was going to leave Miami, but for him to say that Bosh committing there made him re-sign and leave the Bulls in the dust is a joke. To me that sounds like Chris Bosh held all the power and if that’s true then shame on D-Wade and Prince James
- Playing in an Olympic tournament is much different than playing an 82 game regular season and the grind of the NBA playoffs. As much as these guys say they can adjust their game and play together there is still a lot of ego there with Wade and LeBron. Who plays off the ball? Who takes the last shot? What happens after a few bad games? What happens when these guys have to play 40+ minutes night in and night out just to maybe grab a #1 seed in the East? Fantasy teams always look good on paper, but they don’t always work out. This is not the Big 3 of the Celtics, who were guys that needed to play together to win a championship and did so towards the end of their careers. Be careful what you wish for.
- Where do we go now? Where do we go now? Well I can now enjoy the rest of my summer and only check twitter every 15 minutes instead of every 5. There is no question that LeBron and the Heat have become public enemy #1 in the NBA. There will still be pressure on LeBron to win a title maybe even moreso now. Time will tell what his ultimate place in the overall history of the NBA will be, but for now that place is as a guy, who took the easy way out. It’s like LeBron saw all the cards being dealt, he drew it out to the last hand and rather than push all-in he stepped away from the table to make the safe play rather than have the guts to take a gamble. Maybe this was always LeBron’s destiny to be a 2nd banana on a championship team and try to average a triple-double. If it is then I have to say I misjudged him for the last seven years. Because people that call themselves “The King” should not play 2nd fiddle to anyone. So, maybe I would have been wise to write an obituary piece way back in May because this is certainly the death of a persona and a legacy known as “The King”.
I figured that if Christina Aguilera was coming back for a game 7 of the NBA Finals then I should as well. So, here we go…
8:05: Just another stellar pre-game show by the boys at ESPN’s NBA Shootaround. I wish Stu Scott just announced everything for ESPN.
8:06: Of course that last sentence was completely sarcastic
8:08: Lakers on the board 1st with a Derek Fisher 3 pointer. Not a good sign for the C’s since it was Fisher’s 1st 3 of the Finals
8:10: Mark Jackson just broke the unintentional comedy scale by saying that Rasheed Wallace was the best Power Forward in the league for 10 years. Go ahead use that information as you wish
8:13: I like that the Refs are letting them play certainly an advantage for the C’s
8:15: The C’s look a lot better out of the gate tonight and just as I typed that KG shot an airball.
8:20: The Lakers are pounding the C’s on the glass, which doesn’t bode well since who has ever won the rebounding advantage has won the game.
8:22: The C’s look like they have made a few defensive adjustments early with their help side D
8:23: The under looks like a lock. C’s up 17-13 going into a break
8:28: The Lakers have kept it close with the work on the O glass, but there offense doesn’t look good
8:29: Terrible call by Joey Crawford negates a Rondo basket and KG picks up his 2nd foul and that means we are also one step closer to Brian Scalabrine getting minutes.
8:33: End of 1 quarter and the C’s looked like the better team shooting 59% and holding Kobe to 1-7 shooting. LA is still getting to some loose balls and it will be interesting to see what happens when the benches come in.
2nd Quarter
8:40: Another offensive board for the Lakers, who have 11 up to this point.
8:43: If George Lopez is at the Lakers game then how will he make his show? Actually, stay at the game and enjoy yourself George
8: 44: Phil Jackson just said we took too many hard tough shots, that’s what she said…
8:45: Kobe and Gasol back off as the bench was not nearly as good for the Lakers thus far as in game 6.
8:46: All kinds of problems for the C’s on offense so far. Tied at 23
8:50: The C’s need to start making the Lakers 1 and done on the offensive end if the Lakers are going to shoot this bad
8:53: I hate to see the Finals end, but I will be so glad that I no longer have to see the “Grown Ups” ad where Sandler and company are talking about the NBA. Why does anybody employ David Spade? His career should have died when Chris Farley did.
8:58: Artest just buried a 3 to tie the game. I got to give him credit has only been somewhat of a liability on offense the past 2 games, not a total liability.
9:03: JVG talking about Jennifer Garner’s kid. Come on this is a game 7; get it together JVG, it’s just creepy.
9: 05: I am not going to see his was the best power forward, but Rasheed Wallace has been very solid tonight for the C’s
9:06: Double T’s on Pierce and Artest. Let’s see Ron go batshit crazy for his second T he is due…
9:08: Josh Powell and Brian Scalabrine both check-in at the same time. Are we sure this is a game 7 of the NBA Finals?
9:10: The C’s turn it over before they could get into their brilliant end of the quarter offensive set.
9:11: Ugly end to the half as neither team gets a shot off. I have to say Ron Artest carried the Lakers in the 2nd half. Kobe and Gasol have looked really mediocre so far. Pierce has been good for the C’s and it seems like Boston has been finally getting to the free throw line and to the basket. Should be a great 2nd half
Halftime / 3rd Quarter
9:24: Looking at MJ’s numbers compared to Kobe’s and it’s not even close… Followed by Magic Johnson saying that the Celtics are better off with Kendrick Perkins being injured in a game where they are getting slayed on the boards. Every time Magic just continues to amaze me with the things that come out of his mouth. Did he even watch the 1st half? Ladies and Gentlemen, your ESPN pre-game crew…
9:45: Tied up on the phone, but it has been a great start for the C’s in the 3rd quarter. Their defense has been really solid tonight.
9:47: I think LA needs to start getting Gasol more touches in the low block the C’s have no one to counter that.
9: 48: The Lakers are going on a run as the crowd is getting back into the game literally. It looked like the arena was half empty after halftime. 51-45 Celtics
9:50: Paul Pierce hit a huge 3. Good point by JVG on Lamar Odom not hustling back in transition, until that point I didn’t even know Odom was playing.
9:53: And on cue Odom to the rim for a lay-up. Damn reverse jinx
9: 55: Hey, Rondo hit 1-2 of FT’s. 50% is better than 24%. C’s up 6, 57-51
9:57: JVG hits right on the head this is a poorly played game on the offensive end. This honestly looks like a Mid-November game in terms of play on the court, but certainly not effort, which has been great by both teams.
9:59: It’s the end of the 3rd quarter and Boston has the ball, so here comes a terrible shot or not because it was a 24 second violation. I certainly hope Tom Thibodeau brings some better execution to the Bulls.
4th Quarter
10:01: To win the Lakers need some big shots by Kobe and to keep hitting the glass. For the C’s they need to keep moving the ball on offense and get out in transition because the 2nd part of the 3rd quarter they became a little to stagnant and isolation reliant on offense. It would also help if the C’s got a rebound.
10:05: Kobe on the bench to start the 4th. And I think it’s a gamble by Phil, but could pay off if others on the Lakers get going.
10:06: Artest for MVP and I am serious!!!
10:08: Can someone hit a jump shot? My 6th grade basketball team scored more points than this by the 4th quarter.
10:09: This game has been uglier than the BP Oil spill. The World Cup has had more offense than this game
10:12: Are we sure this is the Celtics-Lakers game 7 and that ABC is not showing a replay of the Pistons-Spurs NBA Finals game 7?
10:16: A lot of stones by Doc Rivers bringing in Nate Robinson here.
10:17: Ron Artest has put every Lakers fan through a gamut of emotions throughout this series.
10:19: It may not be well played, but this has been an intense game.
10:21: Rasheed Wallace picks up his 5th foul, but Gasol continues to choke from the line (2-7)
10:23: Derek Fisher continues to amaze with big shots. Will this guy ever go away? He’s the Keith Richards of the NBA
10:27: Doc Rivers wants movement, movement and more movement
10:28: This is the Lakers game to lose with 5 and change left. Lakers 66-64
10:32: It’s pretty bad when the teams in the 60’s were able to get to 100 points apiece in a game 7. These teams have been lucky to get to 100 combined tonight.
10:36: Kobe has shot terrible tonight, but it looks like he will finish strong.
10:37: Terrible decision for the Lakers to trap up top and leave Garnett all alone down low for the dunk.
10:37: The Lakers have been content just to draw contact and get to the line and I can’t say that has been a bad strategy
10:40: Ray Allen needs to hit a 3 or else the C’s are done
10:42: Huge post move by Gasol and this game looks to be cooked with the Lakers up 6 with 1:30 left
10:45: Rasheed for 3!!!! Followed by Artest for 3. Seriously he (Artest) should be the MVP
10:46: Another C’s 3 pointer, but they follow that up with putting Rondo on Gasol and he gets another Lakers offensive rebound. Just a terrible play by the C’s by not switching when they had the chance.
10:48: Adam Morrison is looking dapper again tonight in a black suit. He should just become an assistant coach at this point because he is halfway there.
10:50: Rondo hits a 3 and cuts it to 2.
10:52: Vujacic to the line… and he buries both shots
10:54: And it’s a Lakers winner. Artest should be the MVP. Queensbridge!!!
Well at least we got some drama out of game 7. You can’t say it was particularly well played, but it was exciting if you like free throws. All in all the 2010 NBA playoffs were rather disappointing and I have no one to blame, but myself. That’s a little harsh, but really there was only about 5 great games and some other decent games. The best series was probably the Lakers-Thunder series in the 1st round. In fact the 1st round was probably… Ok, Ron Artest just thanked his psychiatrist and doctors and about 30 other random people in the post-game interview with Doris Burke. He also started singing one of his songs. Ladies and Gentlemen, your should be Finals MVP. As I was saying the 1st round was probably the best round of the playoffs and that’s usually not a good thing for the NBA. I’ll probably post a recap and have some sort of playoff awards post during the weekend. And take it away Stu Scott…
Sit back, relax and strap it down. Getting ready for game 6 in my Farragut Academy Ronnie Fields jersey. I don’t know need to tell anyone what’s a stake tonight, so let’s get ready for Hell’s Kitchen, oh wait that’s right game 6 of the NBA Finals
7:55pm: Stirring rendition of the National Anthem by Christina Aguilera, who looked especially whorish tonight. Good times.
7:58: Hey wait the Lakers are using the CSI: Miami theme was probably echoed by some fan in the Staples Center, which is not a good thing for the Who’s legacy.
8:01: Breen, Jackson and JVG don’t look too excited for game 6.
8:03: Whoa, are we sure Pau Gasol is the best offensive big man in basketball? Big statement from Mark Jackson can’t say I agree
8:06: Phil says share the basketball it will work out. Don’t know if that was directed at Kobe or encouraging others to get Bryant the ball.
8:07: Lakers win the tap and Kobe misfires on a 3
8:08: Rondo getting into the lane early could be a good sign for the C's
8: 11: Rondo might want to stick to driving in the lane and not shooting jump shots because that was ugly.
8:12: The LA crowd is really lively tonight. I can’t remember them being this loud early in the game.
8:13: I think it’s a good move for Ray Allen to take Fisher in the post, it’s a huge advantage.
8:15: The Lakers are trying to get others involved early even my man Artest has a 3. 10-9 Lakers
8:17: Kobe looks like he has fresh legs tonight. He has been really aggressive early getting to the hoop. I’ll pass on a rape joke for now. Lakers 16-12
8:19: Our first commercial break of the night. If you’re a Lakers you have to like the way they have pushed the ball early on and have been getting some easy baskets on the break. Let’s see if they continue to do that.
8:21: Perkins helped off the floor for the C’s. Its not a huge loss on the offensive side, but Perkins is a tough defender and rebounder. I bet Doc wishes he dressed Brian Scalabrine now or not
8:22: Kobe is starting fast with 11 points already.
8:24: I get to say that Artest has been real aggressive on the offensive end so far and it has not been a bad thing for the Lakers. Although, you’re playing with fire if he just starts chucking up shots.
8:26: The game is being called real tight right now, which favors the Lakers and David Stern. Lakers 26-18 going into a break
8:31: Bench time for both teams. Let’s see how this plays out for both teams.
8:32: Here comes the Boston end of the quarter offense and again terrible execution with Nate Robinson losing the ball.
8:35: 1st Quarter thoughts: The Lakers come out with a lot of energy, which is no surprise. Artest actually contributed something on offense and Kobe looks poised for another huge game. The C’s looked sloppy at times on offense. Pierce is off to a slow start and that can’t seem to get a transition game going, which they need.
2nd Quarter
8:38: Nate Robinson throws an alley-oop off the backboard. Get him out of the game already, Doc.
8:40: The Lakers defense has been much better tonight. They are forcing the C’s into bad shots and making role players handle the ball.
8:42: Again Rasheed Wallace is called for foul that he thinks he didn’t commit. I have news for Sheed you fouled him. Lakers 34-22
8:43: The Lakers are beating the C’s to all of the loose balls and 50/50 rebounds. Not a winning formula if you’re the Celtics.
8:46: Great Johnny Most (dead Celtics broadcaster) and Chick Hearn (dead Lakers broadcaster) montage.
8:48: We may have a blow out on our hands. Lakers up 40-22. The C’s are settling for jump shots and have been 1 and done all night whereas all the Lakers have been aggressive going to the basket and either finishing or drawing fouls.
8:51: The Karate Kid remake being #1 at the box office just sickens me, you know what else sickens me typing that there is a Karate Kid remake.
8:52: I would make a Dane Cook comment, but it would be not be interesting or funny just like he is.
8:54: The C’s need a run to close out the half for their sake and my interest level in writing this diary.
8:56: The Lakers bench especially Jordan Farmar has been great tonight as Farmar throws down a dunk on the break.
9:02: I may want to start channel surfing because this is a blow out. Lakers up 49-29
9:08: Derek Fisher just picked up his 3rd foul, but that actually hurts the C’s because Fisher has done nothing tonight
9:10: Pierce has been all kinds of bad tonight with another failed drive to the basket and turnover.
9:11: The Lakers close out a dominant 1st half up 51-31. The Lakers have played with a great effort so far on all fronts and all players. Artest even has 10 points despite still some questionable shot selection choices. The Lakers are killing the C’s on the glass 31-13 and has pretty much made Boston a jump shooting team, with the exception of Ray Allen is not their game. The C’s need a great start to the 3rd quarter to get the game to a reasonable margin by the end of the 3rd to have any chance at all. And thank you for that last sentence Captain Obvious!
3rd Quarter
9:35: C’s strike first in the half with a Rondo jump shot and so far they are getting stops against a stagnant Lakers offense right now.
9:36: And now Bynum heads back to the locker room to join Kendrick Perkins for a drink presumably
9:37: Ray Allen misses a lay-up and Odom drills a jump shot. That is something that the C’s can’t afford right now if they want to comeback.
9: 41: The C’s look much better on offense this half, but can’t seem to get any stops still and chip away at this lead. Lakers up 60-42 going into a break
9: 46: Shannon Brown on a dunk off an out of bounds play and the Lakers bench is out scoring the C’s 21-0. Where were they in Boston?
9:48: Kobe is playing really smart in that every time it seems the C’s are poised to make run he is driving to the basket and either finishing or drawing a foul.
9:52: The C’s are hanging around that 17 point deficit mark all quarter and they can’t seem to get it any lower. Lakers 68-51
9:52: They said it on the telecast and I agree the Perkins injury has given Gasol a lot more opportunity to roam in the paint because no other Celtics player can push him off the block.
9:57: Rondo is 5-15 tonight and Vujacic just hits a 3. The lead is 22; Lakers 73-51
10:00: Much like the Celtics tonight I think I am going to half ass this diary and not do the 4th quarter. Great effort by the Lakers tonight on both ends of the floor and their bench really came out with a lot of energy. Pretty much everybody I called out on the Lakers (Artest, Gasol, etc.) has had their best game of the series tonight. It will be interesting to see the health of Perkins for game 7 and see what adjustments the C’s can make. It’s clear the Lakers are going to make Rajon Rondo beat them, so he will have to step in game 7 after a pretty bad game here tonight. If the Lakers can match this energy and execution on Thursday then they are going to be tough to beat. Can it at least be close? That is all I am asking for and of course maybe another Christina Aguilera national anthem
10:06: Yeah, I don’t even have the desire for random BS as filler for this 4th quarter.
I’ll have some thoughts on Thursday before the game, and I am still undecided about doing a running diary. Until then, but tonight is your night LA...
Thanks to an inspired effort by Paul Pierce and solid contributions from Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett the Boston Celtics find themselves one win away from an NBA championship. Although, don't expect Kobe and the Lakers to roll over and just let that happen. With tonight potentially being the last game of the NBA season I figured I better get posting. Here are some thoughts about the series thus far and some things to look for tonight.
- I stated before that I thought Kobe would have a huge game 5 and he did, but did it really matter for the Lakers? There is no question Kobe needed to take over game 5 for the Lakers to win in Boston, but here lies the problem with Kobe taking over games it makes the rest of the Lakers stagnant. At one point Bryant scored 23 straight points for the Lakers, in that span the Celtics lead went from being up 1 to up 13. There is no question the C's are playing great defense, and that is contributing to some of the Lakers offensive woes, but let's face it no other Laker besides Bryant has stepped up his game to a championship level. The Lakers offense in game 5 was 4 guys standing around watching the 5th guy (Bryant) do all the work. And those were not easy shots that Bryant was hitting. In fact it is probably the 1st time in the 2 Finals series' against the Lakers that he truly got hot for an extended period of time. So, with no supporting cast help Kobe could have gone for 50 and it still would not have mattered. Speaking of the Lakers supporting cast.
- I don't what else I can say about Ron Artest on the offensive side of the ball other than he was getting cheered and encouraged to shoot the ball by C's fans every time he touched the ball. That's not a good sign. There is no question Artest has been a huge upgrade for the Lakers on the defensive end, but don't you think they would love to have Trevor Ariza back for his offense. It's just not that he is missing jump shots, it's that Artest has taken the 2nd most 3 pointers for the Lake show throughout the playoffs and is hitting at a 27% clip. Ouch! And that was the knock on Artest and a big reason the Rockets let him walk. He is settling for 3's when in reality he is a below average 3 point shooter. The other night in game 5 Pierce was lighting up the scoreboard and even at one time Kobe barked at Phil he wanted to guard him, so if Artest can't even do the job on Pierce then there is no reason for him to be out on the floor. Of course having typed all this watch Artest comes out tonight on fire and goes for 20+ points. Stranger things have happened.
- Another Lakers player that has disappointed is certainly Pau Gasol. It seems like Gasol has regressed again to the player we saw in the 2008 Finals and not the Gasol we saw last year in the Finals or throughout much of these playoffs. Some of that has had to do with the C's being able to double Gasol because the Lakers can't hit open shots. Another thing the C's have done a great job of is pushing Gasol off the block, but with a player of his caliber Gasol should not let that happen. Gasol needs to be more aggressive and step up next to Bryant to give the Lakers a legit 2nd scoring option and create some easier scoring opportunities
- On the Celtics front I would still be a little worried about Ray Allen's shooting woes since game 2, which have not seemed to get any better. However, Allen has resorted to posting up or cuts to try and get himself going, but sooner or later he will have to hit another big 3 for the C's. The C's also need the Paul Pierce of game 5 to show up to close out the Lakers. When Pierce is going that just makes the C's offense that much better, which at times in this series has really struggled. I mean the Lakers played pretty poor in game 5 and yet had a chance to win that game down the stretch save for a couple of missed FT's, lack of stops and bad call against them on 24 second violation. The C's need to make sure they keep moving the ball, attack the rim and don't just settle for 20 foot jump shots.
So, then onto some game 6 predictions...
- Will Boston's bench show up in LA? I don't think so. We saw some luster wear off in game 5 when Nate Robinson was clearly outplayed by Jordan Farmar. Tony Allen will still probably provide solid defense, but he continues to be a liability on the offensive end. So, it will come down to the play of Big Baby Davis and Rasheed Wallace, both of who can be a real wild cards for the C's in a good or bad way.
- The Lakers need the Lamar Odom that showed up in Boston to win this series. Odom was a non-factor in games 1&2, but played pretty solid in Boston. Odom was the only Laker that was a solid plus player in Boston (+16 +/-) and they are going to need that same effort from him if they plan on continuing their season.
- It will be interesting to see how the schedule works for both teams. Boston has won 2 of their games when there has been 2 days rest between games and are only 1-2 when there is one day rest between games. It seems the Lakers have the advantage, but I think the C's will be out for blood tonight and realize that they would be in trouble of this series goes 7.
- What Kobe will we see tonight? It seems that Kobe has been playing the role of facilitator in the early going of games to get his teammates involved, but I think tonight we will see him coming out gunning. I think in Bryant's mind he either takes the rest of the Lakers on his back to a championship or at least he will go down guns blazing.
- I think tonight will be an absolute battle and tonight's game will be the best game of the series. I think its imperative for Boston to weather the early momentum the Lakers will come out with and try and win this game in the 4th quarter with Pierce and Rondo. On the other hand the Lakers need a fast start and some shots to fall from the outside. If the Lakers can get some energy and shots from either Farmar or Shannon Brown or any other guards then I like their chances.
Prediction for tonight...
Once again I will be doing a running diary for tonight's game that will go up right after the horn sounds or Jeff Van Gundy says Queensbridge. Till tonight...
In the words of Bruce Buffer: It’s Time!!!!!!!!!. Hello and welcome to my live running diary for game 5 of the NBA Finals. This is obviously a huge game for both teams with the series tied at 2 games apiece. I kind of hinted at it on Friday in my post, but I think Kobe is going to have huge game tonight, an MJ like performance. So, I think it’s going to be a battle tonight. Here we go…
6:40pm: And on cue Jon Barry echoes my sentiments by saying that Kobe Bryant is going to have a huge game.
6:41: ABC really on the cutting edge with its music so far… Boston earlier and Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock take us to break. Did I spell EZ correctly?
6:47: Man this is a long commercial break. At least “Catch Me if you can?” is on TBS
6:50: Random information from Mike Wilbon and Jon Barry or more like stat sheets fed to them by producers. And Stuart Scott gets cut off as we head to another break. This night is off to a good start.
6:53: You know what’s terrible Charles Barkley is that there is no way in hell anybody would go to Taco Bell just for that $2 meal deal or just order 1 taco and bag of chips from that place. I think everybody that goes to Taco Bell at 2am is ordering a minimum of 4 items and has a BAC higher than 2
6:54: Now the Boston Pops for our National Anthem or better known as stuff that old white people like
6: 56: Bynum is in the lineup. Let’s see how long he plays
6:58: Really Celtics jumbotron piece? The first three players you show are Big Baby, Nate Robinson and Rasheed Wallace
7:00: Just a brilliant intro by ABC. I am seriously excited after that. Well done, ABC
7:25: Crap!! I got caught on the phone for the last 20 some minutes. Thoughts so far: Rondo is being real aggressive, which I like. Bynum has started real strong, but it looks like his knee is still bothering him. The C’s got off to a fast start, but the Lakers closed the gap and took the lead very similar to game 3. It looked like Boston could have blown the roof off the Garden early, but it looks like were settled In for a good one.
7:28: These ads with Sandler, Spade, James and Rock really need to stop
7:29: Great shots of Phil coaching in the Puerto Rican league and the CBA. Great disco shirts!
7:30: Ron Artest continues to cement his legacy as worst offensive player in an NBA Finals. C’s up 20-18
7:31: Let’s see which team can close out this quarter. Tied at 20
7:32: Pierce hoop for the C’s and draws a charge on the other end. 22-20 C’s
7:34: A Nate Robinson heave for the last shot of the quarter probably not the possession the C’s wanted. Kobe closes out a mediocre quarter and Gasol only took 2 shots and yet the Lakers are only down 2 points when it seems the C’s really out played them all quarter.
7:37: No way! It can’t be!! Yes, folks you see that correctly Adam Morrison is dressed for this game.
7:38: The C’s are getting great looks and so far have knocked them down. C’s up 24-20 to start the 2nd.
7:39: No Bryant or Gasol to start the 2nd. Let’s see how this goes…
7:40: LA is really hitting the offensive glass with a 6-0 advantage and some easy 2nd chance points. 26-22 C’s up
7:42: Nate Robinson is just so excited not just because it’s the NBA Finals, but because he no longer plays for the Knicks. C’s 30-22
7:43: Tom Cruise tries to prove he’s still a legitimate star by making a shitty looking PG-13 action movie. Tom the gig is up and that movie looks awful.
7:46: Nate Robinson is a turnover machine. Doc needs to bring back Rondo asap and he does. C’s up 30-26
7:48: Rondo was great drive to the rim and a reverse lay-up. C’s up 32-28
7:50: Hey oh! Artest drills a three to close the gap to 1. C’s up 32-31 as Mark Jackson poorly narrates a Rajon Rondo highlight as we head into a break.
7:54: JVG breaks down Kobe’s game so far, which has been more as a distributor than a scorer.
7:55: Garnett fouled hard then Rondo shoves Artest. Wait, huge flop by Artest and a Tech on Rondo and now a solid disagreement between JVG and Mark Jackson. I agree with JVG in that flopping should not be encouraged in basketball to draw calls. JVG getting gangster on this telecast calling out Queensbridge.
7:59: The Garden is rocking with the C’s up 41-37. Someone must have told them Aerosmith cancelled their half-time performance
8:00: This game is really out for the Lakers to steal. Kobe is 4-11 and it seems like the C’s are shooting the lights out. Yet their only up 4.
8:04: Bad officiating strikes again!! Rondo called for questionable push off. Otherwise the refs have not been to bad tonight. Although, I say that now there is still plenty for Joey Crawford to screw up.
8: 06: Runner by Rondo no good to end the quarter. Another bad end of the quarter possession by the Celts and they are leading 45-39.
8:08: The C’s are shooting 66% to LA’s 39%, but the Lakers have been pounding the offensive glass and getting to the line. This game is the Lakers for the taking if Kobe goes nuts in the 2nd half.
8:21: Here’s my guy Chris Connelly (sp?) doing the piece on Derek Fisher and my family. If tragedy strikes in sports there is an 85% chance that Chris Connelly will be there to report or narrate it.
8:25: This half needs to start so they game will be over by 10pm so I can watch the season finale of the best show on TV: “Breaking Bad”
8:28: Rondo opens the half with cutting lay-up off a pass from Garnett and Pierce bangs a 3. The C’s could really open up this game if they can get on a run. C’s up 50-39
8:30: Kobe needs to pick up his game and maybe that turnaround will be just the thing to spark it. 52-41 C’s lead
8:32: Ray Allen misses his 16th straight 3, but at least he is hitting his lay-ups.
8:35: Kobe is getting real warm to start the 3rd. He is in eff you mode right now, which means opposing defenders and young blondes of Colorado be damned you ain’t stopping him.
8:38: Kobe getting pissed out of the break and wants to guard Pierce, which means then there is absolutely no purpose for Ron Artest to be on the floor. Let’s see if Phil obliges him. C’s up 60-51
8:40: Turned on the Cubs-Sox game and fell asleep.
8:42: Kobe is turning in a quarter for the ages, but the Lakers can’t stop the C’s, who are still up 64-56.
8:43: I like Phil going with Walton instead of Artest . It should help out on both ends of the floor.
8:44: KG is putting on a clinic in the post tonight. This has been a weird game.
8:47: Fisher flops and doesn’t get the call and Allen scores in the post. Please stop with the flops. This is not soccer and you’re not European, Derek
8:49: Kobe may as well be playing 1 on 5 because he has gotten zero help and zero points so far this quarter from his teammates.
8:53: Pau Gasol goes hard to the rim for an And-1. I am pretty sure everybody got out of Gasol’s way because it looks like he has not showered in a month.
8:54: The Shrek (Big Baby) and Donkey (Nate Robinson) show is not in full swing here in game 5. In fact it’s been a bust.
8:56: Pierce has certainly showed up tonight in a big way for the C’s.
8:58 End of the 3rd, where Kobe killed it with 19 points, but the C’s still have the lead 73-65. Kobe was also on the bench at the end of the quarter, so will see if Phil is going to give him a rest.
9:02: The C’s are still shooting in 60% range, but the Lakers only down 6 after Gasol opens the quarter with a lay-up
9:03: Battle of the benches, except Kobe and Gasol still on the floor for LA. Score the 1st blow for Boston with that Rasheed Wallace 3
9:04: Even his own teammates don’t like him (Sasha Vujacic) as he failed to rotate on defense to stop Nate Robinson
9:07: I really like the way Pierce has played tonight. I have been waiting for him to do this all series.
9:07: And now the trailer for the best movie of 2010: “The Expendables”. This looks epic
9:09: All of these ABC summer shows look awful. I am going to hate my life (TV viewing at night) after the NBA Finals finish up.
9:11: C’s bring back in starters except for Rondo and Perkins, which is a lot earlier than they did in game 4. I think it’s a good move by Doc. Meanwhile, Phil benched Gasol and brought back Artest and Bynum, so let’s see how that works out.
9:14: The streak is still alive… Kendrick Perkins picks up a foul for a moving screen.
9:15: Artest open for 3??? Yeah, no thankfully for the Lakers Odom cleans up his mess. Artest is simultaneously bringing joy to all Celtics fans when he shoots and slowly killing every Lakers fan just a little bit with each shot. C’s up 81-75 heading into break
9:18: Crap, I jinxed it in my last blog post they just showed Spike Lee at the game.
9:20: The C’s really excel on the 1 on none fast break, then not so much in every other phase of the fast break. Maybe they can take some notes from Gabe Kaplan
9:21: Just realized nobody got that Kaplan reference. Check his imdb page I don’t have time to explain.
9:22: Ridiculous tip by Rondo on a missed 3. He has really been solid tonight. All of the C’s that needed to show up and elevate their game tonight have done so thus far.
9:23: Kobe just picked up his 5th foul and David Stern promptly called down to the scorer’s table to say that it will be his last called foul of the night. C’s up 87-75
9:25: Switched onto the Cubs game as they try to blow a 9th inning lead and I am not really surprised. Man, I hate baseball.
9: 29: Gasol knocks down 2 FT’s and gets to double figures. He is the only player besides Bryant to reach double digits tonight. And even he’s has been pretty average tonight.
9:31: Here comes the foul parade. Artest hits 1-2 for LA and Perkins fouled on the miss.
9:32: Perk misses both as the Zen master takes a 20 and looks down his bench for Bobby Hansen
9:35: Bryant fouled on 3. Hits all three 3 FT’s as somebody throws something on the court during his 3rd free throw.
9:37: Questionable 24 second shot clock violation goes the Celtics way as the refs say the ball hit the rim C’s keep possession. Why is that not reviewable? Wake up, David Stern this is the 21st century and let’s use replay on that call. It looks like the Lakers got screwed.
9: 40: Phil is saying the Celtics know how to lose in the 4th quarter. Great motivation, Phil. Exactly, how do you plan to execute that? Because it’s not looking good at this point
9:41: Artest fouled on a breakaway off a jump ball and misses both FT’s. Why is he in the game again? C’s up 87-82 with 38 seconds left going to a break.
9:44: Here comes the GNR and just an unbelievable play by Pierce to save the ball and insane finish by Rondo, who should have been fouled by Artest. C’s up 7 with 35 seconds left.
9:45: The Lakers let 10 seconds go off the clock before fouling Ray Allen. Not exactly a good game plan
9:46: Garnett hits 1 of 2 free throws. Lakers call TO down 6 with 8 seconds left.
9:48: I know they are only down 6, but it seems like the Lakers have never been in this game after the 1st quarter. Everybody besides Bryant has been terrible and that is certainly not a championship formula. I would send Artest back to Queensbridge for game 6 and possibly game 7 especially if he can’t stop Pierce.
9:49: 2 desperation 3’s fall short and that’s your ballgame 92-86 Celtics
9:50: The C’s really stepped up tonight. Pierce played his best game tonight and Rondo was great as well. The Lakers wasted a great game by Kobe, so let’s see if they can regroup back in LA.
9:51: The C’s can close out the series on Tuesday night and win a championship and myself a little bit of walking around money. Till then…
This would have made a better bronze bust... 
- Another Lakers player that has disappointed is certainly Pau Gasol. It seems like Gasol has regressed again to the player we saw in the 2008 Finals and not the Gasol we saw last year in the Finals or throughout much of these playoffs. Some of that has had to do with the C's being able to double Gasol because the Lakers can't hit open shots. Another thing the C's have done a great job of is pushing Gasol off the block, but with a player of his caliber Gasol should not let that happen. Gasol needs to be more aggressive and step up next to Bryant to give the Lakers a legit 2nd scoring option and create some easier scoring opportunities
