The NBA Playoffs Are Heating Up
Football season is still months away, but that doesn’t mean the NFL isn’t making headlines. Unfortunately, there isn’t much happening at present that sheds a positive light on the sport. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather steer clear of Roethlisberger and LT right now. Let the tabloids run that garbage, I’m changing channels. I’m watching the NBA playoffs, home of the finest three-man team in sports television today. That’s right, I’m talking about Charles “Pour me another nightcap” Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Some of us who watch the NBA playoffs are just as interested in seeing who has “Gone fishin'” as we are in watching the final seconds of a close contest. But that’s enough about the talking heads, let’s focus on what’s happening on the hardwood.
The NBA Playoffs Are Heating Up
Football season is still months away, but that doesn’t mean the NFL isn’t making headlines. Unfortunately, there isn’t much happening at present that sheds a positive light on the sport. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather steer clear of Roethlisberger and LT right now. Let the tabloids run that garbage, I’m changing channels. I’m watching the NBA playoffs, home of the finest three-man team in sports television today. That’s right, I’m talking about Charles “Pour me another nightcap” Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Some of us who watch the NBA playoffs are just as interested in seeing who has “Gone fishin'” as we are in watching the final seconds of a close contest. But that’s enough about the talking heads, let’s focus on what’s happening on the hardwood.
Quick, someone get that man a crown!
He hasn’t been plain old LeBron for some time now, but at this stage of the playoffs, he’s having trouble living up to the hype. King James, they call him, that or The Chosen One, only he doesn’t look like royalty right now. Cleveland just got routed at their house and now Boston can end the series at home. Is James poised for greatness, or will what could amount to his last year as a Cavalier end in colossal disappointment? If this team doesn’t win a championship, it can’t be viewed as anything but an utter failure, and the key ingredient in this particular pie is that Chosen One fellow.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s time for the King to put up or shut up. We’re talking about legacy here, and while there can be no doubt that he’s one of the best players ever, he needs a championship. There are winners, and he is already one of those, but if he wants to be a champion he has to remind us of just how special he is.
So, can he do it? Can Cleveland finally celebrate a trophy? Will King James deliver on his considerable promise or will the Cavs suffer a monumental defeat? Call me a naysayer, but I’m banking on the latter. I think LeBron’s mysterious elbow injury has derailed his game, and all those big off season questions have to be wearing on him. I also think Doc “It makes perfect sense to avoid settling on a starting unit at all costs—at least to me it does” Rivers has completely out coached Cleveland and the new kid wearing 23. Also, for those who don’t know, Rajon Rondo is a star in this league. Now you know.
Regardless of how this series pans out, I’m taking the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals. That team is nasty thanks to Dwight Howard’s outstanding defense, and whenever the real Vince Carter makes one of his appearances they’re virtually unstoppable. I think they will beat either Cleveland or Boston, but we should have a tough 6 or 7 game series either way. The East has a wealth of talent now, and I’m looking forward to some terrific basketball.
Out west the Lakers have regained their swagger while Phoenix is running full speed ahead with a battered Steve Nash at the helm. If Nash is healthy enough to play his game, I believe Phoenix has the edge in this series, at least on paper. However, if you think I’m betting against Kobe and Phil, you’re crazy. I’m backing the Lakers in what should be a fantastic series. I will be disappointed by anything less than 7 games and I’m really stoked about this match-up. What was it TO used to say about popcorn?
Quick Slants
Congratulations to Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athleticss for throwing Major League Baseball’s 19th no-hitter. Tampa Bay is a solid club, but how do you account for allowing 2 of the 19 no-hitters on record in consecutive seasons?
It’s too late for a draft recap, but as a diehard Seahawks fan, I am really pleased. Great picks at positions of need and a few no-brainer trades to boot made this one of our better drafts—for what that’s worth. Believe me, I know how meaningless draft grades are. How many Rick Mirer rookie cards did I buy? Too many. Way too damn many. If you want them, drop me a line and I’ll gladly send them your way.
If Albert Haynesworth doesn’t get traded, look for him to have a spectacularly lousy season with the Washington Redskins. I would fully expect that he’ll pretend to be hurt and lay on the field for a few minutes so that he can catch his breath once for every five downs he actually plays, as opposed to his typical one for ten ratio.
Hockey is happening, but it remains one of those sports I want to develop an interest in as opposed to one of those sports I have developed a taste for. Olympic hockey is great, but it only comes along once every 8 years and the NHL has yet to win me over. To be honest, I think the closest I ever got to picking a team and getting serious about the sport was back when I was playing Blades of Steel on the old school NES. Seriously.
Tiger Woods is obviously a prick, and apparently his game these days resembles his ability to flee a woman armed with a golf club without incident. Good for him.
Apparently Floyd may actually put his 41-0 record on the line against Manny, and I’m not so sure that he shouldn’t just avoid this one altogether. If it happens, and I’m still having a hard time believing that it will, I think Pacquiao has a great chance to be the man who finally shuts Mayweather up. I would like to see all the talk actually amount to something because boxing really needs a fight of this magnitude, but when was the last time professional boxing actually managed to give the fans what they want?
Sports Quote of the Week:
King James on modesty: “When you have a bad game here or there, you’ve had three bad games in a seven-year career, then it’s easy to point that out.”
