Sports Illustrated has San Antonio winning the NBA championship, seemingly just because of their "every-other-year" mystique. I love the Spurs too, but I can't see them winning it again with this group. Duncan's been around since the days when there was a jump ball after every basket, and all the other stalwarts are a year older as well. (Funny how that works.) True, Ginobili had a bum ankle in last year's conference finals, but Bynum didn't play at all for the Lakers. Artest is with the Rockets, and as much as I detest that sociopath, he could put them over the top if he doesn't self-implode or decide to take up "singing" full-time. Can't see the Celts repeating, with everyone a year older but maybe not wiser, and with Posey gone.
Speaking of Posey, here's another guy who gives the lie to the preposition that players just want to win.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Bob, Bob, Bobbin' along
What's the best first name to predict NBA stardom?
Of the Top 50 NBA Players of All Time, there are two Nates (Archibald and Thurmond), two Johns (Havlicek and Stockton), and two Jerrys (West and Lucas). There are three Daves (Cowens, Debusschere and Robinson), and three Bobs (Cousy, Pettit and Parish).
There are four Bills: (Billy) Cunningham, Russell, Sharman and Walton.
Add Dave Bing and David West to the Daves, and you've got a pretty good starting five. But sorry, not as good as the Bobs: Add McAdoo and Lanier, and bring Bob Love off the bench.
The Bobs have it.
Of the Top 50 NBA Players of All Time, there are two Nates (Archibald and Thurmond), two Johns (Havlicek and Stockton), and two Jerrys (West and Lucas). There are three Daves (Cowens, Debusschere and Robinson), and three Bobs (Cousy, Pettit and Parish).
There are four Bills: (Billy) Cunningham, Russell, Sharman and Walton.
Add Dave Bing and David West to the Daves, and you've got a pretty good starting five. But sorry, not as good as the Bobs: Add McAdoo and Lanier, and bring Bob Love off the bench.
The Bobs have it.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Pre-Olympic frolics
The NBA Olympians are waltzing through the far-flung meadows of international hoops, making a mockery of their exhibition tour. Maybe they can stave off the mighty Greeks and staunch Spaniards when the real deal begins. Coach K has whipped the troops into shape, but then he's used to coaching rosters full of NBA players.
Friday, June 20, 2008
NBA says adieu, at long last
Reflections on 2008 Playoffs (which went on so long they could almost have been called the 2008-09 Playoffs):
Kobe was petulant. The Triangle turned out to be too square for the Lakers. Could Jordan have taken this group to the Promised Land? I think so.
Pierce-Garnett-Allen may like the name Big Three, but they do not resonate like the originals. Where, by the way, were they? We saw Havlicek and Russell ad nauseum, but nary a glimpse of Bird, McHale or Parrish.
Studio analyst Jon Barry may not have inherited his dad's basketball ability but he did inherit the arrogance. Where was the mention of his old man on Father's Day, when Bill Walton was rhapsodizing about being a father to journeyman Luke? Barry might have given at least a nod to his Hall-of-Fame father.
David Stern may not have been happy about the Game 6 blowout, but the referees had to. No pint shaving in that one.
Kobe was petulant. The Triangle turned out to be too square for the Lakers. Could Jordan have taken this group to the Promised Land? I think so.
Pierce-Garnett-Allen may like the name Big Three, but they do not resonate like the originals. Where, by the way, were they? We saw Havlicek and Russell ad nauseum, but nary a glimpse of Bird, McHale or Parrish.
Studio analyst Jon Barry may not have inherited his dad's basketball ability but he did inherit the arrogance. Where was the mention of his old man on Father's Day, when Bill Walton was rhapsodizing about being a father to journeyman Luke? Barry might have given at least a nod to his Hall-of-Fame father.
David Stern may not have been happy about the Game 6 blowout, but the referees had to. No pint shaving in that one.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Woe be to Kobe
Kobe Bryant appears to be able to score at will, choosing to bide his time during a game as he did in the Spurs series, and now evidently biding his time in a series.
Still, Bryant has never engaged the imagination and the heart of America, as Jordan did. His swagger is surly, not joyous like MJ's. His name does not fall reverently from one's lips.
Still, Bryant has never engaged the imagination and the heart of America, as Jordan did. His swagger is surly, not joyous like MJ's. His name does not fall reverently from one's lips.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Playoffs march toward July
Celtics subdue Pistons in Game One. Rasheed hasn't yet guaranteed his team will win the series, but just wait...
We also forecast: Detroit will keep on isolating Rasheed to go one-on-one; he'll miss a couple -- screaming for a foul each time, of course -- and as the game begins to slip away he'll self-implode. Just wait...
What's wrong with Ray Allen? Evidentally he's one of those guys averse to playoff basketball. Amazing how many there are. Rare is the NBA star whose stats go up in the playoffs; rarer still are those who play a 7th game like they've played a first or second. (See Chris Paul.) The Birds, the Magics, the Jordans come along once in a red, white and blue moon.
Has Tyson Chandler been the most one-dimensional player in the playoffs? (Answer: Yes.) Can't remember a single basket he made that wasn't a lob from Paul.
Barkley admitted to owing $400K at a casino and paid the debt, with a $40K kicker for the attorney involved. Guess he'll have to ask TNT for a raise. Tell us, Sir Charles, who you're betting on, so we can go with the opposite.
We also forecast: Detroit will keep on isolating Rasheed to go one-on-one; he'll miss a couple -- screaming for a foul each time, of course -- and as the game begins to slip away he'll self-implode. Just wait...
What's wrong with Ray Allen? Evidentally he's one of those guys averse to playoff basketball. Amazing how many there are. Rare is the NBA star whose stats go up in the playoffs; rarer still are those who play a 7th game like they've played a first or second. (See Chris Paul.) The Birds, the Magics, the Jordans come along once in a red, white and blue moon.
Has Tyson Chandler been the most one-dimensional player in the playoffs? (Answer: Yes.) Can't remember a single basket he made that wasn't a lob from Paul.
Barkley admitted to owing $400K at a casino and paid the debt, with a $40K kicker for the attorney involved. Guess he'll have to ask TNT for a raise. Tell us, Sir Charles, who you're betting on, so we can go with the opposite.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Going Green again
Celts make it to Eastern Finals, but they are not the Celtics of Bird et al, for whom I rooted rabidly. Pierce had 41 and Lebron 45 and afterwards they both likened it to the Bird-Dominique shootout. Har de har har.
I will, however, root rabidly for Boston vs. Detroit. The odious Rasheed, I have decided, is in my top 5 Hated Athletes of All Time, along with:
Bill Laimbeer (number one) -- today is Laimbeer's birthday, one he shares with Kevin Garnett (one of the best guys ever) and Dolph Schayes, an old-timer who people say was the Larry Bird of his day.
I will, however, root rabidly for Boston vs. Detroit. The odious Rasheed, I have decided, is in my top 5 Hated Athletes of All Time, along with:
Bill Laimbeer (number one) -- today is Laimbeer's birthday, one he shares with Kevin Garnett (one of the best guys ever) and Dolph Schayes, an old-timer who people say was the Larry Bird of his day.
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