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I debated between 3 titles for this write-up before finally deciding on a broad name with emphasis on all three of my thesii.
(Alternate Title: The Movie Starring the 2011 Dallas Mavericks)
1. The so-called Basketball Gods DO exist
2. This team saved Basketball
3. This was the greatest NBA Playoffs and Finals of all-time
(Bare in mind that I've already waxed poetic about the man, the myth, the legend: Dirk Nowitzki)
1. The Miami Heat winning this 2011 NBA title just wouldn't have been right. Not after how they circumnavigated the system. Not after the 2006 NBA Finals. Not after those has-beens mocked the best player in the series after he just got done kicking their ass at 50%.
If these so-called "Basketball Gods" did exist, they certainly wouldn't be doing their job if they did the Dallas Mavericks in like that once again. However, after witnessing the 2011 NBA Finals, I'm ready to fully embrace their existence.
In case you're wondering just why I feel the Mavs were the team deserving of such justice, look no further than 2006. The Mavs got screwed (however, they remain at fault because of how terribly they handled it). So maybe the better proclamation is that the Miami Heat were so undeserving of that title that it hurt me as a sports fan.
Although it wasn't just that the right team won the 2011 NBA Championship, but how they won. It was almost an exact role reversal from 2006, except that the Mavs didn't need David Stern's intervention. Big lead in the series (although it was more pronounced than it actually was). Huge comeback planting seeds of doubt. Superstar crumbling in front of a nation. The way it all unfolded was like a movie. It was poetic justice at its finest. And it was beautiful.
2. The NBA would not be a beautiful sight if the Miami Heat won the 2011 NBA Finals, which was the biggest and best case of a pure team vs. a group of individuals that I have ever seen.
The Dallas Mavericks play a beautiful brand of basketball. Their passing abilities are brilliant enough to impress even Brazilian soccer fans. Their biggest strength was their belief in each other, and their collective drive towards one goal. Each and every player was ready to go to war because they believed their leaders deserved an NBA Championship. Most of the players made individual sacrifices for the betterment of the team (DeShawn and Marion come to mind first). None of them ever doubted Rick Carlisle, despite his deployed tactics that made little sense on the surface (Barea's promotion despite struggles). They believed in him. They were ready to sacrifice. And they wanted to win. As a team.
And now a word of wisdom on each of the Mavericks:
Dirk's drive
Terry's cajones
Kidd's calming presence
Barea's might
Marion's style
Chandler's tenacity
The Custodian's scrappiness
Haywood's free throws
DeShawn's N**** please 3's
Myanmar's silky smooth J
Peja's.......Peja's.......neckbeard!
Unidentified hype guy's fistpumps
Cuban's "Doesn't matter"s
And then you have the Miami pieces of sHeat. Their idea of a good offense was to sit around until the shot clock got low and then isolate 1 of their 3 studs to go 1-on-1. It wasn't basketball. In fact, it might have been the death of basketball. Professional sports leagues are full of copycats. When a team wins a Championship, everybody else looks at them to see how they did it. Then they try do that themselves. Can you imagine 28 other teams adopting that style of basketball?
I'm glad we don't have to. While some people might enjoy their chase at a repeat, I'd much rather see them face the pressure of trying to capture their first title once again. However, as great as next season might be....
3. We will never see another season quite like the NBA's 2010-11 season. LeBron's Decision may have been the biggest image boost combined with the biggest reputation hit we've ever seen. The act itself was as polarizing as the result. Never has something seemed so poorly thought out, only to turn out to be pure genius.
LeBron's wild ride of a season is something we will never forget. Suddenly everybody cared about the NBA again. Only they cared because they wanted to watch LeBron lose (or perhaps more importantly, see him fail). Yes, the Heat will be right back in the thick of the race next year, but it won't be the same. There's no way. Hatred tends to die down when given time, especially when there's reason to sympathize (and eventually he'll play a few of his cards correctly...right?). People wanted to see him fail right now. I think people are fine with him winning the next 8 titles as long as he lost this year. They wanted instant retribution.
Then you combine that with America's adopted hero, who happens to hail from a country most recognized by one of the world's biggest catastrophes ever. Talk about a redemption story. But people embraced Dirk. They sympathized with his past failures (see?). They could see how much it meant to him. They wanted him to win. There was a defiant good guy and a defiant bad guy (no matter how unlikely the casted roles seemed just 12 months ago) in the NBA Finals. That's what people want.
And then you have the actual games. Every one of them was undecided going into the 4th quarter. Games 2, 3, and 4 all came down to the last and final shot (Dirk make/Wade miss, Dirk miss, Miller miss) and will all be shown on ESPN Classic someday. Game 5 was the pinnacle of professional basketball in terms of hype and quality of play, with both teams playing well enough to win any other game of the series. Game 6 saw an underdog close out on the road to win their first NBA title of all time.
Plus, there was an actual dislike between the teams. Dirk and the Mavs despising Wade and the Heat because of the 2006 NBA Finals. Wade and LeBron mad like little school girls because everybody hated them. There was a stargazed feud that witnessed (!) LeBron's second fiddle act reach an all time high. And there was Dirk working on the proper pronunciation of "ig'nant." And there was (finally) a fight!
We saw the birth of a superstar, who gave us the "Genuine sports moment of 2011" (Sports Guy) with his escape act celebration. We saw many start to question The Unquestioned One, including a media member who may have swung the series (God bless Gregg Doyel). We saw His Dirkness become a legitimate fan of Chris Bosh (UnlikeABosh). We saw (but will soon forget) Juwan Howard and The Custodian playing crucial NBA Finals minutes. We saw Mario's Miracle versions II and III. We saw a Puerto Rican 5'8 NBA Finals difference maker. We saw an effective zone defense (first time in NBA Playoffs history?). We saw Jason Terry flash many skills, none more impressive than his prophetic tattoo. And we saw the Miami Heat wave the white (out) flag with time still on the clock in what was supposed to be their coronation.
Combine the great Finals with the beginning of a Golden Age in the NBA, and that's how you arrive at the best NBA Playoffs of all time. There were upsets like an 8 seed beating a 1. There were ahead-of-schedule contenders (Thunder) and enjoyable pretenders (Lakers). There was a series between two small market teams that people actually cared about. There was an undressing of an MVP, followed by an undressing of the world's best player. There was the antagonist juggernaut that seemed as dominant as advertised until the last act. And there were the protagonist underdogs who prevailed in the end. It all played out like it was a part of Hollywood.
Hollywood as hell.
His Dirkness
Showing posts with label the decision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the decision. Show all posts
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
10 Thoughts on LeBron
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I've been trying to stay solely focused on the Dallas Mavericks throughout these NBA Finals because of the mostly one-sided focus of the national media, but The LeBhronicles have become too damn fascinating. And who doesn't like a Top 10 list? So here goes...
(Note: Michael Jordan's name will not make one appearance in this write-up after this paragraph. The fact that any and every good player gets compared to MJ on a game-to-game basis is an incredibly lazy and elementary train of thought. To make Lebron out as a failure simply because he doesn't measure up to Jordan is absurdly ridiculous. Anybody who states "Jordan would never have done that" in reference to LeBron deserves to be mushroom stamped by a big, fat LeBroner. End rant.)
1. All of the LeBronalysis that followed the LeBreltdown is leading up to tonight's crescendo, in what could be the most intriguing game the NBA has produced since Michael J.....damnit! Since No-Tippin' Pippen and the Chicago Bulls won their last Championship in 1998 (and that's only what most people would say, I'd say ever). Not only is the power of an NBA Championship on the line, a title that would be the first for each of the team's biggest stars. But can you remember a game with so much significance placed on one man's shoulders? Whether LeBron plays good or bad, he's going to be the story. And every action of his on the court is fair game. How will he react? With what we've seen from him before, anything from another single digit no-show to a 50-point takeover is possible. Hell, I wouldn't rule out him giving birth to a baby hippo at midcourt, AND THEN hitting the game winning shot. One thing is for sure, for better or worse, and whether he likes it or not, LeBron has all of our eyes directly on him.
2. Lebron has played mostly bad in the NBA Finals and was truly awful in Game 4. However, the most interesting part of his Game 4 meltdown wasn't that he played a bad game (because everybody has bad games), it was how eager he was to disappear. Have you ever seen a 6'9, 270 pound man try to hide in an arena filled with 19,600 people that happens to be on television with over 16 million people watching from home? Well, if you watched Tuesday night's game then you did. While much of the Game 3 criticism was unfair, it was foreshadowingly clear that he wanted no part in being a deciding factor of the game, or the series. He seemed so afraid of failing that he didn't even try, which is cowardly - and I don't like saying that - I'd much rather hurl that insult Jay Cutler's way, who actually went through a very similar situation in the NFC Championship Game this year - but it is very cowardly.
3. I wouldn't label LeBron as a choker, but when he does start to feel the pressure, he feels it immensely. And he shuts down in an unbelievable fashion. Like "Are you sure LeBron is still playing?" fashion. Like "Oh my god, is one of his teammates sleeping with his Mom?" fashion. The first big case of it was seen in last year's Game 5 loss to the Boston Celtics. But, Game 4 of these Finals may have been a bigger, better, and brighter example.
4. The most surprising part of the Game 4 LeBreltdown might have been what happened before it. Jason Terry, who likes to talk, and who had been shut down by LeBron in the previous 3 games, called him out, saying that he wants to see if LeBron continue to shut him down throughout the entirety of the series. Everybody thought he was crazy. You're gonna call out LeBron after he already had enough motivation coming off a game where he received a tremendous amount of criticism despite winning? However, it's impossible to say it didn't work. I wouldn't pinpoint it as the main reason for LeBron's poor performance, but it very well could've been a factor. And yes, it was Terry shaking free from LeBron and hitting the two most important shots of Game 4. Did the words play a part in his intimidated demeanor, or was it simply the moment?
5. The other theory about the causation of the LeBreltdown is that he is somewhat sensitive. Was he sensitive from the tongue lashing he got via Dwyane Wade down the stretch of Game 3? Or was he sensitive from the infamous Gregg Doyel question, when he asked him about shrinkage ('it shrinks? Yes, like a frightened turtle')? Was all of that in his head? Did it lead to him questioning himself and his game? Was the talk of Wade winning the Finals MVP over him a factor? Was he affected by the talk of The Rapture? Will we ever find out the answers to any of these questions? How many questions can I write in a row? Answer - 8.
6. The biggest LeSponse being tossed around is that 'Bron is simply fatigued - physically, mentally, and emotionally. He played every single game this season with an eff-U attitude aimed at the rest of the league, because of how everybody responded to The Decision. He's played atleast 39 minutes (usually in the 45-46 minute range) in every playoff game. The solution to this seems simple enough (rest him more during games), while the blame has to fall squarely on Erik Spoelstra (for not resting him more during the inconsequential regular season). I expect to see him take a few breathers in tonight's Game 5, while I expect the Mavs to run Jason Terry in circles if they stick LeBron on him again.
7. Even at his very worst, LeBron is still comparable to, say, Rajon Rondo. He still dished out 7 assists, including a length of the court outlet pass that hit D-Wade in stride, giving him a chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 30 ticks left. He still came down with 9 rebounds. He still came to the postgame presser in an olive green blazer. He still....well, that's all I got, but I fulfilled my obligation to include one optimistic thought!
8. LeBron has never had to work hard for what he's wanted. Everything has always been handed to him. He was born with the athleticism that makes him the most talented basketball player in the world. He became a household name in high school before he'd ever really accomplished anything. He didn't stay in Cleveland trying to make it work. He came to Miami expecting Championships to be handed to him. He might just not know how to work hard for what he wants, but this could be developed over his career.
9. The polarization of LeBron is fantastic for sports and NBA fans. While his fans remain insecure without a go-to argument like Kobe's 5 rings, the haters remain terrified of what will happen if he gets his head on straight. However, the point that most of his fans are missing when they complain about the amount of hate he endures, is that it's a tremendous sign of respect. It's his greatness that leads to polarization like that. Remember that if you're a LeBron fan and you've taken on the attitude of the Heat, whining every chance you get about how everybody is rooting against you. A non-response might be more telling than an articulate response. People would stop hating pretty fast.
10. I wonder if LeBron would change his Decision knowing everything that he knows now. All the hate, all the criticism. Is it worth it? Would one Championship as the top dog outweigh multiple as something of a sidekick (might be able to ask Dirk after this series)? Would he prefer to go back to being beloved by a city (and a country) at the risk of never winning a ring? Has this been experience been anything like he imagined (there's no way right?)? This is a question that will never get answered because LeBron has to live with the results and would never admit that he made the wrong choice. It was the choice he made. It was - The Decision.
His Dirkness
I've been trying to stay solely focused on the Dallas Mavericks throughout these NBA Finals because of the mostly one-sided focus of the national media, but The LeBhronicles have become too damn fascinating. And who doesn't like a Top 10 list? So here goes...
(Note: Michael Jordan's name will not make one appearance in this write-up after this paragraph. The fact that any and every good player gets compared to MJ on a game-to-game basis is an incredibly lazy and elementary train of thought. To make Lebron out as a failure simply because he doesn't measure up to Jordan is absurdly ridiculous. Anybody who states "Jordan would never have done that" in reference to LeBron deserves to be mushroom stamped by a big, fat LeBroner. End rant.)
1. All of the LeBronalysis that followed the LeBreltdown is leading up to tonight's crescendo, in what could be the most intriguing game the NBA has produced since Michael J.....damnit! Since No-Tippin' Pippen and the Chicago Bulls won their last Championship in 1998 (and that's only what most people would say, I'd say ever). Not only is the power of an NBA Championship on the line, a title that would be the first for each of the team's biggest stars. But can you remember a game with so much significance placed on one man's shoulders? Whether LeBron plays good or bad, he's going to be the story. And every action of his on the court is fair game. How will he react? With what we've seen from him before, anything from another single digit no-show to a 50-point takeover is possible. Hell, I wouldn't rule out him giving birth to a baby hippo at midcourt, AND THEN hitting the game winning shot. One thing is for sure, for better or worse, and whether he likes it or not, LeBron has all of our eyes directly on him.
2. Lebron has played mostly bad in the NBA Finals and was truly awful in Game 4. However, the most interesting part of his Game 4 meltdown wasn't that he played a bad game (because everybody has bad games), it was how eager he was to disappear. Have you ever seen a 6'9, 270 pound man try to hide in an arena filled with 19,600 people that happens to be on television with over 16 million people watching from home? Well, if you watched Tuesday night's game then you did. While much of the Game 3 criticism was unfair, it was foreshadowingly clear that he wanted no part in being a deciding factor of the game, or the series. He seemed so afraid of failing that he didn't even try, which is cowardly - and I don't like saying that - I'd much rather hurl that insult Jay Cutler's way, who actually went through a very similar situation in the NFC Championship Game this year - but it is very cowardly.
3. I wouldn't label LeBron as a choker, but when he does start to feel the pressure, he feels it immensely. And he shuts down in an unbelievable fashion. Like "Are you sure LeBron is still playing?" fashion. Like "Oh my god, is one of his teammates sleeping with his Mom?" fashion. The first big case of it was seen in last year's Game 5 loss to the Boston Celtics. But, Game 4 of these Finals may have been a bigger, better, and brighter example.
4. The most surprising part of the Game 4 LeBreltdown might have been what happened before it. Jason Terry, who likes to talk, and who had been shut down by LeBron in the previous 3 games, called him out, saying that he wants to see if LeBron continue to shut him down throughout the entirety of the series. Everybody thought he was crazy. You're gonna call out LeBron after he already had enough motivation coming off a game where he received a tremendous amount of criticism despite winning? However, it's impossible to say it didn't work. I wouldn't pinpoint it as the main reason for LeBron's poor performance, but it very well could've been a factor. And yes, it was Terry shaking free from LeBron and hitting the two most important shots of Game 4. Did the words play a part in his intimidated demeanor, or was it simply the moment?
5. The other theory about the causation of the LeBreltdown is that he is somewhat sensitive. Was he sensitive from the tongue lashing he got via Dwyane Wade down the stretch of Game 3? Or was he sensitive from the infamous Gregg Doyel question, when he asked him about shrinkage ('it shrinks? Yes, like a frightened turtle')? Was all of that in his head? Did it lead to him questioning himself and his game? Was the talk of Wade winning the Finals MVP over him a factor? Was he affected by the talk of The Rapture? Will we ever find out the answers to any of these questions? How many questions can I write in a row? Answer - 8.
6. The biggest LeSponse being tossed around is that 'Bron is simply fatigued - physically, mentally, and emotionally. He played every single game this season with an eff-U attitude aimed at the rest of the league, because of how everybody responded to The Decision. He's played atleast 39 minutes (usually in the 45-46 minute range) in every playoff game. The solution to this seems simple enough (rest him more during games), while the blame has to fall squarely on Erik Spoelstra (for not resting him more during the inconsequential regular season). I expect to see him take a few breathers in tonight's Game 5, while I expect the Mavs to run Jason Terry in circles if they stick LeBron on him again.
7. Even at his very worst, LeBron is still comparable to, say, Rajon Rondo. He still dished out 7 assists, including a length of the court outlet pass that hit D-Wade in stride, giving him a chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 30 ticks left. He still came down with 9 rebounds. He still came to the postgame presser in an olive green blazer. He still....well, that's all I got, but I fulfilled my obligation to include one optimistic thought!
8. LeBron has never had to work hard for what he's wanted. Everything has always been handed to him. He was born with the athleticism that makes him the most talented basketball player in the world. He became a household name in high school before he'd ever really accomplished anything. He didn't stay in Cleveland trying to make it work. He came to Miami expecting Championships to be handed to him. He might just not know how to work hard for what he wants, but this could be developed over his career.
9. The polarization of LeBron is fantastic for sports and NBA fans. While his fans remain insecure without a go-to argument like Kobe's 5 rings, the haters remain terrified of what will happen if he gets his head on straight. However, the point that most of his fans are missing when they complain about the amount of hate he endures, is that it's a tremendous sign of respect. It's his greatness that leads to polarization like that. Remember that if you're a LeBron fan and you've taken on the attitude of the Heat, whining every chance you get about how everybody is rooting against you. A non-response might be more telling than an articulate response. People would stop hating pretty fast.
10. I wonder if LeBron would change his Decision knowing everything that he knows now. All the hate, all the criticism. Is it worth it? Would one Championship as the top dog outweigh multiple as something of a sidekick (might be able to ask Dirk after this series)? Would he prefer to go back to being beloved by a city (and a country) at the risk of never winning a ring? Has this been experience been anything like he imagined (there's no way right?)? This is a question that will never get answered because LeBron has to live with the results and would never admit that he made the wrong choice. It was the choice he made. It was - The Decision.
His Dirkness
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
NBA's 7 Most Interesting Teams
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It feels like the NBA has ushered in a whole new generation of talent. My interest level is at an all-time high. I actually embraced the NBA season before the College Basketball season, which might've been a first. I spent all Christmas day giddily watching NBA games. I've been checking scores semi-frequently. I've even launched a semi-serious hip hop career in my free time (sort of a cross between Joaquin Phoenix and Tamba Hali). To prove my point about how interesting the NBA is right now, I'm gonna give you 7 teams that I would watch if they were on TV right now (that's 8 more than 5 years ago) in order of interest level. I'll let the Dirka Dirka handle the segue....
1. Miami Heat - I couldn't have hated The Decision more. I felt like it was everything wrong with sports all bundled up into a nice, neat, hourlong special. But, I was analyzing The Decision for what it was, instead of examining the long-term effects of it. And the reality is, it created an incredible amount of interest in the NBA. It was a publicity machine. I've come full circle, and am ready to admit that the Miami Heat are awesome, and I'm not even sure if I'm cheering for them yet or not. But, the point is, that I care, something I haven't said about the NBA regular season in, well, forever? The NBA needed a villain, and the Heat have definitely become that, getting vigorously boo'd in every opposing arena. LeDarth gets boo'd essentially every time he touches the ball. They're selling out every arena they visit, while, ironically, not even selling out their own home games. Miami has no fans. We are literally seeing a team that everybody is rooting against. I became intrigued when they failed so spectacularly at the beginning of the season, curious about how that was possible. It's almost like we're witnessing a study on how a team comprised of 3 super-duper stars and little else could fair in the league. This stuff is usually reserved for video games. You had better believe I'll be glued to the TV for every minute of their playoff run, which is sure to be heavily scrutinized every step of the way.
2. Dallas Mavericks - It's meant to say a lot that I put "my team" second on this list. But to be fair, I cheer for the Mavs for two reasons, and two reasons only: Das Man and Mark Cuban. Dallas seems to be in the same situation they've been in the past few years, thriving in the regular season, while nobody believes they could compete with the Lakers in the West. They added Tyson Chandler this year, who is the perfect yeoman to Dirk's Jesus-like qualities. With Brendan Haywood coming off the bench, they finally have the bigs to protect Dirk around the rim (miss DeSagana Diop more then you can believe). I feel like Dirk has one more serious run in him before he fades off into the scheisse. I feel like it's my responsibility to inform everyone that Dirk Nowitzki now ranks 22nd on the NBA's all-time scoring list. If he averages 75 games for the next 5 years at a clip of 20 points per game (all plausible), that would be enough for #5 ALL TIME!! (although, would probably be 6th behind Kobe Bryant).
3. New York Knicks - Yes! Relevance! The biggest, baddest, jew in all the city has brought ball back to the Gaaaaahden. And I ain't talkin' about D'Antoni, although I do give him most of the credit. I was raised on early 90's Knicks teams with the likes of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, John Starks, and Chris Dudley. I love watching D'Antoni teams get out and run (starring Raymond Felton, who you might remember from UNC in 2005ish, as Steve Nash, and Amar'e Qwangzilla as, well, Amar'e Stoudemire). I love that I share a name with a professional sports team. I love Ronny Turiaf's style. And I love that playoff games are returning to Madison Square Garden, the best basketball venue in the world.
4. Los Angeles Lakers - The former villains of the NBA (I think) almost feel lost in the shuffle now with the Miami Heat in town (3,000 miles away). Don't worry though, they're still the easiest team for me to hate. Kobe Bryant is the lone remaining relevant ranger from the "We must replace Michael Jordan with the next superstar NOW, it doesn't matter if he's as good (Kobe), not nearly as good (Grant Hill), or even good at all (Vince Carter)" phase (Ironically, it may have been LeBron that ended all the unnecessary pedestals for unproven players by bringing an all new skill set to the table). Oh yea, the Lakers: They've entered their annual "Are the Lakers in trouble?" January swoon. They remain one of the best teams so long as they care, although the Christmas day beatdown handed to them by the Heat looms large.
5. Chicago Bulls - This is the team to keep your eye on for the future. With Derrick Rose and Joakim Phoenix Noah still playing under rookie contracts, they have tons of money to play with, even with Carlos Boozer signed to a near max-deal. It's all about how they choose to spend that money though. They already have the alpha dogg of the team in D-Rose (who is most experts' choice for MVP as of now). These same experts also say it's not wise to threaten the alpha dogg with another. He needs more of a Lambda Lambda Lambda sidekick. Timing is the other issue. If spent wisely, say in a mid-season trade this year, the Bulls could vault into the upper-tier of NBA teams.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder - The youngest player with the biggest takeover potential (that is to say, take over the NBA) is still Kevin Durant, who's almost under the radar now with all the other young stars taking over the league. They're still loaded with a young nucleus of talent that have a good chance to produce multiple championships down the line (although changing their colors to black and yellow would quicken the process). Just wait until Blake Griffin decides to leave the Clippers and joins the Thunder along with Bill Self.
7. Los Angeles Clippers - Yeaaaaa buddy. The biggest one man show in the NBA right now is Blake Griffin. I was so impressed watching Griffin in his first game of the season that I texted my buddy, The Leftover Taco, that he was "The best post player in the NBA right now" a whooping 10 minutes into his career. This was obviously meant with some hyperbole, but looking around the league, I'm not sure that it's untrue. Who's better? Dwight Howard? On defense, yea. Tim Duncan? 3 years ago, yea. The Bearded Clam, Pau Gasol? Maybe, if you don't mind an STD or two. The Dirk? Nicht er ist nicht eine post player. There you have it, case closed. You must find time to watch The EarthBlake! Blake Superior! Griffin Impossible! To be fair, those were all stolen, but this one is all mine, The Gingerbread Man, unh!
Take that witchuuuuuu,
His Dirkness
It feels like the NBA has ushered in a whole new generation of talent. My interest level is at an all-time high. I actually embraced the NBA season before the College Basketball season, which might've been a first. I spent all Christmas day giddily watching NBA games. I've been checking scores semi-frequently. I've even launched a semi-serious hip hop career in my free time (sort of a cross between Joaquin Phoenix and Tamba Hali). To prove my point about how interesting the NBA is right now, I'm gonna give you 7 teams that I would watch if they were on TV right now (that's 8 more than 5 years ago) in order of interest level. I'll let the Dirka Dirka handle the segue....
1. Miami Heat - I couldn't have hated The Decision more. I felt like it was everything wrong with sports all bundled up into a nice, neat, hourlong special. But, I was analyzing The Decision for what it was, instead of examining the long-term effects of it. And the reality is, it created an incredible amount of interest in the NBA. It was a publicity machine. I've come full circle, and am ready to admit that the Miami Heat are awesome, and I'm not even sure if I'm cheering for them yet or not. But, the point is, that I care, something I haven't said about the NBA regular season in, well, forever? The NBA needed a villain, and the Heat have definitely become that, getting vigorously boo'd in every opposing arena. LeDarth gets boo'd essentially every time he touches the ball. They're selling out every arena they visit, while, ironically, not even selling out their own home games. Miami has no fans. We are literally seeing a team that everybody is rooting against. I became intrigued when they failed so spectacularly at the beginning of the season, curious about how that was possible. It's almost like we're witnessing a study on how a team comprised of 3 super-duper stars and little else could fair in the league. This stuff is usually reserved for video games. You had better believe I'll be glued to the TV for every minute of their playoff run, which is sure to be heavily scrutinized every step of the way.
2. Dallas Mavericks - It's meant to say a lot that I put "my team" second on this list. But to be fair, I cheer for the Mavs for two reasons, and two reasons only: Das Man and Mark Cuban. Dallas seems to be in the same situation they've been in the past few years, thriving in the regular season, while nobody believes they could compete with the Lakers in the West. They added Tyson Chandler this year, who is the perfect yeoman to Dirk's Jesus-like qualities. With Brendan Haywood coming off the bench, they finally have the bigs to protect Dirk around the rim (miss DeSagana Diop more then you can believe). I feel like Dirk has one more serious run in him before he fades off into the scheisse. I feel like it's my responsibility to inform everyone that Dirk Nowitzki now ranks 22nd on the NBA's all-time scoring list. If he averages 75 games for the next 5 years at a clip of 20 points per game (all plausible), that would be enough for #5 ALL TIME!! (although, would probably be 6th behind Kobe Bryant).
3. New York Knicks - Yes! Relevance! The biggest, baddest, jew in all the city has brought ball back to the Gaaaaahden. And I ain't talkin' about D'Antoni, although I do give him most of the credit. I was raised on early 90's Knicks teams with the likes of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, John Starks, and Chris Dudley. I love watching D'Antoni teams get out and run (starring Raymond Felton, who you might remember from UNC in 2005ish, as Steve Nash, and Amar'e Qwangzilla as, well, Amar'e Stoudemire). I love that I share a name with a professional sports team. I love Ronny Turiaf's style. And I love that playoff games are returning to Madison Square Garden, the best basketball venue in the world.
4. Los Angeles Lakers - The former villains of the NBA (I think) almost feel lost in the shuffle now with the Miami Heat in town (3,000 miles away). Don't worry though, they're still the easiest team for me to hate. Kobe Bryant is the lone remaining relevant ranger from the "We must replace Michael Jordan with the next superstar NOW, it doesn't matter if he's as good (Kobe), not nearly as good (Grant Hill), or even good at all (Vince Carter)" phase (Ironically, it may have been LeBron that ended all the unnecessary pedestals for unproven players by bringing an all new skill set to the table). Oh yea, the Lakers: They've entered their annual "Are the Lakers in trouble?" January swoon. They remain one of the best teams so long as they care, although the Christmas day beatdown handed to them by the Heat looms large.
5. Chicago Bulls - This is the team to keep your eye on for the future. With Derrick Rose and Joakim Phoenix Noah still playing under rookie contracts, they have tons of money to play with, even with Carlos Boozer signed to a near max-deal. It's all about how they choose to spend that money though. They already have the alpha dogg of the team in D-Rose (who is most experts' choice for MVP as of now). These same experts also say it's not wise to threaten the alpha dogg with another. He needs more of a Lambda Lambda Lambda sidekick. Timing is the other issue. If spent wisely, say in a mid-season trade this year, the Bulls could vault into the upper-tier of NBA teams.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder - The youngest player with the biggest takeover potential (that is to say, take over the NBA) is still Kevin Durant, who's almost under the radar now with all the other young stars taking over the league. They're still loaded with a young nucleus of talent that have a good chance to produce multiple championships down the line (although changing their colors to black and yellow would quicken the process). Just wait until Blake Griffin decides to leave the Clippers and joins the Thunder along with Bill Self.
7. Los Angeles Clippers - Yeaaaaa buddy. The biggest one man show in the NBA right now is Blake Griffin. I was so impressed watching Griffin in his first game of the season that I texted my buddy, The Leftover Taco, that he was "The best post player in the NBA right now" a whooping 10 minutes into his career. This was obviously meant with some hyperbole, but looking around the league, I'm not sure that it's untrue. Who's better? Dwight Howard? On defense, yea. Tim Duncan? 3 years ago, yea. The Bearded Clam, Pau Gasol? Maybe, if you don't mind an STD or two. The Dirk? Nicht er ist nicht eine post player. There you have it, case closed. You must find time to watch The EarthBlake! Blake Superior! Griffin Impossible! To be fair, those were all stolen, but this one is all mine, The Gingerbread Man, unh!
Take that witchuuuuuu,
His Dirkness
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