1. How bout Stevie Vittles displaying his warrior spirit? Good sh!t from the old man. I love the from-out-of-nowhere feel of this team. They were ready to blow it up at the deadline. Now, they're one series away from playing for a chip. I love Stevie getting another shot. With Robin Lopez in the mix, who knows what could happen?
2. Who else is scared/excited for the next decade of the Durantula? Also, who has a better nickname for him? Simmons got on his bandwagon mad early. Dude was right. Durant's got the eye of the tiger. He's a top five player right now. If you were starting your franchise today, he's on the very, very short list of guys you'd take first. Who besides LeBron do you take before him? Deron? Rose? Not me.
3. Speaking of LeBron, what have we actually witnessed? I'm not a LeBron hater. However, the fact remains that tales of his greatness have been greatly exaggerated (at least so far). The unfortunate fact is that LeBron has served better the marketing needs of the NBA than he has his own legacy on the court. I think he's working with a so-so supporting cast. I think he's got the potential to be the greatest player of his era. But LeBron's got to do something on the court (namely, win a ring or three) before he will have earned his nickname. People been callin' him the King for three years. Still ain't won sh!t. And, I don't think he's going to this year either.
4. Speaking of winning things, will Kobe win his fifth ring and cement his place in the top 10 All-time? I don't know. If I had to bet, I think I might say no. There's something about this Orlando team that scares the crap out of me. They are loaded (like 2003 Trailblazers loaded). They been there already. And (and this is gone sound crazy), they got Vince............. Yeah, I said it.
4 comments:
F Vince. A leopard don't change his spots, and a pussy don't stop smelling like pussy. Between here and the end, he will cost his team a game -- possibly a crucial one -- when they go to him in the clutch and he comes up Hervé Villechaize-small.
I'm not sold on this Magic team yet. You know my reservations with D-Ho. (Granted, he's expanded his post game. But he still shrinks in the waning minutes of big games, he still draws fouls too easily, and he still lacks the aforementioned eye of the tiger.) That said, this team is STACKED. Sooo many guys who can shoot from anywhere. Jameer is playing on another level. And Jesus's #1 fan is going to get his 20-10 every night (unless a really smart coach -- read: not Mike Brown -- gets him to do a lot of bench time w/fouls). And let's face it: they haven't played anyone yet. Cleveland may be struggling with the C's -- a little too much, for my liking -- but Rondo is playing off his ass, and Ubuntu seems to be back at 65% strength. So that's a team. The Hawks ain't a team, and neither were the Bobcats.
And I agree with you on LeBron. He's got the killer in him, but it only seems to come out every-other-game. He better find the urgency, or we need to stop talking about him like the Second Coming. Granted, he doesn't have a cast like MJ did. But MJ never, EVER took a night off. He was out there trying to kill muthaf**kers. Bron doesn't have the knives out every night. Why not? Where are you knives, Bron? WHERE ARE YOUR KNIVES???
G.
P.S. in s parts:
1. I have no idea what happens with Lakers/Cavs. This could be a battle for the ages, or the Lakers could come out and sweep. Very little would surprise me. Very little would surprise me.
2. I like Simmons' idea of stealing "Plastic Man" from Stacey Augmon and giving it to Durant. That's what he is, he's frickin plastic. Or rubber. Something.
3. God, I hate saying this: Kobe has already cemented his place in the all-time top-ten. He has. Last year did it for me...and he's come back again, broken finger and all, and is within range of repeating. Damn.
All-time top-ten, for me, is looking like this:
1. MJ
2. Russell
3. Magic
4. Bird
5. Kareem
6. Fundamentals
7. Wilt
8. Kobe
9. Big O
10. Dream
(Note that Shaq didn't make it. Though I'd probably have him at #11 or #12, depending on whether or not Jerry West makes it in front of him.)
Side note on this: Having said that, people still need to relax about Kobe. Listening to ESPN FM Radio the other day, I had to endure callers chipping in with their all-time top-three. Kobe was on every caller's list. EVERY CALLER. On my list, Kobe is only the third-best all-time LAKER.
I'm tired of writing. To be continued...
Here's the thing about Orlando. Well actually, it's many things. You can say "F Vince", and as a fan of the game I would agree with you that he cheated us of what promised to be a great career filled with thrilling moments and feats of daring because he was not made of the right stuff. However, Vince Carter is the fourth option on this team. Let me say that again, Vince who could easily average 20, 5 and 5 in a playoff series is the 4th option on this team!!!!!! I loved watching He-do drain off balance three's last year and all, but VC can hurt you in so many ways. From downtown, drivig to the hole and gettig fouls on your bigs, mid-range, deciding to play tough perimeter D in stretches. He's Lamar Odom's lightskinneded twin. Oh yeah, and Tracy McGrady's cousin. What's up with that family?
Thing #2 about Orlando: Jameer is healthy this time. Last year, there starting point was a guy who I'm not sure is still in the league. I'm not killin' Skip, I'm just sayin'. The youngboy from Chester is the leader of this team. And, he plays the ever-crucial PG position. Losing your leader is one thing. Losing your leader who runs the show is a death blow. Kareem could go down, but Magic?!?!
#3: this team is significantly better than last year. Matt barnes is coming off their bench with that Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell flavor. He's carrying the most hated 2-guard, lock down defender mantle to the next generation. Who will pick up the torch? Plus JJ redick is hitting 3's. Marcin Gortat could start in this league. They're 10-deep. The Lakers got one guy off the bench they trust. Phoenix would be a better, and ridiculously fun match up. They're gonna smoke Boston or Cleveland, period. Yeah, I said it.
4. D-Ho is now ready to take Shaq's throne as the luvable, mutant center in the league. If they face the Lakers, he's going to outrebound Gasol and Bynum together for the series. Phoenix? a limping Robin Lopez will get baptized more than once. I think he's not sure if he's a killer yet, but if he discovers that he is no one can stop him. Listen to me, This team is built for a dynasty. You know how I know? Cus somewhere Phil Jackson is thinking in his head: "hmmm".
I say all this without the slightest bit of eager joy. I don't like Orlando much as a city. It's basically a big strip mall. D-Ho is likable, but hasn't done anything to make mw love him (not yet). Jameer's dope and hometown dude, but I'm not loving a whole team just for that. This is the cold, unemotional and subjective perspective that comes from not having a dog in the race. Orlando's been the best team for months. If they continue to play like it, we could be looking at the dawn of a new era (and it won't have nothin' to do with LeBron).
mad typos and a couple mistakes above. "Subjective" in Bizarro world means "objective", but you knew that.
First, a thought about last night:
> What in fook is Cleveland gonna do now? LeBron guards Rondo = Rondo can’t drive the lane, but still sets up the offense, gets the ball where it needs to go, etc., and Pierce is freed up to get going. LeBron goes back to Pierce…and Rondo goes off for 25-15, or something. Plus, KG is straight devouring Antawn. Meanwhile, on the other end, the C’s all-around team D (switch-offs, etc.) is damaging LeBron’s* offensive game in a way no predicted (reminds me of what they did to Kobe in the 2008 Finals).
This matchup is horrible for Cleveland. Horrible. Can’t Varajeo get into KG’s ass a little? What about Boobie, can’t he glue himself to Rondo? Fookin A. The only shot the Cavs have is LeBron putting them on his back and beating the Big 3 and their as-of-late-phenonomenal bench all by himself. (*And after last night, you have to wonder if he has it in him. U-g-l-y. He ain’t got no alibi.)
Second, I’m coming back at’cha on O-Town:
> Agree with a lot of what you say. But I would volley with four points:
1. THIS TEAM IS NOT 10-DEEP. They’re about 7-deep, if that. Nelson, VC, Pietrus, Lewis, D-Ho, Gortat, and Barnes. If VC gets scared, make it 6-deep. If D-Ho gets into foul trouble, make it 5. Which brings me to my second issue with this team…
2. THEY HAVEN’T PLAYED ANYONE YET. As I said before, I know. But visualize a good Ubuntu Celtics team playing the Magic. You don’t think the team D that shut down LeBron is gonna have Vinsanity settling for weak-ass 18 footers? 20, 5 and 5 my ass. Just watch. Same goes for J.J. That kid can shoot his ass off against weak teams or in an empty gym…but not against a strong D team deep in the playoffs. He, too, is a non-factor next round.
3. D-HO ISN’T THERE YET. He’s a better player than he was last year, no doubt. Hat tip to the man for expanding his game. But he still lacks the killer instinct, for one. And he still walks around with that dopey smile, for another. And the other is what gives me reluctance. He’s just not…what’s the term I’m looking for…street smart, I guess. Or any other kind of smart, for that matter. He doesn’t read the court. He doesn’t know how to get calls—or non-calls—from refs. He doesn’t know how to adjust his game with an opposing coach starts effing with his shit. HE DOESN’T HAVE IT. The best shot the Magic have, where D-Ho is concerned, is to luck into facing Cleveland in the Conf. Finals again, and then luck into getting Phoenix in the Finals where he can have his way with Amar’e/Lopez/Gentry. But the C’s and/or Phil Jax are gonna take that boy out. He’ll only stay on the floor 20 min/game, and struggle through all 20. And then, you got this…
4. THIS IS BASICALLY A JUMP-SHOOTING TEAM. Which never wins in the end. Other than Vince, who, as I said, will surely disappear next round, they don’t have a single guy who drives the lane for high-percentage buckets that draw fouls and eff defenses up. Granted, Orlando is a fantastic shooting team, and one that has a lot of options…but I can’t think of a championship team that’s won on its collective J. Can you?
Whew. My head is spinning right now.
Was it less than two weeks ago I said Cavs / Suns in the Finals?
Right now, I’m seeing a Lakers / Celts rematch. Count me in.
G.
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