2011 NBA Pre-Playoffs Comments

As an early birthday present this year, my wonderful wife is getting us cable TV for the next few months so we (okay, mostly I) can watch the NBA playoffs.  How awesome is she?

And an awesome playoffs these look like they'll be.  After a vastly entertaining regular season with the Decision, Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook taking the next step, the Spurs coming back from the old folks' home, tons of player movement at the trade deadline, and several legit contenders getting on track, I'm really looking forward to the next few rounds of hoops before Junior Lin comes along for his own basketball indoctrination.

Most other people are making their picks NCAA tournament-style for the playoffs, but I'm just going to rank my rooting interests, along with reasons why.  The top few are teams I'll enjoy rooting for on some level, and the last few teams I'll actively be rooting against.

1) Spurs - I just realized I've been a Spurs fan for over 20 years, since David Robinson joined the team in 1989.  I know that they've already got 4 titles, but against all odds I'd like to see Duncan get that 5th against the toughest competition of his postseason career, matching Kobe and putting him firmly in the top 10 players of all time (he's probably borderline right now).

2) Thunder - A byproduct of being a Spurs fan is a soft spot for small market teams who build organizations and teams "the right way", and Spurs alum Sam Presti smartly did that with OKC (albeit with a ton of luck tossed in).  I'm honestly not a huge fan of Westbrook (shoot-first PGs tend to remind me, in a bad way, of the Marbury-Francis-Iverson days of the early 00's) but Durant and the Ibaka-Perkins front line are fun to watch.  As the Spurs further decline, I'll probably pick up OKC as a regular rooting interest over the next decade (since the Warriors aren't going anywhere) to see what they do against Miami and Chicago.

3) and 4) Magic/Mavericks - If my top two can't take it all, I'd like to see some players that I respect win it.  Dallas has Dirk and Kidd, and Orlando will probably lose Dwight Howard in a few years unless they pull off a miracle before he hits free agency.

5) Hornets - Similarly, I'd rather see CP3 stay and build a contender in Louisiana rather than taking his talents elsewhere.  Probably not going to happen this season and a longshot for it to ever happen.

6) Nuggets - A team spurned by its star and with a coach who survived cancer.  How can you not root for an underdog like that?  Not a fan of K-Mart and Birdman though.

7) Blazers - Franchise was hit by horrendously bad luck (Oden, Roy)... would like to see something good happen for them.

8) Bulls - Good young team that plays defense.  I dislike most of the other teams in the Eastern Conference, so I'll often be rooting for Chicago by default.  One reason they aren't higher on this list is because they already have 6 titles.

9) to 13) Everyone else - Don't really care about the other teams that much...

14) Heat - Humility is an important quality to learn.  Really don't want to see them validate their pre-season championship party without going through some failure first.

15) and 16) Lakers and Celtics - Both organizations have n-teen titles and appeal to me as a basketball nerd, but not as a fan.  I'll be honest, I'll root against the Lakers primarily because I'm envious (why can't the Warriors build a team like that?) and I'll root against the Celtics because they have quite a few jerks.

NBA thoughts

Couple of quick thoughts on the recent NBA draft and the upcoming free agency period...

• The Warriors make me sad.  Out of Udoh, Randolph, Wright, Biedrins, and Turiaf, considering a big man rotation is 3 guys playing big minutes and maybe one other backup, I definitely pick Turiaf (good contract, solid locker room guy, good defense).  I have no idea of who I pick out of the other four.
• Since the sale is taking so long, I think the W's will probably have to write off all hope of improving much this season.  If they can get the team sold and get a competent ownership/front office in place, then spend the season developing Curry and the other young talent, that's about as good as we can hope for.
• Warriors master plan: 
• Sell to Ellison
• Hire a younger, competent GM who apprenticed for other successful front offices like Presti or Morey
• Sign Lebron since he's buddies with Curry.  Okay, maybe that won't happen.
• I hope Lebron goes back to the Cavs.  From what I've read about his impact on the city, and the tortured psyche of Cleveland sports fans, it would be the best for the general level of happiness in the world, methinks.  The Cavs' beat writer made the good point that most of the current Cavs fans are young (teens to 30-somethings) who aren't old enough to remember the old frustrations of the Browns, Cavs, and Indians, so Lebron leaving would create a lot of embittered people.
• That being said, my head guesses that he'd most likely go to Chicago.  Too much talent, and they could pick up a PF too with the cap room available.
• I think Wade will entice Bosh or Amare to come to Miami.  Whoever doesn't goes to Chicago.
• I'm interested in seeing the Spurs make a run at Mike Miller, but they won't be able to do anything without moving Jefferson's contract, so not much will happen.

Quick thoughts on Lakers-Celtics game 7

A few quick thoughts...

• Player of the game = Ron Artest.  The Celts doubled Kobe and Pau aggressively, and Ron killed them, then gave a shout-out to his psychiatrist, which was awesome.
• Ugly game, but intense all the way through.  No big leads.
• Kobe was carried by his teammates in this game.  After stinking up the first half, I think he took a third as many shots in the second half, which was helpful because Fisher, Pau, Odom, and Artest all hit big shots that swung momentum.
• In the post-game congratulations, Magic said something like, "To the greatest fans in the world - Laker fans!" to which I muttered, "Maybe about a third of them at most would count in that upper tier of great fans.  The rest are front-runners."
• Follow-up to the last point - I'll have more respect for you as a Laker fan if you can name the starting lineup of the Laker team in the '00s that didn't make the playoffs, and much more respect if you can name most of the starting lineups in the early 90's before Shaq and Kobe arrived.
• That being said, all credit to LA - they beat a tough Boston team in a tough, tough game to win it all.  Congratulations to the franchise, and I'm happy for my friends who are indeed real fans.
• That being said, the Gasol trade is still a ridiculous rip-off.

Lakers-Celtics Game 6 Running Diary

Some running thoughts on game 6...


1st quarter
12:00 - Just realized that the Lakers gold/yellow and the Celtics green is the same color combination as at Sam/Sarah's wedding a few weeks ago.
10:38 - 2 possessions in and the Lakers' spacing is already worlds better than in game 5.  Ball is zipping around and no one looks scared.
8:04 - The Celts are still taking advantage of the offensive sets that put Allen right underneath the hoop for a quick catch and layup.  The Laker guards are too used to chasing Allen that they can't deal with him when he stops.  Since Kobe isn't playing up on Rondo, it's an easy lob pass.
5:24 - Perkins is down with a knee injury - those are never good, especially for burly guys coming down on fragile ligaments.

2nd quarter, Lakers up 10
10:00 - Looks like Robinson learned the "run into the guard after a rebound and fall down" flop from Pierce to draw fouls.
8:03 - Nice hustle play by Farmar to dive for the loose ball, ironically from Rondo, who did the same thing against Orlando and became a folk hero in Boston
7:19 - Better off-the-ball movement by the Lakers already - maybe Kobe won't need to score 50.
7:16 - One of the problems with being a celebrity hangout is that Laker crowds are just not going to be as insane as at other arenas.  The Boston crowd would have blown the roof off by now with this lead.  All the good Laker fans are priced out of being at the game.
5:33 - Farmar just dunked on the break before KG could chase him down.  The Laker bench plays superbly when the Lakers are ahead, not so much when they're down and scared.  Lakers up 18.
3:55 - You know it's the Lakers' half when Artest does his "dribbling across the entire key and shoots a 23 foot jumper" routine, there are no gasps of horror from the crowd before the shot goes up, and it goes in.
1:43 - Rondo blows a baseline dunk - this team can't make anything.  He makes up for it by forcing and winning the jump ball against odom though.
1:01 - Lakers doing a nice job of interior defense so far - Odom and Gasol are able to use their length, and the refs are letting them play.

Halftime 
- The Celts are seriously missing Perkins.  If he can't come back in the second half or in game 7, they'll be in serious trouble.

3rd quarter, Lakers up 20
8:47 - Big Baby just flew into a scrum going for an offensive rebound on a shot that actually went in.  The way he throws his bulk around, I'm afraid he'll land on someone and snap their spine.
7:05 - Tough drive by Kobe for the and-1, absorbing the bump from KG.  I was watching some youtube clips of Jordan in the finals against the Suns in 1993, and it struck me how most of his points were coming within 15 ft from drives, layups, jumpers, while Kobe can catch fire from outside but they all seem like harder shots.  Kobe is really working the boards, though.
1:09 - Despite some solid shooting by KG, the Celtics can't cut into the lead.  After Rondo hit Artest's forearm with his face, 3 by Vujacic to put them up 22 - this game might be over.
0:00 - 51 points by Boston through 3 quarters?

4th quarter, Lakers up by 25
10:46 - Starting the 4th quarter, all the Celts' Big 3 are out and Kobe/Pau are still in.
8:55 - Love how Gasol keeps the ball high on the offensive rebound and quick-dunks it back in.  Nate Robinson was skying for a potential block there, which he may have gotten on someone like Dwight Howard who likes bringing the ball all the way down before going back up again.
6:31 - Lead down to 21 after Allen's free throw on Kobe's technical.  Big 3 is back in.  How is this game not locked up yet?  Think it's about time to wrap things up early.

Post-Game Thoughts
Well, that wasn't competitive at all.  No real coaching adjustments made, the Lakers just went out and played far better on both ends of the court.  Game 7 it is.

On sports "hating" and the NBA Finals

In today's knee-jerk instant-judgment internet world, it's very easy to apply labels that ultimately stick because most people aren't going to take the time to really get to know someone and their interests.  So, if I root for the team playing against, say, the Lakers, I'm automatically a hater.  If I criticize someone's viewpoint or someone's performance, then I'm a hater.

In this ESPN article, the writer makes the point that because of the Lakers continued success over the last decade (making the finals 7 times since the year 2000!) they've become the most hated franchise in the NBA by anyone except for the Southern Cal region, LA expats, and bandwagon fans.  Even traditional hate-doms like Philly fans are pulling for the rival Celtics because they loathe LA.  Hate in sports, it seems, is primarily a function of "jealousy and the fatigue of losing."

As a diehard NBA fan, it makes watching this Finals series a bit tricky.  Frankly, I don't like either of these franchises, because on my human sports fan level, I am jealous of them and fatigued by all the losing on the Warriors' part (the Spurs are still decent but no longer contenders).  On top of that, the injustice of the Gasol trade, embarrassment of riches that each team's roster contains, and the general thuggish Celtics attitude rub me the wrong way constantly.

On the other hand, I can't say I'm rooting against either squad either.  I'm a big fan of Gasol's and Allen's games and professional, team-first demeanor.  As a basketball junkie, I love watching the triangle offense run to perfection, the double-high-pick and roll that the Celtics have been running, Allen's jumper, Gasol's spin moves and hooks with either hand, KG's help defense, Rondo's quickness to loose balls, Kobe's footwork.

So, I guess I'm just rooting for a series that goes 7 and leaves me with a load of snapshots of memorable basketball, like Allen's 7 3s in game 2, Fisher taking over the 4th quarter of game 3, etc.

In general, on hating, the last NBA team I truly hated were the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.  So much arrogance and thuggishness (Shaq and Fox) on one squad.  There have been plenty of other players I dislike for being general knuckleheads.