They’re Playing Basketball!

Well we’re a little over one week into the NBA Playoffs (which means we only have about 30 weeks to go) and the NBA landscape has been colored surprised. The hot upset pick in the East turned out to be a complete miss as the aging cast of the Boston Celtics swept the Knicks without the services of Shaquille O’Neal, Kendrick Perkins or anything else that can legitimately be called an NBA center.

The Knicks had some impressive moments during the series, they choked away a few games and they had to deal with injuries to Amar’e Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups. They also have a lot of issues to deal with in the offseason. Most importantly, do they want to keep the GM who pulled them out of the salary cap dumpster or the sexual harasser who will sign any player with a pulse. Good luck with that brain buster.

The hot upset pick in the West may still happen. Up two games in the series the Dallas Mavericks were making their usual detractors look silly but after two games in the Rose Garden the series is tied and Dallas looks to be coming undone again. The Mavs followed up a close Game 3 loss by completely falling apart Saturday, losing an 18-point fourth quarter lead while Brandon Roy, who previously appeared to be having a nervous breakdown on the court came back to life before our eyes. Maybe it’s the tough Rose Garden Crowd. Mark Cuban got hit in the trash by flying trash and the Mavs players have even been victim to pickpockets in the crowd.



The final surprise in the playoffs has been the fantastic bed shitting ability of NBA West powers L.A. and San Antonio. The Spurs have been showing their age and their diminished defensive ability by allowing Zach Randolph to repeatedly drive a truck through the lane and average 20+ per game against the sultans of snooze. Down 2-1 the Spurs play again tonight in Memphis.

While the Spurs are still commiserating their failure on the road the Lakers get to go home to wallow in their poor play. Chris Paul has led two impressive Hornet wins (30+ pts and double digit assists in Game 1 and a triple double in Game 4).

Those looking for the reason for the Lakers’ struggles have had a lot of directions to wag their finger. First it was Pau Gasol, who reverted to Gausoft mode in the first two games, earning a media tongue lashing from Kobe before putting together a 17-point performance in Game 3. But something tells me all that good will was ruined last night when Kobe Bryant (who gutted it out and came back in the game with a gimpy ankle) drove the lane and scooped a perfect pass to Gasol who let it fly through his hands and out of bounds. Gasol was able to get an And One the next time down the floor but missed the free throw and the Lakers couldn’t cut through the four point lead.



While Kobe and many NBA pundits have thrown the blame on Gasol there are still others who think the Lakers aren’t getting enough from Lamar Odom and LA Times columnist Bill Plashke thinks it’s because the NBA’s Sixth Man Award Winner has been ruined by reality show cameras. I can’t claim I’ve never blamed Khloe K for Laker problems but I always said it mostly facetiously. Short of Doug Christie’s wife I don’t think NBA ladies have that profound of an impact. Either way I just hope the Lakers can get through this thing in two more games. Of course then they might have to go meet up woth the Blazers and this guy.