A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
After an incredibly exciting round of games yesterday, the NBA is officially back. What are the main stories? Who are the most important players? What should you pay attention to this season?
Today, I will cover the Men, the Myths, and the Legends of this year’s Eastern Conference.
Welcome to Today’s Best by MSF. This is our daily rundown of links, laughs, and lovely ladies that will help you get through your work day.
In today’s edition, Anna Kournikova looks good while putting her house on the market, Bill Simmons breaks down Phil Jackson, an infographic breaks down why sitting is literally killing you, and a trip into the archive provides a hilarious high school drunk by Rajon Rondo. And a whole lot more.
In The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons describes a conversation he had with Isiah Thomas where he learned “The Secret” of basketball. The SportsGuy listened intently while the one of the greatest pure point guards of all time told him what truly mattered on the basketball court.
Amazingly enough, the secret to basketball is that it’s NOT about basketball…at least according to Isiah Thomas.
The way basketball is structured, especially the NBA, encourages players to play for their own stats. If a player averages 20 p.p.g., or 10 r.p.g., or 10 a.p.g., or so on, HE will get paid. On the flip side, a player like Shane Battier bounces from team to team, EVEN THOUGH every team he has ever played for admits that he contributed in ways that never showed up in the box score.
Thomas knew from experience. His Bad Boys seemed to get closer and closer every single year, but they could never get over the hump. Eventually, it was a trade that made absolutely no sense from a statistical standpoint that seemed to push them to the finish line. When they traded Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre, they lost both inside scoring AND rebounding. But for some reason, the team meshed better with Aguirre, it opened up more minutes for a young Dennis Rodman, and the Pistons ended up winning two straight titles.
The secret to winning went far beyond basketball and the stats that were being piled up by players. It was something mental. Something that stretched far beyond the hardwood. Until each player made the choice to put team over self, the team was doomed.
That’s one reason why the point guard position has always fascinated me. More than any other position, it is responsible for making sure that everyone on the floor understands and abides by “The Secret.”
We have years like this.
The NFL has had the year of the quarterback, or wide receiver. Baseball has had the year of the pitcher, and is actually going through an era of pitchers, and basketball might be going through a similar period:
The year of the point guard.
Think about it. Almost every team in this league that has a shot at a title, has a legit, skilled, or veteran point guard on their team; and if they don’t, then the point guard position is a specific worry on the team.
This year is full of early point guard stories, and it will continue as the season progresses. Could we be watching a shift of powers? It used to be stated that the center position was the most important, and dominant, but is there a change of power happening before our eyes?
Possibly.
In my NBA Preview, I wondered aloud that you could legitimately make the argument for one of five or six different guys to be the best point guard in the League. Ever since then, that very question has been gnawing at me. Several of my friends have been begging me to delve into the subject further.
“If it truly is the Year of the Point Guard,” they ask, “then who holds the championship belt?”
Earlier this week, Jalen Rose surprised a lot of people when he boldly stated that Rajon Rondo was the best point guard alive. He then commented that Chris Paul was third on his list.
I was furious. As a point guard myself, I have been critiquing the position for years. I know I will never be anywhere close to any of these guys, but it’s always fun to pretend like you are an expert on the subject.
NBA Finals 2010 (Game 5): Lakers – 89/Celtics: 96
The pendulum is now in full swing for the Celtics’ side, as they took over in Game 5.
What is the reason the Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals? Because of defense, defens,e and more defense.
To be honest, when Ray Allen was stroking it from three, and Garnett was faking you in the paint, and when Pierce was stepping back and wetting it, that is all a plus; but the Celtics are where they are because of defense, and it sure showed as the C’s held the Lakers to under 40% shooting in both FG% and three-point %.
Dazzling enough for you?
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The magic is in the air my friends.
The NBA Finals have arrived, and in its greatest historical glory:
That’s right:
Yellow and Green…Elite vs Elite…Stars vs Stars…
Explain this to me: After hitting a game-winner, Boston’s Glen Davis grazes a 12-year-old fan courtside, and ends up apologizing to the kid’s over-sensitive father. You have GOT to be kidding. Those very fans spent that last two weeks cheering as punches are thrown, blood flies, and bodies crash to the floor. And you’re upset because your kid was bumped?
The players get more than bumped. They get hammered…worse and worse as this glorious month of May rolls on. When the coaches say it’s gonna be a real fight, that’s no longer just an expression.
It seems like every game has an over/under of six total teeth lost, eight stitches, one ejection, and three flagrants. And like a wreck on the side of the road, you have to look.
“I’m sure people are just loving it,†Rockets forward Luis Scola told the Houston Chronicle. “When I win I love it, too.â€
Broadcasting and Cable Magazine reports that Game 7 of the Boston-Chicago series was watched by 6.9 million total viewers on TNT, making it the most-watched round one game in cable television history. Overall, TNT earned a 2.3 rating for 24 first round games, a 10% increase from last year. The network earned an increase of 11% in households from year-to-year (2.6 million compared to 2.3 million) and a 14% increase in total viewers (3.4 million compared to 2.9 million).
Turns out when you mix great basketball with MMA, you’ve got some good ratings.
These are arguably the best athletes on the planet, and like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, they are out for blood. Over the course of a series, it gets worse and worse as the players keep paying each other back. Guys drive to the basket and brace for impact. Not a game goes by where you don’t see a jaw-dropping, atom-smashing foul.
Boston’s Rajon Rondo punching Brad Miller in the face in Round One. L.A.’s Derek Fisher decking Scola in Round Two (see slow motion replay below). Shane Battier getting bloodied. Dwight Howard elbowing Philly’s Samuel Dalembert in the face. Rondo being a jerk every time he plays defense.
If I were Kirk Hinrich, I’d want to kick his a** too.
Just watch the videos below to see some some of the flagrance:
“When you get to the crucial stage of the season — the playoffs — everything gets more intense,†said Scola. “That’s why you’ve been fighting for a whole year. It all comes down to a couple of games, and you have to play as hard as you can.â€
Hard = Violent.
While the death-match atmosphere and high stakes are good for ratings, it is a nightmare for officials. If play is tougher in the postseason, are there a different set of rules? Do you let more things go? How does Dallas’ Antoine Wright’s attempted foul on Denver’s Carmelo Anhtony in Game 3 NOT get called? And how to differentiate between a flagrant-1 and flagrant-2?
Believe it or not, this year’s playoffs may be tame compared to last year’s playoffs, or a typical regular season in the 80’s. Nowadays, new rules encourage more scoring and less contact, but somehow it all goes out the window once the Best-of-Sevens start. To win, you need some beasts down low to give out (and take) the punishment, good FT shooting, and some strong-willed leaders to rise above the insanity. Do all that, and you may come out alive…assuming you don’t end up in a body bag first.
Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.
To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com
