When it comes to sports, I hate being wrong. And when it comes to basketball, any challenge of my knowledge is the equivalent of disagreeing with Papal Infallibility. Okay, so maybe that is a hyperbole, but I do pride myself on my love and knowledge of basketball. So when I make two predictions that aren't even close to the results, I feel the need to admit how much I love eating crow.
I picked Miami in seven. They won in five and it wasn't a close series. I picked Chicago in seven after game one. I actually couldn't have been more wrong with that prediction as Miami won the next four games in a row. I can safely say that I won't make the same mistake again as I am picking Miami in six. I know that I just preached how I want Dirk to win a ring more than any player in the NBA, but that ignores the objectivity of the series.
Yes, Miami doesn't have anyone that can effectively guard Dirk (or so we think), but this team is the best defensive team in the league. They finished second behind Chicago in defensive efficiency, but have shown marked improvement throughout the playoffs. Just as Derrick Rose bought into Thibodeau's system, LeBron and Dwyane have committed themselves to defense and it shows. Miami rotates faster, switches more effectively, and rebounds the ball despite giving up a big size advantage. The Heat have transformed in to a defensive juggernaut.
The only thing scarier than their defense is the fourth quarter performance that Wade and James put on two nights ago. Teams have a hard time scoring on the Heat, but if the two of them dominate the offensive side of the court like that, the series could be shorter than six games. The media has never knocked Wade for his performances in the fourth quarter of big games, but LeBron has had the reputation of shrinking in these moments.
Two nights ago, LeBron channeled his inner-2007 Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, and ripped the heart out of the Bulls and city of Chicago. Drilling a three to cut the game to two, stealing the subsequent Rose pass and hitting a step-back jumper just before the shot clock expired, James put the game in the hands of the Heat. He capped off his memorable performance by blocking Rose's final attempt to tie the game, erasing the early season doubts and criticisms in three short minutes.
Miami has grown faster than I could've expected. Their stars bonded and have come to trust each other and their coach, Spoelstra. Dallas has a shot, but a small one at best. I won't make the same mistake I made the past two times and underestimate the Heat. And if NBA fans don't want Miami to win many more championships beyond this first, then they better hope that the collective bargaining agreement makes some serious changes. If it doesn't, Larry O'Brian trophy better take its home to South Beach.
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Friday, 27 May 2011
FIFA President Received Bribes?
In a (not-so) surprising turn of events, FIFA President Sepp Blatter will be brought forth an ethics committee to determine whether or not he received bribes pertaining to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
For those of you who don't remember, those World Cups will be held in Russia and Qatar, respectively, raising eyebrows across the world as major powerhouses such as England, France, and a host of others. Russia and Qatar are not known for their soccer prowess, nor are they the most hospitable countries for a competition that draws hundreds of thousands of people.
Certainly these accusations make Blatter look like a sleazeball if they are true. And it isn't a coincidence that FIFA summons him before an ethics committee one week before elections for FIFA presidency, where Blatter will seek his fourth consecutive term.
Interestingly, one of Blatter's biggest competitors for the position is the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohammed bin Hammam, who has also been implicated in the accusations. He allegedly payed off FIFA executive Jack Warner to back the Qatari bid. Bin Hammam is now throwing Blatter under the bus, denying any of his wrongdoing and supporting the accusations against Blatter, with hopes of winning the election, showing the lowest of class if bribery did occur to earn Qatar the 2022 World Cup. Bin Hammam will now remove the knife from the back of Blatter.
I guess people shouldn't really be surprised by this. Cheating, bribery, and scandals are rampant in international soccer. Corruption must start somewhere and the most logical place is from the top. Let's hope that they revoke the 2022 Qatar award and re-vote in a clean election.
For those of you who don't remember, those World Cups will be held in Russia and Qatar, respectively, raising eyebrows across the world as major powerhouses such as England, France, and a host of others. Russia and Qatar are not known for their soccer prowess, nor are they the most hospitable countries for a competition that draws hundreds of thousands of people.
Certainly these accusations make Blatter look like a sleazeball if they are true. And it isn't a coincidence that FIFA summons him before an ethics committee one week before elections for FIFA presidency, where Blatter will seek his fourth consecutive term.
Interestingly, one of Blatter's biggest competitors for the position is the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohammed bin Hammam, who has also been implicated in the accusations. He allegedly payed off FIFA executive Jack Warner to back the Qatari bid. Bin Hammam is now throwing Blatter under the bus, denying any of his wrongdoing and supporting the accusations against Blatter, with hopes of winning the election, showing the lowest of class if bribery did occur to earn Qatar the 2022 World Cup. Bin Hammam will now remove the knife from the back of Blatter.
I guess people shouldn't really be surprised by this. Cheating, bribery, and scandals are rampant in international soccer. Corruption must start somewhere and the most logical place is from the top. Let's hope that they revoke the 2022 Qatar award and re-vote in a clean election.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Dirk's Paid His Dues, Give Him a Ring
I've always fought against him. The long hair, the fall-away one-footed jumper, the scowl. Dirk Nowitzki has never given me a reason to like him. Despite the fact that he has been dominant in the league since he stepped on the court, has never run into any trouble off the court, and never had any issues with the Blazers, I grew up loving to root against Dirk.
He was the anti-clutch. He couldn't carry a team out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. When he finally did and the Mavericks made it to the NBA 2006 Finals, I cheered as a young Dwyane Wade was gift wrapped the finals by David Stern and Stu Jackson. Then the following year, with a chip on his shoulder, Dirk led the Mavericks to the best record in the NBA, capturing the overall number one seed as he was named the league MVP. The Mavericks subsequently became the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed in a seven game series. Dirk further confirmed his inability to show up in momentous games.
2008: first round exit.
2009: second round exit.
2010: first round exit as #2 seed.
Dirk's championship window appeared to be closing. A veteran point guard, Jason Kidd, and an athletic, scoring wing, Caron Butler, were his last hopes for a title run. Butler went down early in the season to an ACL tear and the Mavs were hot and cold as they clinched the number three seed despite a hot start. Most analysts put their chances at 50-50 to make it out of the first round against the Blazers.
But somewhere in the back of Dirk's mind, a switch clicked. Tired of the doubters, the critics, and the non-believers, he began destroying every defender he encountered. The Blazers attempted to put a smaller Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum on him, he simply took them to the low post and brutalized them. When a bigger and longer Marcus Camby and Lamarcus Aldridge took their turn on him, Dirk drew them out, took to hard dribbles, pumped faked and drilled jumper after jumper.
This trend continued through the second round as the Mavericks steamrolled the defending champion Lakers. The series was never even close as Dirk led the Mavs to a level they hadn't seen since 2006. But after that there were questions lingering. How would Dirk shake off the cobwebs from their long rest? Could he handle a long and strong defender like Ibaka? What about when the Thunder gave Ibaka a rest and put a serviceable Nick Collison on him?
Dirk shut the critics up with arguably the greatest offensive performance in playoff history in terms of efficiency. Scoring 48 points on fifteen shots, including a playoff record twenty-four made free throws with no misses, Dirk pushed his game to a level that the NBA had never seen him at. When the Thunder threw double teams at him, he punished them with ball movement. He rebounded the ball with impunity and missed only two free throws the entire series.
Dirk Nowitzki could have rolled over and died. After the NBA heisted the 2006 NBA Finals from him, Dirk suffered through three more difficult seasons with two coaches and a revolving door of players. At age 32, Dirk should have been on his way out of the league. But Dirk's game has continued to evolve, crafting an arsenal of jumpers that boarders on impossible to guard.
I still don't like Dirk, but there is not a single player in the league that deserves a ring more than he does. He's loyal and an incredibly hard worker. The man suffered through years of criticism and proved himself capable of coming out the other side successfully. Now Dirk will have the chance to exact revenge against the team that stole his 2006 title. And while I don't like him, I respect him immensely. And there is no player in the league, not on the Blazers, that I would rather see win a title.
He was the anti-clutch. He couldn't carry a team out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. When he finally did and the Mavericks made it to the NBA 2006 Finals, I cheered as a young Dwyane Wade was gift wrapped the finals by David Stern and Stu Jackson. Then the following year, with a chip on his shoulder, Dirk led the Mavericks to the best record in the NBA, capturing the overall number one seed as he was named the league MVP. The Mavericks subsequently became the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed in a seven game series. Dirk further confirmed his inability to show up in momentous games.
2008: first round exit.
2009: second round exit.
2010: first round exit as #2 seed.
Dirk's championship window appeared to be closing. A veteran point guard, Jason Kidd, and an athletic, scoring wing, Caron Butler, were his last hopes for a title run. Butler went down early in the season to an ACL tear and the Mavs were hot and cold as they clinched the number three seed despite a hot start. Most analysts put their chances at 50-50 to make it out of the first round against the Blazers.
But somewhere in the back of Dirk's mind, a switch clicked. Tired of the doubters, the critics, and the non-believers, he began destroying every defender he encountered. The Blazers attempted to put a smaller Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum on him, he simply took them to the low post and brutalized them. When a bigger and longer Marcus Camby and Lamarcus Aldridge took their turn on him, Dirk drew them out, took to hard dribbles, pumped faked and drilled jumper after jumper.
This trend continued through the second round as the Mavericks steamrolled the defending champion Lakers. The series was never even close as Dirk led the Mavs to a level they hadn't seen since 2006. But after that there were questions lingering. How would Dirk shake off the cobwebs from their long rest? Could he handle a long and strong defender like Ibaka? What about when the Thunder gave Ibaka a rest and put a serviceable Nick Collison on him?
Dirk shut the critics up with arguably the greatest offensive performance in playoff history in terms of efficiency. Scoring 48 points on fifteen shots, including a playoff record twenty-four made free throws with no misses, Dirk pushed his game to a level that the NBA had never seen him at. When the Thunder threw double teams at him, he punished them with ball movement. He rebounded the ball with impunity and missed only two free throws the entire series.
Dirk Nowitzki could have rolled over and died. After the NBA heisted the 2006 NBA Finals from him, Dirk suffered through three more difficult seasons with two coaches and a revolving door of players. At age 32, Dirk should have been on his way out of the league. But Dirk's game has continued to evolve, crafting an arsenal of jumpers that boarders on impossible to guard.
I still don't like Dirk, but there is not a single player in the league that deserves a ring more than he does. He's loyal and an incredibly hard worker. The man suffered through years of criticism and proved himself capable of coming out the other side successfully. Now Dirk will have the chance to exact revenge against the team that stole his 2006 title. And while I don't like him, I respect him immensely. And there is no player in the league, not on the Blazers, that I would rather see win a title.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Let the Bloodbath Commence
The first step to the eventual NBA lockout occurred today when the NBA players' union filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. Basically the complain alleges that the owners are attempting to create an unfair work situation for the players with the demands that the owners made for the new collective bargaining agreement.
If you haven't seen what the changes the owners want to see in the CBA, you can take a look at this excellent piece that outlines what the general public knows about the owners' proposal. The two biggest points of their demands are:
I don't think that the entire season will be locked out. Fortunately for the owners, they possess the strongest piece of leverage around: they control the salaries. The players, especially in today's world, live luxurious lives and spend extravagantly. They need the money and the season more than the owners do, but not before games are lost in the regular season. If nothing else, basketball fans, the NBA is still in a better state than the NFL lockout.
If you haven't seen what the changes the owners want to see in the CBA, you can take a look at this excellent piece that outlines what the general public knows about the owners' proposal. The two biggest points of their demands are:
- a $45 million hard salary cap
- the elimination of fully guaranteed contracts
I don't think that the entire season will be locked out. Fortunately for the owners, they possess the strongest piece of leverage around: they control the salaries. The players, especially in today's world, live luxurious lives and spend extravagantly. They need the money and the season more than the owners do, but not before games are lost in the regular season. If nothing else, basketball fans, the NBA is still in a better state than the NFL lockout.
Monday, 23 May 2011
Blazers GM Rich Cho Fired
The team went through this song and dance last summer. Only this time they didn't even make it past draft day before they fired the GM. Rich Cho, less than one year from accepting the general manager position for the Portland Trail Blazers, was shown the Rose Garden exit in a similar style to Kevin Pritchard last summer.
Portland has now shuffled through three GM's in less than one calendar year. It started with assistant general manager Tom Penn in May 2010. Then just after the 2010 draft in June, Kevin Pritchard saw his time with the Blazers end, shocking the Portland fan base. In July 2010, Portland hired Rich Cho from the Oklahoma City Thunder and that seemed to calm the situation.
But nothing is ever calm with Paul Allen and his Big Brother Vulcans. Despite heisting Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats, keeping together a crumbling roster to 50 wins, and not having an opportunity to participate in the draft or a full free agency period, Allen had seen enough.
Keep in mind this is the same Paul Allen that one month ago said that he saw Rich Cho as an integral part of the franchise if they were to return to the NBA Finals. So somewhere in the past month, Cho irritated Allen to the point where he was fired. That seems highly unlikely, which means that the Vulcans, the suits that handle Paul Allen's investments, have been scheming to remove Cho.
The Vulcans have long meddled with Blazer affairs, putting pressure on the organization and Allen (despite owning both companies). They are always watching and whispering in Allen's ear. The Vulcans do not want any one person becoming more powerful than them, preferring a personality that is weak and manipulative. Larry Miller, in their minds, is an exemplary executive: a mouthpiece that they can control and do their bidding. Miller has backed every decision that Allen has ever made, never voicing displeasure with the owner in public.
But then again, nether did Rich Cho. Cho appeared to have done everything that the organization asked. Larry Miller cited that personality differences were the reasons that he was let go. The Blazers preferred to not drag out a situation that they saw inevitably ending. If Cho and Allen have personality issues, what could the Blazers possibly look for in a new GM? Cho appeared more soft-spoken than a mute. My guess is that they are looking for simply a suit. They want a person to stand there and announce the decisions of the organizations. Their next GM will simply be a yes-man.
Why would any general manager want this job though? After the three dismissals of Penn, Pritchard and Cho, clearly the Blazers general manager position is not the dream job that people once portrayed it as. A rich owner with deep pockets who is willing to exceed the cap. But the caveat is that your voice is not heard. And if you voice it too loudly, here's a box, pack your things up and be out of the office by the end of the day. If I were a current, former, or aspiring general manager I would put a red flag by Portland.
I have said it before and it bears repeating: the Blazers will never win a championship with Paul Allen as the owner. The man's ego is too large for any other person in the organization to receive credit. The Vulcans and Allen have created a culture of fear throughout the Blazers, leaving the job about as desirable as head coach of the Timberwolves. Allen may be willing to spend more money than any other owner, but his inability to let another person simply do their jobs will crush this team. Allen and the Vulcans are the puppeteers looking for a beautiful new puppet to string along, a la Miller.
The number one prerequisite for the job is simple: "Must not have a spine."
Portland has now shuffled through three GM's in less than one calendar year. It started with assistant general manager Tom Penn in May 2010. Then just after the 2010 draft in June, Kevin Pritchard saw his time with the Blazers end, shocking the Portland fan base. In July 2010, Portland hired Rich Cho from the Oklahoma City Thunder and that seemed to calm the situation.
But nothing is ever calm with Paul Allen and his Big Brother Vulcans. Despite heisting Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats, keeping together a crumbling roster to 50 wins, and not having an opportunity to participate in the draft or a full free agency period, Allen had seen enough.
Keep in mind this is the same Paul Allen that one month ago said that he saw Rich Cho as an integral part of the franchise if they were to return to the NBA Finals. So somewhere in the past month, Cho irritated Allen to the point where he was fired. That seems highly unlikely, which means that the Vulcans, the suits that handle Paul Allen's investments, have been scheming to remove Cho.
The Vulcans have long meddled with Blazer affairs, putting pressure on the organization and Allen (despite owning both companies). They are always watching and whispering in Allen's ear. The Vulcans do not want any one person becoming more powerful than them, preferring a personality that is weak and manipulative. Larry Miller, in their minds, is an exemplary executive: a mouthpiece that they can control and do their bidding. Miller has backed every decision that Allen has ever made, never voicing displeasure with the owner in public.
But then again, nether did Rich Cho. Cho appeared to have done everything that the organization asked. Larry Miller cited that personality differences were the reasons that he was let go. The Blazers preferred to not drag out a situation that they saw inevitably ending. If Cho and Allen have personality issues, what could the Blazers possibly look for in a new GM? Cho appeared more soft-spoken than a mute. My guess is that they are looking for simply a suit. They want a person to stand there and announce the decisions of the organizations. Their next GM will simply be a yes-man.
Why would any general manager want this job though? After the three dismissals of Penn, Pritchard and Cho, clearly the Blazers general manager position is not the dream job that people once portrayed it as. A rich owner with deep pockets who is willing to exceed the cap. But the caveat is that your voice is not heard. And if you voice it too loudly, here's a box, pack your things up and be out of the office by the end of the day. If I were a current, former, or aspiring general manager I would put a red flag by Portland.
I have said it before and it bears repeating: the Blazers will never win a championship with Paul Allen as the owner. The man's ego is too large for any other person in the organization to receive credit. The Vulcans and Allen have created a culture of fear throughout the Blazers, leaving the job about as desirable as head coach of the Timberwolves. Allen may be willing to spend more money than any other owner, but his inability to let another person simply do their jobs will crush this team. Allen and the Vulcans are the puppeteers looking for a beautiful new puppet to string along, a la Miller.
The number one prerequisite for the job is simple: "Must not have a spine."
Sunday, 22 May 2011
A Football and Crime Correlation?
In a one-on-one interview recently, Ray Lewis stated his belief that if the NFL season locks out for the entire year, crime will rise in cities across the United States.
"There's too many people that live through us, people live through us," he said. "Yeah, walk in the streets, the way I walk the streets, and I'm not talking about the people you see all the time. There's nothing else to do."
I understand Ray Lewis's logic, however, it sounds juvenile at best. The team plays once a week and during that time, hundreds of thousands of people watch, let's say the Ravens, and devote three hours of their life to their team. Other than that three hours once a week, there is no point during the season that fans dedicate a large portion of time to the Ravens. They listen to sports radio, read newspaper articles, and watch the nightly news recapping team news, but fans do all of this in conjunction with other activities.
I highly doubt that in the fall, on Sundays when NFL fans will have nothing to do, people will say, "Hey, let's rob that 7-11 since there is no football on!" I know that people invest substantial energy in their fanaticism, but they won't wander the streets like lost sheep looking to cause problems because they cannot "live through [the players]." If Lewis hopes that this argument will help end labor negotiations, the attempt will fall flat on its face.
Ray Lewis wants us to examine the statistics to see the connection between the two. But I have bad news for him: there is just no correlation between crime and the NFL season not occurring. Then again, maybe Lewis can attest to a thing or two about committing crimes in the absence of football, so who knows after all?
"There's too many people that live through us, people live through us," he said. "Yeah, walk in the streets, the way I walk the streets, and I'm not talking about the people you see all the time. There's nothing else to do."
I understand Ray Lewis's logic, however, it sounds juvenile at best. The team plays once a week and during that time, hundreds of thousands of people watch, let's say the Ravens, and devote three hours of their life to their team. Other than that three hours once a week, there is no point during the season that fans dedicate a large portion of time to the Ravens. They listen to sports radio, read newspaper articles, and watch the nightly news recapping team news, but fans do all of this in conjunction with other activities.
I highly doubt that in the fall, on Sundays when NFL fans will have nothing to do, people will say, "Hey, let's rob that 7-11 since there is no football on!" I know that people invest substantial energy in their fanaticism, but they won't wander the streets like lost sheep looking to cause problems because they cannot "live through [the players]." If Lewis hopes that this argument will help end labor negotiations, the attempt will fall flat on its face.
Ray Lewis wants us to examine the statistics to see the connection between the two. But I have bad news for him: there is just no correlation between crime and the NFL season not occurring. Then again, maybe Lewis can attest to a thing or two about committing crimes in the absence of football, so who knows after all?
Friday, 20 May 2011
The Oklahoma City Disconnect
The Dallas Mavericks will win this series and make it to the NBA finals. I am positive. Yes, the series is tied 1-1. Yes, they are going back to Oklahoma City for the next two games, one of the hardest places to play in the NBA. But they are quickly learning a lesson that all young teams in the playoffs inevitably face: growing pains trifle with success. And nobody is experiencing these pains worse than Russell Westbrook.
In my opinion, point guard is the second hardest position to play in professional sports. That's what makes this influx of young, talented point guards in the league such an anomaly. None of them is more surprising than Russell Westbrook. A combo guard entering the league and GM's had serious questions about his ability to play point guard, Wesbtrook has transformed into one of the league's stars alongside Durant. He capped off an impressive regular season with a 2nd Team All-NBA selection by the coaches.
But the Westbrook in the playoffs has been an entirely different beast. It started with the game four gaffe in the Memphis series when Westbrook blatantly ignored Durant and the rest of the Thunder costing his team the game. Then last night, Westbrook failed to run a play correctly at the end of the third quarter (depending on who is asked, Westbrook or Scott Brooks) and subsequently sat the remainder of the game, which ultimately the Thunder won.
Two events that on the surface do not appear as much, but when examined more closely one aspect clearly stands out: Westbrook's attitude throughout the two incidents. In last night's game, Westbrook exchanged heated words with Brooks just before his benching and Maurice Cheeks was forced to calm Westbrook down. A similar exchange took place in game four of the Memphis series when Westbrook channeled his inner-Kobe and refused to pass to his teammates.
Fine, NBA players bicker with coaches all the time. The bigger concern is how Westbrook interacts with and his attitude towards the team's captain, and best scorer in the NBA, Kevin Durant. Several times this post-season, the two have been seen jawing at each other on the bench, as Durant grew frustrated with his point guard's inability to distribute the ball. Westbrook's job is to create shots for his teammates, especially Durant. But their chemistry is sparse at best. Neither one appears interested in assisting other, which is disconcerting when one of the players is the point guard.
Durant and Westbrook have to be on the same page for OKC to be successful. The relationship between these two can dictate the entire standing of this team. If they remain as disconnected as they have through these playoffs, they will face major issues throughout the remainder of their time in Oklahoma City.
Two years ago, Oklahoma City was the place to play in the NBA because of how well the team got along. Now their cohesiveness seems to be wearing away. I don't think that it is time to push the panic button, but Sam Presti and Scott Brooks should probably keep a close eye on this. Durant has shown maturity beyond his years; Westbrook still looks like a brash, arrogant college player with no signs of growing up. Oklahoma City's future and success depends on it.
In my opinion, point guard is the second hardest position to play in professional sports. That's what makes this influx of young, talented point guards in the league such an anomaly. None of them is more surprising than Russell Westbrook. A combo guard entering the league and GM's had serious questions about his ability to play point guard, Wesbtrook has transformed into one of the league's stars alongside Durant. He capped off an impressive regular season with a 2nd Team All-NBA selection by the coaches.
But the Westbrook in the playoffs has been an entirely different beast. It started with the game four gaffe in the Memphis series when Westbrook blatantly ignored Durant and the rest of the Thunder costing his team the game. Then last night, Westbrook failed to run a play correctly at the end of the third quarter (depending on who is asked, Westbrook or Scott Brooks) and subsequently sat the remainder of the game, which ultimately the Thunder won.
Two events that on the surface do not appear as much, but when examined more closely one aspect clearly stands out: Westbrook's attitude throughout the two incidents. In last night's game, Westbrook exchanged heated words with Brooks just before his benching and Maurice Cheeks was forced to calm Westbrook down. A similar exchange took place in game four of the Memphis series when Westbrook channeled his inner-Kobe and refused to pass to his teammates.
Fine, NBA players bicker with coaches all the time. The bigger concern is how Westbrook interacts with and his attitude towards the team's captain, and best scorer in the NBA, Kevin Durant. Several times this post-season, the two have been seen jawing at each other on the bench, as Durant grew frustrated with his point guard's inability to distribute the ball. Westbrook's job is to create shots for his teammates, especially Durant. But their chemistry is sparse at best. Neither one appears interested in assisting other, which is disconcerting when one of the players is the point guard.
Durant and Westbrook have to be on the same page for OKC to be successful. The relationship between these two can dictate the entire standing of this team. If they remain as disconnected as they have through these playoffs, they will face major issues throughout the remainder of their time in Oklahoma City.
Two years ago, Oklahoma City was the place to play in the NBA because of how well the team got along. Now their cohesiveness seems to be wearing away. I don't think that it is time to push the panic button, but Sam Presti and Scott Brooks should probably keep a close eye on this. Durant has shown maturity beyond his years; Westbrook still looks like a brash, arrogant college player with no signs of growing up. Oklahoma City's future and success depends on it.
Monday, 16 May 2011
One Will Always Beat Three
Alright, I'll admit it: I sold the Bulls short before the series even started. I watched them struggle with both Indiana and Atlanta, producing performances that were not exactly terrifying for the number one overall seed. Meanwhile, Miami just manhandled a (now exposed) Boston team that many thought, including myself, would essentially decide who would win the East. Vegas picked the Heat. ESPN picked the Heat. I picked the Heat.
And then the MVP and coach of the year proved to us exactly why we are all idiots. Chicago blitzkrieged Miami last night, physically dominating them in a 103-82 victory. The Bulls so far had been the Derrick Rose Show, featuring a bunch of other guys not worth naming. The Heat continued to be a two man wrecking crew (no due respect to Bosh, who has no been underwhelming for the most part), powering through, around, and over defenses. Rose is the MVP, but Miami has two of the top five players in the league playing at their highest level. How would Chicago keep up?
My guess is that Tom Thibodeau preached that the only way that Chicago was going to beat the Heat was if they beat them up on the court and played as a cohesive unit. Physical, aggressive defense pestered LeBron and Wade all night, creating difficult scoring opportunities that neither could convert on. These were the top two teams in the league in defensive efficiency, and even though the Heat finished .1 behind the Bulls in that category, the Bulls looked like equivalent of the '85 Chicago Bears on defense last night.
Chicago looked like a team. The Heat looked like a three-headed monster that struggled to keep two heads afloat. The Bulls released defensive kryptonite on the Heat, reducing them to the one-on-one isolation offense that killed them early in the regular season. The Bulls operated like German machinery. The Heat looked like group of discombobulated parts struggling to function.
The Bulls switched, rotated, fought through screens, and clean, polished, and shined the backboards on the defensive end. By pushing around the Heat on that side of the floor, a task that Boston failed to do and Philly just was not good enough to do, the Bulls created opportunities on the offensive end. Missed shots led to defensive rebounds. And when the Bulls had the ball on offense, they made the most of every opportunity possible. Racking up 19 offensive rebounds resulted in 19 more shot attempts. Even though Miami shot better from the field, the number of shots taken made a huge difference.
Chicago physically asserted their will last night. They refused to let the Heatles push dictate the game. And if I were Miami, I would be worried about this becoming a trend in the series. Besides the Bulls simply outworking and wanting the win more than the Heat, two big things from last night stood out: Derrick Rose's "quiet" night and the clear difference in coaching abilities.
I am not sure if a player can ever truly have a quiet 28 and 6, but if anyone did, Derrick Rose did last night. At no point did he seem to completely dominate the game. He was always there doing the normal things Rose does, but he just did not shine like he did in the regular season. Expecting the Bulls role players to continue performing the way they did last night is not expecting too much. Miami hoping that Rose will continue to play like he did last night is hoping for too much. If Rose catches fire, Miami will certainly have their hands more full than they already are.
Second, Erik Spoelstra is not on the same level of coaching as Thibodeau. He might not even be in the same league. The Heat, while clearly the players were having their struggles, were completely out-executed in the second half. I do not care if the Heat have three of the four best players on the court in the series, Thibodeau's ability to outcoach Spoelstra will make null that.
Obviously Miami is an incredibly talented team. The series is far from over, especially considering that Miami is one of the best home teams in the league. But I feel like game one might have indicated how this series will progress. Chicago holds the power; they can dictate the remainder of the series. Better big men, a plethora of defenders to throw at Bosh and Wade, superior defensive schemes, and the MVP. Maybe all the Bulls needed was this underdog role to complete the recipe.
And then the MVP and coach of the year proved to us exactly why we are all idiots. Chicago blitzkrieged Miami last night, physically dominating them in a 103-82 victory. The Bulls so far had been the Derrick Rose Show, featuring a bunch of other guys not worth naming. The Heat continued to be a two man wrecking crew (no due respect to Bosh, who has no been underwhelming for the most part), powering through, around, and over defenses. Rose is the MVP, but Miami has two of the top five players in the league playing at their highest level. How would Chicago keep up?
My guess is that Tom Thibodeau preached that the only way that Chicago was going to beat the Heat was if they beat them up on the court and played as a cohesive unit. Physical, aggressive defense pestered LeBron and Wade all night, creating difficult scoring opportunities that neither could convert on. These were the top two teams in the league in defensive efficiency, and even though the Heat finished .1 behind the Bulls in that category, the Bulls looked like equivalent of the '85 Chicago Bears on defense last night.
Chicago looked like a team. The Heat looked like a three-headed monster that struggled to keep two heads afloat. The Bulls released defensive kryptonite on the Heat, reducing them to the one-on-one isolation offense that killed them early in the regular season. The Bulls operated like German machinery. The Heat looked like group of discombobulated parts struggling to function.
The Bulls switched, rotated, fought through screens, and clean, polished, and shined the backboards on the defensive end. By pushing around the Heat on that side of the floor, a task that Boston failed to do and Philly just was not good enough to do, the Bulls created opportunities on the offensive end. Missed shots led to defensive rebounds. And when the Bulls had the ball on offense, they made the most of every opportunity possible. Racking up 19 offensive rebounds resulted in 19 more shot attempts. Even though Miami shot better from the field, the number of shots taken made a huge difference.
Chicago physically asserted their will last night. They refused to let the Heatles push dictate the game. And if I were Miami, I would be worried about this becoming a trend in the series. Besides the Bulls simply outworking and wanting the win more than the Heat, two big things from last night stood out: Derrick Rose's "quiet" night and the clear difference in coaching abilities.
I am not sure if a player can ever truly have a quiet 28 and 6, but if anyone did, Derrick Rose did last night. At no point did he seem to completely dominate the game. He was always there doing the normal things Rose does, but he just did not shine like he did in the regular season. Expecting the Bulls role players to continue performing the way they did last night is not expecting too much. Miami hoping that Rose will continue to play like he did last night is hoping for too much. If Rose catches fire, Miami will certainly have their hands more full than they already are.
Second, Erik Spoelstra is not on the same level of coaching as Thibodeau. He might not even be in the same league. The Heat, while clearly the players were having their struggles, were completely out-executed in the second half. I do not care if the Heat have three of the four best players on the court in the series, Thibodeau's ability to outcoach Spoelstra will make null that.
Obviously Miami is an incredibly talented team. The series is far from over, especially considering that Miami is one of the best home teams in the league. But I feel like game one might have indicated how this series will progress. Chicago holds the power; they can dictate the remainder of the series. Better big men, a plethora of defenders to throw at Bosh and Wade, superior defensive schemes, and the MVP. Maybe all the Bulls needed was this underdog role to complete the recipe.
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