So, here’s my take on last night’s game 3 of the NBA Finals with 10 things it left me thinking
1. I miss Marv Albert and Steve Kerr
2. It might be too soon to move Dirk into the elite class of all time NBA stars like Magic, Bird, Jordan, etc. that 50 points he hung on Phoenix to save Dallas’ season was one of the all time great playoff performances to be sure, but he has basically no-showed in the Finals. They haven’t really needed him to carry them, but Dallas could be up 3-0 if Dirk had even tried to take over last night’s game. He had decent numbers I think, but they were very quiet and didn’t really have a huge impact. Where was he when Wade was going nuts and Miami made that run? Why wasn’t he demanding the ball on every possession like Wade was? They can’t cover him, right? I mean who gets Dirk? So why not give him the ball at the elbow on every fourth quarter possession? Dirk has gone next level this playoffs, but I’m not ready to put him in the highest level. Right now, he’s still more Karl Malone than Tim Duncan.
3. Wade always looks like he’s doing everything he can to stay calm to the point it looks awkward. I find myself wondering if he’s on valium or about to start punching Josh Howard in the face without warning even while he’s blowing by people and dunking. Show some emotion man. Watching Wade absolutely rip apart the Mavericks last night and keep that same placid expression on his face was a little like the first time I watched Napolean Dynamite and wondered why Napolean and Pedro always looked like they were just about to fall asleep.
4. Staying on Wade for a second, have I mentioned I love him? He was banged up and frankly looked exhausted during the 4th quarter and was still completely unstoppable. He could go to the rim anytime he wanted. Dallas has to fix that and if there is one coach in the playoffs this year that has a shot at doing it, it is Avery “Mr. Adjustment” Johnson.
5. Miami won, but looked terrible. Dallas appears to be the far superior team and if Dirk ever wakes up, Miami won’t get within 10 points again this series. That us, unless Shaq is not, as I suspect, dead and simply going out there after being reanimated in some secret voodoo ritual. I think it is past time to stop talking about whether Wade is a good sidekick for Shaq and start figuring out what kind of side kick Miami can get for Wade, with Shaq being a decent 3rd wheel. Consider this, Eric Dampier, who does not even start for the Mavericks, has completely outplayed Shaq this series.
6. Mike Wilbon adds nothing to Patrick and Jackson in the studio. Why is he there?
7. I don’t think those “man rules” commercials work. Am I alone on this one? I think the premise is alright and it had promise, but I think they’re mostly just awkward, cliché and forced. Plus that skinny black comic whose name I can’t remember just isn’t manly. Also, I have this sinking feeling that they won’t stop with them until they become so irritating that we’ll be longing for the “waaaassssuuup” guys.
8. I HATE, I mean I really hate the way offensive fouls are being called. It makes me crazy. Here are the two, though not the only, things I hate the most. First, the super obvious flop. I don’t think you should be able to draw a charge with any amount of contact while you are set and I think someone who gets barely touched and then launches themselves backwards like they’ve been shot with one of those cartoon guns that shoots out the fist with a boxing glove, should get a technical foul. I’m not kidding. Guys like Posey, Manu, Parker, Bowen (I’m noticing a pattern), Bell, and the list goes on and on, should not be praised as good defenders because they can act well. In my mind, it is just a form of tolerated cheating and cheapens the game and makes refs look like idiots. I don’t think you should be able to draw a charge unless you really have enough contact to knock you backwards.
Second, jumping in front of the elbow. Did you see that call on Shaq against Dirk in the second half last night where Shaq caught the ball in the post turned to find Nowitzky had crawled inside of his jersey and positioned his face right next to Shaq’s elbow, and then got called for a foul when Dirk smacked Shaq’s arm with his face. It is like the game we used to play as kids where when a buddy was looking away from you, you put your fist right next to his face where he couldn’t see it and then get his attention. When he turns to look at you he swings his face into your fist and basically punches himself. Believe me, it’s fun. That’s what guys do to Shaq except in reverse. When he’s not looking they stick their face by his elbow or shoulder and then when he moves they take a blow, but he gets a foul and the refs go along like they have no idea. Shaq gets 2 fouls a game at least just for being big. Guys just come and rub up against him and then if he moves at all, they go flying and Shaq is called for a foul. Well I’m sorry, but he’s got to be able to turn or move at least a little bit. It is just terrible to watch and once again just makes the refs look stupid.
9. If I never see that VC commercial again where he is talking on the phone about his dog with an eating disorder, it will be too soon. When I see it again, I will have seen it as many times as I’ve seen my own face in a mirror. I’m not that fond of either of those things, but that commercial is really getting to me. The Ben Wallace late for the game commercial is no better. Were they the only two commercials made for the playoffs this year?
10. As much as it still looks like Miami has no hope, even after that last game, I can’t count them out yet. This is exactly how they looked while they were beating Chicago and I predicted they would lose to New Jersey because it looked like they had no energy or even will to win. I won’t make that mistake again. They turned it on and I think they could do it again. Surely, Shaq will have a good game eventually. What they really need is for GP or Walker to have an 18 point game so that Wade gets a game off from having to score 40. But if none of that happens, Wade can probably still carry them. I’m not silly enough to compare him to MJ, but I do think he is the best player of his draft class at the moment and that includes another 23 that plays for the Cavs.
1. I miss Marv Albert and Steve Kerr
2. It might be too soon to move Dirk into the elite class of all time NBA stars like Magic, Bird, Jordan, etc. that 50 points he hung on Phoenix to save Dallas’ season was one of the all time great playoff performances to be sure, but he has basically no-showed in the Finals. They haven’t really needed him to carry them, but Dallas could be up 3-0 if Dirk had even tried to take over last night’s game. He had decent numbers I think, but they were very quiet and didn’t really have a huge impact. Where was he when Wade was going nuts and Miami made that run? Why wasn’t he demanding the ball on every possession like Wade was? They can’t cover him, right? I mean who gets Dirk? So why not give him the ball at the elbow on every fourth quarter possession? Dirk has gone next level this playoffs, but I’m not ready to put him in the highest level. Right now, he’s still more Karl Malone than Tim Duncan.
3. Wade always looks like he’s doing everything he can to stay calm to the point it looks awkward. I find myself wondering if he’s on valium or about to start punching Josh Howard in the face without warning even while he’s blowing by people and dunking. Show some emotion man. Watching Wade absolutely rip apart the Mavericks last night and keep that same placid expression on his face was a little like the first time I watched Napolean Dynamite and wondered why Napolean and Pedro always looked like they were just about to fall asleep.
4. Staying on Wade for a second, have I mentioned I love him? He was banged up and frankly looked exhausted during the 4th quarter and was still completely unstoppable. He could go to the rim anytime he wanted. Dallas has to fix that and if there is one coach in the playoffs this year that has a shot at doing it, it is Avery “Mr. Adjustment” Johnson.
5. Miami won, but looked terrible. Dallas appears to be the far superior team and if Dirk ever wakes up, Miami won’t get within 10 points again this series. That us, unless Shaq is not, as I suspect, dead and simply going out there after being reanimated in some secret voodoo ritual. I think it is past time to stop talking about whether Wade is a good sidekick for Shaq and start figuring out what kind of side kick Miami can get for Wade, with Shaq being a decent 3rd wheel. Consider this, Eric Dampier, who does not even start for the Mavericks, has completely outplayed Shaq this series.
6. Mike Wilbon adds nothing to Patrick and Jackson in the studio. Why is he there?
7. I don’t think those “man rules” commercials work. Am I alone on this one? I think the premise is alright and it had promise, but I think they’re mostly just awkward, cliché and forced. Plus that skinny black comic whose name I can’t remember just isn’t manly. Also, I have this sinking feeling that they won’t stop with them until they become so irritating that we’ll be longing for the “waaaassssuuup” guys.
8. I HATE, I mean I really hate the way offensive fouls are being called. It makes me crazy. Here are the two, though not the only, things I hate the most. First, the super obvious flop. I don’t think you should be able to draw a charge with any amount of contact while you are set and I think someone who gets barely touched and then launches themselves backwards like they’ve been shot with one of those cartoon guns that shoots out the fist with a boxing glove, should get a technical foul. I’m not kidding. Guys like Posey, Manu, Parker, Bowen (I’m noticing a pattern), Bell, and the list goes on and on, should not be praised as good defenders because they can act well. In my mind, it is just a form of tolerated cheating and cheapens the game and makes refs look like idiots. I don’t think you should be able to draw a charge unless you really have enough contact to knock you backwards.
Second, jumping in front of the elbow. Did you see that call on Shaq against Dirk in the second half last night where Shaq caught the ball in the post turned to find Nowitzky had crawled inside of his jersey and positioned his face right next to Shaq’s elbow, and then got called for a foul when Dirk smacked Shaq’s arm with his face. It is like the game we used to play as kids where when a buddy was looking away from you, you put your fist right next to his face where he couldn’t see it and then get his attention. When he turns to look at you he swings his face into your fist and basically punches himself. Believe me, it’s fun. That’s what guys do to Shaq except in reverse. When he’s not looking they stick their face by his elbow or shoulder and then when he moves they take a blow, but he gets a foul and the refs go along like they have no idea. Shaq gets 2 fouls a game at least just for being big. Guys just come and rub up against him and then if he moves at all, they go flying and Shaq is called for a foul. Well I’m sorry, but he’s got to be able to turn or move at least a little bit. It is just terrible to watch and once again just makes the refs look stupid.
9. If I never see that VC commercial again where he is talking on the phone about his dog with an eating disorder, it will be too soon. When I see it again, I will have seen it as many times as I’ve seen my own face in a mirror. I’m not that fond of either of those things, but that commercial is really getting to me. The Ben Wallace late for the game commercial is no better. Were they the only two commercials made for the playoffs this year?
10. As much as it still looks like Miami has no hope, even after that last game, I can’t count them out yet. This is exactly how they looked while they were beating Chicago and I predicted they would lose to New Jersey because it looked like they had no energy or even will to win. I won’t make that mistake again. They turned it on and I think they could do it again. Surely, Shaq will have a good game eventually. What they really need is for GP or Walker to have an 18 point game so that Wade gets a game off from having to score 40. But if none of that happens, Wade can probably still carry them. I’m not silly enough to compare him to MJ, but I do think he is the best player of his draft class at the moment and that includes another 23 that plays for the Cavs.
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