X Marks The Spot : Breaking It Down Since '05!

By now, NBA fans will surely have seen Shaq's impromptu "freestyle" that really puts Kobe Bryant on blast.

I started this blog just for the hell of it. It seems to be the "in" thing now, and I thought it'd be cool to join in on the fun. After all, it really is fun to write, and it's nice to be able to put your thoughts out there.

Slowly (as in snail-slow), my blog has picked up a few regulars. So I started scouring around the net for more blogs and saw some nice-looking blogs out there. I soon noticed that there was a lot more to blogging than just writing, and what was once considered merely an avenue for my ramblings has turned into sort of like a mini-column. This wasn't purely about writing anymore, folks. Like with cars, there has to be a peaceful balance of style and substance.

So, as recently as two weeks ago, I decided to really up my blogging game. With Kricket's help, I was able to find a better (but not perfect) template. I know skulls and bones ain't really my thing, but damn if that template didn't look hella nice! But don't worry, I'm not emo.

And soon after, I put up some nice YardBarker and BallHype buttons in every piece I wrote, even non-basketball related ones. And I must admit, it doubled my traffic. It went from one to two!

We all know the story by now. After years of toiling away for the Wolves, Kevin Garnett finally manages to break on through to the other side. Watching his post-game interview, seeing just how happy and relieved he was, really gave me goosebumps. I'm not exactly his biggest fan, but it was just so sweet to see him get his ring. If not for the fact that I was at work during that moment, I bet a tear would've been shed.

It just feels so good because his victory is sort of like a validation that hard work truly pays off. I didn't always believe that, especially since I value "smart work" more than "hard work", but it works. KG just proved it.

It's inspiring because here was a guy who was mad-talented (who certainly had enough clout to influence management) but kept it classy throughout the years. He may have shown some frustration (who hasn't?) but it was always of the "get me some help" variety instead of the standard "ship my ass out". He didn't want to leave 'Sota, he always wanted to stay. Even as recently as the 2006-2007 season, he was begging for Iverson to come to his team. Only when it seemed hopeless did he finally give up on the Wolves. Yet, when he won his title, he never forgot Minnesota. Loyalty. Apparently, wolves are also familiar with the concept.

Then, here was this dude named Paul Pierce, who just wouldn't let his team lose. Here's a dude who, knowing that his window is slowly closing, just up and decided to take matters into his own hands and never let this one slip away. Remember the regret you felt when you didn't ask out that one special girl? Well, P-Double asked his out, and closed the deal to boot. The sense of urgency I saw in his every drive was phenomenal. It's called "seizing the day", and boy, did Paul ever seize.

And that's just from two players. I won't even write about Rajon Rondo playing on a broken foot, Ray Allen putting family first but still knocking down 7 treys in the series clincher, and Doc Rivers' rise to prominence after his stint in coaching hell.

Still, though, you can't help but feel a little disgusted at their performances. Once again, Lamar Odom crumbled in the Finals, but it's not like the Spurs were chopped liver. I truly believe that if we are to conclude that Odom is unable to play in big games, then he would've done it way back when they were battling the Utah Jazz. As it stands, however, LO only played consistently terrible against the Celtics. And I think it has to do more with lack of effort than anything else. Same goes for Pau Gasol, who only seemed interested in playing during portions of a game.

And I think that's the biggest reason the Los Angeles Lakers lost. They didn't want it enough. Maybe they became over-confident, or maybe they quit so early into the series. I can totally see it happening, though. They must've felt like for the next 5 years or so, they will be strong championship contenders. And that they can afford to let this one slip, because -MAYBE- they believed they will be in the Finals again next year. Which is not guaranteed, at all. I'm sure Kobe Bryant doesn't feel this way, and neither does Derek Fisher. But what about the rest of this young team?

It's like all those times we say to ourselves, "there's going to be a second chance"... But what if there isn't? What if that opportunity never presents itself again? Then what are you left with? Nothing but regrets.

Of course it's unrealistic (not to mention physically impossible) for us to grab every opportunity out there. Ultimately, we will have to let some of them go. But that's where priorities come into play. We have to understand what's important, and as far as I can tell, winning a championship is probably the greatest prize in the sport. This is the time when we lay it all out there, similar to the times we worked so damn hard to get a diploma, or conquering fear just to be able to drive. It's that desire for something so great that makes us put our body and mind through so much, and somehow, that's what I felt was missing from the Lakers this year.

Apologies if this turns out to be a tad preachy, and there's probably so many more events that better show the strength of the human body and mind, but this is the most recent reminder that, should we want it enough, we can get it.

Like Kevin Garnett shouted emphatically, "Anything is possible!"

And for the first time in my life, I find myself agreeing with KG.

Thanks for reminding me what I need to do, dog. Congratulations.

Photo credit again goes to Getty Images, from Yahoo!

Aside from the wack officiating in the first half of Game 2, the biggest controversy could be the truth behind Paul Pierce's knee injury. For the past 3 days, I have read so much about it that I don't even know what to believe anymore. 

Tony Montana's rise from everyday thug-for-hire into a drug emperor... The death of Little Foot's mother and his eventual discovery of the "promised land"... Luke Skywalker's slow transformation from Jedi into the Sith Lord...

Time and time again, Hollywood has provided us with the greatest stories. The most exciting finishes. The toughest battles.

And this year, we have the NBA's version of a summer blockbuster.

In a fashion not unlike the most spectacular films, the NBA's two most-recognizable franchises are set to battle for the ultimate prize. Two clubs with lots of history, with the participants having so much to prove.

Can Kobe Bryant really win a championship without Shaq? Can Phil Jackson surpass Red as the king of coaches? Will KG shed the label of "un-clutch" that he has been carrying for years? Who's that dude on the Celtics wearing # 20? Will Pierce will his way into the elite group of Celtics greats?

These questions will be answered soon, when the NBA Finals commence.

But first, I'd love to put my thoughts out there to the two Conference Runner-Ups.

The San Antonio Spurs are not done, by any means necessary. Yes, they are aging, but I would not consider them old. They are still one of the smartest, most experienced teams out there. To say there are over-the-hill is akin to saying Dane Cook is funny; it's just not true. Remember, people also tagged them as past their primes when Dallas beat them in the semis way back in 2006. Yet, since then, the Spurs have been champions once more and the Mavs' title hopes have clearly been squashed.

Yes, the Spurs have lots of issues to address. Despite a core group that I see redeeming themselves next year, they really need some fresh blood off the bench. Horry's status is still up in the air, and so is Mike Finley's. But even if they do come back, it's not like they will be overly productive. Ime Udoka is a nice player and should be able to fill Bowen's blood-stained shoes nicely, but everything else needs improvement. Especially since it's looking like Tiago Splitter would rather play overseas. But still, when all is said and done, when the dust settles and when the sun (or the Suns) sets, the Spurs will be right where they were for the past decade: in the hunt for the title and the singular team that all championship hopefuls must overcome.

As for the Detroit Pistons, the cracks are starting to show themselves. I can't (and won't) say that they are doomed, but for the first time in quite a few years, the franchise as a whole is looking vulnerable. Just this day, Joe Dumars has fired Flip Saunders and openly implied to the public that nobody on the starting five is safe. This is big news for a team that has essentially kept the same starting five for the past 5 years.

I'm glad, though, that Dumars admitted that. This club needs some serious re-tooling. As good as their starters are, they seem to allow themselves to collapse in the biggest of games. Whether it's due to complacency, lack of respect for their coach or some other crazy thing that I would not put past Detroit, the facts are there. Three straight trips to the Conference Finals, three straight exits in the Conference Finals. And come October, we could be seeing an entirely different Pistons opening five. Which is what exactly they need.

But now, let's head on to the NBA Finals match-up...

By now, most of you have probably read so much about the Lakers-Celtics match-up. And just like me, maybe you would all just like to move past the smokescreens and get on with the games. So with that, let me keep things short and sweet.

Just like I said, Boston would finally slay the road demons and use their previous Game 7's to their advantage. After sending Detroit home in six, I feel like the Celtics finally learned how to effectively play together in the post-season. Ray Allen found his stroke, Kevin Garnett's offense has improved and hopefully Pierce accepts the role as team closer. The bench also played solid defense all throughout, and was capped of by Posey's steal on Prince.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have been disspelling the notion that young teams should "pay their dues" first. Although if you have a future Hall-Of-Famer, I think it's a reasonable exception. Kobe Bryant has been playing lights out, and I SERIOUSLY doubt Pierce or Posey can defend him. Hell, all Bowen had to do was guard and Kobe still handed it to Bruce.

But really, I'm making my prediction based solely on one thing...

Tell me if you recognize these names: Rudy Tomjanovich, Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley. All great coaches, yes, but also the only coaches to have won a championship since 1991. That means the past 18 titles have revolved around just 4 coaches. Stretch that a bit and you see Pat Riley winning two more with Lakers back in the 80's. That in itself is unprecedented.

But look deeper (and for basketball junkies, it shouldn't be that deep), and you'll see that Phil Jackson has half of those. But let's play "what if" and assume that had MJ not "retired", the Bulls would have won 8 straight championships. That would up his total to 11, and a good argument can be made that they let one slip away to the Pistons in 2004.

Yeah, that's a lot of assumptions right there, but the reality is this, Phil Jackson always found a way to win the title when given great talent. And in my opinion, this is a very, very good Laker team. They aren't as flashy as the Bling Dynasty, and they aren't seen as rock stars like the '96-'98 Bulls, but this team gets the job done. Everybody knows their role well. Pau Gasol is skilled offensively and is a respectable defensive presence and rebounder. Lamar Odom is starting to get his head on right and holds accountability for his play. Derek Fisher is playing inspired. The bench is a healthy mix of crazy (Turiaf) and fundamentals (Walton). In short, this is a TEAM. And I just can't bring myself to believe a TEAM as solid as this, when coached by Phil Jackson, cannot win a title this year.

This will be a battle for the ages. But, using as much common sense as I possibly can, there is only one clear result...

Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Champs 2008.