Even though it did not go the full seven games, this year's Western Conference Finals did not disappoint. The series featured spectacular plays, drama and controversy. But when it was all said and done, I believe most people--including the Spurs--would say that the best team won.
So before we head to the NBA Finals, I thought I would drop a few random leftover thoughts.
1) Kobe Bryant Is Really Good: I know. I know. Duh, right? Kobe has been the best all-around player in the league for several years now, so it's not like I'm making any historic comment here. I'm just saying. Any comparisons to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade or Chris Paul always fall short.
But having said that, this year's MVP may have surpassed most expectations yet again. He took over portions of the games against the Spurs anytime he wanted, and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do about it. Bruce Bowen be damned.
Now Kobe finds himself just four more wins away from achieving his number one goal since the Lakers shipped Shaq to Miami. He wants to bring a championship to LA with him as the team's centerpiece. And with his 31.9 scoring average in the postseason, maybe the NBA is indeed Kobe's world and everyone else is just standing behind the velvet rope hoping they are on the guest list.
2) The Spurs Are Old: Yeah, it's another obvious statement. Just about everyone knew San Antonio represented the old guard in the league, but I think this year's squad was closer to winning an AARP championship than the NBA title. No disrespect to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and company, but I think Utah would have beaten the Spurs if they faced them in the playoffs. So even though they finished runners-up in the West, I don't think the Spurs were the second-best team.
You can expect some serious roster turnover for next season. San Antonio desperately needs to get younger and more athletic if they want to compete with the likes of LA, Utah, and New Orleans. And oh yeah, don't sleep on Portland next season either.
3) Thursday Night Throwdown: I went out to Hollywood after Game 5. Charles Barkley told me to meet him at Goa after the game. Little did I know at the time that the club was co-owned by LA Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley, who was holding court at his own table. I won't divulge all the names of the people kicking it with us, but I will say it did include some current Lakers and a couple of "Girls Next Door".
4) Let's Go Celtics: I know as a respected--if only in my own mind--member of the media, I am supposed to be impartial when it comes to the outcomes of games and/or series. And if you have ever seen me working a game, you know that I never cheer even if the game features one of my favorite teams. Although I cannot say that about all reporters who cover games. But I digress.
Even though I'm not supposed to, I find myself openly rooting for the Celtics to knock off the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, and my reason is strictly selfish. I do not want to go to Detroit for the NBA Finals. I want to go to Boston. It's not as if I have anything against Detroit. In fact, when I traveled there for the 2004 NBA Finals, I had a great time and met some great people. But in the words of Dr. Dre, I've been there. I've done that. Now I want to do something else, and that means a maiden voyage to Beantown. Yeah, that's right. I have never been to Boston. It's a city I have wanted to visit for sometime now, but actually making it there never worked out. So with an opportunity to hang out in Boston for a few days well within my grasp, and on the company dime, I cannot help myself but to root for the Celtics. Come on, Boston. Don't let me down!
So before we head to the NBA Finals, I thought I would drop a few random leftover thoughts.
1) Kobe Bryant Is Really Good: I know. I know. Duh, right? Kobe has been the best all-around player in the league for several years now, so it's not like I'm making any historic comment here. I'm just saying. Any comparisons to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade or Chris Paul always fall short.
But having said that, this year's MVP may have surpassed most expectations yet again. He took over portions of the games against the Spurs anytime he wanted, and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do about it. Bruce Bowen be damned.
Now Kobe finds himself just four more wins away from achieving his number one goal since the Lakers shipped Shaq to Miami. He wants to bring a championship to LA with him as the team's centerpiece. And with his 31.9 scoring average in the postseason, maybe the NBA is indeed Kobe's world and everyone else is just standing behind the velvet rope hoping they are on the guest list.
2) The Spurs Are Old: Yeah, it's another obvious statement. Just about everyone knew San Antonio represented the old guard in the league, but I think this year's squad was closer to winning an AARP championship than the NBA title. No disrespect to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and company, but I think Utah would have beaten the Spurs if they faced them in the playoffs. So even though they finished runners-up in the West, I don't think the Spurs were the second-best team.
You can expect some serious roster turnover for next season. San Antonio desperately needs to get younger and more athletic if they want to compete with the likes of LA, Utah, and New Orleans. And oh yeah, don't sleep on Portland next season either.
3) Thursday Night Throwdown: I went out to Hollywood after Game 5. Charles Barkley told me to meet him at Goa after the game. Little did I know at the time that the club was co-owned by LA Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley, who was holding court at his own table. I won't divulge all the names of the people kicking it with us, but I will say it did include some current Lakers and a couple of "Girls Next Door".
4) Let's Go Celtics: I know as a respected--if only in my own mind--member of the media, I am supposed to be impartial when it comes to the outcomes of games and/or series. And if you have ever seen me working a game, you know that I never cheer even if the game features one of my favorite teams. Although I cannot say that about all reporters who cover games. But I digress.
Even though I'm not supposed to, I find myself openly rooting for the Celtics to knock off the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, and my reason is strictly selfish. I do not want to go to Detroit for the NBA Finals. I want to go to Boston. It's not as if I have anything against Detroit. In fact, when I traveled there for the 2004 NBA Finals, I had a great time and met some great people. But in the words of Dr. Dre, I've been there. I've done that. Now I want to do something else, and that means a maiden voyage to Beantown. Yeah, that's right. I have never been to Boston. It's a city I have wanted to visit for sometime now, but actually making it there never worked out. So with an opportunity to hang out in Boston for a few days well within my grasp, and on the company dime, I cannot help myself but to root for the Celtics. Come on, Boston. Don't let me down!
1 comment:
i would like to play the celtics too just because i think it would be much more exciteing. pistons are boring however it would be nice to get sweet revenge on them since they were the last ones to dethrone us and their team is pretty much the same minus Big Ben. i think everyone wants to see lakers vs celtics. ratings would be huge and betting would be big :) Go Lakers!
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