Episode 5 - LET THE GAMES BEGIN

So much for records.  They say the advantage always goes to the home team in a Game 7.  I was involved in one Game 7 in my career and it was a 4th quarter collapse by the Portland Trailblazers in 2000 that allowed us, the Los Angeles Lakers, to advance to the NBA Finals.   But I will say, I thought the Orlando Magic would pull this one off.  The Celtics are a team that had really defied the odds in this post season.  Who really gave them a chance without Kevin Garnett?  I know I didn't.   

And now it gets interesting, as the Orlando Magic are interesting.  I covered the Magic during their series with the 76ers and I thought the Magic were soft.  Especially at the beginning of that series.  I saw a Magic team that was inconsistent, a team that relied too much on the 3 pt shot.  I saw a team that couldn't put teams away in the 4th quarter.   Yet, they survived.  

And now I may be changing the way I think about this team.  Here is a team that can kill you with different guys.  And when Hedo Turgkolu is playing like he did last night, 25 pts and 12 assists they are very dangerous.  Dwight Howard somewhat guranteed that they would win this series.  But if I was assistant coach Patrick Ewing I think I would keep quiet from now on.   And one more thing on the Magic.  I think Rafer Alston may be UNDERRATTED.  I think the guy can really play when he plays within himself.  Decent shooter, great penetrator and an excellent passer.  He gets it done especially in crucial moments and when the series is on the line. Maybe we have all forgotten that this is "Skip To My Lou".   

And it is me or did it seem like Paul Pierce just got old over night?

And Van Gundy has to be happy to be able to shed the nickname given to him by Shaq,  "The Master of Panic."  But hey,  I like the guy.  He reminds me of somebody's dad coaching some CYO league in Anywhere, USA.  Seems like he just threw on some jeans and said "Hey, I'll coach the team, what the hell."  I like his straight forward approach.  He's like any blue collar guy working anywhere in the country and he says the hell with the tie.  I like it.   Let's just hope they let him finish things off and don't replace him with a new coach to win the championship like they did with Pat Riley.   I didn't like the way they played games with Van Gundy back then.  But it seems like he was already part of a game back in the day. 

Bring on the big bad Cavaliers.  King James is waiting.  Not sure if Lebron wanted to go up against Howard but if any man could attack the rim and finish, it is James.  The Cavs should be rested and relaxed.  They also seem to be having a lot of fun during the playoffs.   But I don't think the road is going to be as easy as it has been for the Cavs up to this point.  The Magic have defeated the Cavs twice this season and are not in awe.   The Orlando Magic's 3 pt shooting could spread the Cavs out and Orlando has a bench that can cause some problems with Pietrus, Courtney Lee and Anthony Johnson all having stepped up at sometime in the playoffs.  

And how about the Lakers?  Did anybody really expect the Rockets to go into LA and knock off the Lakeshow?  I didn't.   But I didn't expect the Rockets just to lay down like that and get spanked.  At some point you knew the loss of Yao Ming would hurt them.  No Mutumbo either to back him up.  Landry in the post with Luis Scola is not going to get it done.  And I almost died laughing last night as Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and C-Webb roasted Scola on TNT for first putting on his jersey backwards and then having a beer belly underneath the jersey.  It was classic stuff.   Safe to say if you put your jersey on backwards before the game your team is already down 10-0.  

The Nuggets are also interesting for the Lakers.  They have a team that can match the Lakers.  They have a physical center in Nene.  They have a quality point guard in Chauncey Billups and they also have some fiesty guards in Dahntay Jones, a quality defender and J.R. Smith a reliable scorer who can erupt.  I haven't even mentioned their star Carmelo Anthony and his body guards Kenyon Martin and Chris "Birdman" Anderson.  The Denver Nuggets are for real and they may be the most tattooed team in the league which is also kind of scary. 

Let's buckle up.  The playoff ride is about to get real bumpy.   Let the games begin. 

Oh and before I go I got to say this.  I am a big fan of Spike Lee.  He's been my dude since "Do the Right Thing" in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn changed my view on the world.  I loved what he did with the movie "Malcolm X" and "Jungle Fever" was a classic.  But I have to say, I wasn't feeling the Kobe documentary over the weekend.  I am a real Kobe Bryant fan.  The man is responsible for getting me a championship ring.  But I have to say, I was bored out of my mind.  I sat a watched enough NBA games in my short career in the league from the bench.  In no way shape or form was I ready to watch another entire game from start to finish while Kobe broke down every play.  Spike you are still the man, but I guess everyone has to strike out sometimes.  Hey you still got the Knicks.  That's strike two!