Before I pen my thoughts ( I think this phrase is outdated now, who pens their thoughts anymore, we just key-in/type what we think but I digress) I have to say that I realized y'day that ranting against NBA should be least of my/our priorities, what with the inflation, war, ecosystem's near-collapse, poverty, racialism and more important issues out there in the open.
Having said that, lets get back on NBA. So in my office we were discussing the NBA finals (though my colleagues know that I become a raving lunatic every time someone mentions NBA League Officials or the Referees, they can't resist to needle me and I can't resist to be provoked) and my colleagues wanted my views on NBA finals and who will win it, now that Celtics are 3-1 up in the series.
So I'll share with you the breakdown of next there games;
Game 5 - Lakers
Game 6 - Lakers
Game 7 - Celtics
I'll also share with you why I think it'll be this way;
Everyone knows that Celtics have been a ragged team ever since the playoffs started so many have been surprised at their surprising lead over Lakers who looked infallible going into the Finals. Didn't Lakers defeat such teams as Utah and Spurs and didn't Celtics seem to be bumbling idiots while playing Atlanta and Cleveland.
So what makes them suddenly appear the claimants to the throne??????
Allow me, Ladies and Gentlemen to introduce to you;
David Stern and the
NBA Referees.
These two make me easy to predict how the league is going to play off the NBAs.
It really not that hard to predict actually, just go back in previous years; Remember when Mark Cuban screamed about Stern and the Refs. - Stern had no option but to get Mavericks into the NBA finals BUT because Stern hated the screaming, had Mavericks loose to a team that was totally undeserving to win the NBA final. Heck, that year, Miami couldn't even have been in the play-offs, if the games were called the way they should have been.
Don't mistake me, Dwayne Wade is as good a baller as there are in the NBA and the Big Diesel has his own presence on the court but if you look at the tapes of the entire season twice, you will still not know how they came in the play-offs or the bigger shock - went on to win the finals.
We can go back every year and you will see the same pattern - surprising teams appear in the play-offs and surprising teams lose in play-offs - remember Golden Warriors losing in play-offs last year! If only someone could look at all those game tapes and convince me that its a fair game out there.
Anyways, back to our current series; if you read my last column you'll recall that I mentioned the fact that Lakers will win two out of three at the home court - not because I was looking at skills of either team - I just concentrate on Stern and Referees.
So my prediction is league will try to show that Lakers have got a huge shock to their system by this sudden loss(wink, wink) and hence will rebound and win the next game.
In fact, it will be such a big rebound ( read- the winning margin of Lakers in game 5 will be around 15 or more points) that they will go on to win the next game - the game 6th at Celtics home court - oh! what a shocker!
The game 7 will be a winner for Celtics - oh because they are at home court!
Now you may say; wasn't it the same home court that your predict that will loose the previous game (game 6 of the finals) on! How can a court change its color in two days!
If you ask that, then all I can say is you don't know this NBA league.
Stern has decided that East must win the trophy this year and that's that.
Showing posts with label lakers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lakers. Show all posts
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Mr. Jackson - You are Right and Wrong!
I should have clarified the title a bit more - I meant to direct it to Phil Jackson, the coach of the L.A. Lakers basketball team, but I have reasons to suspect that he doesn't read my blog yet, so we'll wait till such time as he does, nonetheless, I'm gonna say my piece for now.
So Phil felt that the game two of Celtics/Lakers final was called wrongly by the Referees - and I am with him on that, but unlike the basketball experts like Mark Kriegel who exhort Phil and Lakers to shore up their defense or play it harder - I have a simple advice
Ignore it Phil
Yup, just plain ignore it Phil,
because you and I and million other NBA fans know, that you won't be here if it was not the same Refs that brought you here in the first place.
Remember, the no call on Brent Barry by Joey Crawford in the last seconds of Spurs/Lakers game. Sure you were gracious enough to say in the post-game conference that, you thought Barry was fouled and Spurs could have won that game, but you knew it then and you know it now, that Refs are Refs - they have to do the bidding of the League as well as "protect" their personal interests.
What personal interests you ask? You didn't forget Donaghy, did ya!
As if my rantings in the past have not been enough about League a.k.a David Stern, fixing up games/results/series, Donaghy gave me a great boost today, here is what Fox Sports writes; "Court documents filed by Donaghy's lawyer detailed the "inner-workings" of a plot in which top league executives used referees to manipulate the games. Donaghy claims two referees were "company men" whose job was to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.
The full article is here; http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8231176/Report:-Donaghy-says-refs-fixed-playoff-series
Anyways, if you are an NBA fan, you don't have to read the full article, you already know about surprising wins and losses your own teams have had all these years. You shriek with joy when they win (even though you know its not just a surprise but a big shock that your team won against a very good team) and blame the Refs when they loose (when your team was really playing their heart out) but because you have those fleeting joyous moments that kept you from saying that Refs cheated your opponents, you don't have the gumption or moral right to complain, when your team lost.
When you don't stand up for wrong things at the right time, be prepared to be wronged at all times.
I don't blame Stern much though - he has to run this league, make sure that sponsors get their money's worth (TV, Shoes, Drinks.....), keep journos happy, create "stars extraordinaire " like LeBron and others and expand NBA internationally AND all that depends on the NBA League.
All I want is that if you must manipulate games, if Golden State Warriors must lose to Utah during the season, let it be, but PULEEZZ, stay-off the Play Offs. It will be good both, for the game as well as for you in the long run. Let the real stars emerge, don't create them.
Don't give away MVP awards because someone has been playing long in the league and has not got one while a younger player deserves it, no I'm not alluding to Kobe/Paul but rather the overall design, year after year.
So Phil, just ignore the damn fouls - you know as well as I do, that you are guaranteed at least two of the three games at your home court, not because you are great and Celtics are away from their turf but because league cannot and will not let the series go down just like that. I was willing to say that you will win all 3 games but damn that Donaghy - in his statement he also mentions that league has manipulateed series in the past such that a profitable series gets extended to a 7th game, so I think David Stern as smart as he is, may not let this series to go to game 7 - it will be too obvious now. Damn! He's smart!
Sorry, the dice is already loaded and the hype about Celtics must be maintained and the sham revival of Lakers/Celtics must continue.
Based on how Celtics barely survived the earlier play-off series this year, I had marked you to win this sham series in 6 games but oops, the trophy must rotate and league wants to give it to East this year. Its not you Phil, its the money and Stern knows how to follow a good trail.
Oh Phil, another thing, I almost forgot to mention that for a change this year's finals are easy on my heart and mind and I'm not too deeply involved as a fan, so I don't care if Lakers win or Celtics carry the trophy. I'm just glad that I'm emotionally already out of the series.
About an hour is left for the game but don't worry Phil, you got at least two out of three at the home court even if your team doesn't show up or Celtics performs well.
Let the BEST TEAM (as wanted by David Stern) WIN.
So Phil felt that the game two of Celtics/Lakers final was called wrongly by the Referees - and I am with him on that, but unlike the basketball experts like Mark Kriegel who exhort Phil and Lakers to shore up their defense or play it harder - I have a simple advice
Ignore it Phil
Yup, just plain ignore it Phil,
because you and I and million other NBA fans know, that you won't be here if it was not the same Refs that brought you here in the first place.
Remember, the no call on Brent Barry by Joey Crawford in the last seconds of Spurs/Lakers game. Sure you were gracious enough to say in the post-game conference that, you thought Barry was fouled and Spurs could have won that game, but you knew it then and you know it now, that Refs are Refs - they have to do the bidding of the League as well as "protect" their personal interests.
What personal interests you ask? You didn't forget Donaghy, did ya!
As if my rantings in the past have not been enough about League a.k.a David Stern, fixing up games/results/series, Donaghy gave me a great boost today, here is what Fox Sports writes; "Court documents filed by Donaghy's lawyer detailed the "inner-workings" of a plot in which top league executives used referees to manipulate the games. Donaghy claims two referees were "company men" whose job was to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.
The full article is here; http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8231176/Report:-Donaghy-says-refs-fixed-playoff-series
Anyways, if you are an NBA fan, you don't have to read the full article, you already know about surprising wins and losses your own teams have had all these years. You shriek with joy when they win (even though you know its not just a surprise but a big shock that your team won against a very good team) and blame the Refs when they loose (when your team was really playing their heart out) but because you have those fleeting joyous moments that kept you from saying that Refs cheated your opponents, you don't have the gumption or moral right to complain, when your team lost.
When you don't stand up for wrong things at the right time, be prepared to be wronged at all times.
I don't blame Stern much though - he has to run this league, make sure that sponsors get their money's worth (TV, Shoes, Drinks.....), keep journos happy, create "stars extraordinaire " like LeBron and others and expand NBA internationally AND all that depends on the NBA League.
All I want is that if you must manipulate games, if Golden State Warriors must lose to Utah during the season, let it be, but PULEEZZ, stay-off the Play Offs. It will be good both, for the game as well as for you in the long run. Let the real stars emerge, don't create them.
Don't give away MVP awards because someone has been playing long in the league and has not got one while a younger player deserves it, no I'm not alluding to Kobe/Paul but rather the overall design, year after year.
So Phil, just ignore the damn fouls - you know as well as I do, that you are guaranteed at least two of the three games at your home court, not because you are great and Celtics are away from their turf but because league cannot and will not let the series go down just like that. I was willing to say that you will win all 3 games but damn that Donaghy - in his statement he also mentions that league has manipulateed series in the past such that a profitable series gets extended to a 7th game, so I think David Stern as smart as he is, may not let this series to go to game 7 - it will be too obvious now. Damn! He's smart!
Sorry, the dice is already loaded and the hype about Celtics must be maintained and the sham revival of Lakers/Celtics must continue.
Based on how Celtics barely survived the earlier play-off series this year, I had marked you to win this sham series in 6 games but oops, the trophy must rotate and league wants to give it to East this year. Its not you Phil, its the money and Stern knows how to follow a good trail.
Oh Phil, another thing, I almost forgot to mention that for a change this year's finals are easy on my heart and mind and I'm not too deeply involved as a fan, so I don't care if Lakers win or Celtics carry the trophy. I'm just glad that I'm emotionally already out of the series.
About an hour is left for the game but don't worry Phil, you got at least two out of three at the home court even if your team doesn't show up or Celtics performs well.
Let the BEST TEAM (as wanted by David Stern) WIN.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I may be old but I love to watch the Circus
Oh not the real circus. I can't stand the overly painted faces anymore and by that I mean, the painted faces of ladies in the audience, but more on that, some other day.
Lets get back to the Circus or as David Stern calls it, his Kingdom - NBA - the basketball farce spectacle.
Lakers /Celtics game has started and the TV channels and Media is trying to create an artificial sense of Rivalry - the great Laker and Celtic rivalry of the past! Unfortunately, except for people in Boston and LA, no one is really hyped up. So you know what it means - Stern's Desperation at its peak!
So technically, LA should win this game based on their strengths and being a superior team ( hold on Celtics fans! I have nothing against Celtics but lets admit, we have all watched them in these play offs and we know how they played and besides if you have read my previous blogs you know my lack of interest in Lakers) but I'm confident that Referees will ensure that game goes to Celtics so Celtics fans - relax! It doesn't matter how both teams play, Celtics will win.
On the other hand, if by any chance if referees are fair (and probability of that is equal to you or me winning a lottery) and Lakers win this game, this will be a sweep for Lakers! Lets watch!
Lets get back to the Circus or as David Stern calls it, his Kingdom - NBA - the basketball farce spectacle.
Lakers /Celtics game has started and the TV channels and Media is trying to create an artificial sense of Rivalry - the great Laker and Celtic rivalry of the past! Unfortunately, except for people in Boston and LA, no one is really hyped up. So you know what it means - Stern's Desperation at its peak!
So technically, LA should win this game based on their strengths and being a superior team ( hold on Celtics fans! I have nothing against Celtics but lets admit, we have all watched them in these play offs and we know how they played and besides if you have read my previous blogs you know my lack of interest in Lakers) but I'm confident that Referees will ensure that game goes to Celtics so Celtics fans - relax! It doesn't matter how both teams play, Celtics will win.
On the other hand, if by any chance if referees are fair (and probability of that is equal to you or me winning a lottery) and Lakers win this game, this will be a sweep for Lakers! Lets watch!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Men with the whistles....... They are the real payers!!
As much as I wanted to I couldn't watch most of the first quarter of the Spurs /Lakers game. My wife did inform me that at one time the score was Spurs 8 and Lakers 22 and then of course I sat down to watch the drama unfold.
I then listened at the end of the first quarter to Lakers coach, Phil Jackson say to the TV Commentator; " To be honest, I thought the men with the whistles changed the game" and this was little startling to me.
Phil, rarely if ever goes there in the middle of the game and even though granted that this coachtalk-direct on TV-from-sidelines-while-the-game-goes-on is a new phenomenon, he's one of the few coaches that in my opinion, speak the truth. Now I don't know if it was meant to be a strategic input so that referees would ponder over it and keep in mind so as to give make-up fouls later, or was just his observation.
Normally, I would be upset and angry if Spurs didn't get that foul call on Brent Barry as he was fouled by Fisher but I was not.
I was just happy that these pathetic, incompetent, league manipulated, bumbling bunch of idiots or as they are officially called, referees, were on National TV and exposed to the public at large. They seem to do it all the time but to be caught with your hand in the cookie jar on prime time TV is just great.
I'm just happy that next time someone opens his/her mouth to defend these bozos, they will have a real time picture to refer to.
Mind you, I'm not saying Spurs should have won. In fact, this is one of a game in a very long time that I'm not going to complain about at all. Lakers were running with the ball all through the night and they should have won anyway, just that if David Stern wants his dream of Laker/Celtic final to happen, it should be on competence and not by using his henchmen.
I just hope that more and more NBA fans will put pressure on NBA league to let the games be won or lost on merit of the players rather than being manipulated by vested interests.
Going back, I guess then its also highly likely that Celtics will win their series because apparently that;s what he wants. Sorry Pistons, your campaign is over even before it really starts. Say thank you to Stern uncle!
Reminds me of a long email exchange I had last year, with one of the key sports writers on New York Post (I think it was NYPost but could be NY Daily News), about what I felt was blatant manipulation of games by NBA referees. While I insisted that the intent of some referees was malafide, he insisted that it was incompetence. Not too many months later, the corrupt practices of Tim Donaghy came out in the open and I felt somewhat vindicated. To my surprise David Stren came out with a quick rebuttal that it was just one referee and they had taken care of the problem. I do understand that statement from PR angle but to not extend a thorough public review is unacceptable to me.
I'm sure right at this moment and through out this season, there were all kind of shenanigans going on and many people are benefiting/benefited from the corrupted results.
Hopefully, you guys can put enough pressure as fans on the league to stop it right now!
I then listened at the end of the first quarter to Lakers coach, Phil Jackson say to the TV Commentator; " To be honest, I thought the men with the whistles changed the game" and this was little startling to me.
Phil, rarely if ever goes there in the middle of the game and even though granted that this coachtalk-direct on TV-from-sidelines-while-the-game-goes-on is a new phenomenon, he's one of the few coaches that in my opinion, speak the truth. Now I don't know if it was meant to be a strategic input so that referees would ponder over it and keep in mind so as to give make-up fouls later, or was just his observation.
Normally, I would be upset and angry if Spurs didn't get that foul call on Brent Barry as he was fouled by Fisher but I was not.
I was just happy that these pathetic, incompetent, league manipulated, bumbling bunch of idiots or as they are officially called, referees, were on National TV and exposed to the public at large. They seem to do it all the time but to be caught with your hand in the cookie jar on prime time TV is just great.
I'm just happy that next time someone opens his/her mouth to defend these bozos, they will have a real time picture to refer to.
Mind you, I'm not saying Spurs should have won. In fact, this is one of a game in a very long time that I'm not going to complain about at all. Lakers were running with the ball all through the night and they should have won anyway, just that if David Stern wants his dream of Laker/Celtic final to happen, it should be on competence and not by using his henchmen.
I just hope that more and more NBA fans will put pressure on NBA league to let the games be won or lost on merit of the players rather than being manipulated by vested interests.
Going back, I guess then its also highly likely that Celtics will win their series because apparently that;s what he wants. Sorry Pistons, your campaign is over even before it really starts. Say thank you to Stern uncle!
Reminds me of a long email exchange I had last year, with one of the key sports writers on New York Post (I think it was NYPost but could be NY Daily News), about what I felt was blatant manipulation of games by NBA referees. While I insisted that the intent of some referees was malafide, he insisted that it was incompetence. Not too many months later, the corrupt practices of Tim Donaghy came out in the open and I felt somewhat vindicated. To my surprise David Stren came out with a quick rebuttal that it was just one referee and they had taken care of the problem. I do understand that statement from PR angle but to not extend a thorough public review is unacceptable to me.
I'm sure right at this moment and through out this season, there were all kind of shenanigans going on and many people are benefiting/benefited from the corrupted results.
Hopefully, you guys can put enough pressure as fans on the league to stop it right now!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Spurs win !!!
Was there ever any doubt!
You bet there was. I for one, was unsure if they could recover from the physical fatigue from some very tough games they have had, one-after-another, ever since the play offs started.
Anyways, MANU did what he does better than any other 6th player in the league, take and make some shots and change the game.
G I N O B L I
Don't forget though that Kobe almost stole the thunder right under from Spurs when he started hitting big threes seemingly without even trying hard. Man, that guy can play. There are a few superstars in this league who, once they are in the air, no matter where they are on the floor or how their body is positioned or who is in their face or what quarter it is or how many points they are down to - once they are in the air, the ball is going in.
Apart from Kobe, Vince Carter & T Mac clearly fall in that category, of course, only on the days they come to play on.
Anyways, at least the series is interesting now. The only scary thing that I felt after the game was that in post conference news Kobe was so relaxed that it was scary. That's a dangerous sign for the opposition, always. On the other hand, Odom was definitely tensed up when he went on to say, "put this one on me" .
We shall see !
Oh how about the match tonight - Celtics and Pistons. Will Ray Allen reappear - yeah the same guy who was lost once the play offs started! Irrespective, Pistons will come out sharper and my guess is they will win tonight. Darn, there I was, thinking they will finish Celtics off in 6 games and here
we are wondering which Piston team will show up!
You bet there was. I for one, was unsure if they could recover from the physical fatigue from some very tough games they have had, one-after-another, ever since the play offs started.
Anyways, MANU did what he does better than any other 6th player in the league, take and make some shots and change the game.
G I N O B L I
Don't forget though that Kobe almost stole the thunder right under from Spurs when he started hitting big threes seemingly without even trying hard. Man, that guy can play. There are a few superstars in this league who, once they are in the air, no matter where they are on the floor or how their body is positioned or who is in their face or what quarter it is or how many points they are down to - once they are in the air, the ball is going in.
Apart from Kobe, Vince Carter & T Mac clearly fall in that category, of course, only on the days they come to play on.
Anyways, at least the series is interesting now. The only scary thing that I felt after the game was that in post conference news Kobe was so relaxed that it was scary. That's a dangerous sign for the opposition, always. On the other hand, Odom was definitely tensed up when he went on to say, "put this one on me" .
We shall see !
Oh how about the match tonight - Celtics and Pistons. Will Ray Allen reappear - yeah the same guy who was lost once the play offs started! Irrespective, Pistons will come out sharper and my guess is they will win tonight. Darn, there I was, thinking they will finish Celtics off in 6 games and here
we are wondering which Piston team will show up!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
League wins, basketball looses
So I just finished watching the Lakers /Spurs game 1 of '08 Conference finals and its clear that Referees and the league won. Its funny, how they helped Lakers make a 20 point deficit into a 4 point lead!
Bravo David Stern!
Looks like your dream of having a Lakers /Celtics final will be carried out by your henchmen a.k.a. Referees.
In other words, if you are a NBA watcher, it should come as no surprise to you when Pistons loose their series - if NBA wants a Lakers /Celtics win.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the dice is loaded - heavily.
Having said that, Manu Ginobli is still making some bad decisions and though I know he had an injury to his hand and was kind of brave on his part to play (well actually in NBA, really it would be considered just a minor scratch considering that the players are paid millions) yet he is nowhere close to performing what he's capable of. He's been somewhat disappointing and that's likely to cost Spurs some critical games.........maybe a shot at title itself.
We'll see what happens next
Bravo David Stern!
Looks like your dream of having a Lakers /Celtics final will be carried out by your henchmen a.k.a. Referees.
In other words, if you are a NBA watcher, it should come as no surprise to you when Pistons loose their series - if NBA wants a Lakers /Celtics win.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the dice is loaded - heavily.
Having said that, Manu Ginobli is still making some bad decisions and though I know he had an injury to his hand and was kind of brave on his part to play (well actually in NBA, really it would be considered just a minor scratch considering that the players are paid millions) yet he is nowhere close to performing what he's capable of. He's been somewhat disappointing and that's likely to cost Spurs some critical games.........maybe a shot at title itself.
We'll see what happens next
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Basketball Predictions come true - Spurs win & so do others exactly as I said
So I'm feeling good right now. Spurs win and the only slight miss hit in my predictions ( if you read my earlier blog*) was that I thought Lakers /Utah series will go to 7 games.
Before I go back to Spurs here are my predictions for the conference finals:
Pistons/Celtics - Pistons in 6
Lakers/Spurs - Spurs in 7 OR Spurs in 5. Oh I know, Spurs in 5 is impossible you say. Here's my thought - If Spurs can win the game 1 of the series then it will be either a sweep (don't shoot me Laker fans - I'm just a messenger) or Spurs will win in 5. SHOCKED!
Finals: Spurs/Pistions - Spurs in 7
Gooing back to Lakers/Spurs, I know this is a shocker Moreover Spurs winning the game # 1 of the series is like the chances of being hit with a lightening - not only impossible but incomprehensible. If you are a Lakers fan then you may even consider this reprehsensible. I must mention though, not before long, I used to be one myself.
Ok I say that Spurs can win the series from Lakers based on two important thoughts
1. Spurs maintain/keep their momentum that they are carrying from game 7 with Hornets, while the Lakers play rusted from the rest
2. This is very important: David Stern & his henchmen sorry, I mean Referees, do not intervene on his behalf.
The story this year will be Spurs and Pistons - not waht Stern/League /Refs/ want but what should happen logically based on the team performances. I can't deny though that my Lakers/Spurs prediction is very very very tight. If you have seen lakers play the past few days, you know, they are playing like a team possessed so I know the peril I am getting into by making this bold prediction. Pistons/Celtics on the other hand I have no qualms about. Sure a good number of poeple will like Celtics to win and sure they have a home court advantage ( if the series goes to 7 games, it will only be because of this factor) but they have been struggling excatly as I thought and said before the play offs.
Of course, its well known and now even documented that Stern would like nothing better than a Celtics and Lakers final to revive old rivalry, bring back old days etc. BUT that is exactly that - OLD days.
Oh, I do understand Stern's dilemma and savvy though. As basketball czar, he has to make sure that all metro markets are well covered, all demographics specially white paying customer's wishes are well taken care of, keep promoting new players to keep the excitement going ( remember LeBron is the "King" - what a baloney of hype), keep fans interested in the game and teams and this is not an easy task, the downside of ruling like a czar however is that genuine plays and players get bumped off in the season and experienced fans can't help but feel that games are manipulated through Refs.
Still if you are a fan, you will not and you can't stop watching! Its an addiction, a fix, a need even though it may cause you to seethe when you watch the games.
What are the alternatives if you are a hard core NBA fan! Switch to another sport, Stop watching NBA! Move to Asia! Not happening! So we grumble, ooh aah in each game, curse the league and then go right back to watch the next game and start the grumble cycle all over again.
So like I said, if league can somehow keep people interested and yet not really influence the results of a game/series, that will be awesome and real exciting too.
Well any ways , going back to Spurs/Hornets game 7, I was almost shocked to see Spurs get some calls their way and even though I thought they should have got some more & obvious calls in their favor, it was true that Hornets didn't get some calls. Specially strange was the sequence when Manu tried to make it tough for Chris to take the last second shot. First of all it was a no call so it was bogus right off the bat but then after calling it a foul, the refs in their wisdom decided that the "foul" was committed after the buzzer went off. Really! That's not what the replay on the TNT showed, but hey, I'm not complaining, Spurs got that one and god knows they deserve that and many more calls just based on the fact they have been on the wrong end of the foul calls so many times, that it is tragically comic and poetic justice.
Lets get set to Pistons/Celtics now!
Before I go back to Spurs here are my predictions for the conference finals:
Pistons/Celtics - Pistons in 6
Lakers/Spurs - Spurs in 7 OR Spurs in 5. Oh I know, Spurs in 5 is impossible you say. Here's my thought - If Spurs can win the game 1 of the series then it will be either a sweep (don't shoot me Laker fans - I'm just a messenger) or Spurs will win in 5. SHOCKED!
Finals: Spurs/Pistions - Spurs in 7
Gooing back to Lakers/Spurs, I know this is a shocker Moreover Spurs winning the game # 1 of the series is like the chances of being hit with a lightening - not only impossible but incomprehensible. If you are a Lakers fan then you may even consider this reprehsensible. I must mention though, not before long, I used to be one myself.
Ok I say that Spurs can win the series from Lakers based on two important thoughts
1. Spurs maintain/keep their momentum that they are carrying from game 7 with Hornets, while the Lakers play rusted from the rest
2. This is very important: David Stern & his henchmen sorry, I mean Referees, do not intervene on his behalf.
The story this year will be Spurs and Pistons - not waht Stern/League /Refs/ want but what should happen logically based on the team performances. I can't deny though that my Lakers/Spurs prediction is very very very tight. If you have seen lakers play the past few days, you know, they are playing like a team possessed so I know the peril I am getting into by making this bold prediction. Pistons/Celtics on the other hand I have no qualms about. Sure a good number of poeple will like Celtics to win and sure they have a home court advantage ( if the series goes to 7 games, it will only be because of this factor) but they have been struggling excatly as I thought and said before the play offs.
Of course, its well known and now even documented that Stern would like nothing better than a Celtics and Lakers final to revive old rivalry, bring back old days etc. BUT that is exactly that - OLD days.
Oh, I do understand Stern's dilemma and savvy though. As basketball czar, he has to make sure that all metro markets are well covered, all demographics specially white paying customer's wishes are well taken care of, keep promoting new players to keep the excitement going ( remember LeBron is the "King" - what a baloney of hype), keep fans interested in the game and teams and this is not an easy task, the downside of ruling like a czar however is that genuine plays and players get bumped off in the season and experienced fans can't help but feel that games are manipulated through Refs.
Still if you are a fan, you will not and you can't stop watching! Its an addiction, a fix, a need even though it may cause you to seethe when you watch the games.
What are the alternatives if you are a hard core NBA fan! Switch to another sport, Stop watching NBA! Move to Asia! Not happening! So we grumble, ooh aah in each game, curse the league and then go right back to watch the next game and start the grumble cycle all over again.
So like I said, if league can somehow keep people interested and yet not really influence the results of a game/series, that will be awesome and real exciting too.
Well any ways , going back to Spurs/Hornets game 7, I was almost shocked to see Spurs get some calls their way and even though I thought they should have got some more & obvious calls in their favor, it was true that Hornets didn't get some calls. Specially strange was the sequence when Manu tried to make it tough for Chris to take the last second shot. First of all it was a no call so it was bogus right off the bat but then after calling it a foul, the refs in their wisdom decided that the "foul" was committed after the buzzer went off. Really! That's not what the replay on the TNT showed, but hey, I'm not complaining, Spurs got that one and god knows they deserve that and many more calls just based on the fact they have been on the wrong end of the foul calls so many times, that it is tragically comic and poetic justice.
Lets get set to Pistons/Celtics now!
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