NBA Playoffs

What if I blogged about the NBA for the playoffs? Would you care? Would you read?.... Guess what I don’t care if you care. I’m gonna do it.

There will be no rhyme or reason to these posts and I’m going to do my best to avoid filling them with obscure analytical data. My goal is to keep it as old school as possible. However, unlike Charles Barkley I won’t be allergic to advanced stats.

Today’s post:

• Ode to Kob(e)
• Why Steph = Kobe
• Playoff Predictions

Ode to Kob(e)

First things first,

Sad to see this dude go, he was the best and the league will not be as fun without him. I’ve spent many playoff games watching him completely destroy my hopes and dreams and yet I loved him for it. Loved his competitiveness, tenacity and unmatched ability to be a complete jerk. I’ve always had a soft spot for people who would tell you how good they were and then exceed that on the court. I’d take that over subtweets and fake humility every day (what’s up LBJ??).

If I could run one pickup game with any NBA player in history (Cherokee Parks excluded) it would be Kobe. Watching him ruthlessly destroy some random financial analysts and salesman at a 24 Hr Fitness lunch time run would be the best….fingers crossed.

My favorite Kobe play of all time is his game winning shotagainst the Suns. It wasn’t his most important or most difficult. It was however Kobe at his finest, pull up jumper right in Raja Bell’s grill with the game on the line. Peak.

Why Steph = Kobe (at least for me)

Offer this idea up to any borderline intelligent NBA fan and their first reaction would be confusion, because in no way shape or form are Kobe and Curry the same. Let’s list some characteristics:

Steph:

Best 3 point shooter ever

Mild mannered

Appears humble

Doesn’t look like an NBA player

Widely accepted

Will do whatever to help team exceed

Kobe:

Great midrange shooter

Excellent athlete

Arrogant

Looks and carries himself like an NBA player

Loves being a villain

Will do whatever to succeed personally, because that will help team win

What makes them the same, is the way their teams make you feel.

Between 2000 and 2002 Kobe, Shaq and the rest of the Lakers absolutely destroyed the rest of the NBA. As a Spurs fan I had the pleasure of watching that team just destroy my squad in the playoffs. Some of those series weren’t even close. Maybe the Spurs would get a game or two, but it never actually felt like the Spurs had a shot. You just knew the ending, it was inevitable, the Spurs were not going to be able to beat the Lakers 4 out of 7 times.

The present iteration of the Warriors make me feel the exact same way. Now I’m not claiming the Spurs won’t be able to beat the Warriors (because I have my fingers crossed and have been performing intercession daily on their behalf) but I do not like our chances. This is a feeling many Spurs fans would echo. It seems that without some sort of injury, the Warriors will roll. Even, my 85 year old grandmother recognizes the Spurs chances. She offered to “hit Steph Curry like they did that one figure skater years ago."

 

A Tonya Harding / Nancy Kerrigan scandal excluded my Spurs will be facing an uphill battle. So although they are more opposite than similar Kobe and Steph (and their teams) make opposing fans feel helpless.

Predictions:

Cavs in (5) over Pistons – Bunch of close games, Detroit gets one at home….LBJ is too much though

Toronto in (6) over Pacers – Paul George can’t do this by himself, Toronto overcomes game 1 loss

Charlotte in (7) over Heat – Math problem…. 3’s are worth more than 2’s. Charlotte much better than Heat behind the line

Atlanta in (6) over Celtics – Atlanta’s D is the difference. IT can’t do enough

Warriors in (5) over Rockets – Warriors feel bad for all of Harden and Howard’s teammates and gift wrap them a game

Spurs in (4) over Grizzlies – Grizz D League squad will keep it under a double digit victory once.

Thunder in (6) over Mavs – Carlisle > Donovan

Clippers in (6) over Blazers – Lillard vs Paul, is a wash, and Clips have to work for it but young Blazers don’t have the horses.