Round 2:
After a first round filled with a large amount of absolute
blowouts it’s nice to see we have transitioned into close games filled with
absolute chaos. But does anyone in the NBA know how to do a sideline inbounds play?
I know the NBA playoffs is a literal pressure cooker, but it shouldn’t be that
tough to get the ball inbounds. It’s borderline ridiculous…If I wanted to turn on my
TV and watch players incapable of escaping pressure I’d re-watch the NCAA
tourney.
As a Spurs fan I feel obligated to say a few words about the
game 2 end of game situation. I thought the Spurs were done about 3 times in
this game and I’m surprised they came back to tie it multiple times in the 2nd
half.
First and foremost the last 15 seconds of the game were not
was prohibited San Antonio from capturing a 2-0 series lead. Here’s why they lost:
- The team was unable to match the ferocity and speed of the Thunder from the outset.
- Russell Westbrook rammed the ball down their throat for the entirety of the first quarter.
- The Thunder’s defensive intensity and ability to cover simple Pick n Roll’s was drastically improved and the Spurs seemed unable to adjust for much of the first half.
- Serge Ibaka completely spooked the Spurs roster resulting in a large amount of missed layups.
- Kawhi never truly got going, and Pop was too cautious when he picked up 2 fouls in the first half
After the game, I was more frustrated with the overall performance
of the team than with the missed calls from the refs. A foul should have been
called on Dion Waiters elbow Ginobili and another should have been awarded to
the Spurs for the scrum underneath the basket. But you can’t ask for a better
situation for the Spurs to score then a 3 on 1 fast break.
The problem is the people running that break were
suboptimal. Danny Green is the worst Spur (Boban excluded) to get the ball in a
scramble situation. He can’t dribble, gets easily flustered and is completely
unable to pass on the move. He led Mills too far on the initial pass, which
kept him from being able to score a quick layup before Steven Adams arrived.
This terrible pass forced Mills under the basket which created a train reaction
of quick, hurried decisions that led to Mills airballed three. The missed call
on Ginobili wasn’t the catalyst for the loss and wasn’t the worst part of that
insane sequence. The Spurs had a great opportunity to steal a game and flat out
didn’t execute in a scramble situation.
Space Jam 2:
Word is leaking that Space Jam 2 might actually be in the
works, starring none other than LeBron James. The original is a movie that most
people my age either love or hate. Personally, I love this movie, but I’m
willing to admit that this probably has more to do with nostalgia than
cinematic quality. The majority of the dialogue is awful, the basketball scenes
are terrible, but I’m a sucker for basically any basketball themed movie from
the 90’s. Plus it has a dope soundtrack. This isn’t a movie I ever sit down and
intentionally watch, but Lord knows if it’s on TV I’ll give it a couple of
minutes.
The most interesting part of the announced sequel is the
title character. LeBron has been compared to MJ ever since he’s entered the
league, a comparison in which he consistently comes up short. Starring in a
sequel that Jordan originally headlined certainly won’t decrease this banter.
However, my main concern with this movie is the chemistry between LeBron and
his Looney Tune teammates. LeBron has repeatedly used passive aggressive
tactics to try and motivate his teammates. The question is, how will Bugs Bunny
respond to being left out of #squadpick Instagram posts with LeBron, Daffy, and
Porky Pig? Will his Looney Tunes teammates be okay with LeBron going to Moron
Mountain to train with the Monstars on his week off? These questions must be
answered….
