The NBA playoffs seem like a paradox. On one hand, upsets are very rare. In the first round, for example, the team with the better record won every series. Most of the time, a series has no real suspense. Any individual game, though, can have drama on any number of levels.
The first game last night was Cavaliers-Pistons Game Five. The series was tied at 2-2, with the Cavaliers 1-0 since Rasheed placed a guarantee on his own hubris. This game was on the Pistons’ floor, though, and the relatively untested Cavaliers were sure to fall to the battle-hardened Pistons. The Cavaliers were in the lead for most of the game, though, and held on for the win. A few scenes were very telling:
1) It’s 84-84 with forty seconds left, and Ben Wallace is on the line. At this point in the game, Wallace is already oh-for-five on his foul shots. (Really more like “free chucks” or “foul prayers”.) Wallace is a lot of things-a good shot-blocker, a great rebounder-but even passable at the line is not one of them. Of course, he misses both.
I don’t understand the Ben Wallace phenomenon. Sure, he hustles like crazy, and that’s something we all respect. But do you think Shaq would have gotten a pass for missing those free throws? Not a chance!
Wallace is reportedly one of the hardest workers at improving his own game. And that’s great. But why do we believe that? Isn’t free-throw shooting something anyone can get better at? And isn’t he a huge liability in close games? Yes, he’s not a go-to guy the way Shaq is, so he’s less likely to have the ball late, at least on purpose-but I don’t feel like cutting the guy slack just because he’s bad on offense all-around.
2) LeBron James is amazing, yet still shows huge potential for growth. He’s a hulking forward with a point-guard’s skill set-that much you know already. But he also settles for point guard shots when he can manufacture more. Twice in yesterday’s endgame he settled for drives ending in short to mid-range runners. Both missed. LeBron has so much talent that he doesn’t always have to make the right decision to be successful-but he could have had two higher percentage shots there. When he learns to use his body to his advantage the way, say, Carmelo does, he’ll become unstoppable in crunch time.
I was even more impressed with James in the postgame interview, though, when he pointed out that Detroit was down 3-1 to Orlando in the first round in 2003 but came back to win the series. In other words, Cleveland still has work to do. I hope the Pistons saw that-he gave them just enough props to let them remain overconfident. (So maybe this series will have real drama.)
I also saw the end of the Spurs-Mavericks Game Five, and was surprised to see Dirk Nowitzki make a few tough shots in a real game. That said, the Spurs’ versatility-their ability to play any style well-proved to be the difference-maker at the end. Thanks to perimeter hustle, the closing seconds turned into a couple of jumpballs, taking the air out of Dallas' late rush.
Can the Spurs come back from a 3-1 deficit (now 3-2) and win the series? I’m not sure. Dallas is better than I give them credit for. But that’s not the same as great. I would like to see...forget it, we’ll make it official: the Spurs will win this series.
The first game last night was Cavaliers-Pistons Game Five. The series was tied at 2-2, with the Cavaliers 1-0 since Rasheed placed a guarantee on his own hubris. This game was on the Pistons’ floor, though, and the relatively untested Cavaliers were sure to fall to the battle-hardened Pistons. The Cavaliers were in the lead for most of the game, though, and held on for the win. A few scenes were very telling:
1) It’s 84-84 with forty seconds left, and Ben Wallace is on the line. At this point in the game, Wallace is already oh-for-five on his foul shots. (Really more like “free chucks” or “foul prayers”.) Wallace is a lot of things-a good shot-blocker, a great rebounder-but even passable at the line is not one of them. Of course, he misses both.
I don’t understand the Ben Wallace phenomenon. Sure, he hustles like crazy, and that’s something we all respect. But do you think Shaq would have gotten a pass for missing those free throws? Not a chance!
Wallace is reportedly one of the hardest workers at improving his own game. And that’s great. But why do we believe that? Isn’t free-throw shooting something anyone can get better at? And isn’t he a huge liability in close games? Yes, he’s not a go-to guy the way Shaq is, so he’s less likely to have the ball late, at least on purpose-but I don’t feel like cutting the guy slack just because he’s bad on offense all-around.
2) LeBron James is amazing, yet still shows huge potential for growth. He’s a hulking forward with a point-guard’s skill set-that much you know already. But he also settles for point guard shots when he can manufacture more. Twice in yesterday’s endgame he settled for drives ending in short to mid-range runners. Both missed. LeBron has so much talent that he doesn’t always have to make the right decision to be successful-but he could have had two higher percentage shots there. When he learns to use his body to his advantage the way, say, Carmelo does, he’ll become unstoppable in crunch time.
I was even more impressed with James in the postgame interview, though, when he pointed out that Detroit was down 3-1 to Orlando in the first round in 2003 but came back to win the series. In other words, Cleveland still has work to do. I hope the Pistons saw that-he gave them just enough props to let them remain overconfident. (So maybe this series will have real drama.)
I also saw the end of the Spurs-Mavericks Game Five, and was surprised to see Dirk Nowitzki make a few tough shots in a real game. That said, the Spurs’ versatility-their ability to play any style well-proved to be the difference-maker at the end. Thanks to perimeter hustle, the closing seconds turned into a couple of jumpballs, taking the air out of Dallas' late rush.
Can the Spurs come back from a 3-1 deficit (now 3-2) and win the series? I’m not sure. Dallas is better than I give them credit for. But that’s not the same as great. I would like to see...forget it, we’ll make it official: the Spurs will win this series.
Comments
Of course Dallas can just win Game 6, and well, that was fun.
When I saw McDyess on the floor, I was kind of wondering what it would be like to play against him, because he seems like he'd be a really easy guy to trash-talk. Too bad he's a foot taller than me, but I agree-no one should confuse him with a real tough guy.
LeBron is already a much more dangerous scorer than Magic, but can improve in other areas. And when he starts playing defense...it'll be all over.