Published: June 10, 2009
1 Comment
It would be difficult for any fan of the NBA to try and analyze Game 3 of the NBA Finals and not laugh at the degree that each pundit’s take will vary depending on their deposition.
Either Orlando had one of the most efficient offensive performances in the history of the Finals, or Los Angeles had [...]
Published: June 8, 2009
1 Comment
Survive and advance.
It is a phrase conjured up most often in basketball when speaking about the NCAA Tournament, but without a doubt it is the most apt turn of phrase for what the Los Angeles Lakers did in Game 2 of the NBA Finals Sunday night.
The evidence that the Lakers merely endured and outlasted Orlando [...]
Published: June 5, 2009
3 Comments
“The Wire”, the former HBO crime drama, was the greatest program in the history of television in this author’s humble opinion. It explored sociopolitical themes with greater depth than any series before or since as it developed characters more haunting and complex than anywhere else.
Just what does David Simon’s brilliant series have to do with [...]
Published: June 3, 2009
1 Comment
The NBA playoffs are simple: win or go home.
The task couldn’t be more basic. Yet, as one might expect, it is an assignment far easier said than done, particularly when the series at hand is the Finals. It takes just the right amount of skill, luck, and determination to win it all on the [...]
Published: June 3, 2009
3 Comments
The NBA playoffs are simple: win or go home.
The task couldn’t be more basic. Yet, as one might expect, it is an assignment far easier said than done, particularly when the series at hand is the Finals. It takes just the right amount of skill, luck, and determination to win it all on the [...]
Published: May 28, 2009
2 Comments
From the point of view of building a strong narrative, few storyline in sports are as intriguing as when a consistent underachiever finally delivers.
We are drawn to trying to solve the enigma of why said player cannot ‘put it all together’ more often. We are frustrated to no end by their inconsistency, yet at the [...]
Published: May 26, 2009
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Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals reminded us of at least three explicit truths. The first two of these relate directly to basketball while the third is a higher-concept around the law of identity.
First, Denver is a determined team with a steely resolve that should see them never counted out of a game, whether [...]
Published: May 21, 2009
1 Comment
In debating how best to sum up the events and repercussions of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, this correspondent conjured up a number of potential taglines.
I could be satisfied with, “The Taking of Staples Center 123.”
Alternatively, the Laker fan in me could sarcastically christen this contest “Derek Fisher and the Ghosts of Game [...]
Published: May 15, 2009
4 Comments
After watching Game 6 of what has been a terrifically entertaining Western Conference Semifinal between Los Angeles and Houston, one is faced with three obvious questions:
1) Can the Rockets replicate the kind of effort they showed in Game 6 when the series shifts back to Los Angeles on Sunday?
2) Can Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry [...]
Published: May 11, 2009
1 Comment
The Houston Rockets walked into their Game 4 match-up with the Los Angeles Lakers undermanned, over-officiated, and ready for battle.
Less than 48 hours earlier, the Rockets had not only lost Game 3, they had lost the 7’6″ symbol of their franchise. When Yao Ming fractured his foot, it was thought to have also fractured his [...]