At least I'm not -- ouch! -- in the -- ouch! -- infirmary (yet)

Sorry I’m a bit late today.

Fingers are sore, back’s broken, legs are gone and it was everything I could do just to drag this sorry old carcass out of the sack this morning.

But there was no time spent in either an ambulance or an ICU so things could have been worse.

Anyway …

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Eighty.

Eighty holes of golf.

I can tell you, my friends and neighbours, that is an awful lot of golf. Not a lot of good golf, just a lot of golf. Just ask Eric Smith, the cart-mate who journeyed around the course with me yesterday.

Now, it was more speed golf than anything – two balls per hole at least (sometimes four on par-3s) but each ball played out tee to cup – and there were, um, relaxed winter rules in the fairways, rough everywhere else. But still had to swing the club and make the putts and walk a gawd-awful amount of steps across fairways and greens and tees.

And, you may not all know this, but I’m not in tip-top athletic shape.

The goal, however, wasn’t to set scoring records, it was to raise money for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario and that we did.

The final accounting is still to come but it looks like they got raised more than $30,000 and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

I thank you, the good people at the association thank you. My body? It’s been reminding me that it’s not in favour of such hijinks.

Oh, the score? To protect future sandbagging opportunities, that shall remain a state secret.

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About last night

What have we been telling you?

What we’re seeing is validation – as regulars here might tell you – of one of my pet peeves and oft-made points.

No one guy can “carry a team” for any significant length of time.

There can be no dispute that LeBron James is playing spectacularly – although it will be a frosty day in Hades before Kobe Bryant commits eight turnovers in a crucial playoff game, methinks – and yet his team is on the verge of elimination.

Why? Because never, ever, ever, ever, can one guy do it alone. It doesn’t work for Chris Bosh in the regular season, it’s not working for LeBron or Kobe in the playoffs; it hasn’t worked ever in the past, it won’t work ever in the future.

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A recollection

As I watched Rafer Alston dominate all I could really think about was how glad his fans must be that he didn’t retire after that night in Boston with the Raptors.

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Admit it

You all thought that last-second mid-court heave by LeBron was going in, didn’t you?

I sure wouldn’t have been surprised.

But in Brian’s game story here, he admits even he knew right away there wasn’t another miracle to come.

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Changing of the guard

JOHN RAOUX/AP

Congratulations Anderson Varejao, you are the new face of the Those Who Don't Believe They Have Ever Committed A Personal Foul club.

You all know how much I love and respect Dikembe Mutombo but I’m afraid he has lost one of his places in my heart.

Anderson Varejao is now, officially, the worst whiner and aggrieved party in the history of Those Who Don’t Believe They Have Ever Committed A Personal Foul.

Honest to the Great Deity who guides our lives, if I watch Varejoa raises his arms in disbelief after hacking someone, or watch him complain every time the whistle blows, I may throw something through the television (a happenstance that will upset Super Wife and Super Son quite a bit, I’d imagine).

The guy is unrelenting in his complaining.

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This abacus sucks

Okay, so my point yesterday about technical fouls in the post-season was arithmetically flawed (I don’t have enough fingers and toes to do that kind of calculation either) but the point remains the same.

They need to increase from seven the number of techs they allow in the post-season before they start suspending guys.

It’s arbitrary anyway so why not make it 10? Or 12?

The one Howard got last night was, I guess, technically a technical, he did a very small amount of taunting and if you strictly by the books he probably should now be just one away from earning a one-game suspension.

But the level at which “taunting” technicals are handed out is so subjective, I cannot believe that one warranted a call. And I would also not be at all surprised if we didn’t find out today that it had been rescinded.

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So, I hear that Chris Bosh, on his website, promises some big announcement on Monday?

Don’t get your knickers in a knot. I presume – and this is a presumption based on only a couple of conversations – that it’s got something to do entirely divorced from anything about the Raptors.

It can’t be a contract extension – they can’t even talk about that until July; I don’t think he’d all of a sudden have a change of heart about declaring any huge 2010 intentions.

But I will say this: It’ll drive traffic to his site and that’s what it’s all about.

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What about the West? As strange as it is to type this – and it’s probably strange to read it, too – the Nuggets might be all but dead without the play of J.R. Smith the other night.

The guy of whom it’s been said takes more bad shots than anyone in the history of basketball seems to be maturing in front of our very eyes. Odd but a very welcome sight for the Nuggets.

And here’sa pretty good read on him that gets to both sides – good and bad – of his game.

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All right, have about 30 comments from yesterday to post and a handful of Advil to eat like they were Smarties. And we will be here tonight about 9 to chronicle Nuggets and Lakers if anyone wants to join in.

Comments

[Dan w]

You are right Doug about technicals in the playoffs. The players are playing with such passion and yet get hit with a whistle the moment they let any of it show. The league really needs to fix this. I don't think Dwights reaction was worthy of a technical. Why is it the refs can mess up a bunch off calls and it can be chalked up to human error and it's just part of the human aspect of the game. Yet players are supposed to tone down their emotions and act like robots. I think David sterns fear of fighting somtimes hurts the game more then it helps.

[Jason]

Anderson Varejao is a clown if there ever was one. He'd probably flop if one of the towel boys gave him a towel while he was sitting on the bench.

[Richard]

Reminds me of a Michael Jordan quote: Talent wins games but teamwork wins championships.

[doug]

Cleveland has no point guard..so LeBron is having to do it all by default....Mo Williams is a T.J Ford clone, he looks shot first, pass second and takes a lot of ill-advised shots and forays into the paint...they need a true point guard, if they had any cajones' with his value being as high as its going to be, try and trade Williams, sign Kidd as a stop-gap and either draft or acquire a young point guard to groom...Williams and West are killing them,but at least West plays defence anyone that complains of Jose's defence just watch Williams on D, unbelievably bad..

Brown coached much better last night changing from small to big, and utilizing his bench much more, just had a brain cramp in the beginning of the overtime when he never had either Wallace, Big Z out there, and Howard had like 3 straight dunks...Wallace played well, as did Gibson, gave Brown quality minmutes..but the Cavs need a true point guard, to run the offence, allow LeBron to not to have to dominate the ball..be interesting to see if they address this in off-season..

[Peter]

Hey Doug,

If Dwight gets a 7th technical foul, he's out for a game, but does the technical counter reset then. Does he then have to get 7 more technicals to be suspended a second time, or is it a suspension for every subsequent technical foul? Or is it just one technical foul suspension per playoffs?

Blogger's note: No, the count continues and it's an additional one-game suspension for every two Ts that follow. So he gets one after seven, one after nine, etc.

[Rob]

Going to politely disagree with you on the technical foul issue. I don't feel a great deal of pity for Dwight Howard or the Orlando Magic, he has 6 technical fouls in 17 games, no reason he can't play more under control than that.

You see it all the time in Champions League where a player will get a 1 game suspension if he gets 2 yellow cards over the course of the later rounds.

Not sure exactly when taunting and complaining to the refs became part of the DNA of an NBA player but I'm ok with attempting to use this rule to get it out.

[Anthony]

Hey Doug,

I checked out your Twitter feed and noticed that you probably should do more than simply give the daily link to your blog. You already have the blog listed as your website so people know to check it out. Twitter should be used to say interesting things, and judging from your blog and in-game chats you can say some pretty interesting things. Do it up!

[Mike P. Chicago's Northside]

Orlando has all their weapons firing right now. rafer alston is playing relaxed, courtney lee hits that three like it was nothing, turkoglu plays 7 good minutes of basketball, (only/normally when it counts), rashard lewis can hit big shots and extend the D, dwight howard is the anchor, gortat is a competent big, anthony johnson looks like he's 50 yrs old according to durant.

my point is, lebron has delonte west and mo williams, what the hell is that. put him with that denver roster minus melo, or laker roster minus kobe, and he will average 20 15 15 2 2.

[Anthony]

Referee's whistle when LeBron attacks the basket.... Doug please explain or validate the foul @ 100-98 when LeBron barrelled in the lane head down, fell and got the call to tie the game.... Was that in any way a foul? If Cleveland wins in OT, how much talk is there about that call?

Blogger's note: I can't remember if I had breakfast, there's no way I recall a specific play a 100-98 last night.

[fg]

I agree with Rob,
after the last game Dhoward was interviewed and they mentioned teh 5 techs and he brushed it off, its part of your game preperation, he should be prepared to not pick up any more techs, the 6th tech was a good call. he had 5 tech before that, obvisouly he is not getting the message, so I appluad the refs for T eeing him up right away,if he got the message he wouldnt have gotten to over 1 tech let alone 6 techs, so maybe he needs to be suspended to finally get the message,.................

[JH]

How is it that when the Cavaliers are at home Lebron can flex his muscles and scream like a man possesed after every basket and at every time out with no tech calls... but when Dwight sheds his goofy smile for all of 3 seconds he gets nailed for taunting?

[anthony.mackay]

If you were to move Gasol to the Cavs for ANYONE on the cavs roster I think the Magic would be on the verge of elimination. They still might struggle a bit with the Lewis match up but I think the amount of points and boards Gasol racks up would more then balance that out and even tilt it in the Cavs favor.

Even if they lost Mo, sure it will hurt but they have enough guards on the team plus Bron who can play point foward.. its not like Mo has been knocking down any 3's recently anyway so you could even give Gibson some run.

My point is... the Cavs biggest weakness is post scoring, they got some guys that can rebound a little, block a few shots, and get some garbage baskets but if you give Bron what Kobe currently has I think he cavs would be looking to wrap up the series tomorrow night at home.
They need to make a move soon because Big Z is gonna start missing games with injures soon and probably retire shortly after that.

(The interwebs were talking about Yao playing for the Cavs... any chance that happens?)

[Miguel]

I think with the departure of Allen Iverson and bringing in Chauncy Billups has really helped JR Smith's game. Not having a selfish guy like AI jacking up shots whenever he liked as an example of how to play has made a diffence.

[Anthony]

Doug,

Know you are tired from the golf, but the whistle was with 0.5 seconds left in the fourth.... That was the pivotal call in the game and could have changed the outcome...

Blogger's note: You mean the one where Pietrus tripped him. Now I remember, sure it was a foul.

[Tom L]

You've been "outed". An impressive 3.3 strokes per hole?!

http://blog.rogersbroadcasting.com/ericsmith/2009/05/27/smith-smith-and-jones/

You may have a little trouble getting future partners to take the other side of the any bet.

Blogger's note: I guess you wouldn't believe me if I told we played a lot of par-2s?

[petro]

Doug,

Don't you find that Orlando is beating Cleveland in the same way Greece beat USA in the semi's of the World CHampionships three years ago... i.e. in terms of breaking down Clevelands defense by starting with the high screen and roll, that allows for rapid perimeter ball movement... thus creating wide open threes or high percentage low post dump downs to Howard... not to mention excellent TEAM defense?

Do you see the similiarities???

Blogger's note: I do, a bit; Greece got a lot of drive-and-kick rather than swing-swing off its high screen-roll if memory serves; and since I watched that game live at 3 a.m. at the Panathinaikos club here in Toronto (or maybe it was Olympiakos, it was very late/early), not sure how sharp my recall is

[GM]

I couldn't care less if Varejao (or anyone else) complains after every call against him. Why should that matter? We tend to only notice these things on players whose team we're rooting against. When it's on our own guys, we often don't notice because we're agreeing on how bad a call it was.

But I do think he should have been called for backing into Howard on the last play of regulation. The announcers were saying Howard hooked his arm, but that was only as they were falling backwards.

[rob]

since you are soo good at predictions... who is your favourite to win today's champions league major clash (ManU or Barca)?

Blogger's note: Barca, in honour of Garbo and Jose

[Rahulan]

Do you think the NBA would ever alter their technical foul rule mid postseason? I can see the NBA being a little nervous if say LA, Orlando meet in the finals and Bryant and Howard are both sitting at 6. One of them missing a game could tilt that series either way.

I nominate Tim Duncan for President of the "Those Who Don't Believe They Have Ever Committed a Personal Foul" club. He should atleast serve on the executive with Varajo, Rasheed Wallace and HWSNBN.

[Anthony]

Doug,

We see JR Smith maturing and playing with a surprisingly higher BBall IQ because of Chauncy Billups and the removal of now-cancer Allen Iverson. Chanucy has a way to turn the worst thugs of the NBA into better professionals. He was the guy who rejuvenated 'Sheed Wallace away from thuggery and cannibus. Now when he made it do Denver, K-Mart is not whining, Carmello is defending, Birdman is making an even bigger statement in his comeback. I hope the Raptors can get someone who can change the dynamics of the personnel this year.

[dc]

what happened to mo williams? this was a guy, in the regular season, that seemed to be able to knock down shots.
You are right that one guy can't do it alone. But the Cavs of the regular season were a unit. west, williams, pavlovic and wally-world were supposed to be the perimeter guys to knock down open threes, while lebron was free to attract double- and triple-teams. only in this series they aren't knocking them down.
delonte west got a wide open three pointer from a lebron pass that would have tied the game with less than a minute to go, last night. The cavs still had a chance to steal the game, but the supporting cast has fallen flat all series long.

[jimmie]

That call on Pietrus with .5 seconds left was bush, as have been a good chunk of the calls Lebron has been getting. He would not get those calls if he had another name on his jersey. For the final 5 minutes or so of regulation, every Cavs possession consisted of LBJ putting his head down and barrelling down the lane, through whichever defender(s) were in his way. I'm not suggesting an offensive foul should be called on these plays where the defender is backpedaling and the offensive player is looking for contact, but rather a no-call, as it would be for anyone not labelled a superstar (to wit, see: Howard, Dwight vs. Varejao, Anderson on that last play of regulation immediately after the Pietrus "trip".

Note: I'm not a Lebron hater or an Orlando fan; I just don't agree with preferential treatment for anyone, and it's been quite obvious that LBJ has been getting roses from the refs in this series.

[doug]

Howard's t was rescinded...which is a good news bad news scenario in my opinion...good news for him bad news for the league, and the way these playoffs have evolved....this whole Big Brother act is getting ridiculous, these refs are being undermined at every turn...the league is setting a scary precedent, and if I were a member of the officiating union it would be the biggest issue on the plate next negotiations..these guys are pro's, Jackson and Stern need to get a grip, this is getting absurd and laughable.....plus that foul on Pietrus was without a doubt a foul, he was on the move, and made contact with LeBron, the good ones maybe get a break but also the good ones also know how to draw fouls...no question it was a foul...

[rob]

Good call on the Barca prediction , maybe you should start a soccer blog.

[dcox]

So if a technical is rescinded, than shouldn't the made free throws be rescinded as well?

Blogger's note: I'm pretty sure you realize how unworkable -- and a bit silly -- that is. But the answer is no if that's a serious question.