An odd clutch failing and a question of teammwork

Well, that was some night, wasn’t it?

Would have been way better personally if I hadn’t fallen asleep on the couch but …

Anyway …

-

When they do the excavation of the franchise known as the Celtics eons from now – and I don’t imagine I’ll be around to cover it – I wonder what they’ll find when they look for last night’s game?

The bones of a team done in by a sorry execution when it mattered the most? Probably.

I would imagine that, since the team was formed in 2007, the Celtics have run an end-of-game play with Paul Pierce in a high screen-and-roll about a jillion times.

I could not believe my eyes when I saw them botch it so horribly in the single biggest possession of the season for Boston.

It looked like neither Garnett nor Allen really had a clue what they were supposed to do and it was rather shocking.

It was also the one play that cost them the season, I’d say.

They’re done.

-

And that would mean the Miami Heat – the franchise everyone loves to hate – will be within four games of playing for a title and they way they’re going, I don’t imagine there’ll be many of us who pick either the Bulls or Hawks to beat them.

How do we feel about that?

Me? I’m not a big fan at all; it’s not that I hope they fall flat on their faces – not much in the sports world evokes that kind of passion in me – but the manner in which they orchestrated this whole thing kind of rankles and has all year.

Look, we all knew they were sublimely talented and would probably contend for a handful of titles but I do think the overwhelming feeling is that they somehow cheated the game by the manner in which they came together.

It’s going to be an odd finals, I think, if Miami’s in it. For once, the team with the best players will be openly rooted against coast-to-coast. It’ll provide some interesting story lines, especially here, but I just think it’ll be … odd.

-

Only a really cold soul would suggest that Russell Westbrook’s a taller, better version of T.J. Ford, wouldn’t he?

No, it’s not that bad but the kid is still very much seemingly unaware that Kevin Durant is the leading scorer in the league and the best player on his team and a guy who, you know, should get some shots.

The interaction between point guard and best player should be better, in my opinion and it doesn’t seem that way in Oklahoma City.

According a bunch of courtside people, at one point last night, Durant looked over at Mo Cheeks and said:

“Why the bleep didn’t he get me the ball?”

If that’s the thing that derails the Thunder, it’s a shame.

But, having wrested home court back from the Grizzlies, and still with the best player in the series in Durant, I don’t imagine there’s any de-railing coming.

-

Oh, I need to correct a wee error in a story yesterday.

Phil Jackson’s got 11 titles, not 10 like I said.

Oops.

I’m not letting go of that Red Auerbach fixation too easily, am I?

-

All right, we can agree that last night’s Thunder-Grizzlies game was a classic, right?

But those of you of a certain age may realize it wasn’t the best triple-overtime game of our lives.

Anyone recall Phoenix-Boston in Game 5 in 1976 (yeah, I had to look up the specific game)?

That was the best triple-overtime game ever.

Last-second shots, fans pouring onto the court in triumph only to be shooed off when the refs decided there was a second left in the game.

Suns, down one, take a timeout they don’t have to give the Celtics a technical foul shot but it also gives Phoenix the ball back.

Down two, Suns get a basket at the end of the second overtime from Gar Heard (who I used to love with the Buffalo Braves) but fall in the third.

Now, that’s got Thunder-Grizzles beat six ways to Sunday.

-

Please, someone tell me again how starting pitching was going to be strength if the TOD?

Yeesh.

-

Speaking of long games:

Q: Just watched the Grizzlies Thunder overtime game and i was wondering what was the longest playoff game in NBA History?

Mario A, Toronto

A: That would have been a four-overtime thriller between the Syracuse Nationals and Boston Celtics back in 1953. Even I wasn’t alive to remember that one.

-

Yes, the barbecue arrived, the kindly gentleman from Home Comfort got it assembled and hooked up (I’m afraid of crap from Ikea, no way I was going near anything with gas that could explode) and the first burger-and-sausage meal was a hit.

Now, since we like lists and there’s precious little basketball to chat about and you seem to enjoy a break from sports, here are the Top Five Things You Should Make With A New Toy:

Bone-in ribeye

Seared, grilled medium rare, eaten in the fading sunlight with a cold glass at the ready.

Catfish

Blackened, grilled quickly.

Cedar-plank salmon

A tad rich sometimes but still a classic.

A fresh burger

Perhaps chop up a nice hot pepper and mix it in with some garlic and other spices; store-bought’s okay but …

A nice veal chop

I know, baby cows and all that and I understand the reticence of some but, man, they taste good.

Anything else?

-

I have no idea what my week’s like and when we’ll do games or when there will be games so let’s start the call for mail now since we made need it to get through a morning.

Click. Write. Send.

-

I’m sure you’ll notice as you read closely through this release on the all-defensive teams the dearth of HOTH.

Imagine that.

Not sure what the other voting coaches were thinking about but …

Oh, wait. I know exactly what they were thinking about.

I guess the only quibble I’d have is that Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose got more votes than Luol Deng, which I believe to be an oversight.

Other than that? I can live with the selections.

-

Don't forget, we've got the night off tonight from an IGBT; we'll be back tomorrow to finish off the Celtics.

 

 

 

The Goods On The Game, Heat at Celtics

Good evening, all.

Glorious day here, hope it was good where you are.

Who are these Hawks, and who are these Bulls?

Here’s what I wonder:

Do you love Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks for what he can do when he puts his mind to it or do you dislike him because he does it so seldom?

A quandary, no?

With the Hawks seemingly ready for triage after looking horrid in a falling behind 2-1 to the Bulls, Smith was outstanding Sunday night, getting to the rim, dominating the game and Atlanta squares the series.

Now, there are parts of Smith’s game to be fully admired; he’s strong and quick and finishes on the break as well as anyone in the game. But he can spend sooooooo much time on the perimeter launching stupid jump shots that he’s like one of those under-achieving guys who are coach- and team-killers.

But if he plays like he did last night, and the Bulls not named Derrick Rose are as average as they were, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if we didn’t get to either a seventh game in this series or see a monumental upset that few saw coming.

As you know, I’m not big on the Hawks because of their propensity to coast and loaf and treat the game as if was a lark rather than a job and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they didn’t revert to form and sleepwalk through two more games.

But when they try, they can be okay and they’ve been more than okay on a couple of occasions so far.

The Bulls?

Never thought they had the offensive depth to win a lot in the playoffs, where teams can load up on Rose as much as they want and take their chances on Luol Deng and Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer.

I did think they were better than the Hawks – or at least that the Hawks would take the path of least resistance and bow out meekly – but this is a series now and for all the good defence the Bulls play, if someone doesn’t come around and help Rose offensively, they might be toast.

-

Sometime today or tomorrow, a nice man or woman from Home Comfort is going to come and drop off an already-assembled Napolean Prestige something-or-other barbecue with a rotisserie and a side-burner you can use to sear steaks and somehow we’ll figure out how to hook it up to the existing natural gas outlet and Casa Doug will be full operational mode.

And I will be a happy dude.

Oh, and thanks again for all the suggestions; we’ll get to recipes a little later on.

-

Sometime overnight, the folks down at the University of Texas sent a note up to say both Tristan Thompson of Brampton and Cory Joseph of Ajax have decided to remain in the NBA draft.

Latest intel I’m getting from the various reading I’ve done – and it’s very early in the process – says Thompson should be a lottery pick and Joseph might drop to the second round, which would guarantee him nothing but a camp invite.

It’ll be worth watching now to see how they do in the workout process. As I’ve mentioned almost annually, the individual workouts are just part of the evaluation, I’d hope that most teams had done enough homework during the season to have a good idea what they like.

Can’t imagine the HOTH bringing either of them in, too; not sure they’ll be anywhere near where Toronto may draft.

-

I pretty much made my point in the piece that’s out there on the demise of the Lakers (check it out here) but this is worth repeating:

Phil Jackson’s one of the greatest coaches of all time and for his last game to be marred by the childish antics of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum is a shame.

Time will let us forget the bush-league moves but, right now, sour taste.

At least Odom apologized for smacking Dirk, Bynum did no such thing, which tells you all you need to know about him.

-

So, did you see the end of the Hawks game?

Where the stats monitors were wrong and had a timeout left for the Bulls that they really didn’t have and when they called it, they got hit with a technical foul?

Imagine that, a scoring table screw up in Atlanta.

Now, the Bulls are not entirely blameless in this, either.

Every team designates someone – a trainer, an assistant coach, some staffer behind the bench – to track timeouts, when they’re taken, who they’re charged to and someone there dropped the ball.

-

Hey, anyone remember when pitching a no-hitter used to be something?

Now we get one once a week, it seems.

Maybe they need to lower the mound again.

-

Not sure if you all read the mailbag (and if you didn’t, shame on you) but there was the one question that included a query about Andre Either’s hit streak ending at 30 and which of the DiMaggio 56-gamer, Ted Williams hitting .406 in ’41 and the Lakers winning 33 in a row might last longest.

So, herewith, in descending order from five to one records I can’t imagine we’ll ever see broken. It’s not an exhaustive list and I’m going to include those three because the Irregular asked, but it’s mine:

Lakers winning 33

That was impressive but maybe some day some super NBA team comes close.

Ted Williams hits .406

The way pitching is today? No way.

Cal Ripken’s streak

No way anyone plays 2,632 games in a row; most guys don’t play close to 2,632 games in their careers.

Wilt’s 100 points

Yes, Kobe once had 81 and it was the greatest game imaginable; all someone would have to do is beat that by 25 per cent.

DiMaggio’s 56

Pressure, travel, abilities of opponents.

Now, here are three more that never get matched, in no particular order:

Bob Gibson’s 1.12 ERA in ’67.

Total domination.

Bill Russell’s 11 championships.

They don’t make dynasties like they used to.

Cy Young’s 511 career wins.

They didn’t name the award after him for no reason.

-

I’m hoping this guy wasn’t a sportswriter in the middle of a long trip with an off-day story to write on deadline.

-

Here’s the thing about Chris Bosh:

He’s almost too introspective.

Not that it’s a bad thing – especially for the media trying to find something interesting to write – but stuff like this story from Brian Windhorst (and I’m sure others have it, too) really put Bosh out there.

I’m sure there are teammates and opponents who either roll their eyes or smirk to themselves when they read and hear stuff like this and I don’t think Chris is doing himself any favours by it.

But it’s not new. He was like this at times in the seven years he was here, there just weren’t as many people taking notice.

Not sure that’s what he wanted when he talked about a bigger stage and how his personality with play on it, but it’s causing all kinds of people to look at him differently.

-

Speaking of Bosh, we’ll be here at 7 tonight to chronicle his exploits if you’d like to read one of those IGBT we do.

See you then.

-

Things I like:

Pink bats.

Wonder if they made pink aluminum if I could get the Mighty Rockies to use ‘em?

Likely not.

-

 

 

The Goods On The Game, Lakers at Mavs

Man, great day outside here.

Hope it's nice there.

Beautiful day out for reading the mail

You folks did okay this week, thanks as always.

More than a few “lists” left over for the week, too, so if you don’t see it here, don’t worry to much.

Speaking of here, don’t forget we’re going to do an IGBT to chronicle the expected demise of the Los Angeles Lakers today at 3:30 p.m. I know it’s a glorious day outside here so if you want to sit on the deck and do it, feel free.

See you then.

Oh yeah.

Don't forget to call, hug, bring flowers and presents to your Moms today and if you are one yourself, thanks for all that you do.

-

Q: Hi Doug! Well this whole mission to purchase your new barbeque sure caught fire around here! Good luck with the shopping expedition, and you will fill us in I hope on what the Super Family chose and the first-ever feast you served up on it! (What was the meal???) And, don't forget to check out new accessories for it too...you can't use the old tools with the new grill! Now, hopefully the shopping was done quickly (that's the main thing for you fellas, isn't it?

But I'm wondering, is there anything you really enjoy shopping for? That you can linger over, appreciating the full array of choices offered and not rush through the process just to get it done!? Cheers!

And I think we're all still waiting for what time you want us over for the Inaugural Irregular Barbeque & Bun-Toss at Casa Doug.

 

Lorie P, London

A: Oh, after the hubbub it caused I’ll be sure to let you know.

Shopping?

Not really, to tell you the truth. I, and I believe I am in the majority with my gender, am one of those “know what you want, go and get it” kind of guys; no dawdling for me.

The exception? A bookstore, I guess. I can putz around looking for whatever for quite a while; one of the very best things about road trips to Seattle (aside from the Kells) was the Elliott Bay Bookstore, one of those old, relatively musty places that are fun to hang out in.

Oh, I’m still working out the logistics of the bash, I’ll have to get back to you on that.

-

Q: Gus Johnson leaving CBS!!!

Larry Bird leaving Indiana?

Isaiah not coming back to NY!

19-year-old MPs!!!!

Rubio may still come to Minny!!!

Which is the least significant?

 

Bob E, Kanata

A: Well, since I’m not sure Ricky Rubio actually made a jump shot the entire season, I’d make that the least significant.

After that, in order of least to most?

I’m going with

Isiah

Gus

Bird

Teenagers who probably aren’t quite sure what they’re doing being even remotely in charge of our country.

-

Q: Doug, I do get the differences between the soft and hard cap, but why is this matter such a thorn in the eye of player representatives? Does this mean no signing exceptions, thus meaning less job opportunities for unemployed players? Thanks!

Vladimir O, Belgrade

A: That’s exactly what they are afraid of, it would severely limit a team’s ability to pay that “above-the-cap-threshold” money that makes so many so rich. And I guess that goes hand-in-hand with keeping jobs, doesn’t it? Less money, perhaps fewer players, at least fewer well-paid players.

-

Q: I haven't asked a question in a while and since I've flipped the dial down to 1050 it got me wondering... do you, or for that matter the Star, have any affiliation with 590 or 1050?

Have you been contacted to speak on 1050 yet, or think you may be in the future?

That turned out to be more than 1 question, sorry about that, I guess I'd take any of your thoughts on the new TSN Radio if you had any.

 

Casey S, Burlington

A: I think I might have gone over this in the past but we have no affiliation at all with either of the all-sports radio, or all-sports TV, networks. Each of us is free to do what we’re asked, if we are.

I haven’t heard a peep from anyone at 1050 and, frankly, I don’t think I’ve listened to a minute of it. Not that I’m a regular listener to the FAN, either. My car radio’s on music for my drives, or maybe a ball game.

So I can’t give you an assessment of the new station at all, I’m afraid, but I am a pretty loyal guy to the folks at the FAN who’ve given me the opportunity to go on the air there and I cannot imagine that changing.

-

Q: I could find this somewhere, but then I would miss your witty take on it - but who the heck did Boston trade Perkins for? And how many minutes did they play last night (Tuesday)? Was there something else to this trade that I am missing (likely)?

Thanks as always Doug.

Peace

 

John D, Cairo

A: Boston traded Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. None, really, have had a spectacular impact on their new teams, although Perkins does bring a much-needed level of toughness to the Thunder. He’s a bit limited by sore knees but he’s been good.

Not sure about the minutes Green played, am sure that’s somewhere here on the interweb.

I don’t think it was a particularly good deal for Boston but Perkins had turned down a contract extension, reports said, and the Celtics did get Green, who is younger and a bit more intriguing piece.

-

Q: Hey Doug. The family and I are planning on a trip over the pond this summer. We're hoping to hit Spain in late July and Italy in early August. Do you know of any Basketball going on then or where I can find out about it? What about any soccer (football) do you have any tips on that?

Please help me, without you I could risk being museumed out.

 

Jay M, Winnipeg

A: Spain in July and Italy in August will be outstanding. But I’m not sure you’re going to get any basketball. The Eurobasket tournament – the main qualifier for the 2012 Olympics – is in late August, early-September and teams will be in training camps. There may be links to specific teams and possibly to exhibition games or tournaments at www.eurobasket2011.com and I hope you and find something.

Soccer? I think that’s a bit of a down time, too, but others might know better.

Era ends, star emerges and a name change

End of an era.

That’s sure what I was thinking as the Lakers frittered away that fourth quarter lead in rather ghastly fashion.

But then something else came to mind.

Dallas is really, really good.

Not sure how they flew so far under the radar for so long this season – they did end up with the same number of wins as the Lakers and weren’t too far behind the Spurs – but they need to get some credit.

For as bad and lackluster as the Lakers have looked in the first three games, the Mavs are making the shots and getting the stops when they need them and are playing like, well, like a team that could quite easily win it all.

I’m sure we’ll get far more into this once the series is over (burying the Lakers and praising the Mavs) but there is one thing that’s indisputable at the moment:

The better team is winning fully on merit.

If there were any questions about Dirk Nowitzki and is ability to lift his game at important junctures, I think they’ve been answered, no?

There’s apparently something in his cytoskeleton that we’ve missed since the flameout in the ’06 final against the Heat; he’s holding everything together really well.

-

It’s not often I want to be in Memphis but today would sure be the day to be there.

If you’re going to watch the game, pay particular attention to the energy the crowd will provide and know that it’s not usual at all.

Not saying it’s ever a bad crowd but it’s seldom good and it could be great tonight.

And with an early start, I can only imagine what Beale Street will be like after.

Wonder if Dr. Feelgood’s playing at any of the jazz clubs.

-

I’m telling you, you folks are incredible. And mostly in a good way (I keed, I keed).

A guy asks for barbecue help and it evokes comments like the time I said Jose was better than TJ.

Thanks for the myriad suggestions; there will be a purchase made today and we’ll let you know how it all turns out.

And then there’s this:

Q: Hey Doug, long time reader, first time emailing you! First things first, you need to get a Napoleon bbq. I went through the same dilemma as you a couple of years ago and found not much difference between Napoleon's and Weber's but chose the Napoleon because they're built in Canada (North of Barrie). Anyways, whilst we're on the subject of bbq's and therefore, cooking: who are your top 5 celebrity chefs? I cannot look any further than Bobby Flay as my fave and his Mesa Grill in Vegas is amazing. You should check Mesa Grill, New York out next time the Ruptures get to play there.

Mat M, Aurora

A: I’ve actually eaten at the Mesa Grill in New York, several years ago, and, truth be told, it was kind of underwhelming. Good, but not great.

Anyway, as a one-time near constant viewer of the Food Network, I’ve got to go with this top five in no particular order, except for No. 1.

Mario Batali

A big fan of Italian has to have him on the list, right.

Glada De Laurentiis

Same as above, really.

Guy Fieri

Not sure he’s technically a chef but Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is excellent.

Jamie Oliver

Mainly because we had a great meal at one of his joints just up the road from our hotel at Canary Wharf in London.

Emeril Lagasse

Bam! ‘Nuf said.

-

RIP Seve.

Never got to cover him at all, at least I don’t ever recall it, but, man, did I like to watch him play golf.

If golf had swashbucklers, he was one.

-

Yeah, now I can see this whole Derrick Rose as MVP thing a bit more clearly.

Players don’t go on the road in the playoffs and drop 44 on anyone; it’s supposed to be harder in the post-season and since there really isn’t another threat on the Bulls, that makes it even more impressive.

I know MVP debates can rage – is it numbers, improvement, impact – but the best thing you can say about a guy is that when his team needed him most, he came up the biggest.

I still have my doubts now about how the Bulls will fare against Miami – or maybe Boston – because of their lack of scoring depth will be truly troubling but what Rose did last night was huge.

-

In a related note, Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford were a combined 7-for-19.

-

Oh no.

More sad news, totally unrelated to basketball, as I read that Donald Crump has passed away.

Way back in the day, I did some football writing and Don was the commissioner of the CFL at one of its more tumultuous times.

He was, um, less than dynamic (a good man at heart, though) and I’m pretty sure the worst part of his job was dealing with writers.

Anyway, one day we’re at some meeting where a team was on the verge of extinction, as I recall, and we’re staking out the room where the board’s meeting.

Don comes around the corner, I think it was at either the Sheraton or Connaught in Hamilton, and he runs smack dab into a gaggle of writers and gets pinned against a wall to answer questions.

I’ve never seen a guy more uncomfortable but he stood there and answered ‘em all to the best of his ability.

Good guy. Sorry to hear the news.

-

Oh, yeah, send some mail, please.

-

One more oh yeah, too.

I’m going to have to ask you to change allegiances this ball season.

Had our big league meeting last night and the bad news is that we’re no longer the Mighty Yankees, that name’s been scooped up by another team that brought a sponsor to the table and wanted it.

So, for this season at least, you need to think good thoughts for the Mighty Rockies.

Thanks.

-

 

 

Some lists, some stuff and a wee bit of basketball, too

A bit tardy today.

Life, such as it is, got in the way this morning.

I apologize.

-

No Ron Artest tonight?

Surprise, surprise.

The league had no choice but to suspend him, really; that clothesline on Barea the other night was in equal part thuggish and childish and needed to be dealt with.

But what’s it mean for the Lakers?

Probably not much, they have far bigger issues to deal with. Not sure that Andrew Bynum talking about “trust” issues was the best thing that could have happened. It’s sure to be the topic everyone wants to discuss and if I know players, they will bristle at every question about it and get more ticked off at him and the situation and it’s really the last thing they need.

The Lakers don’t seem to me to be a team that deals well with distractions and dissension and, you know, stuff. They seem to get ticked off by it and distracted by it and now that people are really starting to question their abilities and game, it’s going to be interesting to see how they react.

They don’t strike me as the greatest group at rallying around each other and shutting out the world as they go about their business. They are cocky, that’s for sure, but I’ve always had a sense that they were more front-runners than a mentally tough collection of players.

-

Did you know the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow?

I can remember a time when you spent the entire week leading up to it reading about it, finding out about the horses and the jockeys and the owners.

I remember almost every year a very long time ago sitting in a lounge with a bunch of guys waiting for the race. Someone would run a pool – you’d a number and get that horse – and it was a big event.

Now?

Now it’s something that I paid scant attention to.

So, in that vein, a list

Sports events that have lost their luster since I was a wee lad

The Derby

As I said, it’s no big deal.

Surfing

Remember when it used to be a big deal on Wide World Of Sports?

The Duke Kahanamoku Open? Now? Never see it and don’t miss it.

The Harlem Globetrotters

Sure, they’re still around but it’s not the same. You never see them on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The Indy 500

Guess it’s still big in some circles; think it lost its cache when it began being televised live; remember when it was tape delayed until about 3 p.m. race day?

Cliff diving

Who didn’t scurry to the TV for Wide World of Sports when they used to jump off those cliffs in Acapulco? Anyone still do that?

-

So the Celtics think Shaq’s the answer; or a large part of the answer?

Good luck to them, I say.

The issue, to my mind, hasn’t been that the Heat have spent the entire two games driving to the basket with no fear; the issue is that they are younger, faster and stronger down the stretch and I’m not sure that O’Neal solves any of those issues.

I still think Boston will be buoyed by a home crowd and could very well get Game 3 but I also have this feeling that one of us will be in Florida on Wednesday writing more about the demise of that team and the ascension of the Heat as Eastern Conference finalists.

-

Okay, do I go with the Weber or the Broil King?

I need a large, very large, cooking surface, don’t really care all that much about a rotisserie or a side burner but want something good. And big.

Yes, tomorrow is a barbecue buying day, I’ll take any suggestions you have.

-

Another list?

Sure, why not. It’s not like there’s a lot of basketball to chatter about today.

This one comes from the mail:

Q: Hi Doug, This is probably a question better suited to mid summer, but I was wondering if you would indulge us with that list of favorite automobiles you once talked about?

And, if you can expand, some of the players cars of choice.

As always, thanks.

 

Steph R, Glencoe

A: Well, as I look out at the five-car garage in my house of dreams I see …

A Jaguar

Sleek. A nice dark blue maybe. Fast.

A Mercedes.

Four-door. Classic.

A Porsche

Might be the mid-life crisis in me but what the heck.

Another Mercedes

Sports car. Two doors. Perhaps a convertible.

A Smelly Ford Focus.

Just to remind me of the bad old days.

Players? It seems their taste now runs toward Bentleys, you see a lot of them in team parking lots around the league. And, of course, the monster Escalades are still pretty popular.

-

Please send more mail here.

Thank you.

-

I guess the most fun we’re going to have tonight is wondering which Hawks team will show up.

The one that takes silly shots and makes them?

The one that takes silly shots and misses them?

It’s like a basketball box of chocolates.

One thing to look for, too?

How many empty seats there are at Phillips Arena.

Of all the teams left in the playoffs, the Hawks are the one that has the worst crowd; even more bored and quiet than Miami.

There is no homecourt advantage for them, really. Fans there tend to be quiet, late-arriving and barely into the game.

If I had to rank the eight teams left by what they get from the crowd, top to bottom, it’d be:

Oklahoma

Memphis

Boston

Chicago

Dallas

Los Angeles

Miami

Atlanta.

What makes a good crowd?

One that’s boisterous all night, in the seats before the game starts, loud and supportive the entire game and one that can un-nerve an opponent just enough at just the right time to swing momentum or keep it on the side of the home team.

-

 

 

 

Is it a matter of credit or blame?

How’s that whole Lakers-Celtics rematch working out for you?

Not so well.

Boston’s problems can be attributed to the ravages of age (a feeling I know pretty well) but they’re at least going home and have a shot.

The Lakers?

Well, after watching what seemed to be a series of synapse misfirings in Game 2, I’m about ready to call ‘em dead.

Andrew Bynum, who gets hurt every seven seconds, calling out teammates for a lack of trust?

Ron Artest probably to be suspended for Game 3 for his hit on Barea?

Pau Gasol MIA?

Steve Blake defending Barea like he’s some soon-to-be-53-year-old sports writer?

Yeah, things are great in Lakerland, aren’t they?

But the thing that might be getting lost in all of this is this: The Mavericks are good.

Better than I thought they were, deep, multi-faceted offensively, strong defensively and extremely well coached.

For as much as the Lakers are to blame for their predicament and the fact they’ve looked lethargic for most of the first two games, a lot of that is due to Dallas and what it’s been able to do.

Dirk’s been killing Gasol and whoever else tries to guard him, Jason Kidd has looked a decade younger than he actually is and ex-Raptor Peja Stojakovic’s doing a good job off what’s the best bench left in the playoffs.

I, like so many others, wondered how the Mavs would handle their first post-season meeting with the Lakers in more than two decades and whether they might cower from the more-ballyhooed opponents.

Not so much.

They’re giving as good as they get in all regards and have clearly been the better team in each of the first two games.

There’s this quote from Kobe after Game 2 where he says:

“If you want to make history, you have to do historic things.”

I think the only historic thing we’re going to see over the next few days is the end of an era.

Guess that ‘Lakers in seven’ pick’s looking a bit dicey.

-

So one time at band camp …

Oh, wait.

So, one time …

I was off covering the pucks during either a break in an NBA series I was at or because they needed to find something for me to do or because some assignment editor suffered a seizure and thought I could handle it, I can’t remember.

Anyway, the anniversary of that game is today and it was in Philly and I believe the team from Ottawa won rather easily because the goaltender of the Philly team – and I don’t believe it was Doug Favell or Bernie Parent – was quite bad.

And it provided one of the best back pages of a tabloid paper I’ve seen:

In the Philly Daily News, the entire page was the picture of an empty net with a goalie stick on the ice and the puck in the goal. It said:

Stinko De Mayo.

Classic.

-

Hey!!!!!

Raptors news!

Certainly not earth-shattering and not the kind of news I presume some of you were hoping for but they are up to some stuff and it’s all got to do with draft preparation.

A handful of them are in Barcelona this weekend for the EuroLeague Final Four – with scouting side trips to a couple of other European countries planned – and there’s stuff on this side of the pond, too.

The Nets, Knicks and Houston are hosting a mass workout this weekend in Jersey that a handful of Raptors coaches will be at and there’s another gang workout in Kentucky on Monday that a bunch of ‘em will take in.

Now, before anyone gets excited, none of the guys they’re likely to draft are going to be any of these sessions but it will give them a look at some guys they might want to take a shot at with second round picks.

-

I know playoff basketball isn’t supposed to be pretty, with grabbing and holding and a defensive intensity you seldom see consistently in the regular season and it’s part of its charm.

But, man, watching the Bulls and Hawks last night almost had me reaching for the pin to stick in the old eye.

Bad shots, suspect defence, kind of a boring, run-of-the-mill game bordering on dreadful, no?

And the guy I feel most sorry for might after watching games like that would be Hawks coach Larry Drew.

When he calls timeout, I figure he’s got to spend about 90 seconds of the two minutes figuring which of his pass-adverse players to yell at.

-

I’ve been in the Ted Williams Tunnel a kazillion times and walked by Red smoking his cigar in Quincy Market about the same amount and might glance at whatever they do for Bobby Orr whenever they do it.

But some of you Irregulars might know, it’s been an issue and quite perturbing that there’s not been a monument to Bill Russell anywhere in Boston.

Not any more, it seems since news broke (read it here) that they’ll do something to honour him – finally.

Now, the fact it’s about 20 years too late and the team is putting it up and not the city still kind of rankles but it’s still a good thing.

-

Adam Lind gets four hits and he’s not even protecting Bautista and the TOD beat the dreaded Rays in Tampa? And the Rivera-Escobar-Molina 7-6-2 double play was a gem.

Nice.

And I think Griff was right, that Morrow kid’s got a chance.

Used to be that the only time I’d go and buy a ticket to a game was when Halladay was pitching, now I figure Super Son and I will see a couple Morrow outings this year.

-

Well, that was a no-brainer, as it turns out.

Blake Griffin’s a unanimous choice as rookie of the year and that’s fitting.

The Clippers weren’t exactly relevant all of a sudden – they were 32-50 and a solid 12th in the West – but they were marginally entertaining to watch as a team and Griffin really was a must-see every night on the highlight reels.

Now, if he hadn’t stolen the all-star weekend dunk contest – he probably should have been third behind DeRozan and Ibaka and 50 guys can jump over the hood of a sports car – he might get some more love up here but of all the awards given out, his was the most logical.

-

Please. Send. Mail.

-

Oh yeah, no games tonight which leaves me to my own devices that I hope include a stool and some stories so we’ll see you some other time.

Next IGBT? Sunday afternoon when we might very well see the last Laker game of the season. -

The Goods On The Game, Hawks at Bulls G2

Hey, everyone.

Back again?

A bunch of old guys looking bad and kids who get it

Remember when the Celtics were omnipotent?

Strong. Powerful. Cocky. In control.

Well, how come as I watched them last night did they look old and slow and a tad confused and unable to cope?

If there was one thing to take out of that game -- and it was a rather dull affair considering how Game 1 unfolded, wasn’t it? – it was that the Heat looked simply better in every facet of the game.

They were quicker and stronger and more focused.

They got great games out of their best players and the Celtics were, at times, running stuff for Glen Davis. And that’s no way to win.

I don’t know if there’s a lot of surprise at how Miami has played the first two games because there is no denying their talent and there was a feeling late in the season they were starting to get it. Having Dwyane Wade be more central to what they do is the best use of that talent, in my opinion, and they looked very good in both those games.

But the surprise to me is how so-so the Celtics have looked.

They are still a bit cocky, almost too much, but they don’t seem to have the ability right now to back up that feeling with actual plays.

Ray Allen with seven shots, the same total as Jermaine O’Neal or Davis? Not good enough by any stretch of the imagination. Paul Pierce subdued? Not good by any stretch of the imagination. A bench that, besides a good first half from Jeff Green, that was a non-factor? Not good ... well, you get my drift.

The question now is whether they can be rejuvenated by three days of practice and buoyed by a typically raucous home crowd in Game 3 on Saturday.

They need to find something to give them a boost, some kind of Fountain of Youth to get them back to the same level they’ve been at in playoffs past.

I don’t know if they can but they must or what looked like an epic series will devolve into something embarrassing.

-

So someone far more in tune with pop culture than I, and with a better sense of time and date, makes it a point to be sure I know today’s date and I go “what?”

Oh, May 4.

May The Fourth Be With You.

Riiight.

Now I get it.

Not sure what this says about me, but not only don’t I care about that Star Wars stuff, I can honestly say I’ve never seen one of the movies from start to finish.

Oh, and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a single episode of any of the Star Treks, either.

Good for me, right?

-

Derrick Rose is the NBA MVP and I don’t think anyone’s the least bit surprised about that and My Man Asch’s story here pretty much sums up what was a very emotional, family-oriented news conference.

And I don’t think anyone can be surprised by how any of the voting turned out, with Howard second followed by LeBron, Kobe and Durant.

And I also don’t think it’s too shocking that some people left LeBron entirely off ballots, or Kobe off ballots or Durant off ballots or even Howard off ballots.

As we’ve discussed, it was hard to come up with a top five with a lot of worthy candidates this year. I, for instance, went back and forth on Dirk, wondering whether I should have him fourth or fifth or forgotten entirely on a five-vote piece of paper.

Now, that said, I don’t think it was too difficult in a lot of other categories and when they get around to announcing Blake Griffin as the rookie of the year, which could be as early as today, if there’s someone who didn’t have him among the top three, I’ll be stunned.

Oh, wait, I’m sure at least a couple of people will have left him entirely off because they didn’t consider him a rookie but, to me, that’s just ridiculous.

You can debate whether a year spent on the injured list should count as a year of service or not but since the rules say it does, until they change those rules there is no way in the world he shouldn’t be on every ballot cast.

-

Ok, this is dangerous territory but what the heck.

Let’s say you’re a coach, temporarily unemployed or working as an assistant, and you’re pretty good at your job.

Let’s say a team – totally unexpectedly – goes in the toilet in the biggest game of an era. I mean total ‘in-the-dumper, the-franchise-may-never-be-the-same, it’ll-take-years-and-years-to-get-back’ collapse.

You want that job?

Or do you want to wait until some sacrificial lamb comes in and then go for it when things start turning around?

Tough call, eh?

-

In an entirely unrelated matter, I see where Michael Ignatieff quit.

Wonder who they’ll get to replace him?

-

I’m not the biggest of soccer fans – although I am kind of partial to the UNICEFS when they play El Classico – but I do appreciate the beauty of the game played at the highest level.

But as I’m watching a bit yesterday something struck me.

You know how if you watch baseball, sometimes you go “Oh, my, what a play Johnny Mac just made” or if you watch basketball sometimes you go: “Holy crap, what a move?”

Well, how come every time I watch soccer the only thing I say out loud is:

“Get up, you faker-slash-suck.”

-

Oh yeah, that Canada Basketball thing I mentioned yesterday?

Well, they really did hit a couple of home runs by getting FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann and Alberto Garcia, secretary general of FIBA Americas, to come as panelists as part of the three-day summit to talk about the growth of the game here.

Most of the details can be gleaned by clicking here; if you’ve got an interest in how the sport can grow and flourish in the next little while and what you can do to help as a coach, player, official or administrator, I’d suggest checking it out.

-

So, the Thunder.

Looked pretty good last night, didn’t they?

Far better than in Game 1 and I think it was simply a matter of realizing what their opponent brought and how tough they’d have to be to subdue the Grizzlies, who play as hard as anyone in the league, as tough.

If it comes to pure skill, and the intangibles about toughness and hitting first and grabbing and pushing and shoving as much as you can, Oklahoma City will win because they simply have more, better players.

And since they now seem to have figured out what it takes, I fully expect they will exert their superiority over the next few games of the series.

Here’s one other thing to keep in mind:

There will be much written – heck, I’ll likely write it myself later in the week – about what the atmosphere will be like in Memphis when they play Game 3 on Saturday.

It’ll be loud and crazy and get the adrenaline flowing in the players like it seldom does.

And I don’t think it’ll have an impact at all on Oklahoma City because they play in front of that kind of excited crowd every game.

-

First call for the mail, ladies and germs.

Click here to do it and don’t forget we’re around tonight at 8 p.m. in the east to hang out during Bulls-Hawks Game 2.

See you then.

-