Category: Sports

Congratulations to RPadholic and longtime Miami Heat season ticket holder 1ceman for his team’s 2012-2013 NBA Championship. While the level of play wasn’t as high as it was in game six, the drama and excitement were fantastic. There were many times when it looked like the Heat were going to run away with the game, but the Spurs kept fighting back and it was hotly contested up until the final minute. Here are some random thoughts on the final game of this NBA season, accompanied by some original photos from 1ceman.

It’s Good to Be King: LeBron James was fantastic last night. His jumper — particularly from three-point range — was deadly, he snagged some key rebounds, and he was the amazingly efficient player we marveled at for most of the season. While some will still question where he ranks among the all-time greats, few will question him being in the conversation. (This is the part where RPadholic bsukenyan writes a passionate argument about how the LeBron vs. Jordan argument is silly.)

Robin Returns: Dwyane Wade was surprisingly efficient and grabbed some monster rebounds too. Going into the game, people suggested that coach Spoelstra bench Wade so that James would have more space to work with and the Heat offense would flow better. Looking through the retroscope, that suggestion seems ridiculous.

Battier Killed It: To me, Battier was the difference maker. He saved his best game for last, going 6-for-8 from three-point range. After being mediocre or worse in the previous six games, Battier repeatedly stabbed daggers into the Spurs’ hearts. (I’m speaking metaphorically. Actual stabbings with actual daggers would have resulted in an arrest.)

Have You Seen These Boys?: For the second straight game, Danny Green and Gary Neal were awful. The pair shot a combined 3-for-19, going 2-for-9 on three-pointers. Given Tony Parker’s bad hamstring, the Spurs desperately needed a great performance from at least one of these players. Instead, they both delivered stinkers.

Scapegoats: The Twitterverse was all over Manu Ginobili in the fourth quarter, but the balding Argentinean had a very solid game until making some bad decisions at the very end. His final numbers were 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting, five assists, and three boards. Parker wasn’t very good, shooting 3-for-12 and dishing out four assists — poor numbers for a player some consider the best point guard in the league. In his defense, he has a bad wheel. Still, I wonder why he often gets a pass from sports journalists. Perhaps it’s his adorably squeaky voice…but that shouldn’t cancel out the negatives of him being French and sleeping with people’s wives. Oui? Non?

Leonard Part 6: It was fun watching Kawhi Leonard become a star on national television. The 21-year old appears to have a bright future. His defense and rebounding were great throughout the series, and his offense became a bigger and bigger part of the Spurs’ attack. I liked how coach Popovich had him bring up the ball every now and again in the first half. Part of it was out of necessity due to Parker’s bad leg, but part of it was a clever way to mix up looks. Instead of Parker and Ginobili bringing up the ball, it was surprising to see Leonard occasionally lead the attack. The Spurs should have a future all-star in Leonard. To borrow a phrase from Ghostbusters, he’s got the tools and he’s got the tallent. (This is the part where you say, “It’s Miller time!”)

Happy Gregg Popovich: Pop is generally regarded as a curmudgeon (though I personally think he’s deceptively hilarious) and a fierce competitor, so it was strange seeing him flash a genuine smile after his team lost the game. He looked happy to be part of a great series and warmly congratulated the Heat. I almost spit out my Coke Zero when I saw him give Dwyane Wade a kiss on the cheek.

The Future: It’s going to be interesting to watch how both teams do next year. The Eastern Conference was pretty terrible this year, but the Indiana Pacers are getting scary and Derek Rose will be back with the Chicago Bulls. Both teams gave the Heat hell in the playoffs. The Pacers were without Hermione Danny Granger; he could return in a key role or be traded for a complementary player that fits better. It’s amazing that the Bulls were able to push the Heat, given Rose’s absence and other injuries. If the Bulls could challenge the Heat with effort, moxie, and great coaching, imagine what they’ll be able to do with Rose in the mix? While James will still be at the height of his powers, Wade’s banged up body will be another year older, Bosh’s RuPaul act is getting better (not a good thing), Battier should be done (dude tortured himself guarding power forwards most of the season), and Chalmers…will hopefully get hit by a car (in a non-lethal way).

The Spurs were old going into the playoffs. For most of the season, Ginobili looked like a player that should retire. The good news is that Leonard appears ready to take Manu’s place among the Spurs’ “big three” and Parker should be great once his leg heals up. Duncan has been written off before, but always seems to put together a season that makes his critics look silly. The bad news is that a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder team should beat them and there are a number of teams that should get better through free agency. Dwight Howard going to the Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets would change the landscape of the Western Conference dramatically.

Your Take: Now it’s your turn! Kindly share your thoughts on game seven of the NBA Finals, as well as where the Heat and Spurs go from here.

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The sixth game of the 2013 NBA Finals was the best in the series. The level of play was crazy high, there were a ton of dramatic shots at the end of regulation, there were some key rebounds and blocks at the end of overtime, and it was a game to remember. Here are some random thoughts on this classic game, as well as a photo gallery from RPadholic 1ceman. As always, I want to hear your thoughts on the event that had many of us shouting, “I love this game!!!”

The Return of the King: For the first three quarters, LeBron James was in Duke James mode. He was playing better than 99 percent of the NBA, but not at a level that would make you think that he was among the best players ever. In Q4, it was as if he remembered that, “Hey, I’m the best player in the frickin’ league and one of the greatest of all time!” He went into King James mode and pretty much beat the Spurs by himself. It was a stellar performance, offensively and defensively. He seemed especially effective after Tim Duncan knocked his headband off. Speaking of which….

Duncan Turns Back the Clock…For Two Quarters: Wasn’t Timmy just breathtaking in the first half of the game? He wanted this one badly and left everything on the floor. Unfortunately, his game dropped in the third quarter and he looked gassed in the fourth quarter. These things happen when you’re a 37-year old man in professional sports. That first half though…man. He obliterated Bosh (and anyone else that dared to challenge him with their primitive skills) in the post and snatched up rebounds like a Dyson vacuum cleaner. It was an amazing effort from the player many writers have dubbed “The Best of His Generation,” but I wonder how much he’ll have left in game seven. Yes, he has the heart of a champion (which you’re never supposed to underestimate according to Rudy Tomjanovich), but did he use the last of his powers in game six?

Living Here in Allentown: Pat Riley looks like a genius for signing Ray Allen and Ray Allen looks like a genius for bailing on the Celtics, don’t you agree? His fantastic game five (two four-point plays!) was overshadowed by Danny Green’s ridiculous shooting and a loss (duh). Last night he showed exactly why the Heat wanted him and gave more ammo to those that call him the best pure shooter in the history of the NBA.

Mike Miller’s Shoe: I got a kick out of Miller hitting a three with only one shoe on. Too bad he’s not overly superstitious. I would have liked to have seen him play the rest of the game with one shoe.

Manu’s Turnovers: After a fantastic performance in game five, Ginobili had eight turnovers in game six. You can’t do that in the NBA Finals.

Dwyane Wade and Flow: It’s interesting that LeBron was able to go into full eff-you mode while Wade was on the bench. It’s also interesting that the game tightened up in Q4 when he played again. Yes, he’s old and injured, but there are many times when he hinders the Heat’s flow.

The No-Call Conspiracy: Manu Ginobili was fouled towards the end of the game and it wasn’t called. Danny Green was fouled at the very end of the game and it wasn’t called. Conspiracy theorists believe that these no-calls were part of a David Stern mandate to ensure a game seven. Other people believe that the referees just sucked last night. Then again, Joey Crawford was part of the referee crew and he does have a shady history with Tim Duncan. Hmmmm….

Call It: In addition to your thoughts on the game, I want your pick for game seven. Will the Heat’s talent and home-court advantage win the day? Or will the Spurs’ system, poise, and experience win the 2013 NBA Championship? Shout it out in the comments section (please)!

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After missing the last two games of the 2013 NBA Finals because of that E3 thingie, basketball has my full attention once more. Game five was a fantastic game to come back to. It was full of exciting runs, improbable performances, and Manu Ginobili’s glorious bald spot/receding hairline. Here are some random thoughts on last night’s game between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. As always, I’d love hear what you thought about the game.

Manu Rises: After sucking for the first four games of the series, Ginobili errupted for 24 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, and a steal with a +/- of +19. He kicked things off with a three-pointer and it was all classic Manu from there. At times he was out of control and at other times he was glorious. He had several drives and shot attempts that had fans going, “No! No!! No!!!” just before the shot and, “Yes!!!” when it went in. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker had strong games too, but it was reemergence of Manu that made the difference. Well, that’s not entirely true. Danny Green had a monster night too.

Danny Green’s Night in Pictures: Green continued his torrid three-point shooting, going 6-for-10 from downtown. In the process, he broke Ray Allen’s record for three-pointers made in an NBA Finals series. It went something like this:

Next, Ray Allen’s face went like this (GIF by @cjzero):

Spurs fans around the world felt like this:

It was glorious.

Tony Parker’s Quiet Excellence: Aside from some bursts in the third quarter, I didn’t notice Tony Parker doing anything too noteworthy. His hamstring is obviously bothering him and he isn’t his usual 48-minute jitterbug self. Ginobili starting helped alleviate some of his ball-distribution responsibilities, allowing him to pick his spots to put the pedal to the metal. Still, I was shocked to see that he finished with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting. It sure didn’t seem like it. It’s impressive when someone has a great game and you barely notice it. If Ginobili doesn’t start game six, I wonder if the added ball-handling pressure (*giggle*) will lower his efficiency, given his ailing wheel.

Duke James: 25 points, eight assists, and six rebounds would be a stellar playoff game for 99 percent of the league. For LeBron James, it’s not enough. After being monstrously efficient for most of the year, his 8-for-22 shooting was poor. He seemed too deferential. His first rebound came in the third quarter. His team needed him to go into eff-you mode, but he was determined to play unselfishly. We’ve seen him take over several playoff games this year and James needed to be in best-player-in-the-league form in Q4, but it just wasn’t there. Most all-time greats seem to have an on-off switch when it comes to raising their level of play. Was LeBron’s broken last night?

Chris Bosh: Dude had two strong playoff games in a row. Let’s go crazy!

Favorite Stat of the Night: Udonis Haslem played for nine minutes and had a +/- -20 for those nine minutes. That’s so bad it’s impressive…and also makes you wonder why Chris Andersen was glued to the bench.

Your Take: Now it’s your turn! Please let me know what you thought of last night’s game. Any predictions on game six? (And no, copying Mr. T’s prediction of, “Pain….” doesn’t count.) Will the Spurs wrap it up? Or is this series going to a game seven?

I totally missed the second game of the NBA Finals due to E3 2013 networking activities (i.e. drinking and eating)…in that order, but thankfully RPadholic 1ceman was on the scene! Below are some excellent photos that he snapped. From what I understand, the Spurs shot poorly and Mario Chalmers played out of his ass. Using Bill Simmons’ terms, Chalmers is one of the best “Irrational Confidence Guys” in the NBA, following a tradition established by Vernon Maxwell. For the majority of the year, Irrational Confidence Guys think that they’re the best player on the floor. On a handful of nights each year, it happens to be true. Apparently last night was one of those nights for ‘Rio.

When you have a chance, post your thoughts on game two of the NBA Finals (please!). Prop to 1ceman for his great photos!

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Game one of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs was fantastic. It had drama, beautifully executed basketball, and one of the silliest plays I’ve ever seen in a finals game. RPadholic 1ceman was on the scene and snapped some excellent photos that you can see in a gallery below. Naturally, I want your thoughts to the start of the NBA Finals. Let’s do this!

Tony Parker’s Shot: His shot at the end of the game was ridiculous. He dribbled around like a dick for 20 seconds, fell down, got up, and managed to hit an awkward bank shot with 0.1 seconds left on the clock. While that’s impressive on its own, LeBron James was draped all over him. Just…wow.

While I admire Parker’s game, I don’t trust him. He’s French and sleeps with married women. That said, the French thing, getting dumped by Eva Longoria for sending naughty text messages, and getting his eye damaged in the crossfire of the Team Chris Brown vs. Team Drake battle royal aren’t enough to negate how crazy that shot was. If the Spurs win this series, Parker’s “The Shot” will be replayed for decades to come. Even if they lose, it will get a fair amount of play.

Underrated stat that’s not getting enough play: Parker had 0 turnovers in the game.

Kawhi Leonard’s Hands: While LeBron James had a great game (18 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists), he’s had more spectacular playoff games and the Heat really needed one of those spectacular performances last night. It’s not unusual to be loved by anyone for James to shoot over 50 percent, but last night he was under that mark and Kawhi Leonard was a big reason why. He played some nice defense on James, which is especially impressive considering that he’s only 21 and this is his first NBA Finals. His unusually large hands help his defensive game. Put on a pair of oven mitts and you’ll understand what it’s like to have Kawhi Leonard-sized hands. They remind me of Tom and Jerry cartoons when Jerry would cause Tom’s hand to get slammed by a door and it would comically balloon. Leonard’s paws are comically ballooned 24/7.

Fourth Quarter Woes: The game was really tight for the first three quarters. It was wonderfully executed basketball, with only a few breakdowns (most noticeably the Spurs’ transition defense). In the fourth quarter, the Spurs defense got a little bit better and the Heat tightened up just a bit. Miami made some poor decisions and sloppy plays that resulted in a bunch of Q4 turnovers. Miami had four turnovers through three quarters and four in Q4 alone. As amazing as Parker’s aforementioned shot was, it was the defense and turnovers that decided the game. It’s fascinating that it came down to subtle elevation by one team and subtle decline by the other.

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Chris Bosh Sucking: Poor Bosh. He’s been getting slammed for his 2013 playoff run and his 6-for-16 game last night added fuel to the fire. I haven’t read much about Mario Chalmers’ 3-for-10 performance, but he gets a pass for not being one of the “Big Three” and getting paid a lot less. I’m a fan of Bosh; he’s one of the nerdier and more interesting players in the NBA. I’d like to see him do better. The upside of Bosh sucking is that it leads to a lot of dinosaur-related jokes on ESPN.com. Those crack me up.

Your Take: Now it’s your turn! Kindly leave your thoughts on game one and predictions on game two in the comments section.

According to ESPN, there’s an enormous performance-enhancing drug scandal set to explode. Roughly 20 players have been connected with a clinic called Biogenesis of America. Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz, Gio Gonzales, Melky Cabrera, and Jhonny Peralta are some of the athletes that allegedly received PEDs from the clinic. Biogenesis founder Tony Bosch is reportedly assisting MLB in its investigation. According to the site, “Major League Baseball will seek to suspend about 20 players connected to the Miami-area clinic at the heart of an ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal.”

As a lifelong baseball fan, I’m bummed by the news. While I know that a few of you feel that PEDs should be allowed in sports, there are many that don’t. Millions of fans feel that steroids, HGH, greenies, etc. ruin the purity of the game. No matter your stance, the scandal will be a black eye for baseball and cast a shadow over what has been accomplished in the sport for the last 20 years.

The one silver lining I see is the possibility Alex Rodriguez getting severely punished. I’ve never been a fan of A-Rod and wouldn’t mind seeing him slapped with a 100-game suspension. In a perfect world, he would also be found guilty of killing baby seals for leisure and burning down acres of rainforest for kicks; those crimes would justify the cancellation of his ridiculous contract.

On a random but related note, if I ever get rich, one of the first things I would do is commission a painting of myself as a centaur smashing a baseball bat into the head of an Alex Rodriguez centaur.

What do you think, sports fans? Do you think the Biogenesis scandal will be a huge deal? Or will it just be a blip on the radar? Will MLB get away with 100-game suspensions? Or is the players’ union too strong? Shout it out in the comments section (please)!

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