In the West corner is 3 time NBA champion and the 2007-08 NBA Most Valuable Player, Kooooobe BRYant! And in the East's corner is the Chosen One, your 2008-09 MVP, the King, LeBRON Jaaaaames!
That introduction would no doubt be read by Michael Buffer as he gets us ready to rumble prior to the NBA Finals. The basketball world has been abuzz about a potential match-up between the Lakers and Cavaliers since the playoffs began. The Lakers finished the regular season with the 1 seed in the West and the Cavs won an NBA best 66 games. Everyone then expected these MVPs to lead their teams to the finals to duel not only for the NBA championship but for the crown of best player in the NBA. But with the Lakers tied 2-2 versus the Denver Nuggets and the Cavs trailing 1-3 against the Orlando Magic, talks of a dream match-up may have been premature. Kobe's Lakers are a good team, but they are not great. Andrew Bynum has forgotten that he is 7 feet tall and looks like college would have done his body good. Lamar Odom remains an enigma. He can do so many good things on the court, but right now remains a liability by committing stupid fouls and missing layups and free throws. They also don't have much production coming from their point guards. Derek Fisher should get lost on the bench, Jordan Farmar can not score or slow even Anthony Carter and Shannon Brown is too busy getting tattoos.
Lebron's Cavs are not a good team, plain and simple. They do not have a coach nor do they have that second superstar that many championship teams have. The Lakers have Pau Gasol and the Cavs answer with Anderson Varejao? Mo Williams may have had an All-Star caliber season, but he did so by mainly being the recipient of the kick out from Lebron on the drive. Lebron is great, but even Michael Jordan did not win without significant help. Danny Ferry has tried but come up short in building a great team.
All that being said, these two teams were the best teams in their respective conferences during the regular season. Which is why I understand Nike's move to push an ad campaign featuring puppets of Kobe and Lebron living together. Not that ratings would struggle without Nike's efforts but isn't the fact that neither team is showing dominance the reason why you play the game? Isn't this the argument made every year against the BCS? Championships are not handed out, they are earned. Right now there are 4 teams, NOT 2, fighting to earn their rings. Remember that as ESPN shows their Kobe/Lebron montage for the 100th time.
2 comments:
The ad campaigns by Nike and Vitamin Water could end up being as disaterous as Reebok's "Dan and Dave" back in 1992. They followed Dan O'Brien and Dave Johnson assuming they would win gold and silver in the 92 Olympics in the decathlon. But Dan didn't make it through the US Trials and Dave only got a bronze. It became pathetic as Reebok decided to have Dan cheer for Dave after he didn't qualify. And now, we could be seeing another premature ad campaign that would be doomed to fail.
As great as Kobe is, watching the lakers play basketball is painful. Denver is a fun team to watch. You got the bird man with his crazy hair, freaky tattoos and awesome energy. jr smith yelling in everyones face after every made shot. martin looking like he might beat up a ref or player at any moment. and although melo may not have the star power of lebron and kobe, he is blossoming into one right in front of our eyes. its been exciting to watch him and kobe go at it. my point is, if you like basketball whats wrong with having denver in the finals. yes that means kobe wont be playing, but honestly, but kobe is not worth the terrible basketball the lakers have been playing this post season.
the cavs and magic? i dont really care as much. the magic are boring to watch. they play sloppy basketball and just shot 3's all day, its like they dont know superman is under the basket with ilgaskis guarding him (or lack there of). he should be averaging 35 a night. and stan van gundy is almost as bad of a coach as mike brown. the cavs are whack. mo and lebron are the only ones that can score consistently. everyone else is old enough to be my grandfather. and they have 2 guys on their team who couldnt make a basket to save their lives. its a toss up. but either way... i hope the refs stop calling so many damn fouls so i can watch a good basketball game for once.
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