Newsflash: The West is INSANE
Or I suppose “wild” works too
Last night there was a double overtime game full of playoff implications for one side, final score 151-147. Normally that would be the token crazy game of the season, an aberration for which a season will be remembered. This year, it’s almost expected. Even as teams solidify their playoff seeding, the West is still completely out of control. Congrats to the Sonics though, for one of the most loaded spoiler games ever.
Vince wrote a column a while ago about how the Nuggets play slop ball, and while I saw his point, it really didn’t bother me that much. Some teams are sloppy, it’s good to have variety. Then I saw the end of their 168 point game against Seattle. Guys were pulling up for threes, JR Smith was dunking on people, against a team that recently shipped out pretty much every single one of its veterans to clear cap space and is about to pack up its things and skip town.
Keep in mind the Nuggets coach once coached the Sonics, when they were supposed to be a budding dynasty, and they played a similar front-running, high-flying style but with great defensive players on board. Oh, and they blew it to of all teams, the Nuggets in the first round, the first #1 losing to a #8. George Karl has changed sides, and it’s just incredible that he couldn’t see this coming having all of that first hand experience. When the Nuggets humiliated the Sonics, when they made a mockery of another professional team, they set themselves up for the take down. At the time I thought maybe next year or down the road, cause how could the Sonics with Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and a bunch of castaways ever beat Iverson, Melo, Camby, etc. when one team has everything to play for and the other has nothing. Why would Seattle even bother to play hard at this time of year? Well, when you slap them in the face and laugh at them like in the 168 point game, that’s a pretty good way to get the other team fired up.
Denver played eight men last night. Allen Iverson played 55 minutes. Camby and Melo played 48 each and Kenyon Martin played 46. Even if the Nuggets survive to make the playoffs, last night will cost them and they have nobody to blame but themselves.
Another completely insane development, that needs to be shackled down at Arkham asylum it’s so crazy, is the return of Dirk Nowitzki with the HEART OF A CHAMPION! What sick, twisted, parallel universe are we living in right now? The Mavs have gone from staving off an epic collapse that couldn’t beat a .500 team to save it’s life, with their obnoxious team owner looking a total jerk with no class and billions of meaningless dollars, to becoming a legitimate threat again.
I hope Golden State makes it, but they’re really not doing themselves any favors right now. This Thursday should be the big one: Denver at Golden State, and it’s at 8 P.M Eastern. Anything less than triple OT 170-169 on a buzzer beater by Baron would be a let-down. Actually scratch that, cause it’s too predictable. Something completely f*cking nuts is going to happen on Thursday.
On top of all the race for 7th and 8th talk, the Hornets could be the top seed in the West. Chris Paul has carried the team with a point guard season really unmatched in recent memory, and I mean Steve Nash won back to back MVPs with some amazing individual seasons for a point guard, and Paul has outdone those seasons this year (defense too!). But, the Hornets have almost no significant playoff experience other than Peja, who really isn’t a crunch time killer on that stage. They will have to deal with the Spurs or Kobe at some point, if it gets that far, and in the NBA, experience is supposedly the thing that matters come playoff time, which is why old teams keep winning the championship.
Congrats to Memphis and Kansas by the way. I left watching the Kansas game at halftime to go bowling, assuming the blowout. Got tight there, but as soon as I got to the bowling alley, Kansas pulled away. My bad.
16 Responses to “Newsflash: The West is INSANE”
Apr.7 at 8:58 am
Eboy says:
Well, with the Arkham Asylum reference and Dirk’s maddening play and messy hair, a comparison to the Joker, especially the version Heath Ledger went for, seems appropriate. Maybe should he incorporate a acid shooting boutonniere into his game wardrobe to ward off would be defenders.
Apr.7 at 9:04 am
Alpha-bet says:
Denver should have got this one.I think they are f*cked up now..sleeping at the wrong time..I dont think they are going to get in
Apr.7 at 9:12 am
WhaHuh says:
Fire George Karl? they dropped 2 easy games with stupid on and off court decisions. (go to odenized to see an abysmal missed JR smith dunk). Melo got 2 double doulbles scoring 47 and 38 and they still lost.
Apr.7 at 9:25 am
Cheryl says:
I just hope the standing at 3 and 6 stands, cuz I would LOVE to see Lakers/Suns in the 1st round.
Apr.7 at 9:45 am
d.Y. says:
Fire George Karl. Too much talent there for them to be in this position. On the flip side, why is everyone surprised when Dirk shows heart, like when he dropped 50 in the playoffs?
Apr.7 at 10:11 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
It’s high time people stop calling Dirk soft. He is anything but: no other NBA player would have come back this soon and played this well. Also, he carried a pretty weak German team to the bronze medal at the 2002 Worlds.
Apr.7 at 10:15 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
How was the bowling, Sam? I’m so pulling for Golden State too, but they are killing me (and themselves), game by game.
Apr.7 at 10:26 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
i bowled worse than obama. Not literally, I mean who bowls a 37! But it wasn’t pretty.
Apr.7 at 10:51 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
hahaha, hope you had fun! The last time I went bowling it was at this shady place in Boston. I don’t remember actually bowling though… And, wow Kansas came out on fire in that game, they were all over the place!
Apr.7 at 11:42 am
ciolkstar says:
The Warriors have been probably playing their worst ball o0f the year. They arent even pretending to rotate or get back on transition. I know their style of play isnt about D, but your literally arent going to beat ANYONE in the hunt in the W without playing a modicum of D. The Warriors have been my favorite team to watch, but they seem to have no spark. Jax is sleepwalking (or possibly inhjured)B Diddy doesnt look explosive and Monta’s shot selection is deteriorating. I want the old Warriors back. Please.
Apr.7 at 11:46 am
ciolkstar says:
Memphis is gonna be a collective beast tonight. Even tough, I’ve got Kansas in my office pool and if they win I’ll either win $160/$240 depending on the points. Was the Denver vs Seattle game on national TV last night?
Apr.7 at 2:02 pm
Cub Buenning says:
The Nuggets lost two they kinda needed to have this weekend.
They pulled out tough games last week against Dallas and Phoenix; then followed those up with these recent stinkers. Kevin Durant hit 3s at the END of regulation and the first OT to even make this game mentionable.
Still plenty to be sifted out. Like has been mentioned, the Warriors aren’t playing all that great either, so this final spot is still up for grabs. If one of ‘em gets hot this last week or so, they could probably go far, too.
Apr.7 at 3:59 pm
Eboy says:
I enjoy the feeling of semen on my face.
Apr.7 at 5:10 pm
Jason says:
I’m on the “fire Karl” bandwagon. He’s just not the right Coach for that team and it is painfully obvious. Scoring points is one thing, but you have to stop people. Yeah Melo got a double double and scored 38 pts…but he gave up just as many points. His defense made Kevin Durant look like Kobe Bryant lastnight, its ridiculous.
Apr.7 at 5:17 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
That game pissed me off! I do hav respect 4 durant & green tho. & y do u think tha buzzer beaters gonna b by baron?
Apr.7 at 5:24 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
this is George Karl’s THIRD chance with multiple all-stars… I don’t get it. He’s a funny quote and all, but he also has some guys that have played D in the past. How is he letting this happen?