1. The NBA really, really, REALLY needs to change their rule on fouls that give the advantage to the team fouling. It applies to Hack-a-Shaq situations but it ruins the game even more in late games situations like tonight. Here's really the only answer that works: throughout the game a team should be able to decline fouls (just like they can in the NFL) and take the ball out of bounds (moreover intentional off the ball fouls should ALWAYS be 1 shot by any player and the ball (a la tech fouls), thus eliminating advantage of using hack-a-shaq to slow down tempo). But here's the wrinkle that affects the late game down-by-3-with-the-ball scenario where you purposely foul as the Lakers did tonight. A foul by the team that is WINNING withing the final 2 MINUTES, should be declinable, but not vice versa. So, in other words a team would not be able to decline fouls within the last 2 minutes of the game if they are winning and the other team is scrambling to come back and using fouls to do so.
I know this sounds a little complicated but basically what I want is declinable fouls all game long except if you are leading in the final 2 minutes. Think about it this way. What would you rather watch? Chauncey Billups attempt another ridiculous off balance 3 to possibly tie the game (and you KNOW he makes it too... he is "Mr. Big Shot") or a mad scramble for the rebound of an intentionally missed free throw that really has little to do with basketball at all?
Seriously, for a game THAT great to end that way is a travesty. Of course David Stern will never change the rule because he fucking sucks balls... (but that's another story, for another post)
2. I've never seen Melo play that hard. Period. What you realize watching him come alive defensively and competitively in these playoffs is how much being great in the NBA is about will. I still think the Nuggs are limited if they decide to go one-on-one offense with Melo late in games but he played ridiculous defense on Kobe and worked so hard for post position (despite several uncalled fouls I might add). And without once flopping to get a call which Bryant does 50% of the times he feels any contact.
3. While I complain about the bad rule on the up-by-3 fouling, let's be honest. This game was GIVEN away by the nuggets bc they can't run a fucking inbounds play. I mean seriously, how many times does this happen at the end of games. Why can't you just draw up a legitimate play to get somone OPEN?! George Karl? Anyone???? I feel like every time Bill simmons talks about college ball he gets all up on his high horse about how they just don't play very smart in college, how they make silly mistakes and it makes for bad basketball. But not being able to run a simple inbounds play at the end of a game. Well that looked like college ball... bad college ball. And actually you see it all the time in the NBA. Worst of all, guy's weren't really trying that hard to get open.
seriously, watch the play unfold (@3:00 in the above vid). Melo jogs around a curls screen towards the baseline almost a token effort because it's not designed to get him the ball unless he's totally open, and then Billups Jogs non-chalantly towards mid court only to get stripped easily by Ariza. Please, draw up a play where the screens actually get someone relatively open and SPRINT to the spot. Come on, it's the end of the game. and Secondly, wtf is George Karl doing subbing in AC for birdman, and then having AC inbound the ball against Lamar Odom? Birdman should be in to get an offensive board anyway... you really think AC is gonna make the final shot? Really??
Seriously, that is just amateur. And seriously frustrating as the deciding play in such a great game. What is this Jackson St. vs. IUPUI?
4. Nobody really mentioned this when it happened but wtf was with the Melo tech when he clapped his hands. Did he say something awful? Because if that's what it takes to get a tech in a Western Conference finals game (clapping your fucking hands) then Kobe should have gotten three techs instead of one. Of course, the refs are so used to Kobe complaining that they don't even notice it any more unless he is throwing an all out hissy fit like he did in the 2nd half. I only mention this because the Melo tech not being called changed everything if you give the lakers a 2 pt instead of a 3 pt lead at the end of that game. That said, I will assume for the refs' sake that it was what he said, and not the clap, that did it, but as bad as NBA reffing is sometimes, it's hard to say.
5. I recently did one of those 5 favorite lists on facebook naming my 5 fav current NBA players (JJ Barea, Stephen Jackson, Joakim Noah, Birdman, and Rondo). It was impossible to get everybody I liked in there (JT, Gordon, Hinrich and Rose all were worthy) but I realized in the middle of the game tonight that K-mart would absolutely be on that list if he didn't have that awful kiss tattoo on his neck. Seriously, man get that shit lasered off and we'll talk because right now you look retarded. On a side note, K-mart has some even worse tattoos including a grim reaper holding a basketball and chinese lettering that he thought meant "never satisfied" but according to yao ming actually translates to something more along the lines of "indecisive" or "unaggressive." Nice.
That said, he played some unbelievable, strong-willed defense tonight, against bigger guys, and it was fun to watch. Message to Mark Cuban (ironically my fav nba owner) pull a Cuban and resolve the K-Mart feud in the all-out wackiest way possible by signing K-mart next season. It's so crazy it just might work. After all K-Mart fears no man but God... and the Grim Reaper of basketball.5. Mark Jackson is the 2nd worst color commentator in the NBA (Hubie Brown of course being the worst, no contest), and everytime he utters a trite, cliche ridden phrase to accent a push to commercial I want to shoot myself in the face. Worst of all, half the time the cliche's are clearly incorrect, in that he seems to have come up with something he likes the sound of, the finality of and thus goes with it even as the replay he's talking under seems to completely undermine his point. Worst of all, he's stealing time from Van Gundy, who is far and away the best color guy in the league bc he says what he's actually thinking about what he's actually seeing. Novel idea, I know. He doesn't just blurt out the first pretty cliche that comes to his head. For example, if they're watching a replay and after watching it the call is clearly bad, Van Gundy will say something akin to "but that's a charge. that's a bad call." Whereas Jackson, forever sticking to the script, will counter with something like "but that's just Kobe Bryant getting to the bucket, imposing his will, and not allowing his team to lose..." and cut to a fucking KIA ad. Seriously, read those lines in your head with their voices and tell me I'm wrong.
Anyway, Jackson's bad Color Comm. got me thinking about what to re-name the blog now that Madden has indeed retired and what I realized is that the aforementioned Hubie Brown has been the worst Color Commentator in ANY sport all along, and I just overlooked it because Madden is more well known. But no more my friends. Brown must be called out (for numerous reasons that I'll detail later along with a drinking game you can actually play while watching the mind-numbing games he does), and called out he will be...
I now give you: Please Retire Hubie -- a sports blog about shit that actually makes sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment