NBA Finals - Game 1 & More

The SEVEN

June 2nd, 2011

I. The Biggest Two

Here's the skinny on Tuesday night's game...although it's the exact same recap you could have read any number of times throughout these playoffs: Led by a fourth-quarter charge by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the Miami Heat took a 1-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks with a 92-84 win in Miami. A month ago you could have filled in the blank with "Philadelphia 76ers;" two weeks later, "Boston Celtics;" last week, "Chicago Bulls."

This Miami-Dallas series presents yet another compelling matchup. Obviously the up-and-coming Sixers were a little over-matched, but both the Heat-Celtics and Heat Bulls series promised to be exciting contests, each in their own way...and naturally the Heat-Celtics may have proven to be even more exciting had Rajon Rondo finished the series with two good arms.

Can Dallas win: Yes, they can. Any team that can sweep the Lakers off to vacation and Phil Jackson off to retirement in the way that they did can beat anyone...but they must be able to get the same type of contributions from their bench as they have against their Western Conference foes - and on Tuesday, sixth-man Jason Terry, their number two (and sometimes number one) scorer had but 12 points on three of ten shooting, while super sub J.J. Barea shot one for eight for 2 points, and Peja Stojakovic had a donut. Those three will have to do better in order for Dallas to be successful.

II. Shaq

The last time Miami played Dallas in the finals, the Mavericks' efforts were thwarted, in part, by Miami's Shaquille O'Neal who, in helping series MVP Wade lead the Heat to victory, won his fourth ring. This year, had Shaq not been injured and Rondo gotten injured, he may have thwarted the Heat's efforts coming off of the Boston Celtics bench.

And now he's hanging up the jersey after nineteen seasons. Was he as skilled as some other centers? No, he wasn't. Was he more dominant than most? In the words of one former governor, you betcha!

Rate them where you would, but when talking really great centers, you have to include him in the discussion with Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Olajuwon, and David Robinson. As far as personalities are concerned, he's numero uno. Truly he will be missed...but then again, I have a feeling we havedn't seen the last of Shaq Diesel/The Big Aristotle/Shaq Fu/ The Big Shamrock, etc.

III. Pip

Another retired player has made news, this being Scottie Pippen after stating that LeBron James might be a better all-around player than Michael Jordan. After any number of people swore Pip is crazy, he tried to walk it back to what he should have said at first, which is that James has a chance to become better than Jordan.

But let's just say that Pippen was right, and that LeBron is a better all-around player than Jordan. In that case, I would make the claim that Kobe Bryant is the greatest player ever. I always told people that folks needed not look to the distant future for the heir apparent to MJ; he was, in fact, right here wearing number 24 - and now, perhaps Scottie has proven this for me. Pippen is speaking about James at his best, which is now - but I would submit that James' best play to date has not reached the level of Bryant's best years, say 2005-2009. Therefore, if James is better than Jordan, and Kobe was better than James, then Kobe is the G.O.A.T...except for Magic.

IV. Chris Christie

For those of you who don't know, Chris Christie is the governor of New Jersey, and one of the "flavors of the month" of the conservative Republican set. I'm neither conservative nor Republican, but I am a father - and I must give Christie his props for taking time out of his busy schedule to watch his son's baseball game earlier this week. Being the governor is important, but being an active father is important as well. Good job, Mr. Governor.

V. Chris Christie Again

All is not well with that, however. Governor Christie flew a state helicopter directly to the game. I don't know where he was coming from, but I do know that ride was more expensive than taking New Jersey Transit. At a time in which Christie says that New Jersey is without resources to do or continue various things, perhaps that mode of transportation could be scrapped next time. Oh, and then after leaving the game Christie went to meet with potential donors from Iowa that want him to get in the presidential race. Iowa donors, before you spend any more of your hard-earned cash, ponder this: If Christie can't see the value - on any number of levels - of beefing up mass transportation in the state, how can he be counted on to make rational decisions on behalf of the entire country?

VI. Vancouver Up 1-0

No, the Grizzlies aren't moving back and didn't get a second life in the playoffs. The NHL finals have begun as well, and the Vancouver Canucks took a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins in game one for the Stanley Cup. NHL fans on this side of the border must be crazy over the relative lack of coverage their league receives.

But I have an idea for the NHL, which I shared in full in an earlier blog, Making "The Coolest Game" Cooler.

In a sense, my idea has its' roots in the old ABA, a league that in its' infancy was not at all 

averse to trying anything to garner attention.  One such thing was the establishment of the three-point 

shot.  Though ridiculed by basketball traditionalists, the three-pointer was loved by fans and 

now a vital part of the game and its' strategy at all levels.  When a crowd sees a player prepare

to take an open three-pointer, the noise level rises in gleeful anticipation if the shooter is 

on their favored team - or in fear if the shooter is an opponent.   So my idea is for the NHL to 

place a semi-circle within the offensive end - similar to the three-point line in basketball - 

behind which any shots on goal would be "two-point shots." I'm sure there aren't that many goals 

scored from out by the blue line, but I can also imagine the excitement as a great slap-shooter

 lines up a two-point shot.  And what about the team down a goal with a minute or so to go...now 

they pull the goalie to get a sixth skater on the ice to give them a better shot at getting the 

tying goal, but with the two-pointer available, they may try a couple of shots for the win.  

The way I see it, the two-pointer has a lot of potential.  Gary Bettman, you've got a NBA 

background...the ball's in your court...or should I say the puck's in your rink.

VII.  Macho Man

Both of these series, should they go the distance, will end close to Father's Day, 

and as it turns out, I recently was thinking about a Father's 

Day gift I got for my father some years back.  I thought about the many Saturday evenings 

at midnight that we watched Championship Wrestling

on Channel 9 - and to that end, I bought him a subscription to WWF Magazine.  Some of those very 

issues remain at my mother's house, and as I think back on those times and the era, I

 have to say RIP, "Macho Man" Randy Savage.