Lakers zero in on fourth title in five years
The Lakers are sleepwalking to their fourth title in five years, leaving yours truly without any justifiable reasons to watch.
The basketball gods aren't being very friendly.
Not much doubt remains in the 2004 NBA playoffs. This leads me to my next thought.
Is it me, or do the Lakers seem to be sleepwalking to their fourth championship in five years?
I, for one, thought the Spurs would take down the Lakers for the second consecutive year, something that seemed imminent, that is until Derek Fisher made the most improbable of shots with less than one tick on the clock.
Once Fisher's shot doomed the Spurs, the rest of the NBA playoffs seemed a mute point. Sure, you have to play the games out, but the Lakers are about as sure a bet to win the title as Rasheed Wallace is to lash out at an official.
As Tony Parker stated when asked if anyone could beat the Lakers, "No, this (conference semifinals) was the NBA finals."
The games seem meaningless and passionless, particularly for the Lakers, who know what is in store.
Perhaps most aggravating is the Eastern Conference Finals where Doc Rivers continues to praise teams for their "great defense."
"It's just that the defense is better than the offense," Rivers continues to say. No kidding.
What I am tired of is the praise of the defense. You think the Lakers are going to score 75 against either one of those teams? Think again.
Can you see Kobe Bryant missing open 20 footers -- an event that occurs nearly every possession for the Pacers and Pistons.
Look, there isn't any question that Indiana and Detroit play good, aggressive defense with a lot of emotion, but don't let the fact that these two teams stink offensively, fool you.
The Detroit Pistons scored nine points in the second quarter of Game 3 -- 9! The half time score was 36-30! Does anyone honestly think that either of those two scores can compete with the Lakers, or even the Timberwolves for that matter?
Once again, the Eastern Conference is, as ESPN radio personality Colin Cowherd so aptly put it, "the jayvee league."
There is no chance, none, that either Indiana or Detroit can beat the Lakers. The bottom line is that neither of those teams can score -- period.
While the rest of America tunes in for the Lakers' soap opera, I for one won't be watching. I am a basketball fanatic and love watching good games, particularly when the outcome is in doubt.
Once the Lakers ousted the Spurs, however, all doubt in the playoffs was removed.
Not much doubt remains in the 2004 NBA playoffs. This leads me to my next thought.
Is it me, or do the Lakers seem to be sleepwalking to their fourth championship in five years?
I, for one, thought the Spurs would take down the Lakers for the second consecutive year, something that seemed imminent, that is until Derek Fisher made the most improbable of shots with less than one tick on the clock.
Once Fisher's shot doomed the Spurs, the rest of the NBA playoffs seemed a mute point. Sure, you have to play the games out, but the Lakers are about as sure a bet to win the title as Rasheed Wallace is to lash out at an official.
As Tony Parker stated when asked if anyone could beat the Lakers, "No, this (conference semifinals) was the NBA finals."
The games seem meaningless and passionless, particularly for the Lakers, who know what is in store.
Perhaps most aggravating is the Eastern Conference Finals where Doc Rivers continues to praise teams for their "great defense."
"It's just that the defense is better than the offense," Rivers continues to say. No kidding.
What I am tired of is the praise of the defense. You think the Lakers are going to score 75 against either one of those teams? Think again.
Can you see Kobe Bryant missing open 20 footers -- an event that occurs nearly every possession for the Pacers and Pistons.
Look, there isn't any question that Indiana and Detroit play good, aggressive defense with a lot of emotion, but don't let the fact that these two teams stink offensively, fool you.
The Detroit Pistons scored nine points in the second quarter of Game 3 -- 9! The half time score was 36-30! Does anyone honestly think that either of those two scores can compete with the Lakers, or even the Timberwolves for that matter?
Once again, the Eastern Conference is, as ESPN radio personality Colin Cowherd so aptly put it, "the jayvee league."
There is no chance, none, that either Indiana or Detroit can beat the Lakers. The bottom line is that neither of those teams can score -- period.
While the rest of America tunes in for the Lakers' soap opera, I for one won't be watching. I am a basketball fanatic and love watching good games, particularly when the outcome is in doubt.
Once the Lakers ousted the Spurs, however, all doubt in the playoffs was removed.
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