Frankly, it's come to be one of our most anticipated moments at the outset of each new NBA playoff series (/keys covered with the drippings of sarcasm). So, now, as the Celtics prepare for game six in Detroit and a chance to punch their ticket for the NBA Finals, we sit on pins and needles. Because we know it's coming. Soon. We can almost taste it...
That's right. The debut of the next NBA "split-face" ad. You know, those strangely alluring (and now totally played out) television commercials that only manage to creep you out with their meticulously synced facial motions and voices. Well, pretty soon we get a brand, spanking new one.
With the Celts the proverbial favorite to eventually take the East, the smart money is probably on that Bryant guy and KG or Pierce as the next incredibly edited faces of the NBA. Regardless, we're hoping against hope for the combo above.
The idea of the current NBA creative with Sam "The Alien" Cassell and Pau "Bushman" Gasol is at once thrilling, harrowing and rather amusing. But, alas, there can be only one...
Note: Yes, I am fully aware of my completely lacking Photoshop skills. You get the idea, though.
Regular readers of The Legend, know that from time to time, we run a Classic 80's/90's sports posters piece taken from readers submissions of nutty posters like Eric Dickerson Robo-Back. Today's posters lack the delightful cheese factor of their 80's and 90's predecessors, but when some blogger whips up a, Classic Turn of the Millennium Posters, blog post from his grandmother's basement in 2020, LeBron dunking over Garnett last night will be featured prominently.
By now you've heard about LeBron's dunk last night and seen highlights of it. Just in case you haven't:
Yes, that dunk really happened last night. He did lose Pierce on the screen and he did fake Posey out of his jock. And, he did throw down an "Eat Sh** " dunk, despite Garnett's (you know, the 6'-11", 253lb., NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and most intense person on the planet guy) forearm to the chest . As the resident Cavs fan here, I apologize for the slow reaction, but I've been in a state of elated shock since last night. A phone call to a friend confirmed that there was no way to describe that play.
Thank you LeBron, for finally getting my mind off of those ass clown Wizards fans (and some Celtics fans late in game 2) who were chanting overrated at you. Overrated? If LeBron is overrated, than why have he and the Cavs demolished the Wizards for the past 3 years in the playoffs? Does the "overrated" chant imply that Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Sasha Pavlovic, Eric Snow, Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall and the rest of LeBron's supporting cast from the past couple of seasons are underrated? Morons.
Anyway, that dunk was off the hook, it's worth watching over and over. I'm glad that LeBron pulled that out, it gives sportswriters something to talk about besides his field goal percentage in this series. After game 3 (which I thought LeBron dominated despite his numbers), a lot of writers focused on Lebron's shooting woes. A few good ones pointed out the other things he brought to the table in Game 3 (like his sick defense), but many just harped on his shooting slump.
I thought his performance in Game 4 was similar to his Game 3 efforts, except for the nasty dunk. He played great defense in both games and was unbelievable setting up his teammates. In both games his shot wasn't falling, so he stepped up on D, and created countless opportunities for his teammates by using his superior passing ability to smoke double and triple teams. A ton of the plays where LeBron didn't get assists the past two nights were result of a sharp first pass from LeBron which led to a wide-open teammate on the second pass (if they kept assists like NHL stats where 2 guys get an assist per goal, LeBron would have had 30 in each of the last 2 games).
I'm fine with LeBron's shot being off. It'll come around. Now if LeBron wasn't playing nasty D, grabbing boards, and setting up 97% of the Cavs offense, then it'd be worry time. Right now its optimism time, just imagine how lethal LeBron is going to be throughout the rest of the playoffs once his shot comes around. If you'll excuse me, I need to watch LeBron's dunk about 350 more times. And no, LeBron does not play with any regard for human life.
Seriously. Stop it. I'm sick of it. I know you are paid to stir controversy, encourage debate and keep the fans "interested." But I do not want to hear one more member of the media even mention anyone else as a legitimate candidate for the NBA MVP. Give the trophy to LeBron...now.
Not that there are a lot of naysayers out there to begin with, but any talk of Garnett or Kobe or whomever else needs to be squashed. Unlike Erie's Scribe, I have no ties or lifelong allegiance to Cleveland. I am not, per se, a Cavs fan. I am a slightly-above-casual NBA fan, in the context of the generally sports-crazed population of our readers of which I am a citizen. Meaning I probably watch at least portions of three or four NBA games a week.
With that background, I watched the Cavs play the Rockets on Thursday night. I wanted to put this post up immediately following that game, but I got distracted. So, I'm here now and I've got something to share that anyone who's watched this team figured out in about :30. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a TERRIBLE basketball team sans LeBron. Not just average. Not OK. Not serviceable. TER-RI-BLE. Before we get into just how bad a team the Cavs are putting on the court is, let's juxtapose that cast with that infamous V word that sits at the center of this award. Valuable. Most valuable.
Now, if the award were to be named for the "Best Player in the NBA," I'd have slightly more patience for Kobe entering the discussion, although I'd still likely hand it to LeBron. If we're going to honor the spirit of the M.V.P. award, it's not even close. Which takes us back to this team...on Thursday night, LeBron took the floor surrounded by the following four players: Z, Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Ira Newble. Go ahead, read that again. Now, granted Z is a legitimate player...and with Varajeo, Gooden and Pavlovic the Cavs are a far deeper team.
But let's be real here, outside of Ilgauskas, not one of these guys is a bona fide legit NBA starter. In fact, the whole roster has nary a "B" player among the bunch. Daniel Gibson and Damon Jones? Nice secondary, if not tertiary, players on an NBA roster these days. Devin Brown is getting 20+ minutes a game on this squad?! LeBron is bringing new definition to "carrying your team."
Last night, in a win against Atlanta, LeBron had what was for him an average night: 26 pts, 11 boards, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot and only 1 turnover in 44 minutes. Actually a below average night in terms of points. Oh yea, Eric Snow was part of the starting lineup last night and contributed two points, five assists and no rebounds in 27+ minutes. How is this team winning? LeBron. That's it
Honestly, even as I'm writing this I can't fathom how anyone could consider anyone else for MVP in the league for even a millisecond. LeBron has somehow managed to lead a team of also-rans and nobodys to a 28-21 record, winning seven of their last 10. Without King James, Cleveland is 0-6 and would have a hard time giving the D-League All-Stars a run.
I don't know how else to say it anymore. I'm 30. I watched Jordan and still, like so many of us, talk about how games he played in were just different. You couldn't take your eyes of the screen and you wanted him to get the ball on every single possession. I'm not there yet with LeBron James. But I'm getting awfully close. Speaking of awful, that's what this Cleveland team would be without him. So, why don't we skip the contrived debates and just give the man his trophy now?
How 'bout a Friday sendoff from the way-back machine? This is forever a classic but even more entertaining, ironic, amusing, sad and interesting looking back at it from a decade's distance.
It's funny in the sense that Stephon is talking (even though in jest) about "being tasteful." This is the same Steph who is now tatted-up and down, banging interns in the back of his car and has generally quit on the poor-excuse-for-a-team of which he is still a roster member (for now). It's also funny in that not much has changed. Starbury appears about as stoned to the bejesus belt in this ESPN Magazine clip as he was in the now infamous interview with Bruce Beck.
What has been different is the diverging paths of these two budding superstars who once seemed poised to lead a franchise into the NBA's upper echelon for a long and continuous stretch. Instead, Starbury now carries the label of a prodigious talent who's underperformed, bounced around and been a general malcontent wherever he's gone. Oh yeah, and he's never done anything in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, KG is currently the leading vote-getter for the NBA All-Star game, widely lauded as a warrior for a Timberwolves team that went to the playoffs for nearly a decade straight (largely on his shoulders) and now, potentially, as "the piece" that helped orchestrate the greatest single season turn around in NBA history in Beantown.
1998 seems a long, long time ago, indeed. Plus, this commercial launched ESPN the Magazine, which makes us feel pretty old. We're down with the "all nude" thing, though.
