1) THEY TOOK MY IDEA!
Let's get right to the important stuff people. During the last of my only other sports column I made a decidedly angry point about branded announcers and commentators. The short version: I don't appreciate how these guys are all assigned to (and owned by) various networks. Especially because I think the ABC staff is a bit tame for my taste and lacks the pizazz/showmanship/absurdist comedy of say the " The NBA On TNT" crew. And then look what happens during the very next game:
Let's get right to the important stuff people. During the last of my only other sports column I made a decidedly angry point about branded announcers and commentators. The short version: I don't appreciate how these guys are all assigned to (and owned by) various networks. Especially because I think the ABC staff is a bit tame for my taste and lacks the pizazz/showmanship/absurdist comedy of say the " The NBA On TNT" crew. And then look what happens during the very next game:
That's right. Team ABC gets a loan from TNT/ESPN and gets Craig Sager to be a part of the broadcast. A few thoughts here on this GREAT idea. First, thank you to Craig for giving credit where credit is due. You can clearly see him mouth "Thank you Andrew, my hero" in the above video. That helps Craig, it really does. Especially as ABC didn't even bother to give me a throwaway "attaboy." Secondly, if you didn't support my idea for "Free Agent" announcers for new blood and excitement, you should support it for this. Despite dressing like a couch fabric pattern in an early SIMS game, the man is a legend. The fact that he can go thirty years - at the top of his field - without ever getting to announce a Finals game is ludicrous. It should be about who makes the game better, or deserves to be there. Not about whose contract is owned by which network.
2) Iman Shumpert's Hair Is Next Level Bonkers
As a New York Knicks fan - or as we call ourselves during most seasons, "mourner" - I've been well acquainted with the hair stylings of Iman Shumpert for quite some time. As a baseline, this is what you should normally expect:
As a New York Knicks fan - or as we call ourselves during most seasons, "mourner" - I've been well acquainted with the hair stylings of Iman Shumpert for quite some time. As a baseline, this is what you should normally expect:
That's one hell of a flat top. It's not really "absurd" in any way, unless of course he doesn't impersonate the lead characters from House Party 1,2, or 3, in his spare time. When he's been in the playoffs before he has added a touch of razzle-dazzle. He's carved in lightning bolts on the side, and once he subbed the "flat" top for a " "half-slanted debacle of a" top. Still, this year's hair takes the cake.
I sat through most of this haircut thinking it was just a slightly off-kilter "man bun." That's not a great style either, but it's not a completely unique entity. This thing is. If you look closely, it's really just a tuft of long hair, pulled from some weird off-center patch of hair he intently left for this sole purpose. I ask "why?" And also, "why?" He looks like a poorly groomed poodle. I love it.
3) Tristan Thompson is Worth Every Penny
In the off-season there was a big debate about the Cavs re-signing Tristan Thompson. He's a great young player, a workhorse, and a dependable double-double machine. Still, he lacks a really developed offensive game. He's a great rebounder (especially on the offensive end), but wanted to be paid like a two way star. The Cavs - with a ton of support from Lebron - ended up hammering out a costly deal to keep him. Last night he proved that investment was worth every freaking cent.
That wasn't just a one-off play either. He hustled all night, had some great rebounds and dunks, and made the Warriors pay when they left him unguarded in the paint. He will be the difference in Game 7. If he plays like that - and with Bogut now out - the Warriors don't have an answer for him. That's huge when Golden State really owns the better half of almost every other match up out there.
4) Steph Curry - Angry Tyke
Is it just me, or are announcer jinxes the best thing on the planet? Steph got two early fouls last night and, sadly, it changed the entire complexion of the game. He didn't get to play much of the first half, probably cost his team at least a chance to cut into the Cavs lead, and with him on the bench things were just a little less interesting. When he came back in the third and notched another quick foul, all the announcers could talk about was how he had NEVER fouled out of a professional basketball game. That of course led to this:
In the off-season there was a big debate about the Cavs re-signing Tristan Thompson. He's a great young player, a workhorse, and a dependable double-double machine. Still, he lacks a really developed offensive game. He's a great rebounder (especially on the offensive end), but wanted to be paid like a two way star. The Cavs - with a ton of support from Lebron - ended up hammering out a costly deal to keep him. Last night he proved that investment was worth every freaking cent.
That wasn't just a one-off play either. He hustled all night, had some great rebounds and dunks, and made the Warriors pay when they left him unguarded in the paint. He will be the difference in Game 7. If he plays like that - and with Bogut now out - the Warriors don't have an answer for him. That's huge when Golden State really owns the better half of almost every other match up out there.
4) Steph Curry - Angry Tyke
Is it just me, or are announcer jinxes the best thing on the planet? Steph got two early fouls last night and, sadly, it changed the entire complexion of the game. He didn't get to play much of the first half, probably cost his team at least a chance to cut into the Cavs lead, and with him on the bench things were just a little less interesting. When he came back in the third and notched another quick foul, all the announcers could talk about was how he had NEVER fouled out of a professional basketball game. That of course led to this:
I'm a little bummed that it didn't degrade into a full scale meltdown - because him missing game 7 on a double technical would have been a ridiculous story line - but I love what we were given. Especially the mouth guard throw. You don't really get it from this angle, but... oh, screw it. What's one more video?
I mean that toss - and ensuing super manly recoil - is glorious. I just loved the whole scene. Nothing makes me happier then chaos.
5) Lebron and the MVP dilemma
I guess I should come clean a bit here before this one. I'm a sucker for Lebron. I'm well aware of all of his faults and disappointing performances over the years, but he's still one of the best to play the game. And I believe he's done it under more pressure and scrutiny then any of the other greats. Honestly, can you come up with another player so highly praised out of high school that delivered this well on the promises? I can't. And I know at least three to four other athletes by name.
So I believe that Lebron should have won MVP last year in the finals. I understand how MVP has become synomous with being on the winning side, but I don't think it should be that way. His stats were a stratosphere above Iguodala, and he single handedly took that series from a Warriors sweep to a competitive six game series. If the Warriors win this year - and if Lebron plays in line with his stats so far this series - I think he deserves it again. I mean, look at the numbers:
The man is first (or tied for first) in every major stat. ON BOTH TEAMS. If he doesn't deserve the MVP, then who does? Is it just a race between whichever Splash Brother puts up the most points in Game 7? Isn't "because it has to go to somebody on the Warriors" a horrible argument for MVP?King James, indeed. pic.twitter.com/A3o4c9KZFf— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 17, 2016
6) Great Story Lines
Say what you will about the results of Game 6 or the series so far, but Game 7 is going to have some of the best story lines ever. Can the Warriors hold off the Cavs and win back to back championships? Can the Cavs avenge last season's loss? Can they become the first ever team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals? Can Steph rebound from his foul woes in game 6? Will Kevin Love prove his doubters wrong, or right? Will Lebron be able to meet the pressure one more time or collapse under its weight?
This is what playoff basketball is all about. An absurd amount of pressure, a ridiculous multitude of legacies on the line, all confined to one 48 minute game. I don't know of anything so miraculous and wonderful. It's certainly the only thing out there that could make me cancel a Father's Day dinner, and postpone GOT episode 9 by like 3 hours. That's saying A LOT.
7) BONUS ROUND
Seven things to watch for in Game Seven:
- Andre Iguodala''s back injury. If Iggy can't play at 60% or above, that's catastrophic for the Warriors.
- Draymond Green didn't even nudge one "bait and tackle set" last night. I assume he feared the eyes of road refs. Back at Oracle the gloves will be off. The dick punching gloves, of course.
- Lebron James under pressure. Win or Lose, he will face the most individual scrutiny BY FAR. He knows it too. How will he handle that?
- Iguodala's back injury. Seriously guys, this is a huge deal. Can he play, and play well?
- Anderson Varejao's flopping masterclass continues. Word on the street, he's going to try and take a charge from a ref this game.
- How aggressive will Curry be? And I of course mean Ayesha Curry. I think she's going to shiv a ref, no joke.
- IGGY'S FREAKING BACK. WE DON'T NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
Say what you will about the results of Game 6 or the series so far, but Game 7 is going to have some of the best story lines ever. Can the Warriors hold off the Cavs and win back to back championships? Can the Cavs avenge last season's loss? Can they become the first ever team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals? Can Steph rebound from his foul woes in game 6? Will Kevin Love prove his doubters wrong, or right? Will Lebron be able to meet the pressure one more time or collapse under its weight?
This is what playoff basketball is all about. An absurd amount of pressure, a ridiculous multitude of legacies on the line, all confined to one 48 minute game. I don't know of anything so miraculous and wonderful. It's certainly the only thing out there that could make me cancel a Father's Day dinner, and postpone GOT episode 9 by like 3 hours. That's saying A LOT.
7) BONUS ROUND
Seven things to watch for in Game Seven:
- Andre Iguodala''s back injury. If Iggy can't play at 60% or above, that's catastrophic for the Warriors.
- Draymond Green didn't even nudge one "bait and tackle set" last night. I assume he feared the eyes of road refs. Back at Oracle the gloves will be off. The dick punching gloves, of course.
- Lebron James under pressure. Win or Lose, he will face the most individual scrutiny BY FAR. He knows it too. How will he handle that?
- Iguodala's back injury. Seriously guys, this is a huge deal. Can he play, and play well?
- Anderson Varejao's flopping masterclass continues. Word on the street, he's going to try and take a charge from a ref this game.
- How aggressive will Curry be? And I of course mean Ayesha Curry. I think she's going to shiv a ref, no joke.
- IGGY'S FREAKING BACK. WE DON'T NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
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