Fishing For A Championship

Derek Fisher once again did what he does and that is make clutch shots at clutch times. After slumping during the season and early in the playoffs and I guess even in game 4 last night it was great that Phil Jackson as well as his team still had faith in him. One could compare his shot in game 4 of the NBA Championships to any number of shots made in the past by other playoff magicians like Robert Horry...or Derek Fisher. For those who can remember it was Fisher who hit that amazing shot versus the Spurs with 0.3 seconds left in the game. This time Fisher had a little more time to work with and got a great assist from Jameer Nelson who’s terrible decision making and questionable defence allowed Fisher to make a shot he never should have even had a look at taking. That being said he hit it and forced the game to overtime. In overtime he also made a shot in the home stretch to seal the deal and put the Lakers in the drivers seat with 99-91 to capture a 15th NBA Championship. Kobe is still the straw that stirs the drink, Pau, Lamar and Trevor Ariza, are a great supporting cast members but it is Fishers calm and experience that helps bring the team together.
One can’t overlook either another major reason on why that shot was able to be made and that was the dreadful free throw shooting from the Magic. Between Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard at the line, it opened up the door so wide for the Lakers to steal that game and effectively end the Magic’s season. Game 5 goes Sunday night and that could very well be the end of the line for the NBA season and the Gold and Purple can get ready for the parade.

Oh Dany Boy

So for a day that was supposed to be full of excitement and the potential to crown a champion it could not have fallen any shorter then what it did. There was bad news sprinkled in with worse news with a dash of terrible news. Just like they say, it came in 3’s.

First off the Pittsburgh Penguins decided not to roll over as they should have and won game 6 at home. Sure in a small way it is good to see a game 7 but now it looks like Pittsburgh is going to complete the comeback and take game 7 on the road in Detroit and become the Stanley Cup Champions. Not that I am cheering for one side over the other but more I didn’t want Pittsburgh to win. No real reason one way or another...just because.

2nd in the line of disappointments was the Magic-Lakers game. Again I was looking for LA to take a strangle hold on the series and basically put it out of reach with a win and go up 3-0. That didn’t happen and the Magic got right back into the mix as they held serve at home with a 4 point victory 108-104. The magic shot the ball with an unbelievable percentage throughout the game but it was also tight the whole way. If the Lakers can continue to play the team game they have been and Kobe manages to get out of the shooting slump he hit from the 2nd quarter through the end of the game.

Last and maybe the most difficult to swallow was the News that Dany Heatley has requested to be moved by the Ottawa Senators. It was like getting hit by a sledge hammer, running into a brick wall. Professional athletes often ask to be moved or request trades but this one is a little too close to home. If it was just about any other player I would not have an issue with it but we’re talking about Dany here. He is my favorite player on my favorite team and so I am doubly affected. My team takes a hit and now I am without a favorite player on the team. I will remain a Heatley fan, I was not just a fan because of the team but it sure made things a l lot easier. On the bright side I should be able to get a Heatley jersey on sale now. It is now up to Bryan Murray to work out a deal to bring in someone I can throw my weight behind and support, maybe I should be consulted on possible deal proposals.

To try and put a positive spin on this is that there is the potential for the team to get a new look and build in another direction and open up some space to be able to make some moves, whether it be through draft picks, prospects and/or an established player/players. If Murray can get a decent return then this could be a good thing for the TEAM going forward....but on a personal level, this sucks and I am now torn.

Magic Show vs Late Show - Game 1 Set To Go

The Match up is set. The teams are ready. The players are hyped up and prepared for battle. The NHL is nervous. On the line - an NBA World Championship and a piece of history.

Game 1 is slated to get going at the Staples Center in LA- Home of the Lakers (even if there are no lakes anywhere near the place) at 8:30 on ABC. Which should be interesting to see how the ratings are on Versus for the Stanley Cup Finals after they were boasting on how well they did on NBC over the Weekend.

The Orlando Magic come into the series as the decided underdogs but after disposing of the Cavaliers is short time they are surely not to be taken lightly. This has all the makings of being a very fast paced series with a lot of quick transition play and even more 3pt shot attempts. One thing that these two teams can agree upon is that shooting 3’s is fun.

Which superstar will impose his will on the other team? Is Dwight Howard going to be Superman or Clark Kent? Is Kobe going to be the Black Mamba or play a more passive facilitator role and get his team involved first and then just pick his spots? I guess that is for the coached to decide.
That is another interesting match up, the Zen Master Phil Jackson who is very laid back and usually has little to say while on the court, saving is strategies for the locker room and Stan Van Gundy who is usually screeching at a level so high that only dogs can here him. So if the Magic look out of sorts at times it is probably because they missed the play call. These two coaches are the perfect 2 to play the NBA’s version of the odd couple, with their styles as different as night and day.

Ding Dong LeBron is Gone.

In an unlikely and unforeseen turn of events Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic did a disappearing act. It wan’t Copperfield and the Statue of Liberty, it was LeBron James and the Cavaliers from Cleveland. After going 39-2 at home on the season and being the #1 seed going into the playoffs “ LeBron (King) James just didn’t get enough help from the rest of his teammates to keep up with the red hot Magic and there inside man and 3 point threats.

Orlando was just on fire from 3 point land in the close out game (not to mention wight Howard imposing his will inside) and made 3pt shooting the backbone of their attack through the whole series. When they meet up with the Lakers they will no doubt keep with that same approach and if they are as good as they have been it could be a long series for Kobe and his Lakers. Now LA isn’t shy about jacking up the 3’s either but at first glance they aren't nearly as consistent. Kobe does have a lot more help then Lebron did. If Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom play up to potential they should be able to match the Magic’s offense if not it will be a lengthy series that will probably go 7 long games. Odom if on could be the X factor, if health and execution are there, watch out. It has the potential to be great for the viewers and fans of the NBA but very stressful for the 2 teams involved.

Everyone had it almost a lock that it would be a LeBron-Kobe final and I am sure the NBA wanted it that way for rating purposes. At least this championship game will have 2 superstars pitted against each other, they just won’t be guarding each other. The veteran Kobe against the young “Superman” Dwight Howard.

In any event the NBA Finals should prove to be a very exciting high paced and a showcase of talent and team depth. Who will come out the victor, only time will tell. ENJOY!

King's Court - Pass It To LeBron

The Cleveland Cavaliers were down to their last second, down in the 4th quarter and in jeopardy of being down 0-2 and faced with going on the road to Orlando in a huge hole but someone forgot to tell the King that. As if it was the plan all along a cool LeBron James took the ball off the inbounds from behind the ark and raised up and dropped a 3 ball right in the face of the Orlando defender. It will surely be played on replay for years and years of NBA promos... it was almost Jordan esque. May have even had a hint of Christian Laettner to it.

If you have seen any of the highlight shows either on TSN or Sportsnet there always seems to be a clip of Lebron, in practice with no shirt on hitting ridiculous shots from half court, behind the backboard or even sitting down. This time all he needed was 1 second to catch and shoot a conventional shot and ti was MONEY! If it were an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air it would have had an announcer over-dubbed “In your Face” Hedo Turkoglu!!

Funny thing is this was just how the game ended, the rest of the game was as entertaining...maybe more entertaining...no as entertaining. After being down 14 after 1 the Magic mounted a comeback over the course of the next 3 quarters and that is what set up the epic ending.

Had that shot not dropped the Cavs would have been in some serious trouble. For a team that was nearly perfect at home this year it would have been beyond devastating to loose 2 games. Guess that MVP trophy that LeBron grabbed is in fact well deserved.

Going down 2 games on home court and faced with that deficit going to Orlando had the potential to de-rail the collision course of the much anticipated and much hoped for Cleveland LA Lakers final. Now things are getting interesting, going to have to keep and eye on the NBA now