The 2015 NBA Playoffs start today:

I woke up this morning singing like a little kid. My lyrics went something like: "It's the Playoffs. There's a payoff. It sounds like Superman. But it's Tim Duncan man. He's coming to dunk all over your town!" Then I quickly made fun of Blake Griffin for being a sissy. It made no sense. It was awful. My wife wished she was deaf. I don't care. I'm excited. This is my favorite sporting event. I love the games. I love the TNT ad slogans and Hollywood-NBA mash-up ad campaigns. I love the rampant Twitter feeds. I love the weaving and unraveling of narratives. I love it all. For in my mind, it's as otherworldly as two mythic beasts colliding in epic fashion on the big screen:



Washington @ Toronto (12:30 Saturday)

Houston Haiku

"Sad Giant" by jparakilas (flickr)

Houston has problems.

Stevie and T-Mac were sad.

Big Yao is sadder. 

Poet in the Post: Yao Ming

Yao Ming's comeback recently got word of a major setback when it was reported he has a stress fracture. He will likely never play again, and it's a shame: 


THE POEM THAT WAS HERE HAS SINCE BEEN REMOVED, JUST KNOW THAT IT WAS BRIMMING WITH SADNESS OVER THE TRAGEDY THAT HAS BECOME YAO'S CAREER. HOW CAN A MAN SO BIG BE TAKEN DOWN BY SOMETHING SO SMALL?

Number of the Day: John Wall's 19.13.10.6

John Wall posted his first career triple double last night with 19 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds, and 6 steals, and the Wizards won the game, defeating the Houston Rockets 98-91.  So take that Colin Cowherd.





I like the chemistry that Wall and Andray Blatche are starting to develop, especially on the fast break.    It's also worth mentioning that Al Thornton dropped in 20 points of his own.  Good stuff.  Unfortunately, the game also witnessed the continued tragedy of Yao Ming's dilapidated feet.  Keep him in your prayers.

And, one more thing, ESPN wants you to know that John Wall is the third youngest player to accomplish a triple double, proving that good athletes do good things, athletically speaking.

NBA Preview Part 4: Southwest Division

NBA previews continue with the Western Conference and the Southwest Division.  With the Western Conference I will be using actual Over/Unders released by Vegas instead of last year's win total.

Dallas Mavericks
Last Year: 55-27, lost in first round
Additions: Tyson Chandler, Dominique Jones
Subtractions: Erick Dampier
O/U: 49.5

Basically the same team except they are one year older, and that is a important year as the entire starting lineup and 6th man Jason Terry will be on the wrong side of 30.  Nowitzki was as good as ever last year, and Haywood and Chandler in the middle along with Nowitzki is one the biggest frontcourts in the West. Jason Kidd is 37 and Caron Butler's play fell dramatically last year, so they need to play young guard Rodrigue Beaubois more as he is a player that could emerge as a dependable scorer alongside Nowitzki and who could replace their old guards sooner rather than later.  They are still a middle of the road playoff team who could make it out of the first round, but they won't win the West.  With the general improvement of the West, I will go slightly under.
Prediction: 48-34, 6th place, first round exit


San Antonio Spurs
Last Year: 50-32, lost in semifinal
Additions: Tiago Splitter, James Anderson
Subtractions: none of note
O/U: 50.5

The triumvirate of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili are looking to make one more run before father time catches up to them. Last year many things went wrong, as Duncan had his worst numbers as a professional averaging 17 and 10, Parker missed 26 games due to injury, and Richard Jefferson was completely underwhelming as a new addition.  But they were still able to scrap together a great ending to the season, giving them promise that they have enough left in the tank to challenge the Lakers before the window closes.  With the additions of George Hill and Dejuan Blair last season, and Tiago Splitter and James Anderson this season, they have infused enough young talent around their Big Three that beyond injuries or a total collapse in production from one of them, they will build upon the end of the last season and finish high up in the standings in the West.  But  is Duncan too far removed from his prime to for them win a title?
Prediction: 55-27, 3rd place, semifinals exit


Houston Rockets:
Last Year: 42-40
Additions: Yao Ming, Brad Miller, Courtney Lee, Patrick Patterson
Subtractions: Trevor Ariza, David Anderson
O/U: 48.5

The Rockets overachieved last season, as their two highest paid players last season, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, never stepped on the floor, and the rest of roster of support players led the Rockets to a winning record.  They received career years from Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, and Chuck Hayes.  They also did this with their best offseason acquisition last year Trevor Ariza mostly a disappointment and then traded during the season.  They addressed their weakness in the frontcourt with the addition of Brad Miller, Patrick Patterson, and obviously the return of Yao Ming from foot surgeries.  He will be limited in minutes and in games played, but his size and scoring ability inside was missed.  If Yao can contribute close to his production before the injuries, and Kevin Martin can stay healthy and regain his form from a few years ago, then they will improve their win total and make the playoffs, as we saw last year what the floor is for this team.  But the over is too rich for my blood, so I will go slightly under.
Prediction: 47-35, 7th place, first round exit


4)  Memphis Grizzlies
Last Year: 40-42
Additions: Tony Allen, Xavier Henry, Grevis Vasquez
Subtractions: Ronnie Brewer
O/U: 38.5

Good turnaround last season for the Grizz, as they took advantage of something that most teams do not have, interior scoring. Its rare for NBA teams to have a big man who can reliably score in the post but can also hit the outside jumper, and the Grizz are blessed with two such players.  Zach Randolph had a career year and Marc Gasol has established himself as somebody other than Pau Gasol's brother.  They are great scorers inside and out, but they also are great offensive rebounders, and they were the best offensive rebounding team in the league.  Their defense is their biggest obstacle to becoming a playoff team as they were bottom 5 in points allowed.  They need Hasheem Thabeet to bounce back from a disastrous rookie season, and they need newly signed Tony Allen to provide some defensive intensity and have it rub off on Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo.  Mike Conley is a below average point guard who doesn't distribute well, and they don't have much of a bench behind the starters.  I will pick the over, but they won't take the next to step.
Prediction: 40-42


New Orleans Hornets
Last Year: 37-45
Additions: Jerryd Bayless, Willie Green, Trevor Ariza, Aaron Gray
Subtractions: Morris Peterson, Darren Collison, James Posey
O/U: 41.5

Major changes in the offseason for the Hornets as they cleaned house after a disappointing 37-45 season.  They rebuilt the foundation by hiring a new GM and a new head coach, two guys I know nothing about but from what I read have excellent pedigrees.  There were wholesale changes on the roster again as only 6 players remain from last year's team and only Chris Paul, Peja, and David West remain from their playoff team two years ago.  Their best offseason move was to keep Chris Paul, as their are very few transcendent players like him and anything they would have received in a trade would have been pennies on the dollar and began a massive rebuilding project, something I'm not sure this franchise can survive in this economic climate. They have created some cap flexibility and will be well under the cap for next season, but they will need to be successful this season to prove to CP that they can win in the future, and that cap space can help provide leverage in signing an impact player next offseason.  As for this season, they have a solid starting five with Paul, rising guard Marcus Thorton, Ariza, West, and Emeka Okafor. But they lack toughness and defense in the interior and they have one of the worst benches in the league.  Ultimately if the starting five can stay healthy, they can possibly sneak in the playoffs.  Any injuries to West or CP though will prove devastating.  Important year for the Hornets.
Prediction: 44-38 9th place

Aftermath of the Darren Collison, Troy Murphy, and Trevor Ariza Trade

A wild pack of family dogs came runnin' through the yard

As my little sister played, the dogs took her away

And I guess she was eaten up okay....

--Modest Mouse, "Wild Pack of Family Dogs"

If I were one to speak in cliches, and maybe I am, I would respond to the four team, five player trade that went down yesterday as a sign of the times, that in moments of economic uncertainty fortunes are made and fortunes are lost.  Of course, that would all come off as hyperbole, seeing as how the biggest names in the trade were all essentially role players and second tier players, at best, and the fact that the teams involved were Indiana, New Orleans, Houston, and New Jersey would only add to the embellishment of what is essentially a story born out of the dog days of summer.  And perhaps it is in that phrase, dog days, that the heart of this story lies.

Houston Rockets Preview: "Pennsylvania Coal Mine"

In an effort to gear up for the NBA season, we will view the upcoming season through the eyes of Edward Hopper. Feel free to add your thoughts on the 2010 Rockets in our comments section.

Tracy McGrady's lived in this house for a while now, but he hesitates to call it home. It's not that he doesn't want to call the place home, but he can see the writing on the wall. For years now, the mines have cut back on the number of shifts a man can work, and, recently, Tracy's noticed that even the smokestacks at the Y.A.O. Power Plant don't burn as long as they once did. The whole town is shutting down, and Tracy, with his push broom in hand, wonders if he's the only one that sees it.

Four years ago was the worst day of Tracy's life. He was in tunnel seven of the B mine when the supports gave out and collapsed. There were no warnings to foreshadow the accident that made that day his last as a coal miner. One minute he was standing, and the next minute he was buried alive under coal, timber, and bedrock. Since then, his back and knees can't pass a physical, so he gets by off the meager wage he receives for sweeping the sidewalks and streets of a dying town.

In the morning, he watches the men walk east to the edge of town where the mines are, and, in the afternoon, he watches the sun set over their children as they play football in their backyards.

"Hey, Ariza, what are you gonna do when you grow up?" shouts Aaron.

"Same thing you and Scola are gonna do," laughs Trevor Ariza, as if the question was a stupid one, "work in the mines."

The scene makes Tracy want to break his broom over his knee, pound his chest, beat his fists against the wall, scream at the sky, and howl at the moon, but all he can muster are a few tears, as he notices how the time of day has engulfed the coal mine in shadows.

Guarantees (and T-Mac's new nickname)

There aren't a lot of them in life, but you can take some solace in the fact that there are atleast three guarantees in life; Death, taxes, and Tracy McGrady will always wind up on the injured list. Last night in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Cats, McGrady re-injured his left knee. It just so happens to be the same knee that was operated in the offseason to have loose bodies removed. Oh by the way, it feels terrible.

“Tonight I went back to square one, even before surgery, is how my knee is
feeling right now." “It’s sharp pain,” McGrady said. “It almost just seems like I never had surgery. I’m feeling the same pain.”

It is easy to feel bad for the guy, earlier in his career he played great ball and stayed relatively healthy. That is until the Rockets started surrounding him with talent. It started with Yao and continues now. The Rockets acquired the fiery Ron Artest in the offseason and as of late the team was starting to gel, but McGrady couldn't manage to soldier on through the sore knee.

The Rockets have routinely been the vogue preseason pick to win the Finals for the last 6 years or so. Yet either McGrady or Yao and sometimes both of them ruin it by getting injured. For that reason Tracy McGrady has earned a nickname. He will now be known as "The Paper Tiger." A paper tiger is one who is seemingly dangerous and powerful but in fact is timid and weak. I think it fits the Rockets and McGrady's never-ending string of bad luck and timing perfectly.

However I am not entirely sure if we should name McGrady or the entire Rockets as the Paper Tiger. Since T-Mac is the one who is injured whilst being the face of the team, I believe he deserves the distinction. There is no time table for the Paper Tigers return but he will undoubtedly return sometime, probably just in the nick of time for Yao to re-injure his foot.

I leave you today with a music video of the band Spoon performing their song "Paper Tiger". Partly due to McGrady's new moniker, but mostly because I love the song.

The number of the day is:

45, as in the Lakers were down 16 points early in the second quarter and throughout the rest of the game outscored the Rockets by 45 points. Most of the 45 point margin came in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles entered the fourth with a narrow seven point lead. That was when the Lakers turned it on. Farmar scored eight points, Gasol and Lamar Odom added four each, and the Lakers shot 9-of-10 during a 22-10 run to start the quarter, giving them a 94-75 lead. They wound up outscoring Houston 39-17 in the final 12 minutes. Kobe Bryant scored 23 points, Pau Gasol added 20 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots, and the Lakers shot 65.8 percent in the second half in a 111-82 throttling of the Houston Rockets. The win moves the Lakers record to 5-0, their next game is tomorrow night against Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks.