On the NBA

Over the course of the NBA season, many things happen. Young teams grow and develop, veteran teams make the push for playoffs, and injuries/bad front offices send teams plummeting in the depths of the NBA draft lottery. As we wait for the lottery tomorrow night, the hopes of entire cities rest on the bounce of the ubiquitous ping pong ball. The fate of the league in a handful of cities/regions could be decided.

A restful northeast region of the country, obsessed with sports, will take time out of the greatest rivalry in American sports to hold its breath. Picks one or two, and we are in business. Getting either Oden or Durant raises the talent level for the Celtics and certainly helps the teams overall profile. The current profile is that of a once proud franchise that succumbed to the most generic qualities of the NBA. What happens if we end up with picks three or above? Millions of people vomit on the spot. Danny and Doc spin the media like Karl Rove on cocaine. In reality, to quote the Talking Heads, “You may ask yourself…..How did I get Here?”. I say the C’s should trade the pick if this is the case. Although Dice K has worked out so far for the Sox, the C’s venturing to the Far East with the number 3 pick would come as a surprise. Under this dark scenario, the even more apt Talking Heads classic becomes its most clichéd.

As the playoffs started, the possibilities of fast paced action for two solid months were fascinating. Two months of the best the NBA has to offer. The early defeat of the number one seeded Dallas Mavericks by the Stephen Jackson led eighth seeded Golden State Warriors sent the basketball world into a frenzy. However, as the San Antonio Spurs outlasted the Phoenix Suns, every NBA fan saw the potential for a terrible NBA finals fall over the sports landscape like the black plague. Spurs vs. Pistons? Are you kidding me? What did we do to deserve this punishment? Our only hope is that somehow David Stern finds a away to FIX the Eastern Conference Finals. If anyone can do it, he can. Lebron vs. Duncan would create some excitement. It would create dynamic match ups that may lead to interesting basketball. I am trying to be optimistic.

Otherwise, lets all be happy the Sox are heading into the summer as the most dominant team in Major League Baseball. So, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no party, but lets hope it is the beginning of a new age for professional basketball in New England.

The cultural impact of a dominate Boston Celtics franchise is immeasurable. In the 1980’s it stomped out communism. Can terrorism be far behind this time around? I think not.

Go Celtics!