The My List special rolls along today to team #7 in the countdown, the San Antonio Spurs. I would have written this sooner, but I had to get the family car repaired, and that stuff takes time. Anyhow, let's find out the players on the Spurs' team:

Starters:

PG: Tony Parker: Mr. Eva Longoria was Gregg Popovich's favorite whipping boy when he began his career in 2001. But within two seasons of his arrival, the Spurs had won their second NBA title (2003). Parker's stats have steadily gone up over the years; after averaging 9.2 PPG and 4.3 APG as a rookie, his stats improved to 18.8 and 6.0 this past year. He also won the 2007 Finals MVP, and for his career has averaged 16 PPG and 5.5 APG

SG: George Gervin: The "Iceman" was the personification of Spurs basketball for a long time. Acquired via trade from the Virginia Squires while the Spurs were still in the ABA in 1973, Gervin was a scoring monster with the club, averaging at least 21 PPG in every season while there. His star really bursted after the merger in 1976, as Gervin became the second player since Wilt Chamberlain to win three straight scoring titles (1978-80; Bob McAdoo was the other), and he added a fourth in 1982. Gervin was named to nine NBA All-Star games (won the 1980 game MVP) and led the Spurs to three conference finals appearences (one in the East, two in the West).

C: David Robinson: The "Admiral" revived Spurs basketball after a rough stretch in the late 80s. Drafted #1 overall in 1987, Robinson had to wait two years to start his career to fulfill his Naval duty, but he burst onto the NBA scene quickly, winning ROY in 1989-90 after averaging 24.3 PPG and 12 RPG. Robinson was named to the All-Star team each year from 1990-96, won Defensive POY in 1992, won two Olympic gold medals, scored 71 points in a game against the Clippers in 1994, and was named league MVP in 1995. Then, in 1999, he teamed with Tim Duncan to bring the Spurs their first world title. He added a second title in 2003 before retiring after the Finals.

SF: (three way tie) Mike Mitchell/Sean Elliott/Bruce Bowen: I couldn't really choose a definative SF, so all three get in (I'll do the Mitchell and Elliott bios up here, then do Bowen's in the "Reserves" file). Mitchell was added in a trade with the Cavs in 1982 (a year after his only All-Star berth the year before), and was a consistent scoring complement to Gervin, averaging 20 or better PPG in each year from 1982-86, and helping SA reach the conference finals in 1982 and '83. Elliott, drafted #3 overall in 1989, was a decent scorer (career high of 20 PPG in 1995-96), made two All-Star teams (1993 and 1996) and was a key starter on the 1999 title team (remember the Memorial Day Miracle?).

PF: Tim Duncan: Duncan may not win many personality contests, but as far as winning basketball games go, he's one of the best of all time. Drafted #1 overall in 1997, Duncan led SA to the (then) biggest turnaround in league history, going from 20 wins in 1997 to 56 the following year, as Duncan was named ROY. The following year, he took them to their first NBA title (as the Spurs went 15-2 in the playoffs), winning Finals MVP for the first time. His resume includes two league MVPs (2002-03), two more Finals MVPs (2003, 2005), all-Star recognition each season played, and four NBA titles. All this, and he's still boring. What gives?

Reserves:

PG: Avery Johnson: The recently disposed former Mavs coach had to really battle to stay in the NBA. Johnson played on five teams (including the Spurs twice!) in his first six seasons before sticking with the Spurs in 1994. He went on to lead the team to the 1999 NBA title, with his jumper late in game 5 of the Finals clinching that title. Johnson would stay with the team until 2001, then became a coach on Dallas in 2004.

SG: Manu Ginobili: Everyone's favorite flopper is also the modern version of John Havlicek; he is always in motion (at least until this past Western final) and prefers to be the sixth man (he won that award this year). Ginobili (before becoming Charles Barkley's favorite player) was a decent reserve as the Spurs won the NBA title in his rookie year of 2002-03, then became their energizer as they won again in 2005. Ginobili had his best stats year this past season, with averages of 19.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 4.5 APG.

C: Artis Gilmore: Gilmore defined big during his era; he was among the biggest and strongest players in the league during the late 70s and early 80s. Signed as a FA in 1982, Gilmore played five seasons in SA, averaging a double-double in three of them, and helped the team reach the 1983 Western finals. He also led the league in FG% twice (1982-83) as a Spur, and his 59.9% clip is the best in league history.

SF: Bruce Bowen: Continuing from the tie above, Bowen may not have the stats to boast about (his best PPG average was 8.2 back in 2004-05, and 3.9 RPG in 2005-06 was his rebounding high), but he makes his money by playing defense; he regularly takes on opposing teams' best offensive players, and (clean or dirty) does what it takes to shut them down. Hell, it has won him three NBA titles, so he's not complaning.

PF: (tie) Terry Cummings/Dennis Rodman: Neither had a lengthy tenure in SA (Cummings played five full seasons, Rodman two), so both make it. Cummings had three solid stats years in his first three years after coming to the Spurs from Milwaukee in 1989; at least 17 PPG and about 8 RPG each year, before injuries and age caught up to him. Rodman, acquired in a trade from Detroit for Elliott in 1993, won the rebounding title each year in SA (17.3 RPG his first season, 16.8 his second), but his attitude wore thin in SA, and he was traded to Chicago for Will Perdue in 1995.

Coaches:

Head Coach: Gregg Popovich: Popovich didn't seem like a candidate for one of the greatest coaches in the NBA ever when he was Spurs GM in the mid-90s. And after a 17-47 record as an interim replacement for Bob Hill during the 1996-97 season, it seemed even less likely. Then, the team drafted Duncan, and the rest is history. The Spurs have won at least 56 games in every non-lockout season Popovich has coached, including four NBA titles and seven trips to the conference finals. He has won 632 regular season games as coach (101 playoff wins), and is second to Jerry Sloan in tenure among current coaches.

Assistants: Stan Albeck, Doug Moe: I debated about putting Larry Brown in there, but Albeck and Moe led the Spurs to the conference finals, something Brown didn't do there. Albeck was very successful in the regular season with the Spurs (48 or more wins each of his three years, two conference finals berths between 1980-83), but his 13-14 playoff record cost him his job in 1983. Moe, before his more famous Denver run, coached the team from 1976-80, with at least 44 wins each full season, and a berth in the 1979 Eastern finals.

Honorable Mentions:

PG: Johnny Moore: Led NBA in assists in 1981-82, but didn't stay healthy long enough to continue making impact.

SF: Cliff Hagan: He made his biggest impact before joining the Dallas Chaparrals (later to become the Spurs) in 1967 with the NBA's Hawks.

SG: Alvin Robertson: He made the biggest threat to displacing someone on the team, but his best years were also among the team's worst years, and that drowns his accomplishments a bit.

SG: Mario Elie: For a short-term emotional boost team, he'd make it. But not for an all-time team.

PF: Larry Kenon: O.K., maybe he should be at the PF position over Cummings and Rodman; he averaged over 20 PPG and 9 RPG each year from 1976-77 to 1979-80, so consider the backup PF a three-way tie.

There's SA. Next Monday, we will resume with the #8 team, the Chicago Bulls. Until then, may you avoid a three way tie!

I am sorry that I haven't been very active recently. My weekend was hectic, as housecleaning ruled the day, and then Monday, I had to go see my dad in Jackson, MI, so writing that day was out, then I overslept yesterday. So, after some delay, I will resume the My List special, but with a bit of a difference.

Those of you who saw my last list, with Toronto and Memphis, know that was one I could have done without. After seeing the lack of quality, I have decided to show only those teams that actually have an all-time caliber list. We'll go as far as the talent allows us. With that in mind, let's reveal team #5 of the countdown, the Houston Rockets.

Starters:

PG: Calvin Murphy: Many NBA fans remember the smallish Murphy as one of the best FT shooters of all time (a career 89.2% from the line, only one season below 86.8%, and an NBA-record of 95.8.% in 1980-81). But Murphy was also a prolific scorer; he averaged 20 PPG or better five times (a career high of 25.6 in 1977-78) and also made the 1979 All-Star team. His career averages were 17.9 PPG and 4.4 APG.

SG: Clyde Drexler: While Drexler's best years came in Portland, his only NBA title came in Houston after a February 1995 trade. Drexler became the consistent #2 scorer in the offense, and he sparked the club to the title that year as the lowest seed (#6) to ever win it. He played solidly over the final three years in Houston, averaging over 18 PPG each year (1995-98), with 6 RPG and 5 APG.

C: Hakeem Olajuwon: Olajuwon was one of the best centers (and many would say the best) in the NBA in the 1990s. Olajuwon didn't start playing basketball until late in his youth, yet starred as his Houston college teams went to two NCAA finals. Drafted #1 overall in 1984, Olajuwon teamed with Ralph Sampson to lead the young Rockets to the 1986 Finals, but his star really bursted when Sampson was traded two years later. His prime came in the mid-90s, when from 1993 to 1997, he averaged 23+ PPG each year, with over 10 RPG in four of those five years, and won two Defensive POYs, a league MVP in 1994, and Finals MVPs in 1994 and '95.

SF: Rudy Tomjanovich: Before he became a great coach, Rudy T was a very good basketball player. Drafted by the team in 1970 (the last season in San Diego and in the same draft as Murphy), Tomjanovich quickly became a good scoring SF, averaging 24.5 PPG (a career high) in 1973-74. He averaged 20+ PPG in three of four years from 1974-77 (making the All-Star team all four years). Then, in 1977, he suffered a horrific facial injury when Kermit Washington punched him in a fight during a Rockets/Lakers game. He missed the rest of that season, but returned and made the 1979 All-Star team. He also was a part of the team that reached the 1981 Finals.

PF: Elvin Hayes: The "Big E" made his early career mark as a Rocket before gaining more fame later in Washington. Like Olajuwon, Hayes starred at Houston in college, before being drafted #1 overall by the Rockets in 1968. But the Rockets were in San Diego at the time. No problem; Hayes led the Rockets to their first playoffs in his rookie year, and won the scoring title with a 28.4 average (he was the last rookie to win the scoring title). But the team did little to improve over the next three years, even as Hayes averaged 25 PPG and 14 RPG, and even after they moved to Houston, he asked for and got a trade to the Bullets in 1972. He would return to finish his career as a Rocket, playing his final three years (1981-84) with them. His career marks were 21 PPG and 12.5 RPG.

Reserves:

PG: Steve Francis: "Stevie Franchise" didn't make many friends over his career, but he was an all-around performer during some lean years for the Rockets. After forcing a trade from the Grizzlies on draft night 1999, Francis shared ROY honors with Elton Brand in 2000 after averaging 18 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 6.6 APG. That was right about what he would average over the next four years with the team (16 PPG, 6 RPG and 6 APG), which included him actually leading the team in rebounds in 2000-01, before being traded to Orlando in 2004.

SG: Vernon Maxwell: "Mad Max" was always an emotional powder keg, but when his mind was right, his passion inspired the mid-90s Rockets. Acquired in a trade from San Antonio in 1989, Maxwell became a starter the next year, and averaged 17 PPG over the next two years. His average dropped to 13 PPG during the next three years, but he still was a key figure on the 1994 title team; his three late in game 7 clinched the title over the Knicks. After Drexler was acquired the following year, however, Maxwell dispappeared from the team (figuratively speaking) and left for good after the season ended.

C: Moses Malone: Before he was predicting "fo,fo,fo", Malone established himself as a star in Houston. Added in a trade from Buffalo early in the 1976-77 season, Malone (who just three years before had been the first modern basketball player to skip college entirely for the pros by signing with the Utah Stars of the ABA) quickly became a dominant force, averaging 19.4 PPG and 15 RPG in his first full Rocket season. Between 1978-79 and 1981-82, Malone averaged over 24 PPG and 14 RPG each year (with highs of 31.1 PPG in 1981-82 and 17.6 RPG in 1978-79), winning three rebounding titles and two MVPs (1979, the last year the players voted on the award, and 1982) and leading the team to the 1981 Finals.After winning his second MVP, Malone left for Philly in a sign-and-trade, and won his only league title in 1983.

SF: (tie) Tracy McGrady/Robert Horry: In terms of stats and pure talent, McGrady has Horry beat. But Horry has seven rings (two in Houston), while McGrady is 0-7 in the playoffs for his career. So, that's why it's a tie. McGrady has made the All-Star team each year in Houston, and prior to arriving, won two scoring titles in Orlando (2003-04). But that 0-7 really hurts. Horry holds Finals records for most threes hit in a career and most steals in a game (7 vs Orlando in game 2 of the 1995 Finals; no, Rajon Rondo didn't break it), and his averages of 10 PPG and 5 RPG don't show how important he was to both Rockets title teams.

PF: Otis Thorpe: "OT" was the physical enforcer that made Olajuwon more effective in the early 90s (not that Hakeem really needed it!). Acquired from the Kings in 1988, Thorpe averaged 14 PPG in five of his six full seasons in Houston, and averaged a double-double in three of those seasons. He was selected to the 1992 All-Star team, and was a vital cog on the 1994 title team, before being dealt to Portland for Drexler in 1995.

Coaches:

Head Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich: Rudy T had to wait awhile to get his coaching job, but he was dazzingly effective once he was there. Becoming an assistant coach almost immediately after retiring in 1981, Tomjanovich assisted under three coaches until he was named as Don Chaney's replacement during the 1991-92 season. After going 16-14 as an interim coach, Rudy T won 55 games his first full season and guided Houston to a division title. He then won back-to-back titles in 1994-95 (one of six coaches to do so; Kundla, Auerbach, Riley, Daly and Jackson). During his Rockets tenure, he won 503 games.

Assistants: Bill Fitch, Del Harris: Fitch became Rockets coach immediately after leaving Boston in 1983, and after winning just 29 games his first year (in an attempt to snare the #1 pick, many claimed), he had winning records every season after that, including a trip to the 1986 Finals. Harris preceded Fitch as coach, and from 1979-80 to 1982-83, he won 141 games and led the 40-42 Rockets to the 1981 Finals (the last team with a losing record to make the Finals, and only the third such team to do it, joining the 1957 Hawks and the 1959 Lakers).

Honorable Mentions:

PF: Charles Barkley: No offense to Chuckles, but he was on the downside of his career when he arrived in Houston, and didn't add an NBA title while here.

PG: Kenny Smith: A starter on both title teams, but Barkley's fellow TNT commentator was the least valuable (in my opinion) starter on those teams.

SF: Rodney McCray: His best stats years came AFTER he left Houston.

C: Ralph Sampson: If only his body hadn't betrayed him.

PG: John Lucas: Immensely talented, but drugs were his downfall in Houston.

PG: Robert Reid: Not a true PG, and Reid didn't accomplish enough to qualify, anyway.

C: Yao Ming: He hasn't yet accomplished what Olajuwon and Malone have (win MVPs and championships), so I can't put him on the team just yet.

There's the Rockets. Tomorrow, team #6, the Milwaukee Bucks, will be unveiled. See you then!

It's now the 4th of July weekend, and though people have partied hard, the My List special continues. However, since the weekend might not see the kind of viewship here that weekdays normally have, I'm going to post the lower seeds today and tomorrow to get them out of the way. Today, the focus will be on the two lowest seeds, the Toronto Raptors (#28) and the Memphis Grizzlies (the lowest seed at #29). Since these teams have been in existence for only a decade, their lineups are fairly recent. Therefore, I'll keep the rundown pretty brief. Let's start with Toronto:

Starters:

PG: Damon Stoudamire: Won the 1995-96 ROY for the first year club, and averaged close to 20 PPG and nearly 9 APG in his two full seasons there.

SG: Doug Christie: Revived his career after being left for dead in L.A. and New York, Christie averaged better than 14 PPG in three of his four full seasons, though his most noteworthy stuff happened in Sacramento.

C: Chris Bosh: Already among the elite bigs in the NBA, Bosh is a two-time (or three-time, but one of the two) All-Star and the face of the entire organization (I don't have current stats, so I can't go in depth here).

SF: Vince Carter: Multi-time All-Star who won the 2000 slam dunk contest and, for a time, revived that event, Carter helped Toronto win its only playoff series win (against New York in 2001) before being traded to New Jersey.

PF: Marcus Camby: As a young player in Toronto from 1996-98, Camby led the league in blocks per game in 1997-98 (3.65). He averaged 13 PPG and about 6 1/2 RPG, and later on won Defensove POY with the Nuggets in 2007.

Reserves:

PG: Alvin Williams: Williams was a steady PG for the Raptors early in the decade, and started for them when they reached the second round in 2001, before injuries ended his career early.

SG: Morris Peterson: Peterson was (and still is) a one-trick pony; he could stroke the three and become instant offense, and he did play there from 2000-07.

C: Hakeem Olajuwon: He's here because (A) the Raptors haven't had many centers worth noting, (B) his career was great (and I said when I started this thing, career accomplishments would be taken into account if the pool is weak), and (C) would you rather see Oliver Miller? I didn't think so.

SF: Tracy McGrady: Again, career over what happened in Toronto; aside from his solid 2000-01 season, McGrady did little in Toronto, but he did win two scoring titles in Orlando.

PF: Charles Oakley: I'm not going to keep repeating; career over Toronto. Period.

Coaches:

Head Coach: Sam Mitchell: Won the COY award last season (see how shallow these teams are?)

Assistants: Lenny Wilkens, Butch Carter: Wilkens took the team to its only postseason win, and Carter took the team to its first playoff and winning season.

Now for the Grizzlies (these teams are so shallow, there are no "Honorable Mentions").

Starters:

PG: Jason Williams: Played for the team from 2001-05. His flashy play wasn't consistent, and his highlight came after he was traded to Miami, where he won an NBA title.

SG: Bonzi Wells: Well-rounded guard/forward had a couple decent years in Memphis.

C: Pau Gasol: The NBA fans saw what he could (and couldn't) do with the Lakers, but before that, he made several All-Star teams as a Grizzly. That is quite an accomplishment.

SF: Mike Miller: Before his recent trade to Minnesota, Miller was a solid scorer (and not much else) for Memphis.

PF: Shareef Abdur-Rahim: It's a shame that his best stats years were wasted in Vancouver/Memphis, but while he was there, Abdur-Rahim was among the best forwards (stats wise) in the NBA.

Reserves:

PG: Mike Bibby: Played solid ball for the team from 1998-2001, then exploded when he was traded to Sacramento for Williams in 2001.

SG: Rudy (G)ay: If it gets ####'s, you know the name, and he is a rising young guard in the depths of Memphis.

C: Lorenzen Wright: Because I couldn't put Bryant Reeves on this list and not feel like #### for doing it.

SF: Shane Battier: Battier was the defensive stalwart when Memphis had a decent run a few years ago, and with Houston, he's among the elite defenders in the NBA.

PF: James Posey: Because of what he did later with the Heat and Celtics to help them win championships (and because I didn't want Reeves!).

Coaches:

Head Coach: Hubie Brown: Led club to record 50 wins in 2003-04 and to first playoff berth.

Assistants: Mike Fratello, Sidney Lowe: Fratello led Memphis to its other two playoff berths and winning records, and Lowe, well, he coached a little more than two seasons. What can I say?

Well, I'm glad that's over. Hopefully, things will get better tomorrow, when the Timberwolves come up (who would have thought that?). Take care, and have a safe weekend!

There is definately one celebration for me today, and if the Lakers can take care of business today, there could be two things to celebrate. As those of you who commented on my post-game Lakers/Spurs blog know, this is my birthday (I'm 24). So, before I begin my preview of tonight's game, I decided to see what sports events happened today (this is a one-time only thing for me, so whoever does those "This week in sports" blogs is safe):

On this day in:

1911: The first Indy 500 is held.

1922: Baseball is ruled a sport (not business) and isn't included in antitrust legislation.

1980: Larry Bird is named ROY in the NBA.

1984: The Red Sox retire Ted Williams' number.

1995: Indiana and Orlando play a memorable Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The lead changes hands four times late until Rik Smits hits the game winner at the buzzer for a 94-93 victory.

1997: John Stockton sinks a buzzer-beating 3 to send the Utah Jazz to their first NBA Finals as they beat Houston 103-100 in game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

2004: Kevin Garnett wins his final playoff game as a Timberwolf when Minnesota beats the Lakers 98-96 in game 5 of the Western Finals.

And who could forget:

1993: Jose Canseco takes the mound for a relief pitcher appearence during a Rangers/Red Sox game. He pitches the 8th, gives up 3 runs and 2 hits, plus 3 walks. The Rangers lose 15-1, and to add injury to insult, he injures his arm and misses the rest of the season.

Ah, the memories.

Now then, let's look at the Lakers/Spurs matchup. Can the Spurs avoid elimination? Or can Kobe move one step closer to a career-defining ring? Here are my keys for each team:

Spurs keys:

1. Be the Man-u, Ginobili!: If the Spurs want to play again at home this year, Ginobili must come up big. It's great when Brent Barry has a huge game, but Manu inspires his team when he goes off. Plus, it takes pressure off of Duncan and Parker to carry the load.

2. Take the open shots: It sounds childishly simple, but the Spurs have passed on a lot of open looks (I commented Tuesday that Robert Horry had become "I Don't Want The Shot Bob!"). If you're open (Timmy), take the shot. You have nothing to lose, so don't worry if you miss.

3. Don't let Kobe beat you: Again, fairly obvious, but you know Kobe will come for the throat tonight. He's so close to the Finals, he can taste it! Make players like Odom and Fisher, plus Vlad Rad and Sasha V, shoot to win.

Lakers keys:

1. Forget about the finish to game 4: Yeah, the NBA admitted they made the wrong non-call at the end of game 4, but I'm talking about the stuff before that; the Barry three, the Parker goaltend-that-shouldn't-have-been, and two bad shots by Kobe. Throw that out, and come out swinging tonight!

2. Lamar Odom, please hit a shot or more!: Kobe is the undenyable top player here, but Odom is the X-factor; when he's playing well, they're virtually unbeatable. He didn't have his A-game on display in SA, but maybe the home crowd gets him going.

3. A steady diet of Kobe, please!: In the end, this game is where superstars leave their mark on the game. Kobe not only has a berth in the Finals on the line, he has his enitre legacy at stake as well. That's all I need to know to say Kobe will go off tonight and try to send the Spurs home as ex-champs!

So, who wins? The Spurs have to be demoralized that they got ripped off at home by incompetent referees, and they will bring fire tonight. I just don't see that as being enough to stop the Lakers now. The Lakers advance to the Finals with a seven point win.

Tonight's game may go down as one that could end the Spurs' dynistic run, albeit in controversial form. The champs fought valiantly, but the Lakers won the game 93-91 and can now wrap up their first conference title (and make their astounding 29th trip to the NBA Finals) at home on Thursday (my birthday; cheap plug, I know). The Lakers nearly blew a seven point lead by allowing Brent Barry to hit a three, and Tony Paker getting a goaltend, while Kobe Bryant threw up bad shots on successive possessions. However, let's get to the end-of-game controversy.

I'll ask the universal question; was Barry fouled at the end? I like the analysis of ESPN's Tim Legler, who said if Barry had kept moving, he would have gotten the call. Essentially, if Barry had pulled a Billups, or something closer to Spurs fans, a Ginobili (we'll get to him in a moment), he would have gotten FTs and likely won the game for the champs. If you ask me about the play, yes, Derek Fisher fell on him, but Barry intended for contact to occur (not a bad idea), and the refs didn't give him the contact. So, I say the call wasn't incorrect.

And for all you Spurs fans who will undoubtedly say something on every post-game blog like "That was an obvious foul, you no good Laker lover!!", or "We told you Joe Crawford has a bias against us!" (btw, wasn't Crawford refereeing a game against the Spurs a method I gave for the road team to win back in my "Does anybody want to win a road game? Solutions to fix the problem!" blog?), the Spurs had a substantial advantage at the foul line, so don't give me that. Look at the real reason your team lost; Manu stunk, and stunk big time!

The Spurs have proven they are only as good as Manu's play; he played terrific in game 3 with 30 points, only to revert to games 1-2 form with only 2 FGs. Granted, Barry was huge off the bench with 23 points, but there is a tangible difference between Manu going off and Barry going off; when Manu goes off, the Spurs' energy level rises, and it inspires the team to do well. When Barry goes off, only he gets pumped up by it. The team's inability to shoot straight (they played like the Celtics did last night, missing often from the field but getting a lot of FTs) cost them tonight.

So, after all of that has been said, are the Spurs done in this series? I've learned not to count them out until it's over (although I picked L.A. to win in six before this series began). 3-1 down is a hard mountain to climb, but the Spurs are the champs until that title is taken from them. So I'll hold final judgement until after game 5. But if L.A. wins, they'll have a tremendous advantage in the Finals since Boston and Detroit will have hurt each other in a brutal series.

Final thoughts:

Sasha V (I can't spell his name) needs to know when to not shoot. he could have been the goat of the game if they had lost.

Wasn't it nice to hear just straight commentary most of the night? You don't hear Doug Collins imitate Al Pacino, do you, Jeff?

Kobe didn't close late with those two bad shots at the end. Bet ya he comes out with a vengence in game 5.

I though Robert Horry was "Big Shot Bob". Now he "I Don't Want The Shot Bob"!

There were a lot of no-calls for both teams. And complaints by the players and the fans were rampant. I thought the fans would riot "Frankenstein"-style after the game!

We've now had about two days to wonder about tonight's game 2 between the Spurs and Lakers. So, what are the keys to winning for each side? I'll say that this game is critical for both teams, but more so the Lakers. Not to sound like many commentators/columnists, but the Spurs can probably shrug off another loss; they fell behind 0-2 to New Orleans and won the series, so they could do it again. But here are each team's keys to winning:

Spurs keys:

1. Maintain the tempo from game one: If they keep the game half-court and methodical, they shouldn't be concerned.

2. Manu, please maintain control!: Ginobili was a major factor in why the Spurs lost game 1; he was reckless and probably forced too many shots to get out of a slump (think AI). If he can show some control, there won't be as many turnovers as game 1.

3. Encore, Tim Duncan!: Duncan was great in game one... until late, when he stopped attacking the basket and passed on open shots. Duncan must maintain his early game preformance for 48 minutes; that's bound to draw fouls on Gasol and Odom, and keep the tempo in their favor.

Lakers keys:

1. 48 minutes, Kobe: Did you listen to Craig Sager's interview with Kobe after the game? He said that Phil Jackson said he was running the Bermuda Triangle early in the game! It's nice that the MVP wasn't forcing on Tuesday, but he needs to give a full effort all game, especially now that he has a target on his back for his comments after leaving the court.

2. More balanced scoring: It's amazing that the Lakers won when they got little outside of Kobe, Pau Gasol and Sasha V (don't ask me how to spell it!). Derek Fisher needs to know when to shoot, and Lamar Odom needs to step up tonight for a Laker win.

3. Keep up the bench production: The Laker bench was good in game 1; Sasha provided offensive help and played great D on Ginobili, and Ronny Turiaf was solid off the boards and on defense (except at times on Duncan). If they get similar production, they'll win.

So, who wins the game? The Spurs will have had a night to rest (in their hotels), and that will help immensely. But I don't see Kobe having an off half again tonight. He'll be more consistent, and the Lakers know that they can't afford to give the champs confidence as they go back home. I'll say the Lakers win tonight (forget about a score; that's too much!).

After a debate more passionate than I've seen in quite some time, the Spurs and Lakers played two games last night. The first 2 1/2 quarters belonged to the champs, who eventually took a 65-45 lead. The last quarter and a half belonged to league MVP Kobe Bryant, who showed that the Lakers have the one critical element the Hornets lacked; an elite closer.

Kobe's performance was Jordan-esque, as in the Jordan of 1991. Like Mike did during that playoff run, Kobe held back on shooting early (3 attempts in the first half) and distributed the ball. In the second, when his team needed it the most, he took over, and Bruce Bowen (or anyone, for that matter) who guarded him had no chance to stop him. Despite getting off games by Lamar Odom (8 points) and Derek Fisher (who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn yesterday), Kobe and Pau Gasol gave them the scoring necessary to win. Even more iimportantly, they proved they could win a Spurs-type game.

If you're the Spurs, you're probably thinking these things:

1. We lost a 20-point lead yesterday, but...

2. We established our tempo, and Manu Ginobili was terrible, and we were tired, so it's not completely bad.

The Spurs looked every bit jet lagged after a blistering start, and Ginobili looked the worse for ware; he was out of control (in a bad way), shooting 3-10 from the field, including missing a potential three to take the lead late. If anybody's game is predicated on energy, Ginobili's is, and he had none of it. The Lakers did an outstanding job of limiting Ginobili and Tony Parker's drives to the paint (just 10 points in the paint between them) and their defense late in the game was impressive. But the Spurs have to be encouraged by the fact they did everything they wanted to do last night. Now all they have to do is maintain that for the entire game.

The Spurs of last night reminded me, though, of the mid-to-late 90s Knicks; they can go through long dry spells during a game, and they hit that wall late, when the fresher Lakers made every key play down the stretch. Now, they face a big game 2, and though I said recently the Lakers would win the first two, if the Spurs play the same way tomorrow that they did yesterday, and Ginobili resembles the player he can be, they could easily steal this game. Tim Duncan was a beast (30 points and I think 18 boards), and if I'm Phil Jackson, I wouldn't keep putting Ronny Turiaf on him; that's akin to guarding a in-his-prime Shaq with Tom Tolbert! Nonetheless, tomorrow's game should be fun to watch.

 

Before I begin today, let me address last night. I said in my blog that the Spurs' run at their second straight title would end last night. And, of course, that didn't happen. I was ready to use today's post to write an apology letter (and that would have been the enitre post). After sleeping on it, however, I came to the conclusion that the thought of it would be boring and longwinded. But most of all, it would have been bitter, and I don't want to sound bitter (cynical, yes; bitter, no). So, I'll keep it brief; Sorry, Spurs fans. You obviously showed the championship mettle that the Hornets lacked, and congrats on the victory.

Now then, let's use this post more wisely; to preview the Spurs' matchup with the Lakers, a matchup many people (including Jalen Rose, Jay Mariotti, Skip Bayless, etc.) wanted to see. As I said yesterday, the Lakers probably prefer this matchup not for any mismatches they could exploit, but to affirm thier ascent by beating the best the NBA has to offer. Let's look at it position-by-position and give an early prediction (take it for what it's worth; a stick of gum):

Point Guard: Tony Parker vs Derek Fisher appears, on paper, to be a mismatch, but to use an oft-heard comment, Fisher has the championship savvy (he has as many rings as Parker does) and is still a good defender. If he can just keep Parker in check and hit a few threes, the Lakers will live with that.

Shooting Guard: How can you choose against the MVP of the league? No offense to Manu Ginobili, but Kobe always wins in a comparison. Expect Bruce Bowen to defend (and try to roughhouse), but Kobe will get his points.

Small Forward: Ginobili will instead guard Vlad Radmanovic (who cares about spelling?), who is too streaky for my tastes. Radmanovic and Luke Walton (who didn't do much against Utah) will do for "Sir Flops-a-Lot" what Ginobili does on Kobe; they'll let Kobe defend Manu, and guard Bowen instead. Good idea.

Power Forward: Let's assume that Tim Duncan is the center here (he is listed as one, after all). So,the matchup here is Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas against Lamar Odom and Ronny Turiaf. Oberto showed his usefulness by facilitating scores through his passes, and Thomas was a offensive rebounding beast in limited minutes last night. But if Odom plays like he did against the Jazz, and slashes to the rack on these slower defenders, he could be the biggest factor in this series.

Center: The head-to-head matchup everyone is curious about is Duncan versus Pau Gasol. The last time these two met in the postseason (2004 1st round), Duncan dominated, and the Spurs swept. That won't happen here (the sweep, mind you), but Gasol didn't have to defend premier post players in the prior two rounds (Marcus Camby and Memhet Okur don't qualify), and that could be a problem for the Lakers. Expect the Spurs to use Duncan like last night and have him attack the D early and often to slow the tempo in their favor and open up the perimeter game (the Spurs shot only 37% from two last night, but were 42% from three).

Coaches: Unlike the Eastern coaches matchup, few coaching duels today are better than Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson. These are the gold standard for coaches, with 13 titles and 14 Finals berths, among other accolades, in their careers. In four head-to-head matchups, Jackson has a 3-1 series edge and a 14-7 overall playoff record against Popovich, but he had Shaq for all four series. How he fares with Gasol will be key (here's where Andrew Bynum's injury really hurts). Whoever establishes his tempo will win this series.

Prediction: Game one is critical for both teams; the Spurs have been here before (now I sound like Mariotti), whereas most of the core Lakers haven't (Kobe excluded, of course). I'll say the Lakers win game one, and in fact, the home team will win the first four games. The Lakers then win game 5 at home, and in a mild surprise, The Lakers end the series in SA in six. The Spurs' run will end at home, to the delight of David Stern and the NBA executives who can't wait for their demise (so, that means the Spurs will win if my luck continues).

 

Tonight, we could see the end of a dynasty (perhaps) and the emergence of a new guard, or see the dyansty move one step closer to cementing itself as a team to be remembered as one of the very best when the Spurs face the Hornets in game 7 of their series. It seems funny that even though this should be talked about as a classic struggle, all that seems to be talked about is Robert Horry nailing David West in the back to knock him out of the rest of game 6 (for the record, I feel that while Horry did give a clean foul by definition, he meant to hit West in the back, but that's water under the bridge). I choose to focus on something that didn't get as much acclaim.

Watching ESPN recently, I came across Jalen Rose (who must be in a competition for dumbest outfit with Don Cherry with his bowtie look), and they asked Rose (proud possessor of zero NCAA titles and zero NBA titles) who would win game 7 tonight. He said "It has to be the Spurs". Let me get this straight, Jalen; you say New Orleans shouldn't win tonight? The Spurs have to win tonight? To be clear, Rose then went on to say the Lakers (waiting in the wings) would rather play SA not because they match up better, but that they would rather beat the Spurs. Are you saying that the Hornets playing the Lakers wouldn't entertain us?

If I'm L.A., I just want to win the title, no matter whose playing. Beating the Spurs would be poetic justice, but it's not about beating who you want to beat; just ask the 1990 Pistons. They would have prefered to beat L.A in the Finals, but did they lose to Portland? Hell no! So, now that I've ranted, let's pick a winner!

The biggest whine I've heard besides Horry's foul is that the Spurs are so much more experienced in game 7 than thye Hornets. I think that's overrated. The Spurs are 1-1 in the Duncan era in game 7, and both times they played at home. And don't tell me Byron Scott doesn't have his team ready; he played game 7's with the Lakers, and his last title was won in game 7. He'll have his team ready. Pay attention to the third quarter; the Hornets have made their move in all three prior home games there.

So, who wins? I'll say the Hornets will end the Spurs' quest to repeat tonight; the homecourt edge, plus Duncan's inconsistency in NO will haunt the champs. I just hope that guys like Rose, Jay Mariotti, and Skip Bayless are watching when it happens. Because the Spurs won't return the same if they lose; for guys like Horry, Michael Finley, Brent Barry and even Bruce Bowen, this could be the last rodeo together. But the Hornets will win tonight, I'll say 105-101.

At the beginning of every NBA season, you hear commentators say "This team needs home court advantage to win in the playoffs. That refrain is heard all through the season. And usually, those guys are right. However, what's going on in round 2 of the playoffs makes me wonder if homecourt is the only way teams can win in this round.

Including last night's games, the home team is an incredible 19-1 in round 2. Only the Pistons in game 4 of their series with Orlando, and the final score was 90-89! The Celtics, the team with the best regular season record, are winless in five road playoff games (by the way, the last team to make the Finals without a road victory in the playoffs was the 1963 Lakers, and they only played one playoff series to get there). How has homecourt suddenly become unstoppable?

With that in mind, here are some possible solutions to allow the road team a chance to win at least once in the games coming up:

Have Robert Horry hipcheck someone (Chris Paul) into the boards, forcing a benched David West and Tyson Chandler to get off the bench, leading to their one-game suspension for game 7 in New Orleans: Hey, it worked against Phoenix, didn't it?

Have Joe Crawford re####ame with Tim Duncan, then allow them to really fight: Crawford would give the stoic Duncan a war, but the smart money is on Duncan.

Have DeDoNothing Stevenson badmouth one of the road teams' best players and call them overrated before the game: It made LeBron want to knock out the Wizards, and I found a way to keep my nickname in the news.

Warn the Hornets, Lakers and Celtics the 'consequences' of another Spurs-Pistons Finals matchup: That thought, in Stern's mind, is scarier than the 'Saw' series! He'll threaten the Lakers with a Kobe trade if they fail to make it!

Tell the remaining teams if they fail to win on the road, some of the players will be traded to the Knicks!: A fate worse than death, perhaps? They'll play their butts off to win then!

Have Tony Romo sing for the home team before their game: They'll be so frazzled, they won't be able to concentrate and stop the opponent!

Take the home team to watch 'Speed Racer' before the game: See above.

If they fail to win, the road team's players must watch all of Shaq's movies... without a break!: See the Knicks above.

Yeah, this may be sarcastic, but what's preventing these teams from winning A ROAD GAME? I'm not saying that every win should be on the road, but a figure closer to round 1's figure (7 of 10 wins by the home team) would do. What makes these games so hard to watch is that, for the most part, they are blowouts, and blowouts don't interest the casual fans and make diehards fall asleep, too.

So, what's your take? Does this homecourt dominance take away from the excitement of the playoffs? And what would you suggest to fix it? Let me know! Until then, may everyone run should Romo sing in front of a theater showing 'Speed Racer'!

Since I've spent a considerable amount of time this weekend to study for my French final today (Parle vous francais!), here are some random NBA thoughts from the weekend:

Cavs win at the buzzer: Once again, DeDoNothing Stevenson and Agent Zero's words come back to haunt them. When will athletes learn that they shouldn't upset the great players? LeBron didn't hit the game winner, but he made the plays when it counted, and that's the reason the Cavs are up 3-1 and likely to finish the series in 5.

Pistons win to even series: I've made two Pistons bashing blogs recently, and since I didn't watch game 4, I'll just say the Pistons needed the win, and hopefully, this will spring them to a series win. But, as always, we'll see if their motivation stays with them.

Spurs get clobbered in Phoenix: This was as ugly a game as you'll ever see from the Spurs. Everything that worked perfectly in game 3 didn't in number 4. Maybe they just took it easy knowing that nobody comes back from 3-0. Let me remind you that the Pistons did the same thing last year against the Bulls, and it may have cost them against LeBron. Let's hope S.A. finishes the deal in 5.

Lakers go for the sweep: Seems ironic that Kobe will win his first playoff series since 2004 in Colorado, where many of his problems began. The Nuggets "defense is optional" play hurt them against a team that can play both ends, and when they get swept, let the catfights (AI vs Melo, AI & Melo vs Karl) begin.

Hawks win first playoff game since 1999: To give you an idea of how long that is, consider this; they beat the Pistons that game, and the starting five was Mookie Blaylock, Steve Smith, Tyrone Corbin, LaPhonso Ellis and Dikembe Mutombo. Nice to see the Hawks manage to avoid the sweep. But this may inspire the C's to start rolling again, so look out!

Houston on the brink of elimination: What a surprise. And to all you Rockets people who cried when I said in February that they wouldn't win a playoff series, I'm not the one to say... oh, never mind. This series did give us the quote of the series, when Tracy McGrady took the blame for everything (The Suns being down 3-0, people getting Budweiser instead of fancy beer), but without Yao to match up, they had no chance. And McGrady will now be 0-8 in 1st round series. What a waste.

Well, there are the thoughts. Hopefully, after today, I'll be able to watch the playoffs uninterrupted. Until then, au revior!

Continuing my series of lists counting down the 50 greatest NBA teams (according to me), here are the next ten in the list, #'s 40-31:

40. 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers had won two straight NBA titles, and had just come off the greatest run in NBA playoff history. They now sought to make it three in a row, something only three teams (50s Lakers, 60s Celtics and 90s Bulls) had done. As had become their custom during their run, the Lakers coasted through the season, going 58-24. But the Sacramento Kings swooped in to claim the Pacific by three games. With an intense rivalry between both teams, a Lakers-Kings showdown made for good box office.

The Lakers coasted through the first two rounds, pounding Portland 3-0 for the second straight year, and the Spurs 4-1, before their showdown with the Kings. Sacramento took two of the first three, and appeared ready to take game 4, before an errant shot under the basket bounced to Robert Horry, who sank a three to win the game. The Lakers took the series in seven after Sacramento stopped hitting free throws down the stretch.

The NBA Finals were anticlimatic; the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets, marking the first time the Lakers swept a Finals series. Shaquille O'Neal won Finals MVP for the third straight time, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to win three straight. O'Neal and Kobe Bryant both were first team All-NBA (1st time for Kobe). As it turned out, it was the end of the Lakers' run, as the team was dismantled two years later (but are now poised to regain the title).

39. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls: The Bulls had set a league record with 87 wins (including playoffs) the previous season, and what could this team do for an encore? Michael Jordan continued to lord over the league, claiming his ninth scoring title with a 29.6 average. The Bulls had a chance to win 70 games again before a last-game loss to New York dropped them to 69 wins. There were concerns that this team might not have the juice to run to another title.

The Bulls quickly showed those fears should have been unfounded, as they rolled past Washington (3-0), Atlanta (4-1) and Miami (4-1) to reach the Finals. There, they faced the Utah Jazz, who were making their first trip. The series had several memorable moments.

Game one went to Chicago 84-82 as Jordan hit a jumper over Bryon Russell (we'll see them again later in the countdown) after Karl Malone, the regular season MVP, missed two critical free throws. They took game two at home, then lost two straight in Utah. Prior to game 5, Jordan came down with the flu, and there were wonders if he could play, or play effectively.

Jordan would proceed to put on one of the greatest performances in NBA history, scoring 38 points (including a key three late) to lead Chicago to a 90-88 win. Game six featured similar drama, as with the game tied at 86, Jordan jumped in the air... and hit Steve Kerr with a pass. Kerr swished the jumper, and after the Jazz turned the ball over, the Bulls had thier fifth title in seven years. Jordan won his 5th Finals MVP.

38. 1994-95 Houston Rockets: The Rockets had reason to feel good. They had won a dramatic Finals in 7 over the Knicks the year before, and were favorites to keep the repeats going (each of the three previous title holders repeated). But their season was a struggle, as they didn't look like the defending champs.

Then, in February, management made a bold move, trading Otis Thorpe to Portland for Clyde Drexler, reuniting Drexler with former University of Houston teammate Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets still finished 3rd in the Midwest (6th overall) at 47-35, and no team had won a title from that low a seeding.

The Rockets faced division rival Utah first. The Rockets came back from 2-1 down to win the series in five. Then, they faced Phoenix, who had taken them to seven the previous year. Phoenix went up 3-1, but couldn't put Houston away. The Rockets won three straight (including a 115-114 game seven in Phoenix), then dispatched San Antonio in six, to reach the Finals against Orlando.

Game one saw Orlando take an early 20 point lead, but Houston fougght back (aided by a record seven threes by Kenny Smith) to tie it late. After Nick Anderson missed four free throws late that would have sealed it, The Rockets won in OT. The Magic never recovered, and Houston sewpt the series. Olajuwon was named MVP.

37. 1959-60 Boston Celtics: The Celtics were now two time defending champs, and the 1959-60 season saw them firmly establish themselves as the dominant force in the league. Even with the Warriors adding rookie Wilt Chamberlain (ROY and MVP that season), the Celtics finished ten games ahead of Philly with a 59-16 record. In the first playoff meeting between Bill Russell and Chamberlain, the C's had little trouble, winning in six games.

That led to a showdown with the St. Louis Hawks, who withstood a seven game series with the Lakers (in their last season in Minneapolis) to make the Finals. The series went seven, and with Russell scoring 22 and adding 35 rebounds, the Celtics won 122-103 for their third straight title.

36. 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers had just come off a tumutuous 1981 season, where their title repeat dreams were dashed by Magic Johnson's knee troubles and dissention in the ranks, leading to a 1st round ouster by Houston. While some of the trouble seeds were dumped in the offseason, Johnson and coach Paul Westhead didn't see eye to eye, as Westhead's power philosophy clashed with Johnson's push-it-up style. Westhead was fired after a 7-4 start, and Johnson was actually booed a little in L.A.

The Lakers tried to convince Jerry West to take over as coach, but he refused, and they settled for Westhead assistant Pat Riley (West agreed to sit next to Riley early on to ease him in). Riley pushed the tempo up, and the Lakers (with the help of midseason addition Bob McAdoo) won 50 of their last 71 games to finish first in the West.

The playoffs turned into their showcase. The Lakers rolled past Phoenix and San Antonio in sweeps, leading to a rematch of the 1980 Finals against the 76ers, who survived a seven game series with the defending champion Celtics.

The series was full of blowouts. The closest game was a seven point finish in game one, as Riley and Billy Cunningham outschemed each other. The Lakers won the series in six, with Johnson winning his second Finals MVP. It was the first of five titles for Riles as a head coach.

35. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics: The Supersonics had come agonizingly close to the NBA title in 1978, losing the seventh game to Washington 105-99 after Dennis Johnson went 0-14 in the game. The Sonics, with coach Lenny Wilkens in for a full season, won the Pacific division with a 52-30 record, and secured home court throughout the West.

In the playoffs, they beat the Lakers in five, then survived a tough seven game series with Phoenix to make the Finals, and once again face the Bullets, who themselves won a seven game finals against the Spurs.

The Sonics lost game one after Larry Wright hit two free throws with no time on ther clock. The loss only inspired the Sonics. With Johnson and Gus Williams scoring over half their teams' points in the series, the Sonics won four straight for their only NBA title. Johnson was named Finals MVP.

34. 1977-78 Washington Bullets: The Bullets had had no luck at all in their two previous Finals appearences. Both times (1971 and 1975) they had been swept. So when they quietly won 44 games and finished second in the Central division (3rd in the conference), no one expected much.

After winning their 1st round series with Atlanta 2-0, the Bullets surprised the Spurs by beating them 4-2 in round two. Agianst the Sixers, who had swept New York in their second round matchup, the Bullets won game 1 in Philly, a crucial victory, and won in six games.

The Finals matchup with Seattle was hard fought. Each team traded victories in the first six games, before the Bullets cliamed the title in game seven, primarily by holding Dennis Johnson to 0-14 shooting. Wes Unseld was named MVP, and it was the only title for both Unseld (984 games played) and Elvin Hayes (1,303 games).

33. 1968-69 Boston Celtics: The Celtics looked like a tired team throughout the 1968-69 season, as they struggled to a 48-34 record, the worst record since Bill Russell joined the team. Russell still was effective as a rebounder (third in the league) and the Celtics had an aura around them that, even without home court advantage, they could win a title.

In round one, they turned back the Sixers 4-1, looking like the old Celtics. Against the Knicks in the Easten finals, Russell held Willis Reed in check, and they took the series in six. Still, few expected them to beat the Lakers, who not only had Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Wilt Chamberlain, but had vengence in their minds for six prior Finals losses to Boston.

The Lakers won the first two games, Boston fired back with two, and the teams split games 5 & 6. Ther seven game was at the Forum, and as fate would have it, the Celtics discovered a agenda program of Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke. Cooke planned a big celebration with lots of baloons in the rafters and a Chick Hearn interview with Baylor, West and Chamberlain.

The Celtics stormed out and led by double figures after three. The Lakers fought to within two, then Don Nelson (yes, that Don Nelson) hit a jumper that bouned high off the back rim, and in. The Celtics won 108-106. The baloons came down without fanfare the next day. In August, Russell retired. He left with 11 titles in his 13 pro seasons, a record that's unlikely to be matched.

32. 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs: Since last year's team is too new to be ranked, this team will have to suffice. The 2003 Spurs came out determined to regain their throne. With the defending champion Lakers looking vulnerable, the West was as open as it had been in four years.

Tim Duncan captured his second straight MVP, finishing 7th in scoring and 3rd in boards. The Spurs won 60 games to finish 1st in the West, and after having some trouble with the Suns in round one, they faced the Lakers, who had ended their season each of the prior two seasons.

The Spurs had little trouble with the shaky Lakers this time; they won 4-2, including a 28 point thumping in the clincher, then beat Dallas 4-2 to reach the Finals against the Nets.

The series certainly wasn't an artistic classic (only once did a team reach 100 points; SA in game one), but the Spurs clawed their way to their second title of the Duncan era. Duncan was Finals MVP, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili had their first rings.

31. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons: As the years have passed, it dawns on me just how special this series was. It may prove to be the only title for this era's Pistons, the one time they caught lightning in a bottle, and by doing so, ending a potential dyansty in the making.

Coming off a postseason where they were swept by the Nets, Detroit finished second in the Central (3rd in conference) with a 54-28 record. They smashed Milwaukee in 5, setting up a rematch of the conference finals in round two. The Pistons took the first two games, then the Nets took the next three (including a triple OT classic in game 5) and seemed poised to deliver the KO shot. But the Pistons won games 6 & 7, holding Jason Kidd scoreless for the first time in his playoff career, to face Indiana in the con. finals.

There, the Pistons outslopped the Pacers in six, the signature moment coming in game two, when Tayshaun Prince blocked a Reggie Miller layup attempt to preserve victory. Still, they were heavy underdogs against the Lakers. They not only had won three of the last four titles, but they wanted rings for Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

The Pistons claimed game one, but L.A. won game two when Kobe Bryant sank a game-tying shot and dominated OT. When the series shifted to Detroit, however, the dissenting Lakers, without the injured Malone, couldn't stop the stampede (or Kobe taking bad shots). The Pistons won all three home games (the first to do so since the 2-3-2 format began in 1985) and the title to boot. Chauncey Billups was named MVP, the first player to win the award without a prior All-Star appearence since Dennis Johnson in 1979. Shortly thgereafter, the Lakers were dismantled.

There are the next ten. Tomorrow will be #'s 30-21. See ya then!

I apoligize for being inactive recently. My grandmother has been seriously ill in the hospital, and I've spent most of the past week at her bedside, praying for her to get better. I won't go into details, but she has been the single biggest influence in my life, and has raised me like I was her son. Thankfully, she's recovering well, and hopefully soon she'll return home and resume her normal routine.

Now, back to sports. It's officially April, and now I feel it's time to present some awards. Here are my picks (along with runner-ups in most cases) of the major NBA awards:

MVP: Kobe Bryant, Lakers: Say what you will about his attitude, Bryant has been a key reason the Lakers are back as a relevent team again. While Gasol and Bynum have been hurt, he has kept his team in the thick of a brutal Western race. And, frankly, it's about time he got an MVP.

Runner-up: Chris Paul, Hornets: There will be arguements for Kevin Garnett and LeBron, but Paul is the engine for the surprising Hornets, as he leads the league in assists and has New Orleans primed for a major playoff run. Thus, he's my runner-up.

Coach of the Year: Maurice Cheeks, Sixers: I'm not knocking Byron Scoot or Doc Rivers, or even Phil Jackson; they've all done remarkable jobs this season. But each has major talent to work with. Cheeks has Andre Igudola... and a bunch of youngsters and bench fodder. Yet he has the Sixers in the playoffs with a winning record in the Least, er, East, marking their first trip to the postseason since 2005.

Runner-up: Byron Scott, Hornets: Scott gets runner-up because no one expected the Hornets to be near the top of the West. Scott has done a magnificent job of molding this young team into a contender the same way he did the Nets; by letting a special PG lead the way.

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby, Nuggets: He leads the league in blocks per game (by a wide margin) and is second in rebounds. And, by the way, he does it on the run-and-gun Nuggets, who play defense only if the moon is in the correct phase.

6th Man Award: Leandro Barbosa, Suns: Because, simply, no one else stood out enough to win the award. I actually wouldn't mind if someone could give me another candidate (and before you Manu people chime in, he plays starter minutes, so that skewers his stats).

Rookie of the Year: Luis Scola, Rockets: Whoa, no Durant? Well, Scola has been instrumental in the Rockets' surge since January. While he would become the first ROY to win the award averaging fewer than 10 PPG, the Rockets have lost only 4 or 5 games since he became a starter.

Runner-up: Kevin Durant, Sonics: Durant finishes second because his team stinks, and he has needed a lot of shots to get his points (on a bad team, which skewers any productive players on such teams). I call it the John Starks effect. Durant has a bright future, but he shouldn't win ROY by default.

All-NBA 1st Team:

G Chris Paul, Hornets

G Kobe Bryant, Lakers

F LeBron James, Cavaliers

F Kevin Garnett, Celtics

C Dwight Howard, Magic

Executive of the Year: Mitch Kupchak, Lakers: Kupchak gets the award because he made the unsung moves to make the Lakers a contender again. And any exec who can trade Kwame Brown's corpse for Pau Gasol should be EOY.

Runner-up: Danny Ainge, Celtics: Like Kupchak, Ainge made the moves to make Boston relevent again after 21 years of dormancy. Ainge took a chance, and it paid off, big.

Now, as far as the playoffs go, here are my favorites in each conference, ranked 1-8 based on my preference, not on current seeding. They are:

West

1. Lakers (provided Gasol and Bynum are healthy, they're the deepest team)

2. Spurs (to be the best, you must beat the best. Until they lose, they're the best)

3. Hornets (inexperience an issue, but Paul and Scott will guide them nicely)

4. Suns (Shaq was brought in to win a title, after all. Right?)

5. Jazz (need to show they can win away from home consistently)

6. Rockets (no Yao will hurt them against elite bigs in playoffs)

7. Warriors (lightning won't strike twice)

8. Nuggets (no defense except Camby = no playoff series wins)

East

1. Celtics (Garnett, Pierce and Allen are hungry for a ring)

2. Pistons (if they overcome conplacency, the biggest threat to Boston)

3. Cavaliers (LeBron can win series himself)

4. Magic (Howard is emerging as maybe best C in game)

5. Sixers (a sleeper to pull an upset 1st round win)

6. Wizards (can't stay healthy... or play defense well)

7. Raptors (a poor man's Wizards)

8. Whoever is 8th (Hawks, Pacers, Bulls, etc.; it doesn't matter; they'll get swept)

There you are. Disagree? Just drop me a line. Gotta go; Kwame Brown's corpse is being moved out of the morgue!

Last week, I openly debated whether the Houston Rockets' then-19 game win streak meant they were a legit contender. Since that time, they extended the streak to 22 before back-to-back lopsided losses to Boston and New Orleans. In light of this, I ask again; are the Rockets serious threats in the loaded West? Let's look back at something I said last week:

"The Rockets' win streak is impressive, no doubt, but look at who they've played. Only New Orleans and I think Denver... were impressive victories. During the streak, they haven't played the Lakers, Spurs, Celtics, Pistons, Suns or Jazz, to name a few."

Well, they since have played the Lakers and Celtics, and they did beat the Lakers convincingly, but without Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Looking futher into the streak, when they beat Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki was suspended for that game. So Houston did catch a lot of breaks in the streak. Granted, with streaks like that, you need lucky bounces, but only Chauncey Billups gets more breaks than these guys did! But look even deeper, and you'll see something very dangerous for any team; arrogance.

I saw it in both the Lakers and Celtics game. Some may call it confidence, some may call it swagger. I call it arrogance. The way Rafer Alston and Bobby Jackson celebrated making shots like Magic Johnson celebrated winning his first NBA game (by nearly choking Kareem)! Let's not forget that this team last celebrated a playoff series win in 1997! That's where the legitimacy will be determined. Showing such reactions for a regular season game shows a possible case of Piston-itis, or complacency. Can this team afford to be complacent before the playoffs?

Of course that's a rhetorical question, but if Houston showed anything from their recent failures, it's that they need Tracy McGrady to be in top form to win a playoff series. McGrady has had two off games, and the results (a 94-74 loss to Boston and a 90-69 loss to the Hornets) have been predictable. McGrady must show that he can lead a contender to at least a first-round win. And while no Western team can afford to lose many games in a row, Houston is the team in most dire need of home-court; if they drop below 4th, I guarantee they'll lose in the first round. They're only two games ahead of 7th (Dallas) so they better be careful.

In summation, is Houston filet, or baloney? They certainly tasted like filet during their streak, but if they don't put a halt to the performances (I use that loosely) of late, they'll become baloney. In my opinion, this team doesn't look like they have the parts to go very far in the West, and until the playoffs start, I firmly believe that fortune won't look as kindly on them as it did during their win streak.

Yesterday, after lsitening to all the sports shows, one conlcusion can be made crystal (not as in Billy) clear; A rematch of the 2005 NBA Finals is something everyone can live without. Most hope that both the Spurs and the Pistons do not, under any circumstances, make the Finals. There are reasons for such hopes. I'm here to give my reasons why, and to clear up some misnomers.

1. It's not star power, silly. It's star wattage: The most common misperception is that both teams lack star power. That's ridiculous. The Spurs feature Tim Duncan, perhaps one of the greatest big men in history, along with Mr. Eva Longoria (Tony Parker) and the Grandmaster Flopper (Manu Ginobili) who also happens to be one of the best clutch players on the team. Detroit has Chauncey "Mr. Big Shot" (and Mr. Give me the Free Throw, Refs!) Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton. So what's not to like about that?

The problem is that none of these guys seek the attention that comes with stardom. In many ways, the NBA has created that problem. Even Michael Jordan, the posterboy for I over team (in terms of media coverage) said as much in an ESPN the Magazine article. Remember the league in the 1980s? When the Lakers and Celtics met in the Finals, it wasn't strictly Magic vs Bird (although that was a big draw), it was Lakers vs Celtics. The teams were the big attractions, and the league was at it's best marketing those teams. After Jordan dominated the league, it became all about the star players.

With that being the case, it's no wonder the Finals have had bad ratings in recent years. The Spurs are the ultimate team, yet their Finals have been the worst rated ever. Even when you had Lebron James last year, the ratings tanked. So let's not say a Spurs/Pistons final is bad because of no star power; there's no wattage in those stars.

2. Because the Lakers and Celtics is what Stern really wants in the Finals: Stern will not say it publically, but he wants these teams in the Finals not so much because of star wattage (Kobe vs the Big 3) but because the cities have star wattage. He wants to see Jack Nicholson jaw with whoever comes from Beantown. No other league tries to slant their championships through big cities more than the NBA. MLB does it because of their salary structure, but the NBA wouldn't mind if the Finals were exclusively in big cities like L.A., New York, Boston, etc. Look at the NFL; they don't have a team in L.A. (yet) and yet the Super Bowl does just fine. Why not market the teams instead of the cities?

3. Defense wins championships, but not ratings: Just observe the game last night; the Pistons won 84-80, a score that would be good in the 1950s, but not so much today. Need more data? Look at the Finals in 2005; they were just the second Finals since the league went to a 2-3-2 format to go seven games, and few people outside of S.A. and Detroit cared. It was because the defensive style of both teams doesn't appeal to people. The Spurs have won the most games in the league since 2001-02, and Detroit is third (behind them and Dallas) because nobody plays defense better than these teams traditionally have. But while both can run the ball occasionally, they'd rather set up isolational plays for their slashers (Parker/Ginobili and Billups/Hamilton) to draw fouls and get free throws. It wins games, but I can't watch slop ball for very long before I get bored and change the channel.

Looking at these three reasons (there may be more, but these are key), it's no wonder the NBA would feel like it took a shot in the stomach if these two teams meet in the Finals. I'm from Detroit, and it makes me feel ill (although if the Pistons faced the Lakers, it might work out). Hopefully, the curse of the Spurs (never won back-to-back) and the Pistons (complacency) causes one or both to lose in the playoffs. Let's just hope.