The greatest thing, you can ever see in sports is two fierce competitors congratulate each other at the end of a hard fought series. Kobe and Bruce Bowen defined what it is all about.  The Spurs and the Lakers showed true class through it all! We as fans and "writers" say all we want, but in the end, the class of the competitors and organizations showed brightest!  Thank you!  Great game, great series!

The comparisons of Shaq to Kareem Abdul Jabbar are stunningly ignorant, seriously misguided and complete nonsense to anyone who ever watched these two great bigs play in their primes.  The only similarities Shaq and Kareem truly have are that they played the same position, are 7 footers and both played for the Lakers. 

Now let’s get serious folks, Shaq’s offensive skills have always been 'limited' at best.  I have alluded to this fact many times and it just seems that sometimes people are watching a totally different game than I am.  Even when Shaq was a Laker (or in Orlando), it was excruciating watching him miss chippies, then bowl a guy over for the rebound and dunk on a fool!  Now all that did throughout Shaq’s career, is cover up the fact that he is a TERRIBLE “basketball” player.  He is huge, but if a man cannot even attempt an elbow jump shot, than what type of player is he?  David Robinson lived off of the free throw line jumper and elbow jumper the last few years of his career.  P. Ewing, much more of an expanded game.  The Dream?!!!!!  Do I even have to go there? Alonzo, could spot up, Big Z in Cleveland is more skilled than Shaq.  And the greatest of all time, Kareem, with the skyhook, the grace, the face up game, the little set-shots/jumpers and the skill.  While true Kareem was not leading the break, Kareem also had a much more versatile game that did not rely on dunks and running people over. 

It was truly sad to see Gasol beat Shaq down the floor at least twice in the deciding moments of Phoenix’s game last week versus the Lakers.  Again on Sunday, Shaq’s inability, or lack of desire to get back on defense cost the Suns dearly.  And since when did Shaq become a defensive force.  He has never been the league leader in blocks or rebounds and this is in an era he dominated?  I am shocked that Steve Kerr was this misguided in acquiring an over the hill center whose best shot is a DUNK.  The free throws and (the opponents) constant fouling of Shaq will not only slow the Suns and their overall games down, but will slowly demoralize the team.  And this is a team that does not have a player with the will of a Kobe or a Dwayne Wade.  Does anyone understand, no matter how “cool” Shaq is and funny he is that he is almost Kwame Brown like with his bricks from two feet away and the missed free throws.  Playing with a guy like that who then calls out teammates for missing 3 pointers is ludicrous and that is why Kobe tired of Shaq’s antics. 

When Shaq was young as I alluded to earlier, he could brick some chippies, get up quick and dunk the rebound before he got fouled.  Now, if he does get his own rebound, he is fouled many more times before he can get back up to put it through.  The refs have also gotten the point where they have to call Shaq for the offensive fouls he has so richly deserved most of his career.  If you saw the one highlight of Shaq’s hook shot over Gasol, in that you see how he should play, but cannot consistently because of his limited range.  He went straight up and shot it, no leaning in, no elbow to Gasol’s chest, just a straight up jump hook (and it was ugly). 

So in conclusion, I love Shaq the person overall (but please quit calling out teammates for missing jump shots which you will not even attempt and saying ignorant things like throwing all of your other ex-teammates under the bus-I thought D-Wade was the greatest?), I’ve personally hated his overall game for years, but enjoy it when he was dunking for the Lakers, but it is most excruciating when he is on the foul line (have fun with that Phoenix fan).  Another note, Pau Gasol practiced once for the Lakers and scored over 20 in his debut.  No more excuses for the Big Shactus.  Results.  And what I see now, isn’t pretty.

How is Joey Crawford refereeing in the NBA playoffs, let alone in the NBA period?  I will go out on a limb, and say it is IMPOSSIBLE for Kobe, while being guarded by Bruce (Edward Scissorhands) Bowen to not shoot one free-throw an entire game!  Along with the blatant no call on the travel of Duncan toward the end of the first half, to the FOUL on THE FLOOR by Derek Fisher at the end of the game, I guess it all evens out?  He (and many other officials) but Crawford most au####iously, makes blatant non calls and seemingly make-up calls during the course of the game.  Laker Fan is obviously happy because of the blatant home cooking that was overcome tonight and which also seemed evident in the Utah Jazz series- at least  in one game (but not as bad as tonight) much like the hacking and hand checking by the Spurs. 

Oberto is terrible, Horry looks way worse than his last days in L.A, Ginobli is a every third or fourth game guy (I mean those 30+ pt games at least...), UM MEMO TO SKIP BAYLESS!!!!!! But with all that said, the Spurs can play at times, and sometimes play very well, but closely watched, they hand check and foul constantly and whine and complain consistently, when they don't get defensive fouls called in their favor, and this is made more annoying many times by the fact they should all be basically fouling out in half of the games...especially our boy Bowen!   

The Spurs are at the cusp of “going fishing” with the likes of Gilbert, Kobe, and Jermaine O’Neal while the Mavericks gain a seemingly commanding 3 to 1 series lead over the team they chased for the best record in the West throughout the season…

-Will someone in the Spurs organization realize that Tim Duncan isolated for the winning shot is a losing proposition?  Ginobili also gets a taste of his own medicine for his last two fouls! It must be noted, that this has happened in the West the last few years a few times where the team with the best record has lost.  It also must be noted, that Dallas did a little too much celebrating possibly after this VICTORY but we will see.  A lot of emotion was let out much like the game four winner of L.A and Phoenix, but Dallas is a better team than that earlier 3-1 series leader.

This Game was amazing.  The shots kept coming, and the shots kept going down! -Kind of like a Mexican Bar-...This was the exact opposite of the game earlier.  This was pure magic!  Too bad it was the late game.  The Spurs will be hard pressed to win 3 straight, but with Duncan now playing at his old MVP level, and if Ginobili the assassin can stay in the games, the Spurs can of course come back.  The problem is they rely too much on Parker, who has repeatedly shown a propensity to fall apart late in games and in the Playoffs, as well as the fact that the Dallas’ bench is younger and quicker than the Spurs bench.  As long as those guys don’t fall apart, the Mavs should be just fine.  I have to mention Jason Terry and Stackhouse for their outstanding play.  As well as the ex-Mav Finley, who tried his best to not have to wish he was still a Mav after the game.  I hope you saw that game, it was great!  Maybe more in depth on it tomorrow.  I’m out-