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The greatest sport in the world has less than a few weeks to finish up an incredible season. One fantasy team is going to win, another is going to be fighting for the win until the last day, while in an another my dearest wife put the smack down and ended my post-season prematurely.
After the trade for Shaq, the Suns took awhile to adjust and are just now starting to turn it around. As I was contemplating a follow-up to my initial trade reaction, I came across a draft of a blog entry that I didn't complete back in November. I commented on Kobe and his pessimism at the start of the season and the status of the Heat:
It remains to be seen what will happen in the playoffs, but I've seen the Suns be able to do something I always wish we'd be able to do, that is play a slow-down half court offense with the fast pace offense. Few are the teams that can play both methods effectively, the Spurs, and Jazz are the only teams I can think of that are able to do that. Also, the rebounding concerns seem to have been allayed and Grant Hill has been doing a pretty good job at defending the perimeter.
However, by the looks of things we're not going to get home court advantage at any point unless the Lakers crap out the rest of the games. So, we're stuck with anything from the 4-6 seeds and an opponent match-up of San Antonio, L.A., or Utah. Needless to say that first round will be incredibly hard against any of those teams. I still like our chances with the team we have, I just think we need to get more lucky than good to win it all this year.
After the trade for Shaq, the Suns took awhile to adjust and are just now starting to turn it around. As I was contemplating a follow-up to my initial trade reaction, I came across a draft of a blog entry that I didn't complete back in November. I commented on Kobe and his pessimism at the start of the season and the status of the Heat:
If Kobe Bryant thinks the Lakers' talent is lacking, he should check out what Dwyane Wade gets to go to war with. Outside of Udonis Haslem, the remainder of Miami is comprised of the old (Penny, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mounring) and the restless (Ricky Davis, Jason Williams, Mark Blount, Dorell Wright). If I'm Wade, I'm demanding Pat Riley trade me to L.A. so I can play with Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar.It's really amazing how the much the league has changed (apart from the Heat really stinking it up) by having so many marquee players trading teams. Kobe's team got manna from heaven in the form a seven-foot Spaniard and the Suns have incredibly kept up the pace with the rest of the league while figuring out an entirely new system. What's even more amazing is Shaq's invigorated play since being acquired by the western gunslingers. He's not exactly checking the Bruce Bowens of the league into the third row but he is managing to rip the rim off (or at least the net) and throw himself into the third row for a lose ball.
I suspected Shaq might be nearing the end as I watched the game against the Spurs last week. On one telling play, he turned baseline from his customary left block position and Bruce Bowen was sliding over a hair late for the double team. The old (er, young) Shaq checks Bowen into the third row and rips the rim off. Today's version turns meekly back and throws it out to the perimeter.
By the way, I must confess to a newborn appreciation of Riley for his contemptuous indictment of the Heat following its home loss to the winless Sonics. Only a master motivator can get away unscathed from jumping into the foxhole and fragging his troops.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the playoffs, but I've seen the Suns be able to do something I always wish we'd be able to do, that is play a slow-down half court offense with the fast pace offense. Few are the teams that can play both methods effectively, the Spurs, and Jazz are the only teams I can think of that are able to do that. Also, the rebounding concerns seem to have been allayed and Grant Hill has been doing a pretty good job at defending the perimeter.However, by the looks of things we're not going to get home court advantage at any point unless the Lakers crap out the rest of the games. So, we're stuck with anything from the 4-6 seeds and an opponent match-up of San Antonio, L.A., or Utah. Needless to say that first round will be incredibly hard against any of those teams. I still like our chances with the team we have, I just think we need to get more lucky than good to win it all this year.
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