Fuck Yea[h] NBA

Maybe you missed last night’s sloppy, Boston-LA rivalry for the ages sub-90 overtime game at the Garden. It’s OK. I did too, but that didn’t stop some of the best sportswriters in the country on the Internet from writing about the game. 

Ian Thomsen claimed Kobe Bryant pushed the Lakers past Paul Pierce and the Celtics for Sports Illustrated. The theory being, a team’s best player (and we can all agree Pierce and Kobe fit that description for both teams; Rajon can’t shoot, so doesn’t qualify for Boston even though he’s possibly more important) is the one who decides the conclusion of basketball games.

Ken Berger believes that with time running out on the Lakers and Celtics, they give us a flashback. Time, in this instance, seems to be running short for he veteran squads from opposite coasts. They’re old and this season isn’t helping their various knee, back, hand and head issues. So Berger was delighted in a game straight from 1999’s lockout shortened season. Both teams shot under 40% from the field. 

J.A. Adande says Pau Gasol’s block at the end, says it all at ESPN, but says what? That he should have been an all-star? Maybe, but he’s not exactly tearing it up this year, averaging a career low 16.8 ppg and a shade over 10 boards. 

The game made me think of Larry Johnson era Knicks-Heat fights in the alley-way. Defensive-oriented affairs where a player like Pau Gasol is more likely to get ejected arguing a non-call than have the game-saving block at the end, but that’s exactly what Pau Gasol did. 

Is the all-star snub, the almost-trade that would have sent him to Houston and his seemingly pre-destined selection as Dwight Howard trade bait enough to turn Pau Gasol into a pissed off Dolores Ibárruri: “Lakers opponenets ‘shall not pass?’” If Dolores could manage 12-20 shooting and 14 boards during a late 90’s defensive clash—then yes.