Bjorn to lose
Postpartum Depression
Joe looks to the playoffs for excitement after our first painful season of Nets reportage.
Well, here we are - deep into the playoffs. Joe has purposefully and deliberately stayed away from all things "Nets" lately and tried to focus on the post-season (and the rest of my sorry life). Sort of like a Mothers' Group therapy session for moms of ugly children. I've promised myself I'm not going to be an enabler and say "Well, next year. Next year we'll see some pretty basketball." I'm not going to say, "Hey, but the draft is coming up and we've got some great adoption choices!" Joe is "just saying no" to the discussions taking place on the forums (like at www. njo.com) on the draft, possible trades, hopes for the future, etc. Enough. I'll have some thoughts on all those important off-season issues soon. For now, I trust in Big Daddies Rod Thorn and Byron Scott.
So while I'm not talking about the Nets, what else can we cover? How about those playoffs? You've already read our picks elsewhere on the site, but what's really been worth talking about so far? Here are eight post-season thoughts swimming through Joe's cramped cranium:
1) I've already seen more games of interest and excitement in the playoffs (how about game 5 of Utah/Dallas?) than I did all season long watching 78 of 82 Nets games. Of course, playoff games as a rule are more exciting than the regular season (unless the Knicks are in it), so this should be no surprise. But when you're forced to watch at least 10 games with 10 day contract players, ugly doesn't even describe the view.
2) How glad are we that the hated Knicks were bounced by a mediocre Toronto team? OK, not mediocre, they beat the Sixers in game 1, but the Knicks ran out of step-up players after Latrell Sprewell, and they couldn't finish what they appeared to have started after Game 3. Time to make drastic changes in the Garden. Of course, people in glass houses...
3) Best feel-good story so far? No, not the Hornets, although for the life of me I can't figure out how the hell they whupped the Heat. It's the Dallas Mavericks, even though they won't be around much longer once the Spurs get done with them. But hey, Champagne and I are big Mark Cuban fans. He seems to care about his paying customers and won't stop until he gets what he wants, even if it costs him his fortune. And of course let's not forget the side plot: Teutonic Belschwender has more than a rooting interest in Mr. Nowitzki. Joe digs him too, but not because of the blond hair and the German surname. He's just fun to watch when he's on. Next year, come playoffs, he won't get rattled. Then, watch out.
4) Damn those Lakers! A Kings/Spurs Western finals was kicking around in Joe's gut before the end of the regular season. Now, the Lakers are playing like the well-oiled machine they were last year. Lesson learned, once again: the regular season means NOTHING. Lakers cruised when it didn't matter, making sure only not to lose too many games while bickering. When the big money time comes, Shaq straps the rest of the team on his back and becomes unstoppable. Joe, you fool!
5) Dare I say it - might the Bucks make the NBA finals? Sixers are looking shaky, though I certainly don't count them out and expect them to beat the Raptors. But if the Raptors take them to 6 or 7 games, and the Bucks finish early, well...all I'm saying is Cassell and Karl have both been there before with others. Who knows what could happen? Imagine Bucks/Kings or Bucks/ Lakers finals. Joe's brain is exploding with the possibilities. For now, I'm sticking with Sixers/Spurs. But this could be the year of the Bratwurst...
6) McGrady = Superstar.
7) Riley = No Genius.
8) Of the first round defeated teams, Suns, T-Wolves, Heat, Knicks, Blazers and Jazz have gone as far as they'll ever go with their current talent. Pacers and Magic (especially if Hill returns to anywhere near pre-injury form) have upside left, though who knows how much.
So much more to cover. We'll continue to expand coverage as the playoffs roll onward. Champagne and Joe are taking it personally now - the need to bring their opinions and psychobabble (and playoff picks) about all of the NBA to you our patient reader. Anything right now to forget the horrid Nets' season that was and renew my interest in Byron, Rod, Steph, Kenyon, Keith, Kerry etc. for the upcoming 2001-2002 season.
Yup. "No Stranger To Frustration" indeed. Enjoy the rest of the playoffs. We'll talk again as the draft gets closer. In the meantime, if you have any pre-draft thoughts, start sending your ideas to Champagne or Joe.
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