The Youth

Some thoughts before tonight’s game:


1) What if LeBron plays really bad in the Finals?

Like really, truly, awfully, John-Starks two-for-eighteen, Nick Anderson missing all those free throws, Dirk Nowitzki against the Warriors, bad?

Does that mean we have to take back everything we’ve been saying about him?

Does that make his 48 points in Game 5 more like Dirk scoring 50 against Phoenix last year, or when Vince Carter scored 50 in 2001 against Philly when he was on Toronto?

That is, instead of that game being the harbinger of continued dominance and transcendent play, that Game 5 was just another tremendous individual performance that signified nothing?

I doubt LeBron will play that bad – he’s been pretty good most of these playoffs, and in the past couple years as well. But still, given the pressure he’s under right now, being deemed the savior of everything good and true about basketball, it’s not inconceivable that he’ll crumble, or at least stumble.

And if he does, the backlash will likely be fierce.

There’s a little evil part of me that almost wants to see that happen. Just to see how everyone responds – LeBron, the media, fans, pundits, other players (would Dwyane Wade be laughing?)

Just another fun storyline to keep an eye on.


2) I like, no, I LOVE that the games are starting late.

I don’t have any kids.

I don’t hang out with any kids.

I don’t really care about kids.

F your kids.

I’m a busy guy. Games starting later at night mean I can actually watch them. They fit my schedule perfectly. So I applaud the NBA for their schedule of games starting at 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central.


Though switching to the 2-3-2 home/away format just for the finals always was dumb and always will be dumb, so it’s still dumb.