Before I get to the usual thoughts on the Thursday night doubleheader…I absolutely have to deviate from hoops for a quick second. I definitely have a couple things to say.
- Unbelievable that the Arizona Wildcats knocked off the #2 Oregon Ducks in football tonight. So unfortunate that Dennis Dixon misplanted on his bad knee. I mean normally that’s something you can shake off, but when you bend an already hurt knee in a way it’s not supposed to be bent it’s ugly. The rest was just difficult to watch. Growing up in Oregon I never really got all the Duck out of me when I came to the Desert so I found myself pulling for them once they beat the Sun Devils. So of course they lose to Arizona. Sheesh.
- This Barry Bonds thing…so unnecessary it’s not even funny. Just leave him alone. The court of public opinion has just decimated this man time after time, is it really necessary to go after him 4 YEARS LATER? I mean honestly. I was happy that everything was going to be done with after he got the record. I thought the only debate was going to be an asterisk. The Giants cut him and he would fade to black. But no. He’s indicted four years later. That’s ridiculous. Until they go after McGuire I won’t stand for this. Until you can bust out a positive test or prove that he did it, you definitely can’t go this far.
Onto the games. San Antonio/Dallas was an unexpected dud but I could tell from the first few minutes that the Spurs were sleepwalking. They’ve decimated everyone else but have almost sleptwalk through their two losses. Road losses to Houston and Dallas. I would have to say the main reason why I refuse to crown the Spurs again is because of the lack of motivation factor. The teams behind them are just hungrier, they want it more. San Antonio outscored them through the last three quarters but that first quarter killed them. Hard to say much about both these teams because they both are really good and will be there when it counts. Good to see Dallas using young guys like Bass and Ager.
Phoenix made Chicago play their pace and Chicago just couldn’t keep pace. Pretty much the story of everyone they play but San Antonio. If I’m Phoenix I like that Grant Hill has stopped forcing up the open threes. Yes they were open and yes they were good shots but we all know he isn’t a shooter. Now he’s driving, getting to the basket, hitting his midrange jumper. Reminding the youngsters that he’s not a bum (no one remembers 95 when he was scary good). The good news for Chicago: they scored. The bad news: they lost again. Doug Collins put it best in his commentary tonight when he said something along the lines of Chicago being in big trouble because of them not winning the opening games they were supposed to win. No way they should have only won one of their four home games and now this road trip is going to put them even deeper. Chicago still has no post play and no one getting to the line which means unless they get stops they aren’t getting easy buckets.
Interesting games on tap tomorrow: Blazers look to rebound at Philly, Carlos Boozer returns to Cleveland and has to be glad their arena is no longer named after the blind man he once betrayed. Houston travels to San Antonio. Interesting to see how the Spurs bounce back from a loss and how the Rockets move on (potentially) without T-Mac. Also the Pistons are at the Lakers which might actually be an interesting matchup again.