Well, Shit: The Spurs Fail to Capitalize With Five Seconds Remaining in Game 6

I don’t want to write a big ass, verbose depiction of last night’s game. I couldn’t care less about delving into the nitty gritty. Leave that to Marc Stein, Stephen A. Smith and ESPN.com’s other proverbial asswipes.

Five seconds remaining in regulation during last night’s game, with the Spurs up by 3, and all they had to do was rebound the ball.

Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker all missed a free throw each. The Finals should be over. The Spurs should be five time NBA champions already. A game seven should not be on the horizon, or moving closer, in any way.

Apologies for being so damn cavalier about this, but I’m so passionate when it comes to either the Boston Celtics or the San Antonio Spurs. I’ve tried desperately hard not to get emotionally involved in the Finals, but it’s pretty damn tough when players you’ve always been a fan of like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are playing lights out (well, Gino in game five and hardly last night). Especially Duncan, probably my second favorite all-time player. It was almost like the Timmy D of old, in his prime, came out to play.

The Spurs should have wrapped that shit up! But they let the game slip through their collective grasp.

Ray Allen hit a three at the end of regulation to send it to overtime, where the Heat escaped. Oh, damn it, Allen, where in the hell where you for The Pride and Glory of The Boston Celtics back in the 2010 NBA Finals, y’know, the game 7, the one where The Pride and Glory of The Boston Celtics were up by what, on the Lakers? 17-18 points? And blew it? June 17, 2010. I’ll never, ever forget that night. Then again, I never forget anything. That still stings today, and it’s like that game captured what the entire year of 2010 was all about: ultimate disappointment.

And on an irrelevant note, these talks between the Clippers and Celtics are driving me nuts. Apparently they are over, but who knows? I wasn’t too thrilled about the prospect of the Celtics acquiring DeAndre Jordan. Sure, the guy’s been on a couple of SportsCenter highlights, but his underwhelming unawareness on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball/glass isn’t appealing for me to want to see in Celtic green. I know the lack of a young, quick big man is a need for the Celtics at the moment, but don’t grab the first dude you see. That’s like hopping into a relationship with a dirty, lying, cheating, childish, below-average slut when you could be out and about with better, hotter, higher quality women, y’know?

The Spurs Didn’t ‘Steal’ Game 1 — They Took it

The average basketball fan loves uptempo basketball. Fastbreak 24/7. Seven seconds or less offenses. That style of play is real cute. The Los Angeles Clippers have gave us a great showing for back to back seasons with their Chris Paul-to-Blake Griffin show. That’s all fine and dandy until the playoffs draw near.

Then defense is played, and you know how championships are won?

A half-court, high IQ, “let’s regulate the tempo and maximize our possessions by utilizing the shot clock” offenses.

Sure, the showtime Lakers of the 1980s won championships with such an offense (I touched on this six years ago when writing about the notorious Spurs/Suns playoff series from the 2007 Western Conference semi-finals), but they mindfucked teams on defense, were deep and had length. Not to mention they were tough, which you can’t say the same about the uptempo teams of today. Then again, you could actually play defense and breathe on your opponents back in the ’80s, but I digress.

The Spurs won game one of the 2013 NBA Finals last night, and they took it in the fourth quarter as the Heat slowed down and LeBron had to become the one man wrecking crew, except — despite his triple double — he didn’t do any wrecking, as Dwyane Wade was shut down (bad knees or not) by Manu Ginobili and the big Rafer Alston AKA Chris Bosh was dared to shoot wide open 3s which failed to follow through.

What about Ray Allen and Mike Miller in the fourth quarter? Eh…

In order to win game two, LeBron James needs to be more aggressive in the fourth quarter. Last night, in the quarter he attempted only four shots while the Spurs’ Tony Parker attempted eight and hit that crazy leaner with only milliseconds left on the shot clock.

Yes, you can argue that Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan were playing well by easing into the paint whenever LeBron dared to draw near, but it’s time for LeBron to go into “Fuck it, fuck you, fuck everyone” mode. There’s no time for pussyfooting, lollygagging or assdragging. It’s the NBA Finals.

Bosh needs to stop being so trigger happy from 3-point land. It’s time to have an eclectic offensive repertoire. He’s more one-dimensional and unchangeable than Will Ferrell’s comedy act. When Bosh was in Toronto, he averaged 22 and 10. Curtail the passive-aggressive pussyplay. Engineer some aggressiveness.

Against the Spurs, since they are so efficient and run at a high IQ level of play, it is imperative that the Heat maximize their own possessions and get the most out of Wade, Bosh, Allen and Miller. There is simply no excuse for these guys not to be executing for the entire game. Fatigued or not, this is basketball and this is the NBA Finals.

But there’s no time for overreaction. The last two Finals featured game ones won by teams that eventually lost the Finals. The Heat lost game one of their series to the Bulls and almost lost game one of their series with the Pacers. But this is the Spurs, and it is — again — of the highest priority to lock in. The end result was only a 4-point difference. This series is looking like it’s gonna be a war.

It’s That Time of Year Again: Spurs vs. Heat

It’s well documented with any of you that have read this blog for the past 6+ years that I’m a big time Spurs apologist, as they are undoubtedly a ‘team of mine’,  and I guess I’m one of the few people out there that absolutely loved the 2005 NBA Finals. Not to mention I harbor amazing memories of the 2003 Finals, since that was the last one I watched with my father, and it ended on June 15, 2003 which was Father’s Day that year. He was also a huge Celtics fan, but just like yours truly, we always enjoyed watching the play of Tim Duncan. Outside of Michael Jordan, Duncan is my all-time favorite basketball player. “The Big Fundamental” absolutely applies. He did everything right. No bullshit, no troubling gripes with other players — just a clean player that led by example and didn’t give a damn about opposing fans booing him since he has always been a professional, stoic individual on the court (while still professional off the court, a lighter joking side to add to his persona).

Since fans never had anything to detract from Duncan’s game, people over the years liked to label the Spurs as ‘boring’, with Duncan being the face of the label. I always figured it was a cop-out to find a way to bring him down a peg. Nonetheless, one of my favorite basketball memories was the way he led the Spurs to game 7′s victory over the Pistons in ’05. His kick-out to Bruce Bowen, the kick-out to Manu Ginobili (both for 3s) and his clutch shots + calm amazed me. Ginobili’s play during that season and especially during those Finals earned him the nickname ‘Obi Wan Ginobili’, and then Tony Parker’s ‘come-out party’ in the 2007 Finals gets him a big thumbs up, too.

Enough of the nuthugging, however.

Heat in 6 (if the champion-prowess Heat that showed up in game 7 vs. the Pacers surfaces).

I can only imagine the Spurs winning this series if:

1.) Tony Parker utilizes the pick-and-rolls like the way he and the Spurs have been. It’s going to be interesting, because the Spurs are arguably the best pick-and-roll team in the NBA with the Heat having possibly the best pick-and-roll defense in the NBA. Parker is an animal at coming off the screen and hitting a pull-up jumper or hitting Duncan or Splitter with the bounce pass for a possible high percentage basket. I’m excited for this matchup.

2.) Spread the ball around! Around-the-world style passing… the only way to really dominate the Heat’s defense aside from taking advantage of the inside. Get them discombobulated.

3.) Shut the roleplayers down… let LeBron get his 30+. This will hinge on Wade and/or Bosh to step up or Haslem to knock down those mid-range baseline jump shots.

But despite my affinity for the Spurs and scepticism of the Heat, I’m still picking Miami in 5 or 6.

Last year, the Thunder came in with heavy hype and the Heat put them away in five. We’ll see. The Spurs had an easy road for the most part. They faced the prehistoric Lakers, a YOUNG — YOUNG! — Warriors team, and destroyed Memphis with the pick-and-roll offense (although the Memphis series was a sweep, it was closer than the series indicated in individual games outside of game 1).

And that’s how the West was Won

MMA is more popular than it’s ever been (albeit you could argue it was even more popular a few years ago when Brock Lesnar was around). Why? A lot of ‘bad guys’.

People like to say they dislike ‘the bad guys’, the heels, those they state to have a disdain for, yet whenever the Celtics or Lakers are on TV, people watch. Whenever the Miami Heat (since 2010) are on TV, people watch. A lot of ‘bad guys’ for the general public and the overemotional people that ignore logic to ‘root against’. That’s the way it is. More ‘good guys’ getting along, less folks tuning in. No drama, no action, nobody to root against for a central reason. Enter the ‘bad guys’.

The San Antonio Spurs are going back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. Y’know, that year feels like yesterday to me. To refer to that time as “six years ago” feels preposterous. The Spurs are rocking a similar lineup since then, or at least they have the same core players they did back then, which seems absurd in today’s day and age: Tim Duncan (37-years-old; greatest power forward of all-time — see the aged TSTOS banner), Tony Parker (31-years-old) and Manu Ginobili (almost 36-years-old). Imagine the old St. Louis Rams from the Greatest Show on Turf still balling seven years after their heyday.

The Spurs are efficient and fundamentally sound. Bad guys? Not quite. In fact, their collective reputation used to be ‘boring’. They didn’t (don’t) do anything flashy. No ridiculous alley oops, behind the back/across the court passes. Just Tim Duncan bankshots, Ginobili 3-pointers off screens and Tony Parker pick-and-pops. Despite the 2005 NBA Finals being one hell of a series between the Spurs and Detroit Pistons, nobody besides basketball purists such as yours truly and Spurs/Pistons fans regard that Finals as a great one despite its legendary theatrics.

The Miami Heat are going to finish off the Pacers, and they’ll meet the Spurs in the Finals in about nine days. Enter ‘bad guys’.

LeBron James used to be the ‘good guy’, remember? June 2007, anyone? Y’know, ‘yesterday’ (what it feels like, to me). He led a horrid, piss poor, bereft-of-being-worth-a-shit Cleveland Cavaliers team to the Finals that year. The second best player on that team was a toss-up between Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden or Daniel Gibson. If you are a LeBron James detractor, slap the shit out of yourself right now, because at the age of 22-years-old he took that Cavs team to the promiseland. In the Finals, the veteran-savvy Spurs team swept the Cavaliers despite James’ best effort against Bruce Bowen (now retired and excessively rocking bowties on ESPN).

I’m sure, secretly, after that Finals LeBron thought, “Man, I wish I had a team worth a shit. Look at Parker, Ginobili and Duncan, a big three. I want that shit!” He got that shit in Miami three years later when he took his talents to South Beach in July 2010. Yep, three years, and people are still bitching about the way he did it. That’s why he’s the ‘bad guy’.

A lot of people said they were going to not watch the NBA playoffs this year ’cause they knew the Heat would ‘dominate’. Lies! Lies, damn it! Back in the ’80s, I’m sure people emitted the same dreck about Magic’s Lakers and Larry’s Celtics being in the Finals year after year. Still watched. Back in the ’90s, I’m sure people said the same about Jordan’s Bulls. Guess what, fuckers? You still watched. And you are watching now.

Everyone’s rootin’ for the ‘bad guys’ to go down.

LeBron was a hyperactive, never-won-a-damn-thing, sideline-theatrical 22-year-old kid in 2007. Now, he’s a 28-year-old grown man, mature, a veteran, played in two more Finals since then, won one, has won four most valuable player awards, and oh, why don’t I mention that he’s the best player in the world and on an echelon of his own. Take a step back, sit down, relax and enjoy watching greatness unfold in front of your eyes. Rid yourself of the anger of watching LeBron James take control of the league. This goes for my fellow Celtics fans, too, who are still seething with rage over LeBron dominating our boys.

The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzles. And that’s how the West was won.

But to win the NBA Finals? Different team, different story, and the journey won’t be as easy.

You Just Never Know

One of the 1999 Greatest Show on Turf’s best assets was having the option of spreading the ball around to some really talented players. (Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Marshall Faulk, Az-Zahir Hakim  Ricky Proehl, Ernie Conwell, Robert Holcomb, Amp Lee and so on) When opposing defenses tried to nullify one guy, Kurt Warner simply went to someone else. For a while, opposing defenses really were forced to pick their poison trying to defend the St. Louis Rams. It appears Jeff Fisher may have taken notes judging from this year’s draft harvest.

Sam Bradford is an extremely intense competitor. Those of you (Rams fans) who have attended games at the Edward Jones Dome and stood along the ‘gauntlet’ as the players entered prior to games have no doubt seen that look of intensity on his face when entering. Additionally he’s a quick study. How frustrating must the last few years have been for him? If you think back and realize how much better the Rams were just when Danny Amendola was healthy and on the field, it is remarkable. Amendola and Steven Jackson were the backbone of the Rams’ offense. Sure, there were other occasional contributors, but the only guy that scared anyone was maybe Chris Givens. Not a lot of options for Bradford.

Fast forward to this year, same offensive scheme (for the first time in his pro career), and some honest to God talent to utilize around him — I’d guess Sam’s pretty excited about now.

Recently Jerry Jones made the news as he does often, by saying he desires more input from Tony Romo regarding offensive game planning and installing/calling plays. Way to go Jerry! At least you’re consistent in undermining your head coaches.

The Rams appear to be embracing a similar role for Sam. However, this is coming from the coaching staff, not the owner/general manager. Bradford will be encouraged to take over the offense now that he’s had some experience. Couple that with a large infusion of talented new skill players on offense, and this team may make a mega-leap in scoring. It is certainly not impossible.

No huddle, spread, pro-style, hybrid, all that good stuff should be forthcoming this year. Sammy will have increased freedom to mix and match as the season unfolds. I hope and pray Jake Long will be healthy in time for the regular season along with Roger Saffold. The Rams could really surprise people this year. No – I’m not making predictions, but last year I wasn’t expecting the Rams to do as well as they did. They just didn’t have the horsepower on offense – not even on paper. This year 10 wins doesn’t sound completely out of the question (keep in mind the Rams barely missed SWEEPING the vaunted NFC West last year).

I’m not saying the Rams are going to win 10 games. Rather, if they did win ten, I wouldn’t be totally shocked. Ten wins would have sounded preposterous to me at the outset of last year. Ten wins would have sounded outrageously optimistic to me back at the beginning of the 1999 season too. The 2013 roster is at least the best the Rams looked on paper in a while. So? Y’know, you just never know.

500 Posts on TSTOS After 6 Years

I quietly hit the 500 post milestone on TSTOS a few posts ago.

I can’t believe it. I started this blog in March 2007 during the midst of the Boston Celtics’ god awful 2006-2007 campaign, their worst season of all-time. I originally wanted to rant about the idea of the Celtics tanking the season, which was a possible action talked by many sports ‘heads’ online in order to possibly draw the first pick via the draft lottery for the ’07 Draft. On Celtics communities, people were constantly debating over whether the Celtics should draft Kevin Durant or Greg Oden if they got the first pick. Hell, back then, so many people were comparing Greg Oden to Bill Russell and how he could lead the Celtics back to the promiseland!

It’s crazier than hell considering what transpired over the summer of 2007. My first post was back in the aforementioned March of ’07, and I mentioned that one of my wishes and hopes for the future would be that the Celtics would win an NBA championship very soon. Hello, 2008.

2007 feels like yesterday. There’s no doubt about it. I can’t believe it’s been over six years ago since I started this thing. It wasn’t my first foray into blogging — I originally started one in the summer of 2005 that was completely about the St. Louis Rams. It didn’t last long because I lost interest.

Back then I wanted to become a sportswriter. That was before I realized that I disdained the profession with absolute disgust. Sportswriters are bitter bastards. Constantly acerbic to everyone, frequently frowning and they age quicker than other people. Fuck that. I love writing, but I hate proofreading. After I’ve written something, I can’t stand going back and editing grammar/punctuation mistakes. When you read TSTOS posts, you will find a horde of ‘em. I’ll go back and edit sometimes, if a glaring error inevitably catches my eyes, but usually I lack the necessary damns to give. This has probably hurt readership over the years, because who wants to read a post written by a guy that doesn’t give enough of a who-diddley damn to rectify his mistakes? I know I don’t.

While WordPress has changed so much since 2007 (in ways, for the better; others, not so much), TSTOS has remained largely the same. The banner above? Somebody made it back in 2007. Of the three players, Tim Duncan is the only one still representing the same jersey as the one in the banner. Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2011 and Steven Jackson signed with the Atlanta Falcons in March. Yes, I need to find someone that will make a new banner of the same badass quality, but that will come at a later time.

The most productive years (stats/comments) were 2007 and 2008. No surprise. I wrote the most those two years. I extensively wrote about the St. Louis Rams, covered the 2007 NBA Finals and delved balls deep into the 2008 NBA Finals as well, which is when I did my last live blog (do people do those anymore?). Those two years were a part of the sports blog boom, especially 2007. If you young bucks weren’t old enough to rock a sports blog in 2007, you missed out. That was the year when sports blogs were everywhere. Everyone was trying to get their writing out there. The best part about it was that all the sports blogs around from that time period supported each other via blogrolls. Sure, sports blogs are still around, but they aren’t as prevalent as they used to be, sadly enough.

Since ’08, I’ve taken several hiatuses away from TSTOS. I thought I’d written my last post here in June 2009, but I returned in late January 2010 to add my commentary regarding the Super Bowl that year between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts.

The hiatuses will happen again, rest assured, and I doubt I’ll ever regain my old 2007-2008 form given how I lack the amount of time these days, but regardless, the show must go on. TSTOS must go on. I will never delete this blog, no matter what.

Thanks to everyone that has supported and commented on TSTOS throughout the last 6+ years. Time has been fun. It’s been real.

Pacers Slap the Knicks Around — Melo Continues Jackin’ Shots Up

The Indiana Pacers can do to the New York Knickerbockers what the Celtics could not: play physical for 48 minutes and run (and then run some more).

The Pacers just beat the Knicks in Madison Square Garden 102-95 to go up 1-0 in their Eastern Conference semi-final playoff series.

Y’know, the Pacers’ David West is a lot like the vitamin K2. It’s different from K1. K1 deals with the clotting of blood — K2 is made up of menaquinones that deal with working in synergy with vitamin A and vitamin D3 in helping shift calcium into the bones and teeth instead of calcium deposits building up as plaque where they shouldn’t (the heart and joints). K2 is unheralded unless you’ve been online and did your own research on the vitamin.

The Pacers, as a team, are like the above vitamins.

The Memphis Grizzles are noted for their grit and toughness, but what about the Pacers? The Pacers play with hardened physicality, too, and they don’t have a superstar. Like the vitamins above, they work synergistically to get the job done. They don’t have a prima donna small forward on their team that everyone excuses as a “volume scorer” (here’s looking at you, Carmelo Anthony) in order to placate the said prima donna’s wounded ego.

The Pacers aren’t coming out of the Eastern Conference (everyone without bias knows the Miami Heat are going to), but they’ll beat the Knickerbockers. Especially if ol’ Carmelo Anthony continues playing basketball for ‘em. Another miserable performance for Anthony — 10 of 28. There are a plethora of other potential scorers on the team, but hey, nobody — including Mike Woodson — has the balls to reprimand Anthony or chastise him for being a selfish shot jacker.

“But Troy! Carmelo had a double double! 11 rebounds! And you call him a selfish, one-dimensional shot jacker!”

Birds sometimes take shits on my car, too. Your point?

“But Troy! The Pacers only won by 7!”

The Pacers had a steady lead the entire game that never met any jeopardy. They dominated the Knickerbockers.

It was nice to watch!