Cleveland

That First L

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The season has officially started now that the last undefeated team has finally taken an L.

The Dubs (or the W’s) did something that the world has never seen, and in the process, managed to make every game during the winning streak the “Good Ass Game of the Week”.

Next week’s post will be all about power rankings, but for now, I think the Dubs deserve their own shine.

It’ll be so much easier to put this streak into perspective when the season is over. With so much stimuli flying around, it is easy to take this streak for granted, but keep in mind that the season started back on October 26th. Today is December 13th, that is how long it took for the Warriors to finally lose (and lose on the road at that).

People keep trying to compare this year’s Warriors to the 95-96 Bulls, but I don’t think that is fair. Being on the cusp of becoming an old man, I get the Jordan 90’s sentimentality. However, I remember how much the NBA sucked back then. There were only a handful of teams (at best ) that were worth watching.

95-96-bulls

Expansion had diluted the talent pool. There were a bunch of CBA dudes who had no business being in the league. The Sonics were Gucci, and the Suns were still fun, but Houston was always kind of meh. The Knicks were brutal to watch, and so were the Heat. The only teams that ran any kind of fun uptempo offense in the Eastern Conference were the Magic and the Bulls (the Pacers were efficient at best).

What the Warriors have been doing this year is beyond insane because the league is so much better. Jordan and the Bulls had a much easier path to 72 wins in that era. Throw the records out of the window, the West is still the best, but that being said, the East teams as a whole are better this season.

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Curry and company are making A-1 teams look like straight busters. That is how well they are playing. They aren’t even playing basketball at this point, its something much more abstract and creative. The mixture of joy and creativity they are playing with is unreal.

The chemistry they have on this team reminds me of  a legendary jazz combo (think Miles Davis/Clifford Brown). They make playing at their blistering and frenetic pace look so damn easy. Every Warriors game is a passing clinic that high school coaches should use as a tool to  educate their players (they are very conservative with their dribbles and use them efficiently).

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The way Curry moves around the court seems so effortless and fluid, he reminds me of watching Wayne Gretzky back in the day, or Lionel Messi in today’s era of futbol. The dubs have played this first quarter of the season like characters out of a graphic novel or movie.

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Though the Bucks will be given credit for snapping the Warriors’ streak, the writing was on the wall as early as Tuesday night.

In jazz, every combination of players results in a different sound, and basketball is no different. The Barnes injury was critical, but not completely debilitating. But once they lost Splash Bro. Klay Thompson, I knew it would be hard to survive the 7 game road trip unscathed.

You can blame the Golden State bench for blowing the 30 point lead in “naptown”, forcing Luke Walton to put the starters back in the game, but maybe Luke called the dogs off a few minutes too early.

You could tell the starting unit was a little out of sync by sitting too long–and then of course Klay got hurt. Even though they beat Indy, it still felt like a loss (a friend of mine said I was reaching, but its hard to replace a two way player like Klay). There is no way they need 2 OT’s to beat the Celtics if they had a healthy Klay.

But this streak has put everyone on notice. I never thought last year’s championship was a fluke, but seeing where Golden State is mentally, has made me rethink every preseason prediction I made concerning the playoffs. They are like the Wooden era UCLA Bruins (who of course Luke’s Dad played for) as they are playing invisible opponents.

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There is a level of play they aspire to every night, a level that is about their own standards– a philosophy that Coach Wooden espoused Ad Nauseam when he dominated the 60’s and early 70’s college ball.

Bill Russell wrote about how the game of basketball could become something different altogether, a rhythmic balletic dance between ten different people when everyone is in sync. Watching the Warriors during those magical 19-2 runs during 1-2 minute stretches is evocative of this aesthetic. acc099f6646e970e1619501a913a9

The Spurs are still a joy to watch. Watching them play reminds me of a Thelonious Monk quintet, clunky yet beautiful and soulful–on a really good day, evocative of a Duke Ellington standard. Yet the Warriors are ushering in a whole new ethos (think the post war Bebop era of jazz).

Let me put it this way, the Warriors have almost ruined me for watching other teams. I love NBA, but no one is playing like them right now. Obviously I’m putting in my work, but as I said before, it doesn’t even feel like work watching Golden State (OKC games are like watching a rock band with a fantastic front man and lead guitarist, but a mediocre rhythm section #tradeDionWaiters).

I can’t even take college ball seriously right now. Its like going from internet porn to watching Cinemax at your parents’ house on a Friday night. If you work hard enough, the ecstasy will come, but its a different process getting there.

This week’s Slate of Games:

 

Monday

Raptors-Pacers

Clippers-Detroit

Dallas-Phoenix

Miami-Atlanta

Mildly intriguing at best. I’ll probably have the Raptors-Pacers game on in the background while I enter in grades and fill out class reports.

 

“Tap That Vein Tuesday”

Cleveland-Boston 

Kelly Olynick and Kevin Love go to dinner and find that despite their differences, they actually are a lot alike. A beautiful friendship ensues that one day becomes a “30 for 30” documentary.

What if I told you that what can separate can also bring you together? What if I told you, that the line between hustling and hurting can’t always be determined by a ref? What if I told you that winning by any means necessary can cost you more than a championship?

ESPN’s 30 for 30 films brings you “Pales In Comparison.”

Scheduled to debut this Sunday after the 2033 ESPY awards. Tune in.

Houston-Sacramento 

Ugh. Sometimes its best not to………..

 

Wednesday

Dallas-Indy

This won’t be bad. I’d watch it if the Mavs weren’t blacked out in my market.

Memphis-Chicago

Ugly but will get the job done. In other words, “A 2 at ten, and a 10 at two.”

Minnesota-New York 

Probably the best game of the night.

Phoenix-Golden State

Portland- Oklahoma City

What is the over/under for the amount of doo-doo faces that Damien Lillard damian_lillard_caricature_by_ajjabosch-d7hfkwx

and Russell Westbrook make?

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I’m not sure which picture looks more cartoonish.

Thursday

Raptors-Hornets

None of my friends thought the “Me so Hornets meme” I proposed was a very clever one. Whatever. I enjoyed it. They can’t all be high brow jokes you know.

Oklahoma City- Cleveland

Can you say hangover Friday? My poor students………

Friday (AKA The Beginning of my Winter Vacation)

Sacramento-Minnesota

This gon’ be good.

Atlanta-Boston

Yeah I guess. I could be talked into it for a few minutes.

Golden State-Milwaukee

Bucks can go  ahead and circle this as an “L.” To quote my man Jay-Z “It’s about to go down”

Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio (Good Ass Game of the Week) 

Don’t be afraid to throw that elbow to a former teammate’s chest D. West. You know he would do it to you.

 

Saturday

Chicago-New York 

Finally got to watch Porzingis play the other night. He’ll be the King of New York in 5 years. Let the Zingsanity era begin.

Sunday

Sacramento-Toronto

I probably won’t be watching this live, but I bet the highlights will be nice though. #RondoforALLSTARTEAM 

Sorry Craig.

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Peace.

BM

 

#thisagoodassgame #fullsass

bobbymickey@gmail.com

@clickpicka79

 

Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish

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I’m still recovering from getting literally knocked into next week with a crippling sinus infection. I couldn’t even get out of bed yesterday. Luckily, I was able to pull it together enough to get some much needed work done, and bring you this post right before this week’s slate of games.

But before I do, I’d like to say good riddance to Kobe Bryant, who finally decided he’s gonna hang up the laces. As soon as he announced this was his last year,in a poem (much like his airness of course), then all the talking heads tripped over themselves trying to get in line to suck the off the “Black Mamba.”

Somehow people forget that Kobe gave himself a nickname that stuck (the only other time I remember a case like this is the episode of Seinfeld where George calls himself “T-Bone”), that Kobe was one of the worst sports of all time–petulant even (This is a guy who ran a forearm to Mike Bibby’s face and bloodied his nose to get to the basketball–and Bibby got called for the foul).

This new narrative also forgets how Kobe threw all kinds of static towards Shaq’s way when #8 Kobe got himself into some trouble for some extra curricular affairs in Colorado.  Kobe ran off Shaq from the Lakers because he wanted to be the “Top Dog”, and then cried like a little bitch when he was surrounded with sub-par talent.

All the shenanigans you see with Russell Westbrook today was groundwork laid by a young Kobe then. I can’t tell you how many times I saw Kobe get fouled, then push away an opponent’s hand when they tried to help him up after the foul.

This is the same dude who said he wanted to win, but wasn’t willing to sacrifice his money, his points, or his “status as top dog” in order to do so. He talked major shit about the majority of his teammates, and sure he could pass, but only when it was convenient for him (People forget about that series against the Suns where he ALLEGEDLY just let his team get behind big to prove a point).

Fuck Kobe Bryant’s 6 for 24, Finals MVP having ass (when it should Pau Gasol–even though he should have been called for pushing Rondo in the back during a critical rebound in game 7–Falcon Mike knows I’m right).

Now. All that being said, I can now say that the dude was a bad man, and definitely one of the baddest motherfuckers to ever pick up a basketball. Homie was like a jazz guitarist on the basketball court, a “me first” primadonna; but he also made the behind the scenes bullshit stop once the performance started.

I have always had mixed feelings towards Mr. Bryant. I was beginning my  senior year in high school when he declared for the draft, and it fascinated me that someone roughly my age was about to get PAID. It was easy to keep tabs on him after that. I told my little brother that game 4 of the 2000 Finals was his coming out party, and sure enough he proved me right. # 8 Kobe was one of the sickest mothafuckas I’d ever seen play the game, and he deserves all the accolades (and yes there were many versions of Kobe).

The man is a 17 time All-Star, 12 time All Defender, 15 Time All NBA-er, two time Olympian, 5 time NBA Champion, snazzy dresser, multi-lingual, player who left everything on the court. As an old man, I respect him still going out there and getting his head beat in for the love of the game (shit I do it for free), but the part of me who wants to watch good product just wants him to quit already.

Big ups to Kobe, for his long and brilliant career, but can’t send him out the door as if the guy was a sterling example of the kind of ballplayer I’d want my (fictional) child to be like. Big salute to the second best shooting guard to ever play the game, just as long as the salute is a middle finger. And for the record, I still have not seen the 81 point game.

This week’s Slate:

 

Monday

 

Detroit-Charlotte 

Two teams in the east that have been loads more entertaining this season as opposed to last. Big ups to Reggie “I don’t like OKC fans anymore” Jackson for getting Eastern Conference Player of the Week. One day two junior high school kids will be in a gymnasium shooting baskets, and one of them will say “Did you know that Reggie Jackson used to be Russell Westbrook’s backup on the Oklahoma City Thunder?”

Then the other kid will say, “There was a team in Oklahoma City?”  I’m kind of kidding. That would be the second biggest tragedy to ever hit that city.

Bulls-Suns

Two really fun backcourts.

Dallas-New York

Dirk vs. The Zinger.

Portland-Milwaukee

Tap. That. Vein. I’ll be watching the condensed version of this tomorrow during my plan period probably.

 

 

Tuesday

 

Hickory High vs. Warriors (Good Ass Game of the Week)

If you saw last week’s Hornets-Warriors affair, then you were in for a treat. Sometimes the “Good Ass Game of the Week” isn’t always a buzzer beater. Sometimes it means a player just goes crazy in a quarter and his shot montage burns itself into your retinas. I missed the Cleveland-New Orleans game on Friday when Lebron got 24 in the 4th, but I’m okay with that. You know why? Because I got to see Steph Curry pour on 40 in 3 quarters of play, while only missing 4 shots. By the way, it was Dell Curry night in Charlotte, and Cam Newton (this year’s NFL MVP) was in attendance.

If the Warriors are going to lose on this road trip, this is the prime place for them to get plucked.

OKC-MEMPHIS

Never a dull moment with these two teams.

 

Utah-Sacramento

Did you ever as a high school upperclassmen, sort of pick a fight between two freshman? and then when it was over, leave with a little respect for both participants, like “Yeah you little busters got some heart. Respect.”?  Ummm. Me either.

But that’s how I feel about this particular game.

 

 

Wednesday

 

Spurs-Raptors

Even without Kawhi it’ll be a good ass game.

Atliens-Mavericks 

Sure. Why not?

 

 

Thursday

 

New York-Sacramento

People may not admit this, but Willie Cauley-Stein really adds some length on defense. I don’t think it is an accident that they having been giving up even more points since he broke his finger.

 

 

Friday

 

Golden State-Boston

My homie says this is when the Golden Shower stops.

Milwaukee-Orlando

The last time someone tried to do magic on a dead animal this happened.

 

 

Saturday

 

San Antonio- Atlanta

This time I promise it will be competitive.

Golden State vs. Milwaukee

When I say this is going to be the longest game in recent memory, I don’t mean the duration. Both squads have very long wings and very tall backcourts. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucks took the Warriors to the precipice of losing.

 

Sunday

 

Minnesota-Phoenix

Tap That Vein if you must. But be aware that there is a world out there waiting for you to show it your beautiful face.

 

Big Ups of the Week:

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Goes out to Luke Walton for winning NBA Coach of the Month after going 0-0 in Steve Kerr’s absence. This son of NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton (whose enthusiasm for basketball inevitably rubbed off on me–read his autobiography–it ain’t bad.) went to U of Arizona and played for Lute Olson (like the coach he is subbing for), then got to the NBA and played for Phil (much like the coach he’s subbing for).

The dude also has a pretty good tie game. He has yet to wear a bad suit on the sideline this season. Gotta give it up to the guy, plus he was one of my favorite passing big men to play the college game. I’ve got nothing but respect for the guy (even though I would have tried to talk him out of this photo shoot–but hey who didn’t do regrettable things when they were 22?).

 

May the “good ass game alert” texts never stop coming this week.

 

Peace.

 

BM

#thisagoodassgame #fullsass

@clickpicka79

bobbymickey@gmail.com

 

RUN OKC: A Memoriam For The 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder

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Russell+Westbrook+James+Harden+Oklahoma+City+m1hKjTuf3lwl

Watching the 2012 playoffs made me feel like I was witnessing the ascension of one franchise and their franchise player. I’d been keeping tabs on Kevin Durant since the year his Freshman year at UT and my time in Austin coincided. There was nothing that could convince me he wasn’t going to be a star in the NBA. By his third year, I’d concluded that not only was he my favorite NBA player, but my favorite NBA player of all time.

His first year in Oklahoma City was a rough one, the team lost often, but you could see the progress. Tickets were still cheap then, and there were still people in the city that had no idea there was a permanent NBA team.

When Pau Gasol’s put back bucket ended the 2010 season, there was no denying that the team and the city had embraced each other. 2011 brought more expectations, and the team did not disappoint. RUN OKC was born.

Even though the Dallas Mavericks dismantled the Thunder during key 4th quarter stretches in the Western Conference Finals, there was reason to be optimistic for the OKC boys. 2012 did not disappoint, and despite the beat down that was handed to the Thunder, it was still fun to watch what I thought was only the beginning of a budding dynasty in the west.

Little did we know that James Harden would force his way out of town by grabbing 80 Million to ball for Houston, and the following three seasons would be compromised by injuries to key players. But things were still innocent in 2012. It was one thing to hope for a trip to the NBA Finals. It was another thing altogether to watch it happen.

Once a team gets that close to winning it all, nothing is the same. Expectations change because the ceiling has been raised. Its like the first time you drink organic milk out of a glass bottle, or smoke really good weed after only trying Mexican dirt swag.

I feel like this year’s roster is on paper the most balanced squad that Sam Presti has ever assembled, but the 2012 was special to me for sentimental reasons. Three of my favorite college players of all time were on the same team in Royal Ivey (one of the nicest Longhorns on campus when he played there), Kevin Durant, and Nick Collison, and I’d seen Kendrick Perkins in his “Baby Shaq” days at Beaumont Ozen High School. James Harden wasn’t annoying yet, and Russell Westbrook was just coming into his own. They were a fun to team to watch.

The Starters on that team were:

C Kendrick Perkins

PF Serge Ibaka

SF Kevin Durant

SG Thabo Sefelosha

PG Russell Westbrook

The Key reserves:

SG James Harden

PG Eric Maynor

SG Daequan Cook

PG Derek Fisher

PF Nick Collison

Head Coach : Scotty Brooks

Regular Season Record: 47-19 Northwest Division Champions

After posting 47 wins in a lockout shortened regular season, expectations were tempered, but hopeful, that somehow the Thunder would at least make the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs were steamrolling opponents in the first 2 rounds of play, and it seemed inevitable that Oklahoma City was only cannon fodder for San Antonio on the way to their next championship parade (isn’t it crazy that there were almost 3 Spurs-Heat Finals Series?).

Kevin Durant and company had other plans however. Game 1 of the first round series foretold that the Thunder’s playoff run would be the revenge plot out of a basketball movie.

Mavericks got swept and the ghosts from the previous Western Conference Finals were exorcised.

Round 2 gave RUN OKC a chance to enact revenge against the soon to be LOL Lakers and Metta World Peace. Their recent run-ins had become testy at best, as the upstart Thunder had been giving the Lakers fits during the last couple of years. It was the young pups vs. the old dogs, and the biting had become less playful.

The Thunder were clearly faster, stronger, and better. The Lakers were just coasting on a dubious championship run (Denver and Orlando were talented enough to knock them out but they nutted up–and the refs had conveniently swallowed their whistles in the Lakers favor during a crucial stretch in game 7 of the 2010 Finals).

It was basketball justice to watch the LOL’s get that ass whupped–much like seeing a bully finally get what they deserve.

Round 3 against the Spurs was some of the best and worst basketball I’d seen during a WCF. There were stretches of incredible basketball, and there were times when I wanted to throw a shoe at the television.

Game 1 was probably the best game of that entire series from a pure basketball standpoint. There were so many OMFG plays that I went back and downloaded the game for whenever I needed to scratch that itch for “Hoops Porn”

The Spurs won that game and the next one, and with a 2-0 lead, the question wasn’t whether the Spurs were going to win it all, but were they even going to lose on their way to a title. The Spurs were 10-0 during the playoffs at that point, and had won 20 straight games going back to the regular season.

But RUN OKC had something to say about that and won 4 straight games, leaving San Antonio befuddled and confused, something I rarely saw from a Gregg Popovich coached team.

I was there when the Thunder clinched the West in game 6, and that was the loudest venue I’d ever been in at that point (Game 2 of the Finals’ volume would eclipse that night–and I hadn’t been to a Warriors game yet).

Game 4 of this series was the apex in my opinion, with KD scoring 36 in the game–18 of them in the final quarter. That shit was unreal to watch live.

This was the point where it was clear that my man was going to be a SUPER DUPER STAR, and everyone finally had to acknowledge it. It made for good cinema. Unfortunately in every good revenge movie, there is a foil, and the Thunder were about to face them.

THE MIAMI HEAT

Everyone remembers this:

and this.

Side Note: Is it just me, or does Lebron seem remarkably younger in this clips? He seems to have aged in the same ways that U.S. presidents age after a full 8 year term. I’m sure as great as those feelings were winning those chips, I can’t even imagine the stress he has faced in taking on that challenge.

I was very happy for Dallas Mavericks fans when they were able to deny the Miami “Lebrons” a title in their first year together. If you enjoy schadenfreude, then watching Jason Kidd whip the ball around to Dirk who whipped the ball to Jason Terry for open shots was enough to make a person giddy–or if you like watching grown men cry. The Heat losing that finals was their reward for doing everything the “wrong way”.

They were the perfect foil to the OKC Thunder and their (rightly or wrongly) choir boy personas.

As much as I wanted to see KD get that ring, they were just outmatched. Scotty Brooks was outcoached (not for the last time) and when Harden wasn’t on the court, it was a 2 on 5 offensive game, with way too much isolation play. This played right into the Heat’s hands who were smothering on defense.

Oklahoma City wasn’t ready for what the Heat had for them. Brooks had no adjustments for the series, and after game 2, it was clear that the moment was a little too big for OKC (especially Harden who had a terrible Finals).

Game 1 was a misleading blowout in the Thunder’s favor, and although Game 2 could have easily been won (terrible no call in the final seconds on a foul by Lebron), OKC had trouble achieving any sort of offensive flow. I was in the stands that night, and what should have been an enjoyable experience, only left me frustrated and hoarse from screaming so loudly.

3 games later, the series was over. The Thunder had their best chance to reverse their fortunes in game 4, but the person keeping them in the game, also contributed to the most devastating play in crunch time.

It was over just like that. Grown men were once again crying.
Others were basking in their redemption.

But everyone knew that this wasn’t the end. There was still another run for RUN OKC right? This only seemed like the part of the basketball movie where the team bonds during off-season workouts and then come back to face the villainous bad boys in a rematch and take the title from them.

But we know what happened next don’t we? No reason to go into all that again. There are countless columns by former ESPN employees that do this ad nauseum. I will say that I feel like I got robbed of my Hollywood ending–kinda like watching a movie for 2 hours at the theater and the projector craps out right before the climax.

It is hard to call a team that makes the NBA Finals losers. OKC got a taste of the good life. People started visiting Oklahoma City for reasons other than seeing the Bombing Memorial.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the most marketable players in the NBA (and let’s not forget that Harden is at least 280 million dollars richer since missing that crucial breakaway dunk in game 4 of that finals).

Yes, it is hard to call a team that has had such success for the past five years, losers, but each season preceding 2012 has been increasingly frustrating.

Unlike the 2013 Spurs who redeemed themselves after a heartbreaking Finals loss, with an even better roster that demolished the Heat (and destroying any need to write a requiem for that team),each season since 2012 has been increasingly frustrating for the Thunder.

Russ got hurt the very next season to a team that wouldn’t have made the playoffs if not for James Harden. Ibaka was hurt the year after that and they watched the Spurs advance. And of course KD broke his foot twice last year. Is this the “Curse of Daniel Plainview“–the Sonicsgate Curse?

Or is it just a series of increasingly bad decisions?

OKC should be odds on favorite to come out of west if they are healthy and all of this may be forgotten. The bottom could fall out just as easily though, if KD and Westbrook split for greener pastures. Then again, they could just as easily compete for championships for the next few years, while James Harden becomes the first player to play through being cursed two years in a row (the Khardashian curse is real).

Are we approaching an era where we see Oklahoma City-Cleveland series 3 years in a row (Golden State may have something to say about that)? I think this season will be the big fork in the road for Russ, Kevin Durant, and the Thunder franchise. If both KD and Russ end up leaving, people will point to this season as the fork in the road for everyone, but history might show that 2012 was the real turning point. We are only a week away from finding out.

BM
#Thisagoodassgame
@clickpicka79
bobbymickey@gmail.com

Game. Set. Rematch???

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First off, I’m going to say anyone who has anything negative to say about Lebron James after this series is a straight HATER. The dude is a true gladiator and gave his city everything he had. He should have been the MVP of the Finals. He outscored, outrebounded, and had more assists than anyone in every single game this series (the first player to EVER do that by the way). Seeing him walk off the floor after the end result evoked images like this one:

or this:

Watching Lebron put the whole state of Ohio on his back was fascinating. Cleveland would hang for 3 quarters and just run out of gas. It was still a good ass series despite all the injuries and no one on the Cavs team has anything to hang their heads about. They gave everything they had. I respect that.

But I’d be the Buster of the Week if I didn’t acknowledge the best team without any “superstars” on their roster.

People doubted whether Steph Curry’s ankles could hold him up for an entire NBA season. People doubted whether Draymond Green would be able to last in the league. No need to go into Shaun Livingston’s story about his horrific knee injury. Anyone who can’t be happy for that guy is straight up sippin on dat HATERADE.

There are so many people to be happy for with this win: Warriors fans are the best fans in basketball. The city of Oakland deserves some good things to finally happen to it. Steve Kerr is an easy person to root for, and anyone who likes watching pretty basketball certainly got their jollies from watching them all year. Kansas and North Carolina fans can revel in Harrison Barnes, James Michael McAdoo, and Brandon Rush getting chips. It was a good ass year for basketball. I cannot wait to run it back again next year.

Congratulations Warriors fans, you no longer have to gush about the “We Believe 2007” team anymore. The championship now resides in Oakland.

Notes From The Underground

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The Rockets win last night just delayed the inevitable. It just proved to me that they need an otherworldly performance EVERY night out of James Harden to even have a chance against the Warriors. This is the first round I’ve been able to sit and watch full games without interruptions.

A few thoughts:

  • Draymond Green reminds me of this song by Thelonious Monk, “Ugly Beauty”. His game ain’t pretty, but its effective. #numbersdon’tlie.
  • Lebron and Steph Curry are playing like comic book characters right now, and besides a few duds, so is Harden. #superheroball
  • Speaking of James Harden, when is he gonna cut that beard? All I think about it when I see his face, are the amount of germs he must be carrying in that thing. Does he vacuum the pollen out of that thing every night before he goes to bed? Seeing any body part with that much hair on it creates a lot of reservations in my mind. I wouldn’t put my face near anything that hairy. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Let’s be honest. There is no way the NBA Finals is not going to be Golden State vs. Cleveland. This means it is going to be a GOODASSFINALS in my opinion. Cleveland is motoring along, playing hard and physical, and I think they will provide a legitimate test for the Dubs. Everyone hates Delladova right now. He is the perfect villain–basically an Australian Patrick Beverly (but better shooter). He plays hard, and reckless, and he has hurt some people who happened to get in the way. I personally hope someone drops the hammer on him soon, but that is just me. Where is Dexter Pittman when you need him?

Cleveland has the best player in the world right now, but Golden State has the best team in the league. Tristan Thompson is nasty on the boards, and everyone on the Cavs is playing effectively in their roles. They are a very dangerous team, and if Golden State makes any mistakes, don’t come mentally prepared to play, or goof around even a little bit, Lebron will make them pay for it. Golden State should win this in six closely contested games, but don’t be surprised if Cleveland wins in 7.

See ya next Thursday

Peace out,

BM

bobbymickey@gmail.com

@clickpicka79

#thisagoodassgame

When Good Becomes Great

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Besides this Clippers-Spurs Series, and this classic playoff finish, this first round has been a dud. With so many things happening since my last post, one week has felt like three.

Scott Brooks got fired and replaced by Billy Donovan. This seems like incredibly poor timing to hire a rookie coach who has never even worked in the NBA level to take this playoff team to a championship in his first couple of years. I think Billy Donovan will do fine in the NBA, but I don’t see how he is the answer to what has been plaguing Team OKC. Maybe I’m wrong, I just feel that organization isn’t on the level with their players, or the fans.

The best Jayhawk to come out of the 90’s has lived up to his nickname, trolling the Raptors fans, and handling up on the court as well. A dude like Pierce in the locker room is exactly what the Wizards needed.

Big ups to maybe the best Jayhawk to come through Lawrence, for winning Rookie of the Year, Mr. Andrew Wiggins

Just a good week altogether for Kansas fans as it has also been reported that Chieck Diallo, the #7th ranked player in this year’s recruiting class. Bill Self also picked up the #21th ranked player in Carlton Bragg. I’m sure expectations will be high in the Land of Rock Chalk, but what else is new?

Good Ass Series of the Week

Game 7 Spurs-Clippers This is going to be intense. #HEROBALL

Memphis-Golden State

Tough break for Mike Conley and the Grizzlebies. They were really starting to gel. I think Warriors smoke em in 5 games.

Chicago-Cleveland

This series will remind you of the first love you ever experienced. Sometimes there were really beautiful moments, and sometimes things were just as ugly. But the most memorable part was how intense it all was. This will be a draining series, no matter who comes out ahead. Bulls in six. Side Note: Wouldn’t it be crazy if Cleveland somehow plays better without kevin Love pouting on the sidelines, and the Cavs went all the way to the Finals? That wouldn’t look good at all during contract negotiations would it?

Hawks-Wizards will remind you of that rebound person after breaking up with that first love.
There may be some things that are unappealing going into this series, but it’ll still be pretty damn fun if you don’t take it too seriously. I feel like this one takes a full 2 weeks to settle. Hawks in 7.

Houston-Los Angeles games would take 4 hours complete. Just pray that Spurs win. If you think watching West Coast games are bad now, just imagine if the longest free throw contest in history
begins next week. As the great Jalen Rose says, “NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT!!!!”

Peace.

BM
bobbyickey@gmail.com
#thisagoodassgame
@clickpicka79

Resting Up for the Playoffs

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From now until the 18th of April, every game will be a “tap that vein” game. Most of the playoff berths have been set, and now we are just waiting on the seedings to play out. I will be taking a vacation from the blog until the playoff seedings are set, then we can break down which series will be worth tuning into.

Western Conference Standings as of 4/6/15
1. Warriors

2. Rockets

3. Grizzlies

4. Blazers

5. Clippers

6. Spurs

7. Mavericks

8. Thunder

On the bubble: Pelicans, and Suns. Pelicans are only .5 games back of the 8th spot, while the Suns are barely hovering at .500.

Easter Conference Standings as of 4/6/15

1. Hawks

2. Cavs

3. Bulls

4. Raptors

5. Bullets errr Wizards

6. Bucks

7. Nets

8. Celtics

On the bubble:
Pacers, Heat, Hornets

the 6, 7, 8, seeds are all under .500…

There are 7 games left in the year. For the Bucks, Nets, Celtics, Heat, Hornets,and Pacers, every game will be a playoff game. The same goes for the Thunder and Pelicans. You want that playoff intensity, then watch any of the aforementioned teams. But like I said before, is it worth not being able to cancel date night in April because you wanted to see if the Celtics were going to squeeze into the 8th seed?

Well maybe it will be.

Good Ass Games for the rest of the season:

Monday

Duke vs. Wisconsin….Calipari’s no coaching ass got exposed again……people should start looking at 2012 as the aberration and not the norm. How many NBA prospects has he pushed out, and how many chips does he have? Exactly. Tonight’s championship game may be the “Good Ass Game of the Week”.

Tuesday
Golden State vs. new Orleans
San Antonio vs. OkC

Wed
Houston-san Antonio

Thursday
Portland-Golden State

Friday
Golden State-San Antonio

Saturday
Clippers-Grizzlebees

Sunday

Pelicans-Rockets

Monday-13th

OKC-Blazers
Clippers-Suns

Tuesday
N/A

Wednesday 15th

New Orleans-Spurs

Burnout

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The REAL season starts in 3 weeks,on April 18th. If there is something time-sensitive that needs to be done, do it before then. Once the playoffs start, game over. That coupled with the approaching end of the school semester willtake up every little bit of my time for the next two months.

I’ve watched very little NBA over the past two weeks, partially due to exhaustion, but also because life has intervened. I’m gonna pull a Popovich and monitor my minutes over the next 3 weeks so that I’m fresh for the playoffs.

Last night’s Notre Dame and Kentucky game was easily the best college game that I watched this year. To be a Good Ass Game, does not only mean a competitive. A Good Ass Game is one that is played at a high level. Notre dame-Kentucky was a Good Ass Mutha#$%in’ Game. When you consider what was at stake, (trip to Final Four/Kentucky’s win streak) the intensity alone, made it worth watching. That might be the closest Kentucky will come to losing this year.

The Final Four should be a good one. For all the missed jump shots, bad fundamentals, and ugly officiating, watching the NCAA is still slightly better than standing on the gym sidelines waiting for next in pickup games.

Good Ass Games of the Week

Today

Memphis-San Antonio

Never fails to live up to the hype. Grizz haven’t been looking too hot of late, but don’t sleep on them. Just like you wouldn’t underestimate a real Grizzly Bear–unless its that indie rock band…those guys are soft as Charmin tissue paper.

Oklahoma City- Phoenix

It is Russell Westbrook’s team now in OKC.

Monday

The “tap that vein” game of the week goes to Phoenix-Portland.

Tuesday

Clippers-Warriors on that late night tip. I’m into it.

Wednesday

Clippers-Phoenix Phoenix gets to play LAC on a back-to-back.

Dallas-Oklahoma City

What looked like a grab bag of various Western Conference finalists, looks now to be only 3 realistic teams, Warriors, Grizzlies, and the Spurs. I’m not buying the hype on Houston. Dallas doesn’t look all that good anymore. OKC and Portland get a mulligan due to crippling injuries to key players. I doubt I’ll even watch this game this week.

Thursday

Phoenix-Golden State
Houston-Dallas

Sigh. Just wake me up when the playoffs start. Now we are just watching games to see who gets seeded where. This last month is basically the conference tournaments without all the hype and pageantry.

Friday

Oklahoma City-Memphis

Get your Ya-Ya’s out while you still can. Build as much relationship equity as you can because you never know when a game 7 will fall on a date night. Don’t waste it on a meaningless game in April.

Saturday

Golden-State-Dallas
New Orleans-Phoenix

OR

The NCAA Final Four.

I myself will be watching the college boys, but hey its your life. Do what you want.

Tip-off for the Michigan State-Louisville has already happened. I’m gonna lie on my bed and fall asleep to dudes bricking jump shots.

Peace

BM

@clickpicka79
bobbymickey@gmail.com
#thisagoodassgame

Stretch Run

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We’re down to the endgame of the regular season. The teams in the bottom half of each conference are jockeying for position. If the playoffs were to start today, the first round would look like this:

Boston vs. Atlanta

Cleveland vs. Miami

Toronto vs. Milwaukee

Chicago vs. Washington

Portland vs. Los Angeles

Houston vs. San Antonio

Golden State vs. Oklahoma City

Memphis vs. Dallas

Charlotte, Indiana, and Brooklyn are fighting it out with Boston, Milwaukee, and Miami for those last three spots. A well timed winning/losing streak will certainly affect which team will get knocked out in the first round, and which team will be opening envelopes at this year’s Lottery telecast.

The Western Conference teams are scrapping for spots as well. Dallas seems to be trending downward, while Phoenix and New Orleans can’t seem to get out of their own way. I personally haven’t enjoyed watching the Mavericks as much during the second half of the season. Something is wrong, and I’m not astute enough to figure it out.

If they don’t get it together though they won’t have to worry about facing Memphis in the first round, it will be Oklahoma City or New Orleans in their place. Speaking of Memphis, I think the key to anyone’s sustained playoff run is to avoid the Grizzlies in the first round. They are the kind of team where even if they don’t beat you, they will beat you up enough to where the next round is that much tougher on teams’ bodies. I like the Spurs chances of a deep run if they can maintain a 6 seed or higher.

From what I have heard, last week’s Good Ass Game of the Week was the ATLiens vs. the Thunder. This is exactly why I MUST get NBA League Pass next year.

Monday: Night off for “National Puppy Day”

Tuesday: Golden State-Portland Lamenting the fact that I can no longer send “Wesley!!!!” texts to my Portland homies.

San Antonio-Dallas [note: already played. Dallas won 101-94]

As opposed to the Mavs who are trending downward, the Spurs seem to be gelling at the perfect time. It is no accident that their success has been tied to Kawhi being healthy. I hear they have all kinds of nicknames for him down in San Antonio. “Kingslayer” is one of them. The “Claw” is another one. I was thinking Dr. Kawhi would be ill (because you know with hands that big he should be a doctor—or a masseuse). If you wanted to get on that Inspector Gadget tip, he could be “Dr. Claw.”

Wednesday

Houston-New Orleans M-V-P M-V-P M-V-P!!!!

Oklahoma City-San Antonio The playoffs won’t feel the same without my favorite NBA player in it. It’ll be interesting to see what the Thunder do without Durant.I hope this isn’t a sneak peek of what is to come for the franchise.

Cavaliers-Grizzlies Probably the Good Ass Game of the Week.

Thursday

NCAA sweet sixteen. I know I bag on the NCAA games this year, but if you were to watch, this is the round to do so—especially Thursday night.

Wichita State-Notre Dame

Wisconsin-UNC

Arizona-Xavier

Kentucky-West Virginia

Friday

Dallas-San Antonio

Run it back.

Memphis-Golden State Can there be a Better Good Ass Game of the Week?

Portland-Phoenix

Saturday NCAA’s Elite Eight?

Sunday

Oklahoma City vs. Phoenix
Memphis vs. San Antonio

Starting to feel like the playoffs.

Big Ups Of the Week to the Wichita State Shockers for proving me right about them. I been saying for a minute that they had the best backcourt in the country. I also remember saying that they would have beaten KU last year (when both teams had even bigger star power), and that if Fred Van Fleet were running point for them last year they’d have won it all (they’d be final four if they had both Van Fleet and Ron Baker). Most Jayhawk fans were shocked about the outcome, but this guy was not.

Buster of the Week Award goes to my little brother for picking the Iowa State Cyclones to win it all in one of his brackets. Even though it would be sweet to see the Shockers turn the tables on the Kentucky Wildcats, I don’t see anyone ending this historic run for “Cadillac” Calipari.

See you next week.

BM
@clickpicka79
#thisagoodassgame

In Russ They Trust

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Well homie did it again, this time posting a 30,11, and 17 (dimes!!!!) stat line. Oh and by the way, he also got 4 steals and a block. “Hustle” Westbrook collected his 5th triple-double in 6 games, and pretty much cemented himself into “must trust Russ” status.

Remember last year when KD was going fed on the “Real MVP” campaign. This run by Westbrook parallels that shit. Westbrook is averaging 34.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 11.4 assists since the All-Star break. If you can’t enjoy this run for what it is, then maybe basketball ain’t the sport for you. Maybe you should find the closest private school, and start hanging with “Lax” bros.

Last week was a great week for Good Ass Games, possibly the best week of Good Ass Games thus far in the season. Some players really took it to another level. Some guys like Hassan Whiteside are doing it on the low key, while guys like Steph Curry continue to blow up the highlight reel.

We have 21 games left in the regular season, and it is a shame that we have to choose between seeing Anthony Davis, or KD and Russ in the playoffs. “Lil Brow Wow” had a nasty line in his return. Somehow his 39, 13, and eight blocks got overshadowed by everything else that happened the night he played.

Ideally this will be the time that all the teams get their best pieces back, and we see everyone healthy for the playoffs. If Oklahoma City somehow gets Durant healthy for the playoffs, they will be the scariest 8 seed in NBA history. They have been fighting for the playoff lives since December, and now they have as solid (or better) of a bench as they have ever had. Watch out……..

Good ASS GAMES OF THE WEEK

Monday

Golden State vs. Phoenix

This would have been a much better game two months ago, but I’m not sure how much worse the Suns are than with Dragic, and Isiah Thomas. Sometimes there is a such thing as having too many cooks in the kitchen. I still expect the Warriors to show out tomorrow night at home in the Oracle. Man I love the Bay area.

Memphis-Chicago

Two of the best frontcourts face off in this one. The Gasol brothers are going to go at it like it is driveway basketball. I’m into it.

Tuesday

San Antonio faces off against the Raptors in this “Tap that Vein Tuesday” showdown. Spurs are starting to get healthy again, and it has been easy to overlook them. Kawhi and his big paws are causing problems for teams as well.

But seriously, think about all the things a guy like Kawhi can do with hands that big. He could work in a hospital delivery room as a baby catcher. He could work for the police department and rescue cats out of trees. I’m sure he could be a hell of a bass player, if he wanted to be. If Kawhi were a super hero, his powers would be to enlargen his hands and smack fools in the face, like Dave Grohl in that Foo Fighters video
.

Wednesday

Houston vs. Portland

Someday people will say things like “Can you believe that Westbrook, Durant, and James Harden once all played on the same team/ How did they not win a championship together?” A damn shame about Wes Matthews’ Achilles heel tear. Tough break all around. Get well soon Wesley.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City

If boths teams were all full strenght, this night would get the ringing “Good Ass Game of The Week” endorsement. It will still be worth your time though. CP3 vs. Russ. MMMMMMPPPHHHHHHH!

Thursday

Cleveland vs. San Antonio

Cleveland has the offense to win some games out east, but their defense is not championship caliber. It is too bad their only formidable opponent is Atlanta–who by the way, worked the Cavs last Friday.

Friday

Do you really want to give up date night for Clippers-Mavericks or Atlanta-Phoenix? I’m honestly kind of feeling the Minnesota-Oklahoma City game. A WIGGINS!!!!!

Saturday

Just. Don’t.

Sunday

Clippers-Rockets

If you like flopping, then this will be the game for you. Otherwise peep the Bulls-Thunder which would have won the Good ASS Game of The Week, had Lebron and Harden not gone into overtime last Sunday.

Buster(s) of the Week:

I never liked the University of Oklahoma and my visits to Norman were always mixed at best. Now I understand why. Sigma Alpha Epsilon basically confirmed what I’d always suspected about the culture down on I-35. So thanks bros. I appreciate your honesty. I’m sure I’ll see you on TV at the Thunder games, sitting courtside with your daddys’ tickets.

Big Up(s) of the Week:

goes to the man, Craig Sager and them awful suits for beating Luekemia. Homie got a rousing ovation from the Chicago fans, and a pretty sweet jacket on top of that from Benny the Bull.

Another shout out goes out to Jason Richardson who did some damage against the Thunder (29 points on 8-19 shooting). I had no idea he was out of the leauge. Apparently he has been trying to come back from injury since 2013. Big ups J-Rich! You know us old guys are rooting for you man. Keep doing what you doing.

Enjoy these Good Ass Games, and peep some college ball if the weather is too bad for you to be outside with your loved ones.

Peace.

BM

@clickpicka79
bobbymickey@gmail.com
#THISAGOODASSGAME