Dear NBA Playoffs,
A little less than a month ago you provided me with the same heartache you've been dishing out since I was born. Every year I watch 82+ games, sometimes more than once. Every year I invest endless hours into the Sixers, and every year it ends the same -- with me witnessing another team holding the Larry O'Brien trophy. This year was no different. So why am I feeling good? It's all thanks to you NBA Playoffs.
(Well maybe not all thanks to you. I mean, for the past few weeks I've been living in a world where Andre Iguodala averages 50 points a game and wins MVPs. That might have helped.)
Thank you NBA Playoffs for providing me with not one, but two game-winners. Iguodala's game-winner is something I will never forget. It definitely ranks up there as one of my top 10 favorite sports memories of all-time. The sound of "YES! OH YES!" still makes me smile. Without you, NBA Playoffs, none of this is possible.
Thank you NBA Playoffs for making me feel a little better about where the Sixers stand after "witnessing" the almighty Cleveland LeBrons lose two out of three to the same team who ousted the Sixers. During the Sixers/Magic series critics raved, "The Sixers got so lucky that Andre Iguodala hit that game-winner!" Hmmm. Well, I'm pretty sure the Cavs should be considered just as lucky. If King James doesn't drill a miracle shot with one tick to go, the Cavs are staring 0-3 in the face.
A couple follow-up questions will arise from this claim, like: Where the Magic trying as hard against the Sixers as they are the Cavs? Where the Sixers a worse match-up for the Magic than the Cavs? Did the Sixers just get really lucky in taking the Magic six games? I don't know the answer to any of these questions. However; I do know, watching the Magic beat the chosen one and his 66-team makes me feel a lot better about the Sixers.
Thank you NBA Playoffs for not only making me feel better about the Magic series, but the game six embarrassment minus Dwight Howard. See: Yao-less Rockets own Lakers.
(Note: I'm still super-ashamed of the performance the Sixers put forth in game six. The ranking on the super-ashamed scale just went from an 11.5 to an 8.0 after watching the Lakers sorry effort against the Yao-less Rockets.)
Thank you NBA Playoffs for exposing the true coaching skills of Tony DiLeo, and slapping Ed Stefanski aka "The SHOT" with a brutal reality check via Andre Iguodala.
"It's going to be a busy summer," said Iguodala on Thursday. "I'm going to sit down with Ed and discuss what I think will get us over the [hump]."
Who knows what happens if the Sixers advance, or even get eliminated in a classier fashion. Tony DiLeo might have remained head coach. Ed Stefanski might have believed that the Sixers will truly on a few pieces away. Us as fans might have been given false hope. All bad things. Thanks to you NBA Playoffs, the Sixers were given a wake up call, and eventually a new head coach. (Eddie Jordan, Tom Thibodeau, Eddie Jordan, Tom Thibodeau, Eddie Jordan, Tom Thibodeau...)
So NBA Playoffs, we've had a rough relationship over the past two decades, but I'm beginning to realize you're not so bad after all. I'll tell you what. You give me any team besides the Lakers as NBA champs, and we'll put everything behind us and start fresh next year. I can't handle the thought of this guy laying his hands on the same trophy Andre Iguodala will eventually own.
(One more side note: It's been a little lax around here lately. I've given my mind and body (carpel-tunnel... I'm the Tracy McGrady of sports blogging) a big-time break. I'm ready to make my triumphant return just in time for all the draft talk. Let the point guard search begin...)
And as a wise man once said, here's Liberty Ballers in true Liberty Ballers fashion, ending with a classic YouTube clip.