Baring Injuries and etc.

After the first week of the NBA season, I'm picking the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors to compete in the NBA Finals.

Duh!

Well, not exactly. Boston lost to a very tough Toronto Raptors last night.. The Warriors have won two uninspired victories. Last night's game against the Utah Jazz should have been a loss, considering their lousy first half defense, salvaged at the end by a tip in by Jonas Jerebko on a missed Durant jumper with one tick left on the clock. So, some observers might say it's not quite such a "Duh!" as to the winners of the East and West.

Except for this:

BARING INJURIES Toronto and Utah looked to me as if they were already playing at mid-season form if not exactly at playoff level. Both the Warriors and the Celts, not at all. Boston has still not incorporated Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving into their offense as Coach Steven certainly will by the first of the year or sooner. The Warriors are not nearly in sync with a number of additions to their team. Klay Thompson's three is still in China. Igoudala, a key defender and leader, is missing. And the Bigs: Looney and Jones are not where they will be at a later date [you choose the date] Looney on offense, and Jones on Defense. Looney is showing me some moves on offense I never expected. And, does anyone doubt that Klay will regain his touch? Also, a surprise to me, I'm beginning to believe Damian Jones may possibly turn into a young Tyson Chandler who led the Mavs to a NBA Championship. This belief after the first two games, requires me to take back what I said about him in my last blog. I take it back, my man, and apologize, but don't let me down!

For the time being lets not count on Cousins.

I've got to give a shout out to the Utah Jazz. I liked them a lot at the end of the last season. Based on what I saw last night, I like them better. I'm still trying to figure out how Ingles gets that three off. He must be a lot quicker than he looks. He kind of lumbers along and appears about to fall asleep. Then, he's shooting in your face. Must be the Aussie factor. And I'm betting his real age is somewhere in forties.

It's a little early to be making predictions, since I haven't seen all the teams play yet. I could be surprised.

ETC:

I'm delighted with the rebirth of the BIG MON in the NBA: Ayton in Phoenix, Bamba in Orlando, adding to the presence of versatile bigs already in the league: Joel Embid, Anthony Davis, Kristap Porzingis, Rudy Gobert, and Demarcus Cousins. It was just a matter of time, wasn't it? I wish I could add Cauley Stein but he's still missing an ingredient on both ends. Still, he is a legit 7 footer and can flat out run the court.

I've always loved this poem about a sport not much is written about in our sports pages.

Karate   by Stanley Plumly

If I could chop wood.
If I could just cut through
this furniture

the paraphernalia
of blocks
and stacks of boards,
wedged and
piled 
head-high.

If I could break the back
of a single two-by-four,

if the Japanese instructor would only
lay his little building
of bricks
in front of me,

if I could only drive nails
deep into the hard rose of the wood.