Curry Doubles MVP

It's taken me 48 hours to get over Steph Curry's performance in the Warriors' overtime victory in Portland. For five minutes, as I watched, mesmerized, there was nobody on the court except Steph. the rest of the Warriors and the five Blazers moved only as background dancers would in a ballet in synchrony with the principal dancer. This was Stephan Curry doing his Mikhail Baryshnikov imitation. This was sport as art. I could have been watching live from the Met, instead it was live from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

In sports history, Curry's five minutes in overtime will be remembered in the same context as Wilt's 100 point fourth quarter, of Kobe's 60 point game, of so many of Michael Jordan's miraculous shots, of Bird's winning baskets. But none, in my mind, will equal Steph Curry's performance for esthetheticism.

One last comment. Toward the end of the overtime period, the camera panned to the Trailblazer owner, Paul Allen, his mouth hanging open in amazement. 

Steph #13   by Tom Meschery

Crows drop through the trees
   Outside my window the sky
Rains deep three-point shots

The Foreseeable Future

I'm convinced there'll be a time in the future that a clever, skilled center, a true 5, will ounce again dominate in the NBA. In the near future, perhaps the near-sighted future, the NBA will be dominated by run and gun, deep three shooters. Sorry, Steph, you started this trend and that's okay. It's great to see the threes raining down like manna from heaven. It's fun.

But I'm going to go out on a limb and say that soon, some smart, very tall young man will get it into his head he can score big in the paint with all the defenses running like mad to defend the three-point line. He'll learn to shoot a Jabbar hook, a Nate Thurmond jump hook, a Bill Walton backboard jumper. He'll spin to the basket like Hakeem, dominate like Wilt, and block shots like Bill Russell.
The truth in this fantasy is the paint for a skilled big man is open territory. The problem is that the big man has been so devalued that what we have left are bruisers and dunkers, whose skills are pathetic.
It's not going to happen right away, but I hope some skinny, fast growing 6th grader will read this Blog and say, "Aha!" Can you imagine an offense-skilled Hassan Whiteside? Or Andrew Bogut with a lefty and righty hook shot? Or DeAndre Jordan with a spin jumper or Hakeem post moves? I salivate at the thought.

The Warriors are a playoff team, no question. In fact they are a team that can reach the Conference Finals, and will, but without Steph, they can not win the title. This should not be a surprise to any NBA cognoscenti. All the great Championship teams relied on one Super Star. With all due respect to Klay and Dray, as it was for Wade and Bosh, the Heat don't win without LeBron, the Warriors don't win without Curry.

The Kings are looking for a coach. Any takers in their right minds?

If San Antonio has an Achilles heel, it's that they are not real athletic. When OKC pounded them with physicality, they struggled. Kawhi leonard and Patty Mills are their only truly athletic players. This  does not mean they don't have a chance to win the title. They've got a lot of other stuff going for them: smarts, great passing, excellent shooting and wonderful coaching, and they've got a lot of talented players to keep coming at an opponent off the bench in waves. However, don't be surprised if OKC upsets the Spurs.

The Cavs will try to overwhelm with threes and athleticism. Whether goes LeBron, goes the team. It was that way last year, it's still that way. Looks like the Raptors vs the Cavs in the Eastern Finals. I haven't been impressed with the Raptors D. Cavs in five games. In the Finals, I take the West. Cavs try to play D, but get confused easily.

I've blogged this poem before, but it seems worth putting up again. It's got such great feel, like a shooter's touch.

When I Got It Right     By Carl Linder

The ball would lift
light as a wish,
gliding like a blessing
over the rim, pure,
or kissing off glass
into the skirt of net.
Once it began 
I couldn't miss.
Even in the falling dark,
the ball, before it left
my hand, was sure.  

Luke Walton & 2015/16 Playoffs

Congratulations to Luke Walton, the new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The son of one of the finest basketball minds in the history of the game, Luke take those inherited genes and do a smashing job for the Lakers. Of course the Warriors will beat the Walton led Lakers in the 2018/19 Western Conference Championship. Sorry, Luke, my good thoughts for you can only go so far.

Is it agonizing watching pro basketball players who can't shoot free-throws, or what? Air-balls by DeAndre Jordan, the spastic shooting form of Mason Plumlee (okay they went in in clutch time) that often propels the ball in such a straight line that were it to continue it's flight beyond rim and backboard might find its way to China. Let's not worry any longer about Howard. The Warriors mercifully put an end to his horrendous performance on the line, not to mention other horrendous parts of his game. How can it be that Howard has not added at least one new skill set to his game since entering the NBA? I'll take into consideration any reasonable answer that includes laziness.

I'm cheering for the Charlotte Hornets because I always wanted to be like Mike. And there's my Bay Area homeboy, Jeremy Lin resurrecting his career. But I do indeed admire Dwayne Wade, and was hoping to see a Miami vs Cav Eastern Finals, Wade defeating the Cavs, in order to satisfy my notion that irony is one of the principals that govern the world.

I'm pulling for the Casey led Toronto Raptors to overcome their prior poor playoff performances, and because I like Canada where my mother lived close to the city of Regina. Beautiful country, lovely people, and a universal health coverage..

San Antonio is my favorite against the Oklahoma Thunder. I'm still pissed how the Thunder owner stole the team away from Seattle. I see where the there's going to be a vote to free up land for a new arena. Go Sonics.  However, I wouldn't be surprised if the Thunder upsets the Spurs. The Thunder is so athletic, if they get a hot streak at just the right time, they could do it. Humm???

The Warriors, of course, are my guys. The Dubs are planning to beat the Blazers with or without Steph. They will. Short sentence, short series.

Coaching possibilities for the Kings. I'm not a huge fan of Mark Jackson, but of all the candidates available, he is the one that I believe can get DeMarcus Cousins under control, and persuade the team to play defense. He has charisma and rep. He's a communicator. As far as his ministerial mind-set, much of which probably is authentic (given a few glitches of hypocrisy), the minister-thing does create a certain kind of authority, that especially young people are drawn to, if not entirely out of belief, then out of tradition.

Nate McMillon would be another strong choice. He has a record of success. But does he have the cajones to stand up to Cousins? None of the other possible candidates do. Messina? Maybe. But why would he come here from San Antonio for a big headache?

I'm still on an old fashioned poems-about-sports kick. You might not consider the following little poem about sports, but think about it some after you read it. Think about the title.

Life in Motion   by Wallace Stevens

In Oklahoma,
Bonnie and Josie,
Dressed in calico,
Danced around a stump.
They cried,
"Ohoyaho,
Ohoo.". . .
Celebrating the marriage 
Of flesh and air.

.

A Few Cranky Thoughts

It's been voiced and noted by sports writers, talking head, and bloggers that the Warriors need Steph Curry. Well, DUH! And then go on to point out that the team is just another playoff team. Well, DUH! You take Michael Jordan off the Bulls? I'm sure Scotty Pippen would have had a choice response to said comments.

The Warriors lost to The Beard's Rockets because they played poorly, not because Steph Curry was on the bench. If they'd have played the whole game the way they played in the fourth quarter, there would have been no contest. As it was, they should have won. How that ref missed Hardin's push off is beyond me.

In this mornings' Sacramento Bee sports page there was an article in which John Calipari said that Cousin was no problem, no problem at all in One and Done U. Maybe so, but he's been a migraine in for the Kings. Since when must a player have to bond with a coach. A baby must bond with his mother and father. That's it. You play your best. You stay in the best shape you can be. You do not diss your teammates, or yell at your coach in front of an arena of fans. Mike Malone was a fine coach, granted. Was there a true bonding between the two. I doubt it. Would Cousin's bonding with him have lasted a full year? My guess is, no. For the very simply reason that DeMarcus Cousin's is an immature, self-centered young man. He may or may not ever mature.

Has anyone noticed a Ciroc Vodka ad that comes on regularly during NBA playoff games that ask viewers to Live Life Responsibly while showing a bunch of drunks living life irresponsibly?  I'm just asking. In Russia, the birthplace of Vodka, you are considered an alcoholic (piani) if you drink vodka without eating food along with the drink.

I've been on an "Oldies but Goodies" poetry search, and found this lovely, touching poem about a father teaching his daughter how to swim.

First Lesson   By Philip Booth

Lie back, daughter, let your head
be tipped back in the cup of my hand.
Gently, and I will hold you.Spread
your arms wide, lie out on the stream
and look high at the gulls. A dead-
man's float is face down. You will dive
and swim soon enough where this tidewater
ebbs to the sea. Daughter, believe
me, when you tire on the long thrash
to your island, lie up, and survive.
As you float now, where I held you
and let go, remember when fear
cramps your heart what I told you:
lie gently and wide to the light-year
stars, lie back, and the sea will hold you.

The Playoffs and other topics

First of all, let's be clear, if Luke Walton leaves the Warriors to come to the Kings, he should find a good psychiatrist. With this caveat: If the Kings seriously shop DeMarcus Cousins, perhaps, Luke should talk to Vlade, but only under that condition.

 It is my strong belief and I've said it before, the Sacramento Kings will never win with Cousin. Whether another team can convince the big baby he can grow up and be a true pro, well, maybe, and that possibility and the kid's talent should make him marketable. A couple of strong players and a first round draft choice? In today's game, do you really need a low block center.. Oh, you say, but Cousin's can shoot from the outside. Check out his % from the perimeter. Anyway, he doesn't run, he lumbers. The center of the future is Karl-Anthony Townes and centers like him. Besides, the Kings have a mobile post in Willy Cauly-Stein (with a little lefty, righty jump-hook). And Koufas will always be a valuable backup. I'm starting to wander, so I'll drop the Kings and head in another direction.

Watch out for the Miami Heat to upset teams on their way to a final in the Eastern Conference. They've got lots of talent and they're healthy. Wouldn't it be delovely if Wade and the Heat beat the Cavs? King James might have to give up his crown, which, by the way, belongs to the Golden State Warriors, so he'd have to lower himself to the level of a prince. I'm slowly becoming less and less of a James' fan. As you can tell.

My Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets without Steph Curry. Let's assume that nobody was surprised. I do want to point out one thing: as the game progressed and the Warriors played well, the player most often off the bench cheering on his teammates was Stephan Curry. I hesitate to bring this up as there's already so much about Curry's "goodness," that people might begin to start questioning his sincerity. It's human nature and our society as a whole is a cynical one. But, I swear I detect no lack of sincerity, no lack of "teamsmanship," no lack of commitment, and honest fire. Sports fans, we are witnessing something special in Stephan Curry. Baring injury, Curry will reside in the Pantheon of basketball Stars.

Recently I was asked who does Curry remind me of in terms of talent and charisma. I was tempted to say Magic Johnson. But I decided finally that he reminded me of Luke Walton's father, Bill. Whoa! You gotta be kidding me? No I'm not. For one and a half seasons, there was no better basketball player in the history of the game, no one who combined the skill, the smarts, the enthusiasm, the subtlety, the instincts, the spirit and magic. He did something even Steph is not doing. With apologies to Maurice Lucas and Lionel Hollins, he took a team with some very average players and turned them into NBA Champions.  Steph's cast is far more talented than the Trailblazers' group. So was Magic's, Chamberlain's, Russell's, Jordans'. It's the "specialness" I'm talking about.

If Thibodeau takes the Timberwolves job, watch out NBA. Once this team learns to play defense, watch out.

New York needs to get rid of Carmelo. He simply doesn't understand team concept. He will always make the Carmelo decision instead of the team decision. Like Cousins, NY will never win with Melo. 

I was surprised to find this strange little poem about tennis by Gwendolyn Brooks. I think it says a lot about all aging athletes.

Old Tennis Player.   by Gwendolyn Brooks

Refused
To refuse the racket, to mutter No to the net.
He leans to life, conspirs to give and get
Other serving yet.