While The Battered Fan has been a little more basketball-centric than I anticipated, I feel it has been in line with what is taking place in the actual sports world. Football coverage is on the back burner just waiting to explode, Hockey is still being hidden from America on NBC Sports Network, Soccer is taking a quick breather so every other site can cover the racism of the Euro 2012, the Olympics are still 7 weeks away, and regular season baseball is still regular season baseball. So basketball it is…
- Last evening’s Western Conference Finals game between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder was ridiculous. What looked to be a blow out midway through the first half, quickly turned into the best game of NBA basketball I have watched in at last ten years. Congrats to the Thunder!
- There are few people I dislike more in the world (without ever meeting them) than Kris Kardashian, but NBA referee Joey Crawford may be on that short list. Is there anything more annoying than Crawford officiating a game, convinced that at least half the viewing audience is there to watch him? News Flash: we are not here for you, Joey. Never have been. Never will be. The technical he called on Stephen Jackson was gross… 15,000 fans talking relentless shit all game, and Jackson yells back after hitting a big 3-pointer and gets punished? ‘Come on!‘ How does the NBA let Crawford, the same referee who once kicked Tim Duncan out of the game for laughing as well as the proud owner of the single most baffling call in NBA Playoffs history, officiate some of the season’s most meaningful games? Is the current state of officiating that bad, or does David Stern just love messing with fans? ‘Cripes’!!!
- Twitter is the single greatest thing to accompany sports viewership since Bill Walton. To be able to bring an entire nation of sports fans together in real time to discuss, debate, and critique, is a platform in which Twitter is unmatched. Oh, and this reminds me… Twitter is capable of anything. Last night, just seconds after Russell Westbrook took a hard fall and seemed to have injured his hand, TNT did an inexplicably long five-second close-up of Westbrook grabbing his man parts. Stunned to see an excessive close-up of such self-groping, I naturally asked the Twitter universe to make a quick GIF to verify what had just blinded my eyes. Within minutes, Kevin C (@lot13Photo) did one better. He quickly spliced a video of the clip and sent it my way. Just like the NBA, technology is AMAAAAAAAZING.
- Speaking of Westbrook, why does he insist on shooting awful shots down the stretch of every close Thunder game? Does he somehow forget that 6’11” Kevin Durant, the NBA scoring champion for three consecutive seasons, is wearing the same uniform? Every time Westbrook takes one of his patented, head-scratching shots with 16+ seconds left on the shot clock, it makes me think about the Saturday Night Live Chippendale skit with Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley – only in this case, Durant is Swayze and Westbrook is Farley. Despite the fact Westbrook is clearly not at the same level of Durant, he will do everything in his power to make sure he gets noticed…
- Poor Seattle. Next time any of you have a Starbucks, be sure to pour a little out for our dead homey. One can only imagine the torn emotions former-Supersonics fans must have felt while watching the Thunder and their ridiculously rowdy fan base win the Western Conference Finals. Hey Seattle, it’s your own fault. If you really loved them so much, you would have provided new owner Clay Bennett a reason to stay… you didn’t. And guess what? Having to watch the Thunder in the NBA Finals isn’t going to be a ‘one-time’ occurrence – this young, talented Thunder team is only going to get better and better, and win more and more. Enjoy the Sounders…
(AP via KomoNews)
- Can’t wait for this evening’s Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics game. There are just so many storylines to follow, regardless how it plays out, there will be plenty to talk about. Quick thought: Everybody seems to be really surprised over how easily Boston is scoring against Miami. Should it really that shocking? Miami has been playing huge minutes with the 6’7” Udonis Haslem against the 7’0” Kevin Garnett. While Chris Bosh has never been an all-world defender, his absence is notable given that his larger frame would be much more effective against Garnett’s superior length. If nothing else, Bosh’s presence would likely alter more shots, limit the offensive rebounds, and prevent the amount of tap-backs Boston has gotten this series.
- Lastly, not sure if you saw this quote from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, but it was pretty classic. When asked about the Celtics, he responded, “There’s a lot of heart in this team, let me just tell you. KJ is great, but Hondo is really the inspiration. Hondo drives that team.” You sure told us, Mayor… I feel like Mayor Menino would do well interviewing in a tuxedo – is it Pan or Pamm?
- That’s that.
Harden could play the point for me any day of the week over Westbrook. There’s no arguing Harden makes an immediant impact off the bench and plays starter minutes but why does Westbrook start over Harden? Couldnt Westbrook become the spark plug off the bench? Harden distributes the rock and appears to have a better feel for the game as far as getting easy buckets for teammates. Harden works the shot clock better and is a better perimeter shooter. What The beard may lack in pure quickness in comparison to Westbrook he makes it up in craftiness, finishing with his left in traffic and breaking down defenses coming off pick n rolls or snapping ankles in isolation moments at the top of the key. Its not for defensive purposes either as Westbrook took a shalacking from Parker the past series, its because of the difference in attitude. James is unselfish and his only purpose is to win, Westbrook’s purpose is to seek out attention. There’s no doubt he is a good player and the current formula obviously appears to be working for the thunder. The one common complaint when the Thunder lose is Westbrook shooting the ball too quickly without Durant touching the ball late in games. Problem solved.
Ok so, being a “Seattle” Thunder fan, I too get frustrated with Russell Westbrook’s play during periods of the game but he is an All Star and deservingly a starter. Harden is a good player and a great “role” player. He may be the best “change of pace” back in the NBA but let’s not get ahead of ourselves! I understand he is the best thing to come out of ASU’s basketball program since Eddie House (sorry Mario Bennett) but you have to be unbiased when you look at James Harden. The Thunders game plan is to pressure the opposing defense and that’s exactly what Russell does. Speaking of defense no one ever talks about how Russell guards ALL of the top guards in the NBA being in the Western Conference and led the Thunder to one of the best records this year and to the NBA finals. Lastly, you can’t question the man’s intentions. Both Harden and Westbrook are both young and cocky players, as they should be. The immaturity shows when Westbrook dunks on someone and screams at the top of his lungs and Harden hits a three and does his little sweep the floor thing. They both love the attention but I would assume that winning is BOTH of their goals.