For The Love Of Basketball 60th edition

—LeBron’s first appearance in the playoffs and how he performs. I’m hoping they play the Wizards because the potential of a seven game shoot out with Gilbert Arenas will be fun.

 

—The Clippers playing in a game that matters in the month of April for the first time since Haley’s Comet passed through our galaxy.

 

—The Memphis Grizzlies winning their FIRST playoff game.

 

—Dirk Nowitzki reclaiming his onions after that un-superstar like performance against the Suns in the second round last year.

 

—The wild atmosphere that will surround my city (Los Angeles) due to the fact that BOTH teams made the dance.

 

—The inevitable fall of the Miami Heat and the excuses the Shaq loving media (Dan LeBatard) will make for the Big Fella’s inability to keep his championship promise.

 

—Kobe and the troops against the Phoenix Suns. Can the Lakers defend the three-point line? Can the Lakers control the pace and pound the ball inside? Can Smush Parker fight over the screens and semi-neutralize Steve Nash? Or will Kobe miraculously win the series by himself?

 

—Kenny Smith’s “Gone Fishin’” pictures.

 

 

 

This season’s MVP race is the deepest in history. There has never been a more deserving pool of candidates since the inception of the award. Whoever the voters select will be a valid choice, and no one should cry about it. Now that I’ve said my piece, here are the top four candidates:

 

 

In my opinion, the voters will give it to either Steve Nash or LeBron James. The sports writers have serious man-crushes on those two. Billups will be handicapped by the fact that he plays on such a good team and Kobe will be limited by the fact that he’s disliked by the majority of the media. But if I had the sole decision, I’d give it to Kobe because if you take him off the Lakers, they’d be worse than the Knicks. Read that sentence again. That alone should be enough just off general principle.

 

 

Until next time.