It happens often: sporting events are hyped up so much that it is near impossible for them to live up to the high expectations. With every columnist and blogger on the planet (including the two here) flinging hyperbole on the potential of these playoffs, the stars seemed to be aligning for yet another monumental let down. But if the first set of games was any indication, these playoffs may not disappoint.
Let’s recap the interesting games…
Suns vs. Spurs: Steve Nash didn’t come away with a bloody nose this time around, but the Suns certainly took their fair share of body shots. With the Spurs seemingly on the ropes all day, the Suns failed to deliver the proverbial knockout punch. And like good teams always do, the Spurs just kept scratching and clawing.
This game was the poster child for impossibly high expectations, yet it somehow surpassed even those lofty expectations. The image of Tim Duncan draining his first three of the season to send the game into double OT will be seared in the memory of every Suns fan if they do not find a way to pull this series out and will only add to the growing legacy of Tim Duncan.
Sixers vs. Pistons: Both my brother and I picked the Pistons to beat our Sixers in five, but I don’t think either one of us thought the boys from Philly would march into Motown and steal Game one. Mo Cheeks has the Sixers playing as hard as any team in the league–giving them a chance to win every time they step on the court. Eventually, their inexperience will catch up with them, but mark my words, three years from now when the Sixers are making a run at a title, they will be talking about how THIS series showed them what it means to play at a championship level.
Mavs vs. Hornets: If is even possible, I think we all underestimated how good Chris Paul really is. I was among the many people that felt that Hornets lack of experience would burn them against the battle-tested Mavs. But Chris Paul had other plans. He single-handedly turned that game around and dispelled any ideas that he could not handle playoff-intensity basketball.
Cleveland vs. Washington: With all of the trash talking leading up to the game, you almost knew there would be some sort of altercation, and the Cavs and Wizards did not let us down. Just before halftime, Lebron and Haywood kicked up a bit of skirmish at halftime. Much like a manager getting purposely kicked out in baseball, Lebron gave his team a much needed spark by refusing to be pushed around. The intensity in this series should be fun to watch.
Too often in sports, we manufacture intensity and drama, ultimately cheapening the games themselves. But this time around, the hype seemed to have matched the outcome in the early going. Here’s hoping the rest of the playoffs are as fun as the first set of games.
Nice rundown. The Pistons seem to play better when they are either not given much credit or are backed into a corner. For whatever reason, this team just doesn’t ever seem motivated until they get themselves in a hole.
It’s only fitting this would be a great postseason. I’m normally a much bigger college basketball fan, and while that’s still the case I can’t remember being this enthralled with the regular season. The parity in the West is really great for the game, and should carry over into the Playoffs. Speaking of which, great Houston - Utah game tonight!
Thanks for stopping by Citizen Kane and Kyle.
Citizen Kane: you are absolutely right; for a team with the second best record in the league, the Pistons have a nasty habit of playing down to their competition. It’s a bit out of character of Pistons teams of recent years that were never prone to a mental let down.
Kyle: Agreed. The brand of basketball in this year’s playoffs far surpasses that of any playoffs in the past few years. As for the Rockets and Jazz–it looks like McGrady won’t be able to exercise those first round demons just yet. It’s near impossible to win in Utah–this series has already been decided.