NBA Playoffs - Day 21

Q4 Swats Rasheed And Team

Cleveland 86 Detroit 77

Chauncy Billups was a bonafide witness to LeBron James' 2nd triple double of the playoff . ' He is a great athlete and that's what great athletes do ' said Mr. Big Shot. The Cavs are still trailing the Pistons but gained a great deal of confidence with the victory, its first in the 2nd round of the playoffs . They still trail Detroit, 1-2 , in the series . ' We only protected our homecourt ' said James who did a Kobe after the game when he hoisted his 1 year old son to the delight of the crowd.
There are plenty of bulletin board materials which can be used in the next game. Perhaps all series long . Rasheed Wallace was especially nasty. Like a wolf , he howled that ' Monday will be the last playoff game here ' . Expect the Quick Loan Arena to turn quickly to the site of convention of Wallace haters come game 4. The Detroit papers were not too welcoming of the Cavs victory either. They cited the Cavs win as due more to the Pistons' poor play and questionable calls by the refs in the last quarter than their opponent's tighter defense and fine overall game . Especially Varejao who scored a personal high of 16 points . He also shackled Rasheed with his active defense and just his ' annoying ' presence. Annoying to Rasheed . Like a pesky fly to Wallace that the latter tried to swat him in the closing minute of last night's game. In the regular season , Varejao gave Rasheed a hard foul. Of couse , all Cavs fans still remenber when Rasheed bloodied Ilgauskas head in a prior game. A case of tit for tat .

Something about Varejao annoys Rasheed more than any other Cavaliers. It maybe the Brazilian's hair which is like that of Sideshow Bob , his pesky defense complete with flailing arms , or his being just being active. Yeh , Varejao being super active annoys Rasheed.

Why ? After all , Rasheed is super acive himself. One big superactive child. One big ADD aflicted super active child. Ask the zebras that. Ask Detroit's Director of player development that !


Dallas Beats ' Hard To Die ' Spurs

Dallas 104 San Antonio 103

The Mavericks escaped with the slimmest of margin in their game against the Spurs . It was one exciting ballgame that deserved another game on national TV courtesy of ABC . It was again the spitfire Devin Harris on the Mavs side who provided the excitement. Hubie Brown said Harris can do anything. ' He can drive from the top of the keyhole , the sides , everywhere ' . Me thinks , Harris is the new Tony Parker. The only thing missing is his own Desperate Housewife . I heard Teri Hatcher is looking for a man. That's if you can stand being with an older woman . Teri is 40 years old. You should get her book Burnt Toast .

Speaking of burnt toast , Jerry Stackhouse almost became one once again. In game 1 , Stackhouse bungled a chance to tie the game when he forgot that the Spurs' lead was only 2 points. He stepped back for a desperate 3 pt. shot instead of driving to the basket before time expired . The Mavs lost. Interviewed on The Best Damm Sports Show Period by John Salley , Stackhouse reasoned differently ' I forgot the time ' he said . Maybe a case of too much lap dance.

This time , Stackhouse ' bungled ' a free throw he is supposed to intentionally miss. Stackhouse threw it to the board without hitting the ring ! ' Jerry has 10 years experience ( in the NBA ) . I do not know why he did that ' said a puzzled Nowitzki. Definitely a case of too much lap dance !

Nowitzki finally solved the Bruce Bowen problem . Bruce Bowen was neither Bruce Almighty nor Bruce Lee in this game . Bruce Bowen was turned into Bruise NoWin . Nowitzki had his way this time despite an ankle injury sustained in the closing seconds of the game when he drove to the basket. Dirk missed the basket but got Duncan to commit his 6th foul . Nowiztki hobbled to the free throw line . He made both free throws. The Spurs fought hard coming back from a double digit deficit in Q4 to wrest the lead for the only time since the scores were in the single digits. The rally was through the efforts of Duncan , Manu Ginobili and yes Bruce Bowen .

I guess there's a little of Bruce left in Bowen and the rest of the Spurs . Bruce Willis. The Spurs refused to die . And when they die , they die hard .