Yeah. That blog title has nothing to do with last night’s game. It’s a quote from Sixteen Candles. But, who cares. If the Nuggets weren’t going to show up, I’m not sure why I bothered to. Why should I take the time to think of appropriate blog title if Carmelo Anthony thinks he did absolutely everything he could have done in last night’s game? Or if George Karl says that this season was a big success — right after his team got their asses handed to them on their home floor? (See post-game presser.) Why do I even care? I’m a Celtics fan. I guess I care because I was starting to really like the Nuggets. What’s not to like? They’re entertaining, they’re talented, they’re exciting… Well, unfortunately they’re also classic underachievers with a losers mentality. It’s like watching a kid in high school who just settles for C grades most of the time because it’s easy to get them. Once in awhile they study hard and get a B or an A, and exceed your expectations, but the good grades just don’t last when the going gets tough. The one lone shining star last night was the last guy you might expect. Smitty. Yes, you heard me. JR freaking Smith was the only guy out there who deserved an A. If it wasn’t for him, they’d have lost by 40.
I’m most disappointed in Carmelo Anthony. His post-game comments really say it all. Someone asked him about his own performance or lack thereof during the game and he’s like, “What did I do? I did all I could.” He just doesn’t take responsibility for his team’s lack of success. Leaders do that, whether they’re at fault or not. Hell, even Tracy McGrady gets up there and says if they don’t advance, it’s on him. Sure, they didn’t advance… but at least he was willing to take the responsibility on himself publicly. I’ve been watching Melo since Syracuse and I’ve wanted to like hell to rank him as one of my favorite players, but I just can’t. He just keeps letting me down. I know they advanced further than they usually do, but that shouldn’t be good enough. Nothing short of a ring should ever be good enough. If your players are healthy and you have the talent, you should be in the finals. Now I will give you that it would’ve been almost impossible to beat the Lakers at Staples considering the Lakers are healthy and talented themselves — but the point is that they should’ve at least gotten to Staples. But, they gave up. You don’t lose by 27 without giving up. Again, I’m a Celtics fan, so they didn’t owe me anything… but all those fans that showed up in the fauxhawks and Chris Andersen jerseys? They deserved better.
They won by 10. But… nobody blows a big lead like the Cleveland Cavaliers. I honestly feel sorry for their fans. I can’t imagine never being able to be comfortable for an entire game no matter how many points up my team is.
It’s strange seeing the Cavs as the underdog and the Magic as the confident frontrunner. I feel like I fell down Alice’s rabbit hole.
Nobody smiles more, no matter what the situation, than Dwight Howard. Jump hook – big smile, slam dunk – huge smile, foul called against him – smirky smile, fouls out of the game – bemused smile, elbows a dude in the face – who me? smile.
Lakers v. Nuggets 104-93
Lamar Odom likes candy… A lot of candy.
Source: YouTube/Lakernation024
It amuses me that Lamar has a man servant who stocks up his luxury automobile with piles of candy. It makes me wonder what he was like as a kid at Halloween. Probably had ten different costumes and hit up all the houses in his neighborhood over and over until their supply of gummy worms and reese’s cups ran out.
Oh yeah, the game. Well, it was a’ight. I vaguely remember the Nuggets keeping it close and then coughing it up sometime in the 2nd half. Both of these teams play better at home, which bodes well for Lakers winning in 7 at Staples. But, we’ll see. If the Nuggets implode maybe it’ll be in 6.
This blowout didn’t surprise me at all. The Nuggets needed to win this game and the Lakers (deep down inside) knew they had already accomplished what they came to Denver to do — steal one back. So, the Nuggets came out with insane amounts of energy and drive and the Lakers came out flat. Highlights of the night:
They kept showing Chris Andersen without his hair gel doing these memorial day spots thanking the men in uniform. It was freaking me out. Then they aired an interview with him during half-time without the hair gel and I got to hear his voice for the first time. It was unsettling. He has a great story and I love him, but I don’t ever want to see or hear him off the court again. It’s like seeing that Oz is just a nebbish dude behind a curtain. I want to think of my Birdman as the magestic beauty he is… and not like some guy who works in a country western bar.
Dahntay Jones blatantly tripped Kobe Bryant. Ha! It reminded me of 3rd grade. I love Dahntay Jones (Duke alum!) and I don’t love Kobe Bryant, but that was pretty stupid. It reminded me of when I first started watching the NBA in earnest a few years ago and Raja Bell blatantly clotheslined Kobe. I think he just brings that out in his defenders. They can’t stop him so eventually they have to resort to hanging and tripping him. Someday someone’s just going to grab the leg off a picnic table…
JVG was on fire last night. At one point he started calling JR Smith, “Smitty” and it was glorious. Speaking of which…
JR Smith. Smitty. Oh man. How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. You really have to admire a guy like JR. Nobody enjoys JR’s success more than JR. I imagine if you listened in while he’s shaving in the morning, it would go a little something like this: “JR, you handsome bastard… how will you conquer and impress the world today? I love you. No, I love you! No, no… seriously. I love YOU.”
Related videos from YouTube:
JR dunks and then colorfully explains just where the Lakers are playing…
On the one hand, I really did want someone to knock the Cavs on their ass. They were just way too pleased with themselves this year between the pre-game picture pose crap and the starters dancing on the bench to Rick Astley at the end of games like the good days were just never going to end. Oh they end all right. They end. I know that my team talked their own trash and did their own dancing in 2008, but it never came easy. Never. The Celtics had to fight their way past the Hawks and then Cavs before they got to the ECF. They didn’t just breeze through them in consecutive sweeps. There is just something obnoxious about the way the Cavs arrived at their own ECF and I think now that they’re here, they have few supporters left outside of Cleveland. I know, I know… What were they supposed to do? Lose? Not be happy? I don’t know. I think it’s all about the way you celebrate and the way you rub it in. They did a little too much of both. Over this past season, I’ve seen the tide turn against them — mainly LeBron actually — and now that it’s turned, it’s like a mean spirited tidal wave. People just can’t wait to see LeBron fail. People appreciate a talented athlete, but they don’t want one that’s built up to be a messiah before he’s even won any championships.
The Magic on the other hand, are playing the “nobody respects us” card to the hilt. Something about that makes me want to punch them in the neck too. Just shut the hell up. Win something and then people will respect you. It really is that easy. Shut up and win. Two things I really wish Dwight Howard would stop doing. 1) Grabbing the ball, putting his head down, and “bull”-ing his way to the basket. That should be a foul every time and it’s only called about half the time. Everybody bitches about LeBron getting away with fouls, well he’s not the only one. 2) Swinging his elbows around wildly when he’s grabbing rebounds. He does this all the time and it’s incredibly dangerous. Thankfully he’s mostly only injured his own teammates thus far, but soon enough he’s going to to hurt someone who matters… Like Perk or Leon.
I’m kind of back to not cheering for either of these teams. Which is really as it should be. When it comes down to it, they’re both my mortal enemy.
Where was @jeaniebuss on Twitter tonight? How am I supposed to watch an entire Laker game without knowing if Brandy or John Mayer are present and accounted for?
Despite the Nuggets being ahead all game, I just knew the Lakers would win it. They just hung around and hung around and hung around and… well, you know.
Kobe’s clutch scoring just never ceases to amaze me. Oops, I said “amaze” which is seriously close to “amazing” — a word I promised myself I’d stop saying. Tsk tsk, me.
Whoever made that cardboard Birdman sign with movable wings… I salute you.
I completely randomly discovered tonight that I’ve been spelling King James’ name wrong and have been doing so for years. Apparently, it’s LeBron and not Lebron. Capital B. Ah well, he’s not on my team. Hell with it.
Trevor Ariza should be locked up for grand theft cajones. If you haven’t been counting, that’s two stolen inbounds passes to essentially destroy Denver.
What a game. I watched it on Twitter like I do most games and it was good times. First, everyone is like, “Hedoooooooo! The Turkish MJ! Yeah, yeah yeah baby!” Then, everyone is like, “The King! I’m a WITNESS! Holy effing buzzer beater!” Amazing. The NBA, where amaz… Nooooooooo! The NBA has officially killed the word “amazing” for me.
In case you weren’t a witness, here you go:
A few things about this game that I couldn’t help but notice…
At crunch time, the Refs were actually calling fouls AGAINST Lebron. I had much shock and awe over this. They called him on a charge TWICE. They even called the crab dribble! Well, technically I think it was just a normal travel, but anyway, just crazy to see fouls called on Lebron at home.
It’s no secret that Anderson Varejao is a big flop artist, but come on now. I want to jump through the TV and nail him hard so that when he goes down, I’ll know that for once, he actually is hurt and not just faking.
Orlando is scary. I haven’t had much faith in them because of years of seeing them crumble, but damn, it’s like they’re a whole different team or something. Good for them. I never said I didn’t like them, I just said I didn’t believe in them. I also said if they proved me wrong that I’d be happy to admit it. They’re on their way…
So last night… What was up with the Superman music at the Q at the end of the game? I imagine there must’ve been something on the Jumbotron I wasn’t seeing that would explain this. If anyone was at the game and can enlighten me, I’d be forever greatful.
I watch a ton of NBA games, but during the season I tend to wear my green colored glasses and focus all my energy on my beloved Boston Celtics. Since they are now fishing in Dingle, Ireland, I have time to ponder other teams and players.
I want to stab my eardrums with a rusty fork every time I hear Kanye’s “Amazing”… overkill. Just stop it.
I’m really glad I don’t have to watch those tiny bus commercials anymore.
I can’t decide if I think those Kobe/Lebron puppet commercials are funny or the worst thing I’ve ever seen.
The Spike Lee documentary, “Kobe Doin’ Work” was the biggest waste of an hour and a half I’ll ever spend. Watching Kobe try and craft/manipulate his legacy just puts me in a bad mood. I hate it when people try to disguise PR as something else. It insults my intelligence.
I don’t like Dwight Howard. There, I said it. Most people think he’s a lovable manchild. I think he’s an immature buck passer with crappy leadership skills. I’ve been watching him for 3 years and he’s only marginally matured in that time. On the other hand, I love pretty much everyone else on his team.
The Kobe v. Lebron debate bores me, but for the record, Kobe is still the best player in the game and it isn’t even close. Jerry West is smoking the crack.
Following Jeanie Buss on Twitter is the best entertainment ever. First of all, this is her icon Um, nice balls? Secondly, most of her tweets are like a red carpet celebrity roll call. Here’s a sample tweet: @JeanieBuss: John Mayer is here – girls going crazy. really?? I am forever a JT girl!!! Lol. That’s solid entertainment right there. I don’t care who ya are.
Do you ever bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night in a sweat and think, “I want — no! — I need to see Lamar Odom in a fly vest and suit hoodie! NOW!” Well, Hornets Hype has all you can handle. Behold…
Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau has been making the interviews rounds for head coaching opportunities with Philly and Sactown. Good luck, Tom!
The Globe’s Marc Spears reports that KG will have surgery on his right knee sometime next week.
Stephon Marbury on his future with the Celtics: “I mean I love it here, I loved playing basketball here. That’s where I am right now… I don’t know what my future holds. I”m just going to wait and see what the future holds.”
Big Baby on his future with the Celtics: “I love Boston. It’s a wonderful place. But if the opportunity is here, it’s here. If it’s somewhere else, it’s somewhere else. I have to go where the opportunity is.”
In April, Leon Powe received that month’s NBA Community Assist award. As the April NBA Community Assist Award recipient, Powe will receive the David Robinson Plaque with the inscription, “Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson who improved the community piece by piece.”
Doc recently revealed that the Celtics starters were even more banged up than we thought. Perk/shoulder, Ray/hamstring, Paul/knee. Thankfully fishing doesn’t require any of those body parts to be fully functional.
Sam Cassell has been hired as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. Congrats Sam!
For the record, this is only funny when it’s someone else’s team.
Dingle, Ireland can suck it.
And a streaming gif in case you missed it… Sigh.
And the video. Sigh, sigh, sigh.
Who’s between Scal and Gisele? Is that Matt Damon? (Update: Listened harder to the guys and yes, it’s Matt Damon. Sigh.)
ps. To Kenny, CWebb, Ernie, Charles and the rest of the universe. Yes. We know Scal resembles Michael Rappaport. No need to repeat that stale joke. Ok? Ok, then.
Lakers @ Nuggets 103-97
Um, nice balls? Secondly, most of her tweets are like a red carpet celebrity roll call. Here’s a sample tweet: @JeanieBuss: John Mayer is here – girls going crazy. really?? I am forever a JT girl!!! Lol. That’s solid entertainment right there. I don’t care who ya are.
