The recipe
When the Pistons signed C-Webb in mid-January, I didn't anticipate him having any trouble fitting in, nor did I expect the rest of the boys in red and blue to resist his arrival. That said, I sure didn't think he would become THE MAN and develop into our go-to guy down the stretch. But with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds and six assists Tuesday night in an important 101-97 win at Seattle, Big Chris was just that: THE MAN.
Just as Jesus Shuttlesworth -- that's Ray Allen to those of you not privy to Spike Lee cinematography -- was putting the Sonics on his back and making the game close again, C-Webb scored five consecutive points as the fourth quarter was winding down to help seal the deal. A huge 3 from Mr. Big Shot, free throws from Rip and some terrific D from Sheed wrapped it up.
The Pistons are 3-0 on their current west coast swing, and they finish up with Portland and Phoenix -- just as the basketball world's eyes will be diverted elsewhere. It's easy to overlook this juncture in the NBA season, what with that little dance occurring all over the country, but it's a key time for the Pistons. Forget home court -- they're just hoping to start clicking on all cylinders for Playoff time, which, believe it or not, is only six weeks away. What Detroit has certainly proven this season is that they don't need to be at The Palace to win. They welcome the hostility they encounter on the road. And while more fans will flock to Auburn Hills to crank up the volume once these games start to matter a bit more, I think the Pistons should worry about the quality of the product they're putting out on the floor more than having the most wins in the East. If they do that, chances are first place will take care of itself anyway...
... Did you catch Michigan in the first round of the NIT tonight? They beat up on Utah State before a crowd of 43 at Crisler Arena. Way to go Wolverines! Let's make it back to Madison Square! Again! ...
... Niagara ousted my Florida A&M Rattlers tonight in one of sports' most quirky traditions: The Play-in Game. Why did the NCAA ever institute this silly extra game? Certainly the people at the University of Dayton are not swimming in the added revenue the game provides. All it does is tease teams that won their conference tournaments into thinking they're dancing, when really all they're doing is stepping onto the dance floor and watching everyone else dance, then leaving after half a song -- which, as we club-goers know, is quite awkward. There was never a need for 65 ... 64 was, and is, the perfect number. Still, some coaches, like Jimmy Boeheim up at Syracuse, call for an expanded field. But if March Madness is the best thing sports has going for it -- which it is -- why fix what ain't broken? What's more, in all the online bracket pools, you can't even choose who's going to win the 64/65 game anyway. Good thing, too. My FAMU pick would've screwed up my bracket. I'm going 63 for 63 this year, by the way ...
... 52 days till the 133rd Kentucky Derby! Are you serious!?!? ...
... OK, OK, enough foreplay. Now we march on to the Macarena of all Macarenas, the Dirty Bird of all Dirty Birds, the Hustle of all Hustles ... THE BIG DANCE.
I did a lot of pondering before filling out my Master Bracket this year. This is the first year since high school where I've had access to ESPN for the entire college basketball season, and it enabled me to watch a lot more games and get a good feel for many more teams than I had in the past three years. In the end, I settled on a Final Four of Florida, Kansas, Texas and Memphis. Florida had a little hiccup at the end of the SEC season, but I think the Gators needed that to relocate their hunger. Now that it's back, Billy Donovan's club will be nearly impossible to stop.
The teams I think have the best chance to beat the champs from Gainesville are the other three I picked to make it to Atlanta. Kansas and Memphis are both squads with phenomenal, phenomenal athletes. And now that Bill Self and John Calipari have those clubs playing with more discipline than in years past, I think it's their time to advance further.
As for Texas, I cannot say enough about the play of Kevin Durant. I'm not just on his bandwagon, I'm directing it down the promenade in Austin, baby! I've been lucky enough to catch him about six or seven times on TV, and I've never seen a kid that young so NBA ready. (Well, perhaps with the exception of LeBron.) Dude strokes from 30 feet with ease, he hits the glass relentlessly, he knows how to use his 7-foot-6 wingspan effectively on EVERY defensive possession, and he wants the ball in crunch time. (I feel like I'm giving the "Praise Jesus" montage from "He Got Game" here. Again, a respectful nod to Spike Lee.)
I did, however, hesitate to pick Texas to knock off Carolina in the regional semis and move into the final weekend. I think the Horns can do it, but only if Durant has a big night -- which he's 100 percent capable of, especially on this elevated stage. But if he's off, I don't think Augustin and Abrams have enough offense in them to lift Texas past a DEEP Tar Heels squad. That promises to be one of the Tourney's most entertaining games in Weekend 2.
The Game of the Tournament could very well be the first national semifinal, between the Gators and the Jayhawks. I love the way Kansas runs, and I think Julian Wright and Brandon Rush present some of the most mind-boggling matchup problems of any two players in college hoops, aside from Durant. What better defenders to stick on them than Florida's Noah and Brewer, guys who came back to school for a reason: to repeat. The Gators are seasoned, well-coached, still firmly entrenched in their roles, and ready to bring yet another trophy back to the campus that -- who knows? -- may be getting bored with all the success it's experiencing. My guess is they'll take another ring, no matter how ho-hum.
I say it will happen, but not before another three weeks of super, scintillating, sensational basketball. Thanks, Dickie V.
My Best Games of Weekend 1:
Marquette/Michigan State
Indiana/Gonzaga
Southern Illinois/Holy Cross
Notre Dame/Winthrop
Oregon/Notre Dame
Wisconsin/UNLV
Texas A&M/Louisville
Georgetown/Boston College
My Upset Specials for Weekend 1:
Holy Cross over Southern Illinois
Arkansas over USC
George Washington over Vanderbilt
UNLV over Wisconsin
George Washington over Washington State
I can't wait, baby!
Just as Jesus Shuttlesworth -- that's Ray Allen to those of you not privy to Spike Lee cinematography -- was putting the Sonics on his back and making the game close again, C-Webb scored five consecutive points as the fourth quarter was winding down to help seal the deal. A huge 3 from Mr. Big Shot, free throws from Rip and some terrific D from Sheed wrapped it up.
The Pistons are 3-0 on their current west coast swing, and they finish up with Portland and Phoenix -- just as the basketball world's eyes will be diverted elsewhere. It's easy to overlook this juncture in the NBA season, what with that little dance occurring all over the country, but it's a key time for the Pistons. Forget home court -- they're just hoping to start clicking on all cylinders for Playoff time, which, believe it or not, is only six weeks away. What Detroit has certainly proven this season is that they don't need to be at The Palace to win. They welcome the hostility they encounter on the road. And while more fans will flock to Auburn Hills to crank up the volume once these games start to matter a bit more, I think the Pistons should worry about the quality of the product they're putting out on the floor more than having the most wins in the East. If they do that, chances are first place will take care of itself anyway...
... Did you catch Michigan in the first round of the NIT tonight? They beat up on Utah State before a crowd of 43 at Crisler Arena. Way to go Wolverines! Let's make it back to Madison Square! Again! ...
... Niagara ousted my Florida A&M Rattlers tonight in one of sports' most quirky traditions: The Play-in Game. Why did the NCAA ever institute this silly extra game? Certainly the people at the University of Dayton are not swimming in the added revenue the game provides. All it does is tease teams that won their conference tournaments into thinking they're dancing, when really all they're doing is stepping onto the dance floor and watching everyone else dance, then leaving after half a song -- which, as we club-goers know, is quite awkward. There was never a need for 65 ... 64 was, and is, the perfect number. Still, some coaches, like Jimmy Boeheim up at Syracuse, call for an expanded field. But if March Madness is the best thing sports has going for it -- which it is -- why fix what ain't broken? What's more, in all the online bracket pools, you can't even choose who's going to win the 64/65 game anyway. Good thing, too. My FAMU pick would've screwed up my bracket. I'm going 63 for 63 this year, by the way ...
... 52 days till the 133rd Kentucky Derby! Are you serious!?!? ...
... OK, OK, enough foreplay. Now we march on to the Macarena of all Macarenas, the Dirty Bird of all Dirty Birds, the Hustle of all Hustles ... THE BIG DANCE.
I did a lot of pondering before filling out my Master Bracket this year. This is the first year since high school where I've had access to ESPN for the entire college basketball season, and it enabled me to watch a lot more games and get a good feel for many more teams than I had in the past three years. In the end, I settled on a Final Four of Florida, Kansas, Texas and Memphis. Florida had a little hiccup at the end of the SEC season, but I think the Gators needed that to relocate their hunger. Now that it's back, Billy Donovan's club will be nearly impossible to stop.
The teams I think have the best chance to beat the champs from Gainesville are the other three I picked to make it to Atlanta. Kansas and Memphis are both squads with phenomenal, phenomenal athletes. And now that Bill Self and John Calipari have those clubs playing with more discipline than in years past, I think it's their time to advance further.
As for Texas, I cannot say enough about the play of Kevin Durant. I'm not just on his bandwagon, I'm directing it down the promenade in Austin, baby! I've been lucky enough to catch him about six or seven times on TV, and I've never seen a kid that young so NBA ready. (Well, perhaps with the exception of LeBron.) Dude strokes from 30 feet with ease, he hits the glass relentlessly, he knows how to use his 7-foot-6 wingspan effectively on EVERY defensive possession, and he wants the ball in crunch time. (I feel like I'm giving the "Praise Jesus" montage from "He Got Game" here. Again, a respectful nod to Spike Lee.)
I did, however, hesitate to pick Texas to knock off Carolina in the regional semis and move into the final weekend. I think the Horns can do it, but only if Durant has a big night -- which he's 100 percent capable of, especially on this elevated stage. But if he's off, I don't think Augustin and Abrams have enough offense in them to lift Texas past a DEEP Tar Heels squad. That promises to be one of the Tourney's most entertaining games in Weekend 2.
The Game of the Tournament could very well be the first national semifinal, between the Gators and the Jayhawks. I love the way Kansas runs, and I think Julian Wright and Brandon Rush present some of the most mind-boggling matchup problems of any two players in college hoops, aside from Durant. What better defenders to stick on them than Florida's Noah and Brewer, guys who came back to school for a reason: to repeat. The Gators are seasoned, well-coached, still firmly entrenched in their roles, and ready to bring yet another trophy back to the campus that -- who knows? -- may be getting bored with all the success it's experiencing. My guess is they'll take another ring, no matter how ho-hum.
I say it will happen, but not before another three weeks of super, scintillating, sensational basketball. Thanks, Dickie V.
My Best Games of Weekend 1:
Marquette/Michigan State
Indiana/Gonzaga
Southern Illinois/Holy Cross
Notre Dame/Winthrop
Oregon/Notre Dame
Wisconsin/UNLV
Texas A&M/Louisville
Georgetown/Boston College
My Upset Specials for Weekend 1:
Holy Cross over Southern Illinois
Arkansas over USC
George Washington over Vanderbilt
UNLV over Wisconsin
George Washington over Washington State
I can't wait, baby!
posted by RGarfield @ 1:22 AM
1 Comments
