The Number 8 spot: Who wants it less?

After watching, my beloved Bruins for the last time on Saturday, my mood quickly lightened when I found out that the Kings upset the Nuggets to tie them for the 8th and final Playoff spot with the Warriors.  When one of my teams fall, another rises to take its place!  Much like the Sith lords in Star Wars.

Early the next day, I was treated to a Sunday Matinee.  The Dubs were “fighting for their Playoff lives” against the number one team in the Western Conference, the New Orleans (yes, apparently, Louisiana is in the West) Hornets.  I had great expectations for this game, especially after Friday’s game against the Grizzlies, where Marco “Rambo” Belinelli had, what I thought, was a breakout game.  It was time for the Dubs to seize the 8th spot, and after 5 months of waiting, it was time for our first round draft pick to get some f’in PT!

The game started off the same way the Memphis game did.  Baron and Stack Jack made an effort to find Andris Biendrins inside, running the pick and roll to perfection, and Monta Ellis started attacking the rim, like any big-time player should in such a pivotal game.  Voila!  Up by twelve!  Finally, I thought.  They are showing a sense of urgency!  This game’s in the bag!  Time to run this team off the court and sweep the final 6 games of the season!!

Then, in the 2nd quarter, the shit hit the fan, and it hit it hard…enter the obvious Warrior killer, Jannero Pargo?!?!?!  Pargo put on his best Michael Jordan vs the Portland Trailblazers in Game 1 of the Finals impersonation, and scored 15 straight points without missing a shot.  As Pargo continues to chip away at the lead, Baron, fueled by the boos from the Hornets fans, decided to turn the game into a personal vendetta against the city of New Orleans.  Boy, did that backfire…he proceeded to chuck 3 pointer after 3 pointer, missing all of them.  No effort at all was made to attack the rim, where Tyson Chandler had been crippled by three fouls, and was hessitant to challenge any shots.  Actually I stand corrected… Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson attempted to post up, after Baron missed what seemed like his 7th straight three pointers.  But those of us who watch enough Warriors games know that whenever Al or Stack Jack post up, with the sole intent of getting to the rim, disaster is soon to follow.  Usually Al does an awkward spin move, and he either gets rejected at the rim or misses the lay-up.  Stack Jack will get stripped of the ball and complain to the ref, as the opposing team waltzes in for a lay-up on the other end.  If the Dubs were content with chucking up threes and turning the ball over, they should have might as well put their best three point threat (Rambo), in the game.  But Sly never got a look.  There was no “One more round” moment ala Rocky V.

With the combination of Pargo heating up, and Warriors’ selfishness on offense, the Warriors lead (along with my erection) soon evaporated, and the Hornets had an 8 point lead by halftime.  And to my amazement, thanks to the exclusive half time locker room footage that ABC provided, I saw Nellie assure his distraught team that they were sticking to the game plan, since it was working.  I guess the game plan was to attack the rim early to establish the lead.  Then, once you have the lead, keep taking three pointers until you make one, no matter how many it takes.

In the second half, the Warriors started to look inside again, and they cut into the lead.  But with awful games from just about everyone BUT Monta and Beans, they were unable to take control of the game.  Every time they got within striking distance it seemed like someone would either miss a contested jump-shot or turn the ball over.  I had to turn the TV off with three minutes left, where a lazy pass by Baron lead to a runaway dunk going the other way.

Now, call me bitter, but this game made me realize how much I dislike Chris Paul.  He has this facial expression on his face the whole time where he looks like he’s on the verge of tears.  And regarding that Wired segment they showed, where he was pleading to Byron Scott to play him the rest of the game… oh my God… has their ever been a more desperate attempt from an NBA player to brainwash the league into thinking he deserves the MVP trophy?  He knew he was mic’d, and this would probably be the only nationally televised game he would be on before the Playoffs… Way to ham it up, CP-3PO! I compare that to Kristie Lee Cook’s “Please Vote for Me” AI performance of Proud to be an American.

This loss was completely discouraging.  Almost as disappointing as the the Dallas game last week.  This past month, the Dubs have been playing sub .500 basketball.  What’s even more disheartening is that this same team went 9-1 last year on its way to the Playoffs. The general consensus is that the team is just tired, and once they are done with their back-to-back games, they’d return to form.  And, now that they’re actually behind in the standings, they will start playing with the same fire as they did last year.  But there is a huge difference between last year’s team and this years’ team.  The body language is completely different.  Al looks lost half the time, and it doesn’t look like Stack Jack and Baron have that same energy and hunger.  Last year’s team played its heart out, like every game was its last.  This year’s team is playing not to lose.  They play each game as if, they’re saving their A game for a later time.  Now, should be that time.

However, I can take solace in the fact that the Nuggets are playing just as lethargically.  Last night they lost to the Sonics in double overtime, so they are still tied with the Warriors.  They lost to a Sonics team, who’s second scoring option, at one point, was Damien Wilkins.  Wilkins is not the son of NBA great Dominique, but that of the self proclaimed

“Jordan stopper” Gerald Wilkins.

I still remember MJ shouting at the Cleveland bench “He can’t guard me… he can’t GUARD me!” every time he abused Wilkins.

It doesn’t really seem like either team is playing like they want to be or should be in the Playoffs.  But, hopefully the Warriors can beat the Nuggets this Thursday, and end the season winning one more game than the Nuggets.