Easter Sunday Thoughts...

Disappointing Knicks
After playing two down to the wire games in Boston, the results of Friday night's game three was an absolute nightmare for the Knicks. The first meaningful playoff game at Madison Square Garden in almost a decade, a game where the stars could own their court, and they got owned instead. There are enough excuses for why the Knicks didn't show up for game three, but after the effort that C-team gave on the road to open the series, it didn't seem impossible for the Knicks to still be in the series come Sunday...instead they couldn't be any further away.

Maybe the Knicks get lucky and squeeze out a win today, but with Amar'e talking about possibly not playing, and the real Knicks showing up Friday night, it just seems like the Knicks never really stood a shot in this series. For all of the hustle and effort and defense they gave in game two, they gave two times less effort and defense in game three. Ray Allen is unquestionably one of if not the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA, but for him to knock down eight of 11 from three, after going seven for nine in the first two games, shows a complete lack of attention to detail on the defensive end...and it really got them burned. Allen posted 32 points in the win, while Rajon Rondo notched a triple-double and Paul Pierce went for a game-high 38. The Knicks have shown that they can play defense and not just try to outscore another team to win games, and on a night when they were undermanned but playing with the home court behind them they really just didn't play the right game.

As disappointed as I am in guys like Landry Fields and Toney Douglas, this is why Mike D'Antoni makes the money he makes, to coach big games. With these being the first big games of his three year tenure I'm just so infuriated that he's not getting his team to come up bigger. Maybe my expectations are too high and I should be content with only losing by five combined points in the first two games, but the Knicks have shown that they can hang with the best teams in the league, with the talent they have they should really be finding ways to win some of these games. Celtics coach Doc Rivers is coaching the pants off of D'Antoni, who isn't a stranger to playoff basketball mind you. I'm not calling for D'Antoni's head yet, but he either needs a defensive minded assistant coach added to his staff for next season or the Knicks better go out and get Steve Nash or Stephen Curry so they can continue to try and outscore their opponents and play minimal defense.

Bottom line is the Knicks can't pick and choose when they're going to play defense against a team like the Celtics, especially if the Knicks are undermanned, which they very blatantly are. The Celtics still have four players who can have their way with the Knicks defense whenever they want to, and the Knicks seem to have one guy who can do the same if he doesn't shoot his team out of the game, which he at times does. It's hard to say this but this series looks over. Better luck next year Knicks.

Same ole Mavs
I don't mean to dig at the Mavericks as much as I want to celebrate Brandon Roy, but bylines digging at the Mavs sell more papers than Blazermania. Back to my agenda, B Roy has been one of my favorite players in the NBA the last few seasons, and to see him struggle with injuries and really seem to not be able to stay healthy has really been one of the sadder stories in the league. Well I'm not going to say he's back, but to see Roy go for 18 points in the fourth, bringing the Blazers back from down 23 points to win game four and tie the series at two was one of more amazing feats of the season. Roy dropped 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, his highest output since December 10th, 2010. Roy has been very emotional about his role in the playoffs, but if he can continue to play the one he did in game four the Blazers could have an extended trip in the playoffs. I'm rooting for the Blazers but get it together Mavs.

More Playoff Thoughts
Heat look good, Bulls look good, Thunder look good. What's the deal with the Magic? It's gotta be Stan Van...honestly. To have as much talent as they've had over the past couple of years and just never be able to pull it together? Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson...none of those guys can throw Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson a bone? I think there's a chance they don't rally and overcome the Hawks. The talents there Orlando. The Lakers don't look overly impressive but they'll probably pull this one out in five or six. Grizzlies are looking like the popular upset pick, but don't be fooled, the Spurs are one of these teams that can just flip a switch...right? Nuggets where you at? See, they're not any better than the Knicks! Pacers are playing the Bulls hard, Frank Vogel's doing a heck of a job in Indy, Tom Thibodeaux, slightly better one in Chicago. And lastly, it would be awesome if the MVP race was decided at the end of the playoffs....you have to figure your five finalists are Kobe, LeBron, D. Rose, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul/Kevin Durant....oddly enough those are the guys that are absolutely dominating the first week of the playoffs. Semi-finals are going to be insane.

A Little Baseball, with even less Law of Average
Remember when the Red Sox started the season 2-10 (hell yea!)? Well they're now 9-11 and playing as well as just about any team in baseball not named the Yankees (and Rangers, Rockies, and Phillies to be fair). After giving up ten earned runs and striking out four in his first two starts, Daisuke Matsuzaka has come back to give up zero earned runs and strike out 12 in his last two. The Rays started the season 1-8 and are now 10-11...in the same respect the Orioles started the season 6-1 and are now plummeting down back to the bottom of the AL East at 8-11. My point is that baseball (not just the AL East) is a game of averages. That's why a young, provenly talented player needs a chance to slump before they're benched with the fear that they've lost it. Dice-K looked like the worst pitcher in baseball to start the season, he's clearly bounced back. As rocky as Phil Hughes and Madison Bumgarner have looked, you can't give up on them just yet, especially when you have a terrific bullpen and a pretty sturdy looking staff behind him. People get off to slow starts in baseball...but as the Red Sox and Rays have already proven this season, it's not how slow you start, it's how well you turn it on. The baseball season is the biggest example of a marathon not a sprint...be patient. Unless you're a Mets fan, then be pessimistic.

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays...