One Day In…
And I’m sure everybody is already writing off the 2006-2007 Miami Heat. After all, they looked old and slow, and got punished by the Bulls by 42 points. While I admit, that was an ATROCIOUS showing by the Heat last night, I’m not really surprised. 42 points was a lot more than I thought they would lose by. I was expecting an 18-point defeat. I could tell by the way Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, and Antoine Walker (all vets who have taken shots for never winning a ring) were patting themselves on the back before the game started. Remember, I’ve sat through three opening nights when the Spurs were given their championship rings. Coincidentally, I’ve watched the Spurs lose three times on opening night when they receive their rings. The game just doesn’t matter following that celebration, at least not for the guys getting their jewelry. Meanwhile, the other team sits there fuming (read Benny Wallace and P.J. Brown) for having to get cold again after warming up for 20 minutes.
I feel sorry for P.J. Brown. He’s been the consumate professional for a looooong time. He fought with Mourning, back when Mourning was the go-to guy, and had to endure postseason losses to the Knicks. Then Mourning’s body fails and the franchise fails with him. Of course, P.J. goes to New Orleans, only to be paired up with Paul Silas and Baron Davis. Statistically, it works out, but everybody knew that franchise was going nowhere. Yet, he plays hard and remains loyal. When the time comes for him to make some money and jump to a winner. He stays with the Hornets, takes a strikingly similar offer from the Hornets that the Spurs were offering, and remains on that dreadful team. Now, when Isiah Thomas (the player) v. 2.0 comes along and falls into the laps of the Hornets, there is hope on the horizon. What happens? He gets dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies (the winning version) of the Eastern Conference. I like the Bulls, but they are the exact same team with the exact same problems as the Grizzlies. Just watch and learn. They will be a successful regular season team, but when the postseason comes, unless “The Closer” Ben Gordon gets more run (which is highly unlikely judging by Skiles’ love of defense and Duhon’s all-around game) the Bulls will falter in a 7-game series against a team with a superstar. Sound familiar? Spurs v. Grizzlies (’04 and ‘05)? Bulls v. Heat (’06)? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
