Post by jailblazer2352 on May 23, 2008 23:04:40 GMT -5
The NBA's final four has arrived in full swing. Gone are the almost famous (New Orleans, Utah), the pleasant surprises (Philly, Atlanta), and the colossal disapointments (Phoenix, Dallas). Nothing marks a stamp of legitimacy like a deep run in the NBA Playoffs. The NBA may have it's flaws, but winning a championship, or even reaching the Finals, isn't merely a matter of catching lightning in a bottle. The loveable underdogs can only make it so far in the do or die marathon that is the Playoffs. Much like Championship Sunday in football, the NBA's pair of semi-final series' consistently provide the best possible matchups the league has to offer. In the East, Detroit and Boston will put an exclamation point on their season long struggle for Eastern supremacy. In the West, LA and San Antonio will add another chapter to their decade long battle for Post-Jordan supremacy. With the exception of Boston, the foursome features the league's most successful teams of the last decade, sharing 8 of the last 10 championships between them. This could even be the last hurrah for the institutions in both Detroit and San Antonio. So yes, in the Conference Finals people will watch. It's the Finals that stirs up David Stern's rarely seen exotic side. What does he need in order to avoid the ratings fiasco of a year ago (or pretty much any series involving the Spurs)? Below, I will evaluate every possible Finals matchup and it's affect on the sought after fan base. (In ascending order of interest)
4. Spurs-Pistons-Ahhh, the beautiful matchup of uglies that always seems to tickle the fancy of basketball fans. Seriously, Spurs-Pistons is a great matchup. Billups vs. Parker, Rip vs. Manu, Duncan vs. Rasheed. All-Stars, future hall of famers, diversity meets B-B-B-B-B-Billups! What's not to love? Why is this matchup such a disaster? The style of play. Both teams play slow it down, grind it out, and for lack of a better word: UGLY basketball. The Finals should be a contrast of styles, a battle of wits, a clash of titans. It gets boring when the titans try to beat each other at the same game. It's about imposing your will. In the Spurs and Pistons case, that "will" emerged from the same womb. A repeat of this matchup means a repeat of the '07 ratings disaster, because only the Spurs could give a Lebron-featured finals such a painfully quiet death.
3. Spurs-Celtics-It's been a while. The NBA wants Boston back in the Finals. In the Spurs case, Boston may be their most worthy finals opponent to date (besides Detroit). The Celts and their "3 Party" are a far cry from the 8th seeded Knicks ('99), the 49 win Nets ('03), and the Cleveland Lebrons...... or Cavaliers. While Boston returning to the Finals would make for a great story, the Spurs would inevitably kill it by doing what they do best: imposing their quick-sand style on the weary Celtics.
2. Pistons-Lakers-Talk about a clash of personalities. Glamour vs. Grit. The entertainment capitol of the world vs. the motor vehicle capital of the world. Jack Nicholson vs. Eminem. Detroit and Los Angeles are opposites in every sense of the word. On the court, the story is the same. Back in the 80's the Pistons and Lakers built up a heated little rivalry of their own in two Finals matchups at the end of the decade. The current versions draw various similarities. It would be interesting to see Bad Boys 2.0 go after Kobe the way Bad Boys The Original went after Magic. Clash of styles? It's always a clash of styles when Phil Jackson brings his triangle offense to the table.
1. Celtics-Lakers-Sports is unscripted. As third party fans, we never seem to get the matchup we want. While there are no "bad" or "fluke" matchups on this list, a Celtics-Lakers revival would be the equivalent of Elvis coming back from the dead. The NBA NEEDS this matchup. It has it all. Tradition, glamour, hatred. The aura and mystique of the Celtics and the glitz and glamour of the Lakers. You won't find a greater contrast of franchises in any other sport. That's what makes this the best intra-conference rivalry in the history of sports. All the legends of the past and celebrities of the present would come out in full support of their beloved (or supposedly beloved in the case of most celebrities) franchises. Everyone would watch. Everyone would go. Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Big Papi would line the sidelines in Boston. Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Jack Nickelson, Marc Wahlberg, and Candace Parker will line the sidelines in LA. Lest we forget, two great teams will be squaring off as well. It's Kobe, his massive front line, and his famous bench dogs vs. the overhyped, highly successful Boston "3-Party." An unnamed ABC executive even admitted "of course we want Boston-LA." David Stern couldn't agree more.
Boston-LA is the ideal matchup. But sports being sports, it's not likely to happen. Nothing is guaranteed. There is no script. Boston and LA will have to earn their right. Detroit and San Antonio will never make it easy. The Pistons are playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Spurs always have a chip on ther shoulder. No matter the matchup, it will be hard earned. That, my friends, is why we watch.
4. Spurs-Pistons-Ahhh, the beautiful matchup of uglies that always seems to tickle the fancy of basketball fans. Seriously, Spurs-Pistons is a great matchup. Billups vs. Parker, Rip vs. Manu, Duncan vs. Rasheed. All-Stars, future hall of famers, diversity meets B-B-B-B-B-Billups! What's not to love? Why is this matchup such a disaster? The style of play. Both teams play slow it down, grind it out, and for lack of a better word: UGLY basketball. The Finals should be a contrast of styles, a battle of wits, a clash of titans. It gets boring when the titans try to beat each other at the same game. It's about imposing your will. In the Spurs and Pistons case, that "will" emerged from the same womb. A repeat of this matchup means a repeat of the '07 ratings disaster, because only the Spurs could give a Lebron-featured finals such a painfully quiet death.
3. Spurs-Celtics-It's been a while. The NBA wants Boston back in the Finals. In the Spurs case, Boston may be their most worthy finals opponent to date (besides Detroit). The Celts and their "3 Party" are a far cry from the 8th seeded Knicks ('99), the 49 win Nets ('03), and the Cleveland Lebrons...... or Cavaliers. While Boston returning to the Finals would make for a great story, the Spurs would inevitably kill it by doing what they do best: imposing their quick-sand style on the weary Celtics.
2. Pistons-Lakers-Talk about a clash of personalities. Glamour vs. Grit. The entertainment capitol of the world vs. the motor vehicle capital of the world. Jack Nicholson vs. Eminem. Detroit and Los Angeles are opposites in every sense of the word. On the court, the story is the same. Back in the 80's the Pistons and Lakers built up a heated little rivalry of their own in two Finals matchups at the end of the decade. The current versions draw various similarities. It would be interesting to see Bad Boys 2.0 go after Kobe the way Bad Boys The Original went after Magic. Clash of styles? It's always a clash of styles when Phil Jackson brings his triangle offense to the table.
1. Celtics-Lakers-Sports is unscripted. As third party fans, we never seem to get the matchup we want. While there are no "bad" or "fluke" matchups on this list, a Celtics-Lakers revival would be the equivalent of Elvis coming back from the dead. The NBA NEEDS this matchup. It has it all. Tradition, glamour, hatred. The aura and mystique of the Celtics and the glitz and glamour of the Lakers. You won't find a greater contrast of franchises in any other sport. That's what makes this the best intra-conference rivalry in the history of sports. All the legends of the past and celebrities of the present would come out in full support of their beloved (or supposedly beloved in the case of most celebrities) franchises. Everyone would watch. Everyone would go. Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Big Papi would line the sidelines in Boston. Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Jack Nickelson, Marc Wahlberg, and Candace Parker will line the sidelines in LA. Lest we forget, two great teams will be squaring off as well. It's Kobe, his massive front line, and his famous bench dogs vs. the overhyped, highly successful Boston "3-Party." An unnamed ABC executive even admitted "of course we want Boston-LA." David Stern couldn't agree more.
Boston-LA is the ideal matchup. But sports being sports, it's not likely to happen. Nothing is guaranteed. There is no script. Boston and LA will have to earn their right. Detroit and San Antonio will never make it easy. The Pistons are playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Spurs always have a chip on ther shoulder. No matter the matchup, it will be hard earned. That, my friends, is why we watch.