And now an erratic list of thoughts during last night's All-Star game:
-I don't care for Dwight Howard's act. He's not funny, and his commercials are self-serving. He said before the game that he has "no beef" with Shaq, and he's never "tried to be him." "I'm my own person," he said. Yet after somehow hitting a three, he stares in disbelief at his hand. Shaq's been doing the stare-at-my-hand thing for years.
-After the whistle, LeBron tried a nonchalant windmill that missed - just do that in the dunk contest. The lob he caught from Wade was dunk contest worthy, also. LeBron said before the game, "It's all about the fans. It gives them a chance to see me." Thanks for your modesty. If he really thought that he would have already entered a dunk contest.
-TNT always does a good job of promoting the NBA. But their announcer/reporter rotation is questionable at times. They don't need five guys in the studio, while leaving Reggie to do color commentary. Reggie is not good. He's a hype man. He throws out nonsensical, often demeaning comments that are abrasive and absurd. McHale needs to start calling games. He's the next man in, and he seems very capable.
-Craig Sager continues to amaze everyone. The suits and ties are to be expected, but the run-on questions and general stupidity are what stands out. TNT needs to get rid of the interviews with guys on the bench. We don't need David Aldridge leaning over two guys to ask a pointless question. Sager was able to get the quote of the game out of Melo after asking him how scoring 17 points in the first half was so easy. "It looks easy. A lot of hard work goes into that craft."
-The NBA All-Star game is the best all-star game by far. I still love watching it every year. With that many "Alpha Dogs," there's going to be some serious competition. Dwayne Wade deserved the MVP. Seven dunks, including a lob to himself on the glass. He was the most spectacular player, and he didn't force as many shots as LeBron and Melo did.
-George Karl could have used a better rotation. Durant should have played more. Dirk should have gotten more shots, he was feeling it throughout the game. Melo hit shots, too, but he also came out gunning with the intention of scoring the most points. The West should have won.
-Deron Williams fouling Wade with 12 seconds left was the dumbest play I've seen this year. Maybe he couldn't see the score because of the huge jumbo-tron. It doesn't matter, there had just been a time out. Williams went down a notch or two after that bonehead play. And what's up with his hair?
-This year featured the ugliest shoes I've ever seen in an ASG. The weird blue and pinkish red shoes were not a good look. Chris Webber's Dadas from 2002 thought those shoes were bad.
-The half-time show dragged on for what about an hour. Two really long performances, followed by introducing the Olympic team was too much. Did Kobe need to have his $2M earring in during that introduction?
-Dear David Lee, Your left handed lay-up is not welcome here. Continue getting 12 boards a game, but don't expect to get much playing time if you're ever invited back. Regards, The All-Star Game.
-Some JSJ Awards from last night:
- Best inbounder: Chris Kaman
- Slowest player: Tim Duncan
- Best screen-setter: Tie, Tim Duncan and David Lee
- Biggest knee brace: Tim Duncan
- Most out-of-place looking jumper: Zach Randolph
- Worst offensive play: Missed lay-up by Randolph
- Over-the-hill Award: Tim Duncan
- Most annoying: Dwight Howard
- Should have sat out with an "injury": Tim Duncan
Great comments! But you forgot to mention one thing....how brutally awful was the dunk contest? It could have been the worst I have ever seen. Nate Robinson was good, dont get me wrong. But some of the dunks these cats were doing, you see better dunks in a good high school basketball game. No creativity at all. I saw one guy catch a lob and dunk it with one hand....ooooohhhhh! Spectacular! To be honest, I would rather watch a mascot dunk contest when they use those trampolines.
ReplyDeleteI loved the awards. The thing that threw me was that there seemed like they were playing in a half empty gym, not in front of the largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game. It seemed as though even the best plays only received a few cheers. The problem to me was that if you play an ASG in a place that big, not everyone is cheering for the same team or players. Thus, not everyone cheers at the same time. And the place was so big, that even 1/3 of the people cheering seemed like nothing.
ReplyDeleteThe raised court was also a regrettable decision. Its basketball, play it in a basketball arena.
All of this made the game seem less exciting than it really was. It was a great game, and this is the only All Star game I actually watch.
Although because of TNT's coverage I watched it on mute.