Banter's 2014 UnOfficial Awards

A week ago, I unveiled my picks for the NBA's regular season awards, as usual a little early. I do this (mainly) for two reasons: a) to get the jump on other analysts whose opinions you surely care more about, and b) to avoid letting their logic subconsciously influence my decisions. Maybe I plan this too carefully for someone whose vote doesn't actually count, but according to ESPN's awards forecast pollsters - lots of whom are card-carrying NBA voters - I'm looking decent to go 5 for 6, with the arbitrary Most Improved Player being the lone sure miss.

Most of what I've read suggests Goran Dragic will snag MIP, which doesn't sit well with me. Dragic made a pretty big leap as a scorer this year, but by most numbers, and some general definitions wasn't even the most improved player in his own starting lineup.

Phoenix's season was a huge surprise; a refreshing burst of entertainment in a season when so many teams openly refused to compete (to overstate a point, the Suns were supposed to be one of them). Stellar as Dragic's campaign was, he was far from the only contributor on a team whose (essentially) whole rotation had dramatic career years. And it's also not as though he came out of nowhere.

Dragic should be acknowledged, but he's already a near-lock for an All-NBA nod in a season where a guard-injury epidemic hit perennial candidates Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. Handing this award to him is akin to erroneously crowning the best player on the best team MVP, and it's especially tough to single out one player, when Phoenix's improvement was such a team function.

Speaking of seasons that need to be acknowledged (and with that rant off my chest) there was plenty more to celebrate in 2013-14 than the NBA's standard awards can cover, so without further delay, here are Banter's UnOfficial Awards:

Bobby Boucher Award: Al Jefferson
The player whose acquisition to a new team created the greatest positive impact.

Big Al was just an offensive beast this year; there's no way to deny his impact on Charlotte's pretty-unlikely run to the Playoffs, putting up near-career-best numbers for a team who exceeded the general preseason consensus by ~ 15 wins.

There's plenty of blame to go around; the team as a whole gelled nicely under a near-COY first year from Steve Clifford. But after Jefferson shook off his early bum leg, the Hornets relied on his post presence consistently, especially during Kemba Walker's absence. Their inspired refusal to tank is largely his fault.

Regards to: The Phoenix Suns, Dwight Howard, Monta Ellis

Canibus Award: Enes Kanter
The young player who was set to blow up this season, had plenty of opportunity, and didn't really deliver.

Not too much went right in Utah this season, and while the aim wasn't exactly for the Jazz to be "good" per se, part of the motivation for for letting Paul Millsap and the aforementioned Al Jefferson walk away for nothing last summer was to clear room for ^this guy to blossom in the low post.

Didn't quite happen, as Kanter's game developed at a rate far slower than any Mormon had hoped, while his presence in tandem with Derrick Favors was mostly dysfunctional. The Jazz are getting a good Lotto pick and have cap room to spare, but any kind of leap from Enes this year would've been encouraging going forward. (In completely, totally, 100% unrelated news, Kanter may or may not have also been one of my preseason picks for Most Improved Player).

Regards to: Ed Davis, Dion Waiters

Kevin Willis Lifetime Achievement Award: Derek Fisher

The player who demonstrates outstanding devotion to the game, defying most laws of common sense and physics through an utter refusal to retire. 

Fisher took this award home last year, but in a season where Russell Westbrook's injuries gave him unfathomable amounts of floor time, Fisher delivered some witty veteran play, often at key moments for the Thunder. He proved he wasn't a total relic, which the meme to your right more or less indicates.

Regards to: Antawn Jamison, Chauncey Billups, Jermaine O'Neal

Energizer Bunny Award: Joakim Noah
The player who just keeps going, and going, and going, and going...

You know how Drake's just been everywhere with basketball these past few weeks? Annoyingly popping up in every little unexpected corner of a game - courtside, in the locker room, in the ESPN studio, afterparty VIPing, or looming from his perch as the Raptors' Human Mascot - just to remind you how "on it" he is?

That was Noah all year. Dude just didn't stop.He combined perpetual movement with flawless execution; his efforts were both more balanced and focused; he did so much for the Bulls, while never taking plays off. It was a joy to watch, and every bit as irritating as Drizzy for whoever was up against it.

Regards to: Jimmy Butler, Monta Ellis, Blake Griffin

Leon Phelps Award: Andre Drummond
The player who caused the most drama with the ladies this season.

In an era where Social Media has more or less devoured actual social behavior, Drummond made headlines last year with his public Twitter pursuit of teeny-bopper Jennette McCurdy. His hashtag-bred courtship (how romantic.) led to several PDA-heavy dates, continuing to feed the viral frenzy around the young lovebirds. McCurdy even penned a very well-articulated op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on all the commotion.

The two became a highly-topical fodder for both gossip media, and members of the ubiquitous "anything's possible on the Internet" movement.

In a shocking turn of events, this hasty celebrity couple didn't last very long, with McCurdy's midseason revelation that her and Andre only went on a couple of dates, didn't vibe too well, and that a tiny teen actress kissing a 7-foot basketball player is every bit as awkward height-wise as you'd picture.

But of course, it wouldn't be a standard NBA relationship without something like this happening at all-too-perfect a time.

Regards to: Paul George, Raymond Felton, Dante Cunningham

The Earl Manigault Rebound of the Year: Shaun Livingston
The player who - against great odds or obstacles - made the most significant comeback this season.

The injury-ravaged career of Shaun Livingston had mostly been a tragic tale of great potential succumbing to a fragile body. Since 2004, he'd seen seasons of 4, 8, 10 and 26 games, only once playing more than 70.

After yet again appearing in just 17 for the Wiz last year, Livingston landed on the Nets - his seventh team in six seasons - and highly improbably dropped near career-best numbers for a Playoff team, appearing in a personal best 76 games, and having been the first sign of life when Brooklyn bombed out of the gate.

The fact that he's still in the NBA is a testament to his will and toughness; what he showed us this season deserves a nod.

Regards to: Derrick Rose, Kyle Lowry, Channing Frye

Ham of the Year: Andrew Bynum
The player who insulted expectations, his paycheck, and the game of basketball the most through continued dubiousness and a general resemblance to a roasted slab of meat.

I don't like to pick on injured players with this award, but in some cases it's just unavoidable. Especially when said injury was incurred while the player was tossing some ten-pin before he was cleared for activity. Enter this season's Andrew Bynum's Saga:

After spending a year on the bench, becoming an internet sideshow, Bynum's time in Cleveland was marked by disconnected play and enough incredulous stories to fuel a Best of Maury Povich DVD. There were sources claiming he'd slept with a coach's wife, others saying he'd spent an entire team scrimmage launching three-pointers off every touch, and one report went so far as him meeting with then-GM Chris Grant, claiming he didn't want to play basketball anymore.

Slotting an early-termination clause into his deal - allowing them to ditch him mid-season in the somewhat-likely event this were to happen - was the best thing that happened to the Cavs this year, turning the ability to fire Bynum into a trade asset. Indiana doesn't exactly have much to say about his time there.

Regards to: OJ Mayo, Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Bennett

The David Stern Award: Anthony Davis
The player who made the biggest power move this year.

I'm introducing this new award, not only as a needed salute to a legendary builder whom we all owe as fans of the game, but as the UnOfficial Awards' answer to Best Picture, Album of the Year, and Choice Hissy Fit.

The best way to explain my logic for this award is a combination of MVP and MIP; a player has to have escalated significantly, but more or less to or within the NBA's Penthouse (ruling out basically the entire MIP field). Like Stern, he's shown tremendous growth that has registered in the most impactful way.

What Davis showed this season was the makings of an all-around big man eerily reminiscent of Hakeem Olajuwon, who Bill Simmons in The Book of Basketball declared a "kajillionpilliongazillionfrazillionfriggallionmaillion to one" that we'd ever see again. The guy can do pretty much everything right now, and is still 21 (twenty-f***ing-one) and has so much to learn that it's almost unfair what he's capable of. When he pulls it all together consistently, he'll be totally unstoppable.

More or less everyone knew Davis was primed for a leap this year after adjusting to life in the NBA and its learning curve, fully healing his leg, and adding some bulk to his wiry frame. Nobody really saw this kind of casual all-around dominance from The Brow; the kind of season that promises he'll be an MVP someday.

It's really only a matter of how long the LeBron & Durant's Jay-Z/Nas duel carries on. They've got now, but Davis took next very decisively, and doesn't look like he's waiting too patiently.

Regards to: Kevin Durant, Joakim Noah, Blake Griffin 

Congrats to this year's winners (your trophies and Tim Horton's Gift Cards are in the mail). See you all on Saturday for what...? Playoffs.

Banter's 2013 UnOfficial Awards

While the NBA does a reasonable job of handing out awards that honor players who've stood out in the regular season, the limited scope of six trophies leaves many deserving and shunned without recognition.

Though it many not be much consolation, those who've excelled in categories not recognized by the League ballots - but still made a memorable impression on this season, for better and worse - are getting their dues here, with Banter's UnOfficial Awards for 2013...

Bobby Boucher Trophy: James Harden, Houston Rockets

The player whose acquisition to a new team created the greatest positive impact.

Prior to last summer, Houston GM Darryl Morey had spent several well-chronicled seasons stockpiling middling tradeable assets in an attempt to land a premiere player; one capable of building a team around. He loaded his stash steadily, patiently waiting for the right opportunity. After factors of varying legitimacy thwarted his attempts to land Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, it should have surprised no one that the guy leading the "Nerdy GM" Revolution had triggered a deal with fellow chief-geek Sam Presti to land James Harden before the rest of the NBA had any idea Harden was available.

What also came as little surprise was Harden's immediate explosion in a larger role, but within Houston's high-octane, shoot-first-ask-questions-later offense, his athletic combination of playmaking and versatile scoring was a perfect fit for a dominant ball-handler, and The Beard became even more Fearsome than before. Largely as a result, Houston's in the Playoffs (highly unlikely pre-trade), and Harden has given them what they've worked years for: a legitimate star.

Regards to: JR Smith, OJ Mayo, Nikola Vucevic

Simmons BeautyRest Award: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

The player who had an exceptional season and was generally slept on very hard by the NBA community.

When posterity reflects upon the 2012-13 NBA Season, or the career of one Stephen Curry, there's going to be a glaring historical injustice concerning his absence on this season's West All-Star team. Certainly, this was some kind of miscount, or perhaps a covertly-coordinated attempt by all the opposing coaches he'd shredded to rob a "fringe All-Star"; certainly they hadn't all forgotten.

While praise and an All-Star jersey were heaped upon David Lee, Curry continued performing at an excellent level, exponentially more important to Golden State's offense than Lee, and (rebounding aside) a noticeably better defender. In his first season as the Warriors' backcourt lead, he made short debate of the decision to keep him and trade Monta Ellis. He stayed healthy and elevated his game while Andrew Bogut did neither, taking his team to the Playoffs, where few had slotted them.

That he wasn't an All-Star is a testament to ignorance. That he likely won't be All-NBA is a testament to the quality of guards in today's game. Regardless, his impact this season can't be completely swept under the rug.

Regards to: Kenneth Faried, Mike Conley, JJ Hickson

Canibus Award: Michael Beasley, Phoenix Suns

The player who was primed to blow up this season, had plenty of opportunity, and didn't amount to much.

Watching Mike Beasley play basketball is one of the most genuinely frustrating experiences known to fans of the game. Equipped with a rare blend of pure power and raw athleticism, he also possesses an outstanding offensive skill set and the ability to swing between forward spots, which all put together is a seemingly foolproof recipe for NBA success.

The words "seemingly" and "foolproof" are of particular importance in this case, as Beasley regularly defies convention with his selfish, disconnected play, and general lack of acknowledgement that preventing the other team from scoring helps win games. Even with a change of scenery - going from Minnesota's suddenly expectation-filled snowy abyss to a rebuilding desert oasis where he would have plenty of room to make a name for himself - he continued to tease with the occasional glimpse of dominance, while mainly lapsing listlessly through a forgettable season that's beginning to define a forgettable career.

Regards to: DeMarcus Cousins, Javale McGee, Kyle Lowry

Kevin Willis Memorial Award: Derek Fisher, Oklahoma City Thunder

The player who demonstrates outstanding devotion to the game, defying most laws of common sense and physics with an utter refusal to retire.

I'm not really sure why Derek Fisher's still playing basketball professionally; he's made a ton of money, won more championships than 99.9% of players who will ever suit up in the NBA, and must sincerely value time with his loved ones after his daughter overcame a rare life- threatening illness (Fisher confirmed as much when he made Dallas waive him so he could re-sign with the Thunder and be with his family in OKC).

At this point I've concluded either one of two things: a) Fisher sincerely loves the game, or b) Fisher sincerely feels bad enough about the way the lockout went that he's willing to martyr himself as an easy match-up for the players he helped squander many millions on behalf of.

Either way, he's living embodiment of what this award's all about.

Regards to: Kurt Thomas, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, 

Energizer Bunny Award: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

The player who just keeps going, and going, and going, and going, and going, and going, and going...

If Westbrook weren't so emotionally volatile, it wouldn't be too crazy at this point to think he was some sort of secretly-developed cyborg.

Not only is he unbelievably stubborn, as though he were programmed with just one gear, but that gear is one of hyper-aggression; an overdrive that fuels a perpetual rage of insanely athletic energy that never takes a single play off and seems to escape normal human physical implications.

See, Westbrook not only goes all-out every possession, playing as though his life depended on it, but his body shows absolutely no signs of the strain and injury such extreme intensity usually leaves. Not only did he get through this season without missing a single game, but he's done the same each of his five years in the NBA, and apparently ever since high school. Westy's ability to keep himself on the court and involved in every play is truly without equal.

Regards to: Kobe Bryant, Kenneth Faried, LeBron James

Ham of the Year: Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors 

The player who insulted expectations, his paycheck, and the game of basketball the most through continued dubiousness and a general resemblance to a roasted slab of meat.

Quite seldom does a player fall into a serious regression as he's entering the ostensible prime of his career without suffering a debilitating injury, but consider Bargnani the exception. He impeded any progress the Raptors had hoped to make this season by casually drifting through possessions while his albatross contract ate up cap space and potential trades like they were Molly caps at a Young Money release party.

Though Bargs has been dealing with nagging minor ailments, his lack of improvement and constant nonchalant aura since inking his big deal suggest he's more likely getting rich and lazy than the victim of a Greg Oden(/Andrew Bynum?)-style bodily flaw.

A prime amnesty candidate, Bargnani flashed the skill set to be a truly effective stretch 4, and the rare Euro big man to actually pan out, but now being paid like a star, he's fallen flatter than a Shaq free-throw for a team who took him first overall, hired his Italian manager to help acclimate him, gave him $50 million, and is now left shaking their heads.

Regards to: Pau Gasol, Kendrick Perkins, Ben Gordon

JR Rider Award: DeAndre Jordan on Brandon Knight

The season's best dunk.

We've seen it enough times. All you need to do is look at the photo to the right, and you know something devastating just happened.

Hindenburg Award: LA Lakers

Given to the NBA's biggest disaster.

It seems kind of unfair and redundant, but it can't be understated just how catastrophic this season was for the Lakers. Back in November, they were on the brink of hiring the best coach in the history of the NBA to remedy their maligned cast of Hall-of-Famers, but since courting - then abruptly dumping - him, have seen theatrics, nonchalance, lack of depth and injuries destroy their hopes of contending, punctuated a heinously ironic injury to Kobe Bryant, and mass uncertainty about the team's future. Rest in Peace, Dr Buss. Know how sincerely I say you're in a better place now.

Regards to: Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings

Christopher Wallace Award: Andrew Bynum, Philadelphia 76ers

The player whose team was most hurt by his absence this season.

In a season where many-a-star seemed to be weathering some kind of injury, none of their franchise's seasons were as heavily weighted upon Bynum's full convalescence and the 76ers'. The perennially injured star center had a team of shooter and athletic swing players built around him, counting on his knee rehab to work their way.

Of course, Bynum seriously aggravated the injury in a much-hyped trip to his local bowling alley, shelving himself for the rest of the season in the process, and leaving Philly's roster up shit's creek, with only Jrue Holiday as a paddle. Without their new franchise player, the 76ers were rudderless and uninspiring, gradually dissolving as the season went along, and driving a steady veteran coach like Doug Collins - one noted for his growth of young talent (including a certain standout swingman during the late 80's) - to melt down and lash out at his team in a post-game presser, and eventually walk out on $4.5 million to lead them again next year.

While the Sixers wait on lottery balls and clean out their lockers earlier than anyone expected when Bynum donned their threads, at least they have the comfort of knowing they didn't give up any quality big men who could've served as insurance if he went down. Oh, wait...

Regards to: The Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose

Lakers at Celtics: Live on Basketball Banter

A little while back, the Celtics and Lakers squared off in a much-anticipated rematch of last year's NBA Finals. The Lakers (for the most part) didn't show up, making for an anti-climactic fourth quarter collapse, and a fortunate twist that I got sick and didn't waste two hours doing live game notes. Well, with a re-match less than two weeks later, and LA looking for redemption, it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. They're going through the starters right now, so let's get involved:

- With two treys tonight, Ray Allen will pass Reggie Miller as the NBA's all-time leader.... Who's on the mic for TNT tonight? Yup. This is gonna be fun.

- Kobe comes out looking to get Gasol the ball in the paint on two straight possessions; maybe he learned a lesson last time out.

- Meanwhile, Allen's been spending a conspicuous amount of time inside the arc, where here's 2/3 early

- Ray's first three.....rims out. The crowd sighs, Reggie can breathe again.

- Bynum tips the ball to himself off a jump ball...no whistle. Good to see the refs bringing their A game to a high-profile national TV game.

- Craig Sager sighting; navy suede with a matching tie over a striped shirt. It's only about a 2 on the Craig Sager Ugly Suit scale, he's been stepping his game up a bit lately.

- LA's working the ball into Bynum regularly and he looks a lot more comfortable then last game, even against Boston's feared front line.

- My buddy Kevin does some quick math and drops the slightly appalling tidbit that the Celtics' rotation have missed 151 games this year, and still have the best record in the East. Wow.

- Allen for 3...aaaaand boom goes the dynamite! The crowd goes nuts, and Ray goes for the record ten seconds later on a broken play and bricks. 15 years in, he's shooting a career high from 3, and is showing little sign of slowing down physically. When you consider that Jason Kidd is currently third in 3's made (seriously) this one might be out of reach for a while.

- Kendrick Perkins thinks he's comfortable off a good feed from Allen and gets humbled by Bynum, winning the inside battle so far.

- Ray gets the feed on a fast break, nobody within 10 feet, lets loose, everyone in the World knows history's about to happen....Iciest record ever. Reggie calls him over on the next dead ball and salutes him, saying it couldn't have happened to a better guy; more than a touch of class, which is fitting towards a guy who might be the classiest NBA player out there. Congrats, Ray.

- Boston's rode Ray's hot hand to a 27-20 lead after the first, and Allen gets his PA moment, complete with a Standing O and (of course) TV time for Ray Allen's Mom.

- The audio's getting cut for a while for my roommates' drinking tunes. We'll be without Reggie's sultry tones for the next hour or so.

- LA's inside assault continues, with Ron Artest (!) muscling his way inside for an and-one.

- Glen Davis counters with his own and-one, and touchdown celebration, though no one was injured by his saliva.

- The Lakers are still only shooting inside the key with Bryant on the bench, although making nothing and trailing by 13 with 10 left in he second....So on the ensuing play, a penetrate-and-kick leads to a Shannon Brown trey.

- Brown gets a little trigger happy and fires a bad three, but gets bailed out by an errant Nate Robinson foul; the kind of play he figured to make more since coming to Boston. The camera pans over to Doc just in time for his head to hit his lap.

- If you thought you'd never see Von Wafer absolutely own Ron Artest defensively on the low block, consider yourself mistaken.

- LA's working the ball inside-out and outside-in, but can't (as Chick Hearn would say) throw a grape in the ocean. Bynum and Gasol are the only ones doing anything offensively.

- Ray Allen's killing it; throwing down a one-hander off a trailing feed from Rondo on a fast break off LA's 54th turnover.

- Kobe's still in Playmaker Mode, slicing through 3 defenders and feeding Gasol, who gets mugged on a dunk. LA's reluctance to back down against Boston's grimey post D is impressive.

- Boston finally coughs the ball up and gives Shannon Brown a chance to make his case for Dunk Contest inclusion.

- Rondo finds himself wide open 2 feet behind the foul line, and second-guesses before throwing up a brick over a crashing Derek Fisher. He who hesitates... (or he who has a suspect jumper..)

- Fisher then weaves into the key for a short floater, doing his best Rondo impersonation to pull LA within 5.

- Pierce beasts a layup inside off a nice Rondo feed to close the half, sending Boston into the break up 53-45. Ray's appropriately leading all scorers with 14. Kobe has....3, while Bynum and Gasol have 24 on 9 of 15.

- Moment of Silence for Jerry Sloan; his resignation has to be the most unforseen and unfortunate development in a season that's been full of them. Sloan going out mid-season like this is like Luke Ridnour winning the Dunk Contest or Greg Oden going a full 82. With the Jazz unraveling and Deron Williams pissed, things weren't working, but it seemed like it;d take far worse to shatter the longest coaching tenure in pro sports, outlasting 154 NBA coaches.

- Right now, I'm listening to crappy indie rock instead of whatever Charles has to say about Ray Allen's historic night and the "photos" of him with Lindsay Lohan being flashed on screen. The boys can't go to the bar soon enough.

- Kobe's in attack mode, slicing into the lane for two easy buckets and feeding Gasol for an open jumper: tie game early in the third.

- Kobe picks up a double-T (travel, technical), but stays in attack mode, sending Ray to the bench with his fourth foul, then leaving Wafer on a nasty turnaround to bring LA within one.

- Bynum Smash! The kid keeps making his presence felt inside, LA has their first lead since the game's first minute, 63-60.

- Paul Pierce gets left open from 18, while boys are trying to find footage of him tossing a Crip sign at Al Horford on YouTube, which he apparently got fined 25 Gs for.

- Speaking of gangs, Pierce is unloading on the Lakers right now, burying another three to put Boston back ahead by one.

- Lamar Odom tips in a Pau miss, then turns around and runs right into him. They butt heads, sending both players stumbling to the bench, Lamar for some cut work. Maybe that'll knock enough sense into him to not do anymore perfume commercials.....TNT then flashes back to the havoc Gasol unleashed on KG's head last weekend, Lamar still got off easy.

- I don't care how lame Just Go With It looks, I really hope it's a hit. As long as crappy romantic comedies are being made, Brooklyn Decker should be in more of them.

- The fourth starts with Lamar banging a trey to put LA up seven, fresh off his stitches and rocking an even more awkward bandage than KG after his Gasol encounter.

- Kobe's on the bench and LA's rolling, up 7 with 10 to play.

- Bynum (predictably) falls asleep on D and lets Perkins roam in for a thunderous dunk to stop the bleeding.

- Ray's peeling more 3's now, but (the feared crunch-time tag team of) Steve Blake and Shannon Brown hook up on a nice backdoor play to keep distance. With the bench mob still riding into the 6th minute, LA's doing everything they didn't do in the Fourth last time around: moving on offense, boxing out, putting the ball in the basket. Boston's reeling and Kobe and Pau are about to come back fresh....

- Odom strips Garnett off an inbound and Bryant comes out in Mamba mode, icing Allen with the same turnaround fadeaway he grilled Wafer with. Clearly feeling the rest he just got, Bryant buries another jumper, strips Pierce, then blows by Allen for a tough layup over Big Baby. For a guy whose knee is "almost bone-on-bone" (just the thought of that makes me cringe) he's doing alright.

- LA's holding court on D, forcing some tough attempts from the best-shooting team in the NBA. They aren't getting the looks they want, as evidenced by a Rondo 18-footer being their first field goal in a couple minutes.

- After a failed Boston fast break, Kobe vacuums Boston's front line under the hoop and serves Gasol the easiest hoop of his career.

- Boston trails by seven with a buck-thirty left...Rajon Rondo at the line. Celtics fans, this isn't looking good.

- Odom with the grand hustle, chases down an offensive board he had no business getting, leading to a Bryant iso, where he abuses Allen again and ices what looks like the dagger - LA up 8 with :48 to go.

- Book it: 92-86 Lakers. So in their last meeting, LA fell apart in the fourth when the supporting cast shat the bed and Kobe tried to take over, forcing a bunch of terrible shots and taking his entire team out of the game. Tonight played out slightly differently to say the least. It was a big game: the culmination of Ray Allen's endless three-point blitzkriegs, and perhaps the turning point of LA's season: they went on the road and beat a team that recently broke them down, toughing out an impressive win against their biggest rival after a string of questionable performances.

The Final Countdown (cue 80's hair metal)

...Once again after a prolonged absence, I've broken out of hibernation and decided to throw something on here. Basketball Banter's entering a transition phase, albeit at a really shitty time when almost a year's worth of anticipation's coming to a boiling point and some awe-inspiring basketball's being played. Expansion plans are in the works though; I'm linking up an old associate to collaborate on the blog, so we'll have some different perspectives and more regular updates in weeks to come...

The last week of my life has teetered delicately on the precipice of insanity; a combination of some brutally cold poker decks and brutally cold basketball from the delusional Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron n' Friends coasted through the regular season and early rounds of the playoffs with an almighty swagger; demolishing weaker opponents, showcasing their pregame antics, boasting the COY and MVP...and the second they were put in a tough place they crumbled like 'erb. I don't want to take anything away from the Magic; they were a dangerous squad that played extremely well, hitting the 3 with lethal precision and capitalizing on the many mismatches they presented the Cavs with...but I can't help but feel like the supporting cast shat the bed and wasted a boderline historic performance from the King. Nobody was consistent, everybody was a tentative shell of their earlier-season selves. Impressive showing by Delonte, but when he's your second scoring option, you're not winning a Conference Finals. I'm especially disappointed in Mo Williams; dude made such a huge difference this year and was supposedly the missing piece to ths Cavs' title hopes, shoots 30 per-fucking-cent throughout the series, never contributing as a playmaker, all the while his mouth running like Forrest Gump: "I can't see my team losing this series"...I bet he can't see a vacancy in #23's locker space next summer either.

The Cavs were exploited by Orlando: they used Dwight's impositon to open up a floodgate of treys, moving the ball extremely well and wetting and endless array of daggers from long range. Whoever had to double down on D12 (and it was a necessity with Z being too slow, Varejao being too small and Wallace being too useless) left a deadly shooter wide open, and when you give a team like the Magic that many wide open looks, they'll punish you. the Cavs made Rafer Alston look like Mark Price; it was depressing. As much as the rest of the team stepped up (big ups to Pietrus), we witnessed a truly transcendant performance by Dwight Howard. He dominated the boards and caused havoc in the paint on D, even with Lebron's incessant attempts to foul him out, the standard. Howard did everything for the Magic though, scoring at will with a variety of low-post moves and a polished touch, finding open shooters for a Shaq-like amount of hockey assists and even hitting clutch free-throws. It was the kind of showing that truly solidifies a player as a Superstar, and now he has a chance to become a Legend.

He'll only have to dethrone the almighty Lakers though, who despite the Magic's obliteration of my squad, I still think will win the Larry O. The Gasol/Bynum two-headed monster (despite Bynum's poor playoff showing) matches up better with Howard on both ends than the Cavs' bigs, and will surely cause him more foul trouble. They also boast more legnth and better defenders on the perimeter, so Orlando will be more hard-pressed to dump the rock to Dwight then swing to an open man off the double. It'll be a lot harder for players like Alston and Turkoglu (who I vaguely remember being 1-15 before game 2's almost-winner) to find a flow if they don't get so many open looks at the hoop. Meanwhile, they'll have to contend with Bryant, a player who won't attack the hoop and miss foul shots like Lebron did but wet jumpers all day if the Magic's under-rated but over-matched D gives him nearly as much room. Kobe's got more Finals experience than the entire Magic roster and is easily the hungriest guy out there, not to mention the best player. It's hard to bet against the Magic after a convincing East finals victory, but I'm still doing it. They have momentum and optimism for days, but LA's got the better coach, the better bench, the higher expectations, homecourt, a bitter taste still ingering in their mouths from last year, and Kobe. That should be enough. Lakers in 6.