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Tonight at midnight, like I do every year at this time, I will face East, toward Springfield, Mass., and give a prayer of Thanksgiving.
Thank heavens that’s over!
I mean to tell you, it was a long season out here in the place I named Lakerdom – or actually stole from Lester Hayes, the great cornerback and quote machine who made up Raiderdom.
Of course, Lakerdom now vies for its very existence with Clipper Nation, which used to put in rare appearances, like a submarine on a brief stopover.
So, we now know that the Miami Heat will get the chance to experience springtime in Milwaukee. Except for the fact that springtime in Milwaukee typically lasts about two days. Then winter returns. Then summer magically appears out of the blue.
And there’s no telling from year to year whether those two days will be in April, May or June.
True story: While covering the Eastern Conference finals in 2001, it was May 31 and the Bucks had just finished practice and were preparing to play Philadelphia in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Ray Allen gave an interview to myself and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star saying the outcome of the series had already been pre-determined by the NBA, which wanted to see Allen Iverson in the finals.
Yes, Allen said the series was fixed — and this was one day before Game 6 was going to be played. Then then went out and had nine 3-pointers as the Bucks forced a Game 7, which they lost in Philly.
Realizing that Allen was dropping a bombshell (and coach George Karl was going there, too) and perhaps speaking without thinking, Smitty and myself gave him a chance to temper his comments by asking a few follow-up questions in which we asserted the seriousness of his allegation. But Allen would not back down — “It’s all about BRI (basketball related income)” and having MVP Allen Iverson in the finals, Allen said – and so I filed my story to the AP desk in New York, stepped outside to get to my rental car and walked through a freezing rain.
It was so cold, you could see your breath.
On May 31.
So James should not expect an abundance of warmth to greet him and his teammates when they travel to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4 of their first-round sweep. James will know where to get the best steak in America (he was tipped off to a place in Dahmer’s old neighborhood) and he will be able to indulge in frozen custard, which is what Milwaukeeans eat instead if ice cream, and with good reason. If he likes beer, the smart thing for him to do would be to find a place that serves Schlitz, which has gone back to its original formula.
But what he will not know throughout the first round, and which he won’t get a feel for, is whether he will have become the unanimous winner of the MVP award. The NBA keeps those results a closely guarded secret, and it would not be unprecedented for a lone wolf voter to put him in the No. 2 spot (see last week’s rankings for the story of how Chris Paul received 125 of 126 first-place votes for Rookie of the Year).
But he is going to get the award, and what little suspense remains concerns who will finish second behind him.
I will cast my ballot at the conclusion of Wednesday night’s games (and here’s hoping that the No. 8 spot will be on the line in the Lakers-Rockets and Grizzlies-Jazz games), and I will have LeBron in the top spot.
For spots 2 through 5, I remain uncommitted — but these rankings give a clear indication of which way I am leaning with four days left in the season. Check back Thursday for a column on who I voted for in all the NBA postseason awards. Coach of the Year and Sixth Man are the two toughest decisions. Danny Schayes says COY should be Mike Woodson.
For now, here’s how I have the MVP race …
Remember when the Lakers were supposed to be The No. 8 Seed From Hell?
Would you believe The No. 9 Seed From Hell?
Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Jazz – who initially reeled out of the way as soon as they heard footsteps – couldn’t lose them all. Utah took advantage of a schedule opportunity to go on a 7-1 run.
The rankings were posted a few hours later than usual this Sunday.
With four guys on this list in action in a pair of compelling afternoon games, it behooved all of us to wait and see those outcomes. (Especially in the case of Carmelo Anthony, who gets a big bump this week. But it also was quite the thing to see the Clips sweep the season series from the Lakers and win the Pacific Division for the first time).
Of course, it’s all bout Who is No. 2? at this point in these rankings, and the accompanying question: “Will LeBron be the Unanimous MVP?”
I know, I know. Something seems wrong if the Heat-Spurs rivalry turns into a contest to see which team can show the most disdain for the other by sitting the most stars.
Or course, it was ever thus for visionaries ahead of their time.
Not that theirs is a vision the NBA is happy to see get out, but there’s a method to the madness of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Heat president Pat Riley.
If this is a shock to those forking over $2,500 per courtside seat in our swankier arenas, the NBA’S dirty little secret is that its regular season is hardly all-important to the elite teams, other than getting a good seed and preparing for the playoffs.
