Due Kudos - NBA Playoffs

Nacho: A quick note or two on the split-screen adverts for the NBA Playoffs:

1. Good on ya, NBA. Inventive, visually off-putting, and best of all, we get to see which NBA stars can't sit still to save their lives. The Kobe/Shaq split is the most telling. One can surmise that Shaq has acted in major motion pictures before and is as still as the doldrums of the Carribbean. Kobe's head bobs and bounces, as do most of the players'.

2. J. E. Skeets is doing some phenomenal mock-ups over at Yahoo. My favorite, of course, involves Walter Herrmann, although the Varajeo/Ginobli one is worth a gander.

I think my favorite part of these playoffs is going to be the announcing teams. Over the past season I've become enamored with the local broadcast duos for the Clippers and the Lakers. The Lakers is polished and professional, as one would expect, with the occassional exercising of poor judgement. The Clippers tandem of Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith is real gem. Lawler's been calling Clips game since the Carter administration and will randomly blurt out things that totally embarrass Mr. Smith. Lets just say basketball season has added a level of awesomeness since I moved to LA.

Additional playoff ramblings, after...

Nacho cont'd: Everyone's, correctly, discounting the Eastern Conference and expecting whomever wins the West to plow on into Championship lane. However, if you think logically about it, doesn't the disparity of the East bode well for the Finals chances? Isn't it more likely Boston or Detroit (or my pick, Cleveland) will roll through their series' with little resistance, and get some downtime to rest up while the West turns into a bloodbath?

The NBA playoffs are also where I truly hope Hubie and Jeff Van Gundy bring their A games. All season Hubie spouts nonsense and turns phrases that make me furrow my brow. Meanwhile, Van Gundy comes off as a pompous ass for three-and-a-half quarters of every game, but will point out the ONE THING that decides a game before the players even know it's gonna happen. I have a begrudging respect for Mr. Van Gundy and hope he never goes back to coaching.

Also: this commercial is the TITS!



Brethren, what say you?

Brethren: I say...these playoffs are gonna kick ass. Just like this sport's commercials kick ass. Some thoughts:

Spurs vs. Suns: already given us a ridicului double OT game. This series will most likely go to seven games, and even then, we'll feel cheated. I heard this is the first time two 55-win+ teams played each other in the first round -- which should tell you enough about the Western Conference this year.

Hornets vs. Mavericks: Chris Paul is absurd. And by Leitch's logic, Nacho and I should be Hornets fans still to this day -- so I'm happy to jump on that bandwagon. And I wore a Charlotte Hornets shirt to the gym today, and got asked if I was from Charlotte, which was cool.

Lakers vs. Nuggets: Nugs will give the Lakers fits. Listen to me. Or don't.

Celtics vs. anyone: despite the fact that I wanted to vomit at Simmons's article about the MVP race and how it was painstakingly obvious he was going to pick KG as the obvious winner, I think that team is really good. I don't like it when I don't like Simmons' writing because I don't want to be categorized as Simmons sports blogging hater -- but while KG is a nice story, the Celtics played in the Leastern Conference, and he has 2 other All-Stars playing with him! That said, I can easily see them winning the championship.

The Hawks: they're in the playoffs! hahahaha!

As you can see, I'm writing a lot, ignoring the fact that I could be linking to a lot more articles that are evidence that the NBA Playoffs are going to rock, and I'm just plain giddy. I do love this game. And its commercials.