Showing posts with label Lakers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lakers. Show all posts

Saturday, April 28, 2012

2012 Nuggets Playoff Preview


Earlier this season I wrote a blog where I apologized for being a bad Nuggets fan.  I compared the 2012 Nugget’s season to season 4 of The OC, and, promised to double my efforts as a supporter of the team. 

(Perhaps because,) I was a better fan in the second half of the season; the Nuggets are a 6 seed in this years playoffs.  I’m ready to eat my OC comparison, because the OC got canceled midway through its 4th season, and this year’s Nuggets are going all the way.

Well maybe not all the way, (I was insulted by the frantic effort of the Thunder to knock the Nuggets down to a seven seed, but I understand that we don’t have what it takes to get through the Thunder.  I don’t think any team can match up with Ace and Gary, but if I’m Scott Brooks, the last thing I want is a first round matchup with a team that came from fucking nowhere to roast the big potato in 2011,) but enough of the way.  Dare I say all the way out of the first round of the playoffs?

I dare.

The Nuggets enter the playoffs having won 11 of their last 15 games.  Lawson is confident, Afflalo is in shape, McGee is blocking shots and molding high lob passes into nasty dunks.  My man K-Fed, (I’m all for the Manimal nickname, but how do you just skip past K-Fed?  The best place to hide is in plain site.) has made a legitimate case for rookie of the year, we have some crafty veterans (Harrington, Andre Miller,) an offensive force who can come off the bench and wreak havoc, (Brewer,) and for the first time since the beginning of the season, we are a Rudy Fernandez (Which could be a huge loss.  During a trip to Israel in January I hung out with some players from the national team, and Maccabi Bazan Haifa. All they would fucking talk about was how sick Ferandez is.  We haven’t really seen that side of him this NBA season, but it doesn’t bode well for the US team in the Olympics.  I’m very curious to see what impact Feranndez has next season,) away from a full roster that is the deepest in the NBA.

This deep roster includes 3 seven footers, and a 6’10” weak side shot blocker who can wiggle his way into our 5 hole.  4 eligible centers = 20 hard karate chops delivered to Bynum’s forearms, and he is going to LOSE it.  Mark these words, a suspension will keep him out of the late games in the series, or he will be benched when the frustration stemming from constant fouls renders him ineffective. 

So we just have to worry about Kobe.  Or do we?  I’m not trying to be cryptic, (rape charges aside,) I have a lot of respect for Mr. Bryant, but I have to wonder about him sitting out his last few games.  Conceding a scoring title to Kevin Durant is the least Kobesque thing I’ve ever heard of.  Either the man has belatedly developed an enormous generous streak, or his injuries are more serious that he is letting on.  Either way, the Lakers are in trouble.

Because Kobe is going to have to shoulder an ENOURMOUS burden to win a championship with this Lakers squad.  I’m talking enormous in a greatest player of all time sense.  I’m in the Jordan camp, but if Kobe wins it this year there has to be an argument, especially if he sticks around long enough to win a scoring title.

What the fuck am I saying?  Kobe is absolutely not the best player of all time.  He’s just conceded a scoring title to a school nerd with a backpack.  He’s about to get absolutely clowned by Aaron Affalao.  Michael Jordan has literally never conceded anything, especially a scoring title, and especially to a school nerd.  No offense to my man, by Jordan would rip A squared’s heart out. 

None of this matters, because, (pardon the blasphemy,) not even Michael Jordan could lead the 2012 Lakers to an NBA championship.  The long and short of the series is that the Lakers shouldn’t be able to match up with these Nuggets.  They don’t have any players who can stand in-front of Ty Lawson.  They will be out coached, and outworked by our bigs, (Timofinsanity!!)

Nuggets in 5.