Despite Loss, Point Taken

In an early candidate for game of the year, Paul Pierce drained a jumper with .4 seconds left to lift the Boston Celtics over the New York Knicks.  In a game that felt like it was taking place in May or June and not mid-December, the two teams exchanged blows like heavyweight fighters from start to finish.  If there was ever such thing as a moral victory in pro sports (Which there is not), then the Knicks qualified for that title last night.  After being questioned on the value of the 8-game winning streak, because most of the stretch came by way of below average teams, the Knicks proved they are for real.  Had Paul Pierce shot his game winner, say, .4 seconds earlier and Amare Stoudemire’s last second 3-pointer counted, we would be talking about one of the most historic runs in league history.  Yes, it’s true.  Amare, who poured in 39 points, would have joined a list of players you can count on one hand to drop 30+ in 9 straight victories.  Amare wasn’t always this good was he?  He looks active in every aspect of the game.  Defensively he was a force,  spiking shot attempts in the lane like he was Gaylord Focker playing volleyball in a swimming pool.  Since ESPN has put microphones behind the backboard, you could hear Amare in one particular back-to-back sequence of blocked shots emphatically say:  “Get that sh*t outta hear.”  Love it.  How about the cast of Knick role players who stepped up?  Since when does former Tar Heel Raymond Felton have the ability to nail 26 points to the scoreboard while dishing 14 dimes?  That makes Felton directly responsible for 40+ points in a big game.  When Felton and Stoudemire needed a boost, wouldn’t you know it was Danilo Gallinari who put up 20 second half points!  Gallo had one stretch in the third when someone switched his battery pack to “beast mode” and dude just went in.  3’s?  Got it.  And-1 floaters?  Money.  Baseline reverse dunk?  Naturally.  Wait who?  Gallinari?  Yes, let that marinade.  Ready yet?  Wilson Chandler was.  The former DePaul forward posted 18 points to go with his 12 rebounds.  Chandler, who by most is being considered trade-bait, is making doubters think twice about his value (Averaging 17 pts, 6 reb).  I’m liking this Knick team more and more every day.  Oh, I think I mentioned that they lost right?  Let’s not forget, they were supposed to lose.  The Celtics are former world champions, chock-full of veteran hall-of-famers who are still playing at the highest level.  They’ve been to the top of the mountain before. Trailing for most of the game on Wednesday and finding a way to win shows the unreplicated resolve of champions.  The ability to not get too high with the highs, nor to low with the lows is something that will carry Boston into Spring.  After Amare’s would-be buzzer beater was waved off, Paul Pierce went to center court and gave nearly every angle of Madison Square Garden a ‘Reggie Miller like’ bow.  How polite.  At one point when Pierce was gallivanting around the court, his little jester Nate Robinson tried jumping in the air for a classic shoulder bump, only to have Pierce style the celebrating more by ducking low into airplane landing mode, sending Robinson sprawling on his back.  Should have made top-plays.  I’m pumped for the quick turn around as the Knicks will try to match their Wednesday energy against Miami when the star-studded squad comes to the Mecca of New York. 

Taking a peek at some other games around the league, the San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobli buried a fading jumper as time expired to give his squad a 92-90 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.  It’s funny how the Spurs have been so good for so long, that they almost garner the least attention relative to the leagues top teams, while in fact being the leagues best team with a 21-3 record.  While maybe not the most talented team in the NBA,  they just may be the best pure team plain and simple.  What team’s top 3 players have played more together than the Spurs’ Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker?  Don’t let Ginobli’s bald spot, or Duncan needing a can of oil squirted on every joint like the Tin Man before every game fool you.  I equate them to the set of old guys that every men’s league has.  Every other team is dunking in warm ups, matching their shoes with the jersey and winking at their girlfriends, while the old timers are practicing out of bounds plays.  Unless it’s a big game, I usually switch the channel to Animal Planet or a WWII special when the Spurs play.  Considering the age of Duncan, I often get confused between the Spurs game and the old war footage, but when the camera goes to either Hitler or Popovich I usually always figure out the difference. 

Notes:  I hate the fact that this Sal Alosi guy from the Jets coaching staff may lose his job over his tripping incident.  Should he have done it?  Absolutely not.  It was unprofessional, and dangerous.  The NFL punished him, severely.  They fined him roughly a quarter of his yearly salary, while also suspending him for the rest of the season.  Now the Jets did their own investigation and are going to slam him again?  Are we expected to believe this guy was the only coach who instructed these players on the sideline to form a wall?  Does a strength and conditioning coach really have that kind of authority on game day?  The Jets taking it further rubs me the wrong way.  Dude was punished, let that be that.  After all, he was trying to help his team (Not that is an excuse of any kind, but it should be considered from his own team who is now after him).  No post Friday, see you Saturday.