There's a Light on in Chicago

Two things I hate: Chicago sports teams and fake, bandwagon-jumping sports fans.

These two things tend to go hand-in-hand a lot due to the Cubs, Bulls, White Sox and Bears fans who are unrealistic, annoying, and not that loyal. I understand I could catch some heat from that because growing up in Davenport, Iowa, I have come to know quite a few Chicago sports fans who are loyal, intelligent and likeable. I know some people who follow the Bulls and Bears through thick and thin. I know some who go to Wrigley and go for the game, not the ambiance and Old Style. I feel there are many more, however, who hear through facebook statuses that the Cubs won today, then proceed to go out and talk trash all night about the great Cubbies, without ever seeing a pitch thrown in that game. These are the same fans who are all about the Cubs for one week in April, and then again in October, if they are in a pennant race, that is. These are the same fans who have watched maybe seven Bulls games (those games being either the 2009 playoff series against Boston and the 2010 series against the Cavs) since Jordan left, but will be full-fledged red and black maniacs again if LeBron goes to Chicago. While we are on the subject of Chicago, research shows 9 out of 10 Chicago suburb kids at the University of Iowa suck. That is factually correct.

For all these reasons, I hate Chicago sports teams. I get almost as much satisfaction out of seeing a Cubs, Bulls or Bears loss than seeing an Indians, Pacers or Vikings win. Here is the kicker though: I love the city of Chicago. I think the city itself is awesome. The skyscrapers. The lake. The Pizza. Pre-2006 Fall Out Boy. The city of Chicago is the biggest city in the Midwest and only a couple hours from my hometown. This all crossed my mind sometime last winter when I decided to embrace NHL hockey and become a fan.

The question became: which NHL team would I support? I had a Mighty Ducks Starter jacket when I was younger, but that was because I love Emelio and Charlie Conway instead of the actual team in Anaheim. Followed the Avalanche for a while, but that was only because my Mom's boyfriend was from Colorado. I decided then and there it was time to embrace Chicago a little bit, and become a Blackhawks fan. I went to Blackhawk College in Illinois, my roommate's step-dad became a Blackhawks fan a few years ago and follows them obsessively, and they are close by, so why not?

I learned a few things about the Blackhawks quickly. Their logo and uniforms are badass. I knew this already, but it still helped foster my fanhood. I learned their fans seemed to be more intelligent about their team. Maybe "intelligent" isn't the right word, maybe it is "realistic". The Blackhawks have good solid fans. I almost got an Iowa Wrestling vibe from Blackhawks fans. They knew things were going to happen before they did. I like this in fans. I learned they were a young, fast, exciting team. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Big Buff. These are stars that are fun to watch. I also learned that they haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1961. I don't care about the Cubs epic losing streak, although it makes me happy, but the Blackhawks lack of a title reminds me of my Indians, Vikings and Pacers. I like loyal fan bases.

The 2009 NHL playoffs were when I came around and started watching on a regular basis. I watched most of the games, and then this season I even tuned in for 8-10 regular season games. I cheered for Patrick Kane in the Olympics. I've been very into the playoffs this year and their exhilarating run to the Stanley Cup Finals. I will be watching the Finals with anticipation and will be emotionally invested in every game. So why does this make me any different than the fake sports fans I love to hate?

Reason number one is that I know, and will openly admit, that I don't like hockey like I do baseball, basketball or football, and will probably never follow it as close. Sure I'll be let down if Philly wins the cup, but not like in 2007 when the Red Sox beat the Indians or when the Vikings lost to the Saints last year. I really like the Blackhawks. I love the Indians, Pacers and Vikings. I know this and will admit it to anybody.

Reason number two is that I am waiting 7 years until I consider myself an actual Blackhawks die-hard fan. I feel like I need to earn my fanhood. This is no weekend courtship. Seven years make for common law marriage. If I'm still following hockey in 2016, which is 7 years from when I began my Blackhawk fandom, then I will consider myself a true Blackhawks fan. This 2010 playoff run has been a wild one, and I'm happy I'm on the bandwagon for it. I plan on wearing a Blackhawks t-shirt on Saturday and cheering on the team for game one. My interest is hockey has not been higher since Mighty Ducks 2 came out. If they go on and win the Cup, I won't consider this as ending my fan losing streak, at least for six more years. The Indians, Vikes or Pacers have to do that. I'll remain the most tourtured sports-fan born after 1985.

Reason number three is that I'm not an idiot like most Chicago sports fans. Sorry guys.

10 for 10

The Pacers didn't have any luck in the Lottery Tuesday night. I didn't expect they would, but it is still a gut punch to see the Pacers sitting with the 10th pick due to their inexplicable 11-5 run to end the season. Such memorable wins we had. Beating a Cleveland team without LeBron, then the next night coming home to beat the juggernaut New Jersey Nets. Ahh, quite a run, one I will never forget. I have never cheered against a team I like that hard since, well, since way back in 2009 when I sometimes secretly cheered against Iowa Basketball in hopes Todd Lickleiter would get canned, which worked out. But, before that I didn't cheer against my teams. It showed Tuesday night that my cheering against the Pacers, for the good of the organization mind you, was the correct thing to do. Now instead of someone like John Wall, Evan Turner, or Derrick Favors to play alongside Danny Granger, the Pacers are looking at a player the caliber of the rest of the team, aka a role player. So without further ado, I look at 10 possible players who the Pacers may pick with the 10th pick, assuming they don't trade it for someone like Adam Morrison. At the end I'll rank the 10 players in the order I would like to see them in a Pacers uniform.

1) Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest)- Aminu falling to the 10th pick is unlikely, but possible. I didn't see Aminu play too much this year, but his numbers (15.8 ppg and 10.7 Reb/game) were pretty respectful, even in the weak ACC. Aminu is extremely athletic, and he has a lot of growing to do in terms of skills. Aminu could be a player in the mold of a Marvin Williams or a more skilled Jamario Moon. He lacks a shooting touch from the outside, but his energy on the offensive glass helps him contribute. I wouldn't mind seeing him in the blue and yellow, but it seems far fetched.

2) Xavier Henry (Kansas) - I'm pretty high on Xavier Henry. I thought he played well for Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament, and in their loss to UNI in the big dance. Granted, he didn't have as huge of freshman year as some expected, but I think if he was on a less talented team than Kansas he would have had the ball more and put up bigger numbers. He still put up 13.4 ppg on a team that was ranked #1 most of the year. Henry also seems like a good kid, which is of course what the Pacers are looking for. No more Tinsleys or Artests for Indy. Henry's body seems NBA ready right now, his ball handling and outside shooting will need some work, but I could see him and Granger being a very good 1-2 combo. I could also see him being Brandon Rush 2.0, which is a nightmare for Pacers fans.

3) Patrick Patterson (Kentucky) - I've seen Patterson everywhere from Pick 8 to the late teens. He was a great player in college, but actually saw his numbers decline in his junior year. I contribute this decline in points and rebounds per game last season to his maturity. Patterson saw that with Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe in the rotation there were less shots to go around. I found his acceptance of his role to be a good trait and a possible enticing quality for the Pacers. Patterson could be a big help inside for Roy Hibbert and his maturity and college experience could help him be a contributor right away.

4) Greg Monroe (Georgetown) - Monroe is a very attractive pick. He has a great basketball IQ, he passes extremely well for a big man, and he played for a Georgetown team that had guards who didn't utilize him enough. The big knock on Monroe is that he sometimes lags in the hustling department. Some people think he loses focus sometimes, just like our old buddy Brandon Rush. While we are on the subject, I would like to state I loved the Brandon Rush pick two years ago. I still think Rush could flick a switch and figure out he needs to work harder and has potential to be a really good NBA player, but this hasn't happened yet and Pacer fans are frustrated. I think Monroe would benefit immensely from working with Roy Hibbert. They are both Georgetown guys, and although their game is a little different, Hibbert has shown a strong work ethic and could rub off on Monroe.

5) Gordon Hayward (Butler) - This pick scares me to death. I feel like larry Bird is sitting in his office right now, calling all the Butler boosters trying to sell season tickets if they draft Hayward. I really like Hayward and hope he has a good NBA career, but I don't think he is 10th pick material. The white guy from Indiana who led Butler on a Cinderella run is frightening to me. Hayward showed he can compete with the big boys, but he also showed he has a lot of work to do both in terms of basketball and in terms of getting his body NBA ready. Please don't pick Hayward. Maybe trade T.J Ford or Solomon Jones for like the 16th or 17th pick and draft him there if you want to sell tickets. Don't waste the 10th pick.

6) Donatas Motiejunas (International) - Let's be honest, I don't know anything about any European players not named Josh Childress or Ricky Rubio. This guy is being hyped pretty hard. If he becomes the next Dirk or circa-1999 Peja, then he would be a good pick, but the Pacers saw what happens with hyped Europeans with the Saranus Jasikevicius disaster.

7) Cole Aldrich (Kansas) - I'm not an Aldrich fan. I know some people, like Bill Simmons, think he will be a 15 and 8 guy in the pros, but I'm not seeing it. We saw Jordan Eglseder from UNI play as good or better than Aldrich in the tournament, and Eglseder looks like Kane, so that's not a good sign for Aldrich. I just don't see his game transferring to the NBA very well. In my opinion he is more Josh McRoberts than Rik Smits.

8) Ed Davis (North Carolina) - Davis to the Pacers is a popular mock scenario. I'm not big on Davis. After the national title year, he was supposed to keep UNC relevant. He did not. He looks skinny and over matched against good players. With that being said, I felt the same about Roy Hibbert, and now I'm very happy with Hibbert's progress. If Davis can fill out a bit and get more of a face up game, he could be real good. Until he does that, I'm not sold on him.

9) Avery Bradley (Texas) - I really like Bradley. I think his potential is as high as anybody not named Wall in this draft. I could easily see him being the Brandon Jennings or Ty Lawson of the 2010 Draft. He is only a freshman, so he is young, but he has talent and he has a lot of it. His is great defensively and explosive offensively. His freshman season left something to be desired, but since when has someone not named Kevin Durant not been dragged down by the terrible in-game coaching of Rick Barnes?

10) Ekpe Udoh (Baylor) - Udoh is an enigma. He is athletic as all get out. He was a cornerstone of the team that brought Baylor to prominence. He averaged 3.7 blocks a game last year, which is ridiculous. He is 23 this month. His defense is good, when he wants to play it. I really would not be surprised by anything Udoh does in the pros, be it good or bad.

My Rankings in terms of who I want the Pacers to pick (1 being the highest)

10) Hayward

9) Motiejunas

8) Aldrich

7) Aminu (because I don't see him being available under any circumstances)

6) Davis

5) Patterson

4) Bradley

3) Udoh

2) Monroe

1) Xavier Henry

Weight of a Mistake

Tonight is the biggest game in Cleveland Cavaliers history. I don’t care that it is only the second round and that they have been to the East finals the last two years and the NBA finals the year before that, tonight is D-Day as far as Cleveland is concerned. Everybody knows I’m a fever-pitch Indians fan, so I understand the urgency and the sense of dread a Cleveland sports fan gets when seeing a potential heartbreak in the making, like tonight.

Every writer with any inkling of NBA knowledge has written something in the last two days about the importance of this game or the Cavalier collapse in game five. This isn’t revolutionary thinking on my part. I do think there are people out there like myself who are Indians fans or Browns fans who don’t necessarily love the Cavs, but understand the importance this team has in Cleveland right now. This is a cursed city. The public schools suck. The economy sucks. Downtown is in decline. I got lost downtown once, was only a couple blocks from Jacobs Field and was scared for my life. I was so low on gas I had to stop at a gas station, prepaid for $5 of gas, didn’t pump the last 30 cents where it slows down because I was already asked for money twice and was frightened. The Browns suck. My Indians suck, as evidenced by the 10,000 fan a game average. The other Cleveland poster boy, Grady, is sucking real hard right now. The two things the city of Cleveland has going for it is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Cavs. I’ve see the giant “WITNESS” billboard. Cleveland is a Cavs town right now.

LeBron is Cleveland right now. The guy is only 25, so his legacy still has a lot of time to be built, but this Cleveland/Boston series could be his Jordon-over-Ehlo moment, or it could be his Griffey to the Reds moment. One thing is for sure, this has to be LeBron’s moment. Mike Brown has won the award for the “Worst coaching in the 2010 playoffs”, although he can appeal his victory, and give the award back to Mike Woodson by doing something crazy in game six: Give the Fu**ing ball to LeBron.

Let’s go back to game five. A couple problems I had with this pile laid by the Cavs. One, why did LeBron only take 13 shots? Kobe, Iverson, and Jordan were and are masters of inefficiency, but they also were willing to put the team on their shoulders and take the shots. They may have taken 30 shots, but they got their points. LeBron needs to adopt this attitude. He needs to be the man in game six, not the 13-shots-per-game LeBron from game 5. Celtics announcer Sean Grande summed it up nicely when he said that LeBron looked like a college student who showed up for his final, got the test, and realized he didn’t study any of the answers. LeBron better have studied on Wednesday.

The other problem I have is where is Antwan Jamison? Nine points and six boards in 31 minutes? I hate to say it, oh how I hate to say it, but Cleveland would have been better off with trading J.J. Hixson for Troy Murphy. Hixson, who was supposed to be their wing-mate in waiting, only played four minutes in game five, yet they wouldn’t trade him to Indiana for Murphy. Seemed like a smart move at the time, but now it looks like Murphy is the better player than Jamison, and Mike Brown has decided Hixson is not ready for the big time.
Also, Mike Brown, you’re telling me Delonte West and Anderson Varejao are only going to play 26 minutes COMBINED, while Anthony Parker and Shaq are going to play 67 minutes combined?!? Why is this happening? I understand Parker played alright Tuesday night, and statistically so did Shaq, but West and Varejao could do much better, while playing up tempo against an aging Celtics team, and not clogging up the lane like Shaq who only grabbed four boards despite never being more than five feet from the basket. While we are on the rest of the Cavs, Mo Williams better show up at some point tonight. His playoffs the last two years have been very T-Macish.

These game five failures leave us with game six. The biggest game in Cavaliers history, and a game that could potentially change the NBA forever. First things first: will David Stern have the refs favor the classic Celtics or the face of the League in LeBron? Maybe he wants LeBron to leave Cleveland for the lights of New York or Chicago so the refs will be Celtic-friendly. Maybe he just can’t resist a possible LeBron vs. Kobe finals so they will be Cav-friendly. Ah, who am I kidding, they will call it right down the middle, like always. Right Phoenix?

The second question, and the biggie in the minds of Cleveland fans: Will this be LeBron’s last game as a Cav? I don’t think so but many people do. Chicago seems more likely every day. Although if it meant Deng or LeBron they might stick with Deng like they did a few years ago instead of going after Kobe. That worked out Chicago. New York is an obvious possible destination. The Nets new Russian owner just got approved. Cuban always throws money around and is not happy with his teams stink bomb from the first round. Maybe Ted DiBiase will buy a franchise and lure him with the money, money, money, money, who knows. There are a lot of potential suitors for LeBron. We will find out soon enough what type of man he is. If LeBron blows this series and flees Cleveland I will not be a LeBron supporter anymore. I’m telling you right now, I won’t like him anymore. I've always been a huge LeBron supporter. Some of this stems from the fact that I don't like Michael Jordan and want someone to take his title as "Best Ever". Some of it comes from me having a long subscription to SLAM magazine as a kid and following King James since he was like 15 years old (This also had the unfortunate ide effect of me being a Sebastian Telfair fan for a few years). Some of this stems from me liking the city of Cleveland, and liking the fact his teamates like him. Whatever the reason, I will turn on LeBron faster than Shawn Michaels turning on Marty Janetty if he sells out on Cleveland after not delivering a title. It says something about a player to spend his whole career with the same franchise. If LeBron blows this series and stays, that tell me he has taken some responsibility and wants to get Cleveland a championship. This series will tarnish his legacy a lot more if he doesn’t return to Cleveland. If he returns, then the Cavs, and the Cav fans can regroup and focus on next year. The obvious answer is just to come out tonight and win this game, then go to Cleveland and win game seven. That would let the LeBron offseason questions sit on the shelf for another couple weeks.

For all the complaining I and everybody else has done about LeBron’s supporting staff and Mike Brown, game six is LeBron’s make or break. This game is so important to the Cavalier franchise, Cleveland, and the NBA in general, that I am going to go out on a limb and say it is the most important round two game in NBA history. The Celtics are playing with a lot of confidence, and let’s be honest; this is not some scrub team. They are only two years removed from a title, and have three potential hall of famers on the team. Cleveland needs to bring it at the TD Garden tonight. LeBron has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Everybody is wondering if he will take the next step and put Cleveland in the Eastern finals, or if he will be bombarded with questions all summer if he can win the big one. What are you gonna do LeBron? The world is watching. We are all witnesses.

Start Watching

I had an argument with a co-worker way back during the Winter Olympics about which was more exciting to watch: NBA basketball or the ski jump. I was obviously on the side of the NBA. I'm a huge NBA fan and could care less about the ski jump. His resolution was to call his old roommate who was a "huge basketball fan" about which was more fun to watch. His friends response was something along the lines of "well both are boring if you watch them for more than five minutes so it's about the same". I immediately dropped the NBA vs. Ski jump battle, and began arguing that this guy is defiantly not a "huge" basketball fan. To be honest though, I don't think this guy is alone.

There is something about the NBA that turns Midwesterners, and more specifically Iowans, off in 2010. College basketball has a much larger following. I can't blame anybody for loving March Madness because I think March Madness is everything that is right in sports. However, how can people who grew up playing basketball, grew up in Jordan Country (or in my case Reggie Country), and love college basketball not be entertained and interested in the best players in the world going head-to-head for the ever-coveted ring? I have done little else in the last couple weeks than watch the playoffs and I have complied a list of 20 reasons why any average basketball fan Iowan should be watching the NBA playoffs.

20) Cavs Throwback Uniforms - The dark red road uniforms the Cavs have been wearing are just awesome. You don't see many teams bringing out uniforms like that for the playoffs usually, but the Cavs had the balls to do it, and while wearing them killed Boston in game three at the Garden. Maybe alternate uni's will become more widely used from here on out. We can only hope so in the Cavs case.

19) Ron Artest - Ron Artest is a polarizing figure. I've often considered, and still may, writing an entire column about the enigma that is Ron Artest. I loved him as a Pacer and thought he had endless potential if he ever, EVER, got his head on straight, or at least straighter than it is. Ron had been said to have lost a step. Everybody said that, except Ron Artest. Artest came out in that Lakers/OKC series and looked like Dennis Rodman with a jump shot, even if that shot usually didn't go in. Artest had ratcheted up his defense in this postseason and he helped the Lakers beat the Thunder with his defense of Kevin Durant. His hair was wild. He gets his teammates respect even though he shoots whenever he wants to, without caring what Kobe thinks. My theory is that even Kobe Bryant is scared to question Ron Artest for shooting a 3, even if Rom is 2-16 for the game. I would be.

18) Coaching Adjustments - An NBA playoff series is really a chess game. Teams make adjustments game-to-game, quarter-to-quarter and even possession-to-possession. How will we work the ball inside to get Dwight Howard in foul trouble? How can we slow down Steve Nash? How can we keep LeBron from dropping 50 on us? Things change so much between games one and two in every series. The master of adjustments is Greg Popovich. If the Spurs are trailing by 14 in the third quarter of game one, Pop may see something that could get them an edge, but not a big enough edge to change the outcome of the game, so he waits til game two to implement it. Pop is a adjustment genius. The collective intelligence of the Spurs, which all stems from Popovich, is what makes them fun to watch.

17) Role players - The playoffs are the time to see when which role players fill their roles when the pressure is on. Some try and shoot too much (Ron-Ron, Vince) and some fill their role to perfection (George Hill, John Salmons). These unsung heroes make the playoffs a team-centered thing that can't be won by a team with one great player.

16) Alpha-Dog battles - We saw this being demonstrated in the game 4 debacle in Oklahoma City. Pau Gasol wanted the ball, so Kobe gave it to him. Then gave it to him again and again. Dwight Howard complained last year about not getting enough touches even though Hedo Turkoglu was carrying the team in the final minutes. Some of the Celtics seems to take offense to Rajon Rondo being anointed the best player in Green. Team drama is always fun to see, especially if it involves the Lakers or Celtics.

15) Oklahoma City Thunder - This young team captured the hearts of NBA fans nationwide in the first round. It was very reminiscent of the 2007 Warriors team, except that the 2010 Lakers were better than the 2007 Mavs, and the 2010 Thunder were incredibly young. A young, fearless team, like the Thunder, taking on a title-defending veteran-led team and giving them all they can handle is one of the most exciting things to see in sports.

14) Jerry Sloan - When will Sloan get the appreciation he deserves? It better be on his first time on the Hall of Fame Ballot. I understand he has never won a championship, but he gets more out of his team and his system than any coach in NBA history. He had Stockton and Malone for so long that when they left many people felt the Jazz would be insignificant for years to come. Then he took Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer and turned them into the new Stockton and Malone and knocked off the more talented Denver Nuggets in round one without two starters. Sloan has a hand in every Utah win and still gets none of the publicity.

13) Guys playing through injuries - There are some pretty minor injuries that put people on the DL during the regular season. This isnt the case in the playoffs. We don't know how serious LeBron's elbow injury was, but he kept on playing. Manu Ginobili looks ridiculous, but he is still driving the lane with reckless abandon. We saw Brandon Roy make a Willis Reed-like return in game three of the Portland/Phoenix series. These guys, and other injured stars, gut out injuries in the postseason. I'm not sure the fans appreciate that these guys just got done playing 82 games of up-and-down basketball, banging bodies three or four nights a week, and are now selling out their bodies for the team. We rag on players for being sissies a lot, but sometimes forget the times they play through an injury.

12) Taking The Bumps And Bruises - This is for the fans who have no horse in the race. This is for Pacer fans, Raptor fans, Kings fans, Clippers fans, and all of those other tortured fan bases that haven't seen their team as a contender in a long while. Watching these games and the passion that goes into them will make it all the sweeter when your team finally makes their playoff run...I hope.

11) Big Shots - Who doesn't love a buzzer beater? The fourth quarter of NBA playoff games is basketball at it's absolute finest. This is when the best in the world truly shine and show who has the crunch time gene and who doesn't. Robert Horry had it. Reggie Miller had it. Kobe Bryant has it. LeBron seems to be just on the cusp of having it. Dirk? No so much.

10) TD Garden floor - The Boston Celtic's home floor is classic. It may not be the old Boston Garden parquet floor, but it is still a distinct look. Watching playoff games in Boston makes it seem like real playoff basketball.

9) Reggie Miller Announcing - Ok, Ok. This happens all season, and I have an obvious bias, but Reggie is a good announcer and he knows his stuff. Just admit it.

8) Upsets - Nuggets over Sonics. Warriors over Mavericks. Spurs over Mavericks. The Hawks almost pulled one off in 2008. The Bucks almost pulled one off this year. First round upsets in the NBA playoffs are always memorable. They may not hold the same aura and prestige of a bracket-busting March Madness upset, but they are surprising and heart-wrenching all the same.

7) Last hurrah teams - The Spurs and Celtics are the classic examples of this in 2010. The Spurs were written off as title contenders in April. Now? I don't care if Phoenix is up 3-0 in the series right now, nobody wants to play the Spurs. The Celtics were likewise left for dead. They came out in round one, much like the Spurs, and dominated with veteran led toughness. These teams may not have much left in the tank, but it is interesting to see them making one more run at a title before they are disbanded.

6) Good Guys Going for Rings on the Suns - The Suns have captured some hearts, much like the Thunder but for completely different reasons. The Thunder's youth was their calling card. With the Suns they have some veterans who are still looking for that first ring. Steve Nash and Grant Hill seem like legitimately good guys. Nash turned down a contending team and money to stay in Phoenix. Hill was once thought of as the heir to Jordan, 10 years of injuries later and here he is, being a defensive stopper and scoring when the spot presents itself. You also have Jason Richardson who toiled in Golden State for years and now has a legitimate chance for a finals appearance. It would make me very happy to see Nash and Hill hugging in June with confetti falling down on them.

5)Best in the world - Remember back in March when you watched the final four? Remember how many bad plays and missed shots we saw in the final four matchup between Butler and Michigan State? I'm not going to pretend that I didn't enjoy every minute of that game, because I love basketball whether it is college or professional, but those bad plays are not as common in the NBA. These guys are the best in the world at playing basketball. They are sometimes accused of coasting through games, but I think it is just because they make things like jump shots look so easy. These guys are so good that we sometimes forget how good they are until it is playoff time and they are going back and fourth with each other in the final minutes.

4) Nostalgia - The NBA playoffs bring back memories. 15 years ago today I remember sitting in my Grandma's kitchen and watching Reggie Miller score 8 points in 8 seconds to stun the Knicks. I remember wishing the Sonics would shock the world by beating the Bulls. I remember Reggie marching the Pacers to the finals only to lose to the Lakers. I remember LeBron dismantling the Pistons in crunch time a few years ago. These games help me remember some good moments from past playoffs. I spent a lot of time as a kid watching the playoffs, I can't turn my back on Geoff version 1997 and not watch these can I?

3) Wild home crowds - A big knock on the NBA from college basketball fans is the lack of crowd enthusiam. I know this is true in some cases, but sometimes a playoff crowd can rise to the occasion. I have only been to one playoff game in person and that was in old Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, and that crowd was pumped. Oklahoma City fans showed what a 2010 crowd can do to inspire their team. The Jazz crowd in Utah should be loud as ever tomorrow night against the Lakers. These passionate NBA crowds can lift a team to a win and scare a ref into a call. The passion some NBA fans show even get the viewer at home jacked up. Just ask anybody who watched that Oklahoma City series.

2) LeBron - LeBron James is unreal. He was put on this planet for one reason - to play basketball. His teammates get a lot of heat for sucking in the playoffs, which they have done, but let's be honest; Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao are no Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman or Horace Grant. Antwan Jamison has been playing decent so far, but this team so obviously goes as LeBron goes. Is this his last year in Cleveland? I don't think so, but it could be, and Clevelanders know it. This team and this fan base has everything riding on this season, on one man's shoulders. Don't forget, LeBron is only 25 years old. Most 25 year olds, like yours truly, have no idea what to do with their lives. LeBron has an entire city, an entire state, an entire worldwide following expecting him to deliver a championship. This isn't anything new to him either. He has had these expectations since he was about 16 years old. Too many people are quick to jump on LeBron for what he hasn't done (win a title) than what he has done. He has two consecutive MVPs. He has led Cleveland to the number #1 overall seed. His teamates love him, unlike other basketball Gods Kobe and MJ, and the fans and media love him. A lot of people are jumping on the Magic bandwagon again after they have demolished the Bobcats and the Hawks through seven games, but I wouldn't be so quick to discount King James, because when he is on there is nobody better than him in the world.

1)History In The Making - Remember that nostalgia argument? That the playoffs bring back old memories? The flip side of that is, they also make new memories for those smart enough to watch them. I have a lot of lasting memories just from the first two rounds. The Spurs using their veteran moxy to knock off the Mavs. The Oklahoma City youngsters giving the Lakers all they could handle. LeBron coming out after a loss and beating up on Chicago and Boston. Deron Williams making his case for best point guard in the league. Steve Nash getting nine assists in the first quarter against Portland. The Bucks stealing three games from Atlanta. I could go on and on, but the point it that the NBA playoffs are constantly writing history. Just like March Madness, you can never tell when a game or a series will be one for the ages. Last year's finals look lopsided in retrospect, but those who watched know the Magic really outplayed the Lakers in three of the first four games. This is the kind of history and memories you get from watching the playoffs. Wouldn't it be nice to look back in 30 years and tell your kids you watched the playoffs the first time LeBron won a title? Or to say you saw when the Thunder were becoming THE Thunder? Or to tell them you watched as Steve Nash took HIS team to the finals when many wrote them off months if not years ago? This is what sports is all about: seeing history being made before our very eyes.