BELOW are a few things that were echoing through my empty chamber while waiting for Guy Lombardo to call . . .
The NBA has gone so green, Al Gore was forced to throw his Nobel Prize in the back of a Prius and send it David Stern’s way.
Other than Rick Pitino, who would’ve imagined Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen walking into the Celtics’ locker room for this season and harmonizing with Paul Pierce for a thundering hi-ho 26-3 start?
Certainly not those who felt Rajon Rondo wasn’t ready to start at point guard for a championship contender.
Or those unconvinced Danny Ainge, Boston’s futile lord, had surrounded his three gladiators with qualified (James Posey, Tony Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Glenn Davis, Veal Scalabrine) prime-time role players.
Or those dubious Doc Rivers could coach a team out of a paper playoff round or teach three superstars how to dance in unison on defense (that’s where assistant Tom Thibodeau comes in) and accept not leading all the time on offense.
I know, I know, it’s impossible for Knicks and Nets fans to visualize, but there’s actually a bevy of upbeat stories and spellbinding players currently on display throughout the NBA.
While Isiah Thomas (could his nightly excuses be any less original and unimproved?) and his psychologically whipped team ended 2007 grinding their fans’ exasperation down to the nub, the Blazers had reeled off 13 straight wins before last night’s 111-101 loss at Utah; the defending champion Spurs (despite injures to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and now Manu Ginobili and Brent Barry) continue to be the class of the West; the Suns, Mavericks, Hornets, Magic, Nuggets, Lakers, Nuggets, Warriors are between five and 13 games above the equator; the Celtics finished with a flourish, winning six consecutive games, including a 4-0 western sweep by a combined 53 points; and the 24-7 Pistons, who recently bumped off the Vitamin C’s by a point in Boston, are tailgating ’em.
Let’s count the ways Pierce was supposed to mutilate Boston’s Big Three, declares column contributor Irwin Sirotta, who advocates the leprechaun (team log) be equipped with a lit cigar.
He will not be compatible with players as good or better than him.
Wrong!
He must almost be the man and will refuse to pass in many situations.
Wrong!
He cannot or will not sweat on defense.
Wrong!
He’s not a positive team leader.
Wrong!
People already have started campaigning for Garnett for MVP – as well as Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Duncan, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy and pick-your-favorite Piston.
“I believe it’s time to P-Squared in the MVP thoughts,” underlines Sirotta.
Who can blame the guy for being was under the influence of Pierce’s 37-point, eight-rebound, four-steal, three-assist Sunday night eruption against the overmatched Lakers?
Fact is, Sirotta has a strong case.
Just when the Lakers thought they’d fought their way back into contentious (seven technical fouls; four on Boston) contention (72-66 with 3:17 go in the third), Pierce assumed control of the scoreboard.
Pierce notched the last 10 of the quarter and the 19-point pasting was on; he scored 110 points out west and has cracked the top 20 in scoring average, 21.6, good for 19th.
How good are the Vitamin C’s? Having already lapped last season’s two-dozen win total, they’re outscoring the other guys by about 14 points per game.
As you would expect, the next-highest figure is Detroit’s 9.4 ppg.
As for the Lakers, they failed miserably in the statement game, in front of Jerry West, no less. Yes, they captured 10 of their previous dozen with some impressive victories (at Denver, home vs. Spurs & Suns) in the mix, but until the Buss family can acquire an established power forward who can rebound, defend and score, someone on the scale of Garnett, say Jermaine O’Neal, the Purple Feign shall continue to be second Banana Republics.
Grab an ’08 calendar and mark down this Saturday night – Celtics at Pistons. Detroit, for those only with green goggles, owns a nine-game win streak thanks to yesterday’s Motown 114-69 matinee mauling of Milwaukee.
Detroit has allowed triple figures just once in the run, and that was in the waning seconds of garbage time last Friday night against the Pacers.
Boston and Detroit are the only teams allowing less than 90 ppg (86.8 and 88.3 ppg, respectively). Put another way, if Madison Square Garden had defense like that, the Dolans wouldn’t be handing out harassment settlements the way John D. Rockefeller dished dazzling dimes.