Wow, these NBA Conference Finals are fantastic. I suppose there is still a chance one team could win the next two and they're over in 6, but it sure looks like we're headed for amazing finishes.
Celtics knot it up 2-2: Count me among those who hate the Celtics and loathe the Heat -- in that calculation, the lesser of two evils is the last-legs Celtics dismissing the Heat (although the Heat falling short in the NBA Finals for a second straight year is its own quality form of humiliation for them). I think it could happen, particularly if/when this goes to a toss-up Game 7. (The Heat's lack of any depth beyond LeBron and Wade really shows up in those closing sequences, doesn't it?)
Chris Bosh back for Game 5? You'd think it's a net positive, but the question is this: After sitting out weeks -- and battles -- is he ready to go into a scrum this intense? I'm not just talking about physically -- although if an "abdominal strain" was enough to keep him out for weeks, it's hard to believe he will be able to hand KG elbowing him in the gut a dozen times per game. I'm talking about psychologically -- he is the guy who shows up 2/3 of the way through your road trip with your buddies. It's nice to have him along, but there's a certain "you had to be there" disconnect of the previous experience.
Spurs-Thunder Game 5: Hard to believe SA won't play better back in front of their home crowd. Will be fascinating to see the adjustments they make from Games 3 and 4. (Not sure what kind of adjustment you can make for Kevin Durant destroying you in the 4th quarter or Ibaka not missing a shot. Guess you have to hope a bit for regression to the mean.)
Tiger: Pretty simple -- he's not "back" until he wins a major.
Justin Blackmon: What is it with Jaguars receivers and horrible judgment? What a dope.
Addendum: I realize that last week I missed the morning after the NBA Draft Lottery (aka "Wizards Fans Playoffs"). Needless to say I'm fully on board my Wiz using the No. 3 pick on Bradley Beal, even if Michael-Kidd Gilchrist is available. (If the team had made other choices over the years and was already loaded with shooters, perhaps a different story, even if I do think Beal is going to be a tremendous pro with All-Star potential -- but as it stands, they have no one who can shoot AND a glaring hole at shooting guard. This seems easy to me.) The Bobcats are in a tough spot -- MKG is the right pick, given their desperate need for a SF (not to mention a winner and leader), but as with everyone else on that team, he can't shoot.
-- D.S.
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