Wednesday, June 19, 2013

6/19 (Wow, That Game) Quickie

I think it's worth asking: Was last night the greatest game in NBA history?

I don't think it's crazy, and -- given the stakes, stars, storylines, moments, flow and finish -- at the very least, I think it merits a place in the conversation.

Some people will hate that. And, yes, it is "instant history" at its finest/worst and me going once more to the "superlative" well.

(More superlatives from last night: The sequence from the moment LeBron lost his headband until the end of the game was the finest stretch of his career... Ray Allen's 3 was the biggest of his career... it was the best game of Chris Bosh's often-maligned career... That was probably the best half of Tim Duncan's career... It was certainly the best game of Kawhi Leonard's career.)

But that doesn't change the fact that it was one of the most epic games in NBA history. LeBron himself called it the greatest game he has ever been a part of.

If the Heat win Game 7, I think it seals Game 6 as the Greatest NBA Game Ever.

And, perhaps even more impressively, if the Heat lose Game 7, their effort in Game 6 ensures that no one -- at least no one reasonable -- would be able to say that the Heat were unworthy, even in defeat.

-- D.S.

Monday, June 17, 2013

06/17 (Ginobili) Quickie

Happy belated Father's Day to all the dads out there. As I wrote on Twitter yesterday: If only I was half as good at being a dad as I love being a dad. But I work at it every day.

Meanwhile, the Heat are on the brink. Win or else for Game 6 in Miami tomorrow night. And even if they win that, it's win or else for Game 7 in Miami on Thursday night.

The issue is that the Heat have yet to be able to string together two straight winning peformances -- either against the Spurs or the Pacers a round ago.

Meanwhile, the Spurs might also be similarly stymied, but they have clearly been able to make the necessary adjustments from losing game to winning game, most notably last night and the starting of Manu Ginobili for the first time all season.

The Spurs treated last night like it was a must-win... because it really was. And now the Heat are in trouble.

-- D.S.