Why should we care about the 2015 NBA playoffs?
We begin today with you, the fan of the NBA. You, fan, are reminded far to often by big-haired chatterboxes like me who sit pompously aloft in your shiny picture box, that you fail to fully appreciate the peaks of your beloved sport, professional basketball. Just the other day, within the span of an hour, I had the lip pursing delight of reading and article, seeing a video, watching an basketball program, and listening to a national sports talk radio show. Each one lamented us, the fans, for our vast lack of gratitude for the greatness the NBA world has had the privilege of witnessing in the 2015 NBA playoffs.
What did these media outlets have in common? Well, for starters, they all have the initials E.S.P. and ….. well, you get the picture. So why is the largest sports media tyrant, and their most profitable outlets, (namely the Magazine, Sportscenter, ESPNRadio, and dot com) entertaining the idea that we are somehow unable to comprehend the basketball that we are consuming? And where is this greatness they speak of? Why does ESPN treat us like they are attempting to instruct a neanderthal to fly the Millennium Falcon? We are not out of touch, we are not plain stupid, so it’s fair to question the oddity of the network’s behavior. But before we take up arms and torch the town, let’s take a moment and hear what they are trying to tell us, because they may actually be right. There is something big going on here, and if we sweep over it too fast, we might not see it.
This year’s playoffs, aside from, the Cavs/Bulls series, has stunk. Blowouts in the West, poor teams in the East, and repeated regular season storylines (Steph is still great, LeBron isn’t wearing a headband) can all be blamed for the less than riveting games that we have had the displeasure of viewing.
The most obvious issue, however, it the overwhelming competitive predictability of the playoffs as a whole. For example, how can, the semi- finals, where supposedly the creme de la creme of each respective conference meets to dual in supposedly the 2nd most competitive series of the year, next to the Finals, end in a 4-1 shellacking and an abysmally uncompetitive 4-0 series sweep? The Hawks more or less bent over at the feet of King LeBron James himself and begged for their punishment to be swift and painless, offering their Golden ticket to Wonka’s factory at the North Pole, otherwise known as the NBA Finals, otherwise known as the goal each basketball team in the Association strives towards when the season begins, and they served that ticket up to the Cavs on a silver platter, simultaneously punching their pass for the next train to the same place you and I will watch the Finals from, the couch. The Atlanta Hawks must have forgotten that this was not a pre-season series. I just got word that the city of Atlanta is embarrassed by their uninspired performance, and jumped ship to the Warriors band wagon!The bandwagon is getting a little full with the 2010 Heat fans already here, but there’s still room!
Anyway, the Hawks underwhelming performance and the Rockets obliteration at the hands of the Warriors underlines the major punchline of the the 2015 NBA Playoffs. They turned out exactly how we expected them too! Where’s the fun in that?
Thank you basketball Gods, for cursing us with this predictable, boring plate of crap! What did we do to deserve this injustice? You may be asking yourself, “Chris, if it’s so predictable, why am I not on the shiny light box, reminding everyone and ESPN of their ingratitude!?” Touché. However the hatred of systematically met expectations is objectively flawed. For Cavs and Dubs fans, the playoffs this year have probably been a wild ride! But the subjective opinion from the rest of the world is one of universal ho-hum-ness.
It doesn’t help the NBA’s case that the NHL playoffs have, to this point, outclassed them in nearly every way. If the NHL playoffs is a filet minion for fans, providing thrilling series after thrilling unpredictable series, with 14 electrifying overtime games this year alone and counting, the NBA is servin’ up mom’s leftover meatloaf delight. And while there is no 1-seed to be found in the NHL playoff Bracket, we already assumed the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavilers would be here. We just don’t like how they arrived. They showed up to the ball in 1998 Civic, and we just can’t stand that lack of story arc. But as of today, the best two teams from each conference, albeit the Eastern Conference couldn’t hold their own at my local YMCA this year, will play for the Championship. Woe is me! Woe is us! It’s exactly how it’s supposed to be!
So then why is ESPN calling our undivided attention to this monotonous, outclassed, underperforming playoff series, and not the Stanley Cup? We are here for a coronation, the chaining day of Stephen Curry. The winner of this Finals (predicted to be the Warriors) walks away not only with the crown of the champion, but with the undisputed King of the NBA as well.
Now hold up, Chris, the NBA already has it’s King, Rajon Rondo plays in Dallas! (more like court jester) but LeBron’s reign is in jeopardy of ending. If Curry, the most electrifying player to enter the league since… since LeBron James, can topple the Cavs, Steph will have put himself in his rightful place as first successor to the throne.
And like LeBron passed Kobe while the Mamba was still winning championships, Curry is on the brink of surpassing James despite the amount of excellent basketball LeBron has left to play. It’s not that James will be playing any worse, it’s that Curry is beginning to propel himself into another atmosphere. Mark my words, when Stephen Curry is finished, he will be considered the greatest shooter to ever do it. Heck, he might be already, and he’s had only three years of un-injured dominance under his belt.
And why not Curry? He is the likable underdog with a marketable demeanor, a seemingly perfect family, and an even better shooting stroke. He not only is the most entertaining basketball player to watch on Earth, but he is the first player molded by the age of social media. With each one of his highlight passes, transfixing crossovers, and impossible long range shots, Steph becomes the epicenter of the inevitable social media earthquake that follows his dazzling performances. The Twittersphere, as we would call it, alights with 140 character messages endorsing his basketball acumen on a regular basis, not only spreading his popularity and awareness for his insane game, but simultaneously reaching and endearing thousands of young people who will be the audience of the NBA for years to come. Even better, he hasn’t left Oakland to pursue a championship with another team, he hasn’t hit his wife, and he is humble beyond reprove. Maybe the real question we should be asking is, “Why isn’t he already the face of the NBA?”
Every word that can be written about Curry and James has been written, praising their accomplishments, their athleticism, and there character, so I’ll leave you with this. The NBA playoffs this year have not held their weight in gold, we get it, but where will you be when each game tips off and the shots start to fly? The two best players on the planet will square off, one defending his legacy, one preparing to launch his own. So let this one soak in, because when it’s all said and done, the NBA may have a new King, and his name is Curry.
Chris Venzon
