Thursday, March 17, 2005

There is a God, and He Watches Basketball

There was a time in the early part of this century when as a basketball fan, I began to lose faith in the NBA and for what it stood for. I couldn't help but to snooze right through the Lakers' dominance from 2000-2002, and ESPN's marketing of games through individuals: "Kobe vs. LeBron" or "A.I. vs. K.G."

As a basketball purist, I love the essence of the game from Steve Nash assists right down to the revamping of the throwback jerseys worn by today's players.

I also believe that the way things should be eventually become so.

That is why I am here to tell you that God does exist and he watches basketball.

It all began in 2003, when the San Antonio Spurs wiped out the three-time champion Lakers. I was a true believer that nobody could defeat the Lakers in a seven-game series with Phil Jackson as the coach, Shaq as the center, and Kobe Bryant as the gunner. I was wrong ... thank God.

I stopped watching the NBA playoffs during the last two championships the Lakers won because there was no serious competition for the team that was loaded with talent, experience, and a guru coach couldn't lose a playoff series with all of his minions. But they were beaten by Tim Duncan and the Spurs, which was quite holy. San Antonio used team ball and dominated the triangle offense of the Lakers. The Spurs went on to beat the Nets handily for the title.

And then it happened again.

No, the Spurs didn't repeat. After the Lakers went down surprisingly to the poised Spurs, they came back the next year and downed San Antonio in six games. It seemed as though Los Angeles would not be stopped and were vengeful to be derailed from their championship streak the year prior. Only the Detroit Pistons could stop them, and as we all knew in the past few years, the East was inferior to the West. Right?

Larry Brown and the Pistons pounded the Lakers into embarrassment, and God was smiling from above as Kobe lofted unbalanced shots from afar and Shaq became disgruntled. The Lakers didn't expect this, and neither did the basketball world. As often mentioned by NBA analysts throughout the Lakers/Pistons finals, "the Pistons played the game of basketball the way it was meant to be played: with all five players." Amen.

The Pistons got better as the series progressed and made believers of the doubtful, including me. The NBA was exciting again.

The Lakers disbanded. Phil Jackson got the hell out of dodge, which was the wise thing to do, and Shaq bolted for greener pasture where young athletes waited for their missing link in Miami. The Lakers decision to build a new team around Kobe was strictly marketing, and not a serious attempt to bring back more titles to Hollywood. However, Kobe gets to shoot the ball 40 times a game, and that's enough to keep his ego happy. Meanwhile, Shaq and the Heat are one of the best teams in the East, and a serious contender for the NBA title. You draw your own conclusion.

Next, the summer Olympics in Greece. Although the USA didn't not send its best of the best players to represent the basketball nation, we still sent top professionals to win another gold medal, which the U.S. has won convincingly since our first Dream Team, starring Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was obvious that the rest of the world would have to play catch-up, and by 2004, they sure did. Although the Americans, including Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson, gave it their all, they limped away with the bronze.

Although I am an American citizen, I must admit that I was hoping they would get beaten, and they did. This proves that the NBA-style game is for the fans and is not the best quality of basketball in the world. Hadn't we learned this a couple months prior when the team-oriented Pistons walloped the star-studded Lakers? Larry Brown did the best he could to mold superstars in a couple of months, but the nations who practiced harder and longer prevailed in the end. Amen.

The next bit of basketball under God was less premiered. It was a simple case of the Clippers beating the Lakers during the regular season. Although both teams share the Staples Center, it was technically a home game for the Lakers, and they were upended by their cross-town rivals, who are used to playing second fiddle to the Lake Show. If God could send us one more bit of divine intervention, it would be that the Lakers miss the playoffs this year.

The last chapter of basketball under God features the trading of Chris Webber to Philadelphia. This makes we want to hold my hands in the air and yell out: "Hallelujah!" Is it me, or is Webber the most overrated pro athlete today? For a guy who considers himself championship-caliber, I only ask, "Where are your rings, C-Webb?"

Here is a guy who has been content at being second- or third-best his whole career. Sure, he was a part of the Fab Five that appeared at the University of Michigan as freshmen and competed for the NCAA title in the finals two years straight. But did they ever win it all? I don't think so.

Now, Mr. Webber is in Philadelphia, trying to act as the missing link to a team that cannot make it over .500, yet is still in contention to win the Atlantic Division.

Since Webber has been transplanted into the lineup, the Sixers have only plummeted. Finally, he may be having thoughts for the first time of his career, "Am I as good as I think I am?" I don't think so. Tim Duncan is a champion. Chris Webber is a chump.

In efforts to save money and raise a family, I have committed to canceling cable before the playoffs begin. This is also my last article for Sports Central. But if I could write a letter to God, thanking him for paying close attention to the NBA in the last couple of years, it would go like this:

Dear God,
Thank you so much for ending the Lakers' reign; therefore, bringing excitement and parody back to the NBA. Also, thanks for all the cool throwback uniforms worn by the players today, especially the Golden State Warriors throwbacks with "The City" on the front. Could you also inject the Warriors into the playoffs one of these years?

My main request is that the Olympic basketball committee for the USA selects 12 guys from high school and college and have them become the American Olympic team. Except this time, let them practice for three or four years together out of high school or college, almost like an military recruitment and make it their duty to stay away from the agents and the NBA until they have competed in Olympics.

This will give our Americans a better shot a winning the gold again, and will be a true display of amateurism at a professional level in the Olympics. They can tour the U.S. and play our college or pro teams and be interestingly heroic (like the U.S. hockey team in 1980) and marketable, and learn the team concept as the game is meant to be played.

After the Olympics, the U.S. representatives become free to play pro ball. Shouldn't the U.S. be the best representation of the sport we created? And not only in talent, but in the ability to play the game the way it should be played: with all five players passing, cutting, utilizing the triple-threat, and taking smarter shots? Oh, and as I basketball fan, I must admit that I am pleased to announce that the Lakers haven't won a title in two years, and it doesn't appear to be in grasp this season. Thank you, God. Amen.

As for the readers, writers, and editor for Sports Central, I thank you for allowing me to be a sports writer for a short while. And to all the Wake Forest and North Carolina fans who ridiculed my selection for Mike Krzyzewski as one of the classiest sports figures of all-time, you can kiss my ass. Take care, and remember ... it's only a game.
Jon Gonzales