HoopsHype.com Columns

Fan-tastic again
by Eddie Johnson / May 18, 2006

The second round of the NBA playoffs has definitely proved one thing to me... We have finally gotten back to the way basketball is supposed to be played at this level.

Finally we are witnessing the beauty of what basketball should be. Running, jumping, great shooting and, most importantly, a sharing of the basketball that makes me remember the good old days of Magic and Bird.

It is so wonderful to see the movement of basketball players on the court again. We have seen new heroes every night on a consistent basis during these playoffs – not just the obvious star player carrying his team to victory.

For example: Raja Bell, instead of Steve Nash, knocking down three-pointers all the time and then taking the last-second shot to tie the game.

Or Drew Gooden getting the unselfish pass from LeBron James late in Game 5 to give Cleveland the win against the Pistons.

Or Jason Terry taking the final shot last night in the Dallas loss.

Things like that didn't happen for a number of years because coaches and star players would not, for the most part, trust teammates to take those shots. We went through a number of seasons in which the star player would take a bad shot to tie or win a game instead of passing the ball to a wide open teammate.

Coaches like Gregg Popovich, Mike D’Antoni, Mike Dunleavy or Avery Johnson and players like LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki or Shaquille O’Neal have made it OK to depend on other guys to attempt the shot at glory.

This unselfishness has given the NBA the positive surge it has been trying to get back to for the last 10 to 15 years.

- The Miami Heat are starting to prove me right. If I remember well, I was the only one picking the Heat to defeat the Pistons and saying the Suns would make it back to the Conference Finals. It’s not official yet, but I am looking good!

- Dwyane Wade has officially become the leader of the Miami Heat. Shaq is doing exactly the same thing David Robinson did a few years back with Tim Duncan – step aside right on time. Had Kobe Bryant been more patient, this would be happening for him instead of Wade.

- Cliff Robinson’s suspension for failing a drug test could be one of the most selfish acts I have seen in a long time. This is the playoffs and no way should a 40-year-old man be suspended for doing immature things. To some point, I can deal with a young player making a stupid mistake, but not a player who should be looked up to by our younger players.

- Rasheed Wallace should guarantee one more thing in the Cav-Piston series – and that is he will shut up and play. No player in this league is intimidated by words. This Piston team is not the Bad Boys of old. There is no worry of a cheap shot from Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman.

- I made a statement during the season that this Piston team would wear down. And that one injury to a starter could cost them a lot. Well, those factors are in play. Let’s see if they can overcome a team with tremendous energy and probably the best player in the league right now in LeBron James.

- Antonio McDyess aside, the Pistons have the worst bench of all teams still in play. The Cavaliers are taking advantage of it. Even if the Pistons do get pass the Cavs, they will not beat the Miami Heat.

- I never thought I would say this, but Ben Wallace will be the worst free-throw shooter in the Piston-Heat series.

- Jason Terry, who has played fantastic in this series again, showed us how selfish some players can be when they take on “The me” syndrome. What the heck was he thinking about when he punched Michael Finley with three seconds left in the game?

- Tim Duncan went 12 for 12 and the Spurs still could not shake the Mavericks.

- Dirk Nowitzki is the most versatile seven-footer ever to play in the NBA. He is virtually impossible to guard.

- Gregg Popovich has finally realized defense will not win this series. He has gone small and fast to counter the Mavericks. The Mavericks have made a layup line of the Spurs defense in this series.

- Steve Nash has become human in the Clipper series. Every player in the history of the league has been in a slump. Nash is in a slump and his team is up 3-2 with a chance to close out the series. The beauty of his game and why he won two straight MVPs is his ability to affect the game in more than one way.

- I just have a problem with all you media types referring to how tired and beat up he is... Every player in the playoffs is beat up and tired. Nash does not need excuses to figure out his game. What he needs is a few jump shots to go down – and they will.

- Do you wonder if Kobe Bryant knows who Raja Bell is now? Bell has become one of the best free agent pickups of this season.

- Finally... Despite the mistake Sam Cassell made at the end of regulation time in Game 5 when he got called for an eight-second violation, the Clippers have to pay him what he deserves. They would not be were they are if it wasn't for Sam!

Eddie Johnson is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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