Friday, April 25, 2008

Icarus: Chapter 2


I don't wanna work to death the whole McGrady first round matter (the rest of sports media is more than willing to do that for me). I will say right now that McGrady, although not as responsible for the losses as everyone makes him out to be, is also absolutely not responsible for the victory last night. Rafer Alston, Carl Landry, Shane Battier, and Luis Scola are. I know he just shot poorly in the 4th as opposed to shooting atrociously in the 4th, but what was even more evident was the combination of laziness and arrogance that I discussed in my last post on this subject. Even in the 4th his highest level of focus was mild at best. I definitely thought that the completely correctly called offensive foul on Kirilenko was gonna cost them the game.

One quick note on Kirilenko: This guy has to be more consistent. If he could figure out how to actually play to his potential even just 80% of the time, this Jazz team would genuinely be in the upper eschelon, rather than on the cusp.

But enough of this. On to the new, true, high flying Icarus (who is in fact an equally if not worse candidate for the metaphor).


I've always thought the Wizards are gonna win this series. I still believe it. I just believe they are more talented. I "witnessed" last seasons Eastern Conference Finals game 5, but at a certain point one man cannot do it. Not when Wally Szczerbiak is somehow worse than Larry Hughes (Its not the fist time I've typed that but every time I do my hands shake). Either way, I'm not gonna lie, its over the top, its unsportsmanlike, and I'll tell you right now until the Wizards actually win this series they haven't earned the right to do it. But I have a soft spot in my heart for the showboating. (By the way, if the Wizards do win the whole Icarus thing absolutely falls apart, so start thinking of a suitably arrogant NBA failure. Isiah Thomas? Stephon Marbury? The entire New York Knicks franchise? Folks, I think we have a winner).

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