The Arbitrary ChuckJerry

My confession is that I'm routing for the Lakers to beat the Suns in the first round of the playoffs. I know I can't claim to hate the Lakers and then turn around and route for them, but I do and I am. It's great to watch a team come together like that for a playoff run. How is a team that was so Kobe-centric for 82 games making this fantastic team effort all of a sudden?

Lamar Odon is great, and I've said since he was on the Olympic team that he's really underrated. He's got phenomenal skills and is 2000s version of Grant Hill or even Scottie Pippen. Kobe is Kobe. The rest of the guys are the ones I enjoying watching right now, though. Kwame Brown actually playing with some skill and intensity. Smush Parker carrying the team in game 3, and making 2 of the biggest plays for the team in game 4. Luke Walton, Devean George, and even Sasha Vujacic (I think I butchered that name) making contributions.

I mainly hated the Lakers because of what Kobe did in destroying the 3 time championship team. He pushed out Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal, arguably the best coach and the best center in the last 15 years of the league, just so he could go and average 35 points a game on a wack team. But they've turned that around. And Phil Jackson is back. And Shaq and Kobe made up. And fucking Kwame Brown is playing like he might actually be an impact player in the league.

This kindof goes against my earlier claim that The first round of the playoffs is useless, but at the end of the day we're looking at Spurs/Pistons no matter what as best I can tell. Even though there are several good series right now with upset potential, Nets/Pacers, Bulls/Heat, Suns/Lakers, Cavs/Wizards, and teachnically Clippers/Nuggets, the second round will play more closely to form. If there are major upsets in the second round, then I'll take back my statement about the 5-8 seeds in the East and West being capable of making playoff runs.

Incidentally, we all knew that he had the talent, but how does Tim Thomas, who couldn't secure a roster spot on the Knicks or the Bulls over the last two seasons, become not only a starter, but a huge impact player for the 2nd ranked Suns? He honestly could not have sucked more when he was on the Knicks, and he was cut by the Bulls in mid-season this year. If he absolutely needs to be on a serious contender just to realize his potential, then he's wack.

Nash is the lynch pin, but I really think Phoenix is just a system team, like the Denver Broncos of the NBA. Shawn Marion is seriously underrated, as well. He puts up MVP type numbers, too, even to a greater extent than Nash does. Numbers like Garnett put up in his MVP season. Nash is definitely not doing it by himself, and if Marion were out for an extended period of time that team would be absolutely lost.