Sports Talk with MC

by MC

Lower seeds in the NBA Playoffs, more often than not, get no love.

Lower seeds are often seen as footnotes in elite teams’ championship runs.

Lower seeds are often seen as pests in a dining room littered with expensive silverware and crystal.

Lower seeds may have good players on their side, but are still maligned because they aren’t “great”.

Well, today’s NBA Playoff games have proven that lower seeds can, and will, if provoked, kick some tail.

In a nailbiter of a ballgame, the Denver Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony’s 30, and Allen Iverson’s 31, zoomed by the weary San Antonio Spurs, 95-89. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker all had offnights from the field, and the Spurs were stifled by, surprise, Denver’s defense. Give credit to ‘fellas like Linas Kleiza, Eduardo “my hair doesn’t move” Najera, and Steve Blake (who crashed into the scorer’s table after being tackled by Jacque Vaughn) for holding their own against the more seasoned Texans.

In a battle of “blood brothers”, the Golden State Warriors shocked the world by beating the 67 win Dallas Mavericks on their home floor, 95-87. The Warriors now lead the series 1-0.

As expected, GS was led by Baron Davis, who netted 33 points along with 12 rebounds. He was helped Stephen Jackson’s 23, and Jason Richardson’s 13.

The Mavericks’ stars struggled from the field much like the Spurs’ stars did. Dirk only mnaaged to shoot 4-16 from the floor, Stackhouse went 0-6, and Josh Howard went 8-21.

The Warriors proved in game one that when they declare speed, they mean it.

If the Mavericks don’t figure out how to turn the game into a knockdown dragout, then we could be in for Seattle-Denver in 1994 all over again.

The Nuggets proved today that when they mean will, they bring it. The Iverson-Anthony tandem is beginning to show off it’s wares, and if Duncan and co. can’t act quickly enough in terms of putting the clamps on screen and rolls, and drive and kicks, then they could be in for a long series.

With prejudice, comes a sense of pride, and by golly, did the lower seeds show a LOT of pride, and heart, tonight.

Tomorrow presents a multitude of new opportunities, but for today, the underdogs shed at least the tangible title, and made strides towards snagging not just attention, but also a very real sense of respect.

Believe it.

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