I guess that means I am coming out of the closet.
What will my family think?
Actually I do not even know if my family cares, outside of my brother who is a Lakers' fan (perhaps I should ask the rest of them who their NBA teams are).
However, since it is time for the best part of the season, I can start to care myself. The last time I claimed a team was in my middle or high school époque and that team was the Charlotte Hornets. Even then, I did not watch many games. I guess you could say the Heat are my NBA team much like the Preds are my NHL team, the Titans are my NFL team, and Arsenal is my EPL team. It is not so much that I cheer for any one of them or have any REAL connection to any of them. For whatever reason, I just hope they win and if I have the chance I check their scores to see if they did.
I am going to be completely honest here and the truth hurts. Sports are a form of entertainment and simultaneously inconsequential. Do not get me wrong, benefits are derived from sports. One could argue the economic advantages of sports or any one sport and in doing so, one would likely find I completely agree. All I am saying is that it really does not matter, in the bigger picture, whether one team wins or loses. Except for the job security of those employed by that team at the time, whether they are players, coaches, or the front office. Let me ask this question in earnest: If a team loses or wins does it really affect our lives? Maybe we have a bad (or good) day, possibly a bad (good) week, but ultimately life returns to normal, what it would have been without 'the game'. Sometimes I wish that sports were not merely a distraction for me, like for those employed in the industry.
The Heat dropped game 4 to the Knicks (87-89), but the Heat are still up 3-1 in the series. Staying alive with this win, the Knicks also ended a 13 game playoff losing streak. It is extremely likely that they are just delaying the inevitable, the Knicks have struggled all season against the Heat. The Knicks are just outmatched by their opponent and that is when they are completely healthy. This is a Knicks team that is dealing with several injuries. Amare Stoudemire, as most probably know, missed game 3 after suffering a laceration to his hand as a result of punching a glass fire extinguisher case on the way to the locker room after the loss in game 2. Jeremy Lin has been out recuperating from knee surgery on April 2nd. In game 1 the Knicks lost Iman Shumpert, its top perimeter defender, to a torn left ACL and lateral meniscus. Baron Davis was also limited from a back injury, before suffering a knee injury in the second-half of game 4 that keep him from returning. It is not likely, from the looks of the injury, that he will return for the series. Although, it does not seem that anyone will officially know anything until tomorrow, when he should be getting an x-ray of the knee.
Therefore, for an already out-gunned team at less that 100%, pushing it to a game seven seems unlikely. I am okay with a game 5 in the sense that it gives the Heat a chance to put the series away at home in front of their fans, like a little bit of an extra treat. However, at the same time it is a little worrisome from an injury stand-point. The Knicks forced a game 5 off of a 41-point performance by Carmelo Anthony. That is very unlikely to happen another three times. Stoudemire played in game 4, although he was obviously bothered. Especially noted when he nearly lost the ball out of bounds on what should have been an easy two points. Fortunately he managed to recover and despite bad position he drew a foul or at least the call. He still managed to come away with 20 points 10 rebounds and an assist. The good news for the Knicks is that his hand should only get better.
Despite a monstrous performance from Melo, the Knicks barely escaped the Heat. Dwayne Wade missed a three at the buzzer. Which I am not convinced was the best shot to take, from the best shooter. I watched LeBron James the whole time Wade had the ball and I just had to accept that James looks a lot better with the ball in his hands. It is not like the Knicks put the Heat in a position to respond very often, but it seemed that if ever they did, James was the one to respond and what a statement he can make! I suppose that is one of James' criticisms, although I do not really agree with it. I 'think' James would have been the better option to have the ball to create or if he was going to shoot a three, I could hope then Wade would have enough time to crash the board. Realistically, no one knows. I would not be surprised if James gets double teamed, but even then I hope a pass to the open man creates an easy bucket. Nevertheless, if Wade or anyone on the Heat tied the game with a two, which they should have attempted considering the horrific three-point shooting on the evening, I think the Knicks lose in overtime.
If the Knicks come back to Miami with a nothing to lose attitude and push it as hard as they can, the Heat will go as hard as the Knicks do. That is what worries me, I do not want to see anyone injured, period. I cringed when I saw Baron Davis go down today. Jeremy Lin might feel pressure to come back too soon, when he would be better off accepting that his season is over and continuing to recuperate for next year. Congratulations to the Knicks, as they say, with this win you kept your chances 'alive'.
Good luck Heat, do not feel too bad if I continue to not watch too many games. As it turns out, I do not bring a whole lot of luck as a viewer/spectator.
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