I kept hearing, and hoping, that the NBA playoffs would be great. So far they are.
Did you see Shane Battier hit the three-pointer with 23.9 seconds left to lead Memphis over San Antonio? You see the Memphis big men make San Antonio's big men look even older than they are?
How about Chris Paul? Paul was going to be the NBA's next great point guard. Chicago's Derrick Rose got there first.
But Paul was perfect against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. He scored 33 points, had 14 assists -- some of which made you jump and shout -- and seven rebounds and four steals. The longer the game went, the better he became. The Hornets, who are missing scorer and rebounder David West, beat the Lakers 109-100.
Along with Paul being perfect, back-ups Jarrett Jack and Aaron Gray also were. Oddly, the player that kept the Lakers in the game was Ron Artest. Artest can be terrible. But he hustled and hit threes and, until Paul absolutely took over, helped Kobe Bryant keep the Lakers in it.
The New York Knicks had another upset brewing. But Carmelo Anthony took them out of it. Anthony's talent is unquestionable, but he's not a great teammate and he proved it late against Boston. If Anthony passes more, the Knicks win.
The NBA's regular-season ratings jumped this season, primarily because of the LeBron James-Dwayne Wade-Chris Bosh merger in Miami.
But if LeBron hooked viewers, quality basketball kept them. It will continue to.

Paul has ALREADY been great. He just got hurt. Rose frankly hasn't proven he's better yet.
Posted by: MichaelProcton | April 19, 2011 at 01:20 PM
Mary's Secondary School teammates off the court. The film plans to premiere on October 2, and subsequently released in the U.S. on October 9, October 16, landed all over the world began to broadcast.
Posted by: Nike Australia | August 15, 2012 at 04:33 AM