(Photo by Keith Allison)
On Saturday night, almost 2.7 million people tuned in to ABC to watch the Rockets face off against the Celtics in one of this season’s marquee matchups. With nearly 1.3 million more viewers than the average NBA game, Saturday’s potential playoff preview did not disappoint.
The two teams went back and forth in an astounding display of scoring; 11 different players reached double-digit points, and the teams combined to sink 32 shots from beyond the arc. It wasn’t just the stars, either; Eric Gordon led the Rockets off the bench by pouring in a team-high 27 points, while Marcus Morris contributed an impressive 21 (also off the bench). The game was decided in the final minutes when Kyrie Irving made a costly turnover and Trevor Ariza had two clutch makes, the final score 123-120 in favor of the Rockets. More than anything, this game provided something that the nation hasn’t seen for years: a glimmer of hope that the NBA Finals might be a matchup that doesn’t include the Warriors or the Cavaliers.
I’m not trying to diminish the value of a series that features the two best basketball players on the planet going toe-to-toe, but let’s be honest: the Warriors vs. Cavs matchup has grown old. As Third and Long’s Jeff Prince remarked, watching the Warriors play the Cavs is “like the end of a loaf of bread--it’s stale and nobody wants it anymore.” I think he hits the nail on the head here; do we really want to see the NBA manufacture hatred between these two teams for a fourth straight year? I’m sorry if you believe otherwise, but this isn’t even a real rivalry. I’d rather watch the Dubs face off against the Thunder, where there’s a history of bad blood between KD and Russ, or the Cavs play the Celtics, where the conflict between Kyrie and LeBron isn’t completely fabricated by the media. More than anything, I’m tired of hearing the same old narrative--if LeBron wins this year, he’s surely the GOAT. But can he beat the greatest team in the history of basketball?
No, he can’t, and quite frankly, I don’t care if he can. Just imagine for a moment that the Rockets and Celtics emerge from their respective conferences and meet in the 2018 NBA Finals. There would be a multitude of fresh, interesting storylines: budding stars Jaylen Brown, Clint Capella, and Jayson Tatum having an opportunity to show their stuff on the big stage; Kyrie Irving and James Harden both trying to prove that they’re capable of winning a championship as the guy; Chris Paul looking to avenge a history of playoff choking; and more. Above all else, it would be a treat to get five, six, or seven games of what we witnessed on Saturday.
Finally, the NBA has struggled of late to draw interest in the early rounds of the playoffs because the results are almost always chalk. The higher seed wins and advances (at best) to the Conference Finals, only to be shellacked by Cleveland or Golden State. It’s very hard to envision both the Cavs and Warriors waltzing to The Finals this year, especially considering the makeup of the East. The Celts, Raptors, Cavs, Wizards, Bucks, and even 76ers all have a shot at knocking off the Cavaliers. In the West, I’d be hard-pressed to predict anything but a six or seven game series when the Rockets and Warriors meet up in the Conference Finals.
So my message is twofold: 1) The NBA Playoffs are totally and completely on, so LeBron better turn it way up or he’s gonna get bounced in the first round, and 2) the National Basketball Association is in dire need of fresh blood in The Finals, and the Rockets and Celtics provide the perfect alternative to the last three years. Adam Silver, if you’re reading this blog, keep in mind what’s good for the Association, and let’s make it happen.
(Stats via TV By The Numbers, CBS Sports, and USA Today)
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