I Miss the Playoffs

Ever have trouble remembering your locker combination after Spring Break? 32-28-13 ... or, wait, was it 28-23-31... or wait, damn, I can’t remember.

That’s sort of how I’m feeling about the Sonics these days. I know there’s a bunch of stuff that will have to be sorted out this summer, not the least of which is where the team will be playing a few years from now, but all those issues are beginning to fade from my short-term memory.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at tonight’s wonderful matchup between the Clippers and Suns. It’s Game 5, baby, and the winner of the series will be in the Final Four (or, as Bill Rancik wisely put it last night on The Apprentice after the fifth-to-last contestant was voted off, “There’s only four left!” Now, that’s the kind of sage mathematical advice we’re looking for!).

The Suns are five point favorites at home, but nobody really knows how this game will turn. The teams have traded wins through four games, each accommodating the other in a very Canadian way. Everybody knows that Game 5s are crucial affairs, though, especially for the team without home-court advantage. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about this series thus far:

1. Steve Nash is the 4th-leading scorer for the Suns through 4 games.
2. Boris Diaw is averaging more assists per game than anyone on the Clippers.
3. LA is out-rebounding Phoenix by nearly 15 a game.
4. While Raja Bell’s been lights-out from beyond the arc, he’s the only Suns player hitting his 3’s. Marion, Nash, Barbosa, and Thomas are all below 30%.
5. The Suns really only have 6 guys contributing on offense, while the Clippers have 8; this has to become a factor as the series wears on.
6. Does anyone know what Eddie House did to tick off Mike D’Antoni? After being a regular contributor during the season, he’s a ghost in the playoffs – especially against LA.
7. Corey Maggette’s scoring figures through five games: 23, 20, 2, 7, 18. Maybe he’s been hanging around Radman too much.

Add it all up and I’m liking the Clippers tonight – but only if Kaman is ready to go and capable of playing regular minutes. Sooner or later the Suns are going to hit their shots, and at home the emphasis has to be on the former. Still, their lack of depth is alarming, especially when Nash isn’t hitting his shots. The Clippers are doing a wonderful job on defending the 2-time MVP and forcing his teammates to hit jumpers. Rather than doubling on Nash when he drives the paint, they’re staying with their man, preventing Nash from dishing to open teammates. It’s working, and I think it’ll work again tonight.
My prediction: Clippers 102-Suns 95. And, remember, after Game 5, the next game is Game 6!

Self-Promotion Dept. (Vol 1)

In the non-NBA department, some of you may be wondering why I haven't been posting much. Well, after a three-year hiatus, I've returned to the sordid world of stand-up comedy. I had a little warm-up at Comedy Underground's open mic on Sunday, and starting tonight I'll be appearing every Wednesday night as part of Seattle's hottest new comedy show, Comedy Night at the Mirabeau Room on Queen Ann.

I'll probably won't be on stage that much tonight, but the line-up includes some of the Seattle's top young comics, so it's worth checking out. Did I mention Digital Underground's Humpty Hump was in last week's show? Who knows who will show up this week? Maybe Alton Lister!

(For more info go to myspace.com/paulmerrill.)

Dynamite

Five things gleaned from watching two fun games last night (Heat-Bulls, Lakers-Suns):

1. Steve Kerr (on TNT) mentioned during the 4th quarter of the Heat-Bulls game that this has been the most competitive first round he can remember. No arguments here.

2. GP got the majority of the minutes in the 4th quarter last night - even though I saw Hinrich burn him at least twice, badly. Still, it's nice to see Gary running the point for a team that's winning in the playoffs.

3. You know how when you play a pickup game and a guy launches an obviously bad shot the entire gym echoes with "Off!"? I'm convinced that when Shawn Marion was a kid, every time he shot people said the same thing. Do his jumpers ever look like they're going down?

4. Raja Bell = Bruce Bowen = Bill Laimbeer = Danny Ainge = Players only fans of that team can root for. That's got to be one of the ugliest plays in awhile, especially when you see the look on Bell's face as Kobe was going by him. Bell looked like he was eagerly anticipating choking him. He has to be suspended, in my opinion, for at least a game.

5. I don't think I've ever looked forward to non-Sonic Game 6 as much as I'm looking forward to Suns-Lakers on Thursday. In fact, I hope the NBA doesn't suspend Bell, just so the Suns can't trot out any more excuses why they didn't win and we can see both of these teams at more or less even strength. If this was series was a pot of water, it was already bubbling before Bell clotheslined Kobe; now, the steam is filling the kitchen.