40 Games in 40 Nights

This entry was written on Apr 24, 2009 by our Basketball Guru Brian Nemeth

It’s playoff time…finally. After March Madness, this is my second favorite time of the year. So many games, so many great match-ups. Besides the great games, we also get a heavy dose of the TNT pre-game and halftime show. I can’t get enough of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Just the other night, during the Hawks/Heat game, the crew made a cardboard Hawk, tied it to a fishing string and “flew” it past Barkley’s head. His response was priceless, along with the subsequent “clowning” that Kenny Smith unleashed on him.
Usually the more intriguing match-ups in the first round are the 4th seed vs. 5th seed, or the 3rd seed vs. the 6th seed. This year, especially in the West, all the match-ups are great, every series has a chance of going deep. Let’s hope this holds true.
Another thing I’ll be watching close is the officiating. The NBA has been taking some heat the last couple of years, and on the wake of the Michael Finley came winner that shouldn’t have counted at the end of the regular season, I expect the league to “keep it clean”, especially in the early rounds. Let’s just hope officiating doesn’t steal the headlines this year, instead stellar play, great match-ups, and incredible individual performances will.