The Sports Bizzo

By Jon…

I’m going to go ahead and call it now. I think before the NBA announces Kobe as the MVP, they should wait until the Western Conference Finals, and he and Chris Paul should play for it. That’s what’s going to happen.
Going into the playoffs, everyone saw the Hornets as an overachieving, in-over-their-head team of young guys who would be too inexperienced to win in the playoffs. Then they handled the Mavs in 5 games, which to be honest, isn’t saying a whole lot.
Chris Paul was easily the best player on the court at all times against the Mavs, and he’s going to do it again in the Spurs series. I know, I know, the Spurs are the reigning champions, and they have an extra gear in the playoffs, I get that. But they’re getting older, and Chris Paul is that good.

I hate to say it, because he put the Mavs out of the playoffs, but he really is that good. He didn’t play his best game statistically against the Spurs, but it didn’t matter, because David West scored 30 points. Not to take anything away from West, but he gets those points because of the work Chris Paul does, and will continue to until they switch Tim Duncan onto him.

…..
It’s a shame. My laziness has again hindered my abililty to sound smarter than I really am. I wrote the first part of this before Game 2. Chris Paul had another amazing game in Game 2, and now I look like a bandwagon fan.
I seem to be writing about bandwagons a lot. I’m really not one to hop on bandwagons. I usually hate anyone who isn’t a Dallas team or the Yankees.
But I’m not even really jumping on the Hornets bandwagon. Chris Paul is just so much fun to watch, I can’t help but like him and root for him, especially when he’s dismantling the Spurs. And he’s doing it with flair.
During the broadcast last night, Marv Albert and Reggie Miller were talking about how the Spurs didn’t like the playground moves Paul was using on the court. I had to laugh like hell. If you don’t like it, stop him. He’s owned Bruce Bowen a few times and I applaud it. Bowen is revered as a masterful defender, a pest, a nuisance, and he’s doing everything he can to get under Paul’s skin. He’s managed to do so a few times, you can see it. But he doesn’t let it get to him, and he rips his teammates if they let it get to them.
There was a moment in Game 2 when David West got a technical for pushing Robert Horry after a basket. They cut to Paul screaming at West. Marv Albert said Paul asked him, “What are you doing?”. But if you read Paul’s lips, he quite noticeably says, “I know, I know, don’t f**k it up.”
I thought it was hilarious, and right on point. Paul has his team two wins away from a possible showdown with the actual MVP, and I’d love to see him prove everyone wrong.