to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy… and to laugh along the way
This year’s playoff has been a total blast. Betting odds have gone awry, top teams have been disrespected. As the Chinese saying goes: we live in interesting times. Indeed, in this season’s basketball wars, it is moment-to-moment for all the surviving teams; with health, team chemistry and coaching creativity now playing major roles in the crucial days ahead.
The Denver Nuggets have never won an NBA title before. They have reached the Conference Finals 5 times, the last one in the Bubble in 2020. This time, the Nuggets are aiming to go all the way to grab the NBA crown.
Sixteen magnificent teams remained after the NBA’s long 2023 regular season. Another 8 were to fall after the first round of the brutal it’s-you-or-me killer playoffs. And the eight survivors – bloodied all, but alive nonetheless – move on to do battle yet again for the right to make the Final Four. Like the gladiators of old, eight teams prepare with their weapons of choice, to meet yet another team, in a duel to the death. It is kill-or-be-killed time, it is lose and begone!
But it was playoff Jimmy, the same guy who lifted the Heat all the way to the 2020 Finals; who almost stole the show from no less than that cage god himself, Lebron James; who would once again wield his own style of cage wizardry. Jimmy ‘Buckets’ would regale his Heat faithful, making them believe that 16-point leads, 12 point leads – whatever – are nothing, if you dig deep and play your hearts out.
The next games will be a big test for Draymond and the Warriors. If the Warriors are eliminated in this year’s playoffs, then Draymond could be on the way out. With lucrative contracts already given to Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, the Warriors’ will have a difficult time accommodating a similar extension for the 33-year old Draymond.
Now comes the real thing. It’s off with the warm-up games (aka: the regular season), and it’s on to the real games (aka: the playoffs). From hereon, it’s every game counts as the best teams step forward to do battle in the playoffs.
Color My World 