IT wasn’t supposed to go this way. Golden State was supposed to waltz to its third straight National Basketball Association title. Toronto? Who has taken the Raptors seriously next to the Canadians?
But there they are, Canada’s only surviving team after the Grizzlies evacuated to Memphis, on the cusp of its first NBA title after drubbing the Warriors at the latter’s home court to claim a 3-1 lead in their best of seven series.
And the way they achieved it was nothing less than spectacular, blanking the Warriors in their two-game home stand behind a stifling defense particularly in yesterday’s game where they held the Warriors to below 100 points.
Okay, so an injured Kevin Durant has not played so far in the title series but remember that they had won without him against Lebron James and the Cavaliers some five years ago.
I will leave it to the experts to explain how the Raptors defied the odds and made the Warriors look like an ordinary team. I have no particular favorite in this year’s championship because I am a Lakers fan but I would be happier if the Raptors end up hoisting the trophy, preferably on Tuesday on home soil.
There should only be one dominant team in the history of the Western Conference and it should be none other than my favorite Lakers.
I am a suffering fan as you can see. The Lakers have missed the playoffs six times in a row and unless they are able to successfully recruit another top player to partner with Lebron James, the drought might extend to next season.
Of course, the Lakers haters are gloating over my team’s misfortunes. The notorious Mark Cuban (he leads all NBA team owners in fines) said recently he is happier to see LA screwed-up. I hate Cuban and his team too and I’ ll be happier if his Dallas Mavericks also remain well, screwed-up.
Yes, the Lakers are screwed-up. Legendary Laker guard Magic Johnson was supposed to lead the franchise out of the doldrums and when he landed the biggest catch in last year’s off season, I became a believer. But for all his basketball superpowers, Lebron turned out to be just another mortal, vulnerable to the ravages of age and usage. Middle of the season, he suffered a groin injury and the Lakers once again sputtered.
And then even before his team could play out the season, Johnson unexpectedly resigned because, according to him, of backstabbing and betrayal.
My team was as dysfunctional as the Barug slate in the north district a few months later and not surprisingly for the same reason. Johnson said he was betrayed. So did losing reelectionist Jun Alcover. The other day, another defeated candidate, Noel Wenceslao, joined Alcover, saying that the latter was telling the truth. If party leaders do not resolve the intramurals immediately, Barug will also be screwed-up like the Lakers.
I have not lost hope in my Lakers. I will remain a fan. I wonder if disgruntled party members can make a similar promise to Barug.