Welcome to Monday Night BAD. I'm not in the best of moods right now. It's the week of Christmas, and yet I've got quite a bit to get done at my Clark Kent job. (Maybe I shouldn't rely so heavily on my thoughts about procrastination?) Considering the short week, my motivation isn't terribly high, but that isn't going to stop me from writing this post! So anyway, let's get to the usual segments so I can get the hell out of here and go bowling.

Your Quick NBA 2K10 Update:
(Okay, so tonight's edition isn't very quick at all. Apologies. Big gaming weekend in the Dan B. household since it was freakin' cold and somewhat snowy outside, and I spent entirely too much money on sushi and overpriced Captain Morgan & Cokes at dinner Friday night. My dog was briefly mystified by the snow, which was entertaining at least.)

After dropping 11 straight games, and winning only three games in the entire month of March, my team chemistry dropped to 1%. Roger Mason announced he is going to test the free agent waters. And worst of all, we dropped to 9th in the Western conference standings after our first game in April after an absolute decimation at the hands of the Magic. They dropped thirteen three-pointers against us in a 30-point blowout, and even getting a hand in their faces didn't stop the barrage. Just one of those games.

However, I looked back at my other losses, and all of them but one or two had been 5 points or less margin of victories for the opposition, and most of those the result of fourth quarter meltdowns. Hmm...

(Warning, the next paragraph isn't funny, but hopefully it is helpful for my fellow gamers.)

I decided to drastically alter my approach. I decided my best bet is to keep the ball out of my teammates' hands as much as possible, especially late in the game. If I put my destiny in my own hands instead of the AI's, at least I feel better about losing if I fail. I have been putting more and more skill points into my vertical, which has helped me pull down more rebounds on both sides of the court. This has been a big plus, since we were getting killed on boards in previous games. Combine better layup and dunking ability with better jumping, and my inside game has suddenly come alive. I willingly pass to my teammates when they have an open lane to drive, or if they're posting up someone, or if they have a wide open three-pointer. However, I will not let them dictate the offense and hold the ball simply to control the pace and flow of the game.

Since going to eight minute quarters and adopting this playing style, I've been scoring 20+ points every single game on ~60% shooting, bringing down anywhere from 3 to 6 rebounds, getting at least 10 assists, and getting 2-3 steals and 1-2 blocks per game. We are now riding a four game winning streak, taking down the Lakers, the Kings, the Suns, and the Grizzlies. We're up to seventh in the West, and I'm legitimately excited about this late playoff run, even if Manu Ginobili has only been shooting around 35% the past few games.

(Now, I'm just hoping this somehow translates over to my love for the Steelers in the NFL, since they finally have broken out of a long losing streak that was also related to losing close games in the fourth quarter. Come on, just look at the parallels! I'm thinking about this right, aren't I? Anybody? Bueller?)