Haslem, O'Neal, and West watch the ball drop on New Year's
We're just hours away from 2010, and we've already got one NBA game underway, which of course sucks for those of us who are still stuck at work. Not to mention I'm still sick and will be going to bed early tonight because I haven't slept well in a solid week. So, um, what I said last night about the Celtics/Suns game compared to the Holiday Bowl? Forget it. Also, please forget the fact that I stat cursed the hell out of the Nyets and caused them to actually win a game. I feel so bad right now.

Your Quick NBA 2K10 Update
My series with the Lakers is now tied up 2-2. The third game was closely contested most of the way through, but my teammates really let me down in this one. Tim Duncan refused to take shots in the fourth quarter for some reason; he wouldn't post anybody up, and whenever I found him under the basket, he'd immediately kick it back outside no matter what. Virtual Gregg Popovich put me in at shooting guard to cover Kobe, and let Tony Parker run the point. And of course once he did that, we started giving up the rock. I had zero turnovers in the game. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili had three turnovers in the fourth quarter alone. Richard Jefferson also was content with throwing up bad jumpers everywhere, which didn't help any. I rarely got to touch the ball, and when I did, I wasn't getting open shooting looks, so I had to pass to someone for an open jumper, which they invariably bonked, or they just lost the ball and let the Lakers score on the fast break. Sad. At least my defense was solid -- I shut Kobe down and held him to only two points in the fourth, and that one basket was a lucky bounce I nearly blocked.

The fourth game was a close affair as well, but I played it differently this time. I didn't take many shots early on to help get my teammates more involved and hopefully get them on shooting streaks, but absolutely played my ass off on defense to make sure the score didn't get out of hand. Then in the second half, I absolutely took over and started scoring basically at will, and Tim Duncan was there for the easy assist if I didn't have a look. We also killed them on the boards and I caused a lot of late turnovers, leading to an easy 10 point win. Of course, I still think the biggest reason the Lakers dropped this game was because Adam Morrison saw significant playing time. (Maybe a full five minutes!) I don't care if he hit a three pointer during that time -- that's still instant death for your team's karma.

(For those curious, my numbers in those two games were 30+ points each, exactly 6 rebounds in each, 10+ assists in both, plus a couple blocks and steals each game, and very few turnovers. When do I get to sign a max contract, land a sweet shoe endorsement deal, and get made into a Muppet in commercials?)

Worst of the Night in Pictures


This is one of the best players on the Bucks. Seriously.


Gerald Wallace and Chris Bosh recreate the "What did the five fingers say to the face?" moment from Chappelle's Show


How about some nice man love to cap off 2009?


Oh, what the hell, here's one last display of 2009 man love


Sad Vinsanity didn't get to participate in all the man love :(

Nationally Televised Games:
Heat at Spurs: The Spurs are on a 9-2 run right now, but we all know how they have fared this year against teams that are .500 or better. Four of their last five wins have come against the Clippers, the Bucks, the Knicks, and the Timberwolves. If only they had my NBA 2K10 doppleganger playing point in real life...

76ers at Clippers What possessed the NBA and TNT to agree on showing ths game on national television? Sure, the final score will probably be really close, but this is one of those games that's like watching a midget fight: it's fun at first, but then you just feel empty inside. But then you laugh again, and it's okay.

(Chris: And just to recap, this is the SECOND TIME IN SIX DAYS the Clippers have been on national TV, as their game against Phoenix got the nationwide feed on Christmas weekend. Has Bawful gotten involved in network programming for the Association!??!)

All The Other Games:
Bulls at Pistons: Vinny Del Negro vs. John Kuester. It's a battle of who will get fired first! It's not quite a Roman coliseum fight to the death, but it's close.

Mavericks at Rockets: Now, why isn't this game on national TV? I smell serious revenge game possiblities from Cuban and the Mavs. Remember their last game? (I'm sure Carl Landry's mouth does) Two ejections in overtime, seven technical fouls, and a protest. We could see a live decaptiaton this go-around. So, again, why isn't this game on TNT? Charles Barkley, can't you pull some weight over there and get things done? (Lord knows he has enough weight to pull.)

Jazz at Thunder: The Thunder have won four straight, and Kevin Durant has been on fire lately. He's been averaging almost 35 points per game the past five games. What does he have to say about that? "We're playing pretty decent right now. We can't get complacent." I like it. Now, if only we didn't have to deal with that whole Seattle-got-screwed aspect of this team, I could really like them.

Labels: Bawful After Dark, last post of 2009