LOL!!! Nice. That’s why I don’t predict specific games. I can barely tell who will win a series, let alone a single game. My Spurs in 6 pick is already looking bad.
Anyway, wow, I’d like to say that I watched the entire game but I was too busy watching JUSTIN VERLANDER THROW A FUCKING NO-HITTER!!! HOLY CRAP!!! Seriously, that was awesome. The best part is there’s always one point in a game when you’re just casually watching a game and then it suddenly hits you that it’s a no-hitter…it hit me right after the 6th and I was glued to the TV from then on. Man, I was nervous. It’s great to be able to say that you watched someone on your own team do it, especially a guy as great as Verlander. Just think…all the seagulls on the field will be able to tell their baby chicks that they were there for a no-hitter.
Seriously, I ended up watching most of the 2nd quarter and the second half of the Cavs game. Anyway, stuff from Game 3:
-For one, I was VERY surprised at how well the refs were calling the game, particularly in the second half. I was starting to wonder about the refs when Duncan was collecting fouls left and right in the first half and figured he’d be fouled out by the end of the 3rd quarter but then LeBron had just as many (and amazingly, he didn’t sit for 9 straight minutes! Genius!!). Still, the refs improved a lot in the second half and just let the guys play and despite the horrific shooting, I found the game strangely entertaining in a no-one-can-score-so-every-point-scored-is-MEGA-important kind of way. I actually read a theory by some sports writer on ESPN that the NBA actually sends its terrible refs during a lop-sided series since they are easily swayed by the home crowd and always give calls to superstars in an attempt to sway the series. It made a lot of sense, but I guess that’s only the case for when teams are playing against the Pistons (I’m KIDDING!!!) 
-Also, I also really love Jon Barry. Not just because he’s a former Piston but he’s HILARIOUS on the ESPN staff. The best part is his constant mockery of his brother Brent Barry which he did at the end of the game. The best was when he was calling one of the Spurs/Suns games earlier this year and was cracking on Brent throughout the game since he’s the only guy who can openly mock one of the players. When Brent retires, they need to put those two on an announcing team together. It’d be comedy gold. I actually heard an interview with both of them at the same time on local Detroit radio and it was hilarious.
-Oh…and what a surprise. Larry Hughes just HAPPENS to be unable to play this game and Boobie Gibson starts…and, what a shocker, he was actually fast enough to stay in front of Tony Parker and limited him to mostly jump-shots. It’s almost like I was right…yet it took Mike Brown two full games to figure this out. Sigghhh…
-Anyway, about LeBron’s last play…yeah he was fouled, but why was he complaining? If he was smart, he would have noticed that Bowen fouled him BEFORE the shot. That would have sent LeBron to the line with only two free-throws which wouldn’t have done him crap being down by three. Yeah, he could have intentionally bricked one free-throw and gone for the tip-and-shot but that works about 1% of the time plus the Cavs had no timeouts left either so getting another possession was out of the question…the ref did LeBron a favor by letting him take the three. And, I’m sorry…it’s just pathetic seeing LeBron bitch about fouls when no one gets more leeway from the refs than he does. Oh…and, by the way, considering how much that Cleveland fans ripped on us here in Detroit when we complained about the lopsided or blown calls, it sure isn’t as funny when it happens to you, is it? Karma’s a bitch, Cleveland.
-The biggest problem…what about the play BEFORE that? LeBron charges the lane, turns around and dishes it to…Anderson Varajao??? WHAT?? I couldn’t believe he did that! Even Varajao himself seemed shocked by it. It’s was like he got the ball and he thought “What? I can’t shoot jumpers!! Why did he give me the ball!?” then he tried to make a weak drive and shot but with Tim Duncan in the way there wasn’t much chance of a decent shot. I don’t even blame Varajao…he shouldn’t have had the ball in that situation ever. Drew Gooden, who was the only other guy on the Cavs aside from LeBron who was hitting shots had fouled out so they ran the same jumper play that they were running with Gooden with Varajao??? WHAT?? That was a FAR worse play than the Donyell Marshall pass in Game 1. Come on, LeBron…THINK! Can the comparisons with Jordan stop yet? Do we need more proof?
-Also, did anyone else notice that Varajao took the flopping thing to the next level? Ginobli charged the lane and brushed by the stomach of Varajao and somehow got called for a foul for it as Varajao flopped to the floor (Van Gundy’s “there’s a charge on EVERY play if they’re calling that” comment was priceless). Anyway, after the foul, Varajao actually LEFT THE GAME with a supposed injury. Then one minute earlier, he was fine and checked back in. He’s taking the soccer thing to the next level!! Instead of just flopping like a soccer player, he’s now flopping AND faking an injury and being removed from the game like a soccer player. I can only assume that in Game 4, he’ll step it up even more and actually need a stretcher to take him off the court into the back, then 30 seconds later he’ll crawl off the stretcher and run back from the locker room.
Finally, here’s yet another article on the series by Bill Simmons from ESPN. He did a “running diary” of Game 1 where he posts his comments as he watches the game go on. I usually don’t post these unless they’re REALLY funny and this is one of his best yet. It’s hilarious. Check it out.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070608
Stevo
