8 WINS DOWN, 8 TO GO

Wait, we're only at the halfway point?!

Well that was one tough mother of a series, every game was an absolute war. Partially because Utah plays so physical and tough, partially because they're a bunch of friggin' hackers. Boozer's 6th foul tonight was classic--he gets his 5th foul with, I don't know 5-7 minutes left, then he promptly goes out and commits about 4 or 5 fouls (or at least arguably so), before finally fouling out by outright climbing over a Laker players' back on an offensive rebound.

I mean, maybe he was just going hellbent out of desperation and taking his chances he wouldn't get a whistle, but I think it's more that he's a pretty dumb and undisciplined player. I love him, he's a great player and he plays hard as hell, but he's a terrible defender and a major hacker.

Chris Paul is probably already a top 5 point guard of all time...and Deron Williams is about 95% as good. He can shoot the lights out, he can handle and pass almost as well as Paul, and he's an excellent defender. Paul gets the steals, but I think Williams is a better position defender.

And fucking Paul Millsap! Cripes, how good is this guy? He's got crazy, insane athleticism; Lamar--who's pretty darned athletic himself--flat out couldn't handle him. I think Millsap has a good chance of being a big time player in the league. He's a free agent after next year or maybe the year after, I wonder what Utah will do. He's oozing potential, but he's a Boozer clone and you can't really play either of them at center for long stretches because they're both about 6'8. If I'm a team that already has a superstar, I'd go hard after him. Maybe Seattle with Durant, Millsap's toughness would be a good counterbalance to Durant's finesse game.

Utah is a really, really good team. Once they get more experience (especially with guys like Millsap, Brewer, CJ Miles), I think they're going to be in the championship mix with New Orleans, LA, Portland, etc. The only thing is, has a team ever won a championship with interior defenders as bad as Boozer & Okur? Can't think of any. Maybe they can offer Okur & Millsap for like...well, shit, I don't know who. Good rebounding/defensive centers don't grow on trees. It's not like many teams have a 7'1, 290 pound, 20-year-old future superstar just waiting on the bench for next year... :o)

God I hope New Orleans beats San Antonio, and not just because I think it's an easier matchup for the Lakers--I think both teams are fantastic and either series will be a war. But a Hornets series will be fun win or lose, watching Kobe's and Paul's greatness, Gasol's finesse vs. Chandler's power, Odom's and West's all around game, Peja vs. Sasha for the title of best shooting Croatian, etc. That's fun. That's something to be excited about.

But a Spurs series wouldn't be fun at all. It'd be like Michigan football under Carr, every game an ugly battle, no real enjoyment to be had even after a win...only relief. I don't want to watch Ginobili and Oberto flopping around, I don't want to watch Bruce Bowen grabbing, shoving and holding Kobe for 7 straight games, I don't want to see Duncan and Thomas hacking the shit out of Gasol & Odom, I don't want to see 75% of the close calls go to San Antonio...just please, please, New Orleans, finish these buttlicks off once and for all.