I owe you another post soon

I'm back. I have been on hiatus for a few reasons. One was not wanting to write about the streak until it was over. I don't really even want to write about the Rockets now.They make me nervous. I watch the West and think Little Nicky thoughts: You're alright, you're alright, and you make the Lord very nervous. I will let Dusty write abou them so I can hit him in the back of the head with something rubber for jinxing my team if they don't live up to the very modest expectations I have for them without Yao in the playoffs (if they hold on). I won't begin to cover everything on my mind in this post, so bare with the incomplete commentary, at least you are getting something (if i had a nickle for every time I've heard that last phrase off set by a comma).

So if I am not going to write a homer column like Dusty then what the fuck am I supposed to write about? Well ladies (if there are any ladies that read this) and gents (the three of you)if you hadn't noticed the league has a few interesting plot lines that have emerged as we have gone along. I am going to give some cursory treatments of some things that you all need to be aware of going into the last part of the season...

The Coach of the Year debate can only between the following three men: Reggie Theus, Mo Cheeks, and Nate McMillan. For those of you who want to pick teams with winning percentages over .600 you don't get it. You really don't understand coaching. This is not college ball folks. College coaches can win games for their teams much more often than pro coaches. "Great" pro coaches have players like Kobe, T-Mac and Yao, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler, or KG and the Truth with Ray-Ray when his body permits. I think the coach of the year is a person that defies the odds with a team that people would look at on paper and say they shouldn't win. Teams look to these teams on the schedule and say there is a win because these guys will not be able to find their asses with both hands. The three that I just listed have kept their teams in games and have them playing competively in every game. The BallSacs, The Seventy Suckers, and the team of the future are not tanking their seasons though we all thought it would be more productive if they did from game one. The 76'ers will make the playoffs because they are in one of the worst conferences of any season in basketball league ever, even if they have a couple of good teams now.

- Reggie Theus- He get's points for the suits with silk scarfs sticking out of his suit. Very nice. The BallSacs are depending on Ron Artest to anchor their team and they have been succesful. Ask the good people in Auburn Hills the last time that happened. Sacto has been playing .500 ball and would be in the playoffs in the East. They never lay down. On a team that everyone thought would be on par with Memphis and Minnesota record wise at the beginning of the season I would have to say that I am impressed. I accused Theus of getting the other team high on paint fumes earlier in the season, but after seeing the BallSacs giving everyone a hard time no matter when or where they play them I am thinking that the Maloofs might be importing Vegas to whatever team's locker room they are playing. Every team looks like they are hungover when they play Sacto. They look like they stayed out drinking for free and going to houses of ill repute. It is the only excuse for a team with Kevin Martin (poor man's Monta), Ron Artest (headcase), and a collection of players that really shouldn't be winning games) together being competitive every night.

- Mo Cheeks- He is winning in Philly. Philly didn't trade for anyone or resign anyone this last offseason. I wonder where Igoudala goes if he leaves Philly. Thaddeus Young looks good. I am genuinely intrigued by this team because as bad as this team looks they have a better record than Atlanta, New Jersey, and are a game off Toronto. All three of the teams I just mentioned have at least one Max contract player on their teams. NJ had three. Atlanta has Joe Johnson and some legit young players. Toronto has Chris Bosh and a great point guard tandem. Philly's best player has the same nick name as their last best player, a young big man, and a point guard that's biggest value was supposed to be his expiring contract. Mo Cheeks has had this team playing hard all season adn winning games against teams that are more talented in every facet. The Sixers really should be a lottery team even in the East, but they are competing every night.

- Nate McMillan- Greg Oden is in trouble for playing a pick up game this late in the season and Portland is probably going to finish with a winning record. They will still be in the lottery. This team is playing well without one of the most anticipated big men to be drafted in years. Nate had these kids in first place in the West well into the season. The West is one of the best conferences in the history of NBA. 9 teams are going to win fifty games. I hope Dallas is the team to slip out if you had nto already guessed that. This team will be terrifying in a couple of years if the management doesn't do the same thing that Chicago did with a promising group of youngsters.

That's the coaching. The LA situation. Everyone is playing LA up because David Stern and anyone who stands to reap the revenue whirlwind from it has been having recurring wet dreams about an L.A. versus Boston final. Well folks, Boston is legit to come out of the East, and their homecourt is baller. If they get their they can fight. LA is in a bit of a pinch though. What do they do with two guys that were supposed to put them over the top haning played intermittently with their team. Bynum was supposed to be back, and I don't remember the last time I saw him on camera playing basketball. Pau has been out frequently since he got their midseason. My question is the same as Dusty's can they get all of these pieces working on the fly. Can the Zenmaster really bring Zen to this bunch?

The Shaq trade has opened things up for Amare. I said two types of basketball don't win championships. Check that. Phx can put Shaq in and let him be Shaq from awhile ago and freak teams out and then start running again. This trade seeemed stupid, but really Steve Kerr made a balls out move that has made the most talented members of his team better. Nash can make passes to anyone. He is going to be great anywhere. Amare has his idol there and has been kicking ass because he can run the middle because the shot blocker or enforcer of the team has to stay on Shaq. He has really been scary.

Golden State or Denver could be good for seven in the opening round depending on who either team draws in as the number one or two seed in an opponent...

Lebron is better, but his team is not much better than last year's...

The number of elipses and paranthetical notations in this post was obnoxious.

More to come soon. The Captain signing off for now...