When the NBA playoffs started, I have to admit, I had very little interest in them. Without the Jazz in the hunt, I couldn't find a team to glom on to. I figured it would just end be LeBron against Kobe in the finals, and life would lose all meaning.
But as the Heat stepped it up, the Lakers stepped down. For the last two years, the Lakers dominated the NBA with their arrogance and their talent. So many teams and fans wanted to shut them up, but nobody could.
Until now.
I've never given a second thought to the Dallas Mavericks, but they just became my second favorite team. Thank goodness for Dirk, Kidd and Terry. They blew up the Lakers three-peat run with one thorough sweep. The dynasty is finally over. The King is dead.
A great philosopher once said, "Basketball doesn't build character, it reveals it." I think it was Socrates. Or maybe it was Larry Brown. Anyway, the Lakers character was exposed not only in this series, but in the final few weeks of the regular season. From Kobe calling a referee a "bleeping bleepot," to Ron Artest's near decapitation of J.J. Barea, the Lakers were losing their patented cool.
But it all came to a head Sunday in Dallas. Instead of bowing out like graceful champions, they went out like thugs. First, Lamar Odom treated Dirk Nowitzki like a blocking dummy. Then with his team down by 30, Andrew Bynum took out a guy three times smaller than him while he was completely exposed in mid-air. He could have easily broken Barea's arm or worse.
It was disgraceful. It was embarrassing. It was classless. But to Laker-haters, it was the perfect way to end the Lakers dynasty in Phil Jackson's final game. Bynum got a five game suspension and a $25,000 fine, but his reputation will suffer a bigger blow. You know it's bad when Ron Artest has to escort you off the court.
The complete annihilation and humiliation of the Lakers had to be the highlight of an otherwise deeply depressing season for Jazz fans. It's just too bad the Jazz couldn't take advantage of this L.A. collapse. Afterall, it may not last long, especially if the Lakers get Dwight Howard. Great, now I'm depressed again.
