I'm actually about ten yards from the open flames of the Nets' introductions at the Meadowlands, where Raptors vs. Nets Game 4 will tip off shortly. Should be fun.
But I'm thinking about the game that comes after this one: game four of Golden State's renegade run at, and possibly through, the Dallas Mavericks.
And what I keep thinking is this: you know how Don Nelson keeps insisting that the Warriors are not as good a team as the Mavericks? People think he's kidding, or being coy. But you know what? I think he believes it. I think that if you gave him the opportunity to trade rosters, he'd do it.
Over the long run, the players on the Mavericks roster are better.
But think about that for a second. I'm saying Dallas has better players ... but is losing.
Did I just insult Avery Johnson? Am I saying that Don Nelson's wizardry is so fantastic that he can wax Avery with b-teamers?
No. That's not what I'm saying. Not what I'm saying at all. Let me explain:
- For starters, Johnson is more than a fine coach -- his career winning percentage is, if I'm not mistaken, the best ever.
- Nelson, for his part, has both won a lot and lost a lot. He has even lost with very talented rosters. Overall, long-term, Don Nelson is not a demonstrably better coach than Avery Johnson.
- With a healthy and motivated Baron Davis, the Golden State roster is extremely good, too. Golden State has plenty of talent -- it's just that the talent is unproven, fragile, and in some cases historically tempermental.
- And, obviously, this series is far from over. (In a few hours, Dallas may have home-court advantage again.)
The real thing that I'm learning from this series is that the game of basketball is mercurial and kinetic. With great effort and skill, certain combinations of players, at certain times, against certain opponents, can be simply magical.
Don Nelson and Golden State are both good. But that kinetic magic has been making them great. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks have not been feeling much much magic at all.
If they can't conjure some soon, they'll be joining the Miami Heat on some of the world's finest beaches. Look for the guys wandering around muttering to themselves, trying to find something they lost.
UPDATE: WARRIORS! Wow. Late-night Warrior chat in the comments on the game recap.
