It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Written by: Jed

And I’m not talking about back-to-school season either. Yes I’m talking about the playoffs.

This past week, both NHL and NBA playoffs began – neither featuring a Toronto franchise, but I’m not bitter. It’s like March Madness all over again, except this time I know what’s going on and I love it. There’s plenty of storylines to get sucked into. The question to whether or not Lebron can lead the Cavs to a title; or whether Kobe can finally win a ring without Shaq. In the NHL  we have Joe Thornton’s quest for actual playoff success; the annual question as to whether a Canadian franchise can bring the cup home. These are just some of the biggest stories, missing from the March Madness experience – which is usually all about celebrating the underdog.

As with every year, the Western Conferences in both leagues seem like the favourites – although I’m sure all of Cleveland would dispute that. I’ve always wondered why the west has been dominated with bigger and better teams. Year after year, it seems like only a handful of games have separated the eight seed from home court/ice advantage. And because of this competitiveness they’ve traditionally been the more entertaining conference to watch, especially in the playoffs. I still remember last year’s Suns and Spurs first round opening game. Double overtime if I remember correctly? What I do know for sure, is that Tim Duncan three, killed the Phoenix Suns’ championship hopes, and Steve Kerr and gang (me included) are still reeling from that defeat. That was the first game of the first round, but it felt and played out like game seven of the finals. As I’m typing this, the (western conference) Ducks and Sharks second game is playing in the background. The eight seeded Ducks are looking like they’ll squeak out a 2-0 series lead, against the best team in hockey. There’s a nice balance in the West, where upsets lack the same dramatic surprise. The games tend to be more competitive, intense, and overall more entertaining.

This year, the NBA’s east is proving otherwise. Granted we’re only a game into the playoffs, but the Western bracket, although once again stacked, lacks any real compelling matchups. I think I’ve had enough of San Antonio’s fundamentals, and the Mavericks are a shadow of the fun exciting run and gun team they were. And Denver? I’m not sure anyone outside of Denver is paying attention. I expected New Orleans to burst out of the gate, but they’ve been stumbling all season. The Lakers and Jazz series on paper is a great matchup. But perhaps due to injuries, the Jazz are lacking the intensity their coach has usually instilled. The only series of real interest is the Blazers and Rockets. The possiblity of  Houston finally advancing past the first round without a McGrady, is irony at its finest. Seeing a previously troubled (literally) Blazers team turn it around with one of the youngest rosters in the league would be something. Not to mention the fact that they actually play an entertaining brand of basketball, and Greg Oden. But other than this one series, the rest of the Western bracket is underwhelming.

The Eastern Conference however, has plenty going for it. Despite the fact that the first game of the Cleveland and Detroit series was a route, I wouldn’t be so quick to counting out the Pistons. Nor do I advocate giving Lebron the throne just yet. The Garnet-less Celtics and Bulls bracket has the makings for a classic playoff series. It’s really a clash of different generations. Atlanta and Miami? Probably the weakest four versus five bracket in a while, but Dwayne Wade creates the potential for a few memorable moments. The Magic and Sixers matchup looks interesting as well. As dominant as Dwight Howard can be, I’ve yet to see him win a game on his own – seeing them lose to the seventh seed would give this Raptors fan some satisfaction.

With everyone getting on the Cavs/Lakers, Red Wings/Devils bandwagons – Google points me to a quote by an American Writer, Ursula K. LeGuin:

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.

And even as spectators this couldn’t be any more true. A good championship series is hard to come by. As much as the NBA hyped the Celtics and Lakers rivalry last year – I wasn’t impressed. Unless you had some Boston (and I guess even LA) affiliations, there was little about the games to get excited about. NHL finals have usually been no different – although they did luck out with the Penguins last season. The fact of the matter is, the excitement and frenzy leading to the championship game have traditionally superseded that, surrounding the finals. This year I hope to be proved otherwise, but just in case, I’m tuning into every game I can.