NBA Playoffs = Pleasure and Anger

NBA Playoffs = Pleasure and Anger

Whereas the MLB Playoffs are peace and stress, the NBA Playoffs provide some contradicting experiences of pleasure and anger.

VS.

The Phoenix Suns are playing the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semi-Finals of the NBA Playoffs

Watching players execute strategy while managing chaos is something I enjoy almost as much as I enjoy actually playing. However, when you watching like tonight's, it becomes a little frustrating.

The Phoenix Suns, and the Dallas Mavericks are two of the most offensive teams in the league. When these teams play, the officials should pretty much just grab a chair and watch. Instead, they were all over the game, blowing whistles for, seemingly, the fun of it; and being very inconsistent about it. The Suns, for example, were charged with 25 personal fouls, 6 above their season average, and 7 above their playoff average. I don't want to take too much away from Dallas's successful adaptation to the Suns' offense, but there is something to be said about the impact of fouls. You could see the players' confusion, defensive trepidation and overall deference to the referees.

In any case, I hope the refs give the game back to the players so I can get back to enjoying the playoffs. Last year when the Pistons destroyed the concept of a superstars and dynasties by showing the power of altruistic teamwork executed by versatile, intelligent basketball players, it brought the league back to its roots. In this new era, may the best team win :-P