As I’ve pointed out a few dozen times since July 1, whoever is running the public relations strategy for the NBA players union is doing a terrible job. But I’m also willing to bet that nobody is really in charge of the spin machine, as we’ve seen both the players and owners struggle to grasp reality during this entire lockout.

However, it’s worth pointing out that the players, despite coming off as greedy and arrogant at times (*cough, Dwyane Wade claiming he deserves $50 million per season, cough*), really do have their acts together for the most part. Sure, some of them are acting like they don’t give a crap about whether or not there is a season, but some of them are using their free time for the betterment of society and they’re not necessarily doing it so they can pose for the cameras.

Us basketball fans may be pissed, annoyed, frustrated, and flat out angry, but we’re also ignorant to the better efforts because a couple guys giving out Playstations to terminally ill kids doesn’t make a front page look as sexy as Wade telling off the league’s commish. Fortunately, I was doing some fall hard drive cleaning and came across a slew of images that proves that even the most robotic, soulless eventual billionaires like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have big hearts. They just don’t have good marketing teams.

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The Big 3 celebrates Christmas in June

In case you weren’t aware, the Boston Celtics went into Staples Center and defeated the Lakers 103-94 last night. Ray Allen, who had to sit much of Game 1 because of foul trouble, was better in Game 2. I’ll let Larry David tell you how he played:

Pretty good indeed, Larry. Warming up for 3 hours before game paid off, as Allen channeled his inner NBA Jam to the tune of 32 points. He was on fire in the first half hitting 7 threes in a row, a Finals record. But he wasn’t done there, Allen hit another three in the second half (finishing 8-11 from downtown) to set the record for three pointers made in a Finals game. He eclipsed his own performance in the 2008 Finals, Scottie Pippen, and Kenny Smith to make the record his own. Ray talked about how he was able to get open at the post game press conference.

“I didn’t think it was easy, getting the 3′s up in the air,” Allen said. “You look up and everybody is probably thinking, ‘How did this guy get open?’ But there’s so much going on there — big screens, misdirection plays. I thought they did everything they could to keep me from shooting 3′s, [but we] worked tirelessly.” –ESPN.com

Rajon Rondo finished with a “quiet” triple double, if such a thing exists. He was a stat sheet stuffer, leading the Celtics in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. The Lakers got 20 point performances out of Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, and Andrew Bynum. Highlights after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

If you happened to wander back into the NBA Playoffs for Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series with Chicago, you picked a good night. An epic battle ensued (a metaphorical battle, anyway; it’s my understanding that no one was killed, wounded or captured), culminating with a mighty three point shot from Ray Allen with two seconds left, giving the Celtics the win and evening the series at one game apiece.

Also, San Antonio got their act together and evened their series with Dallas last night. Tony Parker had 38 points in that game. Isn’t he married to Eva Longoria Parker? Kinda weird that they have the same last name, isn’t it? Eh, he’s French. Incest is probably another day at the office for that guy.

Tonight we’ll get one game closer to that Kobe-LeBron final when Cleveland plays Detroit in their Game 2 (8 PM, TNT) and the Lakers do same with Utah (10:30 PM, TNT). Oh, and I guess Houston and Portland are playing tonight, too. And then I’m probably gonna play with myself. Yeah, you might think that’s sick, but at least if my left hand gets pregnant, I’ll know who the father is.

There’s a video of highlights from that Celtics game after the jump.
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Two nights after blowing Gilbert Arenas and his overactive mouth out of the Fleet Center, the Celtics showed they could get it done in close games as well.  After 48 minutes of slow, grinding basketball that left the C's tied with the Raps at 78, both teams rained buckets in OT, with Boston outscoring Toronto 20-17 in five minutes to improve to 2-0.

Ray Allen was the Big One of the Big Three, scoring 33 in the game, including the game-winning three-pointer from the corner with 3 seconds left.  Kevin Garnett scored 23 (10 in OT), while T.J. Ford led the Raps with 32 and my God basketball recaps are boring to write.  Seriously.  There's no chance in hell I'm doing this every day until June.  I'm thinking two a week, maybe three if it's slow.  Really slow.  Like Shaq returning from injury slow.

Elsewhere in the Association: Heat fall to 0-3 against Bobcats, who are two games above .500 for the first time ever.  Michael Jordan celebrates with cigar, golf, meaningless wager… Sonics fall to 0-3, Clay Bennett still a useless piece of shit… LeBron (27 points, 5 rebs, 8 assts, 4 blocks) was back to bring LeBron, but the Suns were back to being the Suns, as Steve Nash led Phoenix to a win with 30 points and ten dimes… Something has possessed Kobe: for the second straight game, the Lakers deal one of the West's best teams a loss, this time beating the Jazz 119-109.  As always, I'm pretty broken up by a Utah loss.