Is the NBA’s campaign to find the next Michael Jordan beginning to play a role in the outcome of this Eastern Conference Finals? In a game versus the defending champion Pistons on their own home floor, Miami got the benefit of the doubt all night. Dwayne Wade in his first ever playoff run is benefiting from phantom calls, late whistles and all. It’s a throwback to the 90s, a decade that brought us hundreds more foul shots for Michael Jordan than he ever deserved. Has the NBA gifted this status to a second year player in the name of all that is hype?
Evidence of this was smeared all over the TNT broadcast and curiously the officiating obliged with ample fuel to power this feeling of angst over the NBA making the same mistakes of years past. Roll back the tape of game three and there are phantom calls for Wade, coupled with Jordan comparisons from the commentators. In the second quarter an obscure statistic comes onto the screen listing the names of players who’d scored 40+ versus Detroit in the playoffs. Not this year of course, but historically. Why? Because Jordan did it over five years ago and Wade did it in game 2.
Right before the half ends, Wade benefits from a phantom late whistle. Kenny Smith comments at halftime on a replay where O’Neal has the ball on the box, draws the double team from Prince, and that leaves Wade open for a seventeen foot jumper. “Nobody ever did that to Jordan”, Smith tells us. And so it goes in NBA-land, where the defending champions on their home court have to play against the Heat and an even more dangerous NBA marketing campaign. See, the Piston’s team-first mentality just isn’t sexy enough in the eyes of the league. Need proof? Games one and two, 33 total free throws for Miami – game three, 54!
This has been the story of where the NBA has gone wrong in the past two decades. Once Bird and Magic began to fade, the league went Hollywood with dunk contests, Dream Teams and the crowning of a messiah in Jordan. Since the Bulls were disbanded, they’ve been at a loss to find an adequate messiah to replace him. Kobe had that legacy in the bag it seemed until the sexual abuse charges. Iverson has too many tattoos and priors, Vince Carter takes too many nights off and Lebron is short a coach and many teammates.
Wade is the chosen one. He’s got a teammate who inspires more hype with less effort than anyone in the game. So why not pay Chris Rock to talk up Shaq and say that Wade is better than Kobe in the pre-game show of game one? He’s black, seems like a sure thing, right? Kobe’s got three championships and a very happy jeweler. Wade’s got a light saber and the NBA’s marketing department clearing out landmines for him. Not to mention the approval of a famous stand up comedian.
This happened, and will happen again and again. As a devout NBA fan, I can set my watch to it at this point. The upside though is the fact that Detroit will still beat Miami, and San Antonio is as anti-hype as they come. A Pistons-Spurs final will give basketball fans a series for the ages. At this point in his career, a Wade-Jordan comparison is pure heresy pumped up with steroids, and I think that truth will play out with or without the phantom calls. Basketball will prevail in spite of the NBA suits and this shallow crusade.
Well, I watched Wade a few nights ago on TNT, and he is certainly NOT Micheal Jordan. He is a talented player, and he will have games where he scores 35 or more points, but the hype that he is a new ‘Air Jordan’ is just hype, plain and simple.
The NBA seems to lack faith in their product, the game is cool with or without the big stars. In fact I think the no-name pistons add something to the game.
The Pistons are a team that embodies that mentality where no one part is more important than the whole. It’s a dynamic that’s hard to find across the board in any sport, but in the NBA it’s something that only happens with the right players and a great coach. To get a collection of young millionaires to put their personal desires aside and make the necessary sacrifices to doing something great is a hard thing to do. Some teams never seem to get it…the Clippers come to mind.
They don’t need the bells and whistles. The game is enough to attract the fans. The NBA needs to take a page out of the NFL’s book and celebrate the teams, then let the teams hype their own players.
I really enjoyed the Pistons when they were the ‘bad boys’ of basketball…. Bill Lambeer, Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Vinny ‘the microwave’, John Salley….. I haven’t watched the pistons this season like I did in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but I think this team embodies that fantastic group of players.
As a basketball fan, I too liked that team. As a Boston fan, I hated that team. Vinny was the best 6th man I ever saw in the playoffs – and Thomas/Dumars was a heck of a backcourt!
I’m a big fan of this team because of how they play together and how it doesn’t matter how much they win, people always doubt them. This series is a perfect example of that. You a big sports fan Jaaaman?
I agree. Its been a long time since I’ve watched the NBA playoffs. But with SA and Det it’s like watching throwback b-ball all over again. The NBA for years has tried to find the “next Jordan” but fails miserably every year. Remember when they thought Vince Carter was going to replace Jordan? That didn’t work out to well for them! My last memory of Jordan is him clearing out with his non-shooting hand to sink that shot against the Jazz. Austin, call me. Great stuff, keep up the good work!
Yes….. but I wish I could have watched more basketball this year than I have. I do enjoy the NBA and the NFL.
Yea – Vince was the worst one for sure. The guy was a matador on D and clearly took games off. He had that one run w/ McGrady and Isiah, but that was less about him than it was just a good team. I think I remember Antonio Davis, and their point guard…Williams? He was have a great playoff, and Tracy was breaking out.
It took until this year for him to finally get out from under the ‘Air Canada’ hype.
Since Jordan won those slam dunk contests versus Wilkins, and both of them were superstars – I think the NBA has mistakenly taken it as proof of something that it’s not. Kenny ‘sky’ Walker, Dee Brown, Harold Miner, Cebalos…Jason Richardson is the most promising of any in recent memory.
My two favorites as well. The Sox won the Series this past year and suddenly I’m not interested in the day to day drama anymore. I used to be glued to sports talk radio, which in Boston can often be wall to wall baseball, day after day…
But the basketball playoffs are a must see for me, especially by the last two rounds. Last year was incredible, especially the LA-SA matchup…now that the East has broken the ice it’s that much more compelling.
I’m glad I don’t get caught up in the sports hype around here. The sox winning the series def helped that. I can’t wait unitl ESPN radio is here. I’m sick of listening to the Boston-Blowhards all day! A little Jim Rome would do a guy good. By the way if you haven’t listened to Rome…it is better than advertised. So what’s the next article Austin? How about an article on that freak Ricky Williams trying to come back and play in the NFL…for Miami no-less!
In Dwayne Wade’s defense, he’s a consumate team player, gives maximum effort every night, plays defense, is mature beyond his years, and possesses the rarest kind of offensive skills. You’ll pardon me if I don’t find the Jordan comparisons outrageous. The Miami Heat will in all likelihood advance to the championship round in no small part because of Wade’s contributions. Give the guy some props, he’s a second-year player who just keeps getting better and better. The primary difference between Wade and the Jordan wannabes the NBA packaged before is this: Wade scores 35-points, and his team wins, alot, they may even win a championship. How close have the likes of McGrady and Carter gotten? Wade had the Miami Heat within a whisker of the Eastern Conference finals last year, as a rookie. Shaq was still in LA. And the other anointed ones, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James were sitting at home watching. I cannot comment on whether or not Wade’s the next Jordan, but he deserves more credit then he’s received by Mr. Austin, that’s much is certain.
I agree with everything but the Jordan comparison. BTW, Welcome Alex…trying to get some sports discussion going here.
Tonight there was even a phantom call that the commentator noticed…it was Collins I think, where Wade left his feet around the free throw line, twisted in the air and passed it at the last moment. He’s got Chauncey Billups on him, had position, arms up and there’s no contact…as Wade twisted, his waist barely touched Chauncey. Dwayne Wade, in his second year or any year, should not get bailed out there.
I have a serious problem with the way officials essentially made the game easier for Jordan. I understand that it’s an extremely tough job the officials have, but have also watched basketball enough to know when they’re calling it one way. They were definitely calling it one way in game three. Tonight the Pistons just didn’t show up, but game three was very shady.
If Wade goes through his career getting calls that other players don’t get for the sake of him being more like Jordan than any other player, then the NBA is making a mistake. I can see that happening already. He’s still a second year player. He’s also surrounded by a lot more tallent than Lebron – but Wade is a sick, sick player. The only thing he can’t do is hit threes.
My point in the article was more about the NBA giving him more credit than he or any player deserves ‘on the floor’.
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