It's Faaaantastic

As has been mentioned in this web space for the past three years, I love the NBA. I am one of the few remaining NBA fans who actually watches the regular season. Kings vs Sonics? I'm in, Kevin Martin can play and the Sonics have some dude named Durant that I kind of like. Hawks vs Bucks? Got to see Marvin Williams play. Bobcats vs Your Mom? Of course, the 'Cats are the home team. Heat vs Knicks? Alright, you finally got me. That's only shown in a certain section of Hades I'm afraid.

So why do I like the NBA? If you care, it's mainly because I stinkin' love basketball. Does it have its problems? Sure. But the NBA also has the best players in the world, making the best plays in the world. When Kobe Bryant drops 60 on someone in the playoffs, I want to see it. When K.G. finally gets his first NBA Championship, I want to see him hold the trophy and cry his eyes out. When LeBron soars over two defenders and throws down a tomahawk dunk, I want to see it, rewind my DVR, and watch it again. Even though my home team, the aforementioned Bobcats, are not good, I pull for them and dream of the day that an NBA Championship will come to Charlotte...and that people will actually care.

On a more personal level, I also think my affection for the NBA stems from growing up during the Charlotte Hornets' heyday in the Queen City. My dad and I sat in Section 218 Row P Seats 15 & 16 from 1988 - 2000. We saw Larry Johnson, Mugsy Bouges, Alonzo Mourning, and Dell Curry in the 1993 playoffs. We saw Anthony Mason, Vlade Divac, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Baron Davis, and PJ Brown. But we also saw Michael Horton, Dave Hoppen, Tony Bennett, and Rex Chapman. I have a picture with Tim Kempton (Who? Exactly. But it was one of the happiest moments of my Charlotte Hornets childhood).

Yes, the Hornets' tenure in Charlotte ended ugly. Yes, it hurt a lot. And yes, I'm going to write about it on this blog in detail sometime soon. But the NBA was, and still is, in my heart. A little overdramatic maybe, but it is true.

The NBA regular season may be a little too long. The games are not always great. But in the playoffs, everyone comes to play. The teams work better together and the individual players focus harder. Everything happens at a higher level because the intensity rises with so much at stake. And I love it.

For those that do not know, the 2007-2008 NBA season has been terrific. The Western Conference playoff race was tremendous. The Boston Celtics have gone from cellar-dweller to Finals favorite. Chris Paul has led the New Orleans Hornets to the second-best record in the West. The MVP race between Paul, Kobe, Garnett, and LeBron is going to be very close. And the playoffs are going to be NCAA Tournament-esque, as there are at least nine teams with legitimate championship aspirations.

So tune in and enjoy it. Give the NBA a chance and you might be surprised. I honestly have no idea who will win. And I'm ok with that. All I know is that I will be watching.