Pick when to Peak
Bleacher Talk
April 8, 2007
Pick when to Peak
Question: What kind of an NBA fan are you? Are you a Dallas, Phoenix or Detroit kind of fan (team) that stays hot all year round all the way to the playoffs? If you are, I guess you’re tuned to the NBA all year-round, from the off-season all the way to the NBA Finals and back to the off-season. You probably watch at least 80% of all the NBA games shown on TV every week and are a trivia quiz on every department of the league.
Or are you a Miami, Chicago, San Antonio or Denver type of fan (team) that plays through a season in a “calculated” manner, going through the motions of playing through the regular season and choosing when to peak? Whether or not they’re doing this deliberately is another story altogether.
I ask this because I’m admittedly the latter kind of NBA fan. As the off-season and season-opening games kick off, I’m not yet “tuned in” completely, and will rely on the sports pages and TV sports news for updates on the NBA. I’ll most likely watch a few games on TV here and there, but it becomes more of an exception than the rule. Things however, change around this time of the year, and the same is true for many NBA fans and teams.
As some writers say, many teams (and coaches) pick when to peak. They’d like to treat the grueling 82-game regular season as a prep or warm-up phase to the “real” tournament that counts most: the playoffs. After all, isn’t it at the playoffs where one comes out a champ? Coaches would like to see their teams pick up the pace and peak somewhere around the end of the regular season, with the playoffs just around the corner.
By peaking, we refer to when the team is fresh, well-oiled, injury-free and ready to do some serious ass-kicking. All roles are well defined, known by heart and every player lives, eats, breathes and sleeps nothing but basketball on their minds and in their hearts.
And you? I’m pretty sure that like me, you’ve already tuned in to more games being aired on TV. And I’ll bet you’re very much updated with the current team standings of both conferences as the playoffs draw near. This is our peaking zone as NBA fans, di ba? Our attention is more focused (vs. sabog); we’re fresh (vs. tired of watching too many games); but unlike NBA players, injuries won’t stand in the way of our suddenly increasing the number of NBA games that we’ll be watching on TV.
And as we peak (and speak), we’ll also notice that although the likes of Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix have been hot all season-long, the likes of San Antonio, Miami, Chicago and even Denver are suddenly being considered as teams hot on the tails of the league-leaders. While Dallas and Phoenix lit up the West with their high-potent offenses, slowly creeping behind were the Spurs and Denver. Did you see how the Spurs dismantled the Suns Friday (morning)? And did you hear about how Denver held Dallas to a season-low 71 points yesterday (morning)? Although Denver is ranked a “lowly” # 7 in the West, they’ve got a good chance of moving up the rankings even if they’re facing four playoff-bound teams in their last seven games. The Spurs, meanwhile, have a friendlier end-of-the-season sked with games against Golden State, Portland, Sacramento, Minnesota, Dallas, Memphis and Denver.
Out in the East, everyone has been talking about how good Detroit has played since Day 1, but just in case you haven’t noticed, Chicago and Miami, two teams that didn’t have excellent first-halves of the season, are hitting their peak form and are dangerously good enough to knock out the Pistons. Chicago is now ranked # 2 and will end their regular season with games against Toronto, New York, Charlotte, Washington and New Jersey. A sweep of these will really psyche them up for the playoffs.
And among the best in the school of psyche-up is Pat Riley who has Miami suddenly (and quietly) back in the top four of the East after hovering over #7 and #8 between November and February. Everyone was worried about Shaq missing a lot of games early in the season, but he sure looks much better now after “resting” and cooling his heels, doesn’t he? Even Riley himself took a break (surgery), and has come back to lead the Heat as “Pat picks peaking time.” And who are they playing next to prepare for the playoffs? Charlotte (# 12 - East), Washington (#6, but without Gilbert Arenas), Indiana (#9), Boston (last place) and Orlando (# 8). Talk about a coach’s dream of a sked going into the playoffs!
The name of the game? It’s all about peaking. The teams are peaking. The fans are peaking. We all picked the right time to peak!
***
Time-out: Regina coeli, laetare. Alleluia! The Lord has risen! Alleluia! Happy Easter to all. >>> You can reach me at bleachrtalk@yahoo.com.
April 8, 2007
Pick when to Peak
Question: What kind of an NBA fan are you? Are you a Dallas, Phoenix or Detroit kind of fan (team) that stays hot all year round all the way to the playoffs? If you are, I guess you’re tuned to the NBA all year-round, from the off-season all the way to the NBA Finals and back to the off-season. You probably watch at least 80% of all the NBA games shown on TV every week and are a trivia quiz on every department of the league.
Or are you a Miami, Chicago, San Antonio or Denver type of fan (team) that plays through a season in a “calculated” manner, going through the motions of playing through the regular season and choosing when to peak? Whether or not they’re doing this deliberately is another story altogether.
I ask this because I’m admittedly the latter kind of NBA fan. As the off-season and season-opening games kick off, I’m not yet “tuned in” completely, and will rely on the sports pages and TV sports news for updates on the NBA. I’ll most likely watch a few games on TV here and there, but it becomes more of an exception than the rule. Things however, change around this time of the year, and the same is true for many NBA fans and teams.
As some writers say, many teams (and coaches) pick when to peak. They’d like to treat the grueling 82-game regular season as a prep or warm-up phase to the “real” tournament that counts most: the playoffs. After all, isn’t it at the playoffs where one comes out a champ? Coaches would like to see their teams pick up the pace and peak somewhere around the end of the regular season, with the playoffs just around the corner.
By peaking, we refer to when the team is fresh, well-oiled, injury-free and ready to do some serious ass-kicking. All roles are well defined, known by heart and every player lives, eats, breathes and sleeps nothing but basketball on their minds and in their hearts.
And you? I’m pretty sure that like me, you’ve already tuned in to more games being aired on TV. And I’ll bet you’re very much updated with the current team standings of both conferences as the playoffs draw near. This is our peaking zone as NBA fans, di ba? Our attention is more focused (vs. sabog); we’re fresh (vs. tired of watching too many games); but unlike NBA players, injuries won’t stand in the way of our suddenly increasing the number of NBA games that we’ll be watching on TV.
And as we peak (and speak), we’ll also notice that although the likes of Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix have been hot all season-long, the likes of San Antonio, Miami, Chicago and even Denver are suddenly being considered as teams hot on the tails of the league-leaders. While Dallas and Phoenix lit up the West with their high-potent offenses, slowly creeping behind were the Spurs and Denver. Did you see how the Spurs dismantled the Suns Friday (morning)? And did you hear about how Denver held Dallas to a season-low 71 points yesterday (morning)? Although Denver is ranked a “lowly” # 7 in the West, they’ve got a good chance of moving up the rankings even if they’re facing four playoff-bound teams in their last seven games. The Spurs, meanwhile, have a friendlier end-of-the-season sked with games against Golden State, Portland, Sacramento, Minnesota, Dallas, Memphis and Denver.
Out in the East, everyone has been talking about how good Detroit has played since Day 1, but just in case you haven’t noticed, Chicago and Miami, two teams that didn’t have excellent first-halves of the season, are hitting their peak form and are dangerously good enough to knock out the Pistons. Chicago is now ranked # 2 and will end their regular season with games against Toronto, New York, Charlotte, Washington and New Jersey. A sweep of these will really psyche them up for the playoffs.
And among the best in the school of psyche-up is Pat Riley who has Miami suddenly (and quietly) back in the top four of the East after hovering over #7 and #8 between November and February. Everyone was worried about Shaq missing a lot of games early in the season, but he sure looks much better now after “resting” and cooling his heels, doesn’t he? Even Riley himself took a break (surgery), and has come back to lead the Heat as “Pat picks peaking time.” And who are they playing next to prepare for the playoffs? Charlotte (# 12 - East), Washington (#6, but without Gilbert Arenas), Indiana (#9), Boston (last place) and Orlando (# 8). Talk about a coach’s dream of a sked going into the playoffs!
The name of the game? It’s all about peaking. The teams are peaking. The fans are peaking. We all picked the right time to peak!
***
Time-out: Regina coeli, laetare. Alleluia! The Lord has risen! Alleluia! Happy Easter to all. >>> You can reach me at bleachrtalk@yahoo.com.
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