The King Is Dead, Long Live the King
Round 2 began last weekend in absolute chaos, as road underdogs won the first six games. Indiana jumped out to a 2–0 lead on Cleveland, New York stunned Boston(!!) with the same, Denver upset OKC, and Golden State stole Game 1 in Minnesota—mostly without Stephen Curry.
Naturally, the pundits blamed it on “too much rest” for the favorites. Personally, I find that silly since I like rest. I chalk it up to injuries, trade deadline parity, and the tightened whistle that comes with playoff basketball.
But order began to return on Wednesday. OKC looked like the #1 seed, dropping 87 in the first half and firing on all cylinders. NBA fans finally saw the version of this team we were promised. And let’s be honest: some favorites have to win, or the books just get too smug
Air Gordon and the Rise of the Jokics
I know Aaron Gordon is officially “Mr. Nugget,” but can we push harder for “Air Gordon”? The nickname deserves more airtime on national broadcasts—especially when he’s playing above the rim and beyond expectations.
Meanwhile, Denver is slowly turning from the Nuggets into the Jokics, coached by and starring Nikola. If the broadcast crew isn’t showing clips of him grabbing the whiteboard and drawing up plays during timeouts, what are we even doing?
The Brunson Bullies: A 3-Act Play
Every Knicks game this postseason is a full dramatic arc. Act I sets the tone. Act II sees them fall behind. Act III? Enter Jalen Brunson to deliver a thrilling comeback. People love to say “just watch the last five minutes,” but Knicks fans earn those five minutes with 43 minutes of grit and heart.
Injuries and the Invisible Narrative
Injuries are the subplot of every postseason—remember that the 2015 Warriors title run came with the Cavs missing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. This year, Boston and Cleveland are banged up. But no team feels it more than Golden State, missing the gravitational pull of Curry.
His 12 points in the first 12 minutes of Game 1 gave a glimpse of what might’ve been before that hamstring strain. If the Warriors lose this series before he returns, it’s a massive what-if for the Western Conference. Or, maybe Anthony Edwards rises so high that it wouldn’t have mattered which timeline we’re in.
The Look Ahead
We’ve got it all:
- A rocking MSG crowd trying to bury big brother Boston
- A battered Warriors squad hoping for one last miracle in San Francisco
- OKC struggling to breathe in the Denver altitude
- Cleveland clinging to relevance
Two teams are eyeing sweeps. And yes, Denver might actually rename itself the Jokics.
The only bad news? We’re starting to get nights without basketball as the field narrows toward the Final Four of the Conference Finals.
What Else Can I Do With My Time?
With basketball winding down, I’m peeking over at baseball season, which is just past the one-month mark. I’m not ready to make bold declarations yet, but watching Hunter Greene and the Reds was a reminder of what small-market magic can look like.
It’s rare to see a team like Cincinnati develop a legitimate ace—and Greene’s double-digit strikeout performance was electric. If he stays healthy (big “if” in today’s pitching world), and with Terry Francona guiding this group, October baseball might be in play for Reds fans.
If so, maybe MLB restores the tradition of opening the season in Cincinnati next year.
Meanwhile in Pittsburgh…
In the same division, the Pittsburgh Pirates fired their manager—sorry, “relieved him of his duties,” per the MLB Network chyron. Sounds like he’s still sitting in the office, just not allowed to manage anymore.
All of this came after a viral video showed fans being physically restrained after screaming at a concessions worker. Western Pennsylvania is having a moment while they wait for the Steelers’ season.
What Else Can I Do With My Time? Pt. 2
Yes, I’ve started watching the NHL Playoffs. My allegiance is with Toronto—their star is from Arizona, and they haven’t won in ages. Time for Auston Matthews to deliver some postseason magic and push the Leafs to the Conference Finals.
What Else Can I Do With My Time? Pt. 3
The F1 Miami Grand Prix was a perfect Sunday change of pace: two hours long, on-track drama, beautiful people in headsets. And yes, Monaco is only four weeks away.
If McLaren keeps dominating like they did in Miami—where third place was a distant blip—then we may need some help from the midfield to keep the standings spicy.
Errors and Omissions
Post Script
Ran up against a deadline this week, which meant my editor and youthful fact-checking assistant didn’t get a look. Stats are from memory, and any mistakes were made intentionally… to tell a better story.
