15 Footer – So 2000 and Late

I was going through my Caboodle this weekend and found a notepad that had this game preview written on it.  The year was 1998, and for whatever reason, the games that I was writing about back then perfectly matched tonight’s schedule.  Weird.

ATLANTA @ CHARLOTTE- TONIGHT
Breath-taking Hornets rookie Ricky Davis welcomes his idol, Tyrone Corbin, for the first time in what is sure to be a storied career.  Have you seen this guy yet?  Ricky Davis is going to be a huge star.  The brand of unselfish, team-oriented basketball that he plays is simply stunning.  I also really like his super-thin terry cloth headband.

DETROIT @ ORLANDO – TONIGHT
This game is the future of the NBA.  Grant Hill and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway are going to be megastars, like almost on the level of Ricky Davis.  We’re lucky to have such stars on our hands for the entirety of the foreseeable future.

DENVER @ MIAMI – TONIGHT
I’m not too sure if this Mike D’Antoni character is going to be any good as a professional basketball coach.  His team is all offense and no defense.  I can’t see this system ever winning even half of its games.  The odds of this ‘run and gun’ system having success are about as likely as rap superstar DMX being convicted of abusing dogs.  That guy loves dogs so much, there’s no way he’d ever treat them poorly.

MILWAUKEE @ MINNESOTA – TONIGHT
With Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett at the core, the Timberwolves are sure to be championship contenders for years to come.  And it’s mostly because of Marbury.  His level-headedness and ability to be a pure point guard help to temper Garnett’s psychotic behavior.  I mean, yelling at other players and headbutting things?  C’mon man, you’re a grown-up.  That stuff should stop in high school.

TORONTO @ NEW ORLEANS – TONIGHT
Pretty sleazeball move to send family man Doug Christie to The Big Easy when they don’t even have a basketball team.  Real funny, David Stern.

MEMPHIS @ LAKERS – TONIGHT
The NBA is being pretty blatant about the Grizzlies leaving Vancouver by putting Memphis on the schedule.  I don’t get it.  It’s an obvious mistake, so just fix it.  Anyways, the Lakers have great chemistry right now.  This team is going to be a force to be reckoned with for decades.  On the Grizzlies’ side of things, that Mike Bibby sure is likable.

SAN ANTONIO @ PORTLAND – TONIGHT
It’s too bad that David Robinson is going to retire without ever winning a championship, but at least another thwarted vet (Karl Malone) will get his.  I mean, there’s no way the Jazz don’t finally get their title now that Michael Jordan has retired for good.

NEW JERSEY @ PHILADELPHIA – TONIGHT
Keith Van Horn vs. Allen Iverson.  This is basically the most Blowtorchy matchup in the NBA this year.  I’m pumped that we get to see these two titans duke it out for the next ten years.

WASHINGTON @ INDIANA – TONIGHT
The Pacers have SO MANY white guys on their team.  It’s almost impossible to have that many white guys.  Maybe Larry Bird has something to do with it.  I don’t know.  Oh, Juwan Howard, just because you have an enormous contract doesn’t mean you get to shoot all the time. Chill out, Juwan Howard.

PHOENIX @ BOSTON – TONIGHT
Paul Pierce dropped so far, and so fast in this past summer’s draft.  There must be something to that.  I guarantee he will not be a Celtic this time next year.  I mean, they already have their franchise player in Antoine Walker.  Pierce is redundant.

CLEVELAND @ NEW YORK – TONIGHT
Zydrunas Ilguaskas is already hurt.  It’s too bad that a guy with this much talent is going to have his career cut short by injuries.  On the other side of things, New York has to be happy with how well Allan Houston is playing.  They need to lock him in to an extension pretty soon.  Give him as much money as you can.  You won’t be sorry.

OKLAHOMA CITY @ HOUSTON – TONIGHT
Charles Barkley must be stoked with the addition of Scottie Pippen.  That championship experience almost guarantees Barkley a ring in the next two years.  Of course, I don’t know why they’d be in Oklahoma City, no one even plays basketball there.  It’s a football town.

CLIPPERS @ GOLDEN STATE – TONIGHT
What a dysfunctional bunch of effortless bums.