A Taste of Post-Season Before the Playoffs

With identical records (40-40) entering the contest in Orlando, a Bucks' triumph guaranteed them the final playoff spot by virtue of their 3-0 record against the Magic. A Magic victory would have given them a one-game lead with one game left.

Neither the Bucks nor the Magic are marketing darlings of the NBA or NBC, for obvious reasons. But those of you outside Orlando or Milwaukee, or devoid of a satellite dish, missed a hard-fought, scratch and claw 85-83 donnybrook that catapulted the suddenly-hot Bucks into the playoffs, and the surprise Magic a ticket to a longer off-season. This game had everything: big leads, comebacks, hot shooting, fast breaks, and dives to the floor.

No, they’re not the Lakers, Blazers or Knicks. But during a 20-3 surge to open the game, the Bucks’ play was as crisp and smooth as it can be within the span of one period. Looking straight into the eyes of another blowout by the Bucks, the Magic used a 19-9 second-quarter spurt to turn this into the game we expected, and hoped for. (In three previous meetings, the Bucks’ average margin of victory was 14 points.)

Two teams fighting for their playoff lives. What else would NBC want? (That’s a rhetorical question, of course.) It doesn’t matter if little-known Chucky Atkins lit up Milwaukee with pinpoint outside shooting. His name isn’t Kobe Bryant.

Darvin Ham and Ervin Johnson of the Bucks, wearing NBA uniforms for rebounding and defense only, swatted away shots and crashed the boards as if their lives depended on it. This wasn’t Alonzo Mourning or Dikembe Mutombo. It didn’t have to be.

Before the game, Milwaukee coach George Karl directed some poignant criticisms towards Magic GM John Gabriel. Karl implied that, despite the Magic surprise success, most of the players would be tossed aside like old shoes come July 1^st, the start of the free-agent signing period. Why didn’t one of the TV stations pick up on this as proof that these two teams would be primed for a dogfight? Because it wasn’t Phil Jackson vs. Pat Riley.

Atkins scored 18 points, and teammate Pat Garrity chipped in 15, both off the Orlando bench. Neither will win that ridiculous NBA sixth man award, but they and Tim Thomas of the Bucks acted as if they were challenging each other for that bestowment on Monday night.

Thomas made three clutch baskets for the Bucks down the stretch, tying the game at 79, 81 and 83 before Milwaukee went ahead for good. No, this wasn’t Vince Carter. It didn’t have to be.

Late in this game, Karl decided to put the 6’10" Thomas on the 6’nothing Daryl Armstrong. This won’t get as much hype as Phil Jackson eliciting Kobe Bryant to shut down Allen Iverson. But guess what? It was just as effective, and forced the normally efficient Armstrong into some late turnovers – the last one coming at the end of the game just before the Magic ran out of time.

We might discover a game in the upcoming playoffs that will be as dramatic and entertaining as the Bucks-Magic game was. I do look forward to seeing how Shaq will dominate the post-season. Or discover whether Utah has any energy left. Or learn whether Portland does have too much talent after all. Or watch New York and Miami beat the snot out of each other in a conference semi-final series.

If these "better" teams play with as much heart and urgency as the Bucks and Magic did this week, I’ll be satisfied. If not, I’ll be reduced to watching the individual stars display their dunks and no-look turnovers. Either way, the NBA brain trust will be happy.

** On the baseball beat, kudos to Oakland GM Billy Beane for proving that player development is still important, and that Oh! ….so is on-base percentage (more on this in a later column).

** Note to Tracy McGrady: We all know you want out of Toronto. Just shut your yapper about it, please!

** Word has it that, in last weekend’s Boston Marathon, some of the wheelchair participants didn’t have handicaps. Is nothing sacred anymore?

** Two scores from the MLB Tuesday night: 18-11 and 16-10. Shucks! My numbers in the football pool were 7 and 6.

** Did you know that the Montreal Expos do not have a local TV contract, and the only radio broadcasts up there are in French? Fans up there (all five of them) can follow their games in the English tongue only via the Internet.

** Playing all 53 minutes in an overtime victory over Sacramento Tuesday night, Seattle’s Gary Payton amassed 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists. When Seattle needed a hoop down the stretch, GP delivered it. Only Shaquille O’Neal should overtake him for league MVP award.

Any comments, criticisms, or condemnations on this sports column or previous ones? Feel free to email me at andydan@milwpc.com