Everyone’s making a big deal about this being Vince Carter’s last game at Madison Square Garden. Just to be upfront with all of you, I didn’t include all the crap at the end with him checking out of the game and the fans giving him a standing ovation and everyone lining up to lick his nutsack. If you want to watch cheesy retirement tour BS, find some other channel. For one thing, it’s just MSG. Nothing good or notable has happened there in half a century. The only reason it has any “prestige” or “mystique” is because simpletons give it those qualities for no reason. For another, it’s not like this is really Carter’s last game there anyway, because he’s totally going to get traded, and his new team probably still has the Knicks on their upcoming schedule.
It’s really nice that he’s shown loyalty to the Hawks (and vice-versa), but the losing is getting a little ridiculous. Even for a marginal superstar like Carter, this is definitely not the way to go out, his team getting its butt kicked repeatedly as he mostly sits on the bench and looks wise. He can still play a bit, and I guess he’s getting way more chances on a team like the Hawks that doesn’t exactly care too much about winning (and REALLY doesn’t care about defense, something Carter can’t do anymore), but putting him on a contender so he can ringchase seems more befitting to a player of his caliber.
Yes, I know he’s said he doesn’t want to go chasing a championship. But that’s a lie. There is no player who doesn’t want to win rings. If the Bucks had Thon Maker still, I’d totally offer him for Carter so that he could win a chip and Kyle Korver would have another senior citizen to socialize with. It’s got to be a little lonely for these players who are 20 years older than their teammates.