When I can piss of two fanbases at once, I have to take the opportunity: this Hawks-Wizards matchup is the lamest series in the whole first round. Two teams that are pretty okay (almost TOO okay), one more okay in the other, but only one super-compelling player between them. No, not Mike Muscala. I’m talking about John Wall, who I once called a bust. In the regular season, I enjoy role-players more than stars, but in the playoffs, when role-players don’t get as much of a chance to shine, I look to the stars to carry the entertainment load. The NBA viewing public probably agrees with me on this one; I wouldn’t be surprised to see the lowest ratings from this series.
Dënniß ßchrööder has turned into a good-ish player this season, but for some reason he hasn’t gotten any of the hype that foreign players are usually assigned when they reach his level. I’m sure TNT and ESPN are going to try and get people excited for him, but it’s not going to work. Same way that people can’t get excited for Paul Millsap. They’re too SOLID. ßchrööder can bust out some moves or use his speed to dazzle, but in this era of amazing PG performances, you need to offer more. 25 and 9 is awesome, but is it a triple-double?