Reading Andrew Sarris obits, a legendary American film critic who died on Wednesday, the Associated Press did the best, which ran in The NY Daily News, as I’m sure it did in many others. The New York Times piece was good as well, maybe better in some regards.
I read him while he worked for the New York Observer, yet he’s most famous for creating the theory known as “auteur theory” of criticism—which basically is saying that you can view a film director the same as you view a painter or an author et cetera. The thing said something obvious, yet it also leveled the playing field defining film as art.
Somebody had to say it I guess, no matter how obvious it may have been, and therefore he reaps all the benefits known as credit for an idea everybody knew, but no one had the words to define. Sarris also was the first person to run Top Ten lists for films at the end of the year, which has become a staple for entertainment media ever since; I’d argue we take those things for granted, as it were.
It’s sad when someone passes away however…
The Miami Heat are NBA Champions
LeBron James lead the way, so LeBron haters need now be silent.
The season may be over, but LeBron is far from being done. Yes, it took him three shots, with two different teams, to win a title, yet during the 2011-2012 NBA Season he’s won everything humanly possible (except maybe the Slam Dunk Contest; I’d love to see him in that; wouldn’t you?).
Regular season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and of course the NBA Title—but beyond that, LeBron James has done it in historic fashion. And I think he’s due for doubling his finals’ appearances, maybe winning one or two more (but more on that later, and who he’ll most likely be facing, too).
Super Bron Bron began his frenzy of putting an entire team on his back and saying, “Follow my lead boys” in Game 6 of the Conference Finals in Boston; when he demolished the Celtics for 45&15, and Dwyane Wade even took over when King James ran a little low on steam in the second half, netting eleven of his seventeen points in the second session.
The NBA Finals had all the makings of LeBron versus Kevin Durant; however, the headlines should have read Durant versus Shane Battier, or maybe even Durant versus foul trouble, for his biggest obstacle wasn’t from the opposing team but from his defensive abilities, or lack thereof, hindering his availability on the floor.
But back to LeBron—his scoring dipped in the Finals: Round by round averages: 27.8, 30, 33.6 and 28.6. What happened? James filled out the rest of his line by averaging 10.2 rebounds a game and 7.4 assists per contest—his highest in the whole playoffs.
Yet the thing that really did it for me was him proving me wrong once again. I wrote in my notes, after Game 4, “If he didn’t get a triple-double during this game, he never will—not in these playoffs.” It should be noted that he had 26-9-12, and I’d been wanting him to register a triple-double since the bloody Indiana series.
Then he does it while clinching the NBA Finals! 26-11-13! Enough said…
What This Means for the Thunder
I knew it wasn’t a good sign when I was reading obituaries the day of Game 5 in regards to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
You know you’re in trouble when you can’t keep your best player Kevin Durant on the floor because of foul trouble and Russell Westbrook has the game of his life—43-7-5—and you still go down by six points.
Don’t feel bad for the Thunder, however; they’re destined to be playing the Heat for the NBA Title I’d imagine three-of-the-next-five years—that’s not too much to say, is it?—maybe even four-of-the-next-seven.
There are few teams (if any) that can top these guys out West. And for all those puzzled looks from Scott Brooks regarding personnel—Should I go small? When is it time for Harden? Should I have Perkins/Ibaka or Collison in right now?—all of that’ll be sorted out before next year even starts.
This one won’t sit well with the Thunder. Any of them. Look at how far the Heat came since losing last year’s Finals. Enough said…
What We Learned This Season
We learned that the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are one-and-done without their superstars. But we shall see if they’re capable of anything other than reaching the Eastern Conference Finals when fully healthy.
The Lakers are destined to make a move, for they’ve got very few options in the draft, and Los Angeles is growing restless, as Kobe hasn’t got too many peek years left. The question isn’t who goes—probably Pau Gasol—but with whom will they make the deal? Good question…
Who’s a bigger game changer this offseason than Deron Williams? Good luck naming one—however, him staying put isn’t out of the question, yet I wouldn’t bet on it.
The toughest divisions both happened to be out West: The Northwest and the Southwest. Could this change? Probably not, but if the growth of Philly and New York (the Knicks) keeps on its current clip, the Atlantic might be a fun watch, at the very least.
Au revoir mais pas adieu (goodbye but not farewell)
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