Big Dog vs. Darko, Winner Takes All!

Well, the series is set. Pistons/Spurs. Not exactly the marquee matchup that ABC was hoping for (Shaq brings ratings), but defense wins titles.

There are some interesting sub-plots (the Larry Brown connection, the quiet way that the Pistons are better than last year's team, the stage set for Ginobli superstardom, and more). Today, I want to touch on the most commical.

Flashback 2 years ago...The Sixers trade for Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson. All I can think about is the fact that this was the dude who missed a 10-foot baseline jumper in game 7 of Bucks/Sixers, which allowed Philly to eventually get to the Finals. AI immediately annointed him as the best player management has ever given him. My opinion differed, but I rode with him anyway. Even when haters (or realists) labeled him a team cancer. Even when one day he's said to have reported to camp in the best shape of his life, then the next day (when Iguodala had displaced Robinson from the starting lineup), he has a unspecified injury and/or family situation as is no longer with the team. Fast forward 8 months later, he's traded for Rodney Robinson, fails to report to the Hornets, and is waived. A few weeks later he's picked up by the Spurs. Drops 7 points his first night. I thought he was hurt?????

Also two years ago, Darko Milicic was dubbed the greatest Euro player ever. He had every scout leaning out of their seats. He impressed them so much that he jumped all the way to the second pick of the draft. Ahead of Carmelo. Ahead of Wade. Twenty-one spots ahead of Tayshaun Prince, taken the previous year, and one of many taking Darko's minutes. By default, the jury's still out on Darko because we simply do not know if he can play. Instead of presenting him with opportunities, the Pistons grabbed Derrick Coleman, Antonio McDyess, and Elden Campbell this summer. The bitter irony is that Lebron hasn't yet tasted the playoffs, while Carmelo barely scraped in this year. Darko already has a ring, and is poised for another, for his career 5.8 minutes per game (and 42 DNP CDs last year alone). I say this year, let's make him earn it.

So basically, what I'm proposing is that we scrap this whole team thing and let Darko and Big Dog go at it, one-on-one, best of 7. Twenty-one wins. Two's are one, and three's are two - you know how we do it at the courts. How will it play out? Tune in tomorrow for the play-by-play predictions.