I know this is late as we're already almost finished with the second round, but screw it. I tried to pick movie trilogies that best reflected each 2nd round playoff team. They're not perfect, but how many good trilogies are there?
EAST
Toy Story (Chicago Bulls)
Chicago has had an interesting trip to the top seed in the east. I felt like their 2008 series with Boston (one of the best of all time some, including myself, would claim) was the foreshadowing of great things to come for this team. Noah and D-Rose had a coming out party to the league and that series was the equivalent of Toy Story 1, great first movie, everyone loved it. Noah was the anchor of that team in the middle and I'd say he played the role of Woody, classic straight-man, very likeable (it is Tom Hanks after all) and foundation for the other characters. D-Rose was fire, the excitement, the one you couldn't keep your eyes off and I'd say he played the role of Buzz, courageous hero, over the top, always moving at full-speed. After 2008, the Bulls had a few years off so-so play, early playoff exits which I would equate to Toy Story 2, solid sequel, but not great. It introduced new characters, but it didn't feel like it lived up to its potential. This year, I would equate the Bulls to Toy Story 3, exceeded everyone's expectations, huge success, loved by critics, and became one of the highest grossing movies of all time. The Bulls pulled off the best record in the league, D-Rose won MVP, and they were the favorites heading into the playoffs. The passed every test of the regular season including injuries from Noah and Boozer.
Indiana Jones (Miami Heat)
For the Heat, I'd say their 2006 title was their Raiders of the Lost Ark, incredible performance from D-Wade (Harrison Ford) and unbelievable and improbably title run (Raiders was one of the best first movies of a trilogy ever). After 2006, the Heat went into mediocrity until this season. Shaq (Marion), the great sidekick to D-Wade left for Cleveland after a great late-career season in 2006 and was never the same. The time from 2007-2010 was their Temple of Doom, uninspiring, head-scratching, and ultimately nothing could help Harrison Ford redeem the movie. This year with "The Decision" and Lebron "taking his talents to South Beach," it was clear the Heat would be a great team. I'd say this year has been the Heat's Last Crusade. Now it's not their last title run (far from it, they're expected to compete for a title for the next 8 years), but it was a great return to form for the Indiana Jones franchise and brought in some star-power with Sean Connery (Lebron). The duo of D-Wade and Lebron has been amazing on the offensive and defensive end, much like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery had great chemistry and made the movie. It's too early to tell, but D-Wade and Lebron may be having their "And the Chair!" moment when this season is over.
They both even have the same nerdy/classy style!
The Dollars Trilogy ["A Fistful of Dollars", "A Few Dollars More", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"] (Boston Celtics)
The main premise, the Celtics are old and the movies are old, not much more to say. Great up until the end, but this is definitely the end. Clint Eastwood ["The Good"] was the "good" guy in the wild west, which isn't saying much, and had the best shot just like Ray Allen is the best 3-point shooter of all time and the "good" guy on a team that lives on cheapshots and dirty plays. Kevin Garnett is "The Bad" just because he's a "bad" man. The meanest player in the league (refer to his comments about Villanueva being cancer and watch the video of him punching Channing Frye in the balls). Paul Pierce is "The Ugly" for that reason. Rondo doesn't fit into the analogy (he dislocated his elbow, he shouldn't be playing). Not much more to say except for the fact that it's great to see an old tough team (movie) go down swinging.
The good, the bad, and the oh so ugly (cough, Pierce, cough).
Naked-Gun (Atlanta Hawks)
Nobody cares about the Hawks.
WEST
Star Wars [Original] (Los Angeles Lakers)
The Lakers were the kings of the NBA, much like the original Star Wars shattered the box office records. The were the back-to-back champions with a good win over the Magic (A New Hope) and a great win over the Celtics (Empire Strikes Back). Entering this year there were still the favorites, there was no reason to doubt them just like there was no reason to doubt George Lucas after the first two, but they flopped in the second round just like Return of the Jedi was not nearly as good (due in large part to the Ewoks). It seems as if they're time has passed with Kobe (Luke) getting older and Jackson (Yoda) leaving (dying). So let me round out the remaining comparisons:
Kobe = Luke (he learned how to be a team player [learned how to use the force])
Odom = Hans Solo (flashy, stylish, a me-first guy)
Jackson = Yoda (elder statesmen, best of all-time, meditation)
Gasol = Chewy (hairy, tall)
Bynum = Lando (black)
Jack Nicholson = Emperor (old and wrinkly, used to be great)
Shaq = Vader (left the lakers and ended up on the celtics [dark side], not sure how the kobe situation works here)
Blake = C3P0 (a stiff, does nothing, useless)
Fisher = Obi-Wan (elder wise-man who died a long time ago)
Kloe Kardashian = Princess Leia (romantically involved with Hans)
Artest = R2-D2 (Way overweight, slow, speech makes no sense)
Grey-haired gurus with blank stares.
Too bad Gasol is nowhere near as tough as Chewy.
A black man's smile (a rare sight to behold).
Two deceivingly evil men.
Now I know some of you (correction: all) are thinking how are the Mavericks the Lord of the Rings? They've done nothing aside from embarassing playoff exits and getting robbed of the 2006 finals. In reality, I have no good answer for you, the comparisons were good. My point is that the Mavericks are on their Return of the King run, maybe this time they'll win it all just like Return of the King finally won the Best Picture Oscar. Now I know Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers were amazing movies and the Mavericks have only looked really good this year, but just go with it. Maybe Dirk can finally claim his place as the king of european born players the way Aragorn claimed his place as king of Gondor (I know Dirk is already the best european-born player...this sucks, wow I really need to just stop). On to the comparisons:
Dirk = Aragorn (Long hair, greasy, hero)
Barea = Frodo (tiny, annoying, most unlikely person to get the job done)
Marion = Legolas (showboat, stylish, nothing between the ears, all appearance)
Chandler = Gandalf (agent of change, key to success, emotional anchor)
Kidd = Sam (slow, clumsy, needy, still helpful after all that)
Terry = Gimli (loud-mouth, overconfident, sometimes deadly)
Butler = Boromir (poisonous, had to go leave for team to win)
Cuban = Golum (somewhat helpful, crazy, annoying, violently hurts himself at night)
Peja = Ents (bad back, came back to life to help)
Who showers?
You shall not pass! (don't touch it Gandalf).
They're so similar!
My precious!
These were such great comparisons.
The Bourne Trilogy (Oklahoma City)
Kevin Durant is a likeable killer just like Jason Bourne. Now Bourne was likeable because he was awesome not because he was friendly, so Durant isn't exactly the same, but whatever (this is more a reflection on Durant than the team because there aren't a lot of characters that are meaningful). Durant came into the league hot (Bourne Identity), continued to improve by winning the scoring title two years in a row, stretch the Lakers to 6 in a hard-fought series (Bourne Surpremacy), and continued to help his team improve to the point where they are a legitimate title contender (Bourne Ultumatum). Westbrook is like Bourne's girlfriend (don't remember her name), helpful up until a point, but becoming too big of a star and starting to hurt a team that works better with one star (Bourne works better alone). Just forget the whole amnesia thing, doesn't apply here.
Killers.
Die-Hard (Memphis Grizzlies)
So I'm really running out of stuff if you haven't noticed. I'd liken the Grizzlies more to Die Hard: With a Vengence than the entire trilogy. This year its really all come together. Zach Randolph has finally found his spot and has had an amazing post-season so far. He and Marc Gasol are like Sam Jackson and Bruce Willis. Z-bo brings the street-cred and Gasol brings the European elegance (okay this isn't working at all). Really I just wanted to compare Z-bo to Sam Jackson, no one on this team is close to Bruce Willis. It's the last time, I tried...
Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud!
Matt
Matt
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