Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschske steals money a couple times a week from ESPN by participating in a show called Around the Horn.
Judge Judy, in a commercial break Tuesday afternoon, made my fingers work the remote control and the previous button landed me on the aforementioned mundane show.
I caught just enough of the show to hear Plaschke say, "The greatest postseason around is the NBA postseason - better than any other sports' postseason, particularly the baseball postseason. The NBA does it right - they have games every night, they don't overlap the games, the games last about two and a half hours, the intensity is unbelievable. No sport do the players play harder, for longer and notice there are more dramatics in the NBA postseason.
As a diehard NBA fan, Plaschke is wrong, both factually and logically. The NBA, for years, has utilized its own network so games can be played simultaneously in the first round.
Plaschke has been spoiled, covering the Lakers since the days of Magic and Kareem, but how he can't see that playoff hockey triumphs over playoff basketball baffles me.
Some of it is because of technology. It's the greatest invention since Weight Watchers (gets the significant other out of the house once a week) - high definition television. The sport that translates the best in HD - hockey.
Some of it also is the unpredictable nature of the NHL postseason. Eight seeds beat one seeds on a regular basis. No longer do you need that uber-goaltender. Detroit, Washington, Chicago, and Pittsburgh demonstrate that. The speed and physicality have been unreal.
Nitpicking Plaschke's statement, "No sport do the players play harder, for longer and notice there are more dramatics in the NBA postseason," The Washington-Pittsburgh series has seen five games decided by a goal, and three have ended in overtime. The league's superstars have performed, even beyond expectations. Washington's Alex Ovechkin is the playoff leader in both goals and hits. He plays, to quote Kevin Harlan, with no regard for human life. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby has been almost equally as good.
That game Wednesday night will be one of three Game 7's, the best spectacle in all of sports.
With all due respect to the Denver Nuggets, the NBA Finals matchup was decided weeks ago, but Game 1 isn't until June 5th. It'll be the Cavaliers against the Lakers. The Lakers on Tuesday night beat the Rockets by 40. It was a yawner. Denver beat New Orleans in round one by 58. With more offense comes more opportunities for blowouts, so NHL games will always be closer, but a three or four goal win in the NHL postseason is a rarity. Double digit wins happen in the NBA postseason all the time. Each of the seven games in the Atlanta-Miami series was decided by at least 10 points. The Boston-Chicago series is so memorable because that sort of drama doesn't happen regularly on the playoff hardwood.
I'd like to think that Plaschke has made the short drive to Anaheim for a playoff game or two. Maybe he saw a Ducks-Wild game and that's where his jaded view comes from. If the Ducks beat Detroit on Thursday night, I suggest he take in a game against the Blackhawks. Watch Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Jonathan Toews up close. His opinion might change.
It's tough for me to admit it, but the best postseason sport is hockey.