Talking Points: NBA Finals

What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:

1

The Finals momentum has not swung the Mavericks’ way. Why? Because momentum, contrary to popular thought, doesn’t really exist. OK, fine . . . it exists a little. When the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS — and then won the next seven games of the postseason — that was momentum. But there are countless examples where series prove independent of these shifts.

Last year, the Lakers and Celtics had several games in which one team blew the other out, only to lose the next game. And after the Blazers bested Dallas in miraculous fashion in Game 4 of this year’s first round, the Mavs responded with two pulverizing wins.

For two strong teams, momentum is virtually non-existent as a factor.

2

The past few years have been memorable for sports fans. We’ve seen Tiger Woods at the top of his game. We’ve seen Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt dominate the Olympics. And we’ve seen Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi provided tennis fans with top-notch tennis, as did John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors in years past, but never has the sport seen a rivalry between players at this high a level.

To say that “we’ll never see something like this again” is silly. What about in the year 6059? But it may take a few millenniums for tennis to replicate something like this.