The NBA Playoffs have given us four final teams: the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks. I found it amazing how different the story lines surrounding each team have become. The Bulls have been a young surprising team, led by the league MVP and attempting to recapturing the glory of the MJ era that was one of the greatest spans in NBA history. The Heat have been the villains all season. A team constructed by three superstars because they preferred to have considerable help in attempting to win titles. The Thunder are another young team, however this franchise was build from the ground up around the NBA scoring leader for the second straight year, Kevin Durant. Their youthful athleticism has created a brand of basketball exciting a small market. Lastly, the Mavericks are a team built around quite possibly one of the most underrated players of this or any generation, Dirk Nowitzki. The oldest team left in the playoff hunt, there is also a theme of redemption as the ghosts of 2006 and playoffs past continue to haunt the franchise.
And of course, these four unique depictions can be illustrated by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Yes, you heard me right. The NBA Playoffs have now induced so much drama, it has created a sports Armageddon. Real wrath of God type stuff. "Dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria," as Peter Venkman would say. You don't believe me? Well allow me to explain.
ConquestThe Miami Heat, the most hated team in the league for the entire season manifests itself as the horseman of Conquest. Their ridiculous preseason concert/announcement of their self-proclaimed dynasty sent angry shock waves across the league. The Celtics pretty much vowed to bring the Heat to their knees and watch them beg for mercy. However, much to the disgust of most NBA fans, the Heat have successfully fulfilled every step of their conquest so far, disposing of the 76ers and the aforementioned Celtics while scorching towards the Finals. (Get it, 'cause they're the Heat. I know, sad, right?) They have an apocalyptic two-headed monster (sorry, despite a 30 point 10 rebound night, Bosh still isn't that good in my mind) in James and Wade. The question is will the conquest be stopped short by the raging Bulls or a Western foe in the Finals? Only time will tell. I think its safe to say though that if the Heat are victorious in June, the end of the world will probably be much closer than we might have thought.
WarThe Oklahoma City Thunder are youthful, precocious, and extremely talented. They are quick, they can defend, they can run you out of the building during quick two minute spurts and leave you wondering, "What the heck just happened?" For these reasons they resemble the chaos and ferocity that is the horseman of War. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Nick Collison all experienced one of the worst half-seasons in league history starting 3-29 at the beginning of the 08-09 season. They've been through NBA hell, quietly building important pieces like James Harden and Serge Ibaka, quietly creating a strategic attack, much like an army in war, preparing to rule the Western Conference for years to come. But most people didn't expect War to come so early to the Conference Finals. They easily pillaged the Nuggest, one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season, and then waged a war of attrition against the upstart Grizzlies. But low and behold, this horseman has vanquished its foes before it. Can the fortress that is Dirk halt this ambush? Or can the Big Three become FDR, Churchill and Stalin and defeat this blitzkrieg? Only time will tell.
FamineFeast or famine. With Rose being the freak that he is and his supporting cast hitting shots, the Chicago Bulls are feasting on opponents. However, there are times when the offense starves for points. Hence, the horseman that is the Bulls represents Famine. Obviously, when your team has the MVP, you always have a chance. But the offense of the Bulls too often becomes stagnant and too reliant on Rose's brilliance. However, they can starve their opponents with their suffocating defense, inspired by Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau. And this showed in victories against the Pacers and the Hawks. When the Bulls won, they made their opponents' offenses suffer significantly. They made them thirst for a hot streak. So if this horseman is going to force other teams into offensive starvation, they'll be on the fast track to stampeding to the championship trophy. Deep down, MJ must have some sort of happiness due to this fact
DeathDirk Nowitzki is has been turning back the clock all season. Though 32 certainly isn't old, it certainly isn't young compared to the likes of Lebron, Durant, and Rose. And it also pales in comparison to the 38 years of age which Jason Kidd is carrying around. It is for this reason that not only is the death of players' NBA careers near on the Dallas Mavericks, but the team manifests itself as the final horseman, Death. The aging Mavericks have defied the odds and the prognosticators who were picking the Trail Blazers to upset them in the first round. After blowing massive lead in Game 4, the Mavericks seemed doomed. But as they came back from the dead themselves, it meant the death of not only the lengthy Trail Blazers, but the killing and vanquishing of the Lakers dynasty. By sweeping the two-time defending champions, they have annihilated their past demons and hope to kill more as the Heat, the team whom many consider were gifted the 2006 Finals by questionable officiating, could be lurking in the Finals.
These four Horsemen are all heading for a titanic collision. The NBApocalypse is upon us. The writing is on the wall. One of these four will triumph over the others. Will it be the Heated Conquest? The Thunderous War? The defensive Famine that is Chicago? Or the Mavericks knocking on the door of Death? With the seals and scrolls being opened before our very eyes I hope you enjoy it. Because it's the end of the NBA world. And I feel fine.
