Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 12:24 pm  |  17 responses

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21 Questions with San Dova: “Playoffs?!?!”

Please use the Jim Mora, Sr voice for the headline above.

by Sandy Dover / @SandmanSeven

If it was good enough for 50 Cent and Nate Dogg alike, I’m pretty sure it’s exceptionally sufficient for SLAMonline. Regardless of music, 21 Questions with San Dova is taking the task of asking those nebulous questions that seem to revolve around the force of gravity we know to be the NBA. Check for the preguntas at the top of every month or so.

1. Who would’ve thought that the Milwaukee Bucks were close to beating the Atlanta Hawks without Andrew Bogut?

2. Are the Los Angeles Lakers actually going to play a full series with anticipation?

3. Obviously, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is a defensive force in the League, but shouldn’t have LeBron James gotten more votes for Defensive Player of the Year?

4. Why does Lakers guard Kobe Bryant still get first-team recognition as an All-Defensive Team member when he no longer actually plays that staunch sort of defense on the toughest offensive opponents every night?

5. Isn’t having Chris Webber in the TNT studio with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith making “Inside The NBA” even better?

6. And isn’t NBA TV’s Eric Snow sort of like the inverse of Sir Charles (boring, non-expressive, lacking zip)?

7. Does anybody really care about the Magic right now? Aren’t we really waiting to see them in the Eastern Conference Finals?

8. Is it me or are the San Antonio Spurs like the best friend who always comes through when it really matters (I.e. jelling just in time for the Playoffs)?

9. Is Cleveland Cavaliers forward/guard LeBron James setting himself up for failure with the repeated talk about his mysterious elbow injury?

10. Is anyone disappointed that the Charlotte Bobcats just couldn’t compete with the Magic in the first round? Weren’t you looking for a knock-down, drag-out series?

11. Would the Oklahoma City Thunder have won against the Lakers had they drafted Stephen Curry instead of James Harden?

12. Isn’t sad and disappointing on some level to see players in their prime exit the Playoffs in early (a la Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade)?

13. If the Phoenix Suns make the Western Conference Finals, will Phoenix re-sign Amar’e Stoudemire then? Or will they let Black Jesus walk?

14. With each game that Spurs power forward Tim Duncan plays, aren’t you holding your breath about how far he might decline before he can no longer compete for a championship and retires?

15. Is Dallas Mavericks combo forward Dirk Nowitzki the modern-day Patrick Ewing of the Western Conference (big man consistently beaten by rivals for titles)?

16. Despite all his Twitter tomfoolery, does anyone really care about seeing Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors in the Playoffs or care to think about his free agent destination right now? (Sorry, Michael.)

17. After seeing how Brandon Jennings took control to help guide the Bucks to the Playoffs, I wonder…was all the fuss about him being a questionable draft pick really based fully on his play in Europe or just the fact that he’s from Compton, CA, has funky, unusual style and that he didn’t seem to care about the NCAA helping to fulfill his professional aspirations?

18. Is it just me or isn’t Lakers center Andrew Bynum’s lack of physical well-being exposed every single year in the post-season?

19. What happened to Lakers guard Jordan Farmar being the team’s so-called “No. 1″ point guard, after he changed his number to that very numeral (signaling his supposed ascendancy to a starting role)? Will he actually show up in the Playoffs?

20. After seeing the guys at Sole Collector ponder where Boston Celtics forward/guard Paul Pierce’s career prime is located (time-wise) via Twitter, I ask this–has Pierce ever actually had a career prime period (and it’s a very legitimate question if you’ve watched him since 1999), or were P-Double’s best years the highly competitive, but frustrating 2001-2006 Celtics seasons? Or has his entire career been one very long prime plateau (save for his rookie year)?
(He may be the most consistent high-level player in recent NBA history, considering numbers and style of play, in my opinion.)

21. If the Celtics lose a series in this year’s post-season, will you be wishing to see Rasheed Wallace repeat his “both teams played hard…God bless and GOOD NIGHT.” press conference from the Portland Trail Blazers’ Playoff ouster in 2003?

(A special thanks to Michael Cho for his pen-and-ink portrait of Mr. Standing Tall And Talented himself, Amar’e Stoudemire. You can find him at MichaelCho.com or on Twitter @Michael_Cho for more of his illustrations and compositions.)

Sandy Dover is a novelist/writer, artist and fitness enthusiast, as well as an unyielding Prince fan (for real). You can find Sandy frequently here at SLAMonline, as well as at Facebook, Associated Content and Twitter.