Tony's take | The pine | NBA

By Tony Duckworth, Tonyduckworthsr@gmail.com

The jaw. The residents of Sowega are passionate about football for football and brave baseball in spring and summer all year round. For those who are not aware of, however, the NBA version of the Final Four appeared.

My father scored a basketball goal for my brother and me in a huge middle Georgia Pine in our front yard. Three things made the setup unique. The dirt ground, the corner shots were slightly below 10 'or approached 11'. Of course, the pine tree grew, so that the edge exceeded 10 'over time. The biggest obstacle to the basketball version of the basic rules was the remains of a large stump of four feet from the basket. One of my cousins, who signed a NCAA-D-II soccer scholarship with Carson Newman, could use the stump as a platform to enable it. Without the stump, he couldn't wash it. This stump was also frustrating when the ball hit the stump in the wrong angle after a shot, which would lead to the ball removed 30 or 40 '. Speaking of the ball that I occasionally put the ball, the ball occasionally dropped the ball over the house after a loss of my older brother.

My favorite NBA team when I grew up with the 76'ers. Julius “Dr. J” Erving was the original high -flying showman. During a fast break, another player has never given another third third of the floor than the doctor. Get a pleasure and YouTube Dr. J or Julius Erving Highlights. Dr. J ended a basic drive against the Lakers that no one will ever repeat. The time when he was in the air was incredible.

I can remember having played basketball on the Dirt Court and double as a play-by-play announcer, where the 76'ers epic battles had against the Celtics and Lakers. Games that have been awarded to the last last-second shots of different 76'er goods. When the game winner was not fell, a foul was of course called to secure the victory in the free -wire line.

It was a lot more fun than playing a video game. Great memories.

NBA. I can't argue that NBA players are the largest athletes in the world. I and my three sons visited several OKC Thunder games, compliments of a booster when I was a complaint on the North Heasters State University. At this point, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were one of the most entertaining and winning teams in the NBA. The seats that the bank manager made available were in the middle of the square, ten rows from the court.

We arrived early and went to the first row during warming. Giants were everywhere. When the game was played, there was up to four footers on the square (7 feet in size). What makes this more astonishing, these ten world-class athletes play on a surface the size of some of our area schools.

Seeing an NBA game on TV does not do justice to the game. The sportiness, the acrobatic darks, the strength, the speed, the strength, the skills, the production and grace are breathtaking. However, it will be a pleasant experience to watch from home.

Playoffs. I am always reminiscent of two truths in relation to 7-game series during the NBA playoffs. Game 2 is always the crucial game and closing a series is almost impossible.

Game 2 offers the team with a 1 – 0 lead to take control of the series while this game keeps a team from standing behind the eight ball. If the home team is in the series, the visiting team can not only steal the series, but also the head start of the home player.

The NBA playoffs from 2025 will end a team that has not won a championship (Knicks) for over 50 years, while the other three (Pacers, Timberwolves and Thunder) would be champions for the first time.

I generally pull for the outsider, and given the NYK, this sports theater are in my alley.

OKC is adapted to Minnesota while New York is opposite. Vegas selects the thunder to win the title. OKC is the youngest team in the association and they are the youngest who have ever secured a number one seed. The Thunder roster an average of 24 years, while the average NBA championship task is 28.

If you are like me, you cannot name the current head coach of the thunder. Regardless of this, he did a great job with the young talent. This 40-year-old is the reigning NBA coach of the year. Impressive. Although I only looked up this information, I cannot spell his last name without taking a look again.

I like the Thunder, who gains the title of Western Conference in 6 games and brings the hardware home in the championship series in 7 games.

Even if you are not inclined to end playoff games, watch out enough to see the 4th quarter or the last 7 to 8 minutes of the games. The NBA playoff surfaces were magical this season. 20-point deficits in the second half have been turned over several times, and the last minute of NBA-Ein-Volkspielpiele can become several lead changes due to time crossing rules that enable the teams to bring the ball onto the front court. The chances are good that this drama will continue.

Lean back and enjoy!

Follow Tony Duckworth on the X platform at @Tonyduckworthsr. Duckworth comes from Macon and is President and CEO of the Albany Area Ymca. Tony worked in intercollegiates athletics for a thirty -one years. After ten years as the men's basketball coach on two colleges, he was NCAA Division II Director of Athletics at three universities, including Albany State.