"Same thing I thought in the first part of the press conference. You can check the transcript."
-- Andy Roddick, showing his frustration on Thursday, after a reporter asked him what he thought about his next match against Marc Gicquel. WILL AN NBA CHAMPION PLEASE STEP FORWARD?
Is anyone playing championship-caliber Basketball in these NBA playoffs?
From what I've seen, the answer is "no."
After the first two series, I thought the team with the championship pedigree was Cleveland. But during the Cavaliers' series with the Magic , I couldn't really tell what their offense was supposed to look like anymore. Usually, it seemed like it ended with an errant pass into the hands of the Orlando Magic .
The Cavs couldn't avoid elimination on Saturday night, but neither team impressed me that much.
The Magic looked strong against the Cavs, but I still can't figure out how the Celtics left them off the hook after taking a 3-2 series lead.
Kobe Bryant had the Lakers hitting on all cylinders in closing out the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
I'd like to attribute their lackluster play early in the Denver series to tired legs, but I don't think the Lakers have the look of a champion either.
I hate to say it, but these teams don't look like they'd last five games against the Chicago Bulls or Houston Rockets of the 1990s, much less the dominant Celtics teams of the 1960s.
I think I might be starting to sound like some 50- or 60-year-old NBA fan, but I just call it like I see it.
One team is going to steal an NBA championship this year.
2 CENTS
The owners of Rachel Alexandra ignored temptation on Friday.
Co-owner Jess Jackson announced that their filly had deserved "a well-earned vacation."
The owners might have made a smart financial move by keeping their filly out of this Saturday's Belmont Stakes. But I have to praise them for not putting Rachel Alexandra in a situation that might have led to another tragedy.
We've seen this too recently when Eight Belles was euthanized on the track minutes after her runner-up finish in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
I thought the owners of Rachel Alexandra might have seen dollar signs and more attention if they put their famous filly on the line again.
But what more can you ask Rachel Alexandra to do. She's dominated the fillies and beaten the boys. It didn't make any sense to put her in the grueling 1 1/2-mile Belmont.
This time, the owners certainly kept the health of the horse in mind when making their decision.
Compiled by DAVID JOHNSON/The Times-Union
