THAT 70s NBA CHAMPIONSHIP: So it's Spurs vs. Nets in the 2-double-O-3. Your mandatory ABA jokes are: they should go back to the red, white and blue ball, everyone should wear afros, the away team should have to be on drugs. Or vice versa--as long as homecourt advantage means something. There you go.

How 'bout Steve Kerr last night? And Stephen Jackson? Jackson's game is probably more impressive, since we all know Kerr is great--maybe we didn't think he could still do what he did last night, but he's been resting for months, it's not like Horry and the Lakers where they were forced to give a bench guy major minutes. But Jackson, like the rest of the non-Duncan Spurs, has been prrrretty sketchy throughout the playoffs, so I personally didn't expect him to do what he did last night. I thought the Spurs would go into the dump-to-Duncan offense yet again and we'd have game seven and Dirk back and Dallas and destiny and everything. I guess all the Spurs need is to have one of their great yet erratic players to have a good game (Parker, Jackson, Ginobili) and to have it happen a few times in a series and the Spurs can win win win.

Anyhow, I love the Spurs, I love the Nets, there's nobody for me to really hate on either side ( if Dallas had won I would have brought the Najera hate to my viewing experience) so here's hoping the basketball gods give us a good series. I really want to see at what point Byron Scott wheels out Dikembe Mutombo. And how well Parker can play in the face of a Kidd onslaught. And the Martin-Duncan matchup. And whatever Manu comes up with. So many questions, so much intrigue.....I feel like Bill Walton, "the GRAND STAGE of the NBA" and all that. Oh man, how I wish ABC had the Albert/Van Gundy/Fratello team, the best on TV which had their final broadcast together last night. Where's that mute button....