DNB Weekend Edition - 3up and 3 Down

Blogger the platform that we produce the DNB on, apparently had a Friday the 13th curse yesterday. So in a rare off-season Saturday performance we have an episode of 3 up and 3 down. If you forget how this works basically it is 3 things that are good right now in NBA or with the Raptors and 3 things that are bad. Pretty Simple and if you want to play along in the comments with your own feel free.

3 Up

#1- Game 7- For first time in these playoffs we have a game 7. I am not exactly happy about it personally seeing as it involves OKC that I have picked to go to NBA Finals. But nothing beats a game 7 in a series. Here is hoping it is actually a good game. But not every game 7 produces a classic game. Sometimes they can produce huge blowouts just as easy as a close game. Fans in Oklahoma City get the chance to see their first ever game 7 for their team in OKC thanks to the Grizzlies upset of the Spurs. The Mavericks love the fact they get to watch yet another game in this series as they sit back after sweeping the Lakers and watch. They have a rooting interest as well. Grizzlies won the season series against Dallas, OKC did not if you think that matters at this point.

#2- Bynum Suspension- It is nice to see the NBA make a clear legit statement when someone does something clearly wrong. This is not the NHL it is the NBA and goon justice will not be tolerated. Bynum will miss 5 games of next season and his pay for those games of over 800K for his cheap shot on J.J Barea. Guess it wasn't a cheap shot after all. NBA got it right and sent a clear message. Something the NHL has never been able to accomplish. Good job NBA.

#3- Charles Barkley- I just love Barkley on TNT's coverage there is no one more entertaining and flat out honest in covering the NBA. I may not always agree with Sir Charles but I always enjoy his views and his humour. He is never afraid to let himself be made fun of and have fun as well. Barkley may in fact be an even better broadcast talent then he was a basketball talent and that is saying a lot because Barkley was a hall of famer as a player.

3 Down

#1 The Draft Lottery Show- Being a Raptor fan has given me the chance to watch many a draft lottery show. It is a stupid production of T.V and totally designed to create a sense of drama. But to have this be a 30 minute T.V program is quite honestly a joke. Worse it is handled by ESPN the people that brought you "The Decision" speaking of bad television. Every year it is the same boring and predictable crap. While the lottery itself can not be predicted (Conspiracy Theories Aside) the show surrounding it can be. It never changes and it quite honestly is terrible T.V

#2 Heat Haters - I have got to the point that I am just tired of it. Time to move on from this. It is not going to happen but if you have been so blinded by hate that you can't understand that Lebron James and Chris Bosh made a smart choice for their futures by going to Miami you really are delusional. I admit the Heat do themselves no favours in terms of avoiding the hate they have inspired. But bottom line is these 3 guys did this for one reason and that is wanting to win a championship. That is what an athlete should always strive to be. It is easy to make them the bad guys but some blame should go to organizations that had them for 7 years and failed to surround them with a team that was able to be successful. But hating on the Heat has just become the cool thing to do. Hate them all you want but make no mistake they don't care. If they win the NBA Title that will be the ultimate in your face to all you that hate them. Oh and by the way all this hate only serves to motivate them more.

#3 Lockout Looming - I can not fully enjoy anything that is going on lately without realizing that we are heading in the direction the NFL already has with a Lockout almost a certainty. I have worked hard for over 3 years to build something here in the Dino Nation Blog and now I am left to sit back and watch my future be determined by Millionaires vs Billionaires. I am no where close to either and try to eek out a living doing this. To say I take the lockout personally would be the truth. I will always love basketball and the NBA. Unlike the NHL Lockout that turned me off the sport altogether combined with the insane media coverage in this country since. But will this make me more jaded about NBA and the sport going forward? It is likely it will, I am only human after all. In every Lockout there are lots of people that depend on these leagues to make a living that are not making millions that get screwed by them. Those people along with the fans of the sport are always the big losers in any lockout.

So that is it putting in some rare work on Saturday for you all. See you folks on Monday.