A Game of What Ifs...

Or, dare I say...what if Cleveland had a coach that knew what the triangle offense was, or even maybe a simple high school set offense of passing and screening away? Think they would accomplish more? I mean... standing around, letting Lebron dribble a couple times then either shoot or drive to the hole is a good play and all...but for a whole 2 quarters? Hmm...

What if Mo Williams decides he should make a shot, that's not a trick shot? He's shot 29% in Game 1 in normal basketball shots, and 50% in trick shots.

What if we were wrong about Stan Van Gundy, and maybe his ridiculous amount of energy put into coaching really works?

What if Stan Van, for once, wore a freaking shirt and tie?! I'm tired of these sloppy t-shirts.

What if Dwight Howard actually does get the ball 20 times a night (like he did last night) and scores 30 points a game? Does he become completely dominant, and far more unstoppable than any of the guards in the NBA?

Or what if Patrick Ewing taught him a damn drop-step or post move without traveling and none of those ridiculous hook shots? Wow. That thought just gave me the tingles. Dwight Howard truly can be the scariest player in the NBA.

What if the Magic win the series? Would Lebron be checked out and be ready to leave Cleveland after next season? Would he make demands to the front office?

What if Lebron decided to take the last shot instead of drive and kick to Delonte West? (Delonte West!)

What if the Nuggets come back down 1 and win the series? Forgetting checking out next season, would Kobe opt out this summer and go play with somebody like Tim Duncan or Dirk Nowitzki?

What if Kobe loses this year, and his legacy is basically and completely tarnished...can he come back from it? Probably not.

What if this really is Kobe's last run at a title?

What if Trevor Ariza AND Lamar Odom both leave the Lakers this summer? Well...there's always Adam Morrison.

What if the Nuggets lose tonight? Is the series considered done?

What if the Nuggets lose another close one? Can George Karl get any more depressed?

What if Carmelo vs. Kobe is more fun than Kobe vs. Lebron or Carmelo vs. Lebron?

So much to wonder about... but will we ever fully know? Not quite. But at least we have at minimum, three more weeks of spectacular basketball? I'm hoping there are no more blowouts, and more down-to-the-wire games where we get the best out of all players involved, whether its Melo, Kobe, Lebron or Dwight...or everybody around them.

I hope we can see more of Carmelo Anthony torching people with his ridiculous quick release. But then, I hope cats like Trevor Ariza take his embarrassing excuse for defense in Game 1 personally, and makes Melo work like he's never worked before. And I hope K-Mart dunks on more people with so much passion, you have to rewind it once or twice to see it again.

I want to see Lebron working his ass off on both ends, blocking Dwight Howard, and scoring on the other end. But I want to see his team show up. I want to see Orlando feed Dwight the ball. I want to see Courtney Lee and Mikael Petrius throw themselves at Lebron and do everything in human existence to stop Lebron...and still fail. Because, he's simply...just not human.

I want to see players decide games. Not refs giving Lebron all the calls. I want to see tempers flare, and make people play harder, and louder.

I want to hear home crowds be so loud, you don't even hear the whistles on TV anymore. I don't want to hear about controversial fouls or non-calls. I just want to hear about damn good basketball.

And we are seeing it right now.

NBA gods...What if I thanked you? For everything.