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Time passes slowly when you're lost in a dream
Endings are always so sad. The more premature and unexpected, the harder they are to take. The end of a college career. The end of the Grateful Dead. The end of the line of anything treasured. The lingering pain, the constant thoughts of what might have been. Won't you try just a little bit harder? Won't you try just a little bit more? The lucky ones are those who have the opportunity to move on and start a new morning -- with you. Congratulations and good luck to the Kansas Jayhawks. They were the better team.
Ain't no reason to go up
Ain't no reason to go down
Ain't no reason to go anywhere
|  | | Tim Thomas apologized for not obeying George Karl's order to re-enter the game. |
Imagine my shock and awe at the fact that Milwaukee's Tim Thomas was not to be included in the "Coalition of the Willing" when he refused to answer George Karl's directive to enter the fray against Denver the other night. Knowing the kind of productivity that Tim has contributed this year, many were heard to question, "How was anyone to know whether Tim was even in the game or not?" Why do I get the impression that these "coalitions" tend to be about cash payouts and mercenaries?
We stare straight ahead and try so hard to stay right
Time passes slowly and fades away
So much talk about that last playoff spot in the East, with the Bucks, Wizards and Knicks all hitting their stride at just the opportune moment. Don't forget that Milwaukee, a dismal 9-12 since the bold, pre-emptive move to liberate BB fans in Wisconsin, plays five of its final seven games at home. Only two of those seven games will be against definite playoff teams -- Indiana and Orlando -- and those will both be played in Milwaukee. From here, the Bucks make the playoffs and Michael goes home. How inspiring! Are we ever in for a treat.
Underneath the bridge where the water flowed through
Underneath the sky of blue
Speaking of the Knicks, they've REALLY found their rhythm as they mount their final push to the end of the mother of all seasons. Since Calvin Klein approached Latrell Sprewell on the sidelines DURING a game at the Garden, the Knicks have yet to win a game. You don't think that Calvin could have possibly reminded Spree that Knicks fans REALLY want LeBron in the draft, do you? Or could it be that Calvin was recommending to Spree, as the Knicks prepare for their BIG game against Denver this week, to be sure to check out Warren Zevon's song, "Things to do in Denver when you're dead."
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you
It's hard to imagine anyone being any hotter than Kobe Bryant was the other night against the Wizards. He was scoring with four and five guys on him. Forty-two points in the FIRST HALF alone, breaking Elgin Baylor's franchise record that had lasted more than 40 years. Wilt, himself, only had 41 points in the opening stanza the night he went for 100 against the Knicks. Kobe was as hot as Larry Bird used to regularly be in practice -- the structure of the games only slowed Larry down.
I have been very fortunate over the years to learn firsthand the value of leadership from the top -- from my own mom and dad, to UCLA and coach Wooden, to the NBA, the Blazers, the Celtics and to all the Hall of Fame coaches that I've played for. That is why, in trying to put everything in order today and to get through these tough times, I've decided to follow what the big bosses are doing for, or to us, right now. I've cashed in EVERYTHING -- including my retirement accounts, in order to buy more munitions and weapons. I've turned my home into an ever more impervious fortress. I've canceled all activities, returned all books, magazines, newspapers and other sources of learning. I have given up my health and all other forms of insurance. I have nothing left -- except fear and loathing, of others -- but do I ever have an impressive arsenal. I have learned from those at the top that if I ever need any of the stuff that I used to think was important again to just ask my children to pay for it -- or maybe their children. My accountant didn't think this was a very good idea. But I know so well the value of leadership by example. Do you think I should change accountants?
|  | | Rebate checks of $125 will be in the mail soon for Hawks season-ticket holders. |
The Atlanta Hawks' playoff guarantee refunds -- soon to be appearing on your doorstep -- will undoubtedly be the spur to the staggering war economy that we've all been desperately waiting for.
I've been receiving unscrambled, satellite, brain-wave transmissions that Dylan is going to tour with the Dead this summer. Love and Theft is on the mind, particularly now that Juwan Howard is within a scant two steals of 600 for his career. Did they somehow miss the $20 million that he got this year alone?
Along the same lines of anticipated events, Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler have a new film coming out April 11. It's called "Anger Management." In the advance screenings, it resonated magnificently with Clippers fans.
So happy just to see you smile
Underneath this sky of blue
And what a summer this promises to be, although it will be hard-pressed to beat Sunday mornings on the NBA pregame shows with Tirico and Tolbert. The crack of dawn, the bouncing, dancing ladies and fans pounding down cold ones. And I used to think that the front of the stage at the Dead shows was the place to be. Why is it always the fun stuff that ends?
Was that REALLY Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" as the backdrop to Sunday's romp? And then to have Kevin Garnett and his Wolves stink the joint up. And THEY want to hang around in the playoffs? You know what they said about those carpet rides:Last night I held Aladdin's lamp
And so I wished that I could stay
Before that thing could answer me
Well someone came and took that lamp away
I looked around, a lousy candle's all I found Please, Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" next!
I travel more than a few other people that I know. I've sadly learned that some of the airlines are having a tough go these days. It was more than I could take the other day, though, to learn that one of the cutbacks would include "no more pillows." On a more positive note, Continental Airlines -- with plenty of pillows -- is now playing Neil Young and John Lennon over the PA as we prepare to blast off.
I love news. All news all the time is just fine for me. Oh, the shock and awe that different channels report the news in different ways. Some of the SAME events, I couldn't even recognize. And here all along, I thought that news was news. Do you think I should change the channel? How clear can it all be through the haze?
Is it just me or does it seem that some people are planning on getting rich off the war? This is all so warm and fuzzy.
Who and what will have a bigger impact on our lives this spring? Will it be the return to action of Tim Hardaway or possibly Dikembe Mutumbo? Will it be David Letterman? Welcome back all. Good luck, health and longstanding cheers to all of you. And don't forget that Slick Leonard is now back behind the microphone on the Pacers' radiocasts. Indy was 8-17 without the BOOM-Baby man.
With Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe on top of THEIR games, who's picking against L.A. right now? If the Lakers win it all again, when will the comparisons to Lance Armstrong begin? They only play for the big one, rendering all else meaningless. When you're as dominant as Shaq, people always want more, no matter the results. Despite three consecutive titles, the Lakers have been roundly criticized this season for not adding fresh firepower to their roster last summer. What will the naysayers have to complain about next year if L.A. signs Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as free-agent role players this summer?
With the inspirational return of Hardaway to the Pacers, Clipper fans are holding their breath in anticipation of the long awaited return of their departed hero, leader and savior ... Tom Tolbert.
The night passed away so quickly
It always does when you're with me
Is there anything really like being on top? Some folks are having a hard time finding out what that's like, though, particularly with the news that Gwyneth Paltrow's new movie, "View from the Top," would NOT be released in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Memphis, Seattle and Toronto. The producers figured the locals there would not relate.
|  | | Clearly, the losses in Miami have affected Pat Riley's ability to think clearly. |
Along the lines of far from the top, how sad that future Hall of Famer Pat Riley is suffering through the FIRST 50-loss season of his career. I think it's starting to get to him, specifically now that Riles recently compared the young Chicago Bulls' frontcourt of Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler to Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Have they run out of sunscreen in South Florida? What will be next? That Trenton Hassell is the next Larry Bird? Or that global warming and damage to the ozone are not important?
The bad news for the Bulls is that, at 3-35, they own the worst road record in the NBA. With their only remaining chances at Philadelphia, Detroit and Minnesota, it's doubtful they'll be able to surpass the franchise's all-time futility mark of 5-36. They are, though, safely out of the running for the league-wide historical mark for failure away from home. That honor belongs to Sacramento, who one year went 1-40 away from Arco Arena. Now those are loyal fans.
Can't you feel that sun a-shinin'
This must be the day that all my dreams come true
I was depressingly forced to miss opening night of the much anticipated Celine Dion concert in Las Vegas the other night. And then sadly, someone there in the "City That Never Sleeps" stole a pair of her shoes. My investigations have cleared any and all NBA players of this dastardly deed. They were all too busy scavenging for Michael Jordan's shoes during HIS farewell tour.
Michael has shown a lot of class during the long goodbye by discouraging ceremonial pomp and circumstance, preferring to focus on the games themselves. Denver completely ignored his wishes and presented MJ with a new motorcycle BEFORE the Nuggets blew the Wizards away. I hope they were not trying to encourage Michael to hurt himself.
As we near the end of the regular season, we are all being bombarded with promotional campaign material touting local favorites for league-wide honors. T-Mac MVP posters, KG4 MVP license plates, Amare Stoudemire for Rookie of the Year videos and CDs. Hopefully some of the voters will have actually watched some of the games this year. But by far the most imaginative push has come from the Cavaliers' season-ticket holders, who have taken to wearing pin-stripes while stamping out license plates that read L-E-B-R-O-N.
Has anyone noticed that the thought-to-be-too-wild Jason Williams of the Grizzlies is second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Happy belated 41st birthday to John Stockton. I never discount the relationship between character, hardwork and success. With John coming to the end of his 19th NBA season, please, let's not overlook the Jazz's 18th consecutive winning season, an NBA record. In John's rookie year, his team finished 41-41 in a season that he did not play much while backing up Rickey Green.
My favorite parts of the game -- besides winning -- are the mental and emotional aspects of the competition. Cleveland's Carlos Boozer, after being intentionally thumped in the forehead with the ball in this year's Rookie Challenge by the Warriors' Jason Richardson, came right back in the Cavs-Warriors big game last week in Ohio with 19 points, 14 boards and seven assists in a very impressive 21-point blowout. And then Jalen Rose strangely continues to knock his former Pacers just before the two teams always meet in Indianapolis. This time, Jalen's Bulls lost to Indiana by a mere 51.
Ah, the mighty Celtics have finally hit their stride after losing six straight. Two convincing wins have got the faithful beaming with championship fervor once again. I don't care that both victories were against Cleveland.
So happy just to be alive
Underneath the sky of blue
Enough of the formalities. Bring on the playoffs!
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you
Bill Walton, who is a regular contributor to ESPN.com, is an NBA analyst and shares his thoughts on "NBA Shootaround" at 7:30 p.m. every Friday for ESPN.
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