It seems to me after watching Orlando on Network TV a few times this year and listening to all the hype that Howard is getting that Orlando doesn't need anything to make it to the ECF except for Howard to be able to walk onto the court, because Orlando and Boston are Stern's NBA ECF teams of the year and he, his minions and the officials will do their darndest to make sure that Boston and Orlando get to the ECF this year.
The NBA and the media hate us because we keep trotting out the same old guys year after year none of which the NBA and national media have seen fit to turn into superstars and keep winning with these guys. So we become fodder for the league's latest and greatest superstar and/or media hype.
The NBA is a league of superstars. That is how the NBA is packaged and sold. So if you ain't got a superstar or some other compelling story the NBA and media don't want you in the Finals.
In 2004 and to a lesser extent in 2005 we had compelling stories.
1. Brown going for his first ring.
2. The network media and nation discover Ben Wallace
3. Sheed - can he turn over a leaf and go from a trouble making superstar in Portland to a winner in Detroit.
4. To a lesser extent, can a team without superstars win the title?
Brown and Big Ben have gone and Sheed has aged and mellowed. Their is no media story regarding the Pistons so the Networks can't sell us to the casual NBA fan, who buys all the NBA products and boosts the ratings during playoff time.
