6 Thoughts
1) Well, the streak had to end sometime. It was long anticipated that a tivo malfunction would be the eventual killer, but it wasn't. Young P. Minutos deeply gashed his forehead open pretending to be a ghost with a blanket over his head, then crashing headlong into a bookcase, and requiring a trip to the emergency room. Warriors led 6-4 at that point. Screams from the bedroom, Mami Minutos checked it out and called for help - I arrived to find a scene out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. "The great thing about head wounds," the doctor at JFK Memorial told me hours later, "is that they bleed so much that they can't really get infected." Yes, that is great. In any case, I believe that 26 straight games is the longest streak in Dos history, passing 23 games during the 96-97 season. In that season, Dos watched 77 of 82 regular season games. I like to think that record is within reach this season, as long as the kids can stay out of the ER...
2) EMT's showed up on the scene after a quick 911 call. Patched up the little guy and advised us to bring him over to the hospital for a little stitch work. On the way out, noticed the hanging photos of the Dos Minutos trip to Belize. "Where is that," one of them asked? "Belize," I told him, "it's just south of Mexico and east of Guatemala." "I know where it is," intoned the EMT flatly, as though I had insulted him. Sometimes I forget that other people actually know where things are - I had never even heard of Belize before last year. It is a sheltered life in the barrio.
3) In the first couple of minutes of the game that I did see, play-by-play announcer Eric Reid told us that Warrior forward Kelenna Azubuike had an unusual childhood: he was born in London, but was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Dear Dad - every day I thank my lucky stars that you had the foresight to relocate the family from London to Tulsa. What a masterstroke! As soon as my contract with the Warriors expires, I am getting out of the San Franciso Bay area and relocating to either New Jersey, Oklahoma City, or Utah...Love, Kelenna"
4) At JFK hospital while waiting for the doctor, read several chapters of The Great Gatsby. I can identify with Nick Carraway because he is acutely self-aware. I am exclusively self-aware.
5) DWade poured in another 32 points to go with 8 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. He is on an absurd run again. Daequan Cook, for the third game in a row, was the primary sidekick, scoring 20 points, including a 15 point 2nd quarter. 6 games in a row now with 3 threes or more for Daequan - 5 of 7 tonight. Now above 40% for the year from three. If he is maturing in to an NBA court spacer, it is like they found a free player late in last year's draft when they took a flyer on him after one season at Ohio State.
6) The Heat, now at 15-12, have matched their win total from last year when they went 15-67. Unless they lose 55 straight, they will exceed that mark. Of course, as women's hoops great Nancy Lieberman pointed out a couple of games ago, it was to be expected that - maybe - they would be improved with Wade back healthy. Still, it bears mentioning that they are the second youngest team in the NBA, and that 4 of their top 7 players by minutes played are either in their first or second seasons. Wade has carried the load, certainly - but the kids have helped. They are, still, one legitimate big guy from being a formidable team. At times they look like the kiddie corps up front, waving frantcially at grown men in an attempt to deter them from laying the ball in the hoop. The one true intimidator they have is Wade. who tries to lurk around the baseline to challenge shots with his incredible leaping ability - over the weekend he blocked a Gasol potential game-tying layup in the waning moments, and the next night, blocked a Brook Lopez dunk try. They don't need a scorer, just a long goaltender who can be a menace inside, rebound, and get up and down the floor a little with the kids. Actually, two would be nice - most teams have at least two, and usually three guys with some size who can play a little - Miami has none. I don't know how they find one - but if they can find one for next season, it could be an even more fun year than this one is turning out to be.
Feliz Navidad, everyone, from our Minutos family to yours.
