Follow Juan Carlos Navarro's posts each week.
JC's latest posts
- Down 0-2
- Tradition vs Glamour
- Return to Palau Blaugrana
- The best games are always during playoff time
- Things are warming up
- Euroleague and the NBA playoffs
- I’m finally home
- I’ve never been obsessed with records
All posts
Down 0-2
(Disclaimer: This entry was first published in Spain a couple of days previously. Posts from Juan Carlos will typically take some time to translate and re-post.)
The last time I wrote this little column, I said I was hoping that el Barça could turn it around in the ACB finals and get out of the 0-2 hole they’d put themselves in. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and Tau was the better team in the series. They showed it in Palau Blaugrana and finished them off in Buesa Arena. Pete Mickeal was the best player in the finals and he deserved the MVP trophy. El Barça never found a way to stop him and he did a lot of damage to Xavi Pascual’s team. I have to admit that Tau was the better team.
The other final that’s at 0-2 is the Lakers. I also didn’t want to see them go down 0-2 but the Celtics have made the most of their home court advantage, taking the first two games in the NBA finals. In Los Angeles, I’m sure the story will be different. The Lakers can’t allow themselves to lose another game. They play the next three in the Staples Center and they have to make them count in L.A.. Pau and his team won’t give up. He really wants a championship ring and will do whatever it takes to bring it home.
The Lakers didn’t shoot well the first game and had too many errors. With a little more assertiveness, they would’ve stayed in the game and given themselves a chance at a win. But the Celtics and Paul Pierce, with his odd knee injury, were too much for Kobe and Pau. I had the opportunity to narrate the game for television with my good friend Alex Formento. We had a great time even though I was feeling a little ill and spent a big part of the time coughing.
In the second game, the Lakers complained about the officiating and the uneven foul calls. I don’t know if they would’ve won if the calls would’ve been different, but it would’ve been easier. In any case, they were very close to winning. Pau was good on offense, and opened up a few shots for Kobe. I hope that luck is on their side in the Staples Center.
Last week it was made public that Pepu won’t be coaching the Olympic team. The truth is that it hurts me to hear it, because Pepu is a great coach that has helped us win some important titles. But I don’t know all the details and I’m sure that everyone has their reasons. From this column, I only want to wish him the best. And I also want to welcome Aíto. He’s a technician that I know very well and who knows me well too. I’m sure that we’ll be able to go far in the Peking Games. Our goal is to return with a medal even though we know it’ll be difficult, but we’re going in confident of coming back wearing jewelry.
Posted on 06/13 at 09:36 AM
Stay La Bamba! Grizz need your assassin powers from beyond the arc for next season!
Navarro soy aficcionado Malagueño y aunque nos hayas hecho pasar momentos malos me has parecido siempre un crak!!! Espero que tengas suerte en todo tu futuro de la nba.