An appreciation for NBA short stories
There is plenty of time for the big picture. Sometimes 82 games can give as much as it takes.
It’s been a hard week to be excited about the NBA. Aside from the general ennui that comes from any multibillion-dollar global enterprise, just about 10 percent of the league is now in the Health and Safety protocols, with several presumably due to the Omnicron variant. But the league made it clear that an old basketball-ism remains true now, even as the variant infects, basketball never stops.
And while there were some good signs for the future, such as the Hornets LaMelo Ball getting out of The Protocols to have a nice game in his return, saying he felt no ill-effects coming back after missing time, or Lillard’s rage-fueled scoring binge, tonight was a win for the short stories. The type of short stories that get us through the winter and keep an NBA team’s head above water when they’re fighting for their life.
The NBA is about Dudes and tonight’s game was no exception, with Dame’s 43 setting the pace and LaMelo leading the Hornets on a furious rally. But it’s also about the unexpected role player helping snap a losing streak and in this case, one who just so happened to be vacationing in Cabo at the same time as Dame.
Since Dame and McLemore didn’t share many details about their meeting, I’m imagining a giant bowl of guacamole and probably some ceviche, most of these guys are pescatarian or vegan by now. Some shots of 1942 for the table and Dame letting him know that they could use a catch and shoot specialist before a personal chef takes their dinner orders. And boy was McLemore special specialist on Friday.
He nearly tied Dame’s franchise record 3-pointers in a half, making 6, one shy of Dame’s record of 7. And then when all chaos broke loose, with the game’s pace clearly favoring the faster, more athletic Hornets, who hoise 3s at a rapid rate, it was McLemore who sealed the win and let the crowd relax, giving Dame much needed support.
Lillard and Billups both gave him credit for staying ready after not playing in the first 15-20 games. And while tonight will be remembered more for Dame’s scoring binge and his call out of those in the media who suggest his best days are behind him, tonight was also a W for the NBA Short Story.
Every team has them and Portland has had plenty. Whether Ben McLemore stays for very long is not what mattered tonight. Or whether the Blazers made any trades. At least not for a night. On Friday, the Blazers got to take a whitewater rafting ride with Ben McLemore as their guide. The fact that I can even type that out is part of what makes the NBA so special. Tomorrow is for tomorrow. But the cult heroes that add a crucial layer to the NBA are made at the moment and while there will be plenty more time to talk about what the team should do with the roster, it’s important not to miss some really cool shit while it happens.
McLemore will probably forget about it all tomorrow when he’s back in the gym. But I won’t. It’s the little moments that make 82 games bearable. They’re also the ones that can turn around a floundering season. But we will have to see where the road takes this team before we find out if that story will continue. Or if McLemore’s big night will be just another memory.