We’ve heard the announcers say it a million times before. “The team with the most experience will win this playoff series.” And we take what they say and we put it on the back burner because there is no way that experience can ever overcome talent right? Wrong. In a single game, maybe yes. In a 7 game series, not a chance.
I’m going to switch gears for a second and talk about college basketball’s tournament for a bit. The reason that it is so compelling is that you never know what will happen on a given night. With one game to decide it all, the team that gets hot for 40 minutes can ultimately beat a team that has more experience, depth and talent. In the NBA, it truly is the team with the most talent that will come out on top every time and sometimes it takes all 7 games to figure that out, although the way that the series are going this year, we might just need to see 4.
Both the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers hold 2-0 leads over their respective opponents and this comes as no surprise to me. As a proud Phoenician (that’s what we call people who live in Phoenix apparently) I get an influx of Suns news – whether it’s at work or in the local media. Everyone says that this team has talent and I have to believe them, I mean, a core of Amare, Nash, & Richardson are nothing to shake a stick at right? Sure they’ve all been to the playoffs before, but none of the Suns superstars have ever made it over the hump and gotten to a championship series.
On the other side of the country, the Celtics lead the Magic by a series score of 2-0. The Magic made it to the finals last year where they were promptly ousted by the Lakers. The Celtics were the world champions of two years ago. Although some small components of the teams have changed, the core players for both teams are there and so we have to wonder again, who will come out on top? Experience or Talent?
I predict that the Suns will be able to win at least one, maybe two games in this series, but ultimately the experience of Kobe Bryant and Crew will prevail over the young, potential filled Suns. The Orlando Magic have a ton of young talent too, but the Celtics have superstars that have not only won before, but have more championship rings than Britney Spears has wedding rings – LOTS.
There is a reason why the more times you do something, the better you get at it and it has nothing to do with the level of talent you start with. Seeing scenarios play out just the way you have seen them play out hundreds of times before gives players confidence and an understanding of the game that is seen only by champions.
I’m pulling for you Suns, but you might still be a couple years away from a championship.