This is the first of a series I hope to continue throughout the season. I love beautifully executed basketball. It's well thought-out, fun to watch unfold, and often results in an easy bucket. Whenever I see a play like this, I love to watch it over and over. Soaking in the subtleties. Noticing the smallest details and how they each contribute to making the play what it is -- a gorgeous display of mental acuity and physical skill blended together with preparation, teamwork and a heavy dose of Spurs awesomeness. The result often takes no longer than 5 seconds to see, but far longer to dissect and fully appreciate.

So, follow me to the other side of the jump, into a world where time may move slowly, but the hand is still quicker than the eye.

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I don't know quite how to say this, or what to do about it, but a new precedent has been set, and I feel like there's no going back to the way things were.

Tonight, for the first time since 2002-03, I went to the box score for a Spurs game I hadn't seen and analyzed the stats of the player I was most curious about, to see how he did. And it wasn't Manu Ginobili.

I'm so confused. I feel like I cheated on him. And it's not like I had some internal struggle and just couldn't help myself.

No.

I didn't even realize that I'd done it until after I'd already noticed the double double, checked out the shot chart, calculated the rebound rate, tsked over the negative +/- number, and wondered about the zero assists. In fact I was just thinking about how long I'd likely have to wait before I could see me some HeavyD highlights, and was about to close the browser, when I realized that I hadn't checked The Sickness' box score.

I was disoriented -- off balance. The screen went swimmy and I thought I heard a muffled sob. Off in the distance, a single wolf howled a mournful note of sorrow and regret. A murky blackness hovered before my eyes and disappeared, replaced by the glow of the monitor and ... Manu's box score. I went over it, but my heart wasn't fully in it. It seemed seems like a dream, but I know it's the truth. It happened. And I wonder if he can forgive me.

Or if I can forgive myself.

Is it over between BLOG and me? No! Never ... it can't be.  -- But I don't know what happened tonight. I just know that something new has begun. There's no doubt about that.

I was already starting to make plans for when LatinD came to town. I was going to get a brand new Manu jersey and rock # 20 as I hung out with PtR'ers and had a blast watching the Spurs.

Now ... as I think about a different number, I wonder how I'll look in a 45 jersey.

If Manu hasn't been replaced as my favorite player, he's at least currently sharing that spot with ... DeJuan Blair a rookie. Whether it was just a dalliance, or something deeper; only time will tell.

Look at those five dots arranged in a Quincunx. What's a Quincunx? Thanks for asking. Read on to find out.

"I'll five all over this blog."

This is the kind of thing that's said in the comments section of PtR that nags at you and won't let you go until you finally buckle down and make good on your promise.

The second of my Crazy Arguments/Discussions That Would Never Happen Mid-Season continues after the jump. The first, which is completely unrelated, is here.

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rkiddo just posted a great find in the fanposts. A quote from DeJuan Blair about a play from his February game against UConn when he scored after being blocked by Hasheem Thabeet.

I felt like an animal at that point. I felt like I wanted to kill. So I killed.

The play in question begins at :38.

I caught up with DeJuan Blair after he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs, and asked him if he'd like to talk about that kill.

Blair: Sure, if you want to.

jollyrogerwilco: So, you've just been blocked by Thabeet and you're out at the 3pt line on the left side, with the ball. You feel like you wanted to kill, what's next?

B: Well, I was really upset with myself, because I'd fought for such good post position. I had him sealed on my back. I was in the center of the paint, about 5 feet from the bucket, and I had settled for a fadeaway.

JRW: Yeah, you'd gone with a hesitation pump-fake, and he'd stayed on his feet. So he was ready for your shot.

B: Exactly. And I was fortunate enough for the ball to come back to me, and that's when I felt like an animal.

JRW: Describe what that's like for the PtR readers, if you would.

B: Well, you just sort of feel very primal. Everything slows down. You can't hear the crowd or anything else. And there's a focus you feel. Focus mixed with anger, I guess you could say.

JRW: Go on.

B: Anyway, Thabeet was protecting the baseline, shading me a little to my left, so I went with my right hand and drove back into the paint. He showed his quickness and stayed with me. By my third dribble, he was still between me and the bucket, and I was into the heart of the paint. I didn't want to continue to my right because then I'd be moving away from the bucket again, which is how he'd just blocked me.

JRW: And you didn't want that to happen again.

B: It was not going to happen again. I picked up my dribble as I did a jump stop and I found that he was just a bit to my right. So, I just went at him.

JRW: Tell us about that, please.

B: Well, it all happens so quickly, you just fall back on your training. I was about seven feet from the basket at that point. So close, I can just smell the bucket, you know? And so I just ducked under him to the left, used my left as my pivot, brought my right foot right up underneath him, switched the ball to my left hand, jumped in toward the hoop to make my shot, being sure to keep my body between Thabeet and the ball, and I scored.

JRW: With your left hand, off the glass, against an opponent about 8 inches taller than you.

B: Yeah. Well, you know, sometimes you've got to come into a shot blocker's body so that they can't really see where your shot is coming from -- they have less time to react. And at that point, with a little position on him, well, I guess he wasn't prepared for me to come back to my left like that.

JRW: He didn't even seem to leave his feet or even really get a hand up to try to defend the shot.

B: I don't know about that. I just felt the contact, saw the ball go through the net, heard the whistle, and started thinking about hitting the free throw.

JRW: With the kill completed, it was time to clean up, eh?

B: (Chuckles mildly) Heh. Something like that.

This was not an actual interview. I did not meet with DeJuan Blair. He did not chuckle at my lame joke.

Crazy Arguments/Discussions That Would Never Happen Mid-Season #1

So I’ve got three different fanposts I've already begun about different topics that weren’t appropriate mid-season fodder, but today this topic started up and I was compelled to flesh it out.

Matching Mythological Characters to positions.  Thanks to CapHill for the idea of this thread.

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In a recent discussion over here dfjmed made a good observation that got me thinking about the difficulties of the Spurs making a trade. To me it’s the same reason behind why the organization mostly looks to foreign pickups, waiver wire finds, and the draft to add to the roster – and it’s tied in with the way we avoid bad contracts and sign high character guys who care more about getting championships than getting paid.

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This is what happens to late-May FanPosts when the Spurs have been eliminated from the playoffs. Thoughts turn dark, and the unthinkable is contemplated.

As the silliness continued over at the latest Gist and Angelico thread, SiMA joked that a certain questionable line of conversation would end with people finding that they were no longer able to log in to Pounding the Rock tomorrow morning.

While humorously meant, the thought caused the hair to stand up on the back of my neck, and three of my children simultaneously woke up with nightmares and had to be calmed down. What, I wondered, would most of us do if we were suddenly unable to participate in this blog of blogs?

So it's time to chime in. Imagine your worst case scenario, whether it's "everybody started hating on me and I eventually had to quit posting or lurking" or "I woke up and PtR didn't exist any more" or "David Stern said he'd cancel the NBA season unless I gave up blogging on PtR immediately." Outline whatever reason that would cause you to completely lose PtR as a source of entertainment and thought provocation -- and then say what you would do as a result.

I've never posted here before. I've been a regular in SB Nation, hanging out mostly at the Spurs blog (Pounding the Rock.) But this fight simply got to me and I couldn't quit thinking about it.

I’ve been looking all over, not for analysis or commentary (that's pretty easy to come by) but a detailed description of Machida vs Evans. Since I couldn't find one, I decided to write one myself. Something with details is the kind of thing I like, and if you guys aren't into it, then I guess I'll know why I couldn't find anything like it on the interwebs already.

Just a quick warning, I'm sure my terminology isn't quite correct seeing as I've recently given up on boxing and moved over to following MMA. So, thanks for bearing with me. By the way, all the times I list are the time left in the round.

Round 1

Through the first ninety seconds, not a single punch or serious kick (no, I'm not going to count that barely noticable left foot Rashad swept out at 3:53) has been attempted. Machida works from the center of the ring as Evans circles him in a clockwise direction. Feinting and ducking, bobbing and bouncing, Evans moves continually to his left with his left foot forward, keeping his hands up and active. With his stance wider than looks comfortable, Lyoto keeps approaching Rashad with his right foot forward and his hands often up above his shoulders. As Machida moves, he moves his whole frame; primarily keeping his center of gravity in between his feet and leaving his feet spread the majority of the time. Evans is moving more like Apollo Creed; sometimes feet together, almost directly under his hips, sometimes as far as shoulder width, bending at the waist, and moving his shoulders over his left foot, now bringing them back and standing more upright, now swaying as he sizes the Dragon up.

After ninety seconds, though, Sugar stops moving to his left, pauses and moves back to his right, and then again left -- right around the Burger King logo. Things threaten to get tense for a few seconds while the two tap hands (Machida's right to Evans' left) repeatedly. Then Evans resumes his circling to his left at a faster pace, almost as if he's making up for lost time.

Circling halfway across the ring, fairly close to the cage the whole time, Evans again stops and paws toward Machida -- I wouldn't call it a jab as he's nowhere near close enough to contact any part of Machida's body -- does it again, and then moves in and brings his left hand down toward Machida's right, as though to pop it down, and, at 3:04, gets the top of Loyoto's left foot in his face as a reply.

Evans is driven, or retreats with his back almost up against the cage while throwing both hands up to either side, in order to steady himself. He seems to step on the cage with his right heel and then almost immediately upon seeing that Machida is not closing in, he begins moving left once more.

Rashad continues his pawing, lab-like movements with his left and then at 2:53 makes an weird looking, windmill-type attack while running at and lunging toward a retreating Machida. The multiple high-to-low right hands fail to land and Rogen doesn't even stop his flow of conversation to mention it.

More of the same continues until 2:01, when Machida suddenly launches another left kick that ends with the top of his foot connecting with Rashad's chest. After a couple of seconds worth of positioning, Evans tries a right kick toward Lototo's thighs that Machida moves in on and looks as though he tries to trip Evans as he recovers from executing his kick. Nothing serious lands, but with this aggressive move, Rashad claims the center of octagon. He begins testing out more determined jabs, until at 1:30 he tries his right hand for the first time of the night, but Machida moves back and away with no contact.

After a couple of seconds pause, Machida quickly moves in with what looks like a combo of a left kick/straight left hand that was either a fake attack, or just extremely awkward. Either way, the two clench briefly and separate.

More of the same feeling-out continues as Machida again claims the center of the ring and Evans slowly backs and circles, you guessed it, to his left.

At 1:02 Evans makes another feeling-out kind of left jab that's nowhere near Machida (like several dozen that he's "thrown" up to this point of the bout) and Machida launches a left kick, bringing the top of his foot right into Rashad's right side. Evans brings his right hand down to engage/deflect the kick, but there's no real power behind Machida's left foot, because it's a feint, and the real attack is a straight left hand that lands directly on Sugar's jaw. The whole attack is lightning-quick and seems to catch Evans completely off guard.

Slightly stunned and turned to his right, Rashad falls, yet keeps his upper body vertical and lands on his right thigh and butt cheek. Yet looking quite alert, he bounces to his left thigh with his left hand behind him as Machida closes, jumps on top of Evans while delivering a series of seven right hands as Sugar, on his left side, goes into what can only be called the fetal position. But Machida's momentum has carried his head over Evans' back and, while the first couple of blows land on top of, or at least around the head, the rest are delivered blind and at best land toward the clavicle/upper chest of Evans, as Machida uses his left to hold Rashad around his waist.

These ineffective blows give Rashad time to use his right elbow, with his left on the ground as leverage, to move Machida off him somewhat, and get onto his own back. Machida is wild with a left and another right and Evans pushes off, sits up and, almost parallel with the cage now, clutches and pushes and gathers himself; getting up off the matt at :47.

Machida attempts to throw Evans, but Rashad (if not completly recovered, at least very game) stays upright and Machida moves away as Evans' right hook wiffs. Evans commences bouncing and moving to his left, looking alert and none the worse for wear.

Both fighters rest while resuming their previous positions, Machida in the center, taking step after small step toward a retreating Evans who is circling to his left. At :22 Lyoto tries a two kick combo, starting with his right toward Evans' left ankle followed by his left up toward Evans' face. But Sugar is wary and moves away in time. Another straight left kick toward the midsection at :15 is all that Machida has left for the first round, while Evans has a couple of attempted left-right combos right at the horn.

Round Two

Evans comes out in the second, not bouncing so much, almost gliding away from Machida; besides this, there's the same established movement as before. Machida attempts a straight left kick at 4:47 and an outside right leg kick at 4:38. During all of this, Evans continues with his quick, test-jabbing. At 4:35 Machida fakes a couple of different attacks and holds steady.

More of the same circling and jabbing until 4:08 when Machida uses the same kick that preceeded the first round's knockdown punch to close with Evans and attempt a takedown. Evans stumbles as he's carried backwards into the cage, which likely saves him from going to the mat. Machida breaks at 4:00 and Evans' right uppercut misses and Lyoto moves back to stand on the Bud Light logo.

Left jab, left jab, left jab by Evans, none of them close to the Dragon, but the third is followed by a straight right that Machida easily moves away from at 3:51. Lyoto has a lazy low inside leg kick at 3:35 and everything seems business as usual as Evans tries another left jab/straight right combo. Everything except for Machida's response.

He darts in, leaning foward with a right/left/right/left combo to Rashad's head. He lands the first three punches, but misses with the fourth and Evans gets off his own combo: a frighteningly quick flurry of punches -- at least five, almost all of the right hands land -- that force Machida to back off and move back to square one, which we are all familiar with. Machida in the center. Evans circling to his left.

Machida, at 3:15 turns around and takes a righty stance, which Sugar immediately counters by taking a lefty stance. Machida tries a left jab/right kick combo that Evans moves away from and both resume their usual stances as Machida offers the top of his right foot again into Evans' ribs at 3:06.

For the next 15 to 20 seconds we're treated to Evans slapping at Machida's right hand with his left. Sometimes Lyoto meets it, sometimes he just lets Rashad slap it. Then at 2:47 Evans tries a serious left jab/straight right combo that he looks like he's actually trying to land from outside, but both miss by at least 6 inches. More circling, hand tapping until Machida tries a big left hand at 2:37 that fails to land as Sugar moves away.

Then Machida digs in, widens his stance and stops stepping toward Evans, he pops off a straight right foot at 2:22 and returns to his stance, not advancing or retreating. At 2:19 Evans delivers his own right foot to Lyoto's midsection, taking possession of the center of the octagon. Machida briefly circles to his left as Rashad tries a right kick that misses at 2:03. Then we have a half a minute of nothing much, which is followed by Evans doing his best Kid Quick impression from 1:35 to 1:30. Honestly. If you have this recorded, I seriously ask you to check it out and tell me that he doesn't look just like Kid Quick at this point. The stance the pose, the dance -- everything. Incredible.

Ok, so Evans goes back to his left jab/straight right combo, but only gets halfway through it, because Machida jumps the combo with a left hand that drops Rashad to his right knee. And as Sugar immediately pops up, Machida's left hand misses, his right uppercut makes some contact and his left hook lands on the chin and drops Evans again.

This time Rashad is moving backward as he goes to his right knee and Machida follows but misses with his left. Machida pursues and pushes against him, misses with a right as Evans continues to stay on his knees despite Lyoto's pushing and punching. Machida separates somewhat, placing his right hand on Evans' left shoulder and gets down on his right knee, while bracing with his left foot and delivering three left uppercuts which land, but Rashad goes to all fours and avoids further punishment to get back up onto his feet. He tries to clinch, but Machida push/punches him down with his left. Evans falls to his left side as Machida jumps down and misses with a right. Throughout this section, it's clear that Evans is hurt but he keeps moving and manages to keep clear of any measured blows by Lyoto. Grappling, Evans works back to his feet while Machida throws right uppercut after right uppercut. Machida uses his left to push him down again, but he can't hit him with anything to put him away. Evans makes it to his feet again, all the while assailed by blows from Machida -- at least five -- which just miss.

Evans goes back, back to the cage without being really touched again, but Machida, after missing with a punch, simply pushes Evans and it's apparent just how badly Rashad is hurt as he staggers backward from the shove. Leaning back against the cage, he takes a right foot in the ribs and gets his own right cross off, but misses behind Machida's head as Lyoto continues to move in.

The next sequence features Machida ending nearly 30 solid seconds of punching, pushing and kicking. If he's not completely gassed, he's quite near it, but he knows he's got to finish Evans while he's hurt. He follows his right kick with a left that either misses or barely grazes Evans' chin. Then starting with another left, he simply slugs away -- alternating hands for seven punches that end it.

The first left is more a shove than anything, but Machida uses it to size Rashard for a right hook that firmly connects. The next left/right/left all miss or barely graze Evans to little effect. The last right is almost nothing, even though it's on target. But Evans, utterly rocked and looking like he's working on little more than instinct, steps into the last punch, a left hook that buckles Evans' knees and sends him back to fall on top of his own legs. Title transferred.

I'll admit that I was pulling for Machida to win, but simply by taking the time to do this recap, I gained tremendous respect for Evans. Dude is tough. He took Machida's best shots, and then he took some more, and he refused to stay down. He got off the mat and worked into the clear and had a chance to get a clinch and maybe buy some time, but couldn't quite make it happen. Bottom line, he didn't go down easy and I gotta tip my cap to him.

Anyway, thanks for staying with this to the end -- assuming that you have. Feel free to fill in the blanks anywhere I missed something you saw.