The NBA's Mean Streets | DAILY SPORTS SELECT

from Mean Streets (1973)
If you're a gangster movie fanatic like myself, there's a good chance that you've watched the early Martin Scorsese classic Mean Streets. And if you've seen Mean Streets, you would probably remember the immortal first lines of the movie uttered by Charlie, the character played by Harvey Keitel :

You don't make make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bulls**t and you know it.

While there are other ways to interpret what the opening lines and theme of Mean Streets is all about, I choose to interpret it at the most practical level :

You talk the talk and walk the walk.
Whether you're a gangster or not, everything starts at the street level. The streets are where you make your connections. The streets are where you learn how to do business. The streets are where you learn how to talk to chicks. The streets are where you learn how to distinguish friend and foe. The streets are where you see filth and appreciate the clean. And the streets are where the steel of manhood is forged.

Prior to the Lakers and Magic advancing to the conference finals of their respective conferences, there were way too many church confessions, especially on the Orlando side.


While Phil Jackson was making excuses for LA, Dwight Howard was calling out his coach in public; Howard and Patrick Ewing were guaranteeing wins; Stan Van Gundy was letting it hang prematurely like an anti-Ron Jeremy. Rather than taking care of their business on the hardwood and locker room, everything was being taken care in front of the microphones and cameras.

Thankfully, for the two conference finals contestants and their fans, the two squads pulled through in Game 7.

Still, I smell bulls**t. Still, I question the abilities of the Lakers and Magic to take care of business on the mean streets of the NBA Playoffs. At this point in the season, you are what you are. Wins are wins, but I don't think beating teams with depleted rosters on the verge of being overrun are accurate indicators of your chances of beating teams that are at least as talented, but tougher, more cohesive and hotter than you are.

Beating the current Rockets and Celtics doesn't suddenly make Kobe play for anything else than his own greed, nor does it bring Jameer Nelson back. Los Angeles and Orlando are both missing crucial ingredients to win championships via anything other than a Hail Mary : leadership, leadership and leadership.

In Denver, the Nuggets have someone who knows the mean streets of the NBA all too well : Chauncey Billups. Bouncing from team to team throughout his career, Mr. Big Shot battled rival gangs on the blocks of every NBA city and came out winning, leading Detroit to a title in 2004. His leadership since 2002 has been so grizzled that his teams have made the last seven consecutive conference finals.

Although they would never say it in front of the cameras, the Nuggets are likely laughing at the big media pundits who still are picking LA to beat them - and vowing to shoot the Lakers up bloody.

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers are lead by LeBron James, who is basically a one-man fullback/offensive line/wrecking crew/battering ram/sapper/minesweeper. LeBron is so versatile and enthusiastic that he will score, rebound, defend as best as he can - practically sacrificing his life for the Cavs - so that his teammates can simply follow his lead. He is reminiscent of the old-time generals like Alexander the Great and Napoleon, alpha males who manifested their dreams and visions by riding in front of their troops, leading them full charge into battle.


So don't even try convincing me that the Lakers and Magic will take out the Nuggets and Cavaliers in the postseason's concrete jungles. Only bringing back the heads of Chauncey Billups and LeBron James will convince me that LA and Orlando know how to make up for their sins in the streets.