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The Phoenix Suns went down today after leading by 18 in the second quarter. Thus ending their magical run in the NBA playoffs. No one expected them to get anywhere this season. What with Amare Stoudemire going down with knee injuries and getting surgery on BOTH knees. But led by back to back MVP Steve Nash, they went on a tear in the regular season, won back to back game 7s in round 1 (against the Lakers) and the semis(against the Clips) and finally went down in game 6 against Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs.

Although I am a Miami Heat fan, I am a big Steve Nash fan, and thus was hoping that the Suns would win the game today and beat the Mavs in another game 7. They were clearly undermanned and were considered by many to be the underdogs in this series. But watching the games, I can say that Steve Nash together with his band of unknown supporting cast with the exception of Shawn MArion, gave everything they could against overwhelming odds. What a team! What a player! They ran and ran like their was no tomorrow. Scored from downtown and played beautiful basketball. Since the days of Stockton to Malone, I have never seen such a brilliant execution of the pick and roll. Steve Nash IS the MVP.

As a guy who loves basketball, I can truly say that basketball is NOT just a game. I am not even sure how to explain it. The game captivates you from the opening tip. The run and gun style, the three point shot, the unpredictability of it all.

As a guy who loves to PLAY basketball, the thing that drives me is the fact how so many times opponents UNDERESTIMATE the team that I play on.  Or how they underestimate ME as a player. They don’t have to say it but you feel it.

ANd this drives me to prove them WRONG. I do not know what it is, but I know in my heart that when I am on the court, with the ball in my hands, that there is no one there who can stop me or guard me. And I know that when I take a shot, I believe in my heart that it will ALWAYS go in. No matter what the situation.

Perhaps I have watched TOO MANY Michael Jordan and Larry Bird videos which has caused me to have this confidence. Perhaps I am just a proud individual who thinks himself better than what he really is. Heck I could even be wrong and I am actually a bad basketball player. Hey, maybe I actually suck at basketball.

But does’nt matter. What you need to know is that when I shoot the basketball with time running down, with the game on the line, the ball is either going in or going out. And I can live with that. I will live with that.

Basketball. It is NOT just a game.

And I think Steve Nash will agree with me.