When Birds are Prey

The Bulls play the Hawks tonight in the final game of their regular season.  It's been up and down for the Bulls this year.  Lots of injuries (among them you know who) and no one is predicting a title this year.

The Atlanta Hawks have had a great year.  A team without heavy star power, they didn't attract much attention until they kept winning and winning.  Now, they are the number one team in the Eastern Conference.  Their title run looked so bright  -- until now it looks very dark --  for a very ugly reason.

Thabo Sefolosha is one of the Hawks' best players.  He will miss the playoffs because he has a broken leg.  He didn't break it on the court like the Indiana Pacers' Paul George who returned to the active roster last week as a hero.  Yet, the Pacers and the Hawks are united in the ugliness.

New York Nightclub.  4 a.m.  Fight.  Stabbing.  Not words that lead to a good outcome. This time, Pacers and Hawks players were on the scene.  How about the word "Police"?  Have we come to the point where, when we see that word,  we shudder at what we suspect will come next in the news story?

Sefolosha claims that he was a bystander and that the police broke his leg.  Apparently, there is video showing him being hit.  The NBA and especially the NBA players' union are investigating.  We won't know anything more for awhile.

What we do know is that the Hawks are crippled.  I hope they overcome the loss and beat everyone in the East.

Ultimately, I want the Golden State Warriors to win the title.  After all, their great three point shooter, Steph Curry, is managed by the Bulls' great three pointer, Steve Kerr.  It's enough of a connection for me.