Like Hearst and Swearengen

So it boils down to this, in my mind.

The two most powerful forces in today's NBA: The iron will of Kevin Garnett and the Chamberlainesque power and domination of LeBron James. Yes, there are others. But none as them as pivotal and definitive of the 2007-2008 NBA season than these two.

For Garnett, his story of struggle is rooted in the consequence of failure. Year after year, with a poorly managed franchise, and hardly enough to take him where he wanted, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed to achieve what their transcendeary leader represented. And so he became a tragic hero, desperately loyal to an organization that could not return the favor, and a side note in an era dominated by Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. And truly, it was a tragedy, as evident in the level of pride that this uniquley American persona (so unique, it was practically un-American--a Japanese level of comittment to his franchise) demonstrated, game in, game out. He is by my account, the most noble athlete in the modern history of professional sports.

Then there is LeBron James. Witness, Wieden + Kennedy told us last year. This season as evidence, we certainly have. He is an athlete of unprecedented supremacy. A real life X-Men whose level physical domination is becoming matched by a killer instinct we have not seen before. His career, unlike Garnett's, is one of one achievement often surpassing iconic expectations. He is not a force of nature as Garnett is with his emotional domination of basketball will--but nature itself--unequivocally the most physically gifted player in the league today and perhaps ever. Never before has there been such a combination of size, strength, speed, quickness and agility.

And in this sense, LeBron and KG share something. Both entered as prototypes for generations to come. Uniquely skilled, and athletically gifted--they brought new context to what it meant to be a star in the National Basketball Association. But through the failures of Garnett's career in Minnesota, his awesomeness was hidden and buried.

But now, in the twilight of his prime--Garnett has made one final Herculean effort to achieve what his career has been missing. And to do so, he has united with 2 players whom have had similar destinies in the city where professional basketball was once religion. Garnett's intensity has provided leadership and a commitment to playing world-class defense that has made the Celtics one of the stories of this incredible season of NBA basketball.

So as every game in the Western Conference has turned into a do-or-die like situation, the powerhouses in the East wait patiently. Cleveland will not lose to Detroit in a 7-game series. Boston won't be beat by any team other than LeBrons. This is the central dynamic of the of NBA this season. Good thing we've got March Madness and the playoff race in the west to hold us off until then.