Still breathing

Welcome back, Boris. 20 points, 10 boards, 8 assists, and a couple of blocks, but perhaps more importantly, the distinction of being the dominant post presence in a game that featured Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. I remember when we thought we got the better of the Joe Johnson trade after Boris' first season with the squad, when he showcased a skill set that included Penny Hardaway's post-up game, the combination of size and speed to guard opposing point guards and centers, a penchant for filling up the stat sheet like Jason Kidd-lite, an unreliable but rapidly developing jumper, and an an affable, laid-back attitude that was incredibly coachable, almost to a fault. In hindsight, Atlanta clearly got the better of the deal, but every once in a while, we'll still get flashes of the Boris Diaw that we were sure was going to be a bona fide All-Star one day. It's clear that Nash can only do so much with Bowen draped all over him, so it was nice to see Boris and Raja really picking up the slack. As of right now, I'm just glad they didn't get swept. That's a pretty big step back for a fan of a team that had title aspirations, but that's professional sports for ya.