was watching
Watching The San Francisco Giants, So Strange And So Blessed
The San Francisco Giants have won the World Series in every even-numbered year this decade. They could do it again this year. That's not even the weird part.
Watching Kevin Durant, Who Is as Impossible and Unstoppable as Ever
Two years ago, Kevin Durant was the MVP of a very different NBA. This postseason, he is burning NBA modernity to the ground through sheer virtuosity. It's fun.
Watching Ben Zobrist, Always In The Right Place At The Right Time
Ben Zobrist has had a very successful but unusual career, both because he's been on the right teams in the right roles and because of how well he plays that role.
Watching Tristan Thompson, Master Of Basketball's Invisible Tasks
There's nothing outwardly remarkable about Tristan Thompson, except for the thing he does remarkably well—crash the boards and win his team extra possessions.
Watching Jason Heyward, the Virtuoso Who Is Still Figuring It Out
The Chicago Cubs' Jason Heyward is both a star and a riddle, and one of baseball's least-appreciated most valuable players. It's all inherent in what he does, and it may always be.
Watching Kansas City's Salvador Perez, A Big Catcher Trying to Become A Big Hitter
Salvador Perez is big in a uniquely profound way. On a Royals team that wins through applied persistence, he doesn't just fit in—he exemplifies what works.
Watching Kobe Bryant's Strange, Honest, Perfectly Fitting Last Game
Kobe Bryant went out on his own terms, just as he was always going to. That last ride was as electric and as thrilling, and as stilted, as Kobe himself.
Watching The Charlotte Hornets, Breaking Through as Modestly as Possible
The Hornets built a winning, middle-class team through smart drafting, reclamation projects, and an aversion to ego. It may not last, but it's beautiful to watch.
Watching Hanley Ramirez, Finding His Level at Last
Hanley Ramirez has been a star and a zero from one at-bat to the next. In his twilight, after bombing as an outfielder, he might finally have found his place with the Boston Red Sox.
Watching DeAndre Jordan, The Talking Point That Dunks
Because he is so bad at shooting free throws and so good at finishing lobs, DeAndre Jordan tends to disappear into one abstraction or another. We should look closer.
Watching The Houston Rockets, A Team In Shambles
Last year, the Rockets were annoying but undeniable. This year, their brand of ultra-efficient basketball has collapsed. What's left is odd, but much more human.
Watching The Cleveland Cavaliers, In The Waiting Room
The Cavs have done everything they were supposed to do this year, and still look like the best team in the East. And yet, somehow, it's been a season of drama.