This post was inspired by a comment in the game thread, and is sponsored by an untimely bout of insomnia.
Snowbird made the comment earlier tonight that Shaq is like Morpheus. I love that idea. In fact, despite Shawn Marion's relocation to Miami, the Suns now have more in common with the movie The Matrix than ever before. Shaq makes a perfect Morpheus to our young Neo (Amare). Nash is a male version of the character Trinity, the one who holds down the fort while Neo is training for his destiny (while also kicking plenty of butt in his/her own right). Or maybe Nash is Seraph instead, guardian of the Oracle? The Oracle would, of course, be Mike D'Antoni and his system.
The Spurs and Lakers are the evil agents, with Kobe as the infamous Agent Smith. As for the guy who actually uses "The Matrix" as a nickname? Perhaps it's time to start thinking of him as Cypher, the one who thought the grass was greener in some fantasy world where he could pretend life was good, and betrayed his friends to make it happen. Isn't that kind of like asking for a trade on the eve of the season?
Updates from the reader comments: ZonaFlash thinks that Brian Skinner would make a good Dozer, "the guy who gets his PT sacrificed for the good of the team". Pliny the Elder wants to see Nash as Neo and Mike D'Antoni as the Architect. Personally, I think David Stern would make a better Architect, who as I recall, was sort of a villain. Tell me this quote from Wikipedia doesn't sound like it's about a guy Suns fans are now convinced would put the letter of the law above the spirit of all that is good and wonderful in the (NBA) world?:
What do ya'll think? Do we have ourselves a blockbuster hit?