The first game of the NBA Finals is tonight. It’s been a long playoff, especially for the Philadelphia 76’ers. Journalists everywhere are falling over themselves to crown the Lakers champions, and the only team ever to sweep every team in the playoffs. I’m disappointed. Because obviously, I’m a 76’ers fan. I won’t say I was always a fan. In fact, I only became a fan the day after they eliminated my Toronto Raptors. Watching every game in that series, I gained a grudging respect for their team. Already a big Iverson fan, I saw that the rest of the team were also scrappy, sometimes downright unpleasant players. But they were basketball players. They’ve played back to back 7 game series, and are hobbled by injuries. But in that greatest of sports clichés, this is a team with heart. The Lakers are a team of shoe salesmen, rappers, models, and wannabe actors. And they represent their city well. So do the 76’ers. Let’s hope that, even in today’s NBA, substance can kick style’s ass.