The Mash-Up: Even-year jinx got to San Antonio Spurs

The Lakers knocked off the Spurs. We all should have seen it coming. San Antonio can’t get it done in even years. Their titles have come in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

And with the Celtics’ win Friday, the NBA has its dream finals matchup.

Get ready for the NBA to run one of those split-screen commercials throwback-style using Magic Johnson and Larry Bird — even though Bird works for the Pacers he’s probably still a Boston fan. Or Jerry West and Bob Cousy. Or Elgin Baylor and Bill Russell.

Climbing

•Superheroes: From Batman to Iron Man to the Hulk to Hancock, they’re everywhere. Sports Illustrated even used Bizzaro, the anti-Superman, on its cover to explain the first-place Rays and last-place Yankees.

•Game of Shadows: The book that helped bring attention to steroids scandals in sports is going to be made into an HBO movie, Variety reported back in November. Attached to the project is writer-director Ron Shelton — whose Mash-up credits include sports movies “Play it to the Bone,” “Tin Cup,” “The Great White Hype,” “Cobb,” “Blue Chips,” “Bull Durham” and “White Men Can’t Jump.” Richard Deitsch, of SI.com, reports this week that the script is nearly complete and that Shelton will not cast actors to play Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Marion Jones or Tim Mongomery. Instead, Shelton will use actual news footage of the athletes in the movie.

•Bandwagons: The Red Wings are in position to win a Stanley Cup, and guess who’s a huge hockey fan all of a sudden? That’s right, me. Let’s go, Gary Bettman. NHL in the Sprint Center!

Holding steady

•The ABA: “Semi-Pro” is coming out on DVD on Tuesday. But hit the library and pick up the book Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association by Terry Pluto. The real stories are funnier than the gags in the movie.

Slipping

•Toyozakura’s apprentice: Toyozakura, the sumo veteran, will take a 30-percent pay cut for three months as punishment for bopping an 18-year-old apprentice on the head with a ladle, Reuters reported this week. Sumo wrestlers at Toyozakura’s level make about 1 million yen a month (about $9,000). But, it’s the apprentice who deserves sympathy. That ladle opened up a cut on his head that required eight stitches.

•Big Brown: Doctors say that crack in his hoof is no big deal, but why do I get the feeling that you are as likely to see a Triple Crown winner this year as you are to see me at the “Sex in the City” premiere.

(But to single guys, that might not be a bad place to meet women, right? Wear your best shirt — iron it first.)

•The Mash-up: Thanks for letting me entertain you. I’m going from a good situation to a better one, and because of that I won’t be able to drop the Mash-up on you every week.

Till next time, remember my grandfather’s advice: Proper planning prevents poor performance.

It’s been real.

To reach Greg Moore, send e-mail to gmoore@kcstar.com