"The Best Closer in Basketball"

If I hear this stupid term again I'm gonna puke. First of all, since when is there such a thing as a "closer" in basketball? What the hell does it even mean? It just started this year and the media repeats it ad nauseum until now, it's considered conventional wisdom that Kobe is the best closer in basketball. A year ago, the concept of a "closer" didn't exist. Basketball is a TEAM sport. No individual can "close" games. "Closing" games requires playing smart, tough, team defense, and making clutch shots and free throws. I don't understand how you can say one player is a great "closer" in basketball. The term used to be "clutch shooter," even though statistical analysis has proven the concept is more perception than fact.

It is not entirely different than the media reporting ad nauseum that Bush lied about WMDs in Iraq. Bush didn't lie. Our intelligence sucked. And the intelligence analysis proved to be wrong. But no sane person can realistically think Bush knew there were no WMDs and then told his lower downs to make some shit up so he could sell the war to the people. But you just repeat the same line over and over in public and the people start to believe it or at least repeat it. It's completely annoying.

A closer in basketball. WTF? It doesn't exist.