Movies are often marketed with the "Two-time Oscar Winner" or "Nine-time Golden Global Nominated" actor in order to build hype and get folks thinking they are about to witness a modern classic.
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Every now and then a Robert De Niro type will pull a Rocky and Bullwinkle. Every now and then, the performance doesn't live up to the billing of the award winner.
"The Big Three vs. the MVP" has become the common billing for the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat. And while it sounds nice on the surface, recent history tells us it might not indicate such a great forecast for the Bulls and 2010-11 MVP Derrick Rose.
Over the past decade only one NBA MVP has also hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in the same season he has been awarded as the top player - Tim Duncan in 2003.
Think about that for a second. Only one time in 10 years has the player deemed "Most Valuable" been able to use that value to help his team win four rounds in the playoffs and provide his city with a sweet parade.
This failure includes Miami's LeBron James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a combined three rounds of postseason wins in his 2008-09 and 2009-10 MVP seasons.
That's pretty low, especially compared to the two previous decades which, according to the NBA's online encyclopedia, featured six MVP champions from 1991-2000 and four from 1981-1990.
It's not just the overall title which seems to be eluding these MVPs. In 10 years only two other MVP honorees have successfully won three rounds in the postseason, earned a title in their respective conference, and even had a shot at the title. The 2001 76ers and the 2008 Lakers.
Clearly there has been a decline of postseason success for the leagues MVP, but regardless of any jinx potential, the hardware has been passed out and the billing as been posted.
Now it's up to Rose and the Bulls to decide whether this movie will play out as a Rocky and Bullwinkle-style letdown or as a Godfather II-esque success.
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