Bango > Bogut

With the Knicks out of the NBA Playoffs, I've found myself watching games and rooting for one thing: for top-tier free-agents-to-be to suffer frustrating late-season defeats that will prompt them to leave their teams for the bright lights of New York City come this summer.  Chris Bosh's failure to make the playoffs with Toronto can't be good for the Raptors's chances at retaining the star, while Dwyane Wade must be similarly perturbed with Miami's early playoff exit.  After last night's Game Five victory in Atlanta, the Milwaukee Bucks are one victory away from sending Joe Johnson and the Hawks home early, too.

How can a Milwaukee team that, after losing arguably its best player (Andrew Bogut) for the season with a gruesome arm and shoulder injury, was written off as a playoff contender by NBA experts potentially eliminate the Hawks, a team that those same experts proclaimed could take down Orlando, Cleveland or Boston and represent the East in the NBA Finals? Consistently solid play from Brandon Jennings, John Salmons and Carlos Delfino certainly has something to do with it, but I give credit for Milwaukee's hot streak to Bango:

Since Bango pulled off this insane stunt prior to Game Four in Milwaukee, the Bucks have gone 2-0 to take a 3-2 series lead and move within a victory on Friday night of advancing to the second round.  Perhaps Bango's heroics have pumped up the Bucks, filling the players with the adrenaline and confidence required to succeed in the NBA Playoffs?  Or, is it possible that Bango's antics single-handedly energized the fans in Game Four, leading to the Bucks capturing the home victory and the series momentum?  While we'll never be able to directly measure Bango's contributions to the Bucks playoff run, the timing between the stunt (which is all over the Internet right now) and the series turnaround cannot be a mere coincidence.

Bango isn't the only popular and lovable NBA mascot leading his team into the playoffs.  The Suns Gorilla has Phoenix within a victory of the second round.  Benny the Bull couldn't prevent Chicago from losing the Cleveland, but he did propel the Bulls to a win in Chicago.  San Antonio's Coyote and Dallas's Champ do battle in one Western Conference first round tilt, while Denver's Rocky and Utah's Bear square off in another.  Some said the Celtics were too old to go deep in the playoffs this season, but Lucky's good fortune led Boston to an impressive first round victory over Burnie and the Heat.  Orlando's Stuff the Magic Dragon has the best name of any NBA mascot; the Magic were also the only team to sweep in the first round.

It's worth noting that my New York Knicks (and their back to back seasons of 50+ losses) are one of the few NBA teams that doesn't have a mascot.  If the Knicks hope to lure any top-tier free agents this off-season, they better come up with one quick.  Might I suggest a Rooster?