I'll admit up front that the only time I watch the NBA is during the playoffs because believe it or not I can't stand MLB even more than the NBA, hockey and NASCAR.

But watching that slop last night was enough to make me stop watching the rest of the playoffs.

Last time I checked the following items are supposed to be a part of basketball but weren't on display last night.

1.  Defense - Are you kidding me?  Does anyone in the NBA actually play defense on a guy driving down the middle of the lane?  I actually saw defenders step aside.

2.  Passing - Other than an occasional alley oop or "oh crap" pass, do they actually understand the fundamentals of a bounce pass or chest pass?

3.  Traveing - I know that people have always complained about the amount of steps players get in the NBA compared to college but no wonder Lebron and Kobe and others score 30 points game.  When you get to take 6 steps with the ball under your arm you can get around anyone.

4.  Layups - Just checking but they are allowed to make layups right?  And they still paint the little square on the backboard don't they?

5.  Free Throws - Some of these guys should be allowed to decline taking a shot and speed up the game.  They aren't even close and then they act like "Oh man I thought I had that one" even though they are shooting like 6 percent from the line.

6.  Flops - Is this the NBA or the MLS?  Good Lord if I see one more flop from a 6-foot-8, 260 pound man who wipes his hand on his face and acts like he is looking for blood, I think I'm going to puke.

The Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb scattered six hits and did not walk a butter as he threw his first complete game shutout of the season on Thursday night to move to 8-0 on the season.  He became the first pitcher to win his first eight starts since Jon Garland of the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and the first in the NL since Pedro Martinez for Montreal in 1997, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Webb has been nearly unhittable all season and is the clear front-runner for the NL Cy Young through the first month plus. He has logged 56 innings and allowed only 40 hits and 16 walks in that span while posting a 2.41 ERA. 

Arizona is blessed to have him and now they must try to lock him up. Webb turns 29 on Friday and after compiling a 42-18 record over the past three years, the D-Backs are going to have to buck up to keep baseball's best pitcher (sorry Johan Santana).

Webb is one of baseball's biggest bargains, or one of the most underpaid depending on the perspective, but the Diamondbacks are trying to work out a new deal.

He is scheduled to make $5.5 million this season as part of a four-year contract that originally guaranteed him $19.5 million and potentially is worth $27.5 million over five seasons. He is due $6.5 million next year, and the Diamondbacks have an $8.5 million option for 2010 with a $1.5 million buyout.