Haywood was able to play in Game 4, but was only able to play 3 minutes. It sounds like his hip isn't getting any better, and doctors say his injury usually takes 4-6 weeks to heal. Obviously, Haywood will keep trying, but it is sounds more and more likely that Haywood has played his last minutes in the Finals. It's not the end of the World for the Mavs, but it does hurt their rebounding which is something I thought they could have an advantage in going into the series. Ian Mahinmi will likely take his place.
I know there is still 1 game left, but the writing is on the wall.
I don't know why I watch the Eastern Conference Finals, I keep getting let down. LeBron is playing at the top of his game, he is making every right move and whenever the Bulls have a shot of taking the game they fuck up and do something stupid. They are completely vindicated of what happened last summer. I hate that.
With the game tied at 85 Derrick Rose takes a stupid one on one fade away and then in overtime they played like a bunch of assholes, turning the ball over, not being able to inbound the ball and awful shot selection.
So this means the the Miami Heat and LeBron are most likely going to face the Dallas Mavericks led by the German Shepherd (Dirk). So Dallas is my only hope to stop the Heat from the title. (The Thunder are toast)
Russell Westbrook did not play in the fourth quarter of Game 2 on Thursday as head coach Scott Brooks played Kevin Durant and other reserves, including point guard Eric Maynor.
Westbrook stated again that he was fine and that he won't complain as long as the team won the game.
"Not when we're winning," Westbrook said. "I'm good. I'm just sitting there just waiting to get my name called."
While some may think this was a big deal, Brooks says his decision to sit Westbrook in the last quarter should not be taken that way.
"I had that decision [whether or not to bring Westbrook back] for the last six or so minutes, but I thought ... we were increasing the lead. We were making shots. I didn't want to mess with the rhythm. I usually will sub him in. Very rarely have I ever done that since Russell has been here (ESPN)."
This has been a long time coming. I saw a stat the other day that Westbrook is shooting 10 more shots a game since the playoffs start. He is the reason they have lost a couple of games in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong I don't think they go very far without him, but this is a much better team when he actually plays point guard. He needs to realize that Durant is the star of this team, not him, he needs to set the table and drive to the basket when it's open. Hopefully, this will get through his thick head, and actually I think it will.
The Celtics are out, and I have finally come to terms with it. Last night, DP and I were talking about who to root for the rest of the way. There was one obvious answer and that was "anyone but the Heat". That kind of went without saying, but which team would you actually want to see win it all?
Mavericks - Gotta love Dirk and he deserves to finally win it all. He is playing unreal. Plus, they have some local talent in Jose Juan Barea (Northeastern), so I guess that is something Boston can rally around. I have always been a fan of Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry, and Brendan Haywood. Only real negative is Jason Kidd, who I just flat out don't like.
Thunder - Well we got the Perkins connection, they are young, they are flashy, and they have a certain "cool" factor. Looking through their roster there isn't one player I can say I hate. The only negative is that we are probably going to see them for the next 5 years.
Bulls - MVP of the league, but when your team has 2 Duke players in the starting lineup it's tough to root for them. Obviously want them to crush the Heat, but I can't say I want them to win it all.
Heat - Kill yourself.
So, after much talk DP and I decided we are rooting for the Mavericks. Cuban is the man, and you know it would drive Stern crazy. Like I said before Dirk deserves this, and thus I am rooting for them the rest of the way.
Ok, so I am chided by friends for my love of hockey on a fairly regular basis. I know that in most cases this is purely a good-natured ribbing, but the overarching theme seems to be that hockey is a niche sport or that it's boring. Well with the playoffs underway for about 10 days now, it's been pretty damn exciting -- even more exciting than the fact that Ike Davis hit home runs on consecutive nights during passover.
Of the eight first-round series that have happened, only one of them has been resolved as of this morning, in a sweep as it were, but the other seven series have each been taught battles. Overtime -- and multiple-overtime games have abounded, both Washington and San Jose have completed amazing comebacks for the ages, Boston has rallied with two wins on the road to tie a series that looked lost, Buffalo is on the verge of upsetting Philadelphia -- a team tabbed by some to win it all -- after last night's thrilling road overtime win, the Blackhawks have suddenly sprung to life and are making life nervous for the No. 1 overall-seeded Canucks after a big win in Vancouver, and Nashville and Anaheim happen to be caught up in a spectacular series that just about no one is talking about.
Compare this with the NBA, and while I do rather like the NBA, most of my friends who mock my love for hockey do so in deference to hoops. And this year the excitement is no comparison. Sure, the NBA has had its exciting games -- Game 1 between Memphis and San Antonio comes to mind -- but three of four series in the Eastern Conference alone are one game away from being sweeps.
Ho-hum.
But this is not meant to antagonize or come off as pompous. I like the NBA. But after hearing from dozens (yeah, dozens) that hockey is boring, I can't help but point their collective attention to the absolutely bonkers goal that was scored by Bobby Ryan in last night's Game 5 between Anaheim and Nashville.
Yeah, that's right.
That's an intercepted pass, a breakaway against two defensemen with not just one, but two dangles and then a top shelf backhand to break a tie in a pivotal game. HO-LY CRAP. Seriously. Watch it again. And again and again and again. And lest you claim that the exploits of some po-dunk Canadian boy are of little interest to the standard American, Bobby Ryan, one of the most skilled young players in the League, is actually from New Jersey.
Yeah, he's from Cherry Hill, which is really Philly country -- and we all know how I feel about Philly -- but for the time being I'll take it. This type of skill is nuts, and brings back echoes of Mario Lemieux's wild nutmeg from the 1991 Stanley Cup Final.
And the best thing about the Stanley Cup playoffs? That goal looked like a demoralizing nail in the coffin for Nashville. Instead, the Predators knotted the score up with 35 seconds to go and then potted a winner early in overtime. The skill is outstanding, the drama is high, play is thrilling and the results are wholly unpredictable. Say what you will about name recognition or press coverage, but plays like these are amazing sights to behold. And if you're watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they're all around if you look.
