Blog Archives
Dwight Howard, make up your mind already!
The NBA season started out with a bunch of questions such as “Will there be a season at all?” and “How are they going to fit all the games into a compressed schedule?” Obviouslym the NBA was able to get a deal signed by the players. But, we started off the season with one huge question:
“Will Dwight Howard be in Orlando by season’s end?”
We still don’t know the answer to that question. Last week, Howard said that he didn’t want to be on the team anymore. Now, after the Magic beat the Heat in OT, Howard wants to stay in Orlando for the rest of the season.
In fact, Howard has an opt-out option for the 2012-2013 season. It was reported that he will not take this opt-out option. This means that he will be in Orlando for at least the rest of this year and all of next year. What he essentially doing is buying the Magic time to find a star to pair with Dwight.
[Related: Dwight will not take opt-out option]
Dwight’s first choice of team? The Miami Heat.
How can you go from being the superstar in a great city to Miami? Could you imagine how terrible it would be to have LeBron, Wade, and Dwight on the same team? There’s something that makes this league run, and it’s not money. It’s competition!!
If Dwight were to hit the free agency market this coming offseason, he would look into the Heat, Clippers, and the Nets.
The Nets have been reported as a popular pick for the Orlando superstar, but it doesn’t look like it will happen (this year) with Howard’s latest announcement.
My take: I think it’s alright that he’s looking for a winner to sign with, but the Miami Heat? I hate when these basketball players try to alter the fate of the league by teaming up to create these unfair matchups.
I think many people would be upset if Dwight went to Miami, because he’s been with the Magic for so long. He’s also been very loyal to them (much like LeBron was in Cleveland). You need competition in any sports league in order for it to be successfull.
Question: how come you only see this type of “Dream Teams” in basketball, not in football or baseball?
NBA Lockout Inevitable; Oden Offered Money; Nazr Mohammed to Stay in OKC
The 2010-2011 NBA Season was the craziest season to date. LeBron and Bosh took their talents to South Beach to join Wade; Phil Jackson couldn’t get his 4th 3-peat, and the Dallas Mavs “beat the Heat” in six games to win their first ever NBA Title. And who could forget the biggest trade of the year: Carmelo Anthony to the NY Knicks? Obviously it didn’t pan out the way Knicks fans were hoping for. The Nuggets got the better of them in that trade; Gallinari and Felton fit in good with that team. Anyway, let’s get goin.
NBA LOCKOUT
The first order of business is the *pending* NBA Lockout. The current CBA is set to expire at the end of the month (today). Sources have indicated that the NBA and the players’ union are far apart on every major issue, “from salaries to the salary cap, revenues to revenue sharing” (Cred ESPN.com). They’re not gonna be able to solve ALL their issues in a matter of hours tomorrow. Therefore, the lockout WILL happen, no question. It’s just the duration of it that we have no idea about. The two sides MIGHT be able to negotiate on one issue tomorrow, but we aren’t getting a deal signed anytime soon. I expect to have a deal around November, which is of course when the season starts. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the league shortens the season to 50 games like they did in 1998. We’ll just have to wait and see what goes on; as always, I’ll keep you updated as the weeks go by.
Hopefully Stern sees that we need our basketball in the winter to get through our days. Photo Cred http://cdn.bleacherreport.net
GREG ODEN OFFERED MONEY BY BLAZERS
Today, the Portland Trail Blazers offered Greg Oden a qualifying offer of $8.8 million (money amount credit to ESPN.com). If he accepts the offer, Oden will become a restricted free agent, thus allowing the Blazers to match any offer made for him. Kind of a weird rule, don’t you think? I mean, you pay the guy $8.8 mill, and you might not even be able to match what’s offered to him? They’re really taking a gamble offering him that much money. However, he’s a pretty good player WHEN HEALTHY, so I see where they’re goin with this. I still can’t believe he’s only 23. How many injuries has he suffered, like 6 or 7 in 3 NBA seasons? And they were all pretty serious too, not just your normal day-to-day sprained ankle. He’s also had like 3 surgeries, wayyy too many for a 23-year-old.I’m looking forward to seeing where he plays next season, and if he gets injured.
Will Oden stay in Portland? Or will he "take his talents to South Beach?" Photo Cred http://upload.wikimedia.org
NAZR MOHAMMED RE-SIGNS WITH THUNDER
“General manager Sam Presti announced Wednesday that Oklahoma City had signed (Nazr) Mohammed to an extension.” Mohammed is a 13-year NBA veteran who’s rebounding and scoring abilities are not questioned, however he’s not been able to show us his awesomeness because Kendrick Perkins is there to take the starting spot. I’d honestly be fine with having either one as my center, but you gotta let Perkins get the starting spot in that situation, and that’s what they did. Honestly, I think they should split the minutes 60/40, so Perkins should get about 29 minutes and Mohammed should get 19. Does that seem fair?
Mohammed resigned with the OKC Thunder on Wednesday. Photo Cred http://upload.wikimedia.org.
Comment, tell me what you think on these “tid-bits” of news,
Until tomorrow morning,
The Sportz Guru
Verlander Goes Hard in the Paint; Extra Sports Edition
In all of our 53 posts so far, we’ve written about 1 sport specifically. I feel that our horizons need to be expanded. We can do this by writing about a variety of sports in 1 post, covering the most important stories from the “Big 4” of sports. I’d love to know if you guys don’t like this idea; comments are welcome! I plan to switch up the sports I write in these “variety” posts.
This idea was brought to my mind by @jstar1973, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/jstar1973.
This post is sorta like his show, minus the unnecessary arguments :). Photo credit cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com
Football:
The lockout is still on, but most NFL fans have hope that the 2011 season will happen. Just ask @Sports_R_Me_MP3, @MrStats11, or anybody from #SportsBlogMovement on Twitter. To find us, follow @Sports_R_Me_MP3, go to his lists, you’ll see a list with that name. There’s also a rumor lurking that tips off the 4th of July as a day the new CBA will be signed. We’ll just have to wait and see; if you got any news on it, message me on twitter at @TheSportzGuru or comment below.
In other football news, Big Ben might need surgery to repair his broken foot. This announcement brings a huge blow to the Steelers, mainly because he’s the face of the franchise and they really don’t have a good enough replacement for him should he miss a couple weeks to start the season. I think if he needs surgery, he’s gonna have to miss a minimum of 6 games, which would render the Steelers a bit vulnerable.
Madden 12 Looks awesome this year; you can play as Goodell, or Smith! Photo Cred madden-school.com
Baseballl: Justin Verlander is becoming a joy to watch. Last night, he struck out a career-high 14 batters as he won his 10th game of the season.For Christ’s sake, in his last six games he’s 6-0 with a .72 ERA. He leads the Majors with 124 strikeouts and has an ERA of 2.38 this year. The fans would be stupid to not let this guy start in the MLB All-Star Game. Glad I have him on my fantasy team!
In related news, CC Sabathia was officially the first MLB pitcher to reach the 10 win mark this season, beating the Rockies last night 8-3. I really don’t like the Yankees, but you gotta tip your hat to CC, he’s pitching great.
Verlander's looking great this season. Photo Cred media.mlive.com
Basketball: Not too much basketball news to report, besides of course the NBA Draft that took place Thursday night. It was a weird draft, with some players going where they were projected, some that fell through, and some that were picked much higher than expected. Besides the first 15 picks or so, the draft this year really lacked talent. The most “complete” player in the draft was easily Kemba Walker because of his ability to score, pass, and win; 3 very important skills to take into consideration when drafting him. Walker was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 9th overall pick. In addition, Targuy Ngombo, taken with the 57th overall pick, was found to be lying about his age. He is actually a 26-year-old forward (instead of 21) and his real name is Tanguy Alban Harrys Ngombo (he switched out the “n” in Tanguy with an “r” to make his name Targuy). This makes him ineligible to be drafted. We will see what happens to him in the near future.
In other related basketball news, Scottie Pippen said on Friday that Michael Jordan is the greatest to ever play in the NBA. No duh, right? Well, last month after the Heat wiped the Bulls during the Eastern Conference Finals, Pippen said that “Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to play the game. But I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so potent offensively that not only can he score at will but he keeps everybody involved” (Credit ESPN.com). He’s in big trouble now; he just totally contradicted himself. Now he’s got nowhere to hide.
Walker's gonna have the "best" NBA career of the NBA Draft Class of 2011. Photo Cred cdn.everyjoe.com
Hockey: Ryan Smyth has been traded to the Edmonton Oilers, The full story is at http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nhl/news/story?id=6705940
Comments, concerns, all are welcome!
The Courting of Jose Reyes
Remember “The Decision” that was made last summer? You know what I’m talking about right? LeBron James choosing the team that he’d eventually play for in 2011. This decision was made into one of the biggest, if not the biggest, media event of the summer. Just thinking about it again makes me sick to my stomach…Glad the Heat lost in the Finals, they didn’t deserve a championship. As usual, I’m going a little off topic here and I’m letting my mind drift a little too far away from the main issue at hand: The Courting of Jose Reyes.
Reyes is a great player who will evaluate all his options before signing a contract.
If you’re a Mets fan, your probably pissed at the fact that even though Jose wants to stay, the Wilpons don’t have the money to pay him for another contract..As a result, he’ll most likely not be able to return next year, and what will need to happen is either a trade or a free-agency signing. That is where the courting comes in. If he chooses free agency, Jose will jump around from franchise to franchise, seeing where he can get the best bang for his buck. Now, I’m not saying he will pull a LeBron James (nobody ever will), but he will certainly make it a priority to find a good team at a good price; at a price better than what the Mets would pay him. In addition, the Mets aren’t gonna be a title contender anytime soon, so that is another reason why Jose may rather go to another team. I’m a big Mets fan, so I’m just telling it like it is….
Injuries have plagued Jose his whole career. However, this year he’s been remarkably durable and has shown us that his legs are still good for 20 to 25 SB’s a year. I find it ironic that in his contract year, Jose has been able to stay injury-free AND have a great season. Who’s to say that this performance we’re seeing this year is just a one-hit-wonder for Jose? Hey, he might be this good 5 years from now, but we can’t be sure because he hasn’t had any other seasons where he’s played this good while being free of injuries.
I’ll be surprised if he takes a pay cut OR if he makes it a big media event like LeChoke James did..His reputation would drop as fast as Michael Vick’s…He obviously doesn’t want that to happen..
What do you think will happen? Comment in the box below and tell me what you think.
The Mavericks Win the 2011 NBA Championship
In a way, this series was like a fairy tale. Dirk Nowitzki was trying to get the first title of his career, while the Heat’s Big 3 were trying to prove to everyone that they are the best in the league. The Heat were the bad guys in this one, mainly because of the trio of LBJ, Wade, and Bosh. Remember when you were tryin to play basketball with your friends and one of the captains had a stacked team and the other team sucked? That’s the Heat right there. Outside of Miami, nobody liked the Heat. INSIDE Miami, there were a lot of bandwagon “fans” that only rooted for the Heat to watch the trio. The Heat were the favorites in this series (based on Las Vegas odds). However, it’s obviously impossible to predict the winner
The Mavs did it; they are you 2011 NBA Champions
of a series; if there were, nobody would watch it because everyone would know the outcome before the series started. In this series, the Mavs were looking for revenge on the Heat with that memory of ’06 still lurking in their minds. In addition, Dirk was looking to take the attention from the Heat trio and put it on himself and the Dallas Mavericks. He felt that the Mavs deserved all the attention because it’s been all Heat all season. No other team has gotten more heat from the media, more attention, or more scrutiny this season. The Almighty Dirk did not fare well in this game, but his TEAM was able to contribute (accent on team, because the Heat don’t play like one). Dirk scored 3 points through the first half, and I believe he finished with 12 points. The JET (Jason Eugene Terry) scored 27 points, hit all the big shots, and backed up his talk that LBJ couldn’t cover him. This definitely got into LeBron’s head, because he wasn’t on top of his game today (in the Most IMPORTANT GAME of his CAREER, no less!). After the game, the analysts talked about the reasons why the Heat lost. They concluded that the main reason is: 10 players beat 3. Everyone contributed on the Mavs, even if it was 2, 4,6 points or a couple rebounds or playin great D. The Heat? Well, the Trio did most of the work..And when you rely on 3 players to beat 10 what happens? You don’t win a championship, that’s for sure. I heard that 10 v 3 comment not only from the analysts but also from my friend patton26 at http://theeverydaymanssportsblog.wordpress.com/. The Mavs won Game 6, winning the NBA Finals 4-2 in the process. Better luck next time Heat!
Game 6, Dirk looks for Revenge and a Ring
The NBA season is the longest season in professional sports. You could say golf or tennis, but they don’t have seasons (correct me if I’m wrong). It’s from the end of October to the middle of June, about 8 months. In order to win the championship in June, you need to be better than 14 teams (to make playoffs), then win 3 series, which will then take you to the Finals. The Mavs have worked hard to get to the Finals. The Heat? Well, their Big 3 have worked hard… The series has gone back and forth, first it was Miami, then Dallas, etc.. The series has certainly been exciting, particularly because of the storyline surrounding it. LeBron, Wade and Bosh teaming up on one team to win some rings, paired up against the vet Dirk and his supporting cast of Kidd, Terry, Marion, Chandler and the like. This storyline has certainly created friction between these two teams, possibly motivating them a bit more than any other series in the Playoffs.
Dirk will be on Top of his Game, I promise you that
During Game 5, Dirk came down with a sickness. He was coughing and sneezing for most of the game. Even thought the Heat lost, D-Wade and LeBron still had the nerve to mock the Almighty Dirk. During the post-game press conference, Nowitzki called this act “Childish, a little ignorant” (Courtesy to Yahoo.com). Many people say this act of childishness by D-Wade and LeBron will result in a more focused Dirk Nowitzki, which will lead to him shooting lights out, playing great D and getting some assists and rebounds along the way.
10 Bucks says LeBron's gonna choke in the 4th Quarter of Game 6
Here are my thoughts on the Heat: I have some respect for Wade. He’s been there for about 5 or 6 years, and even in tough times he stayed with the Heat. I hate LeBron’s guts. I can’t stand the man; he has no class! If he loses, he’ll cry like a baby and blame it on D-Wade, Bosh and the Heat bench. Possibly Erik Spolestra too. I don’t like Bosh either, but I am impressed that he didn’t mock Dirk;s illness. For that, I gained some respect for Boshosaurus Rex. I’m looking forward to the most exciting game of the year (so far). What’s your take on Game 6?
NBA Finals Game 3 Preview
We all know the story. It’s Dirk NoRingski and his veteran Mavericks pitted against the larger-than-life Heat. On paper, this series should be a 4-game sweep by the Heat. The combo of Baby Bron Bron, Wittle Wade, and the biggest crybaby in the league (Bosh) should be way too much for the Mavs to handle. Add in the fact that they’re a much more energetic team then the Mavs, and you have David v. Goliath.
Who won David v. Goliath? David.
Who represents David in the NBA Finals? Mavs.
Courtesy Wikipedia.org
However, I understand that you might not be Christian/ believe what I believe. That’s ok; I don’t expect you to…
Getting back to the Finals: it’s tied at 1-1. The Heat took Game 1, capped off by LeBron and Wade in the 4th. They looked unstoppable; dominant. The Heat were able to drive right past their respective Mavs defenders, as a result getting to the rim. The Mavs picked up on this as the game progressed. To combat it, they dropped back a bit (so they didn’t give up any easy layups). However, the Mavs forgot that the Heat can shoot jumpers if they’re open. Although they’re mostly athletic, the Heat are also a good jump-shooting.
Game 2 was a pretty much the same until the start of the 4th. As soon as the 4th quarter started, the Mavs showed some fight. They went on a 22-5 run, took the lead late in the game, and won 95-93. It was crazy. Simply a beautiful comeback.
What will happen in Game 3? Only time will tell.
I’m pumped. What’s your take on this series?
NBA Finals Game 1: Heat Take 1-0 Series Lead
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”- Albert Einstein
LeBron James will lead the Heat to a championship this season.
You heard me. I really hate to say it, but it’s true. The Miami Heat roster is too stacked compared to the Mavs. They’ve got James, Wade, AND Bosh. I’m honestly not surprised they didn’t win all 82 games of the regular season with that combo of All-Stars. Those 3 players combine for around 60 PPG, and that’s without adding in the other 2 starters and the bench players.
Teams that win Game 1 of any playoff series win the series 79% of the time. This means that 79 out of 100 teams would win the series if they win Game 1. To put it in practical terms, currently the Mavs have a 1/5 chance of winning the championship.
Although I talked about the Heat roster before, I forgot to mention that they have one of the youngest teams in the league. Compared to the Mavs, they have more stamina (they can last longer in games), quickness (agility, acceleration etc.), and energy (sort of self-explanatory). LeBron and Wade really showcased this in the 4th quarter of Game 1, when they sealed the deal against the Mavs. With the way LeBron’s playing, coupled with their stamina and youth, I wouldn’t be surprised if they SWEPT the Mavs to take the championship.
Bulls/Heat Game 5 Recap
Full credit for this goes to the awesome people at: http://hesaidshesaidfootball.com/
I could cut and paste the Game 4 recap and make it the Game 5 recap because the story is the same: Finishing in the 4th Quarter. Love it or hate it, that’s the story of the 2010-2011 Miami Heat in the post season. At the most critical point in the game LeBron James has silenced all critics by finishing games in the 4th Quarter. Here’s a post game quote from Joakim Noah that says it best: “You have to give credit where credit is due. They are Hollywood as hell, but they are good.”
Say what you want about the Heat: you hate them, they’re a manufactured team, THE DECISION made you throw up, etc…Whatever your reason for disliking them doesn’t matter–they are good. They were better than the Bulls last night and throughout Eastern Conference Finals. Not taking anything away from the Bulls (I believe they will have their shot again) but they were outplayed and out coached. We already know that D Rose has no supporting cast, meanwhile the Heat, not only has a supporting cast, they all know their role: stay out of the Big 3’s way. In Game 5, the Big 3 combined for 69 points, more the Bulls whole starting line-up. The other two starters for the Heat combined for 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. The 3 bench players that played last night for the Heat had a combined 11 points. 3 All-Star players for the Miami Heat beat the league’s MVP.
MVP Derrick Rose has fallen on his sword again: “At the end, it’s all me,” Rose said. “Turnovers, missed shots, fouls. The series is over.” I’m a HUGE fan of D Rose . Admittedly, it was disappointing to watch for the 2nd game in a row Rose miss critical game ending shots and miss a free throw with 26.7 seconds left…While he did not have a stellar game (shooting 9 for 29, with 25 pts), it was not ALL his fault. It was the CHICAGO BULLS’ games to lose, not just D Rose’s. His supporting cast was not in the game (literally and figuratively). Carlos Boozer (the other “scorer”) was on the bench the entire 4th quarter due to foul trouble. Boozer’s pine rider in crime, Noah (usually a reliable power player) was also a non factor in the 4th quarter. Together, Boozer and Noah combined for 10 pitiful points.
The reason the Heat work is that the Big 3 have individually transformed themselves into supporting roles when needed. In last year’s off season, the question was, “Who’s gonna be the man, Wade or Bron?” (Funny that no one asked if Bosh was going to be the man). They have found a way to coexist and play together (at least so far). The “real” supporting players DARE NOT step out of line (you see what happened to Michael Beasley). It’s unfortunate that all of Miami’s success and swag has to come at the expense of the Bulls, who need to give D Rose the help that he desperately needs. As much as I hate saying this, the Heat deserve to play for the NBA title. They worked out the regular season kinks and are clicking on all cylinders. With that said, “GO MAVs!!!”
Heat Beat Bulls in OT; Take 3-1 Series Lead
As I said in my previous post, Game 4 was a must-win game for the Chicago Bulls. The reason: if they didn’t win, they’d fall into a 3-1 ditch and into the hands of the Miami Heat. Looks like we jinxed it after all….
Last night, it seemed like the Heat made all the hustle plays; all the plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet. These plays include diving for loose balls, hustling on defense, and setting good screens on offense. You may not think these
The Heat look to Close Out the Series Tommrow Night against the Bulls
plays make a difference, but they make a big difference in the outcome of the game. Because, lets face it, most teams have around the same “level” of talent. What really sets them apart is their hustle and their mentality. If they always hustle, give 110%, and are mentally tough, they will probably win most games. Thats why the Lakers and Celtics win most games; although they have more talent, what really sets them apart is their mental toughness. Have you ever seen Kobe Bryant in the 4th quarter, with less then 4:00 min left? He is lights out when the game is on the line. This is thanks to his mental attitude that says, “I can hit this shot, and I don’t give a crap what everyone else think.” Although he might hog the ball a bit, most of the times its for a good reason: he’s clutch.
Getting back to the Bulls/Heat series: the Bulls lost last night. This put them in a deep hole, probably too deep to climb out of. Hopefully MVP Derrick Rose can lead his team to some back-to-back wins so they can force a Game 7. That would be really exciting for me considering I’m a Bulls fan. Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday at 8:30 pm ET.
For more on this story, go to: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=heathustle-110525
Must Win Game for Bulls Tonight; Down to Heat 2-1
I hate to say this but: the Heat are living up the hype. Remember when they were prancing on that stage in July as if they won 3 championships (before the season even started)? Well, their pretty damn close, already up 2-1 in the NBA Conference Finals. That means only 6 more wins and they get their first championship in the LeBron/Wade/Bosh era. How sickening… I never thought they’d get this far. Remember when LeBron took an hour to “take his talents to South Beach”? Well, he certainly did, averaging 26.7 points this season. At least Bosh had the decency to just GO to Miami instead of announcing it like it’s the biggest thing since sliced bread.
However, with all that star power on that team, should we really be surprised? Miami’s Big Three combine for like 70 PPG for the Heat. That is a lot of points from just 3 players on your team; you still have the other 2 starters and a couple bench players. On paper, no team would be able to even compete against the Heat, not even the Chicago Bulls. Nonetheless, the game of basketball is not played on a piece of paper; it is played on a basketball court. This is why the Heat did not win every game during the regular season, although they had the best players on paper. I was also very surprised when the Heat knocked the Celtics out of the playoffs in the 2nd round. They are turning out much better than I thought they would.
Tonight’s game is a must-win for the Bulls because they need to tie up the series. If they do not, they will fall in a 3-1 ditch going into a game 5. Not a good situation at all. I’m not sure they’ll be able to win 3 in a row against this Heat team; they have too much offense for that to happen. I will certainly be watching how the Big 3, Derrick Rose, and the Bulls bench contribute to their teams. The game starts at 8:30 pm ET.
Oh, and DERRICK ROSE NEEDS TO FINISH AT THE RIM!!!!
LeBron/Wade/Bosh have Turned Things Around for the Miami Heat, Leading them to the NBA Conference Finals
Heat Take 2-1 Series Lead Over the Bulls
In Game 2, we saw that the Bulls could not finish at the rim or drive to the basket at all, forcing them to take jumpers. I guess they realized they needed to be more aggressive, because they did a much better job picking up fouls in Game 3.
Bosh Scored 34 In the Heat's Game 3 Victory Over the Bulls
However, whenever they did take jumpers, they missed most of them, which really hindered their ability to produce on the offensive side of the ball. In addition, I saw a much more aggressive offense in the Miami Heat then in the Chicago Bulls. The Heat shot 25-29 from the charity stripe (86.2%), while the Bulls shot 16-21 (76.2%). This really helped them close out at the end of the game. There was one surprise for
the Bulls in this game: Carlos Boozer shot 8-19, scored 26 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. The MVP Derrick Rose scored 20, and had an off night just like in Game 2. in order for the Bulls to win the series, they need Rose to hit his shots, get to the line, and make great passes. In addition, nobody on the Bulls can create their own shot except for Rose. So, by driving to the basket and making his layups, he is planting a seed in the defenses mind that says, “We need to cover Rose more when he drives to the hoop.” This will cause the Heat to crash to the inside, creating open 3-point opportunities for Deng and open jump shots for
Rose Needs to Play Better if the Bulls Hope to Win the Series
everyone else. However, the huge surprise was Chris Bosh, who shot 13-18 and scored a team-high 34 points. I’m sure nobody was expecting this out of Bosh. Maybe out of LeBron or Wade, but definitely not Bosh. After Bosh missed his first 3 shots, he exploded and hit 8 in a row. Right after his 3rd miss, Taj Gibson was taunting him, trying to get in Bosh’s head and intimidate him. Obviously, Bosh used that to “fuel his fire” and score 16 straight points.The sad part is, the Bulls out-rebounded the Heat 41-32, and they still lost….That’s a +9 margin. I don’t think they should be losing when they have the rebound advantage. Final score: Heat over the Bulls 96-85. Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday in Miami.
Chicago Bulls/Miami Heat Game 3 Preview
In Game 1 of this series, we saw the Chicago Bulls out-rebound the Miami Heat 45-33. That’s a pretty good margin (net +12). However, in Game 2, the Bulls couldn’t find a way to grab rebounds, losing the battle on the boards 45-41 to the Heat. That really baffles me because the Bulls are a better rebounding team then the Heat. They shouldn’t let the Heat get 45 rebounds. This is one reason why they lost Game 2.
Another reason why the Bulls lost game 2: their offense went stagnant. In Game 1, they scored 103 points on 25 assists, but in Game 2 they only scored 75 points on 15 assists. That a 28 point drop! How the hell could you go from 103 one game to 75 in the next? I’ll tell you: being conservative. Instead of driving to the basket and picking up fouls (what they did in Game 1), they settled for difficult jumpshots. We all know the Bulls aren’t exactly the best jump shooting team. They get most of their points off layups and occasional jumpshots. Being aggressive is how this team will win Game 3.
I also saw some poor play from the MVP Derrick Rose. We are so used to seeing him finish layups at the rim, picking up and-ones, and hitting his jumpshots. We didn’t see any of that in Game 2. He only scored 21 points, not a bad total, but he shot 7-23 from the floor and 0-3 from downtown. I’m not saying he should be scoring 35, but he could’ve scored more from all his missed layups.
So far, I’ve only talked about the Bulls problems, and what they need to do in order to win Game 3. Let’s talk about the Heat now. Game 1 was their real bad game (they lost Game 1). In that game, they weren’t able to drive to the basket or pass the ball efficiently. This resulted (just like the Bulls in Game 2) in them taking jumpers for most of the game. In addition, they didn’t rebound well, which led them to have fewer possessions than the Bulls. The Big Three for Miami also need to learn how to share the ball. This will make it much harder for the Bulls to defend them if they pass the ball back and forth, wearing out the defense. I know this game will be exciting, especially since both teams are tied at 1 win apiece. Drop a comment and tell me who you think will win Game 3 (and the rest of the series too).
MVP D-Rose and the Bulls Look to Rebound Against the Heat Tonight
Heat Show Some Fight in Game 2
The game of basketball is a team sport. To win the game, you must play as a team. This means pass the ball a lot, don’t be selfish, set good screens for teammates, and help them in any way you can. This doesn’t mean take 40 shots in a game (*cough* Kobe Bryant). A
LeBron and Co. Prevailed Over the Bulls Wednesday, 85-75. Game 3 Is Scheduled for Sunday Night at American Airlines Arena
good indicator for determining if you’re a team player is the number of assists you rack up during a game. However, this can be misleading because a point guard could have 10 assists in a game, but also take 30 shots. In Sundays Game 1 against the Bulls, the Heat really had a tough time getting their offense going. So, LeBron and Wade started running many isolation plays, which forced them to put up tough shots 1 on 1. Both those guys said they’d play better in Game 2. They made a promise to their fans, and they weren’t about to let them down now, especially in the playoffs. Last night in Game 2 at the United Center, they kept their promise. LeBron scored 29 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and picking up 5 assists. This performance was much better than his Game 1 performance when he only scored 15. Dwayne Wade scored 24 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and shot 8-10 from the charity stripe. Both of these great performances led to the Game 2 victory over the Bulls, 85-75. That’s a pretty low scoring game, don’t you think? Derrick Rose was only able to score 21 while dishing 8 assists. Not a bad game, but I think if they didn’t turn the ball over as much as they did, they would have definitely been able to come back and win. What do you think?
NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Game 2 Preview
Last Sunday, basketball fans witnessed a spectacular Game 1, pitting MVP Derrick Rose and the Bulls against the combo of LeBron/Wade/Bosh and the Heat. To be honest, the vast majority of fans are rooting for the Bulls to win the series. The only city that wants the
Wade and His Big 3 Look to Rebound Against the Bulls Tonight and Tie the Series at 1-1
Heat to win is Miami, their hometown. Outside of Miami, nobody likes the Heat. They’re much too arrogant for my taste, and they seem to think they are guaranteed a championship, because of their stacked roster. In Game 1, the Bulls comfortably defeated the Heat, 103-82. They are looking to take a 2-0 lead in the series, putting them one game closer to a spot in the NBA Finals. After their less-than-stellar performances on Sunday, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade vowed to come back strong in Game 2. I will certainly be watching them to see if they lived up to their promise. Coming into this game, the Bulls are carrying a 9 game winning streak. Their winning streak will obviously play a huge factor in the way they play tonight. They’ll be pumped for this, and I think they will be even more prepared then they were for Game 1. If that’s the case, then the Heat are going to have a hard time defending Rose and guarding Deng on the 3-point line. Plus, the Bulls won 62 regular season games, compared to the Heat’s 58 victories. The one positive that Miami is taking into this game, is that in Game 1 Chris Bosh dropped 30 points. The Heat will definitely look to build on that performance in this game. Luol Deng told media, “I think we’ve got to play better. I really do. We played really well. If you look at the final score, we won by a lot, but it really wasn’t that kind of game” (Courtesy of Sportsencounter.com). I’m super excited for this Game 2. Drop a comment and tell me what you think.
Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs
Tonight’s Game 1 match-up pitted MVP Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls against LeBron/Wade/Bosh and the Miami Heat. In the regular season series, the Bulls swept the Heat 3-0. However, most people believe that the regular season games have no effect on the post season. I am not one of those people. If you don’t agree, fine, drop a comment. But
D-Rose scores 28 points in the Bulls' Game 1 victory
anyway, the Bulls showed they were a much more consistent team then the Heat during the post-season. Tonight, Derrick Rose scored 28 and Luol Deng added 21 en route to a 103-82 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Chris Bosh had a big night, dropping 30 points on 12-18 shooting (66%), leading the Heat in scoring. LeBron was held to 15 points on 5-14 from the field, while D-Wade was held to just 18 points. Tonight’s game showed that the Bulls are a much more consistent team then the Heat. Personally, I’m hoping the Bulls can pull this one out and finish off the Heat in six games. Do you think the Heat will pull it together?
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities is a book by Charles Dickens, published in 1859. With over 200 million copies sold, it has been regarded as one of the best works in the history in fictional literature. I’m sure you’ve heard of that book right? Well, there are some real-life examples of what the book talks about. Bulls vs Heat. The Chicago Bulls have been in a slump since the great Jordan era. They hope to prevail over the Miami Heat, who most recently won a championship in 05-06 using a combination of Shaq and D-Wade to beat the Mavs in six games. The Heat acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh during the off-season in 2010. We all remember James’ own half-hour special dubbed ‘The Decision’. Because of his egotistical methods to make himself feel like a king, people started hating his guts. The combo of James, D-Wade, and Bosh might me too much for the Bulls to handle. However, I think that with the MVP (Rose), the Bulls will be able to beat the Heat in six games, assuming that they can play as a team and defend against the Big 3 of Miami.
The Sportz Guru 