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Seau death officially ruled a suicide, Mo go for the season?
With Wednesday came the devastating news of Junior Seau’s death. The death has been officially ruled as a suicide by the medical examiner.
Big hits are a part of football. You take away big hits, I guarantee people will stop watching it (with good reason). People watch for the big hits and the scampering running back, dashing across the field like a men among boys. We not only lost a great player in Seau’s death, but an amazing person as well.
It’s sad to think that football may have ultimately caused this death. We’ve never had these concussion problems before (pre 1990s), but now everyone’s anxious to tell their story of battered brains and hurt souls.
Thankfully, the Seau family will allow an examination of Junior’s brain. This will greatly help the NFL determine exactly how football affects the brain.
Thank you, Seau family. RIP Junior.
On to baseball:
Sad news comin’ out of New York: Mariano Rivera tore his ACL in pre-game on Thursday. He is ruled out for the rest of the young 2012 season. The question is: Have we seen him pitch his last innings in the majors? As a baseball fan, you’ve gotta feel bad for Mo.
Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) has a hand injury that puts him back four to six weeks. This is a crushing blow to the Giants, who can’t possibly replace the production of big boy Panda. At least they’ll get him back by the middle of June.
Albert Pujols is still homer-less this season (yay).
Basketball time:
The Knicks are down 0-3 in their 1st Round series to the Miami Heat. This season has been one of highs and lows for the Knicks, and right now they can’t find the groove. Let me tell you, they were leading at halftime last night 40-36 and I was confident they could come at least withink 10. But no, LeFlop has to score eight straight points in the fourth quarter for the Miami Heat.
Go Knicks!
Great time to be a sports fan
Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite months of sports. You’ve got the NBA Playoffs finally underway after a drama-filled regular season. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are always exciting, since the dynamic of a game can change in a flash. Between one moment and the next is a period of “What’s gonna happen next?” In basketball, you know after every score it takes about 10 seconds to bring the ball to half-court, which creates less drama then a 2-1 hockey game.
Plus, baseball is finding it’s groove around this time (too bad Albert Pujols hasn’t). By the way, Matt Kemp is a monster. If he even remotely produces like this for the rest of the season, he’ll be a frontrunner for the MVP race.
On to basketball:
The Knicks play Game 3 tomorrow night at the Garden against the Miami Heat. It would be an understatement to say this has been disappointing playoffs so far for the Knicks. First, they embarrass themselves by losing “Bobcats style” in Game 1. Next, they lose Game 2 by a frustrating 10 points.
This season’s had more drama then a bad soap opera for the Knicks! I’m not going to recap that (it would take thousands of words), but we did here an interesting story break yesterday morning. Amar’eStoudemire committed an act of violence against himself. Out of frustration, he punched the class casing surrounding a fire extinguisher. He’s “out for [tonight’s] game and is doubtful for Game 4” (wsj.com). If I were the Knicks, at the beginning of the season next year I would cut (pun) Amar’e. This is a disgusting act and does not help the team at all.
Or does it?
It’s been true all year: the Knicks actually play BETTER with Amar’e out of the lineup. So, will this help them out in Game’s 3 and 4? We’ll see.
When the Celtics lost Game 1, analysts were already taking them for granted and saying “Oh, they can’t win without Rondo in the lineup.” Of course, Rondo was suspended on Monday for Game 2. They said “A team without Rondo and Allen cannot beat the Hawks.” I thought the Hawks would see no Rondo or Allen and go, “We got this.” Of course, Pierce went off for 36 points. They ended up winning the game, evening up the series 1-1.
Baseball:
As we all know, Albert Pujols is in a major slump. He hasn’t hit a home run, and is hitting sub-.250. He’s got 4 RBI’s…Nobody knows what’s wrong with him so far this season. To be honest, I’m glad he’s in this slump. I’m happy because he left, no, abandoned the Cardinals with such a money-first attitude. He wasn’t concerned with winning more rings and staying loyal to his team. Nope, everyone says it’s a business. Follow the money…
Football:
BREAKING NEWS: Junior Seau is dead
Four New Orleans Saints players were suspended today for their involvement in the bounty scandal. Most significantly, Jonathan Vilma has been suspended for the entire 2012 season, effective immediately.
For more on the story, visit ESPN: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7881761/nfl-bans-four-players-new-orleans-saints-bounty-roles
Third time’s the charm, right?
Why do I keep doing this? Every time I try to get back into sports blogging, schoolwork gets in the way and I completely forget about writing. Well, this time I decided that if I want to become a sports journalist in the future, I’ll need to improve my writing by….duh, WRITING. The writing we do in school is sooo boring. Plus, sports writing allows me to convey my thoughts about my favorite topic using the most widely-used medium in the world: the Internet. \
Enough of that, let’s get back to work!
Watching the Knicks/ Heat game, cannot believe they’re still in this 55-52 10 minutes to go in the 3rd. Game 1 was an embarrassment for Knicks fans everywhere. They got KILLED by 30 points. On a side note, Shumpert tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season and half of next season.
Derrick Rose also tore his ACL in yesterday’s Game 1 win agains the Sixers. Everyone knows he. was in the game up 12 with a minute left. As a result, fans everywhere are blaming Tom Thibodeau and the compressed schedule for the injury. Come on dude, you’re gonna blame a coach for leaving his star in, who’s played half the season this year for various injuries??
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?
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 Neck-and-Neck at 2-2
This has been a crazy basketball season so far. The LA Lakers getting swept by the Mavericks in the Playoffs. The Heat knocking off the Celtics in 6 games. And who can forget about Carmelo Anthony being shipped to NY? I certainly can; he didn’t do anything to help the franchise (so far). As soon as he came over, everyone was like, “We gonna go all the way this year with Stouda and ‘Melo.” Yea, like that’s gonna happen anytime soon. Anthony’s definitely a little overrated. Sure, it’s New York, everyone who lives here expects a championship just about every year. Not just in basketball, in all sports (Yankees, Giants/Jets). So, I think Carmelo disappointing the most arrogant fans on the planet; not that bad right? Seriously, the Knicks were playing MUCH better team ball before Melo came to town. Ball Hog much?
Anyhow, the Mavericks and the Heat are tied at 2-2 in the Finals. It’s gone back and forth every game this series. In the games that the Heat won, they were able to pass the ball efficiently, drive to the rim, and pick up rebounds at will. In contrast, the Mavs won by rallying behind Dirk, because he can stay on very long hot streaks where he hits 10 shots in a row. The constant flopping of the players shows that its been a very physical series, especially for rebounds. If the pattern continues, the Heat will win Game 5. In addition, that means the Heat will also win 4 games before the Mavs, therefore winning the championship. Looks like Jason Terry’s tattoo was a jinx!
Looks like the Tattoo Didn't help the Mavs in the Finals....
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.
Dr. Shaq Retires After 19 Spectacular Seasons
What? No way. Dr. Shaq?
Sadly, yes.
Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement today (via Twitter). Shaq gave us 19 fun-filled seasons by way of his sense of humor and his ability to score the basketball. He was also a fantastic rebounder, averaging 10.9 rebounds per game.
The Big Shamrock Announced His Retirement From the NBA (via Twitter) on Wednesday.
Couple that with a 58.2 field goal percentage and you have a great player right there. Almost 60%? That’s 6 out of 10 shots made! This stat shows his excellent shot selection (knowing when to take a shot, when to pass it off, etc).The stat that really surprised me was his free throw percentage. It’s a staggering 52.7%. We all knew that free throws aren’t his forte, but c’mon, 52.7? Couldn’t get a number like 60 or 65? Honestly, that’s a pretty horrible percentage. I’m in high school and I think I can make at least 60%. Our coach tells us that 60% is average for HIGH SCHOOL. That means Shaq shot below the average for a HIGH SCHOOL basketball team. Just think about that…He’s getting payed millions of dollars a year right? He should be better than a group of high school kids 10 years younger than him.
“O’Neal ranks fifth all-time in points (28,596), and won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles and one league MVP” (Credit miamiherald.com). That pretty much sums up the basketball part of his career. Anyone to contest his future-HOF status obviously has never watched the Big Shamrock play. He was also a 15-time All-Star during his 19-year career. That’s only 4 years of non-All star status.
Here’s to Shaq, one of the Top 10 Greatest to ever play the game of Basketball!
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 