- The "Best Series of the Playoffs" ends in 5 games, as San Antonio beats down Phoenix....Tim Duncan was masterful as usual (29 and 17) and Tony Parker put up another 30+ point effort (and showed AGAIN that Steve Nash can't be taken seriously as the best player at his position since he can't defend a lick, but that's another day)....Despite Phoenix getting double figures from every starter, they still had a hard time putting points up, and generally aren't gonna win games when they score in the 80s....looks like there might be a change at the top (D'Antoni reportedly out, will discuss later) and the fun 'n gun, Nash-led, 100+ point/game Suns may be a thing of the past....
- Say bye-bye to Dallas...New Orleans finishes them off in 5 behind a ridiculous 24/15/11 triple-double by CP3....Could be wholesale changes in Dallas if they can make the cap work (maybe Avery gone too?) but this team as currently constructed isn't winning anything....I'm gonna go out of my way to praise Dirk a bit since I'm always critical of him...he's not the reason they lost this series, he was great at times and consistently good...One more note: Tyson Chandler has perfected the maneuver of the tap-back on the offensive glass, I kid you not, he created 10+ offensive rebounds for his team by accurately tapping the ball back to Pargo and Paul and restarting the offense....a great asset that goes unnoticed to most I'm sure
- Houston utterly blasts Utah to stay alive....This game is the reason people (including me) can no longer take Utah too seriously...you just can't get drilled like this on the road this many times during a season...that said, I think they finish Houston at home in Game 6 but LA will be their downfall in the next round (since they can't guard Kobe, etc.)
- Detroit beats Philly to take control of the series back....After a shaky start (in typical Pistons fashion I'd say), Detroit is back in firm control up 3-2 and with a home game remaining...wouldn't be unlike Detroit to finish them off in Philly either if they decide they wanna play hard....Chauncey Billups played his first non-stinker of the playoffs last night (21 and 12 dimes) and when he plays to his top-level they feed off him...
More NBA....
- To follow up on the Mike D'Antoni mention earlier....SI.com reporting that he is out in Phoenix...this is only mildly surprising until you realize the current Kerr/Sarver regime didn't hire him, and he doesn't necessarily fit their Shaq-included style....Let me start the chant now for Toronto (and his old boss Bryan Colangelo) to fire Sam Mitchell immediately and anoint D'Antoni with that job as he fits their style perfectly, and could use Jose Calderon (who it looks like will be the PG standing) in a much similar way to Nash in Phoenix....Just a thought...
- The Boston/Atlanta series moves back to Beantown tonight with no suspensions as of now....The KG/ref incident is mildly intriguing, but there's no way David Stern is suspending KG if he can help it, and this is close enough where he can justify not doing it....Eh, the bench suspensions possible for Marvin Williams and Kendrick Perkins....not gonna happen and I agree with that as neither were anywhere near the play.....Well, the only way Atlanta has a chance in Boston is to shoot the lights out again, and hope Paul Pierce is really as injured as he seems to be lately...oh yea, and it would help if Doc kept Ray Allen 1-on-1 with Joe Johnson down the stretch again....Go Hawks
- Cleveland should close out the Wiz tonight at home in 5....wouldn't shock me to see a full-out brawl if it gets out of hand late though...stay tuned
Baseball, etc.
- My first mention of Max Scherzer as everyone in the universe has hyped young pitcher as the 2nd coming...well there's finally some evidence now as he was crazy-good with 7 Ks in 4 IP of long relief last night...maybe he's that good?
- Other stuff: Greg Maddux falls short of 350 wins again, but not without a really good outing....Mike Cameron with 3 hits after his 25 game PED suspension (shouldn't these be longer?)...Roy Halladay throws ANOTHER complete game for his 4th straight...and loses again...allowing a run with 2 outs in the 9th...someone get that man some run support (Jon Lester was even better opposing him with 8 IP and 1 hit allowed)......A-Rod to the DL as fantasy owners cringe, oh well, I only have him on one team..... The Braves go down again as the bullpen (more specifically Blaine Boyer) implodes again, and now there is talk of Smoltz returning the bullpen (I presume as the closer) going forward to save his shoulder the hassle of starting....I'd really like this move...if we had starting pitching....right now it's the Hudson/Jurrjens show....and the Smoltz move only works if Glavine is healthy and there's at least 1 more productive starter....the other crazy rumor I have heard includes a new 6-man rotation, and the call-up of JoJo Reyes (and the moving of Jeff Bennett) to make it work....Who knows anymore?.....Last baseball note: Alfonso Soriano moves back to the leadoff spot for the Cubs upon return tomorrow, I can't get behind this move...how many times does it need to be seen that he can't hit leadoff? He's a 30-HR free swinger that lacks the intangibles, and contact necessary to hit leadoff....come on Lou
- One non-hoops/non-baseball note....The BCS is back in the news as they meet today to discuss the possibility of the Plus-One model (among other things)....stop reporting this as news, until a vote passes, nothing's changing so don't tease the public with this nonsense....
More later
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