I'm Glad I Didn't Sleep Through April

The NBA playoffs are usually void of drama and upsets because of the best-of-7 series from the first round through the NBA Finals.  Like I wrote about here and here, I have historically counted out teams like the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies from advancing in the playoffs because the best-of-7 series favors the more talented, deeper team which after an 82-game regular season tends to be the higher-seeded home team during the first couple of rounds of the playoffs.

Well, my inability and ineptitude in predicting basketball games marches on in 2011.  The Memphis Grizzlies outplayed, outhustled, and flat-out beat up the more experienced / older San Antonio Spurs.  Led by outstanding play by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who were not intimidated by the likes of NBA-old-men Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess.  The Grizzlies dominated the play down low and are set up to do it again against Oklahoma City.  Memphis continued their winning ways in round 2 by stealing game 1 from the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City on Sunday.  The NBA playoffs have already been one of the more exciting playoffs in recent memory and the next three rounds are sure to be more of the same.  I am glad I decided to watch it and not sleep through it like I promised to do here.

The Grizzlies-Thunder second-round series started the same way for
the Grizzlies against a higher-seeded home team - with a win.  Marc
Gasol (33) has been a key factor to the Grizzlies' playoff run.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that decided to tune in for the exciting first round.  The first round games on ABC, ESPN and TNT were watched by an average of 4.15 million people, up from roughly 3.2 million people last year (Is it just me or does that still seem incredibly low?).  In fact, ESPN's first round ratings were the highest since it began televising the NBA playoffs in 2003.  The exciting second-round matchups are as follows:

Eastern Conference - Chicago vs. Atlanta, Miami vs. Boston
Western Conference - Oklahoma City vs. Memphis, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas

Of course, the exciting playoff series and the high TV ratings can only mean that the NBA is due for a lockout just as it is at the height of its popularity - just like the NFL.  Let's hope the NBA players and owners can resolve their differences and avoid a work stoppage later this Summer.  Unfortunately, I see the NBA work stoppage being a bigger threat to the 2011-12 season than the NFL's.  But, as the Memphis Grizzlies know, 2011 is not exactly my year for predicting basketball - which could actually be a good thing in this case.

Quick Hits #5

Chicks Dig the Long Ball:   The New York Yankees have set a club record with 27 home runs in their first 14 games.  They have 6 different players that have at least 4 home runs each. That's an impressive achievement given the storied history of the club - their nickname is not the Bronx Bombers for nothing!

Jorge Posada has contributed to the Yankees record start by
slugging 4 home runs from the DH slot.

The 2011 version of the Bombers is on pace to hit 310-315 home runs this year.  Somewhere the Feds who worked on the Barry Bonds steroids perjury case are gathering evidence and conducting depositions.  Come on, everyone deserves a second chance.

Sixth Man of the Year - An E! True Hollywood Story:  Lamar Odom, who is married to reality-TV "star" Khloe Kardashian, was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday, which is the award given to the best player who is not quite good enough to be one of the 150 starters in the league.  The only requirement to win the award is that a player must come in off the bench as a reserve more games than he starts.  Odom started 35 games and entered off the bench in 47 games.  I've never understood the reason why the NBA has this award.  In my opinion, Odom should have won this award last year when he finished sixth in the voting for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian are taking Hollywood and the NBA by storm.
Odom's "unbreakable" season earned him the honor as the NBA 6th Man.

But Lamar Kardashian is enjoying yet another moment in the spotlight...when asked what he planned to get for his teammates as a thank you gift after Bryant handed out expensive watches to the team following his MVP award, he responded, "Maybe I'll get them a bottle of me and Khloe's fragrance ("Unbreakable")."  I have two observations from Lamar's comments: 1) Apparently correct English not a requirement for winning the award and 2) What he really should do is give watches to just the Laker starters for being better than him so he could be considered for the award to begin with.


Imagine the April Awesomeness?!:  Can you imagine if the NBA playoffs was a little bit more like March Madness?!  Like I wrote about here, the NBA playoffs just don't have the same excitement level that other playoff formats do.  If the NBA playoffs were like the NCAA tournament, then these would be the second round games based upon the results of the first game of each series:  Chicago vs. Atlanta, Miami vs. Boston, Memphis vs. Oklahoma City, and New Orleans vs. Dallas.  The Lakers, Spurs, and Magic would all be out!  The Memphis Grizzlies would have a huge fan following, insane media coverage, and Zach Randolph jerseys would be flying off the shelves!  Don't worry, they'll lose to the Spurs in 5.  Sorry, Memphis, but the only basketball team that has a shot to play for a Championship anytime soon is the University of Memphis.


Put it on the Calendar:  In one of the biggest demonstrations of optimism we have seen in a long time, the NFL released its 2011 schedule today as if one of the ugliest and dirtiest lockouts in recent history was not well into its second month.  The marquee games of the opening weekend, which will fall on Sunday, September 11, will feature the New York Giants visiting the Washington Redskins, two teams from the two cities that were most significantly impacted by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011.

September 11, 2011 could be a memorable day for the USA and the NFL if
the owners and the players can end the lockout so the NFL season can start on time.

The New York Jets will host the Dallas Cowboys on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 at home in New York (New Jersey).  The always outspoken Jets head coach, Rex Ryan, said this of the significance of opening the season at home on 9/11: "The stadium is going to be full of emotion, not only the people from the area but in the entire country.  The fact that it's the 10th anniversary of 9/11, that's where the focus should be."  Well put, Coach.  Let's just hope your players and owners can put aside their greed and hatred towards one another in order for it to actually happen and let the nation enjoy it.