BALLIN’
What’s up peoples, its ya man, da A to da J, AJ ROK ya professional hip-hop junkie, bringing you the latest in sports news once again. Let’s see where do I start? Oh yeah, Its da NBA playoffs baby, its exciting, its fan-tastic it’s the time of year every baller loves, hoops heaven, when the sweet sixteen on the NBA compete to show who is truly the best in east and west and in the NBA. Ya know everyone playing wants the ring and the trophy, but like the promo commercial that’s been running the last few weeks, There Can Only Be One!Now over the weekend everyone only played their first game but here is ya breakdown of how it went down!
Boston Runs Through Atlanta
Now I realize this is Atlanta Urban Mix and I should be bigging up the local team as much as possible, and I have to congratulate them for even making the playoffs, but being the #8 seed means they have to face the #1 seed, who recorded the biggest single-season turnaround. With a 66-16 mark in the regular season, Boston has collected 42 more victories than it did last season, when it finished with a dismal 24-58 record. If that isn’t bad enough the Hawks had to play in the capital on the sports world right now, Boston, Mass. where all four sports team made the playoffs the same year, home of the 07 World Champion Red Sox, The Patriots who have been a fixture in the Superbowl the past few year and where the Celtics are 35-6 at the TD Banknorth Garden this season.
While Atlanta did show signs of what got them there, their defense did do a stellar job of collapsing in the paint and subsequently blocking shots, but the Celtics lived up to hype and defeated the Hawks by 20 and looked like they were having fun all the way. With that said if ATL Coach Mike Woodson, can find an answer for Boston’s traditional third quarter runs they could actually make a decent series of it. Unlike Detroit once Boston was up they went in for the kill and never looked back.
Los Angeles Defeats Denver
Spain’s Pau Gasol scored 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in his LA playoff debut, while Kobe threw in another 32 to lead the Lakers 128-114 over Denver in a National Basketball Association playoff opener. Thanks to Gasol, the Western Conference top seed Lakers dominated much of the game, although Bryant awoke late with 18 points in the fourth quarter. All this with big man Andrew Bynum still unable to play.
The Lakers, who won all three regular-season meetings between the clubs by an average of 16.3 points, improved to 16-2 at home against the Nuggets since they began playing in the Staples Center in 1999. Los Angeles, who host game two on Wednesday, has a 23-5 record since obtaining Gasol in a February deal with Memphis.
Iverson, a four-time NBA scoring champion, was ejected with 2:10 remaining in the fourth quarter after receiving two technical fouls while arguing with referee Ken Mauer. And while I do expect the Lakers to win I do expect Iverson and Anthony who each had 30 points to make a series out of this. Sixers Upset Detroit To Steal Game 1Let me say this, Detroit’s nonchalant we-the-Pistons-and-can’t-nobody-beat-us-we-been-here-before attitude is what got them bounced out the playoffs last year at the hands of LeBron and The Cleveland Cavaliers and if they are not careful they will handed an early departure from the Sixers. Detroit clearly the better team played down to their opponent as they have been known to do and didn’t bring their A game as they blew a 15 point lead and let the Sixers feel they could actually win and that’s exactly what they did. I realize this was only one game but after stealing one in Motown, if the Pistons aren’t careful Philly will be goin on to the next round and Detroit will be watching the rest of the playoffs on TV at home like the rest of us.
Serena Williams
Serena wins the Family Circle Cup title Sunday, defeating Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for her first clay court title since the 2002 French Open, and damn if she didn’t look good doing it as she always does. On Friday Serena beat Maria Sharapova for the fourth straight time, winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. Williams’ third title of the year was expected to lift her to No. 6 in the rankings. She won earlier in Bangalore and Miami.
Oh, my bad we were talking about da NBA right. I got sidetracked for a minute, fellas I know you can feel me. Ok here’s the rest of the first game results of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
Cavaliers Defeats Washington
As Agent Zero was making headlines, calling out The Cavaliers, saying Lebron was overrated, King James let his game do the talking as they defeated the Wizards. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers downed the Washington Wizards 93-86 in what seems like a perfunctory April playoff matchup. The Wizards always play the Cavs, and the Cavs always win.
Quick flashback: It was LeBron who walked up to Arenas after his first foul shot and whispered in his ear, ‘If you miss this next one, you know you’re going home right.’ And it was Agent Zero who choked. And lastly if you didn’t learn anything this past season, its doesn’t pay to rile up LeBron before or during a game.
San Antonio pull off a win on Phoenix in double overtime
The most exciting game of the week probably took place in San Antonio, as the Spurs barely got past the new ‘Shaq-i-fied’ Phoenix Suns in Double OT 117-115. Personally I’m not feeling San Antonio, and was routing for The Suns so we can have the Kobe/ Shaq showdown. But, rest assured, this series will go to 7 games. These teams have an extensive amount of playoff history, and the Suns have lost every time. Will Shaq finally get the Suns over the hump that is San Antonio?
Utah beats Houston
Utah pounded the Rockets early, let that lead slip away and whipped them again, rolling to a lead that reached 16 points before taking a 1-0 first-round playoff lead with a 93-82 victory Saturday night at Toyota Center. Even though the game was played in Houston, the Yao Ming-less Rockets were home schooled by the Jazz as they double teamed McGrady most of the night. The swarming defender kept the ball out of his hands.
New Orleans Does Dallas
After many predicted Dallas would upset to New Orleans in their series, the Hornets showed why they’re the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and why Dallas is No. 7 by winning the opening game of that series in convincing fashion. Chris Paul showed why he was an MVP contender this year and he lead his team in victory or Dirk, J Kidd and crew.
The Magic manhandle The Raptors
Last time the Orlando Magic won a playoff game, 2003, Dwight Howard was in high school. Howard’s 25 points and 22 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, 2 assists and 1 steal assured the wait was over, as the Magic defeated the Toronto Raptors 114-100, Sunday afternoon in the opener of their first-round series. This was the first time Orlando hosted a playoff series since 1999.
NFL NEWS
With Warren Sapp retiring, the Raiders signed Giants defensive tackle William Joseph. Their biggest free-agent pursuit was a cornerback: Hall, who ran himself out of Atlanta. In a trade, the Falcons got second- and fifth-round draft picks from the Raiders, who promptly made Hall a very rich man with the $70 million dollar deal.
OTHER SPORTS NEWS
Congrats to Danica Patrick who makes history in Japan as she becomes the first female to win an IndyCar race in her 50th try. And I hate to kick a man while he is down but as a longtime NYer and a Lifetime Knicks fan,
I AM SO GLAD THEY FIRED ISAIAH THOMAS,don’t stop by just firing him as coach, run his ass right out of franchise period and straight outta town! He totally destroyed the franchise and quite frankly his NBA Legacy. Now let me say this firing Isaiah should only be the first step, the whole franchise needs an overall, but this was definitely a major move in the right direction!!!
What To Watch This Week?
NFL DRAFT ’08, Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27.Radio City Music Hall in New York. First round begins at 3 p.m. ET. Round 3 begins at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Teams have 10 minutes per pick in Round 1, seven minutes in Round 2 and 5 minutes in Rounds 3-7. ESPN coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET Saturday.
The Miami Dolphins will make the first choice of the 2008 NFL Draft. Atlanta Falcons have pick third and also have the 34th pick from Oakland, the 37th pick and 48th pick from Houston, 68th and a 98th (Compensatory) pick.
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
Cleveland/ Wizards- Game 2- Mon. April 21st 7pm (TNT), Game 3- Thurs. April 24th 8pm (TNT), Game 4- Sun April 27th 1pm (ABC)
San Antonio/ Phoenix- Game 2- Tues. April 22nd 9:30pm (TNT), Game 3- Fri. April 25th 10:30pm (ESPN), Game 4- Sun 27th 3:30pm (ABC)
Detroit/ Philly- Game 2- Wed. April 23rd 7:30pm (NBA TV), Game 3- Fri. April 25th 7pm (ESPN 2), Game 4- Sun. April 27th 7pm (TNT)
New Orleans/ Dallas- Game 2- Tues. April 22nd 7pm (TNT), Game 3- Fri. April 25th 8pm (ESPN), Game 4- Sun. April 27th 9:30pm (TNT)
Utah/ Houston- Game 2- Mon. April 21st 9:30pm (TNT), Game 3- Thurs. April 24th 10:30pm (TNT), Game 4- Sun. April 27th 10:30pm (ESPN)
Orlando/ Toronto- Game 2- Tues, April 22nd 7:30pm (NBA TV), Game 3- Thurs. April 24th 7:30pm (NBA TV), Game 4- Sat. April 26th 3pm (TNT)
Boston/ Atlanta- Game 2- Wed, April 23rd 8pm (TNT), Game 3- Sat. April 26th 8pm (ESPN)
Los Angeles/ Denver- Game 2- Wed, April 23rd 10:30pm (TNT), game 3- Sat. April 26th 5:30pm (TNT)
Until next week, THAT’s ALL FOLKS!!!!!