This week kicks off Championship Week for college basketball, which is the last step before heading into the NCAA Tournament. Conferences will hold their individual tournaments to crown a winner and then go onto the big tournament. After this week all you will hear is “brackets, brackets, brackets” as people will begin filling out charts and talking about upsets. I highly recommend filling out a bracket even if you have no interest in college basketball. Just go pick the teams you like and fill it out because it makes the whole tournament really enjoyable. I like to pick all the underdogs in hopes of many many upsets but that can lead to a completely ruined bracket very fast in the tournament.
Besides college basketball, there is the NBA which is getting very intense and wins go a lot further in the standings than before. Teams are jockeying for playoff position and home court advantage. The top teams will begin to break away from the pack and borderline teams will show what they are made of when they are really playing for their season.
The NHL is still in season (which may be surprising to some) and now players can focus on the Stanley Cup rather than gold medals. Look for fiercer competition and more intense games as the regular season ends and the playoffs loom. Baseball fans love this time of year because they can begin to see their favorite players playing during Spring Training. Young players try to make their big league dreams come true and veterans try to keep their dream alive. Great drama if you have the patience to watch it all.
So here are this weeks picks, hope you enjoy the memories.
Top Picks
1. NBA – Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers – March 14 @ 3:30
Cleveland is the top team in the NBA and Boston is one of the other top teams in the league. These two will meet in what could very well be foreshadowing the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers recently acquired Antoine Jamison to add to their already powerful offense featuring The King himself, Lebron James. But Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are hungry for another championship before their team may be split up. Each team needs a win to get one step closer to home court advantage and the NBA Finals. This game will feature fierce competition by some of the top players in the league with lots of physical play and high intensity. Buckle up.
2. College Basketball – Big East Conference Tournament – March 8-12
Madison Square Garden in New York is considered the Mecca of basketball and a place every player dreams of playing at. The Big East gives teams in that conference the opportunity to in do-or-die situation. We’ll get to see how they react to the pressure and win in the fabled arena. The Big East is home to the top team in the nation (Syracuse) and they are heavily favored to win but you never know what can happen in a tournament and the drama can be very intense when a close game comes down to the wire. The only thing better than these tournaments is the big NCAA Championship Tournament.
3. NHL – Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks – March 10 @ 8:30
The Kings are a surprise top team in the NHL and looking to take their winning ways into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Blackhawks are a veteran team used to winning and used to kicking the butts of all the West Coast teams. Hockey in Los Angeles has been revitalized a little and winning against a powerhouse team like the Blackhawks will give a big boost to the Kings. With the regular season ending less than a month away, these cross country trips mean a lot more to pride than the standings. The top teams have cemented their place in the playoffs and now just want to get all the wins they can against teams they may be facing down the line. These games are basically for bragging rights but that is plenty motivation for hockey players. Watch for the big hits and the rowdy fans.
Quick Picks
- Check out the rest of the NHL regular season schedule here and try and catch a game before it is all over. Seeing a hockey game in person is much different than watching on TV. The speed and big hits of the game look so much better in person.
- Get all of your Championship Week information here.
- Get your bracket here (you know you’re going to want one)
