Well now that the NFL season is over and it could very well be a long time before we see another game played, we divert our attention to the NBA, NASCAR and NHL. Basketball, racing and hockey and in season and while NASCAR is just starting, the others are near the halfway points and the playoff levels are starting to be reached. Soon teams will be eliminated from contention and turn to the role of spoiler and borderline teams will emerge to become playoff favorites. Now is the time to pick a contending team (if you haven’t one already) and cheer them on as we get closer and closer to championship series.
This week the NBA hits it’s halfway point and gives us a weekend celebration of the sport. Unfortunatly the NBA All Star game has nothing but bragging rights on the line so the intensity and competition can be rather laxidasicale at time. One of these days a team will make a conscious effort to score 200 points and they will, thus proving the NBA All Star game is crap. But it has some of the best athletes in the world playing against each other in the game they love and it does make for some very memorable moments. So enjoy this weekend of sports memories!
Top Games To Watch
1. & 2. – NBA – All Star Saturday Night & Game - Feb. 19 & 20 @ 8 pm
This NBA All Star Weekend is a celebration of the biggest and best stars in the NBA. It all starts on Saturday night that features the Skills Competition, Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest. The Dunk Contest gets the most hype and this year it features the hottest star in the NBA, Blake Griffin. He’s a rookie who has taken the league by storm with his vast athleticism and monster jams. But I think this year’s Three Point Competition will be the best part of the night. Ray Allen, the newly crowned best three-point shooter in NBA history, takes on his teammate, and 2010 champion, Paul Pierce. These two Boston Celtics may love each other every other night of the year but on this night they will be competing to be best and because they are so close, neither will want to let the other win. They may be all smiles during the introductions but I promise you, once they step up to the ball racks they will have a fierce intensity to win. They will put on a memorable show for sure but just to make sure, Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durrant is very capable of giving either Celtic a run for their money. Mark my words; watch the Three-Point Competition because it will be something worth remembering.
The actual game between East and West is on Sunday and to be quite honest the only parts worth watching will be the first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes. The first 10 features the starters and thus the biggest names in the NBA playing on the same teams and against each other. Once the starters put in their time they will be taken out (unless one is having an unbelievably great game) and bench players put in. While the bench players are still big names worthy of being an All Star, the game isn’t taken very seriously until the last 10 minutes. Then the players realize that being a winner or loser is now on the line and the intensity gets real. Watch the game to see which player decides they just want it more and bring their “A” game while everyone brings their “B” and win the MVP. If you want to see all the biggest stars in the NBA playing a competitive game where they play hard and something is on the line….don’t watch this game. If you want that, watch any game that features two of these teams; Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. But this game is worth watching just to see who steps up and decides they want MVP honors.
3. NASCAR – Daytona 500 – Feb. 20 @ 1 pm
With this being the 10th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s death, it is fitting that his son, Dale, Jr., is sitting in the Pole Position to start the race. Jr. has never been the racer his father was but his name has made him the most popular racer of them all. If he can pull out a win at this race he will cement his legacy in NASCAR and with its fans. This is the first big race of the season and every team will want to come out and start off with a win. Will Jr. finally be able to get a big win or will perhaps Jimmie Johnson continue his domination of the sport and win yet again? It’s the beginning of the season and it could be any one’s time to step up and take over. Watch and enjoy one of NASCAR’s biggest races with the awesome TV coverage they provide. I’m rooting for Jr. and the huge story it would be and how fitting it would be for him to win on this anniversary of his father’s death.
Things To Keep An Eye On
- The NHL season is skating along nicely and you can keep up with everything by going to NHL.com and reading all the latest news. The closer we get to the playoffs the higher the intensity of the players so get ready for some very physical hockey to be played.
