Baseball has officially arrived and now we can officially write it off until the All Star break. The baseball regular season is so long and filled with so many games that really half of it is meaningless unless some team jumps out to some insane lead. The big push is after the all star game when teams can feel the playoffs approaching and a boost to the seriousness happens. But this is also one of the best times of year to take the family out to a ballgame and enjoy an afternoon of baseball. It is a slow paced game that can easily be explained to novices and the ballpark experience is something every kid should enjoy.
The NBA Playoff race is seriously heating up and none of the seedings are set in stone. Any of the top 3 teams in each conference could theoretically make a run for the best record in the league or at least in their conference. The team with the better regular season record gains home-court advantage in any playoff series and that is a huge advantage. If a series goes the distance and a deciding game is played, the team who gets to play at home has a very big advantage. In the Finals that means one team doesn’t have to fly across the country and feel jet-lag and/or any other fun things that come with air travel. So being at the top does have its advantages and the serious teams will take every psychological advantage they can get with their own crowd at their backs.
Say good-bye to hockey because this is the last week of their regular season before the push to the Stanley Cup happens. The Eastern Conference is pretty much set but the Western on the other hand is really up in the air. Only the top three teams have secured playoff spot and only 4 points seperate 4 place and eighth. Those 4 points can be made up in two games and with each teams playing this week, you never know who will end up in and who will end up out.
Lots to enjoy this week so get the family together and watch some sports memories!
Top Games To Watch
1. NCAA Championship Game – Connecticut Huskies vs. Butler Bulldogs – April 4 @ 9:23 pm
The NCAA Tournament has been cut down to the only two teams still left undefeated. The Butler Bulldogs knocked out the Virginia Commonwealth Rams to earn their second straight spot in the National Title game. Kemba Walker has lead his UCONN Huskies team all the way through the tournament and with their narrow victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, he now has a chance to solidify his lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft. If he can push his team to one more victory it will probably be the last we see of him in the college game and he’ll make millions in just a few months while he’s still in the national spotlight. Butler lost last year by just one basket and they are hungry for redemption and to prove they are a top team who should no longer considered and underdog. It should be a great game and if it’s close you should make sure to be watching the last couple minutes. That’s when Kemba will prove his mettle or Butler will prove theirs.
2. NBA - Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls – April 7 @ 8 pm
The Celtics have just not been the same team since the Kendrick Perkins trade but that doesn’t mean they won’t get things together and be the Celtics of old soon. The Bulls have the leading contender for the MVP award in Derrick Rose as well as the best record in the Eastern Conference. A big win against the Celtics will give them a boost of confidence into the post season and further solidification of as a contending team. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen each still have the ability to win games and will be looking to get their own confidence and momentum into the post season. This should be a classic match between two very good teams with a lot to play for.
3. NBA – Boston Celtics at Miami Heat – April 10 @ 3:30 pm
Boston has their hands full at the end of the week with Chicago plus the super Miami Heat. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh have come together to be a very strong team and not they are looking to make their mark in the playoffs. But first they have to fight for a better record than the other big contenders to secure home-court through playoffs. The Heat may not be the ultra powered team people projected but they are still one of the best in the league and only getting better as time goes on. They will have their hands full with the veteran Celtics who have mostly played together for many years and don’t want to give any sort of momentum to the Heat. Even though the season is almost over, this game has many implications tied to it and both teams will but on quite a show to make sure their side wins.
Things To Keep An Eye On
- The NHL standings are close to being set. The playoffs are nearly here but there are still more games left to decide the fates of a couple teams. Check out all the info over at NHL.com
- Baseball is just starting but you can get all the news and info over at MLB.com
