Dream Matchup

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. There is no better matchup in the NBA today than LeBron James (left) versus Kevin Durant (right).

By Josh Kramer

LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Chris Bosh, and James Harden.  Fathom that for a moment. I vote Miami Heat versus Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals 2012. After watching Wednesday night’s throwdown in South Beach, you would be extremely hard pressed to create a better matchup in the present.  Now I am fully aware the Chicago Bulls currently possess the best record in basketball, despite the prolonged absence of their star.  But let’s get serious.  Unless you are a Chicago Bulls fan, a James/Durant battle over the course of a seven game series would be as good as it gets (yes, even better than James versus Bryant).

The NBA has and will always be about entertainment.  In other words, people want to see high scoring shootouts.  Both OKC and Miami can score with the best of them.  The Bulls win with an old-school fashion, relying heavily on rebounding and defense.  What fun is that to watch?  No two teams feature greater star power than Miami and OKC.  Find me a better duo than James/Wade or Durant/Westbrook.  How about a better trio than James/Wade/Bosh or Durant/Westbrook/Harden.  In 2012, there are none.

Weekly Nickel 4-2-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. If the New York Rangers want to bring the Stanley Cup back to New York City for the first time since 1994, much will be expected of their star goaltender, aka Mr. GQ, Henrik Lundqvist.

By Josh Kramer

Men’s College Basketball has gone from 345 to 2.  Novak Djokovic once again flexed his muscles in Miami.  And Major League Baseball is ready to roll.  Last week was fun, but this week will not be too shabby in its own right.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  We have entered the final week of the NHL season.  I for one am extremely excited for playoff hockey.  Two teams are duking it out in the Eastern Conference for the 8th and final playoff spot, while the Wild West still has five teams in contention for the 7th and 8th positions.  I am more concerned with the real contenders though.  Teams that I think have a legitimate chance of hoisting Lord Stanley in June.  I am focused on a showdown in the City of Brotherly Love tomorrow evening.

New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers:  There is a reason why HBO had a hit series this winter entitled, “24/7 Flyers-Rangers.”  Not only are these two of the best teams in all of hockey, but they are also two of the fiercest rivals.  These teams have been bitter divisional foes since 1974-1975 season, and have met ten times in the playoffs.  Well don’t be surprised to see an 11th edition of the “Battle of the Broads” in this year’s postseason.  The Flyers have been led by a high-octane offensive attack that centers around their star, Claude Giroux.  The Rangers on the other hand can score in flurries, but their leader is none other than their Mr. “GQ” himself, Henrik Lundqvist.

Weekly Nickel 3-26-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Led by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis (pictured above), there is little doubt that UK will be cutting down the nets next Monday night.

By Josh Kramer

A Final Four finally emerged.  Tiger Woods did his best Mariano Rivera impression.  Tim Tebow took his talents to Broadway. And South Beach brought the heat in terms of tennis.  Last week was a great one that will not soon be forgotten, but this one is poised to be pretty epic in its own right.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  Canada’s favorite pastime is still going strong as the regular season nears a close.  There are eight or fewer games remaining for every team in the NHL.  And we all remember last year’s insanely unpredictable playoffs that made Game 7′s seem like a given.  Both Boston and Vancouver are once again heavy contenders to hoist Lord Stanley come June, but New York and St. Louis appear to be in pretty good shape in their own right.  My eyes will be focused on a colossal showdown in the nation’s capital on Tuesday.

Weekly Nickel 3-3-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Roger Federer (left) seems to be back to his old ways after defeating Andy Murray (right) to win his second consecutive title. It should be fun to see if the former number one player can continue his hot streak in Indian Wells.

By Josh Kramer

Hoops, hoops, and more hoops.  You thought this week was great in terms of College Basketball and the NBA?  Just wait.  This week was just an appetizer to the main course.  In addition, more scandal came out in the sporting world this for a change (bounty hunting).  Last week was fun.  But this week has the makings of being any better.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  The NHL’s Eastern Conference has turned into a three-team race.  Go figure that two of the teams are from Boston and New York.  What would professional sports be without the good old Boston/New York hate-fest?  Yesterday, was a treat as we got to witness the Rangers flex their Eastern Conference leading muscles to a 4-3 victory over the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.  I have a feeling that there is a seven-game series in store between these teams in the near future.  As always, here is my matchup of the week.

Florida Panthers at Pittsburgh Penguins:  Two of the East’s finest go to battle at the CONSOL Energy Center.  Pittsburgh’s electric offense led by Evgeni Malkin welcomes into town a Panthers team that just flat-out knows how to win.  If you asked me why Florida has been so successful this season, I couldn’t tell you.  They just have won game at an impressive rate.  Lately though, Pittsburgh has played much better hockey than the Panthers.  I expect this to continue.  Look for the Penguins to handle business at home, where they have been very tough to beat this year.

NBA Mid-Season Awards

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Chris Paul (pictured above) has made "Lob City" possible and turned the Clippers into a contender. He is also Wesley Kaminsky's pick for the MVP thus far.

By Wesley Kaminsky

With half of the condensed season done, the NBA world has seen everything from the Clippers becoming relevant to the legend of Jeremy Lin, also known as “Linsanity.” For NBA fanatics, this season has been fantastic, as there are games on every night. With a much-needed All-Star break coming up for the players, who is making the biggest impact this season? Here are my mid-season awards.

MVP: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers:

Look, the obvious choice for the MVP award this season is LeBron James, who has been simply sensational from Day 1. He’s averaging 27.6 points, 8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. He’s also on the team that has the best record in basketball. Having said that, he doesn’t get my vote. Chris Paul does. Paul inherited a 32-50 Clipper team and has turned them into a contender. At 20-11, the Clippers are sitting atop the Pacific Division, with Paul averaging 19.2 points and 8.6 assists per game. He has been the catalyst all season long and is the main reason why the Clippers are for once relevant. I continue to try to make my case that on a team that features both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, neither of them should win the MVP award.

Rivalry or Dynasty?

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Kevin Durant (pictured above) and the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be the team that can stop a Miami Heat dynasty.

By Josh Kramer

This was supposed to be the time of the King.  A dynasty where the Heat would win not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7…

Arguably the greatest rivalry in basketball dominated the 1980s, with the Lakers and Celtics winning 8 titles between them.  The 90s were defined by “His Airness,” bringing 6 titles to the Windy City, despite taking time off to pursue a baseball career.  In the first part of the 2000s, the Twin Towers put San Antonio on the map, bringing home 3 titles, plus one in 1999.  Then recently, at least for a few years, the Lakers/Celtics rivalry was renewed.  That time appears to be up if the start of this season has been any indication.  Now we have hit a new era.  Will this be a time defined by a rivalry or a dynasty?

Food for Thought 2-21-2012

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com. Iona point guard Scott Machado (pictured above) has been simply sensational all year long and will make some noise in March.

By Josh Kramer

Want to hear a cool name?  Try “Machado.”  Now many of you are probably confused as to why I would share a cool name with you.  Granted, the vast majority of you are already aware of plenty of cooler names.  For example, God’s Gift Achiuwa.  And though God’s Gift is having a stellar freshman campaign for a very young St. John’s team, a man by the name of “Machado” is absolutely stealing the show in the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).  Currently, the Gaels sit atop the “Mighty MAAC (it is not really mighty but I like the sound of the expression)” and are a likely tournament team.

Now many of you are probably still scratching your heads as to where I am going with this.  Well a few weeks ago, I had the distinct pleasure of introducing you all to Creighton star, Doug McDermott.  A star that is making it rain from long-range in Omaha like Kyle Korver did back in 2002/2003. Well today, I am going to introduce you to another big-time player that could make some real noise at the “March Dance” and beyond.  Meet Scott Machado.

Weekly Nickel 12-26-2011

Photo courtesy of iamnba.com. Carmelo Anthony (pictured above) put on a show at Madison Square Garden yesterday. Can he lead the Knicks to a deep playoff run for the first time in over a decade?

By Josh Kramer

The NBA is finally back.  NFL action heads to the final week.  MLB off-season moves continue to occur left and right. And bowl season is finally ready to heat up. The New Year is always an exciting time in general, but it is also a great time in sports too.  Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  As is the norm during this time of the year, the NHL has gotten lost in the shuffle.  Now with the return of the NBA and the recent onslaught of concussions, expect the NHL to fall even further back on the agenda than normal.  Despite the lack of attention, there is still some great hockey to be played.  This week’s matchup to watch takes place down south.

New York Rangers at Florida Panthers:  It is a good thing that style points do not mean much in professional sports.  Because if they did, Florida may no longer be in first place.  The last time the Panthers took the ice, they took an 8 to 0 beating from the defending champion Boston Bruins.  Plus they are now losers of three straight games.  The Rangers on the other hand, are coming off of a big win against rival Philadelphia and have now won four straight games as they get ready for their “Battle of New York” with the Islanders tonight.  The Rangers live on one of the elite defensive units in the League and a very respectable group on offense led by Marian Gaborik.  Florida is not really too strong in any particular facet of the game.  They are typically good at defending their home ice.  The Rangers are not only hot right now, but they also thrive on the road.  Let the good times roll for New York.

NBA Preview 2011-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Kevin Durant (pictured above) took over Rucker Park this past summer. Now I expect him to take over the Western Conference and bring home the MVP.

By Josh Kramer

Welcome to “Lob City.”  Though it seemed highly improbable just a little over a month ago, we are going to have an NBA season after all.  Granted we will be off to the races with 66 games per team in the next 123 days (nearly a game every other day). I think most of you remember what the 1999 season was like, resulting in a Cinderella run by the 8th seeded New York Knicks all the way to the NBA finals.  But hey, as the great Andy Roddick would say, “If sports were predictable, they would be like watching a DVD.” Just a hunch that this shortened year will be anything but predictable.  

Main Storylines:

-What effect will the infamous “Stern-Veto” have on the overall scope of the League, especially out in LA?

-Will a 66-game season lead to a crazier postseason than we had in 1999?

-Will LeBron finally capture a ring in year two of the “MonStars” experiment?

-Can the Dallas Mavericks repeat despite the loss of their bruiser inside, Tyson Chandler?

-How will the Celtics do in what is likely the last season of the “Three Musketeers?”

-What young star is ready to take the next step?  Derrick Rose or Kevin Durant?

-Will SportsCenter have to invent a new top ten strictly for the Los Angeles Clippers?

Weekly Nickel 8-22-2011

Photo courtesy of http://sportscasualblog.blogspot.com/. There are no Danny Almonte (pictured above) stories going on this year in Williamsport. But the Little League World Series is still taking center stage this week in the wide world of sports.

By Josh Kramer

We are finally hitting the end of August.  The summer has gone by fast.  But everyone loves sports in the Fall.  MLB pennant races.  NFL action.  College Football action.  And NCAA Basketball action is not far behind.  So what should you be watching for this week?

5.  The goodwill continues.  John Thompson III and the Georgetown Hoyas continue to improve international diplomacy with their ten day goodwill tour across China.  So the majority of the tour has not been “good” so far.  But “will” and “desire” has been shown both on and off the court.  As long as the Big East perennial powerhouse avoids the Bayi Rockets, all will be well in Shanghai.  Doesn’t this get your juices flowing for College Basketball and March Madness!