This Weekend in Sports (25-May-2007)
NHL Finals
Well the Stanley Cup Finals are set. The Ottawa Senators will play the Anaheim Mighty Ducks just as I predicted. This is going to be a heck of a series. I have to give the offensive edge to Ottawa with Danny Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson and a bunch of talented players on the other three lines there really isn’t more of an offensive threat then the Senators in the NHL. However they say defense wins championships and the Ducks sure do have the defense. With the top defensive pairing in the NHL of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger and goaltending duo J.S. Guigere and Ilya Bryzgalov it’s amazing that any goals are scored against them. Both teams are above average in all categories and I think it is going to be a great series going the distance to 7 games.
NBA Conference Finals
In my last post the Utah Jazz were rolling. I mentioned how it would be very tough to stop them from winning a championship this year. Well it looks like the Spurs have the answer. San Antonio always seems to be a contender for winning it all every year so I tend to dismiss them a little. They are such an experienced and talented team with each player knowing their role that it is unlikely Utah will be able to come back from a 2-0 deficit. Similarly in the Eastern Conference the more experienced team, Detroit Pistons, are winning their series 2-0. If the finals come down to the Spurs and Pistons you will see a defensive battle on every possession and I guarantee there will be some fists flying and technical fouls. That series will be an all out brawl.
I watched the Pistons game last night…it was very exciting. However, as a Pistons fan I’m a little concerned. Why? Did you watch last years Pistons/Cavs series? Stones were up 3-0 & barely won the series in the 7th game. LeBron can be a very scary opponent, especially in Cleveland.
The Pistons had a hard enough time beating the Cavs in D-town…will they be able to trump them in Cleveland? Here’s my prediction. In true Piston fashion, they’ll lose the next two games…because, as they put it, “We just weren’t doing what we do.” I’m so sick of hearing that.
Why do they have to have their backs against the wall before they come out & play with heart? Anyone who watches the Pistons frequently knows that there are two Piston teams. The good Pistons & the bad Pistons. There’s no in between. They either show up or they don’t & it’s getting old.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the team & they’re awesome, but that part of it gets so frustrating from a fans perspective.
Oh yeah…Wings blew it this year, so I’m hoping the Stones step up & put the Cavs away in the next two games (although my prediction is that it will take 7 to bring LeBron to his knees).
My take on the Stanley cup finals is a bit different…I think that Ottawa has just one productive line….Alfredson, Spezza, Heatly. It’s the best and most productive line in the palyoffs by far, but they get NOTHING from the other lines. It hasn’t mattered to Ottawa yest because nobody has been able to stop the ASH line. But I think the Ducks have the defense to do it…they’ll throw the 2 best NHL best defensemen, Pronger and Niedemeyer, at the ASH line and get them under control. If Ottawa can’t generate offense from their other lines, they will be in serious trouble.
FYI they’re the Anaheim Ducks (no “mighty” anymore). They were probably sick of the connection to the movie.
I think that you’re on about the Spurs beating the Jazz (especially now at 3-1 in the Spurs’ favor).
I hope that LeBron does his thing. He’s fairly impressive every game, but his teammates have been slacking. In response to Matthew Jabs comment, I’m glad that the Pistons don’t show up some of the time because I’m not a Pistons’ fan. And one of these days it’s going to seriously bite them in the butt. Okay it already did last year, but I want it to happen again.
You are absolutely right. No more Mighty, which is good, but it’s hard to break old habits. Well Lebron is really stepping it up now after being critisized in the first two games. Looks like he’s trying to prove a point!