Must See Sports - Third Weekend of April 2011

Thursday, April 14


MLB

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees

Tonight’s game is for sole possession of first place in the American League East, for at least the next 24 hours. The Os and Yanks are tied at 6-4 atop the division. The surprising Orioles have thrust manager Buck Showalter into early consideration for Manager of the Year by squeezing opponents with pitching.

Jake Arrieta hopes to build on a quality start from his last appearance as he gets the ball for the Orioles. Phil Hughes will start for the Yankees. Hughes has been rocked to two very brief appearances, totaling six innings, in his starts in 2011.

Alex Rodriguez (.355 BA, 4 HR, 8 RBI) and Robinson Cano (.317 BA, 2 HR, 7 RBI) continue to be pillars of consistency for the pinstripes and newly acquired Russell Martin (.294 BA, 3 HR, 8 RBI) has offered a boost with the stick from the catcher position. As much as the Yankees have slapped the ball around, they have yet to get their pitching situation together when someone other than C.C. is pitching. Phil Hughes has yet to do that. Baltimore, collectively, has done so.

Advantages: Game – Orioles, Series - Orioles


Friday, April 15

MLB

Florida Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies, as expected, are off to a fast start and a lead of 2 full games in the NL East. The Marlins, as of this morning, are in second place. I expect the expansion of that 2 game lead to continue.

Roy Oswalt (2-0, 2.25 ERA) has been money, thus far, in 2011. Javier Vasquez (1-1, 8.64 ERA), on the other hand, has been pushed around a bit. Having to face a Phillies team batting a major league leading .318 is not “just what the doctor ordered” for Vasquez. In contrast, Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez is the team’s leading batter at .317.

Advantages: Game – Phillies, Series - Phillies


Saturday, April 16

NBA Playoffs

Portland Trailblazers at Dallas Mavericks – Game 1

Playoffs? Playoffs!?

Jim Mora will never live this down. 1

No. I am not kidding you! It is playoff time in the NBA. The sixth seeded Blazers travel to third seeded Dallas for Game 1 of a best-of-seven series. Dirk Nowitzski (23 PPG, 7 RPG) had an MVP caliber regular season and will try to build upon that in the playoffs. The Blazers have been quietly hot of late, having won five of six and locking into the sixth seed after a win over Memphis on Tuesday. America will get a first hand look at Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (22 PPG, 9 RPG), quietly one of the best players in the Western Conference this season.

The Mavericks stumbled a bit down the stretch, having endured a four game losing streak earlier this month. Game 1 is always the anchor of any playoff series and Dallas is vulnerable. While, statistically, the Mavs defense is in the top 10 in the league, it has rarely held teams to under 90 points and has had several strings of giving up triple digits to opponents this season. The Mavericks, to me, are the most ripe for a first round upset.

Advantage: Game – Blazers, Series - Blazers

LaMarcus Aldridge hopes to recreate this Kodak moment a few times. 2

Sunday, April 17

NBA Playoffs

Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder – Game 1

The Nuggets play their first playoff game in the post-Carmelo era while the Oklahoma City hosts its first ever Game 1 of a playoff series. The Nuggets have played surprisingly well since late February, refuting naysayers about their demise after the Carmelo Anthony trade.

The Oklahoma City Thunder may be the team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs, in the first round or beyond. Kevin Durant’s (28 PPG, 7 RPG) star is continuing to rise, after winning his second consecutive scoring title. Denver had the #1 offense in the NBA in the regular season, but do have one less scoring mega-threat without Carmelo Anthony. OKC is at home, on the rise, and also has a healthy Kendrick Perkins on the roster.

Advantage: Game – Thunder, Series – Thunder


MLB

Texas Rangers at New York Yankees

Alexi Ogando (2-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball for the rubber match against the Yankees and C.C. Sabathia. If you haven’t heard of Ogando before, you’d better recognize! Ogando made his first start in the majors earlier this month and has not disappointed. He has yet to give up an earned run this season. Combined with his 46 relief appearances in 2010, Ogando has a lifetime ERA of 0.99, less than one! I am looking forward to my first time seeing him pitch.

Sabathia (0-1, 1.45 ERA) has been solid in all three of his starts, but has not gotten the run support when he needs it to pick up a win. Facing the likes of Nelson Cruz (.300 BA, 5HR, 12 RBI) and Michael Young (.333 BA, 4 RBI) is not going to help C.C. get that first win without ample support, because he is not likely to shut the Rangers out.

Both starters have been lights out pitchers, thus far. C.C. has a longer track record, though. Ogondo is also starting in spite of nursing a finger injury.

Advantages – Game: Yankees, Series: Rangers

Alexi Ogando: You'd better recognize! 3

Monday, April 18

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat – Game 2

The Philadelphia 76ers are quietly the most improved team in the NBA. While Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is the most likely candidate for Coach of the Year, deservedly so, seventh seeded Sixers Coach Doug Collins deserves honorable mention. After a 3-13 start to the season, which ordinarily dooms a season, Philadelphia won close to 60% of its games since that point. Sixers forward Elton Brand (15 PPG, 8 RPG) is going to have a relatively rare opportunity to showcase his skills before nationally televised audiences during this series.

The high profile Miami Heat and its big Three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh did not break the 1996 Bulls record of 72 wins. They didn’t even gain the top seed in the Eastern conference. I expect the 76ers to be competitive with the Heat and make them sweat in the late moments in some of the games in this series. I also expect the Heatles to make up for falling a little shy of pre season expectations.

Advantages: Game – Heat, Series – Heat


Tuesday, April 19

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics – Game 2

The New York Knicks acquired Carmelo Anthony (26 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 APG) and Chauncey Billups (17 PPG, 5 APG) at considerable expense. It is playoff time and this is the time for those moves to pay dividends. They face a Celtics team without center Kendrick Perkins (trade: OKC) and with a 39 year old Shaquille O’Neal who missed 45 games in the regular season.

Still, the Celtics have their own Big Three in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. Perhaps the Knicks’ Big Three of Anthony, Billups, and Amare Stoudamire could take the Celtics’ Big Three in a best-of-seven series of three-on-three. But that is not the case. The Celtics have Rajon Rondo, better depth, and infinitely superior defensive play.

Advantages: Game – Push, Series – Celtics


Wednesday, April 20


New Orleans Hornets at Los Angeles Lakers – Game 2

The Hornets locked up the seventh seed in the West last night. Given how the Bees scored over 60 points in the first half at Dallas, only to score less than 30 in the second half, I cannot help but think the Hornets mailed it in. A Hornets win would have guaranteed a Lakers-Hornets first round matchup. The Hornets are 0-4 against the Lakers this season. A Hornets loss opened the doors for a possible meeting with San Antonio (Hornets are 2-2) or the Mavs (2-1 vs Dallas before last night).

The Hornets lost and STILL got the boobie prize of facing the two time defending champions.

Advantages: Game – Lakers, Series – Lakers

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1) Image from blogs.clarionledger.com
2) Image from blazerbeliever.com
3) Image from zimbio.com
4) The NBA Playoffs logo is a trademark of the National Basketball Association