Friday, May 16, 2008

Quick Hits 5/16

NBA

Will anybody win on the road? I watched the Hornets/Spurs game last night until it got out of hand, frustrated that the Hornets (my new favorite team as CP3 has supplanted Steve Nash as my favorite player) couldn't close the deal. However, watching that game, I realized two things that have kept many teams from winning on the road this playoffs.

1. Teams just shoot better at home. Paying close attention to that series in particular, both teams have shot significantly better on their home courts. Guys like Bruce Bowen and Ime Udoka get the same amount of open looks in N.O. and S.A. In the Big Easy, they usually play like garbage, while they shoot like B.J. Armstrong and Craig Hodges in the "Insert Phone Company Name" Arena/Dome/Edifice. Also, just peep D. West's stats this series:

At Home: 26 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast, 53% FG
On Road: 14 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast, 38% FG

It will be interesting to see if the Lakers and Celtics, who are also David Stern's favorites to make the NBA Finals, can close the deal. Speaking of which, you have to wonder if Stern would prefer 3 seven game series or for the Lakers and Celtics to wrap things up tonight.

MLB

I still haven't really paid much attention to the diamond this year. That said, here are a few things that have surprised me, or stand out this season so far.

The Rays on fire, the Baby Backs in Arizona solidifying themselves as beasts while the Young Brewers still struggle, that Fukodome being the real thing, Chipper Jones hitting .400 + this far in the season, Lance Berkman is the man, Brandon Webb is also the man, Andruw Jones might be done, Dontrelle Willis as well, Barry Zito's definitely done, what the hell is up with the Tigers and Justin Verlander? And of course, the Upton brothers are holding down the 757 tremendously.

NFL

I might be the only person not tired of "Spygate," but we do need to get down to the bottom of it. The Patriots and NFL are pulling out all the stops to keep things from going further. But, as we often do in America, the public (fueled by the media) is tired of relevant, bad news and wants to pay attention to other things. (The Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina are recent issues that come to mind.)

No comments: