Despite the Minnesota Wild victory vs the Chicago Blackhawks last night, it still figures to be an NHL Western Conference rematch between the Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings.
Chicago has a (2-1) series lead vs the Wild. The Kings won the first two games at Anaheim vs the Ducks.
L.A. has won six straight games since falling behind 3 games to none vs the San Jose Sharks in the opening round.
The defending champion Blackhawks had won six straight games before last night’s loss in Minnesota.
Yesterday was the exact 45 year anniversary of the Boston Celtics’ game seven victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, which gave them an incredible 11th NBA championship in 13 seasons (1957-1969).
The great Celtics’ center Bill Russell was on board for all 11 championships and remains one of the great figures in sports.
Both Russell and star shooter Sam Jones, who played on 10 championship teams, retired after that season.
The Celtics have managed to win 6 additional championships but no team has or likely ever will match the 11 championships in 13 seasons run of the Boston Celtics.
A misguided radio reporter during the Brooklyn Nets win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday’s crucial game 7 of the first round of NBA playoffs called it the first 7th game victory in Nets team history. But, wait a minute, doesn’t anyone recall the Nets in the ABA?
Twice the Nets won deciding 7th games in the ABA. In 1972 they won at Virginia vs Julius “Dr. J.” Erving and the Squires.
In 1976, this time with the great Dr. J as a Net, they won game 7 over the San Antonio Spurs.
The ABA was an important part of basketball history. Please don’t forget the league and its players.
The NHL Western Conference playoffs are shaping up much like last year. It is now likely it will be a Western Conference finals rematch with the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks facing the Los Angeles Kings.
The “NBC darling” Blackhawks have won six straight playoff games since giving away late leads and losing each of the first two opening round games vs the St. Louis Blues. They lead their current series two games to none vs the Minnesota Wild.
Chicago is now (16-2) at home in the playoffs over the last two seasons.
The Kings won the opening game of their quarter final series at Anaheim vs the Ducks due to the heroics of Marian Gaborik. He scored with seven seconds left in regulation time to force overtime. Then in overtime, he scored again.
This is the first ever playoff series between the two Southern California NHL teams, Anaheim and Los Angeles.
Marian Gaborik
Yesterday two teams, once part of the ABA, won deciding seventh games. The Brooklyn Nets won by one point at Toronto vs the Raptors. Later in the day, the top ranked San Antonio Spurs devoured the Dallas Mavericks in San Antonio.
The Nets now face the two time defending champion Miami Heat in the quarterfinals. My prediction is Miami to win a tough six game series.
The Spurs now face the Portland Trail Blazers, who rode Damian Lillard’s game winning shot to beat the Houston Rockets. The Spurs should win the first two games at home and dismiss Portland in 5 games.
All three NBA first round deciding 7th games were won by the home team yesterday.
The Eastern Conference top seed Indiana Pacers won vs the Atlanta Hawks. The Western Conference two seed Oklahoma City Thunder won vs the Memphis Grizzlies. And the Los Angeles Clippers eliminated the Golden State Warriors.
Two NBA quarterfinal series matchups have been determined.
The Indiana Pacers will face the Washington Wizards starting tomorrow night. I predict the Pacers to win in six games.
Also starting tomorrow night the Thunder will meet the Clippers. In a tough series, I predict the Thunder to prevail in 7 games.
Two more of the quarterfinal matchups will fall into place today.
The Portland Trail Blazers won at home by one point to win their series vs the Houston Rockets in six games. Two other match-ups from the first round series will are headed to a seventh game.
The Brooklyn Nets and the Dallas Mavericks won game six at home last night to force seventh games tomorrow.
The first game will be the Brooklyn Nets going to Toronto to face the Raptors. It begins at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
The second game will be the top ranked San Antonio Spurs taking on the Dallas Mavericks in San Antonio. That game will begin at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
For the first time in the history of the NBA, there will be three 7th games on a single day.
That will be the case tomorrow after victories by the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors last night.
The schedule and comments follow: The first game will be the upstart Atlanta Hawks at Indiana, vs the Pacers. The game begins at 5:30p.m. Eastern Time.
Next, the Thunder host the Memphis Grizzlies beginning at 8 p.m Eastern Time.
The third game pits the Los Angeles Clippers, hosting their first game 7 ever, against the Warriors. That game begins at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
With the Pacers favored by 6 (points), the Clippers by 7 and the Thunder by 8, the average is 7 as in 3 (game) 7’s.
“Jackie and Marilyn,” now playing at the Lion Theater on West 42nd Street, is a well done play that provides an interesting perspective on three historical figures that still fascinate audiences all these years later.
Lella Satie as Marilyn performed some fine musical numbers while also displaying the vulnerability that was so powerful in Ms. Monroe’s life.
Lorraine Farris displayed some of the great resolve that was a big part of why so many people admired Jackie Kennedy.
Aaron Mathias as President Kennedy showed us the complexity of the late charismatic leader. He was torn by micro issues such as his own desires and family, while clearly wanting to create positive change on the macro level that would benefit the country.
These people came alive in “Jackie and Marilyn” in an enjoyable performance leaving me awaiting the next work of playwright Sheri Graubert, director Sanja Bestic, and all those involved in the production.
Some inclement weather has produced a baseball rarity: three doubleheaders to be played today.
The teams involved make me think about past postseason battles between the clubs.
The Los Angeles Dodgers/Minnesota Twins “double dip” evokes memories of L.A. winning the 1965 World Series in seven games vs the Twins.
The Pittsburgh Pirates/Baltimore Orioles two games today, has me recall the Pirates two, 7 game World Series wins vs the Orioles (in 1971 and 1979).
The Tampa Bay Rays are playing 2 games in Boston vs the Red Sox today. In 2008, the Rays prevailed in 7 games vs the Red Sox in the ALCS.
So three doubleheaders involving teams that have met a total of four times in the postseason. All four times, the series went to the maximum 7 games.
Sandy Koufax 1965 World Series
