NBA Finals Prediction

NBA Finals:

2. Miami Heat over 3. Dallas Mavericks in 6 games

Will the Heat or Mavericks walk away with the Larry O'Brien Trophy?

Stanley Cup Finals Prediction

Stanley Cup Finals:
1. Vancouver Canucks over 3. Boston Bruins in 6 games

Will the Canucks or Bruins walk away with the Stanley Cup?

Barcelona-Manchester United Champions League Final Reaction

Final Score: Barcelona 3 - Manchester United 1 (Barcelona's second victory over United in the Champions League Final in three years)

• As expected coming into the huge matchup, Barcelona had the majority of possession during the game. Aside from the first 10 minutes of the fixture, United struggled to keep the ball, while they couldn't keep Barcelona off the ball. There were long spills during play when United found themselves without a touch for 5 to 10 minutes. At the end of the first half, Barca had 70 percent of possession and they finished the game with about 68 percent. In the middle of the field, Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi were given way too much space for Barcelona. United was able to frustrate Barcelona in the first 10 minutes of the game because they didn't give Xavi, Iniesta, or Messi any time on the ball. However, as the game went on, Barcelona began to shred apart United in the middle of the field with combinations and clever passing.
•  Barcelona kept United on their back foot the entire game. If it wasn't for 9 great saves from Van der Sar including one in the 66th minute that he turned away after a blast from Xavi, Barcelona could have scored more than 3 goals. Barca took 22 shots and 12 on goal including a total of 18 shots from Iniesta, Xavi, Villa, and Messi. United could muster just 4 shots and only 1 on net. Unlike Barcelona who had so many chances to score throughout the match, United really didn't have any opportunities to finish aside from Rooney's goal in the 34th minute. 
•  The finishing for Barca was exquisite and clinical. The first goal came in the 27th minute from Pedro Rodriguez. Xavi carried the ball into the attacking third when Nemanja Vidic turned his head and lost Pedro on the edge of the circle. Xavi played the ball into Pedro's feet, who finished beautifully into the bottom right corner by a helpless Van der Sar. Barca came back with their second goal in the 55th minute of play. Xavi and Iniesta were exchanging passes in the middle before the ball was played to Messi, who somehow was not being marked about 25 yards out. As Messi so often does, he took a few touches to his left and finished by Van der Sar for a lovely goal into the bottom right corner. Messi's early shot from distance caught Van der Sar off his guard. Van der Sar said about the goal, "I though I was positioned well. He tends to curl it into the far post but he didn't. They are very good, you have to try and score the first goal and we didn't do that. It is not always a given." Van der Sar was positioned so he could save a curling shot from Messi into the back post, but Messi went to the short side and Van der Sar had no chance to keep the game deadlocked at 1. Barca completed the great finishing in the 70th minute when Villa slotted a beautiful goal home to seal the victory for Barca. Messi traveled into the box before losing it to United but they scuffled with the ball and lost it to Busquets. Busquets delivered a pass to Villa, who curled the ball into the upper right corner from the top of the box for a magnificent goal. Vidic said, "The goals we lost, we didn't do what we have to do to close their players down. When they have time on the ball they can make the final pass and that is what they did."
• After the game, Man United gave all the credit to Barcelona for their victory. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said, "We were beaten, there is no other way to addess the situation, by the best team. I expected us to do better but at the end of the day we were beaten by the better team. They are the best team we have ever played, they are at the peak in this cycle of their team. There wa good evidence we are a consistently good European team but we were beaten by the best team in Europe and there is no shame in that. Sometimes you come up against a far better team and tonight was one of those night... Great teams go in cycles and the cycle they [Barcelona] are in at the moment is the best in Europe, there's no question of that... they are enjoying the moment that they have just now." Manchestr United captain Nemanja vidic said after the 3-1 loss, "I think if you look at it we have never played a team in the past like Barcelona, they played good football and deserved to win... A couple of the goals were preventable but you have to give credit where it's due. They've got a system they work to and did it well. We had a game plan we though could beat them, but wasn't to be."

Here are the match highlights of the final.

Don't Overlook Roger Federer In The French Open

With Rafael Nadal aiming for his 6th French Open title to tie Bjorn Borg for the most French Open championships in history and Novak Djokovic's current 41 match win streak, most people have forgot about a man that has won 16 majors and is currently ranked 3rd in the world. However, to look past Roger Federer when talking about serious contenders to win the French Open, is a huge mistake.

Roger Federer has not had an easy walk in the park for the first three rounds of the French Open. To begin this quest for a second French Open crown, he had a tricky looking match with the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. Lopez had previously played Federer in a great match early in May in the 2nd round of Madrid that lasted nearly three hours. Federer won that extremely tight match, where all three sets went into tiebreakers, 7-6 (15-13), 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (9-7). Federer even had to save a match point during the third set tiebreak in that match. However, Federer played some great tennis and beat Lopez in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). 

In the second round, he lost just 5 games to the young Frenchmen Maxime Teixeira, as he took the match 6-3, 6-0, 6-2.

In the third round, Federer beat Janko Tipsarevic in a difficult third round match 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. His first set against Tipsarevic took just 19 minutes. Tipsarevic said after the match, "I was honestly expecting more from myself today but he was just too good."

Federer is also extremely confident right now. He said, "I'm at peace with my game right now. Physically I feel better. My body is in better shape. I've had more practice, more matches, because between Australia and Roland Garros last year I didn't play much, and when I played it was a bit difficult. It's still early in the tournament but at the same time it's really nice to be moving in the draw so well and so quickly.

In the round of 16, Federer will play his fellow countrymen from Switzerland Stanislas Wawrinka. Federer has owned his really good friend Wawrinka. Federer is 8-1 against Stan and he has won 18 sets out of 21 against Wawrinka in 9 matches. 

The last time Federer was seeded outside of the top two at a grand slam was in 2003 and Federer has never flown so far under the radar as he has at this year's French Open since before he won his first major at Wimbledon in 2003. Federer doesn't mind having so much attention on Nadal and Djokovic and having less pressure on his shoulders. He said, "People expected me to hopefully win or to prove myself here in Paris over many, many years, and this year I don't have to do that because I have already won this tournament before. And now the expectations are sky-high for Novak and Rafa, because he's the defending champion. That leaves me a bit out of the pressure situation, which is not a bad thing for me.

EPL Team Of The Season

Goalkeeper: Joe Hart, Manchester City

Joe Hart took away the starting role from Shay Given between the pipes this season for Manchester City and lead them to a third place finish and qualification in the Champions League. He was the model of consistency in the Premier League. Hart was 1 of only 6 goalies to play all 38 games in the league this season along with Petr Cech of Chelsea, Pepe Reina of Liverpool, Tim Howard of Everton, Brad Friedel of Aston Villa, and Ben Foster of Birmingham City. Among starting goalkeepers, he conceded the least goals in the premier league at home with just 12 in 19 games and he was tied for the premier league low with just 33 goals allowed in 38 games. Hart allowed just 0.87 goals per game, which was tied with Petr Cech as the low in the league. Hart led the Premier League and set a Manchester City single season record with 18 clean sheets. Hart also led the premier league with a save percentage rate of over 75. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said about his starting goalkeeper, “I think Joe is young and can improve a lot but he can also become one of the top goalkeepers in England history... He can improve a lot in his job because he is a fantastic keeper. He is as good as Cech and Van der Sar. He is younger than them but he can become like them. Joe broke the record for clean sheets and has been a solid rock and, in every important crucial game for us, he has come up with the goods. In the Tottenham game, he made some pretty crucial saves, and in the final against Stoke he made an instrumental save, without which the game could have gone in a different direction.”

Center Back: Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United

In his first year as captain of Manchester United, Vidic led United to a Premier League title. He started all but three games for the champions. Although Vidic was sometimes guilty of committing silly fouls, his toughness led a defense that allowed just 38 goals during the season, which was tied for the 3rd least in the Premier League. He also scored the fifth most goals for United with 5 including a goal against Chelsea off a corner to give United a 2-0 advantage in the game. He was very dangerous off set pieces the entire season. Vidic was named the English Premier League Player of the Year for his importance to the United back four.

Center Back: Vincent Kompany, Manchester City

A huge reason behind Joe Hart's success this season was due to the unbelievable play of his central defender Vincent Kompany. Kompany started 37 of City's 38 Premier League games and was mr. reliable in the back. Roberto Mancini said about his center back, "Vincent can become number one in the world. He has always played at a high level. When he was at Anderlecht and I was at Inter, I wanted to buy him. He was a good player then. He has improved a lot and now is one of the top defenders in Europe. But he can improve even more. Vincent is incredible. He has a fantastic mentality. His attitude has been excellent. Without doubt he has been one of our top players this year." Kompany was awarded the Manchester City Player of the Year for his role in the City back four. Kompany was so good this season fo City that both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are now interested in buying the defender.

Full Back: Leighton Baines, Everton

The English defender had a great season for Everton with a career high of 5 goals and 11 assists, which was tied for the third most in the Premier League and most among defenders. He played every minute of every game for Everton in the Premier League. Baines was voted the Player of the Season for Everton to top off his unbelievable year. Everton manager David Moyes sai about his left back, "Leighton has had a realy good season.He has played well - been good going forward, created goals, and scored some goals. Where I go people ask me about Leighton Baines. They can see how well he is doing and what a great season he has had." Like Vincent Kompany, Leighton's great season has attracted other clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Roberto Mancini values Baines so much that he is willing to spend 25 million on the left back. 

Full Back: Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea

This selection is a combination of the lack of star power at the right back position and the quality season that Ivanovic had for the Blues. As always, Ivanovic was very dangerous in set pieces and strong in the air, as he scored 4 goals for Chelsea in the Premier League. The right back was a key component to Chelsea's offense, as he constatly was getting forward into the attack. Ivanovic was also one of the nominations for Chelsea's Player of the Year award. His outstanding season was rewarded with a new five and a half year contact with Chelsea, which will last until the summer of 2016.

Midfield: Rafael Van der Vaart, Tottenham Hotspur

Rafael Van der Vaart nearly went to Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window for 18 million pounds. As the deal collapsed, Van der Vaart fell right into Tottenham's lap for an unbelievably cheap 8 million punds, especially for a world class player like Van der Vaart. Although he missed 10 Premier League games, Van der Vaart still scored 13 goals, had 8 assists, had 113 shots including 41 shots on goal, which all led Tottenham. Van der Vaart had a nack of coming through for Tottenham when they really needed it and always scored the big goal. In Tottenham's second to last game, Van der Vaart scored the opening goal of the game in the 9th minute and helped Tottenham secure a spot in the Europa League with a 2-0 victory. Luck enough for Spurs,Van der Vaart said he isn't going to leave White Heart Lane, so he can play in the champions league. He said, “I won’t be looking to leave Tottenham to play in the Champions League. I have only been here one year and I have really enjoyed my first year. Of course I want to be playing in the Champions League. Every player is the same. But I don’t want to leave and will see what next season will bring."

Midfield: Luka Modric, Tottenham Hotspur

Modric pulled all the strings and was the playmaker for the Spurs. His stats of just 3 goals and 2 assists don't tell any of the story of how great the Croatian international was for the Spurs. His ability to see the field and pass was unmatched in the Premier League. Like Van der Vaart, Modric always came thorugh when Tottenham needed him. In Tottenham's second to last game, Modric scored on a penalty kick in the 56th minute and helped Tottenham secure a spot in the Europa League with a 2-0 victory. He led Tottenham in games played at 32. Harry Redknapp isn't the only coach he believe that Modric was the best player in the Premier League this season. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglsih said, "Jack Wilshere has shown that he is a top-class player. But my personal favorite this season is Luk Modric, a really gifted footballer who, at 25, is going to entertain us for many years ahead."

Midfield: Charlie Adam, Blackpool

Although his side was relegated, Charlie Adam had a fantastic first season in the Premier League. The Blackpool captain was tied for 12th in the Premier League with 12 goals and was tied for 10th in the Premier League with 10 assists. He also led his team in shots with 112 including 35 shots on goal, while missing just 3 Premier League games. Adam did his best to keep Blackpool from being relegated. He scored 3 goals in Blackpool's last 5 games. On May 7th against Tottenham at White Heart Lane, Adam converted on a penalty kick that helped Blackpool stay in contention to stay in the lead with a 1-1 tie on the road. On May 14th against the Bolton Wanderers, he scored the game winner in the 63rd minute in a 4-3 victory. Even on the last game of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Adam scored in the 40th minute to tie the game at 1 before United won 4-2. The speculation can now begin on where Charlie Adam will be next season.

Midfield: Jack Wilshere, Arsenal

The 19 year old midfielder was absolutely fantastic this season in the Premier League.  He showed that he is a complete midfielder who can do nearly everything on the pitch. His combination of speed and quickness with vision and passing made him one of the best players in the Premier League this season. Wilshere's ability to play any position across the midfield allowed Wanger to utilize the full array of Arsenal's skillfull midfielders. His manager Arsene Wanger said about him, "He's a box-to-box player, more than just a holding midfielder. But to be honest, he can play in any position across the midfield. He can play behind the striker because he can penetrate." Wilshere's outstanding play was recognized as he was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year. England boss Fabio Capello said about Wilshere, "... he plays without fear, and with confidence. Also, for somebody so young, he is a leader. It is incredible. I never saw someone so young be a leader on the pitch. It is incredible... As a young player, I think he is at the top, not only in England but Europe and the world."

Striker: Carlos Tevez, Manchester City

Tevez was tied for the Premier League lead with 20 goals this season and Manchester City needed every single one of his goals. Aside from Tevez, no other Manchester City player had more than 8 goals. Tevez scored a third of City's goals during the season. He also led Manchester City with 120 shots including 45 on goal. Only one other Manchester City player had over 50 shots and no City player had more than 20 shots on goal. He was also second on City with 6 assists. Tevez was arguably the most important player to City's third place finish and qualification in Champions League. In the thirty-one games Tevez played in (30 of which he started), City was 18-7-6. In the 7 games Tevez was out, City was just 3-1-3. However, Tevez has recently admitted he wants to make a move away from City to another club during the summer. He said, "I want to leave Manchester City. Football has changed a lot from me and I don't know if I will even make it to the next World Cup. And that has nothing to do with wheather I'm selected or not.... I need a change of scene."

Strike: Javier Hernandez, Manchester United

Hernandez, commonly known as Chicharito, had an outstanding season for the title winners. His paternship with Wayne Rooney up front, led to a league high 78 goals including a league high 49 at home. Hernandez was tied for 6th in the Premier League with 13 goals in only 27 appreances. It is even more impressive that he only played a full 90 minutes in the Premier league 7 times and he only started 15 games. He played his best towards the end of the season. Chicharito scored a huge goal on April 23rd against Everton in the 84th minute, which gave United a 1-0 victory. The huge win point United 6 points clear of Chelsea instead of just 4. His biggest goal of the seaon came within the first minute of United's huge game with Chelsea on May 8th. It gave United a 1-0 lead, which they never surrendered and won the game 2-1 at Old Trafford, which virtually wrapped up the league title.

Men's Notable French Open First Round Matches

1. Rafael Nadal vs John Isner: John Isner has really struggled this season. He began the season ranked inside the top 20 at number 19 in the world but has now fallen to 39 because of a rough 5 months to start the season. He is just 9-12 this year. Isner is not at all a clay court specialist and is much better on hard courts. John is just 3-5 on clay courts this season and hasn't reached the semifinals of any clay court tournament. Isner has never made it past the 3rd round at the French Open. However, his big serve and ability to hit the big forehand makes him somewhat of a threat to Nadal even if he is really struggling and has never been to good on clay. Nadal said about playing Isner, "He's one of these players that you prefer not to have to have in the first round. His style of game is dangerous. His serve is unbelievable. He can be dangerous... I have to be very focused with my serve."

24. Sam Querrey vs Philipp Kohlschreiber: Philipp Kohlschreiber has always played very well at Roland Garros and he is very good on clay. In 2009, Kohlschreiber beat Novak Djokovic in the third round of the French Open 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 before he was knocked out in the round of 16. On the other hand, Sam Querrey has really struggled on clay. This season he is just 1-3 on clay courts and his only win came because Kevin Anderson had to retire after one set. Sam said about his early season struggles, "Even though I haven't had great results this year, my game feels really good and I actually feel confident. I have been hitting the ball as well as I have ever hit it and I am working really hard. I just need one little spaek to get going... Everyone has their ups and downs aside from gus like Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal], who are pretty consistent at the top. But I think I'm just a bit og a cycle and can turn it around pretty qucikly." Querrey has especially struggled at Roland Garros. He has never made it out of the first round and is 0-4 at the French Open in his career. Querrey said about his struggles at the French Open, "I have never won a match at the French, so the goal is to win one match. That is all I am really focusing on right now. I can't afford to look beyond that... Sometimes in sports you make runs out of nowhere. It would be great to do that here [at the Fench Open] and prove everything wrong." Thus, this matchup is so intriguing and could definitely be a possible upset because Kohlschreiber plays so well on clay and Querrey struggles so much on clay especially at Roland Garros.

3. Roger Federer vs Feliciano Lopez: Rafael Nadal is not the only highly seeded player who has a difficult first round match. Roger Federer will have a tricky match with the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. In fact, Lopez and Federer played a great match early this month in the 2nd round of Madrid that lasted nearly three hours. Federer won the extremely tight match, where all three sets went into tiebreakers, 7-6 (15-13), 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (9-7). Federer even had to save a match point during the third set tiebreak. Although Federer has never lost to Lopez and is 0-8, Lopez looks like a different player in 2011. Lopez has had a terrific season especially on clay as he made it to the quarterfinals of Bareclemona and the finals of the Serbia Open before he lost to Djokovic. Although most people believe that Federer will advance out of the first round, Lopez will be a tricky opponent especially if he is playing well.

Lleyton Hewitt vs Albert Montanes: This is by far the most intriguing matchup of two guys who aren't seeded in the French Open. Lleyton Hewitt hasn't played since he lost to Yen-Hsun Lu in the first round of Indian Wells due to a foot injury. However, as always you can expect the Aussie to fight, scrap, and crawl for every point like he always does. His coach Tony Roche said about Hewitt playing through the pain at Roland Garros, "I think he's used to that. Look, he'd be the toughest competitor that I've ever seen. He's had a lot of setbacks over the last couple of years but he keeps bouncing back... It's his first tournament back fom his operation. It's a big ask, but he could do it... Lleyton is still as keen as ever. He feels in the grand slams, given the right opportunity, that he can still be competitive with the top guys." The other side of this matchup is the Spaniard Albert Montanes. He is a clay court specialist, as his 4 runner-ups and 5 tournament victories, have been all on clay courts. His only winning record at a major is at the French Open. He has made it to the third round of the French Open 5 times. However, this season Montanes has just not been good on the clay. He is 6-7 in 13 matches on clay this season and his ranking has dropped from 25 at the beginning of the season to 37. 

13. Richard Gasquet vs Radek Stepanek: Richard Gasquet has looked absolutely fantastic this season. He began the season ranked 30 in the world and has moved up 16 spots to number 14. At Rome, Gasquet had a great tournament. He beat Roger Federer in the third round 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4). Gasquet beat Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 before his great tournamnet ended with a loss to Rafael Nadal 5-7, 1-6. He showed his new found toughness and grit by coming back to beat both Federer and Berdych after dropping highly contested first sets in both matches. Gasquet showed his maturity, which he failed to show when he was younger and has shown his resolve and determination to fight for every point. His change of attitude makes him look like a real contender to make a deep run at Roland Garros as long as he can first get by the old veteran Radek Stepanek. Stepanek was ranked in the top 20 just last year but has fallen to 57 in the world now. However, he has begun to show his 2010 form, which should be dangerous for Gasquet. He beat Marcos Baghdatis at Monte Carlo in the first round and made it to the semifinals of Munich on clay.

25. Juan Martin Del Potro vs Ivo Karlovic: Juan Martin Del Porto is 6'6. Ivo Karlovic is 6'10. These two guys are huge and their first round match at the French Open should have huge serves and hitting from both guys. Although Del Potro hits the ball very hard and flat, he is also very good on the dirt. In 2009, he made it to the French Open semifinals. Del Potro has been working himself back into shape and tennis form this season after a 9 month break due to a wrist surgery. Del Potro has played pretty well since his return. He has won 2 tournaments and has beaten 5 players in the top 20 including Robin Soderling in straight sets twice, Fernando Verdasco, Mikhali Youzhny, and Marin Cilic. Karlovic and Del Portro aren't very familiar with each other either, as their only meeting was on grass four years ago. Both of these guys are great servers. Karlovic ranks 1st in 1st serve points won at 80%, service game won at 91%, and break points saved at 73%. He also ranks 2nd in aces with 357. Del Potro is a pretty god returner. He rankes tied for 2nd with Novak Djokovic and only behind Andy Murray in break points converted at 50%. Del Potro isn't too bad serving himself either. He rankes 6th in service games won at 87%, 5th in break points saved at 68%, and 5th in 2nd seve points won at 55%. It should be a great match especially if Karlovic can serve well and stay in the match.

Carl "Walk-off" Crawford

When the Red Sox signed Carl Crawford in the off-season to a seven year, 142 million dollar contract, they couldn't have envisioned a much worse start for the left fielder. Crawford looked extremely uncomfortable and wasn't relaxed at the plate for all of April. In April, Crawford was 15 for 97 and had a .155 batting average. He had 5 extra base hits in 97 at bats. He also struck out 17 times including 6 strikeouts in 4 games to begin the season. Crawford's numbers don't even look that bad compared to after April 17th when he was 7 for 55 and was batting .127 with just 1 extra base hit in 13 games.

May has been much kinder to Crawford. He is starting to look like the player the Sox signed to a huge contract during the off-season. In May, Crawford's fortunes have changed. He is 20 for 68 in May, which means that in 29 less at-bats, Crawford has five more hits. He is batting .294 during the month and has brought his average up from .155 to .212. 

Crawford has also earned the title of "Papi Jr." as the new clutch Red Sox. His first walk-off hit came on the 1st of May. The Sox has lost two in a row and were struggling at four games under .500 at 11-15. In the bottom of the ninth, Crawford came up with two outs and Jed Lowrie on third. Crawford singled to center to give the sox a 3-2 win a Fenway. Crawford said after the game about the hit, "After seeing it go through the middle, it was like a big weight off my shoulder. It's been a while since I felt this good. It's been tough on me; I can't sit here and act like it hasn't been. But you try to minimize that and keep positive thoughts in your head. As a team, we just wanted to put the month of April behind us," Crawford said. "We wanted to start fresh and act like the month of April never happened." Something began to click for Crawford after that game. He obviously felt like some pressure was off his back and he looked more comfortable, especially after his new teammates mobbed him after his first walk-off hit.

Crawford was not done with his clutch hits just yet. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Crawford came up with a runner on first and one out with the game tied at 1-1. Crawford hit a high shot off the monster and Jose Iglesias came around from first to score the winning run for the Sox. Crawford's hit in the 11th, extended his hitting streak at the time to 9 games dating back to May 1st. Crawford said after the game, "It's always nice to get walk-offs. I'll take 'em all the time. Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said about Crawford, "He's still settling in." Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon added about Crawford, "I think we're seeing a guy that goes out there, that's a great athlete and is doing what he can to pick up the ballclub."

Crawford came through once again for the Red Sox last night in the clutch. The Red Sox were looking for their 6th win in a row lat night against the Tigers at home. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Crawford hit a bases-loaded single to lift the Sox over the Tigers. Crawford said after the game, "You always want to get a hit in those situations," the left fielder said. "You know it's gonna win the game, you definitely don't want to go to extra innings. So you just try to tell yourself to focus a little harder and hope for the best. It's always nice to come through in those situations. I've been struggling so whenever I get a chance to do something good like that it definitely feels good." Red Sox manager Terry Francona said about Crawford hitting yet another wal-off, "It's gotta be good for his confidence. It's a good time to hit, the infield is playing in, the outfield is playing in. He stayed on the ball really well, that's the one thing you don't wanna do -- roll over and pull off -- and he stayed on it really well."

In just the month of May, Carl Crawford has three walk-off hits for the Red Sox. In his last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Crawford had just 2 walk-off hits.

The Heat Have To Clean Up The Glass In Game 2

On January 15th the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat 99 to 96. In that game, the Bulls outrebounded the Heat 42 to 30 on the glass. 

On February 24th the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat again 93 to 89. In that game, the Bulls outrebounded the Heat 53 to 39 on the glass. 

On March 6th the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat for a third time in three games 87 to 86. For a third straight game, the Bulls outrebounded the Heat 36 to 30 on the glass. 

In game one of the Bulls-Heat Eastern Conference Finals matchup, this pattern continued. The Bulls beat the Heat by 21 points 103 to 82. They outrebounded the Heat 45 to 33 on the glass. They also had 19 offensive rebounds including 8 from Joakim Noah, while the Heat had just 6 offensive rebounds. All of the Bulls offensive rebounds gave them 19 more shot attempts than the Heat. 

Lebron James admitted that the Heat will have to figure out how to keep the Bulls off the boards. He said after game 1, "You play defense. You play defense hard and the shot goes up and they get an offensive rebound, kick it out for a three, or get a layup, or a dunk. Those are demoralizing for a defensive team. We've got to figure out a way to clean that up. This was the fourth straight time we've gotten outrebounded by the Bulls. That's where they're dominant. We did a great job of holding them on forced attempts. They shot just [43.7 percent] form the floor." Dwayne Wade said, "We know we have to do a better job of cleaning the glass. We’ve got to get more second-chance efforts and rebounds. There’s not just going to be one guy getting 13 or 14 rebounds [the way Bulls center Joakim Noah did]. We all have to chip in and box out.’’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra added about all the Bulls second chance points, "It simply overwhelmed us tonight. It was something we simply couldn't overcome. We have 48 hours to get back to our identity. We’re a good rebounding team. We've proven that all season long. We've got to revert back to our habits."

When many teams play the Heat, they don't attack the glass to try and get offensive rebounds because they are fearful of run outs, which the Heat do exceptionally well. All of the offensive rebounds by the Bulls prevented the Heat from running out on the fast break. They had just 10 fast break points during the game.

It will be a long series for the Heat if they don't clean up the glass.

Novak Djokovic, Not Rafael Nadal, Is The Favorite To Win The French Open

On November 27, 2010, Novak Djokovic lost to Roger Federer 1-6, 4-6 and was knocked out of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in the semifinals. Djokovic hasn't lost a match since then and has a 39 match win streak dating back to last season. Novak has started his 2011 season with a 37 match win streak. In 1984, John McEnroe began his season with 42 straight wins. The record for most victories in a row was set by Guillermo Vilas in 1977 when he when 46 matches in a row. Djokovic would surpass McEnroe and tie Guillermo's record for consecutive victories if he wins all seven of his matches at Roland Garros.

Nobody has been able to stop Novak this season. He has won all seven of the tournaments he has entered. His previous high for titles in one season was 5 in 2007 and 2009. He began his season with a victory at the Australian Open including a win over Roger Federer in the semifinals in straight sets. He beat Federer once again in the Dubai final in two sets a month later. At Indian Wells, he knocked off Federer for the third straight time and then beat Nadal in the finals. At Miami, Djokovic beat Nadal in a second straight final. A month later, Novak won the Serbia Open in his home country without dropping a set in the tournament. His most impressive displays have been at the last two tournaments. At Madrid, Djokovic beat Nadal in the final 7-5, 6-4 on clay. At Rome the next week, he once again beat Nadal in a final on clay in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Before those two matches, Novak had been 0-9 against Nadal on clay and had only won 3 sets in 9 matches against him. However, it looks like Djokovic has cracked the code on how to beat Nadal on clay. He has been taking a lot of chances and has been very aggressive against Nadal in the previous two finals on clay. He is the only player to ever to beat Nadal multiple times on a clay court in one season. Djokovic is a combined 7-0 against Nadal and Federer and is 13-0 against players ranked in the top 10 this year. As Rafael Nadal said after he loss to Novak at Rome, "He is doing amazing things. He is playing fantastic, doing a lot of things very well and has a lot of confidence. The most important thing for me is to be confident and be happy with what I am doing. I have done everything I can, I cannot ask more of myself but one player is doing better then me."

Djokovic has shown unreal confidence during his 39 match win streak. After his victory over Nadal at Rome, Novak said, "I'm just most happy about the game I have this year on clay. The way I'm striking the ball and the way I'm so self-confident. I always knew I could beat the top players, but now I have the confidence to do it... I have won against him [Nadal] twice in the last eight days, which I think is incredible, an incredible achievement for me, and has given me a lot of confidence for the French Open."

John McEnroe said, "Nadal doesn't seem to know what to do against him, and quite honestly, if Nadal is baffled by playing him, then that just shows you how great he's playing on clay. You're looking at a guy [Djokovic] who's the best player in the world right now." Pete Sampras added, "I've seen him play a number of times over the years, and he was at the level with Roger and Rafa, but you never felt like his temperament could withstand a four-hour match. It always felt like he was a little bit up and down, a little bit emotional... It took him a few years to find his way.... And this year, something clicked in him, where he just sort of became a little bit more positive... And now he has that aura now where he's really, really tough to beat."

Djokovic also has a great chance to get to number 1 in the world for the first time in his career. No matter how he fares at the French Open, if Nadal doesn't win at Roland Garros, then Novak will rise to number 1. 

Djokovic beat Nadal 7-5, 6-4 at Madrid for his first victory over Nadal on a clay court.

Djokovic beat Nadal in a second straight final at Rome 6-4, 6-4. He became the only player to to ever beat Nadal multiple times on a clay court in one year.

NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals:
2. Miami Heat over 1. Chicago Bulls in 7 games

Western Conference Finals:
4. Oklahoma City Thunder over 3. Dallas Mavericks in 7 games

Adrian Gonzalez Has A Great Shot At The Triple Crown

It has been 44 years since someone has hit for the Triple Crown. Boston Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to achieve the feat in 1967. Yaz is confident that his Triple Crown won't be the last in MLB history. He said, "Somebody will break it. All the records, you would think [get broken]... Usually, somebody wins two of the three categories. To get that third one makes it more difficult. There's always somebody that pops up and has more home runs or something like that, or RBIs. So you just never know."

The player who may finally hit for the Triple Crown is wearing the same uniform as Yaz did for all 23 years of his career. It is very possible that Boston Red Sox first basemen Adrian Gonzalez can achieve the feat. Gonzalez is 7th in the AL with a .325 batting average, 4th in the AL with 9 home runs, and leads the AL with 34 RBI's. Gonzalez has a rare combination of outstanding power and consistency to get on base. There is no doubt that Gonzalez is going to hit a lot of home runs and is going to have a lot of chances to knock guys in, batting third in a very dangerous Red Sox lineup. If Gonzalez can keep his average up, he has a real chance of joining Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as the only Red Sox players to hit for the Triple Crown. 

Adrian has benefited from leaving Petco Park, a pitcher friendly park, and coming to Fenway Park, a hitter friendly park. Petco Park has been the 3rd hardest park to get hits in this season, while Fenway Park has been the 5th easiest park to get hits in this year. Gonzalez's swing is made for Fenway Park. He is one of the best hitters in the MLB at hitting the ball the other way and will be able to continue to launch balls on the outer half of the plate over the Green Monster in left field. 

Recently Gonzalez has been on a tear. Sox fans are expecting the daily Adrian Gonzalez home run these days. In his last 8 games, he has 7 home runs and he has 5 in his last 4 games. If Gonzalez can hit a home run tonight, he will join Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Dick Stuart, George Scott, and Jose Canseco as the only Red Sox players to hit a home run in five straight games. Gonzalez has 8 home runs in May and needs 5 more homers to tie Jim Rice's team record for the most home runs as a Red Sox in the month of May. Gonzalez also has 19 RBI's in May. He is currently on pace for 44 in May, which would be the team record for the most RBI's in a month. 

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said about his slugging first basemen, "He amazes me. He's really good, he's intelligent and he knows what he's doing." Red Sox third basemen Kevin Youkilis said about Gonzalez, “This is the player that we got here for a reason. He was brought over here for a reason. It’s fun to sit back and watch. I get a great look on deck. He’s one hell of a player. It’s definitely a lot of fun to watch him hit balls to left field, right field. He’s a special player and he’s showing why the Red Sox were so adamant in getting him.”

Liverpool Looks Poised To Contend Next Season In The EPL

In the 1987-1988 season, Liverpool won their 18th English football championship. At the time, Manchester United had just 7 English football championships. With Manchester United's 1-1 tie today against Blackburn, they have now secured their record 19th English Premier League title surpassing Liverpool, who hasn't won a league title since their victory during the 1987-1988 season. Liverpool is no longer the most successful club in history of English domestic football, as that distinction now belongs to Manchester United. However, Liverpool will definitely have a great chance of winning their 19th league title next season.

On January 31st, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was sold to Chelsea for a British record transfer fee at 50 million pounds. On that same day, Liverpool confirmed a signing of Ajax striker Luis Suarez on a contract until the summer of 2016 and a signing of Newcastle striker Andy Carroll worth 35 million pounds. 

Since Liverpool acquired Suarez and Carroll and got rid of Torres, they have found new life.  Liverpool was 9-5-10 before the transfers and had just 32 points in 23 games. They were only four points out of the relegation zone after a 2-1 loss to Blackpool on January 12th. In the 13 games after the transfers, Liverpool has picked up 26 points with a 8-2-2 record and has wins over Chelsea and Manchester United. Liverpool currently has a five match unbeaten streak and in those games they have scored 17 goals, while only conceding 3 goals. Liverpool has climbed all the way up to 5th in the Premier League and is two points ahead of Tottenham for the Europa League spot. 

Liverpool's success is even more impressive because of the injuries they have had to deal with recently. Andy Carroll has started just 5 games for Liverpool and has been hampered with a thigh injury since his transfer to Liverpool. Carroll is still trying to get healthy and fit enough to play at top form. Steven Gerrard has missed the last two months with a groin injury that he needed to have surgery on. He hasn't appeared in a game since March 6th. If Carroll and Gerrard can return to form, Liverpool look even more dangerous next season.

Although Liverpool have been without two of their biggest stars, a big reason for their new found success has been because of Luis Suarez. Suarez has been outstanding for Liverpool. In 12 appearances, he has 4 goals and 3 assists. His speed has caused havoc for Premier League teams' back lines. Suarez has also made his teammates so much better, as he so good at picking out a pass. Suarez's arrival came at the same time that Maxi Rodriguez began to score so many goals for Liverpool and this isn't just a coincidence.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said about his Uruguayan striker, "I don't think in our wildest dreams he could've settled in as quickly as he has done and taken to English football the way that he has done. He's graced the pitch every time he's played on it.'' Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said about Suarez, "He is a midfielder's dream. As soon as you look up he makes great movements and he gives you options all the time. But what is impressing me even more is when he hasn't got the ball, his tenacity and desire to win it back. Suarez's movement, his touch, his vision, the way he took his goal is sensational. He is a joy to play with. It is natural you will compare him to Tevez because of his build, his shape, the way he plays but for me and what I've seen so far, I'm slightly biased because he is in my team, I think he can go on to be better." Fulham manager Mark Hughes added, "They [Liverpool] can certainly improve and they've got a talented guy [Suarez] at the top of their team that's going to work and harry and make positive movements in that final third and is going to create goals and chances for himself and his team."

Shows the creativity of Suarez.

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is optimistic that Liverpool is heading in the right direction. He said, "I am looking forward to next season. I have always said [that] of course there was a bit of doubt back in December and January because we were not even close to where we are now. We are heading in the right direction and we are optimistic. I think by making the right steps and taking them, we can all see the difference between now and then. That's why we are now optimistic about the future and are looking forward. We are all looking forward to next season." Even Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is very impressed with Liverpool. He wrote on his twitter after Liverpool smashed their rivals Fulham 5-2, "Liverpool look good. Going to be serious contenders for the title next year!" 

NHL Playoffs Conference Finals Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals:
5. Tampa Bay Lightning over 3. Boston Bruins in 6 games

Western Conference Finals:
1. Vancouver Canucks over 2. San Jose Sharks in 7 games

There Will Be No Triple Crown This Year

When the favorite to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby, Uncle Mo, dropped out of the race because of a gastrointestinal tract problem, it looked unlikely that the world would see the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. It takes a great horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, and with Uncle Mo scratched from the field, the remaining three-year old horses did not seem like they had the potential to win three grueling races over a little more than a month.

Animal Kingdom, a 30-1 morning line long-shot to win the Kentucky Derby, took home the race at Churchill Downs, but the chance that the underdog horse comes back and wins the final two races of the Triple Crown is slim. Animal Kingdom's victory was such a long shot that his trainer, Graham Motion, is skeptical that the horse can come back and win the Preakness. He said, "I never anticipated winning the Derby, so it's a lot to take in. It's an odd feeling to have won the Derby, and then you've got to start thinking about winning the Preakness. It's a little daunting. I'm recovering very slowly. I'm trying to enjoy the Derby before looking at the Preakness. It's all been pretty overwhelming." Animal Kingdom is not a very experienced horse and is still learning how to run, which made his Kentucky Derby victory all the more surprising. 

Since Affirmed won the Triple Crown, 11 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but failed to win the Belmont Stakes. The average number of lifetime starts for those 11 horses coming out of the Derby was 9.3 races. Coming out of the Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom has made a total of 5 starts.

Animal Kingdom will also be dealing with a much different course at Pimlico than he did at Churchill Downs. The Preakness is more about speed than the Kentucky Derby, and it will be run at a faster pace by the horses. It will be difficult for such an inexperienced horse like Animal Kingdom to stay relaxed in a faster pace race and finish with as much "kick" as he did at the Kentucky Derby.

Long shots who have won the Kentucky Derby have, as you might expect, not done as well in the Preakness. In 2005, Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby at 50-1 odds but finished 3rd in the Preakness. In 2009, Mine That Bird won the Kentucky Derby as the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history at 51-1 odds. He failed to win the Preakness Steaks two weeks later. I suspect the same fate for Animal Kingdom.

Chris Bosh Was The Difference Maker For The Heat In Game 4

Chris Bosh was absolutely horrible in game 3. He had just 6 points on 1 of 6 shooting in the Heat's 16 point loss on the road to the Celtics. It was his lowest scoring game all season and he tied his season low for field goals made in a game. Not only did Bosh have a horrible offensive game, but he also had no answer for Kevin Garnett on the other end of the floor. Garnett had arguably his best ever playoff game with 28 points and 18 rebounds. He dominated Bosh down in the post. 

Bosh said after his extremely disappointing game 3, "Given all the elements that were out there last night... they [the fans] were so hyped. My emotions got the best of me early on and it kind of dictated what I was doing for the rest of the game. I was not trusting my game. The toughest thing to do in hostile environments is not just to trust your teammates but to trust yourself. Trust things you've been doing all your life... I wasn't relaxing and playing, I play better when I'm just relaxing. I have to take the emotions out and play basketball... There's a bunch of things I could've done better personally to affect the game more and get myself in rhythm. Mistakes teach you more than anything else. Last night's game was a huge teacher."

In the first half of game 4 against the Celtics, Bosh once again looked like he had some jitters. He was just 2 of 8 from the field and only had 5 points and 2 rebounds through the first 24 minutes. The Heat struggled to find a third option outside of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James in the first half because of the struggles of Bosh. Besides Wade and James, no other Heat player had more than 5 points and the three other Heat starters had just 9 points at halftime. Wade and James combined for 34 of the Heat's 50 points in the first half.

In the second half, Bosh finally showed up and began to gain a lot more confidence. He looked much more relaxed on the court in the second half and he wasn't rushing all of his shots. He was 6 of 9 from the floor and had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the final two periods. He also limited Kevin Garnett to 7 points on just 1 of 10 shooting from the field. Garnett's 1 field goal was the least he had in any game this season where he played more than 10 minutes. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented on Bosh's great defense on Garnett by saying after the game, "There’s been so much discussion about Chris and usually it’s revolving around how many points he scores. I continue to remind him he doesn’t have to answer to anyone’s expectations or critics. When he rebounds well, we usually win and when he focuses in on his rebounding and defence and covering ground it works for him.”

With 46 seconds remaining in overtime, LeBron had the ball at the top of the key and  he was being defended by Kevin Garnett. Bosh was being guarded by Paul Pierce. When James Jones ran into the left corner, the smaller Ray Allen switched onto Bosh. Chris was able to make a tip-in for the Heat after James missed the jump shot. Bosh was able to position himself for the rebound, as the smaller Allen couldn't box out the much taller Bosh. The huge bucket gave the Heat a 95-90 lead with just 24 seconds remaining in the game. It was the biggest shot of Chris Bosh's career. When the Heat needed a play to seal the game, Bosh came up huge with a big tip-in under pressure.

 

Chris Bosh's tip-in secured a five point lead for the Heat with just 24 seconds left in overtime

Bosh, James, and Wade had 83 of their team's 98 points and no other Heat player aside from the Big Three had more than 4 points. The effectiveness of Bosh gave the Heat a viable third option to go to when Wade and James needed some help from their teammates. He was a great complement to Wade and James. Bosh came up clutch for the Heat with 5 points in the extra session and was huge in the Heat's victory to take a 3-1 series lead.

Boston Celtics-Miami Heat Game 4 First Half Reaction

Boston Celtics-Miami Heat Game 4 First Half Score: Boston Celtics 53 - Miami Heat 50 (The 103 combined points in the first half by the Celtics and Heat is 13 more points than they scored in the first half of any of the first three games of the series)

• In game 3 Chris Bosh had just 6 points and 5 rebounds on 1 of 6 shooting. After his extremely disappointing game, Bosh said, "Given all the elements that were out there last night ... they were so hyped. My emotions got the best of me early on and it kind of dictated what I was doing for the rest of the game. I was not trusting my game. The toughest thing to do in hostile environments is not just to trust your teammates but to trust yourself. Trust things you've been doing all your life. I wasn't relaxing and playing, I play better when I'm just relaxing. I have to take the emotions out and play basketball. There's a bunch of things I could've done better personally to affect the game more and get myself in rhythm. Mistakes teach you more than anything else. Last night's game was a huge teacher." However, Chris Bosh is once again struggling for the Heat in Game 4 and he looks like he still has some jitters. He is just 2 of 8 from the field and only has 5 points and 2 rebounds. 


• With Bosh struggling once again, the Heat have struggled to find a third option outside of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. Besides Wade and James, no other Heat player has more than 5 points and the three other Heat starters have just 9 points. 


• The Heat will need to continue to be carried by James and Wade. They have combined for 34 of the Heat's 50 points. They have both been attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, where they are a combined 11 for 11. Wade and James will be looking to get out on the fastbreak more in the second half, as the Celtics had more fastbreak points than them in the first half.


• The return of Udonis Haslem in his first game since November 20th, has not gone as plan for Erik Spoelstra. He played just 3 minutes and picked up a technical foul.


• While James and Wade had their way on one end of the floor, so did Paul Pierce on the offensive end of the floor for the Celtics. In the first half, he had 19 points on 6 of 10 from the floor and missed just 1 of 7 free throw attempts. Pierce has been attacking the rim at will and the Heat have had no answer for him so far.
• Before the game, an orthopedic surgeon said about Rondo's injury, “He’ll be pretty sore, especially when he tries to extend that elbow completely. That last 10 to 20 degrees [of extending] is going to be very sore, and that’s how you can re-dislocate. I was very impressed he came back [in game 3] in because this is not a little thing. This is a legit injury. I think if it is the routine 90 to 95 percent of normal plays in a game, I think he’s going to be fine, he’s going to be limited, but fine. But it’s that 5 percent of the time . . . if he gets clipped going to the hoop, gets his legs taken out from under him, goes down breaking a fall. If that left arm is the first arm out there, that’s where the danger is going to come. Rajon Rondo has looked pretty good despite a dislocated left elbow, which he suffered in game 3. Rondo refused to take any shot to help with the injury and is playing through the pain. He has been icing the elbow on the bench. In the first half, Rondo had 6 points and 2 assist and was all over the floor.

Chelsea vs Manchester United First Half Reaction

With Arsenal's 3-1 loss to Stoke City earlier in the day, it looks like the Chelsea-Manchester United game would decide the title race in the Premier League. So far, it has been all Manchester United, as they lead at halftime 2-0. Chelsea will need to score at least three goals in the second half to remain in title contention. If Man United hold on for the victory, they will need just one point in two games against Blackburn and Blackpool to win the Premier League.

• Fernando Torres had a very disappointing game against Manchester United when they met in the second leg of their Champions League tie at Old Trafford back in April. After the game Carlo Ancelotti said, "I told you a lot of times this season I wanted to start with Fernando for this kind of game, for these type of tactics, but Didier played very well in the second half. He did better than Torres in his 45 minutes." Fernando Torres didn't get the nod today, as Ancelotti went with Malouda, Drogba, and Kalou up front. 
• It was a dream start for Manchester United. Just 36 seconds into the game, Man United found themselves up 1-0. David Luiz gave the ball away and then let Hernandez sneak in behind him for the open shot at Cech. Park Ji-Sung played a ball beind the Chelsea defense to spring Hernandez, who finished right by Cech for a goal. Luiz was in a horrible position and couldn't intercept Park's pass. It was a horrible start for Chelsea. 
• Chelsea had terrible picking up Rooney in the attacking third. He ripped shots from everywhere including a blast from 30 yards out, which Cech had to make a great save on in the 8th minute.
• In the 11th minute, Hernandez just missed a ball from Park Ji-Sung to the back post for a second goal for United.
• In the 23rd minute, Giggs took a short corner and played the ball to Park Ji-Sung, who played it back to Giggs. Giggs played the ball into the box, where Vidic headed it home for a 2-0 United lead. Nobody was marking Vidic on the corner.
• Lampard was barely involved in the first half in the middle of the field.
• It was a perfect half for United and couldn't have been much worse for the Blues. 

Cheslea Players Confident That Manchester United Will Be Playing A Different Team At Old Trafford

On April 6th, Manchester United beat Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal matchup at Stamford Bridge 1-0. When the fixture returned to Manchester, United once again knocked off the Blues 2-1 to secure a spot in the Champions League semifinals. The victory for United ended Chelsea's dream of finally winning a Champions League title.

When United take on Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, the stakes will once again be very high. United are in first place of the Premier League at 73 points. Chelsea is just 3 points behind them at 70 and is looking to jump the Red Devils with a victory on Sunday. The two teams are deadlocked in goal differential at 38 and both teams have two games left after the meeting at Old Trafford. 

The Chelsea players are confident that United will be playing a different team than the team they beat twice in the Champions league quarterfinals. The Chelsea players believe that they have clicked and they are in top form. 

Chelsea's captain John Terry is confident that his team can beat Manchester United and win its second straight Premier League Title. He said, "Each season you know you are going to hit a bad spell and it is about how quickly you can get out of it. We got out of it very quickly last year, and have taken a little longer this time - but once again we are right back in the frame. We showed when we went to Old Trafford and won last year, which was the decisive game, that we could do it. There is no reason why we cannot do it again. There is nothing I want more than to bring back that trophy."

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien said, "We started the season extremely well, had a sour middle art, and are now ending strongly. We have hit a good run of form lately and have managed to haul ourselves back into the title race. We have to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend to ensure we are in the driving seat and I can assure you we are up for it. The team is playing well and I have no doubt we will give everything we have the beat Man United... I am glad to say after many weeks working hard on the training pitch it suddenly clicked and now we are in with a chance."

The Next Maryland Basketball Coach Is...

On March 5th, Gary Williams retired after 22 seasons as the head coach of the Maryland's men's basketball team. Williams was 460-248 during his tenure at Maryland and he led the Terps to a Final Four in 2001 and he won a national championship with Maryland in 2002. Now, one of the most attractive coaching jobs in college basketball is available. The Terps have had a very successful program with an array of great players including Len Elmore, Len Bias, Joe Smith, Juan Dixon, Steve Blake, and most recently Greivis Vazquez. Maryland also has a great recruiting base with high school basketball powerhouses like DeMatha Catholic and Montrose Christian in the Maryland area. Maryland has reportedly set their sights on a number of extremely high profile coaches. So the question is... who will be the next Maryland basketball coach?

Sean Miller: Arizona head coach Sean Miller is another very attractive option for Maryland. Unlike all of the other coaches who are under Maryland's radar, Miller hasn't been coaching at his program for a long time. He is only going into his third year at Arizona. Miller is also an east coast kid. He grew up in Pennsylvania, played college ball at Pittsburgh, and was an assistant coach at NC State for 6 years. According to sources close to Maryland and Miller, there is mutual interest between the two. Miller has also admitted that he would listen if Maryland called. Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson and Miller are expected to meet in the next few days. Miller is speaking at a Nike Coaches Clinic in Las Vegas on May 7th and Kevin Anderson is expected to meet with the head coach there. The 42 year-old Miller would bring great energy to the Terps program.

Mike Brey: Notre Dame head coach Mark Brey looks to be at the top of Maryland's list of potential head coaches along with Sean Miller. Brey is a Maryland native, as he was born in Maryland and played basketball at DeMatha Catholic High School. Brey played in college at Geroge Washington and was the head coach at Delaware for 6 years and currently has a beach house in Delaware. So the move from Notre Dame in Illinos to his roots in Maryland doesn't seem out of this world for Brey. However, Notre dame is currently working on an extension with Brey to keep him in South Bend for several more years. Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick said, "Mike is our basketball coach and I look forward to him being our coach for a very long time. There's just nothing to comment on [him going to Maryland]."

Tubby Smith: The rumors of Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith to Maryland have heated up. Like Brey, Smith is a Maryland native and one of his three sons currently is an assistant coach at Loyola University in Maryland. Maryland is a dream job for the 59 year-old Smith as he can return home and get an opportunity to once again coach at another major college basketball program (no offense Minnesota). Before Williams retired, a source close to Tubby said that there's a "99 percent" chance that he will stay at Minnesota for a couple of more years. However, he added that the only job Smith would leave Minnesota for in a heartbeat would be to go back to his home state and coach at Maryland. Although Smith may be interested in the coaching vacancy at Maryland, Maryland seems reluctant to hand over the keys to their program to a 59 year-old.

Jay Wright: Villanova head coach Jay Wright is another candidate for to replace the legendary Williams at Maryland although it seems he is uninterested in the job. Wright would fit well at Maryland because of his ability to recruit the best players in the country. Wright always recruits great point guards from Scottie Reynolds to Corey Fisher to Malikk Wayns. This year, Wright got point guard Tyrone Johnson to commit to Villanova. In fact, Jonhson is from Montrose Christian in Maryland. However, according to a source, the Wildcats' head coach is not going to leave Villanova to fill the coach vacancy at Maryland.

Jamie Dixon: Maryland may have an edge to lure Jamie Dixon away from Pittsburgh to coach Maryland although it seems pretty unlikely. From 2004 to 2010, Kevin Anderson was the athletic director at Army. He hired Jamie's late sister Maggie Dixon in 2005 to coach Army's women's basketball team. Jamie and Kevin have had a close relationship since Maggie's death, so it is likely that Anderson will make a call to Dixon about Maryland's coaching vacancy. Dixon will be attending the same Nike Coaches Clinic as Sean Miller, so Anderson will likely speak with him about the job there. However, it seems unlikely that Dixon will leave all that he has built at Pitt to come to Maryland. When a source close to Dixon was asked if Jamie would leave Pitt to come to Maryland he said, "Hell no."

Other possible replacements for Williams include Texas head coach Rick Barnes, VCU head coach Shaka Smart, Butler head coach Brad Stevens, and Texas A&M head coach Mark Turgeon. However, it appears that Sean Miller and Mike Brey are the favorites to take over the vacancy at Maryland.

The Departure of Demetri Goodson Has Opened The Door For David Stockton

John Stockton was a 10-time NBA All-Star. He was on the All-NBA first, second, or third team 11 times. John averaged a career double double. He holds the NBA record for the most career assists and steals. He holds the NBA record for the most seasons, games, and consecutive games played with one team.

Gonzaga point guard David Stockton, the son of the Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton, obviously has a lot to live up to. He will get a chance to make a big name for himself next season as a sophomore at Gonzaga especially with the departure of starting point guard Demetri Goodson. Goodson, who started 35 games for the Zags last season, has decided to transfer to pursue football.

Goodson's starting job will most likely be filled by David Stockton. Stockton played more and more as the season progressed last year including when he played 28 minutes in the Zags WCC title game against St. Mary's. He even cut into some of Goodson's minutes last year with his stellar play at point. Stockton handles the ball with great court vision as he averaged 2.1 assists in just 15 minutes last season. Stockton only committed 1.1 turnovers per game last season as well. David plays tough, scrappy defense, can shoot the three ball, and shoots well from the floor, as his field goal percentage was at 46 last season.

Thunder Adjust to Guarding Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol

In the Thunder's game 1 loss to the Grizzlies, the Thunder had no answers for the Grizzlies frontcourt. Zach Randolph had 34 points and 10 rebounds, while Marc Gasol added 20 points and 13 rebounds. After the game, Kevin Durant said, "You've got to make them shoot tough shots." Thunder coach Scott Brooks added, "We have got to do a better job of controlling him and making him miss some shots. It's not going to be easy, and we know that going in... we have to do a better job."

Game 2 was a much different story. Zach Randolph was just 2 of 13 from the field and Marc Gasol was just as bad only shooting 3 of 9 from the field. The 5 combined field goals made from Randolph and Gasol was their lowest all season. In game 1, Randolph and Gasol had 23 points on jump shots. In game 2, the Thunder adjusted by not helping off the big men on driving guards. Although Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley scored 24 points, their offense never got going because of the inefficiency of Randolph and Gasol. In game 1, the Grizzlies had 17 offensive rebounds including 7 from Randolph and Gasol. The Grizzlies didn't grab their first offensive rebound in game 2 until there was only 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Grizzlies were held to a playoff low 34 points in the paint as well. 

Serge Ibaka said, "It's a physical game. We just tried to be more focused and more physical and more aggressive, to get contact first. That's what we did."Scott Brooks added, "I thought we did a good job of coming out in the first quarter with the right defensive mindset.  We came out focused on how not to give them [Randolph and Gasol] easy buckets. I thought that set the tone for the game. They [the Grizzlies] scored 17 points in the first quarter, and if I’m not mistaken, they only had four points in the paint and that was an area that we wanted to focus on and make sure we did a better job on. We did that tonight.”

The key to the series will continue to be the interior defense of the Thunder. In games in which Randolph and Gasol have been held to under 10 field goals made the Grizzlies are just 6-11.