 "Photo: Flickr.com")
On Sunday, two of the NBA’s biggest stars collide in a rematch from last year’s Eastern Conference Finals and a probable future playoff matchup this year. LeBron James leads the Cleveland Cavaliers into the land of palm trees , beaches and Mickey Mouse to take on the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs are the best team in basketball this year heading into the All-Star Break, and that’s mostly because of James. LBJ is leading the league in points at press time at just a shade under 30 points per game. Amazingly enough, James has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month every month this season. Though Cleveland’s team is centered around one of the best players in the world right now, the Cavs made sure to also strengthen the supporting cast around James that crumbled last year in the playoffs.
The Magic counter the Cavs with Dwight Howard, one of the most dynamic players in the league. Howard leads the league in both blocks and rebounds, and his play rejuvenated a franchise that was dormant for a long time. Howard’s post play and Orlando’s clutch three-point shooting were too much for the Cavs to handle in last year’s Conference Finals and propelled Orlando to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1995. The Magic also went out in the offseason and acquired Vince Carter to go along with Howard, point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Rashard Lewis.
One of the more intriguing storylines in this game is the feud between Howard and Cavs center Shaquille O’Neal. O’Neal, who started his career in Orlando and was the centerpiece to the last Magic team to make the NBA Finals, drew offense to comparisons between him and Howard, especially Howard’s Superman nickname. What’s even more fun is the fact that O’Neal was brought in by Cleveland this offseason to provide a post presence to counter Howard, something the Cavaliers couldn’t do successfully last year.
This game is going to be a good showdown between two of the best forwards the NBA has ever seen, even though one of them is long past his prime. However, I forsee LeBron being the x-factor in this game. I’m predicting him to come through with a big scoring night in a nationally-televised game that will surely come down to the wire. If LeBron has the ball in his hands at the end of the game, it’ll be virtually a wrap for Cleveland.
Pat’s Prediction:
Cleveland 98,
Orlando 96
ONLINE GAME:
2010 Winter Olympic Coverage
Saturday 2/20 7:00 NBC
NBC locked up some premium Olympic events for their primetime lineup on Saturday for the second “game of the week” because the Olympics only come around once every four years. I mean, seriously, how many times will an edge-of-your-seat-exciting Bulls/Sixers matchup come around in the next four years?
During this primetime slot, NBC will be showing highlights of the women’s skiing competition earlier in the day. American Lindsey Vonn, who this past Sunday, said that her shin was holding up enough for her to compete and will be in the mix for a medal. Her main competition is Germany’s Maria Riesch.
NBC will also be showing coverage of the speed skating events live from Vancouver. The first race will be the men’s with Chicago native Shani Davis, who won silver in the 1500m race in Torino, and will be looking to capture the big prize on Saturday. Also in the hunt for gold will be fellow American Chad Hedrick, the bronze medalist in this race in Torino. Both won gold in the last Olympics, and they would surely like to do it again in the Great White North.
In short track speed skating, all eyes will be turned to the sport’s most well-known figure. Apolo Anton Ohno, one of the most decorated American athletes in Winter Olympics history with a silver medal in the 1500m race last Saturday, will look to add to his collection in the 1000m race. Sure, Ohno benefited from falls by two of the Korean skaters in front of him, but Ohno’s Olympic career is winding down. Many believe the American is skating on borrowed time, and he’ll surely want to go out with a bang in one of his last Olympic Races.
Prediction-wise, I think Davis will be primed to bring another gold medal back to the Windy City and Ohno won’t disappoint either. However, I don’t think the Americans will go three for three in the major medal events on Saturday. Vonn’s injury reminded me a lot of the saga of Tyson Gay, whose injury just a month before Beijing hampered his performance in the Olympics. Gay went home from those games completely empty-handed. While I don’t think Vonn’s injury will cost her that much at the Olympics, I do think that she will drop this race to her German rival Riesch.
Be the first to comment on this article!