0-

Playoffs-Teams & Storylines Worth Watching”

-0-

The NBA and NHL playoffs are underway. and there are good team, great players, injured teams and strange matchup.

NBA

Golden State-San Antonio….This could have been a tremendous matchup of firepower but injuries have changed everything. A hurt Steph Curry, and a banged up Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant surely has made the Warriors ‘human’. Same for the Spurs, who struggled all year, without Kawhi Leonard. The wildcard guy in all this is LaMarcus Aldridge, who could haunt his old team and make the Spurs really dangerous.

Toronto-Washington…Pretty good matchup of guards DeMar DeRozan-vs-John Wall.

Boston-Milwaukee..The country gets to see Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Celtics fans wish they could see the injured Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart and Kyrie Irving.

76ers-Miami….The long suffering Philadelphia fans enjoyed a 50-win season after all those years of misery, but then lose star big gun Joel Embed with injuries and surgery. remember when the Heat had the big three, D-Wade-King James-Chris Bosh.

Cleveland-Indiana….LeBron James leads a troubled Cavs team that looks like its on its last legs. Victor Oladipo has become a star with the Paces. Might there be an upset in the making here.

Minnesota-Houston…The Rockets own virtually all the stat categories in the NBA, and should tear apart the Wolves defense. But then again Karl Anthony Townes-Andrew Wiggins could make some noise because the Rockets don’t play much defense. Somebody’s scoreboard will blow a fuse in this high scoring series. James Hardin-Chis Paul will bring the points.

New Orleans-Portland….Many thought the Pelicans would fade with a bad midseason injury to the volatile DeMarco Cousins. Instead Anthony Davis has become a beast. Poor Portland won’t last long in this series.

Oklahoma City-Utah…Russell Westbrook meet a nasty Jazz defense. I keep waiting to see this Thunder group, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George come together,and put together a big win string.. Maybe in he postseason.

(NHL)

Las Vegas-LA Kings…Golden Knights have 6-guys with 20-goals or more, led by 43-goal scoring William Karlsson in a stunning season for the first year expansion team. Jeff Carter’s 13-goals down the stretch coming off the season long injured list fuelded the Kings run to postseason, but they need more help for Anzi Kopitar.

Ducks-San Jose…Lots of history and bad blood here, but the big issue, do the Ducks have enough firepower, can goalie John Gibson stay healthy, and the loss of Cam Fowler to surgery-how big a loss is this on defense?

Winnipeg-Minnesota…Few people know how good the Jets have become, and it’s more than just Patrick Laine. They are big upfront, physical, fast and can score, and they have goaltending for the first time in years. The Wild have injury issues.

Penguins-Flyers…Cross state history here, but way too much goal scoring from Sir Sidney (Crosby), Evgeny (Malkin) and Phil Kessell. Pens have beaten them 5-in a row this season.

Nashville-Colorado….The Avs were a surprise team to get to postseason, as Joe Sakic’s rebuilding efforts finally paid off, but the Predators are so strong and deep upfront. How far can the kids Nathan McKinnon and Gabe Landeskog lead the Avs, stay tuned. PK Subban leads 10-Peds players this year with double digit goals. No superstar-just lots of good players.

Tampa Bay.-New Jersey..Steve Stamkos is ailing but there is still too much firepower with the Lightning,with Kucherov, Gourde, Pont and Hedman. The Devils got in late, they will exit early.j

Washington-Columbus….Fascinating to watch what the Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella designs defensively to slow down all everything Alexander Ovechkin and his 49-goal season. Evgeny Kuznetsov added 27-more..

Toronto-Boston…No place for the timid. The Leafs have been building under the leadership of Mike Babcock-Lou Lamoirello, led by Austyn Matthews, Mitch Marner and Kazim Nadri and a host of young forwards. But Boston is so rugged, especially with home ice advantage, and the pest Brad Marchand heads up 3-30-goal scorers. These goalies are going to have a long tough series..

Please follow and like us: