======
Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast is Back..1-30pm
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table-Stay for Fans Forum
======
“REACHING THE END OF THE ROAD”
======
What a strange couple of nights here on my TV.
You get into a routine, flipping on important games at 4-30 or 5-pm, no not a Padres-Pirates game,or a weekend baseball game.
But rather an important NBA playoff game or an NHL showdown, because at this time of the year, every game being played is by the best in the sport with the most important prize, the chance to move on to the NBA-NHL finals.
And this week-we reach the pinnacle of the off season:
OKLAHOMA CITY-INDIANA..An NBA final,involving one team I predicted would be there, the Thunder, and the other I had no idea could get this far, in fact no one did, in the Pacers.
The Thunder are young, fast, physical, dynamic, explosive. They shoot tons of threes, run the floor, and play suffocating defense. It’s more than just Shai Gilegous-Alexander. It’s the hot-streak-cold streak nights of Jalen Williams. It’s the bigs Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. It’s the do-all chemistry of Alex Caruso. It is a really deep team with all talent plays..
The Pacers go only as far as Tyrese Haliburton can carry them. Yes Pascal Siakam is explosive but the rest of the team struggles if Haliburton cannot lead. They struggled with the tough guy Knicks defense, so you wonder how they breathe much less get into their offense once they taste the Thunder pressure package.
Series could be over in five.
EDMONTON-FLORIDA…1-team has already raised the Stanley Cup Trophy, the other has been building towards it, and seems ready to claim it.
This is firepower (Oilers) vs fury (Florida). This is the Panthers brand of heavy hockey, forechecking teams into submission every shift. You look at the Florida roster and you are awed by the names of skaters, hitters, goal scorers: Tkacuhk-Barkov-Vandergae-Benett-Marchand. Add in a defensive group bolstered by Sean Jones, and then there is Sergei Bobrovsky. And you want to line up against that?
The Oilers are now more than just (97) Connor McDavid and (29) Leon Draisaitl. The return to health of veterans like Evander Kane and Adam Henrique, the arrival of big body vetercan Corey Perry, and a group of 2nd line guys led by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins means anyone can, and will score. And the blue line group is much deeper, more mobile, as if Darnell Nurse wasn’t good enough. And if you get a red-hot Stuart Skinner in goal, you have a real challenge.
This will be a war of attrition, a test of wills. Either can win. Both might win. Bet it goes seven games.
But we reach the end of the road, and my TV and yours will be on, with games we will want to see nightly. It’s the NBA-NHL finals.
==========
