Have been in out of town in the past 2 weeks and apologize for not posting baseball plays. It's just too much of a grind keeping up with it, and I have this damn day job that keeps me occupied. Hopefully, I'll get back to it.
Clippers 1H -3
Clippers -6. NBA basketball is sooo much better in the playoffs than the regular season. Players/ teams are playing with more emotion and competitiveness that's lacking in the too long regular season. Every play is contested, fans are into it, and players might be playing for their next paycheck or for their personal pride. Mostly, they play for their team and their teammates. These are the guys that they're with for 8 months a year and who they hang out with, befriend and compete together day in and day out. The Clippers' situation brings a high level of emotion to their team. These emotional moments are rare in sports, but you might see them when a coach gets fired, a fight happens between 2 teams in a prior game, or some inflammatory comments come out in the press. Maybe a great player returns from an injury ala Willis Reed.
I think the Clippers were stunned on Sunday about Sterling's comments. They had just heard and were not focused on the game at hand. They look flat in the first half. Also, the Warriors were playing for their playoff lives. I think we'll see the opposite tonight. The Clipper players now know that Sterling is a racist fool, but they also know they've come too far in a long season to lay down for an inferior team ….. at home. The fans will not boycott, they will be jacked up. The Clippers know they have the support of the other NBA players, retired and active. They'll get the message that they need to win this game for "themselves", not for a fool owner. Pros (although the Pacers might be an exception) are instilled with too much pride, and the Clippers are too talented to let the Warriors take this game on their home court. They also probably feel that Mark Jackson should shut his mouth about fans boycotting this game, thus taking away some of the home court advantage from the Clippers. Not his business.
In summary, a playoff game at home with a better team vs. a team without much inside presence, in this emotional atmosphere, led by a playoff savvy coach and a great veteran point guard, with the whole world watching- I think we'll see a blowout. Every spurt by LA will get the fans crazy, the players pumped and deflate the Warriors. X 2. Just my opinion, and I rarely bet on NBA basketball- but here goes a big play.
Clippers 1H -3
Clippers -6. NBA basketball is sooo much better in the playoffs than the regular season. Players/ teams are playing with more emotion and competitiveness that's lacking in the too long regular season. Every play is contested, fans are into it, and players might be playing for their next paycheck or for their personal pride. Mostly, they play for their team and their teammates. These are the guys that they're with for 8 months a year and who they hang out with, befriend and compete together day in and day out. The Clippers' situation brings a high level of emotion to their team. These emotional moments are rare in sports, but you might see them when a coach gets fired, a fight happens between 2 teams in a prior game, or some inflammatory comments come out in the press. Maybe a great player returns from an injury ala Willis Reed.
I think the Clippers were stunned on Sunday about Sterling's comments. They had just heard and were not focused on the game at hand. They look flat in the first half. Also, the Warriors were playing for their playoff lives. I think we'll see the opposite tonight. The Clipper players now know that Sterling is a racist fool, but they also know they've come too far in a long season to lay down for an inferior team ….. at home. The fans will not boycott, they will be jacked up. The Clippers know they have the support of the other NBA players, retired and active. They'll get the message that they need to win this game for "themselves", not for a fool owner. Pros (although the Pacers might be an exception) are instilled with too much pride, and the Clippers are too talented to let the Warriors take this game on their home court. They also probably feel that Mark Jackson should shut his mouth about fans boycotting this game, thus taking away some of the home court advantage from the Clippers. Not his business.
In summary, a playoff game at home with a better team vs. a team without much inside presence, in this emotional atmosphere, led by a playoff savvy coach and a great veteran point guard, with the whole world watching- I think we'll see a blowout. Every spurt by LA will get the fans crazy, the players pumped and deflate the Warriors. X 2. Just my opinion, and I rarely bet on NBA basketball- but here goes a big play.
