The Pirates failed to use the Chicago Cubs to get off to a good start. The most concerning aspect of dropping two of three to Chicago was the fact that the lineup scored just three runs over the course of the series.
Retooled Rangers Take on Scuffling Penguins Friday Night
The New York Rangers will try to make it two in a row this week against the Eastern Conference leading Pittsburgh Penguins when they head to Consol Energy Center Friday night.
Can this marriage be saved?
Can Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard actually pull things together over the final two weeks to get the Lakers into the playoffs and make things interesting for either the Spurs or Thunder in the first round?
Signs are pointing toward the affirmative.
Memphis Grizzlies (51-24) at Los Angeles Lakers (39-36)
Staples Center, Los Angeles
10:30 p.m. EST
Bryant has shaken off the effects of that sprained ankle and has been playing huge minutes in the Lakers’ push to hold off Utah for the 8th and final Western Conferece playoff slot. Mike D’Antoni kept KB on the court for all but 23 seconds in a win over Sacramento, and Bryant logged more than 47 in Tuesday’s victory over Dallas.
And Howard has stopped goofing off and now has double-digits in rebounds 21 straight games – and 14 consecutive double-doubles.
Has the drama which dominated the Lakers’ season through February finally ended at the Staples Center? Has LA finally figured out that the way to win games is to actually play hard and put aside petty jealousies?
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Looks like it.
But even if the Lakers have their waste product together for the final push, there are no guarantees. Bryant points out that while the remainder of the schedule includes 6 of the final 7 at the Staples Center, there are some toughies in there – including tonight’s game against a Memphis Grizzlies club that has its own fight on its hands and is trying to finish strong enough to steal the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Besides the Grizzlies, LA has home games against the Clippers, Hornets, Warriors, Spurs and Rockets. Utah’s schedule is a bit softer, but the Jazz (a half-game behind the Lakers) have a 3-3 home/road split, starting with the Hornets tonight in Salt Lake City.
“We have a tougher schedule but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bryant said when asked about Jazz. “If you want to get to the playoffs and expect to make some noise, you have to beat playoff teams.”
And that would start tonight against the Grizzlies in a game which could turn on the play of point guards Steve Nash and Mike Conley.
Nash is expected to return after missing one game with a hamstring issue, and will be put to the test.
Louisville is coming off a huge win over Duke in the Elite 8 and they have a huge lift for this game after one of their key bench players Kevin Ware was lost for the season with a terrible injury.
In a match up of a couple of #4 seeds Michigan faces Syracuse where the winner will head to the National Championship game. The Orange have played stellar D in their last 2 Big Dance games and they will be facing a great Michigan squad that has knocked off Kansas and Florida, who are a couple of top 10 teams, in advancing to the Final 4.
Did beating Miami and ending the Heat’s 27-game winning streak take too much out of the Chicago Bulls?
The NBA is no country for old men. All around the league 30-plus veterans are limping as they approach the finish line and a playoff season that provides decent rest between games (thanks, TV).
Slumping Devils Try To Right the Ship in Boston Thursday Night
The New Jersey Devils, losers of four straight games will try to get back in the win column Thursday night but the chore won’t be easy. Their opponent is one of the NHL elite – the Boston Bruins who endured a small hiccup during a 2-4-1 stretch ended last week.
The Phillies have not gotten off to a good start and are looking to salvage a game in this opening series against division rival Atlanta. Starter Roy Halladay gave a confounding performance yesterday, racking up the strikeouts while giving up the long ball.
Eight games left in the regular season and the Denver Nuggets are pretty much fat and happy as they ready for the playoffs.
After a week off, NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series returns to action this weekend at Martinsville Speedway for the running of the STP Gas Booster 500. Sunday’s race is set to get underway at 1 p.m. and it will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
The PGA TOUR pros head to San Antonio this week for a final tune-up before the Masters next week. TPC San Antonio – AT&T Oaks Course offers narrow fairways, deep bunkers and nearly unfair rough.
Hot Western Conference Teams Collide – Wild Visit Sharks
The Minnesota Wild who are 8-2 in their last 10 games overall travel to San Jose Wednesday night to take on the a Jose Sharks, a team that has benefitted from a little home cooking and has won five straight games.
The Reds stumbled a bit on offense last season after having a great season at the plate the previous season and one of the issues was at the leadoff spot. They really addressed that need brining in Shin-Soo Choo, who batted .310 and had an on-base-percentage of .389 last season.
The Pirates looked great in the first half of last season, but they went through a major 2nd half collapse. At the beginning of August they were 16 games above .500, but then the bottom fell out and they ended up with yet another losing season.
The Cardinals played well last season and their offense did not miss a beat even with the departure of Albert Pujols. They made the playoffs, beat the Braves in the Wild Card round, and lost to the eventual champion Giants in the NL championship.
