2012 NBA Playoffs Preview: Conference Finals

Only four teams remain in the NBA Playoffs, and at the end of the series, only two will hoist the silver ball as the Conference champion and the right to challenge for the NBA championship. This is the NBA Conference Finals.

Not surprisingly, two Western Conference contenders will slug it out for a trip to the Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs deserved to be there, and they rolled through two rounds in convincing fashion. Then again, the West will pit the something-to-prove Thunder with their youthful exuberance and growing confidence against the tried and tested Spurs unit whose links from titles past remain and whose young nucleus kept them competitive.  This makes for an exciting and dramatic West final. 

In the East, the demise of the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round opened the door for the Miami Heat, or so they thought. Unless the Boston Celtics, whose door seem to have closed until today, still have the legs to roll against the new powerhouse in South Beach. While Miami cruised, Boston struggled at times, but championship pedigree ultimately prevailed. The East final will be a physical, downright ugly series, and a psychological warfare between an aging and a tongue-wagging superpower.

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder

Regular Season: San Antonio won 2-1

The Spurs will come out well-rested, again. They have swept their way through the first two rounds, and are facing the Thunder that is also on a roll. Then again, since 2005, teams holding an 8-0 playoff record heading into the conference finals failed to even make the finals, and the Spurs have every reason to be concerned. But the Spurs are the Spurs, with championship experience and new-found consistency that is borne of a new coaching philosophy by Gregg Popovich. As for the Thunder, going even deeper will be their priority.

The Spurs will again roll the dice on championship-tested stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, while the Thunder will bank on Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden to lead the young corps. The x-factors for the series will be San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter, Danny Green and Stephen Jackson, and Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins, Derek Fisher, Thabo Sefolosha and Serge Ibaka. Unlike the previous two rounds, it won't be a cakewalk for either team, as each game is expected to be competitive and hard-fought. Going six or seven may see how much both teams will grow out of this series.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics

Regular Season: Boston won 3-1

Two days after Christmas, the Miami Heat added to the early season woes of the Boston Celtics with a statement 115-107 win. However, Miami may have underestimated Boston, as the Celtics turned the early-season struggle into a late-season surge, culminating in three victories in April against the Heat, part of a post-All-Star break rally that led to a division title for the green. Then again, just like last year, regular season play won't matter, as Miami have proven last year against Boston. The question is, can it be repeated?

Chris Bosh is expected to return from an abdominal strain sustained in the Indiana series, but is he ready enough? In that series, it was the Wade and LeBron show, as they led Miami's finishing kick with three straight wins to eliminate the Pacers. Meanwhile, Boston seemed a step slow at times against Philadelphia, and even hurt (see Paul Pierce's MCL and Avery Bradley's season-ending shoulder injury), but the 76ers' big-game inexperience ultimately cost them in Game 7. The Heat will have the home-court, the 'championship or bust' attitude, the rest and the fans at their side, while the Celtics will need guts, wisdom and heart to overcome the younger Heat. If this is the war to end all wars, this is it. They have split each playoff series the past two seasons, and the rubber matches expect more of the blood between two powerhouses. 

2012 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

The playoffs began with 16 teams. Along the way 14 teams went down, most of them Cup favorites with high expectations. And then there were two. Welcome to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Two teams that started the season with little expectations exceeded them during three tough rounds of playoff hockey. Now they are the last two standing, and neither expects to lay a finger on one another. 

(6) New Jersey Devils vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

Regular Season: New Jersey won 2-0

The Kings made it to the finals with a mix of gutsy goaltending, solid forechecking and hitting, and penalty kill efficiency. They lost only twice on the way to the Finals, but own a perfect road record heading in, which may concern the Devils, who will have home ice advantage. However, the Devils did play dominant hockey as well, returning to the defensive-minded approach that served them in three Stanley Cup wins whilst remaining true to its offensive prowess. 

The Kings ousted top-seeded Vancouver, second seed St. Louis, and third seed Phoenix, while the Devils took care of third seed Florida, fifth seed Philadelphia, and top-seeded New York Rangers. The Devils own three Cup wins, the Kings none, which may explain the added hunger and motivation for Los Angeles to join its sports brethren in the championship haul.

Behind the pipes, resurgent 40-year old Martin Brodeur faces breakout star Jonathan Quick. Brodeur may have experience, but Quick has the momentum, continuing his impressive play from the regular season. This time Quick received a lot of help from an inconsistent Kings offense, which caught fire, especially in short-handed situations. Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown each scored shorthanded in the playoffs, while Dwight King, a minor-league pickup, showed plenty of offense during the run. The Kings' forecheck, trapping and hitting game will play its biggest role in the series. However, making up for the lack of championship pedigree is another story.

The Devils showed plenty of life offensively, led by its top scorers Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac and Zach Parise. Meanwhile, Andy Greene, Bryce Salvador and Marek Zidlicky's play evoked memories of the defense corps led by Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens, at least on the defensive part. There is plenty of experience on the Devils camp, especially with Brodeur, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora having won a Stanley Cup with the team. There is little doubt the Devils possess the mentality of a winner, especially with the presence of a few links from Cups past. 

At the start of the season, little was expected for the Kings and the Devils. Now that they're four wins away from the Cup, what's more to expect? May the best team win. 

2012 NBA Playoffs Preview: Western Conference Semifinals

Two sweeps, two series ending in seventh games. That's how the Western Conference playoff bracket played out. Two teams head into Round 2 well-rested, while two others head back into action seemingly worn, but eager to play. Without further ado, here are the two conference semifinal pairings out West.

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers

Regular Season: San Antonio won 2-1

The Spurs made the playoffs look easy in a four-game sweep of the Utah Jazz, while the Clippers left the Grizzlies series a battered and bruised crew. The aging Spurs head into the matchup well-rested and fresh, while the Clippers need to muster ounces of remaining energy left just to have a chance against the experienced Spurs.

The Spurs are still the domain of their leading trio in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and in the Utah series they exploited the Jazz's lack of experience. The bench depth also contributed in giving the Big Three ample rest. Against the Clippers, the Spurs will again rely on their experience advantage coupled with much-needed rest during the week. Meanwhile, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are limited by hip and knee injuries, while Caron Butler played with a broken hand and Mo Williams went through an arm injury as the Clippers slipped past the Grizzlies in Game 7. The question is, however, will rust play a role early on, and how much has the Clippers left against a fresher, more experienced unit?

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers

Regular Season: Oklahoma City won 2-1

Simply put, the Thunder were a young, maturing unit, while the Lakers were a team starting to show wear and tear. And Derek Fisher is playing against his former team for the first time in the playoffs. Storylines notwithstanding, the Thunder head into this matchup fresher, having not played in a week, while the Lakers came in after a grueling seven-game marathon with the Nuggets. The series will feature several major characters returning from their previous playoff meeting two years earlier.

Metta World Peace was fortunate that he fulfilled his seven-game suspension during the Denver series, but his actions against James Harden prior to the suspension won't receive him any fans in OKC. The focus of attention however, will be on Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, and on how Durant has learned from 2010. The Thunder made a big addition in Kendrick Perkins last year, mainly to counter Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum's mastery of the paint. The growth of Harden and Russell Westbrook, along with Fisher's championship pedigree, helped the Thunder become a more dangerous unit. If the Thunder play with their strengths, watch out as they may end the series quickly against a Lakers team whose flair for the dramatic nearly eliminated them. 

L.A. United

Over a century since the first motion picture studios opened in Hollywood, the district in Greater Los Angeles is buzzing over the recent success of their sports teams. 2012 is indeed shaping up to be a great year for professional sports in Los Angeles. And with the presence of Hollywood stars in sports stadiums and arenas in L.A., being a Hollywood sports fan has never been this thrilling.

The buzz began with Major League Soccer's Galaxy, captained by Landon Donovan, but whose star attraction has been England's David Beckham. The Galaxy and Beckham have been together since 2007, and after three seasons of gradual improvement, coach Bruce Arena, Donovan and Beckham helped deliver the Galaxy the 2011 MLS Cup title. It was the Galaxy's third Cup title, but their recent win helped renew interest in soccer in the Los Angeles area. The 2012 season got underway and the Galaxy are looking to repeat as Cup champions.

Major League Soccer, the youngest of the five major professional sports leagues in the United States, has been struggling to make money throughout the league's history, as several teams failed to make profit in the 2011 season. More recently, the league signed up with NBC to broadcast their games, bringing increase national exposure to the game of soccer. Then again, it may take several years before the MLS becomes a certified Major League presence in America.

Arguably the most popular and successful team in the Los Angeles area, the Lakers had a rollercoaster regular season before settling for the third seed in the Western Conference and winning yet another division title. Kobe Bryant continued to strike the scoring charts; by season's end, he had finished in fifth place in the all-time list. But the Lakers season was not without any drama.

Andrew Bynum drew considerable ire from coach Mike Brown for his recent adventure in the three-point area. The Lakers traded popular long-time starting point guard Derek Fisher and added speedy Ramon Sessions, who quickly adjusted well to the Lakers' scheme. Pau Gasol, a subject of offseason trade rumors, saw his play suffered during the season. Metta World Peace went wild on James Harden and was suspended for seven games. And the Lakers had to contend with the sudden rise of L.A.'s other NBA team, in addition to being dubbed as 'too old'.

The Clippers were for many years, the NBA's laughingstock, dwelling at or near the bottom of the standings for far too long. Then Chris Paul arrived, and hopes and expectations grew for this long-time NBA bottom-feeder. And with Blake Griffin playing the role Tyson Chandler used to fill in New Orleans, the Clippers were off to new heights, literally.

The newly-acquired nickname 'Lob City' is used to describe the airborne calisthenics Paul and his fellow backcourt partners Chauncey Billups, Randy Foye and Mo Williams created to feed passes toward high-flyers Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Kenyon Martin. And with a new winning attitude came a byproduct: a playoff berth and a winning record, something not seen in six years. 'Lob City' is indeed alive and well these days, and this period of success may last a long time.

Both the Lakers and Clippers have advanced in the second round to meet the Thunder and Spurs, respectively.

The Staples Center's third tenant, hockey's Kings, entered the playoffs as the eighth seed. In a season fitting for a Hollywood movie, the Kings endured a lot of drama all season. They fired coach Terry Murray, then a few weeks later Darryl Sutter took over, but the Kings throughout the year were known for Jonathan Quick's strong goaltending, and little offensive firepower. Then came the playoffs, and the silver and black were back in business.

Ousting the top-seeded Canucks and second-seeded Blues helped the Kings make history by becoming the only NHL team to manage the trick. Both teams had no clue in solving L.A.'s strong goaltending wall in Quick, in stopping its dreaded penalty kill, and in preventing a revived offense from striking first. The Kings' instant ascension attracted Hollywood stars, and even the appearance of the Stanley Cup in an episode of 'Bones' generated buzz and hope for the long-suffering fanbase. 

Baseball's Dodgers and Angels are heading into opposite directions. The Dodgers are leading the National League West, while the Angels are languishing near the bottom in the American League West. Matt Kemp has been a home-run machine, while Albert Pujols has been rather human. A month and a half into the Major League Baseball season, we beg this question: Will the Angels snap their early-season funk, and will the Dodgers sustain their early-season momentum? Still a long way to go for both teams.

Now, when will the NFL revisit Los Angeles? It's been almost two decades since the Rams and Raiders packed shop for St. Louis and Oakland, respectively, and there hasn't been any progress regarding the NFL's return to Hollywood. But there's still room for prayer, and the fans only hope that the NFL came knocking on Los Angeles's doorstep. 

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview: Conference Finals

From 16 teams, we are down to the Final Four. Only two teams will claim the Prince of Wales and Campbell trophies as champions of the East and West, respectively. Welcome to the Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Sadly, we won't see Pekka Rinne, Brian Elliott or Braden Holtby in the playoffs. Neither will we see Claude 'greatest player in the world' Giroux in this level. Still we'll definitely see a lot of goal protection from Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Brodeur, Mike Smith and Jonathan Quick and some high-end scoring, hits and dimes. Here are the two playoff matchups in the East and West.

(1) New York Rangers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

Regular Season: Series tied 3-3

For the first time since 1994, the Hudson River rivals meet for the right to win the Prince of Wales trophy. They split the six-game regular season series, which makes the matchup hard to predict. New York may be the top seed, but got into trouble in both playoff series with Ottawa and Washington before winning Game 7 each time. New Jersey, on the other hand, enjoyed a week's rest after disposing Philadelphia in five games, in a series they initially trailed 0-1 after disposing Florida in Game 7. 

Lundqvist and Brodeur have split two series against each other; Brodeur won in 2006, Lundqvist in 2008. This year will be the rubber series between Vezina-winning goalies, with both assured a place in the Hall of Fame soon. Youth vs. balance will play a role in the series. The Rangers' roster is generally young, with only a few of John Tortorella's troops have Cup rings (e.g. Brad Richards, Mike Rupp). Meanwhile the Devils still have remnants of past Stanley Cup-winning teams of 1995, 2000 and 2003 (e.g. Petr Sykora, Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur), and whose roster is stacked with both youth and experience. This despite Peter DeBoer enjoying just his first postseason appearance as coach. The Devils may have experience, but the Rangers have home ice, which will make the highly-touted regional rivalry interesting and dramatic similar to 1994.

(3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

Regular Season: Series tied 3-3

The Kings have taken care of first seed Vancouver and second seed St. Louis to become the first team to do the trick. Meanwhile, the Coyotes won two playoff series in a year for the first time in team history, and now have a chance to add a third. Surely, the series promises to be more intense and physical as both teams' calling cards were on defense.

Unlike the goalie matchup in the East, the West matchup will see two unproven goalies with a chance to break out. Jonathan Quick and Mike Smith were the anchors for their respective teams, and their performance will dictate how their teams will fare in the series. The Kings are a roster of the young and the hungry, and whose knack for scoring with a man down has been well-documented. Phoenix, meanwhile, have thrived with a man advantage, and if they keep Los Angeles' penalty kill in check, then they'll succeed. Both teams are riding a wave of momentum after disposing Cup contenders Nashville and St. Louis, and whoever wins will have a chance to hoist their franchise's first Stanley Cup. 

2012 NBA Playoffs Preview: Eastern Conference Semifinals

While we await the conference semifinal pairings out West, we look first at the Eastern Conference semifinal pairings to be played out over the next two weeks. Sorry Bulls fans, but better luck next year.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers

Regular Season: Miami won 3-1

The Indiana Pacers enter unfamiliar territory. A bulk of the roster have never won a playoff series, which means Indiana will play underdogs to a powerful Heat team that have one too many players with series victory experience. Miami's 'Tres Amigos' of James, Wade and Bosh, plus a slew of playoff-hardened veterans, will have their hands full against a Pacers team with something to prove. Only David West, George Hill, Lou Amundson and Leandro Barbosa have won a series before while playing for the Hornets, Spurs and Suns, respectively; the rest of Indiana's roster are in their first second-round series.

Indiana's hot April landed them in third place, and exploited Orlando's lack of 'Superman' in a five-game warmup. However, they now face a superpower in Miami, who easily disposed another star-studded yet mercurial team in the Knicks in five. The Heat dominated the Pacers all season, winning three of four. Now the East's team to beat, Miami needs to outgun and slow down the much-improved Pacers at every turn in hopes of returning to the Eastern Conference Finals.

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers

Regular Season: Philadelphia won 2-1

Classic battles between Boston and Philadelphia have been well-documented in NBA history. From 'Havlicek stole the ball' to Bird vs. Dr. J, this rivalry had it all, and it reached its highest  points during the 1960s and 1980s. In 2012, a new chapter in the rivalry begins anew.

The Celtics are expected to be here, but the 76ers? They were lucky to have beaten a wounded Bulls crew without reigning MVP Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in six games, and now drew an aging crew from Boston whose time is ticking fast. Philadelphia dominated Boston in two of three regular season games, but their late-season slump helped the Celtics steal the division title from them. Still, by winning the first round series over Chicago, they appeared to have redeemed themselves from that slump. But they need to prove that their win was not a fluke by overcoming the playoff-hardened Celtics, which is easier said than done. Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner will have their hands full against Boston's Big Four of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, which makes Boston a tough assignment in the playoffs against younger, faster competition. 

Addicted to Operaman

Before becoming "Happy Gilmore", undergoing "Anger Management", sang for Drew Barrymore in "The Wedding Singer" and going hi-tech with "Click", Adam Sandler played various characters on Saturday Night Live in the early 90s. His most notable character is "Operaman", a stereotypical opera singer. He sings about various news topics in pop culture at the time, mostly in wacky Italian accent ala Pavarotti. He made frequent appearances on "Weekend Update" during the tenure of Kevin Nealon.

Here is Operaman returning after a half-decade's absence performing for charity a year after the 9/11 attacks. 

Perhaps my most memorable Sandler character before venturing to film. Now what's your favorite Sandler character from SNL or his famous movies?

Hollywood Hockey Kings Reborn

The 1992-93 Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles sports scene has been historically dominated by the Lakers and the Dodgers. Meanwhile, the city's hockey team the Kings were hardly embraced ever since they joined the NHL in 1967. They came so close to a Stanley Cup title once, and that was when captain Dustin Brown was still in elementary school. However, the resurgence of the Kings was highly noticed by Hollywood celebrities and non-traditional fans alike, and it showed in its unlikely run to the Western Conference Finals this year.

The Kings' journey didn't come easy. They fired coach Terry Murray in December, then a few weeks later Darryl Sutter came in. The Kings were struggling with their offense, despite goalie Jonathan Quick's brilliance on net. Even after finishing in eighth place with 95 points, good enough for a playoff berth, many critics gave the Kings a little chance for their lack of scoring. 

Then Dustin Brown went wild on the Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in the first round. The Canucks, whose 111 points led the NHL, were led by the Sedin twins Daniel and Henrik, and were last year's Stanley Cup finalists. However, their high-scoring offense was stalled by Quick and the Kings defense. Brown scored four total goals, including two short-handed tallies in Game 2. The Kings won the first two games in Vancouver before Brown's lone tally preserved a Game 3 shutout back home. Though Daniel Sedin's return from concussion helped Vancouver avoid a sweep, Jarret Stoll's overtime goal sealed the Canucks shut on their home ice in Game 5. 

The Kings then faced the St. Louis Blues, whose 165 goals allowed were a league-low. The Kings' goalie duo of Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak have been steady and dangerous behind the net, winning the Jennings Trophy for the lowest GAA in the NHL this season. But the Kings were not far behind, finishing second behind the Blues in goals allowed. Many expect the series to be a low-scoring, hard-fought affair.

Instead it was the Blues who found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Lucky bounces, short-handed goals, excellent goaltending, and efficient forechecking by the Kings would take its toll on the Blues. Worse, Halak went down hurting in Game 2 of the San Jose series and left Elliott to fend for himself. Matt Greene's short-handed tally in Game 1 and Anze Kopitar's Game 2 shortie made the difference in a four-game sweep. The Kings came out hot late and made the conference finals for the first time since 1993.

Awaiting the Kings will be the winner of Nashville and Phoenix. For now, the Kings take a breather and look forward to a conference final date with either of the two, which will begin in a week's time.

First Round Blunders for Defending Champions

Defending a professional sports championship isn't easy. From hunters to the hunted, from low to high expectations, defending the crown presents an even bigger target. Advancements in scouting, technology and even awareness towards injuries makes it a harder hill to climb. Hot and cold spells can also make a difference. Just ask Aaron Rodgers, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Thomas on how hard it is to defend a title.

The Green Bay Packers went 15-1 on the season after winning Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. Many sports pundits picked them as an overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the New York Giants spoiled the party at Lambeau Field winning 37-20 in the NFC divisional playoffs. Rodgers and the team's high-scoring offense were derailed by coach Tom Coughlin's band of defensive piranhas, led by Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Antrel Rolle. Green Bay may have earned the nickname 'Titletown USA', but not this year.

The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in June 2011 after a 39-year wait. Then they had a short offseason to enjoy with, leading to a sloppy October to begin the new season. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a dominant November, December and January highlighted by the breakout season of Tyler Seguin and the dominance of their goaltending duo Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask. However, the Bruins would struggle again in February and March, before finishing the year second in the East with 102 points. In the conference quarterfinals the Bruins struggled for goals but managed to push the Washington Capitals to a seventh game before Joel Ward's overtime wrister ended Boston's repeat bid. The Bruins' run was affected by playoff hero Nathan Horton suffering a concussion in January, Adam McQuaid's eye injury late in the season, and Rask's groin injury in March, essentially ending their seasons. The Stanley Cup playoffs, after all, is unpredictable.

But don't tell the same thing to the NBA playoffs, where the superpowers of the league are here to dominate and win it all. However, this wasn't the case for the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. After losing Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and J.J. Barea and hastily acquired Lamar Odom (which never worked out, of course), the Mavs simply groped for form and finished with an uninspiring 36 wins in a lockout-shortened 66 game season. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who were upended by the eventual champs in last year's conference finals, appeared quicker, stronger and wiser than the aging Mavs, and it took only four games to send the champs home early. Dirk Nowitzki failed to find the same magic he had last year, while Jason Kidd's late-season injury took its toll and Jason Terry wasn't the same guy who bailed the Mavs out from outside. Like the Miami Heat from 2007, the Mavs were outplayed by a younger, more mature team.


Now let's hope that the loss of Albert Pujols won't be a hindrance for the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, as they started the post-Pujols era on a high note. Until then, the Cardinals are here to stay, before the likes of Texas, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Washington, Los Angeles, Baltimore and New York stake claim to the title.

Screaming for a Record Auction

The greatest work of Edvard Munch's life has been sold for a record $120 million at Sotheby's New York. The Scream has been well-identified with Munch and the expressionist art of the late 19th century.  The record auction ranks as one of the most expensive paintings ever.

Well, a little to ponder about art, especially relating to the iconic slapstick comedy character Mr. Bean. Here's one scene from 1997's Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie may relate to our art sensibilities.

And another Mr. Bean moment, this time in the live-action television series.

And another Bean moment in animated form.

Well Bean, it looks like you don't need to worry about The Scream or any other artwork.