Wizards Perfect this Postseason

The Washington Wizards are undefeated this postseason and it is a great time to be a DC sports fan. The crazy thing is, is that the Wizards are the most surprising team in the Eastern conference thus far. I think the addition of Paul Pierce has helped them tremendously as they now have that veteran presence that was missing last year. John Wall has been a huge difference in their games though, as he has been unstoppable on offense, and been able to defend his opponents with relative ease. On offense he has been able to get in the lane and create opportunities for his teammates. The maturation of Bradley Beal has been great for the Wizards also as he has been scoring points in bunches, being able to complement John Wall tremendously. I think the Wizards have a legitimate shot at coming out of the eastern conference with the injury to Kevin Love. Should they get past the Hawks, the eastern conference finals matchup would be very difficult for them as they would either play the Cavs or the Bulls- but I think they matchup well with both. If the Wizards were to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, or the NBA Finals D.C. would erupt!

Mayweather vs Pacquiao: And the Loser is Boxing

I was so excited for the huge boxing match this past weekend, the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. I wanted Pacquiao to win so badly. Well, the fight finally happened (6 years too late) and I was not pleased with the result. First off, I am not a boxing fan- I think it is dead (and this match killed it even more)- I prefer UFC to it. Second, I watched the match at a friend's house. One of my best-friends from high school lives in Maryland and he is Filipino so his family watches all of the Pacquiao fights. I felt like the fight was a huge waste of money for those who purchased it (luckily I didn't). Pacquiao lost the fight by decision- but I felt that Mayweather ran the whole fight. Manny was clearly the aggressor as Mayweather ran and hugged him the whole fight. I think the strategy Mayweather had was brilliant but he risked losing if it went to decision because of the crowd reactions to Manny's strikes. It was frustrating but Mayweather was very smart to wait to have this fight, as it also allowed him to increase the revenue he would generate. Had the fight happened in 2010 it probably would have only generated 8 figures, but this fight produced a 9 figure payout which is crazy!

Redskins Pick Up RG3's Option

Today the Redskins announced they will exercise their option and bring back quarterback Robert Griffin III beyond this season, for the 2016 season. This is not surprising to me, as they had until May to do so, and I figured they would. This is a big deal though because it means the team is anticipating him having a good year and wouldn't want him to become a free agent in 2016. I think RG3 still has potential to be good in the NFL, but I don't think the Redskins are the best place for him to be. I think he needs a change of scenery. It is particularly frustrating since the Redskins gave up so many draft picks for him and he underachieves for whatever reason every season since his rookie year. I think with the addition of their general manger this offseason the Redskins have a solid plan going forward. Whether that will actually involve RG3, I'm not sure. I think they need to get rid of their coach ASAP as he looks in over his head. He couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. I think he is a big reason why RG3 looks so lost, he doesn't tailor his system towards Griffin's talents.

Sweep the North!

I was lucky enough to be able both of the Wizards home playoff games this past weekend, in which they swept the Raptors. It was the first time the Wizards had ever swept an opponent in franchise history. The game on Friday was a ton of fun, as it was very competitive and showed the Wizards' growth as they were able to close out the game. Last night's game was a lot of fun also (but nowhere near as competitive). A lot of veteran teams in the NBA are notorious for not caring about their regular season record and being able to flip a switch and turn it on in the playoffs. That is what it looks like this Wizards team has done. The months leading up to the all-star break were particularly wretched for the Wizards as they looked out of sync and apathetic. Even with all of this they have hit their stride. Yesterdays game it felt like they couldn't miss a shot. Everything was falling. The atmosphere was great for both games, as the energy was off the charts and people were chanting SWEEP as loudly as they could. Playoff basketball is a lot of fun, and I would encourage anyone to go at least once if they can.

NBA Playoffs First Round

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is my favorite sporting event all year. It is even better when a lot of the teams who are playing each other are evenly matched, like how the Western conference is. The reason I like it is because there are back-to-back games every night, and the level of play increases dramatically. In the regular season, players half-ass it and don't care as much, but in the playoffs everyone steps up and it is that much more exciting. There are four match-ups this year which I am trying to see every game of. The Celtics vs Cavs, Wizards vs Raptors, Clippers vs Spurs, and Mavericks vs Rockets are all really compelling series. OK, well maybe the Celtics series isn't that compelling, but my favorite team is in the playoffs so to me it is! Some of these series have a lot riding on them, in addition to just simply being eliminated from advancing. I think if a couple of these teams (the Mavericks, and Clippers) lose then they run the risk of being disbanded. The cool thing about the first round is it is often times when new starts are born. I remember when Derrick Rose played my Celtics in the playoffs his rookie year, and he exploded onto the scene and became a superstar and eventual MVP. This year I am looking at the Celtics' Isaiah Thomas and hoping he will make a similar leap.

Paul Pierce vs. The City of Toronto

My favorite athlete ever is Paul Pierce. When I was a kid I used to watch any Celtics game I could religiously. I would even watch his highlights on YouTube and try and emulate his moves when I would play against my friends outside.

It's hard watching your favorite player age, and no longer do the same things they once did so effortlessly. It's like watching your dog or cat age. At one point they were so full of energy, and they eventually become old and lazy.

I have enjoyed a lot of Paul Pierce moments over the years, but one of the cooler post-Celtics moments came this past Saturday. Last week Pierce was interviewed for an ESPN article and in it he was critical of a lot of people, including the Toronto Raptors. Needless to say, Raptors fans didn't take the criticism too well and were very vocal with their disdain for Pierce in the first game of the series. They chanted Pierce Sucked and frequently boo'd him. Even in the face of all of this, he still lead his team to victory. It was a very smart tactic employed by Pierce, as it took the pressure off of his younger teammates and placed it on him- making it easier for his team to execute. It was only 20 points, but they were all very crucial in a game that went to overtime. It reminded me of Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks fans in the 90s. When big moments come, some players crumble, but stars rise, and hall of famers shine. 

Celtics on the Verge of the Playoffs

I did not expect the Celtics to make the playoffs this season.  I thought they would be terrible. Now, with 2 games left it looks like they will clinch a spot with a win, or Brooklyn loss tonight. I am so proud to be a fan of the team- as they are one of the youngest in the league with a ton of assets in the form of draft picks. Acquiring Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline has proven to be huge as he had 40 points the other night in a victory. He is a gritty player and a ton of fun to watch. Another unsung hero of the their team is their coach, Brad Stevens. A lot of media members were critical of Stevens after he left Butler to coach the Celtics 2 years ago. He is a great coach and I am eager to see how he does in the playoffs. As far as a first round match-up I really don't want them to play the Cavaliers. I want to see them play the Hawks because I think they actually stand a chance of upsetting them. I think they matchup well with the Hawks and could potentially steal a game on the road in one of the first two contests.