Sports Update for May 5

Boxing

Okay, so Mayweather won the fight handily. I am not thrilled with the person that he is, and I heard one guy make a valid point which I always believed, as well, and that is that it's okay when everyone else says that you are the greatest. The problem is when you yourself claim to be the greatest. Only Muhammad Ali and Ringo Starr can get away with that, I think. It's even endearing with them. For everyone else? How about a little modesty?

I still hope that we get to see someone lay "Money" Mayweather (hate the nickname) to the mat before he retires, that we see the first notch in the L department. Admittedly, there is just something about him that ticks me off, and I strongly suspect that he has, in fact, beat his woman.

Still, hoping does not necessarily mean it is going to happen. Despite the obvious fact that I am else than thrilled with the guy, he undeniably has a tremendous amount of talent, and indeed seems like one of the all-time great boxers that we have ever seen in history, like it or not.

NBA

There was only one basketball game yesterday: a winner takes all showdown between Chicago and Brooklyn.

The Nets and the Bulls had a tremendous series that went the distance. The final clash came yesterday, with the Nets hosting the Bulls in the decisive Game 7.

Chicago came out strong, and seemed to dictate the momentum throughout the early part, building a solid lead, and eventually wearing Brooklyn out, for a 99-93 win. The Bulls advanced, and will now face the red-hot Miami Heat, who are looking for a second straight championship. These two teams faced each other a couple of years ago in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Miami winning that series.

On Friday evening, there had been four Game 6's. Rather surprisingly, not one team that was down managed to for a Game 7. The Knicks won on the road up in Boston to knock out the Celtics, while the Thunder finally put the Rockets away. The Pacers clinched the first (and only) road win in their series against the Hawks in Atlanta, and the Grizzlies finally choked the life out of the Clippers hopes for a championship this season.

So now, it gets interesting. I already mentioned Miami and Chicago. But I really like the classic match up between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. We haven't seen these two teams together in the playoffs since 2000, when Indiana advanced to the NBA Finals, clinching the series in Madison Square Garden. But that was when they still had Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, and the two Davis's. One hell of a team, and they tortured the Knicks of the nineties, always featuring Patrick Ewing. Back then, I equated springtime, playoff basketball with this rivalry, and I am hoping this will be a good one.

In the West, Oklahoma City will take on Memphis, while the Spurs have the Golden State Warriors.

Maybe it's time for predictions? I have the Pacers knocking out the Knicks in six or seven, and it should take the Heat no more than five, maybe six tops, to get past the Bills. In the West, I like OKC in a tough series against the Grizzlies, perhaps in six or seven, and the Spurs take the Warriors inside of six.

Let's see how I do! Later today, the first two of these series begins, as the Pacers go to Madison Square Garden fro Game 1 with the Knicks, while the Thunder host the Grizzlies to start their series.

NHL

Some surprises the last couple of days, but none bigger than the Islanders upending the Penguins in Pittsburgh, following their humiliating Game 1 blowout loss. New York pulled off a 4-3 victory, to even their series at 1-1, as it heads back to Nassau Coliseum. If the Islanders can win Game 3 at home, it would make things really interesting, and again raise doubts about the powerful Penguins come playoff time.

The other New York team is not faring so well, as they dropped Game 2 in overtime, thus digging themselves in an early hole that they have dug for themselves. I think they are going to have to win both games at MSG if they want to avoid that hole becoming their grave.

A couple of other teams find themselves down 0-2 as well. The red-hot Blackhawks held off the Minnesota Wild, blowing the game open in the final period for a convincing 5-2 win, and a 2-0 series lead. In Vancouver, the Canucks now find themselves down 0-2 after two opening round home losses for the second season in a row.  Also much like last year, it's hard to see how they can still win this one. Not impossible, but this was an absolutely disastrous start that does not bode well for their chances.

Montreal avoided that same fate, as they stormed back from their opening game loss to beat the Senators 3-1 on Friday night, thus evening the series at one game a piece, as the series now goes to Ottawa.

The other Ontario team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, managed to surprise the Boston Bruins by winning on the road, 4-2, nodding their series at 1-1.

In what appears to be the wildest series of the bunch so far, the Anaheim Ducks completely dominated the Detroit Red Wings to regain home ice advantage, crushing the Red Wings 4-0 before their home crowd, and taking the 2-1 series lead.

In Los Angeles, the Kings, who were road warriors all last postseason, needed the comforts of home this time to get their first win in Game 3, 1-0. The Blues still lead the series, 2-1.

The Kentucky Derby

Finally, Orb took the Kentucky Derby yesterday, winning by a comfortable margin towards the end.