NBA Playoffs Conference Finals

With the Pacers beating the Knicks yesterday, the Conference Finals are all set up. 

EAST                                               WEST
Pacers vs Heat                                  Grizzlies vs Spurs

The Spurs will host the Grizzlies later today. The Heat will host the Pacers on Wednesday. The Spurs have looked lackadaisical in their series with the Warriors, but with the sudden emergence of Tony Parker, they could make a run. And though the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol have been the best front-court duo in these playoffs, I'm not impressed with them yet. Their series with the Clippers, well was expected. They beat them last year, and the Clippers really have been up and down all season. And the Grizzlies match with the Thunder was unimpressive. Though they did have to come back and pull ahead in a few of those games, I think that series says more about the Thunder's inability to maintain a lead especially without Russell Westbrook, than it says about the Grizzlies ability to come back. So I have the Spurs winning that match. 

Now the Heat-Pacers is a matchup I am heavily looking forward to. My two favorite teams! The Pacers have not lost at home this post-season, but the Heat have only lost once. The Heat can play without Dwyane Wade, but Game 5 against the Knicks showed the Pacers do struggle without key players. If the Pacers can come in and beat the Heat in either Game 1 or Game 2 and keep up the home-crowd momentum, I would definitely give them this series. The Heat won't make past mistakes though, I look for this series to go to Game 6. The Pacers need to win Game 1 to discourage the Heat. If not, I expect the Heat to go onto the Finals. 

In other news, Oxbow is the winner of the Preakness derby. Orb finished 4th. Soccer-star David Beckham announced his retirement and had an assist in his final game. Dwight Freeney has finally found a new home. The former Colt, has agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers following their loss of Melvin Ingram. I can't wait for those two Chargers-Broncos games where we will see Freeney face off against Manning for the first time. What will be even more interesting is how well Freeney will be able to read Manning, and vice versa. 

And in fantasy football news, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is set to have yet another surgery. The way he's been going, I have to knock him down on my draft list. But once fantasy football really starts moving, I'll do a list of the Top-5 or 10 for each position.