The Sports Bhalla

It sure has been an eventful week in sports, with more playoff games being played right now as well. First, and probably the worst news, is that Derrick Rose tore his ACL on a pretty routine play in Game 1 against the 76ers, and will be out for the next 6-9 months. This is really sad for the NBA, D-Rose is such a likable, humble player, and not to mention a tremendous athlete. The Bulls will definitely have a harder time without him, but they have already shown this season that they can win games while he is out. Expect C.J. Watson and John Lucas to fill the void at point guard for the Bulls. 

Now for my NBA playoff predictions (these are my picks before D-Rose got hurt): 

The NHL Playoffs are into the 2nd round right now, and have been as unpredictable and intense as ever. Here are my predictions from here on out:

Lastly, Pep Guardiola, the manager of one of the greatest soccer teams of all time, FC Barcelona, has decided to step down after the season is over at the Copa del Rey. In his 4 year term as manager, Barcelona has won two Champion’s League titles, three La Liga titles, two FIFA Club World Cups, two European Supercups, one Copa del Rey, and three Spanish Supercups. None of Barca’s players wanted him to leave, but he decided the stress from the job was too much, and with the work he has put in for this club, he’s allowed to quit whenever and will still be remembered as one of it’s greatest managers ever. 

The NBA regular season ends later this week, and play has been heating up the past few weeks as teams jockey for playoff position. The Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Miami Heat will be the likely favorites going into the playoffs, but there are some sleepers to watch out for that may cause a stir in the first few rounds. My sleeper pick of the year is the Memphis Grizzlies. They have been playing well since last year’s playoffs, getting Rudy Gay back from injury was huge seeing as he is playing at his highest level as a professional, as well as signing Gilbert Arenas to come off the bench. They have a great front court tandem with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, as well as a good supporting cast that includes OJ Mayo, Tony Allen and Mike Conley Jr. The Lakers are always going to be in the discussion, with Kobe and the Gasol and Bynum combo as their leading force. Two teams out of the East that need to be watched out for are the Celtics and the Pacers. The Celtics are that veteran team that has found some help from their younger guys, and have been playing some of the best basketball since the All-Star break, whereas the Pacers have been quietly playing solid ball all year and are poised to finish as the 3 seed in the East. With the playoffs starting on April 28th, sports fans are in for a treat with these and the NHL playoffs to watch. 

Here’s a preview of the playoffs by ESPN featuring Kevin Durant: