WATERCOOLER CHAT: REMATCH OF LAKERS & HEAT, UCONN WINS AGAIN,STERN LIKE A DICTATOR

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, it was a re-match of this year’s marquee match-up:  Kobe and the Lakers vs. LeBron and the Heat.  In the first go-around on Christmas day, LeBron, Wade, and Bosh marched into Los Angeles and absolutely destroyed the Lakers in a statement game.  Many thought that when Kobe got a chance to hurt the Heat on THEIR home court, he would deliver the smack down.  Miami has been on a losing skid lately, and everyone thought the Lakers might put the nail in that coffin.  So what would happen?

The game stayed pretty much neck and neck the first half.  The Lakers tried to separate themselves, but great players like LeBron and Wade bring it to the next level when playing high-caliber talent like Kobe and the Lakers.  Kobe struggled a bit, but eventually put up a nice 24 points.  In the end, however, the Heat just grabbed the necessary rebounds and got a fantastic night from Chris Bosh (24 points and 9 rebounds).  And with that, the Heat topped the Lakers to sweep the season series.  Now, the question is, will they meet again in the playoffs????  Miami 94, LA Lakers 88.

In college basketball, more red-hot action out of the Big East tournament.  It was a showdown between #3 Pitt and #19 UCONN.  Ever since the season started, UCONN has been trying to prove that they are a team to be reckoned with.  They started out unranked and nobody expected much from them, but they had a surprise gem in Kemba Walker, who has evolved into one of the best players in college basketball and a certain lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft.  The game stayed close the whole way, but with the score tied at 74, Kemba Walker took the ball, did some fancy foot work, popped back and launched a shot from the top of the key.  GOOD!!!!  And UConn wins the game at the buzzer.  If they’re able to win the entire Big East tourney, they are probably looking at a #3 seed in the brackets.  UConn 76, Pitt 74.

Finally, in the NBA, Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has been very critical lately of commissioner David Stern.  He went so far as to (loosely) compare Stern to some of the dictators that are getting massive media attention.  Van Gundy said, “This is the system David Stern and his minions like, so that’s the system you have. … I certainly can’t have an opinion because David Stern, like a lot of leaders we’ve seen in this world lately, don’t really tolerate other people’s opinion or free speech or anything. So I’m not really allowed to have an opinion. So it’s up to him.  He decides and he likes the system he has.”  This of course caught the attention of Stern, but said he won’t be speaking with Van Gundy personally on the matter.  Stern said that he could understand Van Gundy’s frustration (i.e. the Magic aren’t performing and his superstar was suspended), but that the outcry made him sad.  It’s possible that the Orlando Magic make an early exit from the playoffs this year.

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