BASKETBALL

In the NBA, it was Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.  The Heat led 2-1 going into the game, and the Bulls pretty much knew that if they fell behind 3-1, the series was effectively over.  This is why the Bulls came out red-hot.  It looked like a different Bulls team.  Derrick Rose was rocking, blazing, and dunking on the Heat.  He finished with 23 points on the night.  Plus, Dwayne Wade had a sluggish night not even scoring in the second half until the very end.  It looked like the Bulls were actually going to eek out a win, but, in the 4th, the Miami Heat came surging back.  You can’t underestimate a furious LeBron James who hasn’t won a title yet.  He was dominant and tied up the score at the end.  Rose had a chance to win the game on a last second shot, but he air-balled and we headed to overtime.  Then, in OT, it was all Heat.  The Bulls simply did not have the fire power for the Heat, and the Big 3 nabbed their 3rd straight win, and are now one game away from The Finals.  Miami 101, Chicago 93.

Elsewhere in the NBA, with the departure of Phil Jackson in Los Angeles, the Lakers are now in search of a skipper.  The candidates:  Rick Adelman, assistant head coach Brian Shaw (although he’s been participating in the interview process as well), former Clippers coach Mike Dunleavey, and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown.  And, according to inside sources, Mike Brown is in the lead.  This is shocking considering all the criticism of Brown while in Cleveland.  They lost a lot of key playoff games, he made a load of questionable decisions, and he lost control of his team on multiple occasions.  You could understand if Brown was in consideration on a lesser team, but for the Lakers???? That’s a head-scratcher.  Plus, it’s reported that Brown is asking for a longer-term contract and a hefty sum of money.  This seems extremely preposterous, but… it very well may happen.

HOCKEY

And in hockey, the #1 seed in hockey, the Vancouver Canucks had a chance to earn their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals.  They had a chance to close-out at home against a San Jose Sharks team that hasn’t been good on the road.  Vancouver got on the board first thanks to a clutch goal from Alex Burrows, but San Jose put up 2 of their own to take the lead.  Would the Canucks blow this opportunity?  But then, with 13 seconds left, Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler tied up the game at 2 to send it to overtime.  It wouldn’t take one, but two overtimes before the Canucks’ Kevin Bleska hit a remarkable to shot to give the Canucks the lead and send them to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Vancouver 3, San Jose 2.