Archive for January 19th, 2012

WATERCOOLER CHAT: CLIPPERS EXCITING, WIZARDS START TO TURN, DARVISH SWEEPSTAKES

BASKETBALL

In the NBA, the Clippers are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA this season.  Chris Paul has been amazing for them, but he was sidelined last night against the Mavericks.  While the Clippers show a lot of promise, they have been criticized for lackluster defensive efforts as of late.  So Dirk and the Mavs would be a big test for them. The Clips held their own all night behind a big 19 point, 9 rebound game from DeAndre Jordan.  But, in the end, the Mavs got the ball in the hands of Jason Terry with 6 seconds left, and he put them up 89-88.  Could the Clippers do it with 5 seconds left?  They in-bounded it to Blake Griffin, who passed it to back-up point guard Chauncey Billups, who put up a three, and…. GOOD!  The Clippers win in a close one.  LA Clippers 91, Dallas 89.

And elsewhere in the NBA, everyone expected the first-place, red-hot Oklahoma City to cruise into Washington and crush the, 1-win Wizards.  That team looks disheveled and in search of an identity.  But… the Wiz came to play!  The Thunder actually kept a lead for most of the way behind a 33-point night from Kevin Durant, but, in the 4th quarter, the Wizards turned it on.  They got a 25 point night from John Wall, and shooting-guard Nick Young hit a couple dagger three-pointers to ice the victory and pull the upset.  Could the Wizards actually turn their season around?  This would be the time to start.  Washington 105, OKC 102.

BASEBALL

The hottest international prospect for the past few months has been Japan’s Yu Darvish.  This kid is supposed to be a pitching phenom and it was the most curious subject in baseball wondering where he would wind up.  Most likely, it would be the Yankees, Red Sox, or Mets — three high-spending teams who typically land players like this.  But, in the end, the Texas Rangers won the Darvish sweepstakes.  They signed him for a 6-year, $60million deal.  The Rangers needed this guy, especially after they just lost one of their great pitchers in C.J. Wilson, AND they’ll have to stay competitive against the Los Angeles Angels who are positioning themselves to be a powerhouse in the American League.  Hopefully Darvish turns out to be as good as the experts say.
Share
No comments