Big sports night tonight. Game 7 Heat/Pacers tip off at 8:30 on TNT and the puck drops at 8pm on NBCSN for Game 2 of the Penguins/Bruins series.

Hockey game starts first so let’s start there. Game 1 got started with a bang. The chippiness started early and often as Crosby and the Penguins actually bit at the Bruins antagonization before the game started. The first period the Penguins came out flying. They were the the physical team they were hitting whoever had the puck within moments of them getting it. But for it they got a rather weak goal against them. The Bruins came out in the second pissed off at the Penguins play and instead of standing toe to toe the Penguins went back to their finesse, flashy, Euro offense for the rest of it and it never really worked. They pissed off the big, bad Bruins and could be in a world of hurt again tonight if they let the Bruins dictate the game.

However, despite the Bruins dictating things. The Penguins had far more chances the puck just bounced Boston’s way. I expect a big rebound for Pittsburgh as they will win 4-1 and Crosby gets three points.

Then of course there’s Game 7. This comes down to one man, of course that is Lebron James. He might as well be back on the Cavaliers this playoff run, his supporting cast has given him nothing. I would say maybe the home crowd could get some of those bums going but there is no crowd in Miami.

I remember that Heat/Mavs finals vividly. Good defense, especially around the rim, and someone with a killer instinct, at least for the current series, on the other team can beat him even when you least expect it. Paul George has been great this season and has reached a new high in the playoffs. While I won’t call him a superstar yet. He could take that leap tonight. If he decides he has something to prove and that gets paired with Hibbert dominating the paint, the Pacers will win.

The more likely scenario Lebron tries to get his guys going in the first half while the Pacers crawl out to a lead only to have Lebron rip it up in the 3rd and get the lead heading into the 4th. There is no lead the Pacers could gain tonight that I would feel safe with.

But tonight I think the Heat go down. Wade’s chatter the other night about the “team” needing to get the other guys going. That sounds an awful lot like Lebron needs to get me going. We all know how fragile Lebron can be mentally, especially if it means he has to override DWade. And Wade is far from his former self. That last Heat run could be too little too late and that’s what I think happens. Take the Pacers +300 A. Cause that’s the most fun bet and B. Because there is a ton of value.

mlz

Monday, June 3, 2013