NBA Playoffs

As the first round of the NBA playoffs comes to a close, some exciting basketball has been played. Out East, the Nets and Hawks are tied 2-2. This has surprised many people as this series has been a lot more competitive than people expected it to be. Despite a great effort from the Celtics, they were unable to win a game against the Cavaliers and were swept. Brad Stevens team had a lot of fight but ultimately did not have the talent to best Cleveland's star studded roster. After winning three straight against Milwaukee, the bulls have lost two consecutive games but are hoping to close out the series Thursday night in game 6. For the second year in a row, the Raptors were knocked out of the playoffs at the hands of Paul Pierce. The Raptors had a great start to the season, but their performance after the All-star break and in the playoffs was very underwhelming.

Out West, the Spurs and Clippers have been battling in a tightly contested series. After splitting the first four games 2-2, the Spurs earned a much needed win in Los Angeles to give them a 3-2 advantage. The Clippers will need to win game 6 in San Antonio if they wish to keep their season alive and force a game 7. As many expected, the Pelicans were swept by the Warriors. Despite this, Anthony Davis put up historic statistics for a player playing in his playoff debut, putting him in the same company with names such as Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chaimberlain. The Grizzlies have gained a 3-1 lead on the Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies will have to close out the series without Mike Conley after he suffered a facial injury. His injury required surgery and there is still no timetable for his return. The Rockets managed to defeat the Mavericks in 5 games. The Rockets seemed to be clicking on all cylinders and got great performances out of James Harden and Dwight Howard. Many teams seem to be playing well at the right time, but only time will tell which teams will reign supreme in their conferences to play in the NBA finals.

Celtics Set to Face The Cavaliers

After finishing the regular season on a 9-2 run, the Celtics have earned a spot in the playoffs as the 7th seed in the Eastern conference. They are set to take on the 2nd seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams had rocky starts to their seasons but both have been able to turn it around at the end of the season. They split their season series against each other 2-2. The Cavaliers had sat Lebron in the 4th quarter of their third match up and sat him for the entire game in their fourth. Both resulted in meaningless losses for the Cavaliers as they had already clinched the number 2 seed.

While many believe that this series will be dominated by the Cavaliers and their start studded roster, the Celtics may be able to make it interesting. Isaiah Thomas has proven to be an excellent mid season acquisition for the Celtics. Coming off the bench as the team's 6th man, he has led the team in scoring and can be an excellent play maker. Thomas's quickness and nifty moves attacking the basket make him a tough cover against almost any player. Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart are both great perimeter defenders, which may be key if the Celtics intend to slow down the Cavaliers prolific 3 point shooters. Unfortunately for the Celtics, there is no consistent strategy for stopping LeBron James. If the Celtics want any hope at making this a competitive series, they are going to need to find a way to contain him and keep him from dominating. Brad Stevens has been coaching an efficient defense as of late, however, and has proven to be an effective coach who can call the right plays at the right time. We'll see if his clever play calling down the stretch will be enough to best the Cavaliers. But with a match up against the best player in the world, the Celtics will be tested and will be have to play their best basketball all year if they hope to remain competitive.  

Red Sox Hot Start

After beating the Nationals 8-7 in a close game, the Red Sox improved their impressive regular season record to 6-2. The Sox are currently sitting in first place in the American League East. It has been their best start in 9 years and the hopes of a World Series is looking like a legitimate possibility thus far. But the MLB season is a very long one and a lot can change over the grueling 162 game season. The Red Sox hot start has been undeniably impressive though, and has given Boston fans a lot be optimistic about.

Despite a disappointing 2014 campaign, the Red Sox are looking to turn it around in 2015. They've had key contributions this year from players such as Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Mookie Betts. Dustin Pedroia has 10 hits 3 Home Runs and 6 RBI's. Xander Bogaerts looks very promising as he has 13 hits, 7 RBI's, and has a .433 batting average. Mookie Betts has also looked impressive for the Sox as he has 8 hits, 2 Home Runs, and is leading the team in RBIs with 8 and Stolen bases with 3. Overall, the Red Sox have a lot to look forward to as this team has proven early that they can be a serious threat in the MLB.

In the article Some things you just don't forget by Matthew Berry, the author talks about bullying and peoples insensitivity to the fear of the victim. He explains that he was once a victim of bullying and essentially puts himself in the shoes of Jonathon Martin, who was a bullying victim of former Dolphins guard, Richie Incognito. The article makes some very valid points. Whether or not you are in the NFL or elementary school, bullying can occur anywhere. Berry talks about the fear and how much courage it takes for someone getting bullied to take a stand against it. The article was very well written and the author makes some good comparisons from experiences in his own life to what happened between Jonathon Martin and Richie Incognito. I agree that it must have taken a lot of courage on Jonathon Martins part to tell someone what was happening to him, especially as an NFL player who has as many expectations as he does. No matter where or who you are, the NFL or elementary school, bullying is flat out wrong and you must take a stand for yourself.