The 64th Annual NBA All-Star Weekend Highlights!

by SportsWhat's Hot

The real excitement began on Saturday night with the 3-point shoot out contest, where Golden State Warriors point guard, Stephen Curry scored 27 out of a possible 34 points in the Championship round. It was his first win in the event. Curry topped fellow Warriors guard, Klay Thompson who couldn’t handle the pressure after Curry’s superb performance, scoring 14 in the Championship round, less than in the elimination round and 2013 Three-Point Contest winner, Kyrie Irving of Cleveland Cavaliers, who scored 17.

The Slam Dunk Competition followed, which was totally dominated by Zach LaVine of Minnesota Timberwolves. Runner-up, Orlando Magic’s Victor Oladipo’s 360º Reverse Dunk deserves notable mention.

Check out how Zach LaVine gets all NBA players standing as he ‘Throws Down the “Space Jam” Dunk’ in the 2015 Sprite Slam-Dunk Contest here:

Last night, the West won 163-158 over the East, the record for the largest combined score of 321 compared to last year’s 318. But it was all about MVP All-Star, Russell Westbrook, guard for Oklahoma City Thunder, who racked up 41 points in style, just short of Wilt Chamberlain’s highest scoring MVP All-Star record of 42 made in 1962. Westbrook also set the record for most points in a half with 27. What a showman! LeBron who? James started out hot but fell short in the end with 30 points.

Congrats to all the winners of the All-Star Weekend!

 

 

Congratulations to the 5-time NBA Champions, the San Antonio SPURS !!!

by What's Hot

Congratulations to the San Antonio SPURS for their 5th NBA Championship title in franchise history, joining the Celtics, Lakers and Bulls as the only team to accomplish that feat. The Spurs won the series 4-1 last Sunday night in blowout fashion with a final score of 104 to the Miami Heat’s, 87.

LeBron James had a blazing start in the first quarter and ended with a commendable 31 points, but nothing could stop or stand in the way of the Spurs achieving their redemption title as it slipped through their fingers last year. This rematch was also a big hit with television viewers compared to last year. The unselfishness, teamwork and ball movement of the Spurs was phenomenal with superb execution. All players made a significant contribution to the title, however out of so much talent, an MVP had to be chosen, young Kawhi Leonard who scored 22 points in the final game. Imagine what he could have done if he wasn’t in foul trouble.

Special mention also has to be made to veterans Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Tim Duncan is now the all-time Double-Doubles leader in NBA Playoffs history passing Magic Johnson and also passed Kareem Abdul-Jabar to set the all-time record for most minutes played in play off history.

One word, GINOBILIIIIII! Manu redeemed himself majorly after 2 years of horrible inconsistency, but showed everyone how hard he is on himself and how much of a true competitor he is by both facilitating unforgettable plays and scoring huge necessary shots.

Tony Parker had his ups and downs this season and didn’t even score until the 4th quarter in Sunday’s game, but once he started scoring he was on fire. His style of play and speed is always a beauty to watch and he said this was the sweetest victory for him yet.

So what’s next?! According to Tony Parker and Owner, Peter Holt, the Spurs should be back to try to defend their title next year. Tim and Manu may play until they die. Gregg Popovich would also like to coach beyond this year. Congrats to him as well for an excellent season, many years of great coaching and the ability to bond with all players. The relationship Pop has with the Spurs is on a different level compared to other teams.

So until next year, Go Spurs Go!

Watch “San Antonio Spurs Tribute to The Beautiful Game” on You Tube by clicking on the link below:

 

 

 

Lack of Respect for Outspoken Female Sports Fans

by SportsWhat's Hot

Growing up in the sports world with a father as a former West Indies Cricket player and having a mother with the television on the NBA Playoffs or Wimbledon instead of Lifetime or Home and Garden TV, I had no choice but to grow up loving sports in general as well.

I had my own cricket bat from about 4 years old to go and practice at the Kensington Cricket club. I was a tomboy, used to be on the Track team, I played Tennis, I am a frequent fan at the stadium for Athletics. You name it. But over the years, though I enjoy most sports, my favourite sport to watch is Basketball. It gets me the most emotional. I will go to a bar alone and watch it, I will forego meeting family at the airport, my studies back in the day used to be delayed, not to mention last year I left my own Surprise Birthday party to catch the second half of the game without opposing fans present. My Birthday is in early June, helllooooo.

Over the years, whether its general face to face conversation or social media, I have noticed initially that men are surprised that I may even make a comment on a sport. It is either ignored, gasped at with surprise or faced with the question of ‘What do you know? You watch sports? or Is it your partner’s team that you are defending?’ Then after a short debate on a topic, they tend to realise I actually do know something about sports. I am not an expert, but anyone, whether male or female that not only watches a sport but follows a sport, listens and understands the commentary or has actually played the sport themself should be free to make any sensible statement or argument about the sport, a match, the players, the team or the coach. Thankfully my actual friends unlike ‘social media friends’ know how competitive I am and how serious I can take a game or anything for that matter.

Most of us are busy, so may not know 100% of the stats but as a fan should know enough and appreciate the sport enough to make certain statements. I have been in many enjoyable ‘social media wars’ over sports but this year the comments faced so far take the cake. They are not even worth a ‘war’ but a mere shut down because there is no argument put forward, just careless, senseless remarks. Ironically, these comments on my posts have just begun in the end part of round one of the NBA Playoffs. Where were the comments on my posts ALL season? Have they even been watching?! This led me to start thinking that it might not only be because I am an outspoken fan but because I am an outspoken female fan. How is it that when my male friends show support for teams that couldn’t even make the playoffs or were eliminated already do not face these kinds of comments? Isn’t the current success of women in this country and larger female to male ratio at the Universities an indication that women also have the inclination to have good perception and views once interested in any particular subject? At least one culprit admitted that they just saw my post and was playing devil’s advocate. That I can acknowledge. But to say a team is ‘lame’ twice with no reason is beyond me. The defending Western Conference Champions whose four NBA championships are the fourth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. Yes, the San Antonio Spurs that I have been a fan of from 1999. The same team who has made the playoffs every year since they drafted Tim Duncan. The team that went on a 19-0 winning streak during this season. The stats could take up a whole book. But ‘lame’? You must be kidding me. Any average Jo that watches basketball seriously should have respect for the Spurs team and their fans too. Now if its the personality of the players one finds ‘lame’, I could somewhat understand that. Everyone is not going to swing on a hoop like a monkey or beat their chests, want to fight and have lots of tattoos. They may simply choose to give a long stare like Timmy Duncan or roar like Tony Parker. The Spurs do have soft personalities, they are not an extremely physical team. Manu is not as great as he used to be, I can hardly shout GINOBILIIIIIII anymore, and wish he would wear glue on his hands sometimes. However there is nothing that can deny the displayed quality and potential of the team from their passes, Timmy Duncan’s ability to obtain core rebounds, Parker’s drive down the lane, now you see him now you don’t, score!!!!

So people may not want Timmy on a cereal box anymore or have Tony speaking a lot in an American ad with his French accent, but the Spurs are a great team. They are a dynasty. Whether they are eliminated in the first round this year or not, the ball is round and they are better than the majority of the teams out there, if not the best. In the Playoffs, its who wants it most, who is the most hungry. There is no way to pin point who deserves a ring more than the other, the talent and effort this season has been phenomenal. Let a girl support her team in peace. I love this game!