Things I Think From Last Night's (May 3) Sports

Yesterday I had the privilege to watch two great hockey games and two great basketball games. I love playoff sports more than anything and yesterday proved my point. Here is what I gathered from last night...
The Boston Bruins will play in the Eastern Conference finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They have done what they are supposed to in taking both games at home. A split in Philadelphia means they only have to win one of their last three games, with two of those games being played in TD Garden. As a side note, it amazes me at how well the Bruins scout goaltenders. In 2004 Andrew Raycroft won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. He was then swiftly dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the right to 21st overall pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Tuukka Rask. The B's then turned to minor league journeyman Tim Thomas for the next 4 seasons who ended up winning the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie in 2009. During the second half of the 2009-10 NHL season, Rask supplanted Thomas as the Bruins #1 and has not looked back since. Rask, a native of Finland who just turned 23, has been in fine form with a GAA south of 2. As for Thomas, I do not know of any goalie who has won the Vezina one season, then been relegated to backup the next, but I believe it speaks loads of the abilities and maturity of Rask. As for Raycroft, the man who started this merry-go-round of goaltender's in Boston, he can be seen at the end of the bench in Vancouver backing up Bobby Louuuuuu (Roberto Luongo).
Shifting to the Western Conference and the Chicago Blackhawks v Vancouver Canucks series. At the beginning of the playoffs I honestly thought Chicago were destined to represent the west in the Stanley Cup finals despite their goaltending situation. Nashville then proceeded to give them all they could handle in the first round and Vancouver looks to finish the job the Predators could not do. After splitting the first two games in Chicago, the series heads north to Vancouver and a rowdy GM Place. Vancouver had the best home record of any team in the Western Conference during the regular season at 30-8-3 and will look to grab both games at home to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. I think they will do it. The Blackhawks goaltending has been in question all year with Antti Niemi and Cristobal Huet and many, like myself, assumed they could just win the majority of games in the 5-4 range. That being said, I do not see Chicago scoring 5 goals against the aforementioned Roberto Luongo, especially in his own backyard. I think Vancouver has progressed substantially from the team that lost at the same stage of the playoffs to the same Blackhawk foe last season. Revenge is on the Canucks mind and I look for them to take the series in 6 games.
Switching now to the NBA. I'll start in the Eastern Conference where the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers got toyed with by the veteran Boston Celtics on their way to a disastrous 104-86 home loss. Cleveland is in trouble. They are very lucky to be leaving their home court with a 1-1 split on their way to Boston. LeBron James, the 2-time NBA MVP, is not himself. I have heard different sport personalities argue whether it's his ailing elbow or not, but to me, it was is emotions, or lack thereof, on the court. His emotions are not there. Could it be because of the elbow? I do not know, but I do know we have not seen his big grin and dance moves for two games. Many teams are intimidated by the Cavs, but Boston is not one of them. The Cavaliers are getting nothing from their bench and nothing from Mo Williams or Antawn Jamison. They are resorting back to the Cleveland who got eliminated by the Orlando Magic last year by hoping LeBron just goes for 40-10-10 every night while the rest of the team watches. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo cannot be stopped. Cleveland has no answer for Rondo, the unquestioned MVP of the Boston Celtics. Yes Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen get most of the attention, but it is Rondo who orcastrates this fine, aging machine known as the Celtics. After going for 13 points and 19 assists last night as an encore to his 27 and 12 performance from game 1, I would not be surprised to see him average 15 and 15 for the series. Add that to the clutchness (yes, I just made up that word) that is Pierce, the intensity of Garnett and the shooting of Allen and a stunning cameo off the bench in the form of Rasheed Wallace, who awoke yesterday from his year long coma in Boston to produce 17 points in 18 minutes. That alone outscored the entire Cleveland bench who mustered up a measly 13 points. If Boston can get productivity from their bench and Rondo continues to have his way I think Boston will beat Cleveland.
Now to the Phoenix Suns v San Antonio Spurs series. I have a tough time not letting my personal feelings interfere as I love the Suns (STEVE NASH!!!) and dislike the Spurs. The Suns won an entertaining game 1 in Phoenix, but there are a few things that worry me. First, San Antonio is just starting to play their best basketball of the season. Second, Tony Parker is back and will no doubt be inserted into the Spurs starting lineup from here on out. Third, the Suns are in big trouble if Amare Stoudemire ever gets in foul trouble. That being said, the Suns are also playing great basketball at the moment. Jason Richardson has been stellar, Nash and Amare have been doing their thing and Grant Hill continues to just play solid, fundamental basketball. I see this series going 7 games. Yes the Spurs have owned the Suns in the playoffs in years past, like ALL the years past, I think this is the year the Suns will advance. I do not know if I would be saying that if Manu Ginobili was 100%, but he is not and there is just something about this Suns team and how they keep surpassing expectations this year. Suns in 7.