What everyone will be watching
NBA Playoffs
All eight NBA Playoffs series begin this weekend, and you could probably convince yourself that all eight of them are interesting. Here’s why, in order of when each series starts:
Indiana vs. Toronto (12:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPN): OK, this one isn’t interesting. Toronto is going to win any game it cares about.
Houston vs. Golden State (3:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC): Same with Golden State, but Golden State is plenty interesting on its own, and there’s a chance that James Harden manages to score 50 in a game he gives up 60 to the collection of guys he guards. That’s probably a record.
Boston vs. Atlanta (7 p.m. Saturday, ESPN): This one could legitimately go 7. The Hawks aren’t the team that we thought could challenge in the East a few years ago, but they’re pretty damn tough, and the Celtics are a team that will be contending in another year or two. For the East. We’re not crazy.
Dallas at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPN): Dirk’s last playoff run? Mark Cuban courtside? Those are interesting things that aren’t the obvious OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE WHAT RUSSY AND KD DID LAST NIGHT?
Detroit vs. Cleveland (3 p.m. Sunday, ABC): Probably much less interesting to people who aren’t Pistons fans, but since most of you reading this are, this is interesting. How can this young team handle its first playoff series? Will they put a scare into the Cavs? Can Andre Drummond even be in a close game late? Will LeBron James make a Twitter video of him killing a teammate if they lose a home game and still no @ them?
Charlotte vs. Miami (5:30 p.m. Sunday, TNT): Two teams I wouldn’t have cared less about at the beginning of the season are both pretty entertaining. Kemba Walker is a new superstar in the league, and some people still like watching Dwyane Wade fake injuries, I guess.
Memphis vs. San Antonio (8 p.m. Sunday, TNT): The Spurs play beautiful basketball and are the only team with a chance to beat the Warriors in a seven-game series. Sure. But Memphis brings Z-Bo, Marc Gasol, Lance Stephenson and Matt Barnes to the table, so literally anything could happen.
Portland vs. LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. Sunday, TNT): Every game in this series is likely to be played past your bedtime, but it should have enough excitement to keep you awake. The Clippers are fun if not completely unreliable, and Damian Lillard is Must See TV.
Three Things to Read Today
More from the Association
SB Nation has a beautiful, interactive NBA Playoff bracket and a bunch of other content that’s worth your time before the games get underway.
Sports Illustrated has breakdowns of the Eastern and Western Conferences, with matchup breakdowns, x-factors, and all the things you just love to read about.
The Red Wings are playing bad and they should feel bad
You know how some people get turned on by getting beat up? I think that’s really strange. (Editor’s note: what?) I was going to connect it to the Red Wings somehow, but now I’ve lost track of how I was going to do that. Basically, the team is not good right now and was embarrassed by the Lightning in Game 2, so I’m making you read a story about how they’re bad to remind you. If you get turned on by it … nevermind.
And if you’re addicted to football...
Headlines
Best of the Rest
Turns out there is a very funny unintended consequence of having an ambidextrous pitcher
They just did this for hours . . .never once throwing the baseball
Some good sports going on here
The fastest hole of golf ever played was . . . fast
Vin Scully: American treasure
UNLV has now officially gone from the place Larry Johnson played to less desirable than Texas Tech.
Do you know who isn’t turned on by being beat up?
Tim Tebow remains a free agent at this time.
NBA Scoreboard
PLAYOFFS!
NHL Scoreboard
MLB Scoreboard
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