Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat April 23, 2013
With the first two days of the NBA playoffs in the bag, fans are starting to make series predictions. Some teams are struggling without key players, while some are clicking on all cylinders.
One team that seems to be pretty much unstoppable has to be the Miami Heat.
The Heat are facing the Milwaukee Bucks and seem to have the advantage in every aspect of the series. I bumped into my boy Lance Fresh out in Miami, and we broke down the “swag" matchup going on between the Heat and the Bucks.
We talked “Best Jerseys,” “Best Dressed,” “Best Player Celebrations” and more in a “Best-of-Seven” matchup.
Which team has the most swag? Which category did you disagree with? Comment below.
No. 1 Miami Heat (66-16) vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks (38-44)
Game 1 in Miami: Sunday, April 21, 7, TNT
Game 2 in Miami: Tuesday, April 23, 7:30, NBATV
Game 3 in Milwaukee: Thursday, April 25, 7, TNT
Game 4 in Milwaukee: Sunday, April 28, 3:30, ABC
Game 5 in Miami: Tuesday, April 30
Game 6 in Milwaukee: Thursday, May 2
Game 7 in Miami: Saturday, May 4
Season series: Heat won 3-1.
Points per game (per 100 possessions): Heat 102.9, Bucks 98.9 (Heat 110.3, Bucks 100.9).
Points allowed per game (per 100 possessions): Heat 95.0, Bucks 100.4 (Heat 100.5, Bucks 102.3).
Matchups worth watching: Bucks center Larry Sanders vs. Heat center Chris Bosh, Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings vs. Heat point guard Mario Chalmers.
Scoring leaders: Heat forward LeBron James (26.8 PPG), Bucks guard Monta Ellis (19.2 PPG).
Why Miami will win: The Heat are the best team in the NBA and clearly the best team in this series. James and Dwyane Wade are much better than their Bucks counterparts and shouldn't have issues dominating. And Milwaukee has struggled in April.
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona April 23, 2013
Bayern Munich face the litmus test in their bid to become the first German team to win the treble of European, league and cup titles when they host Spanish giants Barcelona in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg.
Having swept aside all rivals to win this season’s Bundesliga title, Bayern are bidding to reach their third Champions League final in four years, but Spanish champions-elect Barcelona block their path to Wembley.
Bayern warmed-up for the showdown at Munich’s Allianz Arena with a 6-1 win at Hanover 96 on Saturday, the same scoreline by which they routed Wolfsburg in last Wednesday’s German Cup semi-final.
Coach Jupp Heynckes dropped a hint for Tuesday by incorporating both strikers Mario Gomez and Claudio Pizarro into a 4-4-2 formation, rather than Bayern’s usual 4-2-3-1 line-up.
With first-choice forward Mario Mandzukic suspended, Gomez has staked a strong case to face Barcelona with a hat-trick in six minutes against Wolfsburg, then two goals in Hanover.
Likewise Pizarro set up both Gomez’s goals at Hanover while scoring two of his own, and with an eye on Barcelona the 34-year-old boldly declared: “We’re better, we have more quality in our squad”.
Arsenal have proved Bayern are far from unbeatable in Munich with a 2-0 win as the Gunners lost the last 16 tie on away goals after the Germans’ 3-1 victory in London, but the hosts have belief in abundance.
“We are confident and we are assuming we will go through,” said Bayern’s director of sport Matthias Sammer, as the Bavarians claimed three more Bundesliga records at Hanover.
Bastian Schweinsteiger against Xavi is one of the most intriguing battles of the tie. Both the highly-skilled midfielders are key to their respective sides.
Schweinsteiger has been an indispensable presence for the Bavarians. Starting his career as an innocuous winger, the Bayern youth product was converted to a robust box-to-box midfielder by Louis van Gaal, and now is considered to be one of the best in the business. With his tireless running and tackling ability combined with his exemplary vision, he has proved to be a match winner on numerous occasions.
Meanwhile Barcelona have the most successful passing rate in the competition, and Spanish veteran Xavi has been the catalyst behind Barca's success. Pulling the strings from a deep-lying role, Xavi's precise passing and ability to find his teammates could prove to be a matter of concern for the Bavarians. Along with his extraordinary vision, Xavi poses a great threat from set-pieces too.
On Tuesday, the Champions League returns with a semifinal pairing of Bayern Munich and Barcelona, this season's top two teams in Germany and Spain, respectively. Without thinking too hard, one could easily argue that these are the top two teams in Europe.
Barcelona features in the semifinals of Europe's elite continental competition for a record sixth consecutive year. The achievement adequately describes Barcelona's reign over European football during the Lionel Messi era.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat April 21, 2013
Miami - Everyone has this first-round series figured as a laughable enterprise, barely a bump on the Miami Heat's road to a second straight NBA championship.
Four and out for the Milwaukee Bucks at the hands of the powerful Heat.
Everyone except Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings, who bravely stuck up for his team and said it would win in six games.
The Bucks are a 500-to-1 shot to win the league title, by far the longest odds faced by any of the 16 teams in the playoffs.
Milwaukee is the only playoff team with a losing record, a six-below .500 club playing the 66-victory Miami squad, the defending champion featuring LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
But for the sake of argument, what would it take for the Bucks to shock the world?
Here are five ways the Bucks could make it interesting and provide a few stunning developments in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that opens Sunday night in Miami:
The Heat ranks 30th and last in the league in rebounding, so the Bucks have a chance to get an edge there.
And Milwaukee has been a strong offensive-rebounding team all season, with Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders getting tips at the rim and keeping plays alive. Milwaukee ranks second in the league in offensive rebounding, grabbing 13.02 per game.
The Bucks will have to contend with the colorfully tattooed one, Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who was signed by Miami to address its rebounding deficiencies and has played a key role off the bench.
"We struggle more against the big power teams," Boylan said. "You look at the Heat and they have three of the top 15 players in the league, but it's not a low-post, physical interior.
"LeBron can play that role but for the most part he's all around the floor in different positions."
Bucks rookie John Henson has rebounded well in the last few weeks, including a 25-rebound game in Orlando, and will get a chance to contribute. He grabbed 18 rebounds in the first meeting with Miami in November.
"They're a little smaller down low but they do have good rebounders in Birdman, (Udonis) Haslem, good-sized bodies down there," Sanders said. "We're pretty long, too.
"We have to stay active on the boards, stay in that paint and get clean rebounds, get out on the break. And let our guards take care of the rest."
Tottenham vs Manchester City April 21, 2013
Tottenham have fallen two points behind rivals Arsenal in the Premier League and dropped out of the top four, although they have a game in hand on their rivals, so victory will be of the utmost importance. With Chelsea appearing to pick up form too, and Everton ending the season strongly, Spurs' margin for error is rapidly slipping away. They cannot afford to wait for their returning absentees, so this game will be huge.
Tottenham Hotspur injuries and suspensions
Out: Sandro (knee), Aaron Lennon (knee), Gareth Bale (ankle), William Gallas (hamstring). In doubt: Jermain Defoe (muscle)
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| Tottenham vs Manchester City April 21, 2013 |
Manchester City injuries and suspensions
In doubt: Sergio Aguero (hamstring), Maicon (illness), David Silva (hamstring)
Tottenham Hotspur are still not ready to welcome back Gareth Bale or Aaron Lennon, but Jermain Defoe has a chance of being able to play a part.
Manchester City will probably welcome back David Silva to the side after he sat out their clash with Wigan Athletic, but Sergio Aguero picked up a problem during the game and may not be fit to play.
Match Date\Time: Sunday, 1:30 p.m. local, 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: White Hart Lane, London, England
Liverpool vs Chelsea April 21, 2013
Liverpool have only won once in their last four games, and are left floating in seventh, six points adrift of their rivals Everton. It leaves Brendan Rodgers' side with not much to play for, with their focus already turning to next season.
This game will mark Chelsea manager Rafa BenÃtez's first game back at Anfield since leaving the team he won the Champions League with, so he'll enjoy being gladly received at what is probably the only stadium in England he's welcomed.
The hosts will be without the injured Jon Flanagan, Fabio Borini, Martin Kelly, Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen, while Oriol Romeu is Chelsea's only definite absentee. However, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole and Marko Marin are all doubtful.
Liverpool injuries and suspensions
Out: Jon Flanagan (knee), Fabio Borini (shoulder), Martin Kelly (knee), Raheem Sterling (thigh), Joe Allen (shoulder), Steven Fletcher (ankle) In doubt: None
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| Liverpool vs Chelsea |
Chelsea injuries and suspensions
Out: Oriol Romeu (knee) In doubt: Gary Cahill (match fitness), Ashley Cole (match fitness), Marko Marin (thigh)
Match Date\Time: Sunday, 4 p.m. local, 11 a.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool, England
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