After what seemed like an incredibly long regular season (oh yeah, this is what a full season feels like), we've made it to the time of year everyone loves: Playoff season. Though the regular season was one to remember, the fact is, no one cares about streaks and trades when it comes to chasing a title. Here is a quick look at the current first round matchups and the action we have seen so far.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets
On the corner of Fifth and Spring in downtown Los Angeles sits an unassuming bookstore. You have to be looking to find it. The first time you visit, drop bookstore expectations as you walk through the antique entryway into the cavernous space inside. Outside there may be panhandlers, financial district workers, loft dwellers or the urbane hip enjoying the renaissance of a neighborhood once deemed too unsafe to walk in. That’s changing. Inside it’s quiet and serene.
A walk down Main Street in Los Angeles’ Banking District is full of discoveries. The area is in transition as old bank buildings are becoming high end eateries and galleries while established businesses like Gillie’s Sport Shop and the Toy district remain. On a recent, hot afternoon it was especially exciting to find an artisanal ice cream store, Peddler's Creamery.
Well, finally! At long last, and after more than a decade of complaining, Rush fans can rest easy. Their favorite band is now officially a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I knew the second Rush popped up on the ballot that the band would get in this year, and I, along with so many others, think it's long, long overdue.
Minneapolis/St. Paul once had a sprawling streetcar system akin to what you could find in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Melbourne ("tram" in Aussie parlance) and other big cities. Unfortunately in the 1950s, the system was dismantled with public transit switching 100 percent to bus. Why? In a word, greed.
Right there on the car showroom floor, a stunning, young woman answered my request to slip into the seat of the latest Tesla for just a moment with, “Oh! You’re a car girl!” At first it was hard to admit, but it must have been true. There I was, on my birthday, pulling my partner and teenage son through the San Diego International Car Show to see the latest four wheel temptations, European luxury coupes, vintage cruisers, Hollywood stunt mobiles and gleaming sports cars and I loved every minute.
While I’m not a fan of the man known as the Black Mamba, the fact is, he is damn good at basketball. As a man who has scored over 30,000 baskets, been named an NBA All-Star 15 times, has five NBA championships, and has scored the fourth most points in the entire game, he has definitely left his mark on the NBA. With that being said, at 35, and having logged an unimaginable amount of minutes, you would expect at least a subtle decline in his play. Kobe seems to disagree.
With the NBA season quickly coming to a close, it is time to look forward to playoff season, drafts, free agency and of course, post season awards. While we can’t crown a champion until June, we can take a look the 2013 MVP candidates. While there is an obvious standout, that doesn't mean there is an obvious winner. With there never having been a consensus among judges about who the MVP is, debate is always welcome. This week, I’ll focus on the possible NBA MVP candidates, starting with Chris Paul.
Sometimes, when bad things start to happen, the floodgates open. Sure it may start as a light drizzle, but before you know it, you are trying to brave a full-blown hurricane just to make it through the day. While many believed that things couldn't be worse for the Los Angeles Lakers, the future is not looking too bright.
A detrimental blow to the Los Angeles Lakers occurred in late March: Metta World Peace landed awkwardly after going for a ball. This, of course, resulted in a torn meniscus in his left knee. Why this would should have been detrimental for the team is that a normal recovery for this type of injury is six weeks. MWP is a big part of the Lakers lineup. With only a week and a half left in the season and the Lakers on the outside of the playoff conversation looking in, this could have been the nail in the coffin for the subpar team’s playoff hopes.
