Squeaky Bum Time

The top two teams in their respective conferences: Oklahoma City Thunder and the Chicago Bulls

It’s been little over four months since the NBA lockout ended, and it’s almost that time when we get a rough idea who’s making the playoffs and who isn’t going to. The league has entered into its fourth quarter and it’s time for the final push that could make or break a season.

One team that has already made the playoffs is the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls have been on fire this season and have crept up to favourites in my book. The Bulls’ key man and reigning MVP Derrick Rose has missed a few games recently due to injury. Having watched the Bulls play Denver, one couldn’t help but notice that Rose was being missed. It seems strange, but it’s true; the Bulls look like they need Rose back as soon as possible. While the playoff spot is secured, the top seed in the East is still a position up for grabs.

The New York Knicks, on the other hand, are still fighting, and with the rise of their go-to man, Jeremy Lin, all eyes are on the Knicks. Milwaukee looks to have pulled a smart trade: Monta Ellis is ensuring that the Knicks have all the pressure on them as the Bucks are closing in on eighth place in the East. New York will have to go without Amar’e Stoudemire, who suffered a back injury that could keep him out of the playoffs, should New York make it. Carmelo Anthony has been awful this season, to put it nicely. I was surprised when he made the All- Star team. It’s clearly his poorest season as a professional.

In my last article, I mentioned that Derek Fisher was traded to Houston, which was true at the time. Since then, he has moved on to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who claimed him off waivers. This is a move that could help the Thunder, as Fisher has a lot of playoff experience. In my reckoning, Fisher would play as the backup point guard, considering that Russell Westbrook is on the roster for OKC. They currently occupy top spot in the West and should clinch their own playoff berth soon.

Let’s be real here, the Toronto Raptors are going nowhere. Canada’s only team lacked the finesse needed to challenge for a playoff spot, constantly relying on Andrea Bargnani to deliver the goods. The Raptors are currently sitting 12th in the East with just 16 wins. They have, however, ‘stunned’ fans by dishing out the odd victory, most notably their win against New York: a 96-79 win that snapped New York’s fivegame winning streak. They also almost upset the Bulls, only to be undone by a somewhat lucky basket for Luol Deng in the dying seconds of overtime. A couple of good performances could maybe see the Raptors sneak into a playoff spot but I wouldn’t count on that happening. In the Raptors’ 117-101 defeat to the Orlando Magic, a loud cheer erupted when Toronto scored 100, not because they were leading with seconds to play, but because free pizza is offered to fans every time the team scores 100.

On a side note, the game that featured Atlanta and Utah was the first game to go to quadruple overtime since 1997 when Phoenix beat Portland. Atlanta beat Utah 139-133 in this game.

With most teams having fewer than 20 games left in the regular season, it’s crunch time. There are still playoff spots, particularly in the West, which could be claimed by a number of teams. If I were to make a prediction, I’d say that Chicago and Oklahoma will top both their conferences while the much-talked-about New York Knicks will only barely scrape into the playoffs this time around.

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8381&sectionID=4&issueID=202
Image Credit:
Video Credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxHy-tkwVEg

An Oscar at last for Plummer

"Oh Darling! Where have you been?" Iconic lines indeed...

"The hills are alive with the sound of music..." are iconic lines that will forever remain synonymous with the movie industry. But what connects The Sound of Music with Canada, you ask? Well, Christopher Plummer, who played the role of Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp in the film, is Canadian. He was born eight decades ago in Toronto and is a well-respected person in Hollywood and the world.

Plummer made his movie debut way back in 1958, playing Joe Sheridan, a young writer, in Sidney Lumet's movie Stage Struck. From then on, it wasn't completly smooth sailing, if a number of biographies are to be believed. However, that all changed with The Sound of Music, a movie that I have watched a number of times. After being cast in The Sound of Music, Plummer began appearing in a number of notable films including Battle of Britain (1970), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) and A Beautiful Mind (2001). I've watched all these movies and even though some of them went on to win multiple awards at the Oscars; Christopher Plummer never bagged himself a nomination.

This past month, during the 84th Academy Awards, Plummer finally got his hands on an Oscar for playing Hal, an old man who comes out as gay after the death of his wife in the movie Beginners (2010), in only his second-ever nomination. Both of Plummer's nominations came in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category, the other one was for playing Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station (2009). This win in 2012 makes Plummer the oldest recipient of an Academy Award at 82, a feat that is marvellous in its own way. "You're only two years older than me, darling. Where have you been all my life?" were the words with which Plummer received his award. It's been baffling as to why a renowned actor has had limited success at the Oscars; perhaps this is just one of the weird mysteries of life as we know it.

Plummer has been regarded by his peers as one of the best actors of his generation and he was trained classically as a stage actor. I happened to chance across a number of articles that also surprised me as I was doing my research before writing this piece. Plummer's most famous role, as Captain von Trapp, was a role he reportedly disliked. In fact, according to the Internet Movie Database, The Sound of Music was a film Plummer publicly despised until he softened his stance in his 2008 autobiography In Spite of Me. I've had this feeling for a while now, that if Plummer were British, he'd have been knighted by now, but that isn't the case just yet. I'm not one to predict whether such an honour is in store for Plummer in the future. Even though Plummer spends most of his time with his third wife, Elaine Taylor (whom he married in 1970), on their 30-acre estate in Weston, Connecticut, he remains Canadian to this day.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8231&sectionID=2&issueID=199
Image Credit: http://static.moviefanatic.com/images/gallery/christopher-plummer-wins-oscar_500x405.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqfcViBhzaQ&context=C474731dADvjVQa1PpcFNE-n2ZUTRAMdlwXIUlOWTDtMQbQKGZdUw=

NBA Watch: Justifying the NBA All-Stars

This is what greatness looks like. NBA All Star Starters 2012

Come the end of February, the NBA will host its 61st All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida. It's the first All-Star Game being held in the Eastern Conference since Atlanta in 2003, and fans and pundits are gearing up for the showpiece event. The starters have already been confirmed and I'm not too surprised by the votes that came in.

Eastern Conference

Derrick Rose: I've said it time and again; Rose looks to be the focal point of the Chicago Bulls. The 23-year-old Chicago native is in his third consecutive All-Star season and I see him maintaining that run for a number of years to come. I'd have been surprised if the reigning league MVP didn't make the NBA All-Star game.

Dwyane Wade: Shooting guard and eight-time NBA All-Star, Wade has been good this season so far, averaging 21 points a game. It's always nice to see players with potential perform. He's making a return from injury and I believe that the injury was a boost for team chemistry.

LeBron James: I'd have been surprised if James wasn't voted into the NBA All-Star game; this guy has been on fire this season. He's an eight-time All-Star, like his teammate Wade, and I'm sure he'll have plenty more. The only thing that bugs James right now is the fact that he's missing an NBA ring.

Carmelo Anthony: To be really honest with you, I haven't heard much about Anthony this season. True, he's averaging 22 points a game, which is great, but most of the news that I've seen out of New York has been concerning Amar'e Stoudemire, so this is great news for the former Denver man. This will be his fifth All-Star appearance and he is surely going to try to make the most of it.

Dwight Howard: Superman Howard is one of the most coveted players in the league. I know the Los Angeles Lakers were eyeing him during the off-season. This will be the sixth straight All-Star appearance for the player, who's won three NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Howard has started all but one game in his career, and that is something special. He's definite All-Star material and he proved it by getting the most votes at a little over 1.6 million.

Western Conference

Chris Paul: The transfer saga of the off-season, Paul is doing justice to the faith that the Clippers put in him. An All-Star appearance, his fifth in a row, is justified. Paul might not have the flashiest point per game stat, but at nearly nine assists a game and almost 19 points a game, he's impressive.

Kobe Bryant: Another perennial All-Star, Los Angeles Lakers' main man Bryant somehow always seems to find form every year. A 40-point night with an injured wrist seems to be the order of the day. Bryant is definitely up for a lot of praise once he eventually retires, but before that day comes, I expect more MVP-type performances from the Lakers' lynchpin.

Kevin Durant: What can I say about Durant? It's hard to criticize him because he's been great so far in his short career. You could say that Durant is the face of the Oklahoma City team and their success largely depends on his form. Remember, this is a guy who's started every game he's ever played and he's only 23. Having played in three All-Star games in a row, Durant definitely has many more to come in the future.

Blake Griffin: Big Griffin has been a beast. The Clippers have one of the best young players in the league. His recent monster dunk over Kendrick Perkins went viral, and is only one of the reasons why he is an All-Star. There is a mean swagger to his style of play and his dunking ability is one of the best I have seen in quite a while. One thing is certain; Griffin will have a successful career in basketball's big leagues.

Andrew Bynum: Bynum is another player whom I haven't heard much about this year, probably because most of the news from the Lakers concerns Bryant. Looking at his stats, Bynum is averaging 17.1 points per game, his best ever. He's polled in over a million votes, so basketball fans are noticing his efforts. This year marks Bynum's first All-Star appearance, so the 24 year old is definitely progressing in the correct direction.

The weekend of February 26 is definitely going to be a big one for basketball fans, given that the league is a truncated one because of the lockout. The rest of the All- Stars will be announced in due time. Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge are amongst my favourites. The NBA website reports that Canadian Steve Nash could make the cut at 38, and I know I would love to see that materialize.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8098&sectionID=4&issueID=196
Image Credit: http://www.nba.com/media/hoop/all-star_starters_670.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESl5n54n0A (West)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFt6QNs_6l0 (East)

NBA Watch: Short Season, Big Men

He's the Dark Horse and you know it.

Last week I looked into the teams that are favourites to run away with the NBA title. This week I thought it best to look at the individual players who are tipped to shine during the current NBA season:

LeBron James: Miami's James is always a favourite to shine year after year. This year he's showing how he plays without Dwyane Wade, who many predict will also have a big year. James is averaging almost 30 points a game this season and with his presence on the court, more and more people are taking notice each day.

Kevin Durant: Let's be honest here, I don't know what to write about Durant. The 23 year old is in his fifth season and he's only getting better each day. Durant played a lot of basketball during the recent NBA lockout and it shows. He looks a lot tougher than ever before and has added a lot of moves to his arsenal. Durant has started every game of his NBA career and he's averaging 26.3 points this year; he's the best all-round player in the league after James.

Derrick Rose: The Chicago Bulls finally have a good team; their last championship winning side featured Michael Jordan. Rose looks to be the focal point of the Bulls' side and on his day, the reigning league MVP can destroy any defence in the league. Chicago will be looking to continue last year's exquisite run and I will not be surprised if Rose is battling it out for another MVP trophy.

Dwyane Wade: It's often been taken for granted that a great NBA team has three big-name players as their focal point. In Miami's case, part two of their 'big three' features Dwyane Wade. James and Wade can put on a show that you won't get to see elsewhere. Wade is averaging 20 points this season and Miami fans will be hoping he keeps this form.

Russell Westbrook: The Oklahoma City point guard is a player you'd love to hate. Westbrook is lighting up the league. He's averaging more points per game than Wade, and along with Durant, these two young athletes are the reason why Oklahoma City could be the team that challenges Miami right to the very end. His teammate Kendrick Perkins sees Westbrook as a scoring point guard and he's not selfish, though many fans deem him to be so.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Brandon Roy has retired. Greg Oden is out injured. It seemed to be a lot of gloom for the Portland Trailblazers. Aldridge was the only one standing from Portland's 'big three,' and he has stepped up to the plate. Aldridge is averaging 22.6 points per game, which is the highest he's managed in his career so far. Portland could be on its way to another playoff campaign, and Aldridge will have a huge part to play.

Kobe Bryant: The Los Angeles Lakers guard is another perennial favourite to have a big season. The one thing I have noticed is that he always seems to have an injured hand and yet he has 40 point nights. Bryant is averaging 30.2 points a night yet the Lakers sit eighth in their conference (at the time of writing). I had this huge discussion with a friend of mine who's a self proclaimed "NBA Guru" and he cites Bryant as "a very lucky player," because of the fact that many of Bryant's bad shots are still converted. Whatever happens, Bryant and his Lakers will be challenging once again.

Blake Griffin: Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers is my dark horse for this NBA season. He's got this mean swagger when he plays and his dunk on Kendrick Perkins, which went viral on YouTube, is an example that proves this statement. Griffin has the promise to be the next big star in the league. The Clippers have added Chris Paul to the roster and the man from Oklahoma is on his way to becoming a top NBA player.

It is hard to compile a definitive list of players to watch out for in the NBA every season. There are top players that I've left out that will have good seasons but personally I feel not as good as the players I've listed above.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8040&sectionID=4&issueID=195
Image Credit: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqByFK-wdOBAbW2jUeGtyRJqEcAlax75YrH5yBD4ExFykGdLz5GDyowuRsBg6P2utZ2C6N7r2WyIDjimTmSssGgbLVW9pIZxBGCOuXebSaUQO-zoXWnu7DCrbTYrZdbScju4GPvco9WZd/s1600/blake+griffin+car+dunk3.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l10Bo-X0WNM

NBA Watch: Gunning for Glory

Basketball's Biggest Prize?

The NBA season is just over a month old, and I feel it's about time we take a good look at the teams that are favourites to win the title at the end of the season.

Miami Heat: LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade – it doesn't get any bigger than this. The Heat came within inches of winning the title last season but came undone against a resurgent Dallas Mavericks team. James is showing how effective he can be without Wade. The Heat are favourites for another long playoff run and with Mario Chalmers, rookie Norris Cole and Udonis Haslem, chances are high that the Heat will storm their way to an NBA title this time around.

Los Angeles Lakers: Off the court, the Lakers' long-time Head Coach Phil Jackson retired following the end of the last season and he was replaced by former Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown. The Lakers boast two of the biggest men in the league, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, on their roster and they show that they can punish teams inside the paint. Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes have proved that they can shut down any five-star offences. Oh, and a certain Kobe Bryant averaged 43 points per game when the Lakers were up against worthy playoff opposition. After being blanked 4- 0 by Dallas last time around in the conference semi finals, this proud franchise will be out for revenge (and a title) this time around.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Two words: Kevin Durant. Durant had been playing an enormous amount of basketball during the NBA lockout, and it shows. He looks a lot tougher than ever before and has added a lot of moves to his arsenal. In my opinion, he's the best allaround player in the league after James. Also look out for Russell Westbrook, he's lighting up the league and he's a player you'd love to hate.

Chicago Bulls: The Chicago Bulls haven't won an NBA championship since 1998. It seems like a long time ago that Michael Jordan was on the roster of that championship winning team. Fourteen seasons later, the Bulls finally look like they have a title contender. With Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Derrick Rose, the Bulls are tough to beat at home; Rose can destroy any defence in the league, and Deng can shut down anyone from James to Bryant on a given night.

Portland Trailblazers: LaMarcus Aldridge is on quite the run. It's hard to catch him, and he makes scoring look easy. Given the fact that the Blazers lost key man Brandon Roy to premature retirement, this team looked beaten before the start of the season. Gerald Wallace will run, jump, punch and claw his way to productive nights and usually does so every time the Blazers play. Nicolas Batum and Raymond Felton are big-name spare parts, but in all, despite the loss of Brandon Roy, the Blazers look built for a long playoff run.

Outside chances: The Dallas Mavericks, defending champions of the NBA, the Boston Celtics and the Memphis Grizzlies will all make the playoffs comfortably, but I don't see them going on a very long run. The Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs too should make the playoffs. The Spurs lost key man Manu Ginobili to injury and his return is still not finalized.

The games are coming in thick and fast, and I, for one, know it's going to get exciting as the season goes on.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=7997&sectionID=4&issueID=194
Image Credit:http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/replicate/EXID24107/images/Laker-Parade-2010-Celebration-Kobe-82.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UekSQkajhsU