Golden State Warriors 105 at New York Knicks 109 - February 27, 2013

The World's Most Famous Arena is what Madison Square Garden calls itself, and it would be difficult to dispute that. However, it had not been aging well and my last visit there back in 2008 left me unimpressed. The owners obviously felt the same way and in 2011, they began a $1 billion renovation program which is still ongoing. However, the majority of the changes have been implemented and my friend Gary had told me that the Garden was much improved, so I wanted to get there this week. The Rangers had home games against the Jets (Tuesday) and Lightning (Thursday), while the Knicks were hosting the Warriors on Wednesday. ESPN was covering the basketball game and the start time had been moved to 8 pm, making it easier to get to after work. Combine that with my ridiculously stupid NHL boycott, and Gary telling me he had an extra ticket for the Knicks game, and the decision was made. Turned out to be a great decision too.



Gates opened an hour before game time, and I met up with Gary to get the ticket and we followed the masses into the building. The entry procedure involves a bag inspection, wanding, and then a long wait as the ticket takers scan everybody's ticket. There are not enough ticket takers for the volume of people so you have to be very patient as you inch your way up the ramp. Once inside though, you will immediately notice how the arena has been transformed. The concourse is big and bright, with plenty on display as you make your way around. Along the top they have an anniversary timeline, with one event that happened at MSG for each day of the year. For major happenings such as Stephan Matteau's overtime goal in 1994, they have memorabilia from the player or game in question.



I was surprised at how easy it was to navigate the main concourse and to go inside the seating bowl to take a picture. Before the renovations, there were inner walkways that were in constant use during the game and made sitting in the first couple of rows behind them a frustrating experience as your view was blocked on a regular basis. These have been removed and now the lower bowl is more like a typical arena, with nice new seats to boot. There are some temporary floor seats for basketball that are not in use for hockey (capacity for the Knicks is 1,833 more than for the Rangers) but getting close to those wasn't going to happen, so I satisfied myself with a couple of snaps and then toured around the Madison Concourse (below). 


The upper deck is known as the Garden Concourse and there are a series of escalators that make getting there a bit annoying. In some spots there is only one escalator, so it has to be turned off to allow people to come down as well, which means you are walking up about 3 flights of stairs. This is just a minor inconvenience, but it will be difficult to resolve given the limited space available in the downtown location.



Our seats were in the 400 level just below the new West Balcony, which has two rows of seats with glass in front of them, plus an open area with barstools for seats. This might be the most interesting place to sit but at $81, it isn't cheap. You do get a great view of the banners as you can see above. The balcony partially blocks the sightlines for fans in the 400 level and significantly affects the acoustics; I had trouble making out the PA announcer at times. I found the best place to stand was next to the stairs to the West Balcony. There is a small space that has great views of the whole arena and is right next to the exit so you can make a quick getaway and beat the rush down the escalators. I don't know if you'd want to stand there for the whole game, but I spent the last few minutes there and thought it was great. The photo below is from that spot.



Other new features include much better lighting - I remember watching Ranger games on TV and thinking how dark it was. When I watched the Rangers host the Jets on the tube at my hotel, the view to the ice was clear and the camera angles were much better.

Overall, the new Garden is an improvement in every way and a joy to visit again. The renovations are still ongoing, so I hope to come back soon and see a hockey game here. But for now, it was the Warriors and the Knicks which turned out to be another wonderful Wednesday ESPN game.

The Game

There were so many storylines here including one-time Knick David Lee being suspended after a skirmish the night before in Indiana. More importantly though was another ex-Knick returning for the first time as a head coach. Warriors' boss Mark Jackson was a fan favourite when he played here and he received a prolonged cheer when he was introduced. His team didn't seem to care much though as they came out flat, although they showed respect to the Square by falling behind 16-9 and then 25-16. Meanwhile Tyson Chandler of the Knicks was a monster on the boards, grabbing 13 in the first 9 1/2 minutes. Steph Curry finished the quarter with 4 points as the Knicks led 27-18.



Early in the second, the Knicks were up 32-22 when Curry decided to get involved. He made a layup, technical free throw, and three 3-pointers in less than three minutes to bring the Warriors to within a point, 35-34. After the teams traded baskets, another Curry trey made it 40-37 Golden State and the fans were puzzled, because the reversal had happened so quickly. The Knicks responded just as quickly as Carmelo Anthony (above) added 9 points in the final 5 minutes of the half and they went to the locker room up 58-55 despite Curry (dribbling below) scoring 27.



The third quarter saw the score tied on four occasions but the Knicks maintained their 3-point advantage, leading 84-81. Curry potted 11 more to give him 38 and there was a noticeable buzz whenever he touched the ball as it seemed like every three pointer he took went in.



The final frame was thrilling. Another Curry bomb brought the Warriors within one and then he drove for a layup to give them a 90-89 lead. Over the next five minutes the teams fought to a 13-13 standoff as Curry continued to hit from downtown, adding three more treys to give him 52 points. Still, Golden State could only manage a 103-102 lead with 3:42 to go. After J.R. Smith missed a 3, Chandler grabbed his tenth offensive rebound and fed out to Anthony who drained his three. Two possessions later, Curry sank two FTs and the game was tied at 105 with two minutes left.

After Raymond Felton missed a three for the Knicks, he fought his way back on defense to make a key block on Curry, with the rebound falling to Chandler naturally. The Knicks drove back up the court and Smith hit a jump shot for the 107-105 lead. After the Warriors called time out, Jarrett Jack traveled while being double teamed and Anthony made a jumper on the subsequent possession, giving him 35 points on the evening. Another Warrior turnover forced them to foul, but Felton missed both freebies, grabbing the offensive board in contrition. The Warriors chose not to foul and after Anthony flubbed a layup, they drove down for a chance to get close, but Klay Thompson missed two threes and the Knicks held on 109-105.



Curry's 54 points were an NBA season high, and his 11 threes (on 13 attempts) were a franchise record, just one short of the NBA mark. Chandler finished with 28 rebounds, second most in the NBA this year. It was an unbelievable performance from both men and pushed Anthony to the sidelines despite his 35 points. Truly an incredible game.



Statistically, Golden State outshot New York from 3 point land (55.6% to 32.4%), and the charity stripe (85.7% to 78.8%) and the teams were both at 47% from inside the arc. How did the Knicks win? Rebounding, turnovers, and driving to the basket. New York took 16 of 49 boards on their offensive end, leading to 27 second-chance points (compared to just 2 for the Warriors). Meanwhile, the Knicks protected the ball, giving up only 10 turnovers compared to the Warriors 18. Finally, the home team went to the line 33 times (hitting 26) compared to just 21 (making 18) for the Warriors who spent most of the game on the perimeter. Shooting well is important, but if you neglect the other areas of the game, it won't matter in the end.

Notes

During the game, they show celebrities on the big screen. Famous names were Katie Holmes (no Suri in sight) and Katherine McPhee, as well as Victor Cruz of the football Giants.

I've seen some excellent basketball games on this trip. A week ago in Houston was James Harden's 46 points, and the Heat over OKC the previous week was great to watch. That is the beauty of Sports Road Trips, getting to see different teams in different venues and sometimes being rewarded with fantastic performances. I wonder if anyone else was at all three of those games…

Finally, thanks to Gary for his hospitality during my stay in New York, he was instrumental in getting tickets to the Nets and Knicks.

Next Up

I fly to Toronto on Saturday and immediately make my way back to the great State of New York as Sharpy will drive me to Buffalo to watch the Sabres and Devils. Yes the NHL boycott will be broken but First Niagara Center is a venue where I have yet to see a regular season game and as I am getting tickets from my friend Andrew, there is no direct payment to the NHL. You may call it rationalization but I call it dedication to the Quest for 400!

Sunday will see me visiting the Powerade Centre in Brampton, home of the OHL's Battalion who are playing their last season before moving to North Bay. A CHL team is scheduled to begin play there next season. Yes, that is the league with the team in Allen, Texas. Lots of long road trips for those guys next season. Anyway, check back next week for all the updates.

Best,

Sean

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Memphis Grizzlies 76 at Brooklyn Nets 72 - February 24, 2013

After a slightly delayed flight from Dallas, I arrived in New York City with plenty of time to head over to Brooklyn to see the newest stadium among the 122 big 4 sports venues, the Barclays Center. The Memphis Grizzlies were in town and my friends Gary and the King from Royalty Tours would be there, choosing this game over the Knicks, Islanders, and Devils who were all at home around the same time.

Barclays Center

Located on Atlantic Avenue, Barclays Center is just 3 miles from downtown Manhattan making it a very short subway ride, about the same distance from Wall Street as Madison Square Garden. The first thing you might notice as you approach from the subway exit is the Ebbets Field flagpole at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush. Look beyond and you might find it hard to believe they've put a full scale stadium right in the middle of the block, but as you can see below, they have. It is really a fascinating place from the outside and looks more like a fine arts venue than a basketball arena.



Inside is a different story. First, you have to have your bags checked, then you are wanded, and then you get your ticket scanned before you can stand on the open plaza, which has a clear view of the floor but is so crowded that you'll want to quickly escape. The concourse has charging stations for those whose phones are running low on battery as well as ATMs that have no withdrawal fee, something very useful for international travelers such as myself. Walking around, you will notice dozens of concessions, each with traditional Brooklyn favourites but the prices are outrageous. I saw sandwiches selling for $15.75 which is what an entree should cost at a quality restaurant. I guess Nets fans are loaded, but I am not, so I signed up for the designated driver and got a free popcorn instead.



I briefly made my way inside the seating bowl to snap the picture above but you can't walk down into the seats without a ticket. So I wandered back to the concourse where there is a display on the Black Fives that was only installed a couple of weeks ago for Black History Month. It should remain as it makes a fairly drab spot much more interesting.



Gary had secured me an upper deck ticket at a discount, but without his services, I would have paid $35 at the box office for the cheapest seats, again somewhat overpriced. After completing my tour of the lower level, I took the escalator up to the 200 level bypassing the club section, although from the escalator you can look down and see the buffet options available to those with club tickets. When I walked into the upper seating bowl, I had to squint to see the row and seat numbers since it is very dark as you can tell in the photo below. During the game, there is no point trying to read the program or score the game, unless you have a small flashlight to help you see.



The Nets have moved their banners over from the Prudential Center (and the Brendan Byrne Arena before that) including a couple of ABA championship ones (below). There are also six retired Net numbers on display and a banner for Jay-Z, a Brooklyn native who is a part owner of the team and who celebrated the opening of the arena with eight consecutive sold out concerts.



The upper concourse has far fewer concessions so if you do want to be fleeced for your supper, better to choose something from the lower level. There is a 40/40 Club (again co-owned by Jay-Z), an upscale sports bar which is open to the public both before and after the game but I had seen enough of the prices so I didn't bother checking it out.



Overall, I was somewhat disappointed in the Barclays Center. After my trip to Texas where I saw four NBA venues, I had high expectations but found that this is an average stadium with little to make me return. Particularly the game I witnessed.

The Game



Ugh. They don't get much worse than this. The Grizzlies and Nets are two of the slowest-paced teams in the league and it showed. Both squads milked the clock, took bad shots as a result, and left the crowd in a torpor for most of the contest. The Nets shot under 36% from inside the arc and committed at least four 24-second violations, perhaps a sign of good Grizzly defense or more likely, a sign of bad Net offense.



Deron Williams (#8, above) was the star for the Nets with some great plays, going 9-15 for 24 points (exactly 1/3 of their total), while Zach Randolph (shooting below) led the Grizzlies with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Despite only scoring 76 points, the Grizzlies managed to get all five starters into double figures - a craptacular team effort!



The game had 12 lead changes and was tied 5 times, which sounds exciting. Not really. Brooklyn had a 72-67 lead with 2:50 to play but missed their next four shots while Memphis scored 7 straight points. Down by two, the Nets had one last chance to tie it up, but Williams made a terrible pass instead of shooting. Tayshaun Prince who was the recipient of the gift pass, quickly threw the ball over to Mike Conley who was fouled. Conley sank the free throws to make the final 76-72.


After this stinker, don't advertise upcoming games

Remember that game in Houston I saw last week? The score was 122-119, or 241 total points. This game had just 148. No wonder Grizzly fans have stopped coming out to their games in Memphis, they are simply not a fun team to watch even when they win. As for Net fans, who can blame their lack of enthusiasm tonight, their team was simply not very interesting.

Notes

The 3-hour flight from Dallas was on a CR9, where the R stands for regional, which means small (just 76 seats). I am surprised that they are using such tiny planes for flights that can hardly be described as regional. The flight was delayed 40 minutes due to a late arriving aircraft, but after a quick boarding process, we left just 20 minutes behind schedule. I had been upgraded and had a nice window seat without having the wing block part of the view. After takeoff, we flew directly over the American Airlines Center where the Mavericks were getting ready to host the Lakers, and I had a great view of SMU's football stadium, where I saw a game back in November 2011. We passed south of Little Rock and stayed parallel to I-40 briefly before veering northeast, where clouds eventually moved in. It was my first upgrade in several years and a nice way to end the Texas trip.

Next Up

I had no plan for Monday but Gary told me that there was an NCAA basketball game in Newark with Seton Hall hosting Villanova. It was the only game in town and I'm glad I went as it turned out to have an amazing finish. I'll have a post on that tomorrow.

I also plan to see the Knicks and Warriors on Wednesday at MSG, but that will be it for New York City. This weekend I finish the trip with a a couple of hockey games in Buffalo and Brampton, so check back for updates on that as usual..

Best,

Sean
 

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Oklahoma City Thunder 119 at Houston Rockets 122 - February 20, 2013

After spending the morning at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, I drove back to Houston to add another NBA arena to my total. It was cold and raining as I made my way along I-45 towards downtown, where the Toyota Center, home of the Rockets, is located.

Toyota Center



The Toyota Center was opened in 2003 to replace the aging Summit, which had hosted the Rockets since 1975. Negotiations for the new stadium had taken several years and there was a threat of the team moving, but ultimately an agreement was reached and construction started in 2001, taking just over two years to complete.



Located at the corner of Polk and La Branch streets in southeast downtown, the arena has a parking garage right next to it as well as several surface lots within a block or two that range from $10-30. However, if you can arrive around 5:30 for a 7 pm game, you should be able to find street parking. Meters are only enforced til 6 pm so a 50-cent deposit will get you a spot. I found one at the corner of Bell and Caroline without even looking, so do drive around if you are on a budget.



There is not much around the outside of the stadium, other than a sculpture dedicated to Hakeem Olajuwon  (above). However, once inside, the venue becomes very impressive indeed. The main entrance bring you onto the main concourse (below) without any stairs to reach the seating bowl, a request of Rockets' owner Leslie Alexander who didn't want fans to have to walk up stairs to reach their seats.



There's a lot to see on the main level, so take the time to walk around. The highlight here is the Rockets' historical timeline which provides a year-by-year recap of the events and players that have made Houston one of the top NBA teams over the past 30 years.



There are dozens of concessions with the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich from the Texas BBQ stand seeming to be the most popular despite going for $10.50. Don't forget to sign up for the designated driver program and get a free medium soda.



The seating bowl is quite nice and corner seats provide good sightlines to the floor.  A single escalator will take you up to the 400 level, where I prefer to sit (or where I can afford to sit). Although there are two club levels between the lower and upper levels, the top deck isn't that far away. I paid $69 for a 4th row seat and was quite happy with the view. Note the scoreboard in the photo below; it is the biggest indoor scoreboard in pro sports, similar to what the Cowboys have. It was installed for the beginning of this season and it simply unbelievable, with high definition video and stats updated in real time. You have to be careful not to watch the game on the screen as it is really captivating. I suggest getting the upper sideline seats for the best view.



There are banners in all four corners of the upper deck. Of course, the two world championship banners are the highlight, but the arena also includes retired numbers for the Rockets as well as banners for the Houston Aeros, who won the Avco Cup in the WHA back in 1974 and 1975. There's even a Gordie Howe #9 banner! Great to see this history preserved even though the league no longer exists. There is a Houston Aeros franchise in the AHL though, and I will be back to see them in a year or two.





The Sky Court is an interactive area for kids, with small exhibits to compare your wingspan to Yao Ming or your jumping ability.

The mascot is called Clutch, after "Clutch City" which is the nickname given to the Rockets when they won their first championship in 1994 and is now used by Houston as a whole. That's Clutch below surrounded by smoke, getting fans into the game, which turned out to be as fantastic as the venue.



The Game

Before the game, the Rockets pulled off a trade, getting 5th-overall pick Thomas Robinson and others from the Kings for Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich, and Toney Douglas, as well as sending Marcus Morris to Phoenix. This left them a bit shorthanded with just five men on their bench. It would be the first game back after the all-star break for both teams; the Thunder's previous game was the loss to Miami I witnessed last Thursday.

Houston got off to a fast start with 7 of their first 8 field goals coming from three-point land. They finished the first quarter 8/10 from long range with James Harden (below) getting 4 of those against his former team as the Rockets led 36-29 after one.



The second quarter was the opposite, as Houston lost their touch, going 1/8 from beyond the arc, allowing the Thunder to storm back and take a 62-57 lead.  Russell Westbrook (laying up below) led the way for OKC with 18 points at the break as the Rockets were double teaming Kevin Durant as much as possible.



The third quarter was back and forth as defense continued to be an afterthought. Both teams netted 30 points, but the key moment was at the end of the quarter, when Jeremy Lin stole the ball from Westbrook with just 3 seconds left. A quick pass to Harden, who dribbled once, stopped, took aim, and launched from behind the halfcourt stripe. It was a perfect shot, hitting nothing but net and sent the crowd into an uproar. Still the Rockets were down 92-87 with 12 minutes to go.



The final period began with three Houston turnovers and the Thunder used back-to-back threes to take a 107-93 lead with 7:11 to go. That was a convenient time for the Rockets to start their comeback as they went on a 15-4 run to move within three points, culminating with Lin sinking a running jumpshot (below).



When Durant missed a pull-up jumper on the next possession, Lin rebounded, passed to Harden who made a three pointer to tie the game and bring the fans to their feet. Without  calling a timeout, OKC went back down the floor and Westbrook was blocked by Harden. Back came the Rockets and a few passes later, Lin sunk an open three to make it 114-111 - a 17-point reversal in just over five minutes.

The Thunder called timeout but Durant missed on the subsequent possession and Harden made a 2-pointer at the other end for his 46th point of the night. Lin added another trey to clinch things as the Rockets won 122-119 in what was an amazing game. There were 61 three-point attempts (out of 179 FGA total) and 26 were made while the teams combined for 41 turnovers. Not a thing of beauty, but a game that kept the fans interested and ultimately happy at the end.




Notes

Durant had his second career triple-double but did not play well as the Houston defense prevented him from getting many open looks. He had 11 assists and 12 boards but missed some key shots during crunch time. The point being that triple-doubles are not necessarily meaningful.

The post-game show called the Harden-Lin combo Beardsanity. I don't know if this will catch on.

The Rockets had a display in the Sky Court with bios for each player. At halftime, with the trade having been announced, I ran back to take pictures of those who had been dispatched, but they had already covered up the info with Coming Soon posters. Impressive response time!



There was a moment of silence for Dr. Jerry Buss, the Lakers' owner who passed away on Monday. I was surprised that many people did not stand for this.

The staff at Toyota Center is very friendly. One guy stopped me and essentially commandeered my camera, taking a picture of me in front of the court. I rarely post pictures of myself here, but this one turned out pretty well.



Next Up

The trip is almost over with just three days left, all in the Dallas Metroplex. Today is the final basketball game as I visit the Super Pit, home of the North Texas Mean Green. Friday will be the Central Hockey League in Allen, and then I finish off with the TCU Horned Frogs hosting Cal State Fullerton in NCAA baseball on Saturday before heading off to New York. Check back daily for updates.

Best,

Sean
 

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Miami Heat 110 at Oklahoma City Thunder 100 - February 14, 2013

After leaving one transplant NBA town, I drove 7 hours west to another, arriving in Oklahoma City for the highlight game of the trip. The defending champion Miami Heat were in town to face the Thunder. For those of you that recall, I saw the championship game in June last year, so I was looking forward to witnessing the rematch. Fortunately, I would be reviewing the Chesapeake Energy Arena for Stadium Journey and was able to get a media credential for this game, saving me the hassle of looking for a ticket on the street.



Chesapeake Energy Arena



Located in the historic Bricktown District, the Chesapeake Energy Arena was opened in 2002 when it was known as the Ford Center. Since that time, it has hosted two NBA teams: the temporarily relocated New Orleans Hornets from 2005-07 and then the permanently relocated Seattle Super Sonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. The current name was agreed to in 2011 as part of a 12-year agreement with the Chesapeake Energy Corporation.
 

There is limited parking available in the Cox Convention Center but most fans seem to find parking slightly further afield. I saw one lot for $20 and other for $5 as well as some free street parking, so drive around if you get there early enough.



Just outside the northeast corner is a statue that commemorates the 1989 Olympic Festival that was organized by Thunder owner Clay Bennett, then a 29-year-old upstart. The event brought OKC to national attention and was the first step in the city becoming a sports travel destination.

 

When they are available, tickets are reasonably priced, with the best value being balcony seats going for $45. There is a single separate row called premium balcony at $80, but the advantages are not quite worth the extra cash. Avoid lower deck corner seats though as the angles are not good. I should note that on the TicketMaster site, there is a disclaimer that tickets are only available to residents of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas, so travelers might be forced to resort to the secondary market.



There are several entrances into the stadium. When I first stepped inside, I was met with the delicious aroma of cinnamon, and as I made my way around the lower concourse, I saw dozens of distinct food offerings. Just a taste of what is available: gourmet candy such as chocolate espresso beans and yogurt raisins, (2 bags for $6); Philly cheesesteak ($6.50); a variety of wraps for $7, baked potatoes with various toppings at $7.50, and even a $4 pasta salad. Of course, the usual burgers and dogs were also present, giving you far more options than you could enjoy in a single game. There's even a couple of sitdown restaurants including another Old No. 7 Club as well as the Center Court Grill.



The stadium has a relatively small footprint and concourses can be busy but not overly crowded. There are a number of things to see on the lower level, with the Jim Thorpe Association Gallery the most interesting. The JTA is a local civic and charity organisation that is heavily involved in the sports scene. This small display includes some historical notes on Native American history from the area as well as some information on Thorpe himself. Take the time to check it out.



There is also a Spirit Zone on each level where you can get face tattoos or have caricatures of yourself drawn. Naturally this is more appealing to the kids.

The upper deck has its own moniker: Loud City. This is not inaccurate; the fans up here were very raucous as the game got underway, although as the Thunder fell further and further behind they lost some of their voice. I love this sign below - the exact number of upper bowl seats.



The stadium was built without luxury boxes at first, as there was no guarantee of an NHL or NBA team moving there, but once the Thunder arrived, suites were added. The advantage of this setup is that there is no separate club level, rather the club seats are separated from those below them by a small wall, as you can see in the below shot. This keeps Loud City close to the action, so the fans there have a bigger impact on the game than they might in other venues.



A final note on the fans here. Obviously this was the showcase game of the season and the fans responded. As the game started, fans remained standing and cheering until the first Thunder points. Even when the outcome was decided, most fans remained to watch the rest of the game. I would say that the key feelings I got from here were fun and friendly; it really seems like fans are still involved in the honeymoon phase with their team.

Overall, Chesapeake Energy Arena is a great place to watch basketball. Passionate fans, great food and beverage options, and a superb location make a trip to OKC a must for any sports traveler.

The Game



Miami won 110-100. So you might think that it was a close game and the Heat pulled away at the end. You would be wrong. This battle was over in the first quarter. With the score tied at 7, Miami went on a 21-6 run, with LeBron James getting 8 of those points. Just as this run ended, Kevin Durant went up for a rebound and landed awkwardly, causing a stoppage and much fretfulness among the faithful.

 

Fortunately, Durant was none the worse for wear, but the Thunder had been silenced by Miami's all-around attack as the first period ended 32-17. The Heat won the second and third quarters by 2 points each to take a 19-point lead into the final frame. By now, the question was whether LeBron would shoot 60% to keep his NBA record six-game streak of scoring 30 points and shooting better than 60% alive. He was 10/17 (58.8%) for 30 points, so he just had to go 2/3 and he would clinch it.

 

He did even better, going 4/6 so that, with just over a minute to go, he was 14/23 (60.8%). Clearly though, James had no interest in such records as he tossed up a long 3-pointer that missed, causing him to finish 14/24 (58.3%). Oh no, the streak was over! In all seriousness though, think these media-generated arbitrary stat streaks (30 points, 60%) are meaningless. Why not 28 points and 58%?



It was disappointing that the game wasn't closer, but at the same point it is great to see the best player on the planet at the top of his game. LeBron James was simply dominant, shooting at will over any defender the Thunder put on him.

Despite the loss, OKC still has a slightly better record than Miami (39-14 to 36-14) as the league enters the All-Star break. There's a good chance these teams will meet again in the final; if so, I hope the Thunder have some method of stopping LBJ lest it be another blowout.

 

Notes

The Thunder mascot is Rumble the Bison. That's him below banging a drum to get the fans going before the game while James walks by, oblivious.



It was Valentine's Day and the Thunder Girls were handing out Hershey Kisses before the game. As well, there were two marriage proposals, one of which seemed to embarrass the recipient. Ladies, if you want to avoid having a public proposal at a sporting event, don't go to a game on Valentine's Day!

Next Up

Speaking of the All-Star break, I will be in Houston on Sunday after a change of plans. No tickets, but I'll head downtown to soak up some atmosphere. Before that, I'll stop for a couple of days in Austin, capital of the Lone Star State. Tonight I will see the Texas Stars, Dallas' AHL affiliate, hosting the Oklahoma City Barons. Tomorrow is college baseball as the Texas Longhorns host Sacramento State.

As for those changed plans, I am no longer going to New Orleans. The UNO Privateers moved their Monday game from Lakefront Arena to a secondary venue, which I don't want to see. So I'm going to avoid driving the 700 miles there and back and spend more time in Houston. I'm adding a college baseball game between Stanford and Rice on Sunday afternoon and a college basketball game at Texas Southern Monday night before heading up to College Station to see a mid-week college baseball game on Tuesday evening. As always, keep checking back for updates on how the trip is going.

Best,

Sean
 

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