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Novak Djokovic – Obstacles in the way of a 4th Australian Open Title
It was hard seeing Stanislas Wawrinka actually putting Novak Djokovic, the Australian Open champion from the previous two tournaments and the world’s number one, away. Warinka needed a perfect game for that to happen. Djokovic just needed to be himself.
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Denver Nuggets – Outlasting the Best Team in the NBA
They nearly didn’t make it, but one nice post up move from Kenneth Faried, topping off a big night from Corey Brewer and a huge night on the opposite end from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, was enough for the Denver Nuggets to come away with a 121-118 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Detroit Pistons – Making the Boston Celtics Look Awful
When making the playoffs doesn’t look like a realistic goal, making other teams look awful becomes more than just a bonus. The Detroit Pistons nearly blew an 18-point lead against the surging Boston Celtics, but eventually came through with the 103-88 win led by Andre Drummond off the bench.
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Dallas Mavericks – Helping Out Dirk Nowitzki
Now that Dirk Nowitzki is back in the lineup, the next step is getting him to play like an All-Star again. Until that happens, with the playoffs still a very manageable target (only three games behind the Houston Rockets), players like Shawn Marion, O.J. Mayo and Vince Carter are going to have to help the Dallas Mavericks bridge that gap.
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Toronto Raptors – A Little Bit of Jose Claderon Awesomeness
There’s been a lot of talk regarding trades and Toronto Raptros players, Jose Calderon among them. The Spanish point guard has been part of a losing tradition for the franchise, making the postseason only twice in his career. A win over the Los Angeles Lakers is one of the bright spots for him this season.
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At Least Tony Gonzalez Retires With a Playoff Win
What’s more important at the end of the career? Your individual stats or the amount of postseason wins and possibly titles attached to your name? Tony Gonzalez, the greatest tight end in the the history of the NFL, retires with just one of these things.
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New England Patriots – Zero Class From Bill Belichick and Tom Brady
Most people will remember Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as one of the greatest head coach – quarterback duos of all time, winning three Super Bowls during the early part of their relationship. But there are also the two more losses in the final game, and five more early playoff exits despite being regarded as favorites more than once.
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Baltimore Ravens – Joe Flacco Keeps Outplaying Tom Brady
People laughed last season when Joe Flacco said he was one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. A year later, he got his revenge against the New England Patriots, outplaying (once again) Tom Brady and leading the Baltimore Ravens, finally to their second Super Bowl appearance.
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San Francisco 49ers – The Colin Kaepernick Ride Doesn’t Stop
In order to show his quarterback’s versatility, Jim Harbaugh decided to draw out the most conservative game plan ever for someone like Colin Kaepernick. Guess what? It was good enough for a win, on the road, in the NFC Championship game.
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Super Bowl XLVII – Early Look at the Teams That Made it
Super Bowl 47 will be about two teams that haven’t been to the big game for quite some time – The Baltimore Ravens missing quite a few opportunities to return to the big stage, while the San Francisco 49ers have only just recently returned to formidable form.