SPANISH HARLEM – As the NBA regular season gets ever closer to the playoffs, some teams are still fighting to enter the picture while others that are secure look to rest up, making sure their players are ready for the postseason grind. 
These are fun times indeed – you have Damian Lillard looking to secure the 8th seed and face the the Los Angeles Lakers, while Lebron James hints that something might be wrong in Laker Land.
Lets’s start with Lillard. He has been playing great and shooting the lights out. On Tuesday, he scored 61 points against the Dallas Mavericks after scoring 51 points against the Philadelphia 76ers the game before. That is what we call “on fire!” He does whatever he wants to do on the court and there are very few players that can stop him when he plays like that. He can shoot from 30 feet and does so with lethal accuracy and has the ability to make others around him better. That is a unique combination. We all fall in love with Stephen Curry when he shoots from deep – and rightfully – so but Lillard is right there with him when it comes to deadly shooters in the league. Sure, Dame Dollar doesn’t get as much love as Curry due to the fact that he plays in Portland but “Put Some F*cking Respect On His Name!”
Another thing that caught my eye… Why the hell is Giannis Antetokounmpo headbutting Mo Wagner? It’s Mo Wagner for chrissake! How could that guy get you thrown out of game? I’m probably the only person who knows Wagner plays in the NBA and that’s because I’m a University of Michigan fan. Seems a little bullish to me on Giannis’ part and kinda of a punk thing to do. I want to see him do that to some of the bigger stars in the league; LeBron James, Anthony Davis, even Marcus Smart. Then you have my attention. Don’t get me wrong, Giannis seems like one of the nicest guys in the league and I get how competitive these games are but you don’t win any battles by going after MO WAGNER!
Let’s talk about the Toronto Raptors, please. I wrote an article not too long ago about them being my surprise team in the playoffs and I still like what I see from this group. They are a well-coached team with championship pedigree, led this season by Kyle Lowry. He is about as competitive as they come and plays every game like its his last. I won’t go as far as saying that they will win another championship this year but they remain a dangerous team in the East and have the talent to exceed expectations.
I can not end without talking about everybody’s new favorite player, Bol Bol (great name). Much like his father before him, he can play defense exceptionally well but unlike his dad, he can shoot from three. That allows a team like the Denver Nuggets, the ability to space the floor and allow Nikola Jokic to roam free to do what he does best, either score or pass the ball. Remember that game where they started Jokic at point guard? That was fun for sure and God only knows what they have planned for the playoff. Will they surprise some people?
It’s been a crazy couple of months for everyone but we have sports now. 
Hopefully, it gets better from here. Comment below and come back tomorrow for Different Matt, who is sticking needles in an Islanders effigy somewhere.
Until, the next time…
