The NBA Conference Finals have become instantly interesting and the Stanly Cup Finals start this weekend as well.  With amazing weather, Chicago Blackhawks Hockey, and street fests just around the corner; Chicago is the place to be right now.  However don’t forget about sports betting online.  Everyone picked at least one game right last week, but Stormin Norman still finds himself at the bottom of the Sportsbook standings.  Everyone enjoy the weather and have a great Memorial Day Weekend.  I’ll see you at North Beach.

5/27 Game 5 Phoenix Suns @ LA Lakers (Series Tied 2-2)

• StevieY19 (25-17) Lakers over Suns: Heard Tim Donaghy guarantee that the Suns would win Game 4, so I’d like to wait for his pick. However, I have a well-oiled system for the NBA and I’m taking Kobe and the Lakers at home in Game 5.
• His Jesusness Shuttlesworth (12-10) Lakers over Suns- Series could still go 7 but the Lake Show won’t disappear at home. And the Suns bench won’t score anywhere near 54 in LA.
• Player to be Named Later (8-8) Lakers over Suns: Who would have thunk that both these Conference Finals would become competitive a week ago?  Well, apparently Tim Donaghy, but other than that.  I’m not going to pick the Lakers to lose at home, the other writers aren’t picking against the Lakers, so you shouldn’t either.
• South Side Sheik (21-21) Lakers over Suns: The Suns haven’t beaten the Lakers in L.A. all season long. In fact, the average margin of victory for the Lakers in those games has been 18 points. I don’t worry about Jared Dudley coming off the bench, but Dragic, Frye, and Barbosa are streakier and seem to get knocked off their game in L.A. The Suns will need all of their contributions, as they did on Tuesday, to upset the Lakers in the Staples Center. It won’t happen this game.
• Stormin Norman (20-22) Lakers over Suns: I love the Suns and they won a huge Game 4, but everyone knows the Lakers are a team that just doesn’t take every game seriously.  That won’t be the case in Game 5 in front of the home crowd at the Staples Center.  Look for Kobe to take over in this one.

5/29 Game 1 Philadelphia Flyers @ Chicago Blackhawks

• StevieY19 (25-17) Blackhawks over Flyers: I can’t even imagine what the atmosphere will be like in the United Center. Will the Blackhawks crumble under the pressure of the finals? Maybe if they were playing a better team, but the Hawks are just better than the Flyers. As much as Hawks fans make fun of Detroit (the city; haven’t had much to say to the hockey team), the similarities to their rise are pretty fun to watch. It’d be fitting they would win their first Cup after a long stretch against Philly, just as the Wings did.
• His Jesusness Shuttlesworth (12-10) Blackhawks over Flyers- Mike Richards picked up his conference championship trophy, Jonathan Toews did not. Richards nor Pronger are comparable to Sid the Kid. The Flyers cinderella run is over. They get too many penalties and Chicago has won 9 of 10 heading into this game. They’ll win another series opener with Antii at his best.
• Player to be Named Later (8-8) Flyers over Blackhawks:  Welcome to Chicago, Stanley.  It’s a very exciting time to be a Blackhawks fan, or even a hockey fan living in Chicago.  The fair weather fans are out in full bloom.  They know how to pronounce Byfuglien but can not explain when you’re offsides.  I expect the Hawks to stumble in Game 1 as they go for their first Cup since the popularization of color TV, but still take the series.
• South Side Sheik (21-21) Blackhawks over Flyers: Dustin Byfuglien meet Chris Pronger. You’re going to get to know each other very well over this series. And while the individual matchups between lines will be entertaining, the Blackhawks hold the advantage in overall depth. I see the Hawks winning this one, but the Flyers will steal a few during this series.
• Stormin Norman (20-22) Blackhawks over Flyers: So the Flyers are on some mission of destiny, or so I hear.  But what about the Hawks?  It’s our time now and the kids will come out firing on all cylinders.  I know home hasn’t been the best place for the Hawks this playoffs, but the intensity of the Cup Finals will bring out the best.  The Flyers score a lot of goals, eh?  Well so do we.

Lolla SOTW:  Bloodbuzz, Ohio by The National – they just released a new album recently called High Violet, check it out.

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