Game Notes

by Jeff Fox
It’s finally time to put an end to the Madness, in a ridiculously cold and snowy Detroit.  I know what you are thinking - “You’re Canadian - you should be used to this weather”.  But it’s April - enough already.

by Toney Blare
Pregame
– Tonight is “Nola Night.” Lang favorite Trombone Shorty is on the stage outside the main gate. Speaking of Nola, I dj’d a street festival on Saturday. One of the acts covered “Family Affair.” And y’know the part where Sly sings, “One child grows up to be someone that just loves to learn/Another child grows up to be someone we just love to burn?” Yeah, well, that became “One child grows up to be…Trombone Shorty/Another child grows up to be…Ray Nagin.” Word.

by Michael Tillery
As I walked into the pressroom, the player’s absence was unmistakable. Why in the…. Joe? I know you saved yourself some money Mr. Dumars, but quit playin’ man.
Damn.

by Graham Flashner
Given their speed and athleticism, and the matchup problems they pose, you’d think the Rockets would’ve at least been able to take one game off the Lakers this year. You’d think that, with the Lakers just back from the longest March trip in their history – seven games, 13 days – they’d come out flat and be ripe for the picking.

by Kye Stephenson

by Jake Appleman
Before we get going, a big thanks to Anthony Gilbert for the ride. It’s much appreciated, dude.
Pregame

by Aaron Kaplowitz
It’s a designed last-second play that the Villanova Wildcats rehearse at the end of every practice. The ball is inbounded near half-court to Dante Cunningham who hits a streaking Scottie Reynolds. The rest is up to him.
“That play works maybe once every 500 times,” Villanova assistant coach Doug West said.

by Eric Woodyard
“It’s cool to love to win but it’s better to hate to lose…”
— Nas, The N—-r Tape (2008)
If there’s one thing that can be said about Kobe Bryant, it is that he hates to lose. With such a burning desire to rise above the competition, why would he even think about a negative outcome?

by Aaron Kaplowitz
On Saturday, the battle for Pennsylvania will be settled in Boston. Following Pittsburgh’s 60-55 victory over Xavier and Villanova’s 77-54 manhandling of Duke, Penn’s pride is on the line when the two Big East powers meet for a chance to reach the Final Four.

by Russ Bengtson
There are many ways I could start these notes. For example, I could ask a not-so-rhetorical question: “If Team A loses a game against Team B because Player C celebrates a would-be dagger dunk a bit too exuberantly, what chance is there that same player gives the refs the chance to make the same exact call in the same exact situation the very next time the teams meet?”