History in the making: Golden State

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The Golden State Warriors are chasing history .

To be defending champs, the warriors are number 1 in the west and their record at this point is 60-6. They are on pace to break the 1995-1996 Bulls record of 76-6.

It has been amazing to watch them succeed and each game, Steph has amazed me beyond words.

From the long distance threes to blowing teams out by 30+ points, the Warriors are the team to beat.

Of course they have naysayers and doubters who believe they won’t repeat but they are on pace to do so. Once the playoffs start we will see how they react and play.

I’m eager to see what their final record will be.

What do think their regular season record will be? Will they break the record? I sure think so!.. Stay tuned to the rest of the season 🙂 The Warriors will surprise you.

Thanks for reading!!

*Pictures and Videos courtesy of google*

 

 

Thanks @kobebryant

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As you may know by now Kobe Bryant has announced he will retire at the end of this NBA year.

I knew it was coming but I am still sad that he won’t be playing anymore.

I have many Kobe moments from throughout his career, I shared those in my post called Kobe Bryant.

This post will be more of a thank you to Kobe.

Kobe!

Thank you for choosing the NBA as your career path.

Thank you for your competitive drive.

Thank you for your smile. You often smile when you are really happy or laugh.

Thank you for your heart. You leave everything you have on the court but also are a big help in the community.

Thank you for showing emotion and letting us into your world.

Thank you for the 5 championships. Each one being special.

Thank you for just being you. Without you I would not have fell in love with the purple and gold. Without you I would not have grown to love the assassin that was the black mamba. Without you I would not have been able to appreciate your athleticism.

I hope we get to meet but if not, just know I appreciate you dearly.

I know your family is just as proud of you as I am.

I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your career.

xoxo-Mariah B.

*Thanks for reading*

*Pictures/Videos courtesy of google*

 

 

 

 

 

NBA Player Series: @JohnWall

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So I decided to focus the next month or so on NBA players and their accomplishments on and off the floor.

For the next month, you will see different blogs some short, some long about what players are doing. This is an idea I got waking up and decided to stick with it. If you have a player you would like me to write about please tweet me @bballmypassion 🙂

This week is dedicated to Washington Wizards Guard John Wall aka #WallStar 🙂

John-Wall 2

John is an exceptional player on and off the floor.

Let’s talk about on the court….

John sacrifices his body night in and night out for the betterment of his team. He leaves his heart on the court. He is also a team player. He makes plays that allow his teammates around him to build confidence and get stronger. For instance, one of my favorite plays to watch is the John Wall screen, where he draws all defender to kick it out to an open Bradley Beal which 9/10 goes in. This play not only builds John’s confidence as a leader but also Bradley’s. Their chemistry on the floor is amazing to watch. During the playoffs this past season which I will speak on very briefly because it still stings, John ended up breaking his hand but still finished that game missed the next 2 and played games 5 and 6 of their round 2 match up. It’s nothing like watching your key guy get hurt and wonder what is to come. John knew deep down he wanted and needed to be there for his team. He displayed that he wasn’t giving up on his guys, it showed. Next season will be different, I can feel it :). John is one of the top point guards in the league today outside of Stephen Curry and Jeff Teague, John is right there with him, and I feel like he deserves more recognition than he gets sometimes.

So John this is to you: I am so proud of you!!!! Night after Night you do it all, steals, game winning shots/shots that help secure victories, leaving your body on the court, engaging us fans who live to watch what spectacular move you will do next. Your defense …..is A-1 Amazing. Your PPG and Assists per game do not lie but are a testament to how great of a player you are and still becoming :)…. In your 24 years of life it amazes me to see as a guard what you are doing. Continue to keep it up and the success will flow for you and your team!! Thanks for representing the DMV area so well.

Off the court John:

John off the floor is a pretty special, lowkey guy. From what I see he hangs with his family and his boys and manages to stay in shape while building his brand. John is a special person and loves giving back. As you may know he met a very special friend named Miya who was suffering from cancer and unfortunately losing her battle from the disease( discussed in my Curry vs Wall blog). I don’t want to dwell on that but I do want to speak about his foundation. The John Wall Family Foundation which blesses kids with opportunities among their wildest dreams and allows them to feel good. This pass prom season with the help of Sean John clothing, John was able to help young men get ready for their special prom night. It was really cool to see this nice gesture from John but also not surprising because that is the kind of person he is. I love watching him play but his off the court experiences that he shares are somewhat better. We get to see John live out his dreams of seeing others happy while continuing to fulfill his own.!!

Way to go John !!! 🙂 Keep it up and have a great summer!!!

*Pictures courtesy of google images*

Playoff Time!!!..

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nba-playoffs

The NBA has had an amazing season thus far but the best is yet to come. With only 10 days left in the regular season teams are making their final playoff push for positioning. I often have my favorite teams doing well even if they don’t go deep into the playoffs. One of those teams The Washington Wizards are now 44-33 and a game back out of the 4th spot with the Toronto Raptors who they will play one more time before the season ends. Out of all the 3 meetings this season, Toronto leads 3-0. Washington would need to win this game to give them some confidence going into the playoff run. With Washington potentially playing Toronto in the first round, I wanted to offer my 5 keys on a potential upset.

My 5 keys to playoff win success….

1. Limit Turnovers.

Toronto is a team that if you let them can get out and run. Washington can run to but also need to be mindful of scoring off turnovers they may cause.

2. Keeping Leads

Washington is a team that can blow teams out early but often let them creep back in on them in a hurry rather than put the nail in the coffin. In the playoffs, it’s no different but enhanced. If you want to get a jump on a team and secure victories ,you have to be able to hold a lead and still play strong.

3. Star Matchups

Playoff time is where your big stars flourish! I always get excited to see John Wall & Bradley Beal go head to head with Demar Derozan & Kyle Lowry. Each game whether home or away will continue to push players to play better, stronger and continue to find the will to win.

4. 3-point shooting

Many players on both Washington & Toronto can shoot the 3 very well and if consistent it can become dangerous on both sides. The main key is consistency and also not rushing 3’s because you panic. I think that is one of the ways teams mistakenly cost themselves games.

5. Have Fun( to a degree)

Now I know this is stretch, but both Washington & Toronto have worked very hard to get back to the playoffs multiple times and should be able to have a little fun while still focusing on the main goal which is ultimately winning a NBA Championship. As a fan this is where I get to shine and flourish. I have been able to experience playoff games in person and they are just as or more intense in person than tv. I always enjoy the opportunity to watch players I admire play well and push their teams. This also gives me another perspective into what drives a team to win and also fall in love more with the player.

Personal Playoff Story:

In the 2004-2005 season, Washington kept running into Miami. This season was the first time Washington was able to get to the second round after defeating the Chicago Bulls and had to face Dwyane Wade and Shaq. I was able to go to a game and I got to feel just how loud and intense the game was. I also got to see Dwyane Wade in action. Boy! was I impressed, he played lights out and ended up winning the game. It was just fun to watch while supporting my team , I started to love how well Dwyane played and just how explosive he could be. It definitely changed my perspective on the game but also let me have love for other teams&players. What are some of your playoff memories??

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow me and share your thoughts 🙂

*Pictures/Videos courtesy of Youtube & Google Images*