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Arjen Robben's Wasted Chances Frustrate Bayern Munich, Football Fans at UCL Final

Adam Hirshfield — 2013-05-25 16:05:00 -0400

Everyone knows that Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben plays predominantly—OK, completely—with his left foot.

So why are we all surprised when he takes clearly right-footed chances with his left? And why are we surprised when he misses those opportunities?

If Robben had a right foot Bayern would be at least 2-0 up by now. And he'd be a half decent player.
— charles beckett (@charlesbeckett) May 25, 2013

Robben's display is great for soccer. It has dads everywhere forcing their kids 2 go through weak-foot drills as we speak. #UseYOURRightFoot
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) May 25, 2013

As you’ve seen, the 29-year-old Dutchman has already missed several terrific breaks on goal. But his one-footedness—and some great goalkeeping by Dortmund’s Roman Weidenfeller—has kept him off the scoreboard.

#VIDEO Arjen Robben's first missed chance one on one with the keeper. #UCLfinal bit.ly/16gX1cs
— FootballFacts101 (@FootballFact101) May 25, 2013

Obviously the match isn’t over yet. And, of course, in the time spent writing this, Robben assisted on Mario Mandzukic’s goal for Bayern. But the number of wasted opportunities from Robben has already been frustrating for fans.

Has there ever been a player capable of both sublime genius and utter clown-shoes clodhoppery as Arjen Robben?
— flyingrodent (@flying_rodent) May 25, 2013

I'd imagine that Arjen Robben's halftime ritual fluctuates between crying and eating the wall.
— James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) May 25, 2013

Oh, and not only does Robben only have one foot. But he has a general distaste for dishing the ball off to his teammates.

I was gonna make an Arjen Robben joke...but i'll pass...
— Soccer Problems™ (@thesoccerprobz) May 25, 2013

New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins Game 5: Live Score, Updates and Analysis

Franklin Steele — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:21:53 -0400

Game 5 between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers is about an hour away, and the Blueshirts will be looking to stave of elimination for the second game in a row. Game 4 required several gutsy comebacks and overtime, but New York managed to avoid the sweep.

Now, the Rangers will try to take one more step towards history.

Only three teams have returned from a 3-0 hole. Most recently, the Philadelphia Flyers turned the trick on these same Bruins in 2010. That series isn't a factor in this one, however, and the B's will likely come out flying on home ice.

Tuukka Rask will look to rebound from a so-so effort in Game 4 that saw him give up two fluky goals. Games like that rarely come in pairs, though, and the Rangers will likely have to find more conventional ways to score goals.

Puck drop is set for 5:30 p.m. ET, and the game is available on NBCSN in the United States.

The Shield: 5 New Tag Teams to Challenge Rollins and Reigns for the Titles

Seth M. Guttenplan — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:11:55 -0400

The Shield’s Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns did what no other tag team in WWE was able to do—defeat Team Hell No for the tag team titles. As The Shield continue their dominance over the company, are there any current tag teams that will be able to stop them?

Probably not.

Let’s face it. The tag team division is still very weak, despite Team Hell No attempting to change that last year.

After Kane and Daniel Bryan, the division is made up of jobbers and more jobbers.

That is why I am proposing five brand new tag teams who would at least have a chance against Rollins and Reigns. Chances are The Shield will hold the titles for a lengthy period, but perhaps these teams will make fans wonder who will win.

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French Open 2013: Showcasing Most Intriguing Day 1 Matches

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:00:30 -0400

Two top contenders will be in action on Day 1 of the 2013 French Open. Both Roger Federer and Serena Williams will begin their journey to what they each hope is a Grand Slam title on Sunday.

But while both Federer and Williams are expected to cruise through to the second round, there are some other under-the-radar matches that offer much more for tennis fans.

Here we'll bypass Fed and Serena, instead showcasing the most intriguing Day 1 matches to watch for on Sunday.

Gilles Simon (15) vs. Lleyton Hewitt

At age 32, former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt is done winning Grand Slams, but that doesn't mean he can't upend 15th-seeded Gilles Simon on Sunday in the two players' opening match in Paris.

Sure, the Aussie veteran has never fared all that well at Roland Garros, but he's a relentless player who always seems to make things interesting. Meanwhile, Simon is playing at a high level on red clay coming in, which should give him plenty of confidence in the early goings.

As Lindsay Gibbs points out, this is a first-round match with the potential to go the distance.

Simon has owned Hewitt in the head-to-head over the course of their careers, but these two have never met on clay before. Just another reason to watch.

Urszula Radwanska vs. Venus Williams (30)

After missing the French Open in 2011 and bowing out in the second round at Roland Garros a year ago, Venus Williams will look to keep her solid season going with a win over Polish youngster Urszula Radwanska on Sunday.

If the last name Radwanska sounds familiar, it should. Urszula's older sister is world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, who reached the final at Wimbledon last year, ultimately losing to Venus' younger sister, Serena.

That said, there will certainly be no shortage of storylines heading into this first-round battle.

It seems Williams should have the edge against Radwanska, considering that she boasts tons more experience than the 22-year-old. But based on the fact that Radwanska has been able to pick up big clay-court wins over Dominika Cibulkova and Ana Ivanovic this season, look for Agnieszka's little sister to pull off the upset on Sunday.

Milos Raonic (14) vs. Xavier Malisse

Twenty-two-year-old Canadian sensation Milos Raonic has a monster serve that can give any player on tour trouble, but the red stuff is notorious for taking the sizzle off shots and forcing big-serving players to adjust.

Raonic's first-round opponent, Xavier Malisse, is 10 years older and has seen just about everything there is to see on a tennis court. Unfortunately, the Belgian hasn't seen much success at Grand Slams over the course of his career, reaching the semifinals just once at Wimbledon in 2002.

He hasn't been past the fourth round at a major tournament before or since.

But don't expect Malisse to just bow down to Raonic on Sunday. Keep in mind that the 14th-seeded star is making just his third career appearance in Paris. He fell in the third round in 2012 after exiting in the opening round in 2011.

This is another classic matchup of young vs. old that fans won't want to miss on Day 1.

Click here to view the entire Day 1 order of play via RolandGarros.com.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Latest Buzz on Lakers Star's Most Likely Landing Spots

Brian Leigh — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:58:29 -0400

Dwight Howard's disastrous first season in Los Angeles—generously deemed "the Dwightmare," but actually much more toxic than a dream—screeched to a halt in the playoffs' first round. And now, even with the future's of Kobe Bryant's Achilles and Pau Gasol's employment hanging in the balance, only one story will dominate the back pages in Hollywood this summer:

Is Howard willing to return for season two?

The Lakers' divisive big man is a free agent once again this summer; free to sign with any team he chooses. Howard has endured alleged rifts with his coach and shied from the Tinseltown spotlight since arriving, and thus appears eager to explore those options diligently.

Grantland overlord Bill Simmons was sardonic about Howard's potential return to Los Angeles, issuing 10 realities about his situation that, ultimately, made another season with the Lakers seem like a farce. And even if the rest of the world doesn't see through Simmons' cynical, often contentious lens, it's hard not to agree with much of what he had to say.

Four major players have emerged as suitors for Howard, each making a unique play to lure him out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest scoop surrounding each of those teams' pursuit:

Golden State Warriors/Atlanta Hawks

The two presumptive dark horses in Dwight Howard's courtship received good then bad news the past couple of days, a veritable roller coaster ride of hope and bleakness.

First came Thursday's report, via the Long Beach Press-Telegram, that Golden State and Atlanta were securely on Howard's "short list" of destinations:

A source familiar with Howard's thinking says he plans to test free agency and has considered the Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Golden State.

But subsequent news has regressed the Hawks' and Warriors' positions. First, Warriors beat writer Marcus Thompson laid out a number of compelling obstacles standing between Howard and Golden State, and Saturday, ESPN's Ric Bucher laid out equally persuasive arguments against Howard joining either side:

On Golden State:

Asked specifically about the Warriors being one of the teams Howard would be willing to join...[my] source said the only connection between the player and team was when the Warriors expressed interest in Howard after he made it clear he wanted out of Orlando a year ago.

And on Atlanta:

Despite interest from his home-town team, the Hawks, sources have repeatedly said Howard, like many players, are wary of the demands and distractions of playing where they grew up.

Neither team's attempt to woo Howard is complete, and reports like these are oftentimes fickle at best. Whether or not they remain at the bottom of Howard's prospective quintet remains to be seen.

All we can say for sure is that Howard joining either club, at least of this current moment, would be a major, not minor, upset.

Dallas Mavericks

Mark Cuban and Co.'s infatuation with Howard is hardly a secret at this point. Tyson Chandler, who has since been named the league's Defensive Player of the Year, was allowed to walk on the heels of his best season, a season where he helped secure a championship, all as a means of creating cap space for a potential run at Howard a couple of summers ago.

Now, with Howard's name conveniently back on the market, Dallas appears ready to shed some cap space again. Per ESPN's Chad Ford:

Ford's report comes on the heels of a similar assertion from ESPN's Marc Stein, a former Mavericks beat writer, who gave the team a "10 percent chance" of luring Howard to Dallas:

...Cuban has clearly been preparing for this and working for this, and the Mavs must think they have a chance given the way they operated the team this year and had everybody on 1-year deals and didn’t take out any money as the season went on...

Cuban has struck out, rather uncharacteristically, on his last few free agent endeavors—not just in pursuit of Howard, but also in his courtship of point guard Deron Williams. He was (begrudgingly) content to let his team of one-year contracts fade to the background this season, but two years out of the spotlight is more than Cubes can bare.

He'll try to make Howard an offer he can't refuse.

Houston Rockets

The prohibitive favorite outside of L.A., Houston, like in-state rival Dallas, has always had a soft spot for Dwight Howard's services. The man known as Dork Elvis, general manager Daryl Morey, made a shrewd move in acquiring Omer Asik (for $8.38 mil per year!) this summer, but his eyes might still be set on a higher, sexier acquisition in the middle.

According to reports, the MIT man and his Houston Rockets certainly have Howard's attention. Per USA Today:

...According to a person with knowledge of his situation... [Howard is] torn between the idea of Laker life or the notion of joining a Houston Rockets club that looks so much more appealing with James Harden & Co. in tow.

That Howard would consider straight-up signing in Houston—enough that he's allegedly "torn"—is obviously a welcome sign. Even if the Lakers choose to pursue a sign-and-trade (receiving a package of, say, Asik and Chandler Parsons is hardly a pittance in return), it's nice to know that Howard would giddily accept his new, twangy hometown.

In the afore-referenced Grantland article, Bill Simmons called Houston the one franchise that makes sense for Howard—Lakers included—laying out a number of reasons why the city would benefit him so greatly compared to L.A.:

We have overwhelming evidence that Howard can't handle carrying a big-market franchise, that he's better off in a more laid-back situation — ideally as the running mate for someone who could shoulder the superstar burdens for him. That's why the Rockets make so much sense. That's an underrated destination city for NBA players: no state income tax, great barbecue, fun nightlife, low cost of living, a diverse population, and best of all (for Dwight, anyway), decidedly less pressure. Football rules the roost in Texas. The Houston media wouldn't pick Dwight apart. Rockets fans would be happy to have him.

If Howard can return, even partially, to his 2011 form, the combination of him and James Harden would immediately make Houston a top contender out West. And the thought of that might be too much for Daryl Morey to pass up—even if it costs him an already promising young core.

Barcelona: Can Neymar and Lionel Messi Play in the Same Camp Nou Team?

Karl Matchett — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:48:22 -0400

One of the longer-running transfer rumours of the football world could be soon to reach its conclusion, with the news that Santos had accepted two offers for star forward Neymar, with the clubs thought to be Real Madrid and Barcelona.

According to reports from Sky Sports, Santos' vice-president Odilio Rodrigues stated that Neymar already has a "gentleman's agreement" in place to join Barcelona, though the player's representatives said there was no hurry and both proposals would be looked at. Even so, it seems to indicate that a potential move is heavily weighted in favour of the Camp Nou side—raising the intriguing possibility of the Catalan team pairing Brazil's biggest young star Neymar with the best player in the world, Argentinean Leo Messi.

All media in Brazil 'strongly' agree that there's no doubt Neymar will choose Barça, it will be before the game against Flamengo.
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) May 25, 2013

Mundo Deportivo says Scolari prefers that Neymar is presented as a Barça player in the 1st week of June so he concentrate on the FiFA Ccup.
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) May 25, 2013

One of the negotiators says that a final deal on the transfer of Neymar is very well advanced and that it could be finalized tonight [folha]
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) May 24, 2013

The big question for all interested watching parties is, can Neymar and Messi play together? And if so, how good can they become?

Neymar's Role, Messi's Goals

For the past couple of seasons, Leo Messi has operated in a free-roaming, central role in the Barcelona attack, the now-oft-referred-to "False 9" position.

Supporting him are usually two wide forwards, with the likes of Pedro and Alexis Sanchez competing for the place on the right, and David Villa and Cristian Tello on the left.

Neymar can of course function as a central attacker, and in time this may be the position he wishes to take up more permanent residence in, but it is likely that he will be given the opportunity to initially take his place in the team from the left side of the attack, as he has done so well for club and country on many occasions.

Fitting the two skillful attackers into the same starting XI shouldn't be any problem at all for Tito Vilanova (the same can't be said for David Villa)—but there are more pertinent questions to answer.

Tiki-Taka and Creativity

Barcelona's approach to possession football has won them many friends and admirers, and more importantly, a bucketload of trophies. Pass, pass, pass and pass again; the players' confidence in the system and their own abilities often becomes exactly the greatest weapon they have. Eventually, a defender will make a mistake, and then comes the killer pass and the chance on goal.

Within this system, Barcelona have three or four players who offer that something different; the dribbling of Leo Messi of course, the power and pace of the driving runs from Jordi Alba and Dani Alves, and the breaking from deep of Gerard Pique or the direct goal threat of Villa.

Neymar would be another string to their bow in terms of unpredictability, mixing approaches up in the final third and giving defenders more than just Messi's movement to worry about.

However, there would be all eyes on the Brazilian to see if he was able to cope with the expectation that he doesn't have to create a chance on goal every time he receives the ball. This is a team with patience, with expectation, with repetition ingrained on their footballing consciousness.

Barcelona do not expect, need or want to manage to work a shot on goal every time they approach the penalty area, instead they want to work the ball wide again, move in the channels, pass infield, look for the runner and, eventually, find an even better moment to work the goalkeeper with a shot.

Can Neymar do that? Can he live with not having to be the one who unlocks the door every time he's in possession?

Egos, Learning Curves and the FIFA World Cup

Neymar is a huge commercial fish in an expanding, but still comparatively prohibitive in size, pond.

Moving to La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona and all that comes with it will bring plenty of attention, both good and bad. The Spanish media in particular can be rather partisan with their opinions, so a good performance could be made into an excellent one and a poor display could be blamed on his transfer fee, his nationality, decision to join Barça over Real or even his hairstyle.

He will come face to face with players who have won World Cups, league titles and other major trophies in abundance, and he will no longer be the main man at the club.

All these back-and-forth factors will push and pull his self-esteem and confidence all over the place, all the while with him being expected to be a match-winner within the team setting.

His mentality will have to prove every bit as positive and resilient as his talent on the football pitch, and he will have to hit the ground running.

For Neymar, arguably the most important near-future prize (after his impending transfer) will be the FIFA World Cup, to be held next year in his home country of Brazil. He cannot afford to have a poor domestic campaign and arrive "home" as the poster boy for his country's success, but without the confidence and form to do so.

All told, there will be a huge amount of pressure on this one individual—perhaps exactly the reason why Barcelona and Real Madrid are making their moves so early in the summer, so as to give him the maximum time to settle down before the season starts.

Neymar and Messi

In terms of on-the-ball ability, it is difficult to imagine a pairing in the European game with more poise, balance, skill on the ball and goals in their game than these two.

They could be absolutely phenomenal.

If they hit it off as a pairing, if Neymar is willing to put in the work to learn how his new team mates function, if he can show his best form against defences who will put him under so much more pressure than some Brazilian defences did...

...then, Barcelona would likely have it cracked. It's a lot of ifs though, and undoubtedly there will be bumpy moments along the way.

For Messi's part, his irresistible goalscoring will surely continue provided he is given the chance to fully recuperate from his end-of-season injuries, and having another creative force alongside him who can also contribute to the goal tally could even take his game up another level.

Can opponents manage to subdue Messi and keep Neymar under wraps? It's a big task, and if focus is kept on one it could allow the other to run riot.

Time will tell, and skeptics of the move will point to how the likes of the hugely hyped Robinho fared when making his move from Brazil to Spain, but there are certainly plenty of indications that Neymar could be a success at Barcelona.

And if Neymar and Messi are both happy and confident, and can find a good rhythm between each other...European defenders, beware.

Follow @karlmatchett

Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2 Fight Card: Which Fight Will Steal the Show?

Dustin Filloy — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:40:13 -0400

Most of Las Vegas, including the oddsmakers, envision tonight's main event at UFC 160 between champ Cain Velasquez and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva unfolding in a similar fashion to their first encounter.

Velasquez, deemed an 8-to-1 favorite (-800) by Bovada.com, brutalized Bigfoot for the better part of 3:36 in their first meeting at UFC 146, eventually finishing the bloody Brazilian via TKO from punches on the ground.

But since the main event appears so lopsided on paper, then which bout will steal the show at UFC 160?

With fighters like Gray Maynard and Glover Teixeira on the main card, attempting to predict who will nab "Fight of the Night" honors could get tricky.

However, since few in the realm of MMA dislike slugfests, fans will certainly get their fill of entertainment in bouts between Junior dos Santos and Mark Hunt, and Donald Cerrone and K.J. Noons.

Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

While they possess vastly different skill sets, "Cigano" and "The Super Samoan" typically aim for the same results—a brutal knockout—each time they grace the Octagon.

With that said, Dos Santos and Hunt surely won't engage in a grapple-heavy affair or a point fight. Instead, fans will likely get treated to a kickboxing match between two of the UFC's most surgical and powerful knockout artists.

Dos Santos stands six inches taller than Hunt and will enjoy a three-inch reach advantage. Cigano also has the more refined boxing chops and footwoork, but in terms of pure striking, The Super Samoan possesses the bigger arsenal.

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dos Santos may chose to floor Hunt and administer some ground-and-pound or even fish for a submission.

After all, Hunt dropped six straight fights before entering the UFC, and five of those losses came via submission.

Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons

Akin to the scrap between Dos Santos and Hunt, the showdown between Cerrone and Noons could easily become a bloody slugfest.

Although Cerrone and Noons each enjoyed stellar kickboxing careers before turning to MMA, once introduced to grappling, the two took different routes.

"The Cowboy" holds just two wins via KO, but has submitted 14 of his 20 victims.

Noons, conversely, has eight knockouts and no submissions, and like Cerrone, has only been submitted once in his career.

Typically a slow starter, Cerrone will have a three-inch reach advantage and will look to find his range and pepper Noons from a distance.

If Noons starts to win the bulk of striking exchanges, then Cerrone certainly won't hesitate to try and plant Noons on his back and go to work with his slick submission game.

WWE's Curtis Axel Debut Provides Smoke and Mirrors for Bland Wrestler

Big Nasty — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:26:18 -0400

Michael McGillicutty has been repackaged as a Paul Heyman guy using the handle Curtis Axel. Given a name that pays homage to Axel's father, Curt Hennig, WWE Superstars were in full-on honeymoon mode in positively reacting to the return of the former Nexus flameout.

Proud & excited for the debut of #CurtisAxel! He’s been waitin for this his whole life. Somewhere Mr Perfect is smiling his mischievous grin
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) May 21, 2013

Yeah @cdagardnerwwe, I think @realcurtisaxel has a real shot at getting over. Otherwise, the master(@heymanhustle) wouldn't be guiding him
— Mick Foley (@realmickfoley) May 21, 2013

genuinely proud of @wwemcgillicutty go get em, kid!(curt axel)
— Dolph Ziggler (@HEELZiggler) May 21, 2013

WWE may have also manipulated the Internet crowd that has long since lobbied for Michael McGillicutty to have a gimmick that gives a nod to his legendary father.

Curt Hennig became a giant in the pro wrestling industry through a smooth work rate that complemented a charismatic, cool and cocky persona. The problem, however, is that Curtis Axel is not his father.

Not even close.

WWE tinkered with Michael McGillicutty during his run with The Nexus. He was buried in a tag team alongside David Otunga in a quiet championship run that only history remembers. His offense wasn't memorable and he barely spoke, probably due in part to this gem on NXT.

McGillicutty was basically a hand. Nothing spectacular, nothing terrible. He was just there.

Fast-forward to Raw this past Monday and that's still the case. The highlight of his match with Triple H came once the doctors started shining flashlights in Triple H's face.

Sure, Axel stands to benefit from a Paul Heyman alliance, but he was clearly positioned as an accessory in the Heyman-Triple H feud. Besides, nothing Paul Heyman says or does is going to make Axel's dropkicks any more exciting.

Heyman will have to work overtime to get heat on Axel and keep it there. It'll be the manager equivalent to a wrestler working to make Vladimir Kozlov passable in the ring.

And when they part ways, then what? Once the honeymoon stage is over, the world will be left with Michael McGillicutty with a longer beard and an alias. Making a quantum leap in charisma is a tall task, if not an impossible one.

Needless to say, WWE's latest plan for the future is far from perfect.

Follow @ThisIsNasty

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Velasquez vs Silva 2 Fight Card: Live Blog for UFC 160's Main Event

Craig Amos — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:22:44 -0400

Saturday night's UFC 160 fight card will be headlined by a heavyweight title match between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva.

The pairing marks a rematch of a prior fight less than a year ago, which Velasquez utterly dominated. He later went on to recapture the heavyweight crown from nemesis Junior Dos Santos, who will also compete at UFC 160.

Silva's road to redemption began with a victory over Travis Browne, continued with a shocking come-from-behind knockout win over Alistair Overeem and ends tonight at the MGM Grand. Whether it ends in success or failure remains to be learned, but if you keep your browser here, learn it you will.

That's because Bleacher Report will be keeping you posted on all things Velasquez vs. Silva throughout the night, including pre-fight hype, play-by-play coverage and live post-fight reaction.

Please note that this blog will follow UFC 160's main event exclusively. For coverage of the larger event, tune it to the Bleacher Report's full event coverage blog.

Do San Antonio Spurs Have Killer Instinct to Win 2013 NBA Title?

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:16:49 -0400

With the San Antonio Spurs holding a 2-0 lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals, it seems like an odd time to start questioning them. But their ability to finish off games seems a bit shaky following Game 2.

San Antonio had an 18-point lead in the second half of Game 2 against the Grizzlies. Tony Parker was having a career night as far as assists are concerned, and all five starters seemed to be in a nice flow.

As we all know now, the Spurs scored just nine points in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies were able to force overtime thanks to a short jumper from Mike Conley in the waning seconds.

Memphis was unable to keep that up in the overtime period and San Antoino was just able to squeeze their way out of the AT&T Center with their second win of the series.

So who is to blame for San Antonio's near-collapse, and how much credit should we be heaping on the Grizzlies in this case?

It seems ridiculous to pin it all on the Spurs falling apart, as there's a definite reason why the Grizzlies turned things around.

In the third quarter the Grizzlies were able to find an offensive combination that worked. Penetration from Conley, some shooting from Jerryd Bayless, and the inside work of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph put together a 33-point quarter.

Then in the fourth, Memphis' defense buckled down and allowed the Spurs to make just four field goals.

That being said, giving up 33 points in one quarter, and then scoring just nine in the next is an obvious failure by any team. It doesn't matter if we're talking about the Miami Heat or the Charlotte Bobcats, that's an embarrassing two quarters.

San Antonio was unable to finish off the Grizzlies until they felt Randolph's heavy breathing on their necks.

In a way, that near-implosion against Memphis gave me flashbacks to last season when San Antonio gave up its 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs couldn't bounce back after two straight losses in Oklahoma City, and the Thunder apparently figured them out from there. San Antonio was lost in what could only be called a six-game sweep.

One of the main qualities to find in a championship-caliber team is their ability to close out games, and obviously series' for that matter.

Just look at the 2011 Miami Heat for an example of a team that hadn't yet learned how to close out games.

The Heat found themselves with a 15-point lead over the Dallas Mavericks as just six minutes remained in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. A win would give them a 2-0 lead and a stranglehold on the rest of the series.

Dallas rallied, evened the series, and eventually went on to win the title in six games.

The next season Miami figured themselves out and ended up finishing off the Thunder for the championship in just five games.

Was Game 2 against Memphis evidence that another series collapse is a possibility, or have the Spurs learned from last season?

San Antonio obviously has a core that has been together for a decade now, which is a huge advantage over Memphis and whomever they could potentially face in the NBA Finals.

Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have all been together since 2003. They all know what it takes to win a championship.

It's the more recent additions to the team who are still learning the increased difficulty of playoff basketball: Kawhi Lenoard, Tiago Splitter, Danny Green and even Boris Diaw.

However, there are some good signs that the Spurs can point to.

Sure, they gave up an eight-point lead to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, but they can boast a 16-point comeback in just over four minutes in Game 1 of that series as well.

We can talk about a killer instinct like it's an actual quality that players and teams can have, and sometimes that's definitely the case. Michael Jordan had a killer instinct; that's not really debatable.

Sometimes when things like San Antonio's near-collapse against the Grizzlies happen, however, they're just incidents where one team gets the better of the other. Like we saw in the San Antonio-Golden State series, these can really go either way.

Not only that, but I seem to be overlooking the main caveat about that Game 2 that's really the most important thing to note. Memphis didn't come all the way back; San Antonio finished them off in overtime.

As far as a possible Western Conference Finals collapse and a repeat of last season is concerned, it's definitely in the cards; it's just less likely to get dealt.

Along with the additional year of experience under the young players' belts, Memphis is also a much less threatening team than last year's Thunder.

Aside from the fact that there's not a Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook involved, San Antonio's advantage on offense seems to outweigh Memphis' advantage on defense.

San Antonio obviously has a great chance of making it to the NBA Finals, and at that point it seems that they can ride on the reputation of the old guard.

It will be a shock to the new players, especially if they end up taking on the Miami Heat, but between Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and Gregg Popovich, it's hard to look at this team and decide that they're not put together well enough to win another championship.

Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Roundup Surrounding Gunners' Summer Intentions

Ethan Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:56:47 -0400

Arsenal finished fourth in the English Premier League table for the 2012-13 season, earning a Champions League berth by narrowly topping Tottenham on the points table and ending the year with a win over Newcastle United.

Now, the real fun begins for Arsene Wenger—it's time for the Gunners' manager to make his pitch to prospective players on the idea of coming to Emirates Stadium to help Arsenal move back to the top of EPL play during the 2013-14 campaign.

Already, the rumour and news mill has been buzzing with Arsenal activity.

For starters, the Daily Mirror reported that Wenger will be able to boast deep pockets this summer, as merchandising deals and a large TV contract will help generate £70 million in revenue to use as bait for those looking for a change of scenery this summer.

With Arsenal already boasting a solid-enough squad to earn a Premier League berth, adding several pieces to provide depth and talent to a growing roster could make Arsenal a dangerous team next season. Here's a look at three names that are circulating in the latest roundup of Arsenal transfer news.

Ashley Williams

The Gunners have been linked to the Swansea City defender in recent weeks, with Goal.com reporting on Friday that Wenger had prioritized a move for Williams to join his defending outfit next season.

On a deal that would be somewhere around £8 or £10 million, the 28-year-old Williams was confirmed as wanting a move—per the report—to an English club that would be playing in top competition next season.

With Arsenal earning the Champions League bid, Williams' needs for that demand have been met.

Liverpool had been active in their pursuit of the Swansea City captain, who completed a terrific season in helping establish his current club as an EPL team in the first place. Although no deal is officially in place, The Sun is also reporting that Williams and the Gunners are closing in on a new deal—a move that could spell the end of Thomas Vermaelen's time with the club.

Christian Benteke

The Aston Villa star knotted 19 goals for the club this season, helping it stave off relegation from the Premier League and establishing himself as a hot candidate to transfer to a bigger club during the transfer window.

According to the Daily Mirror, Tottenham and Arsenal are the top two targets for Benteke's affection.

With three years left on his contract at Villa, there's no guarantee that his current club would even hint at the possibility of his availability, but with Arsenal's interest likely high through their deep pockets and Tottenham eager to add talent around star Gareth Bale, anything is possible.

Per the report, Atletico Madrid have also expressed interest in Benteke.

Keeping Villa relevant will be Benteke's job if no club can tempt him away from Villa Park, but if not, he will command some serious wages next season and would likely double—or triple—his current rate if bought by a rival club.

In short, there's nothing to get excited about on this front yet, but his comments in the piece lead to the theory that no call should be stuffed just because he has a long contract and is integral to Villa's success next year.

Wayne Rooney

On May 17, Wenger denied reports that Arsenal had been aggressive in making a bid toward disgruntled Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

A week later, new reports have Arsenal as one of the highest bidders for his services.

The Daily Mirror first broke that Arsenal was ready to "smash the wage structure" to bring Rooney to town, mindful that other interested clubs like Chelsea, Paris St-Germain and Monaco would not have any problem doing the same.

After selling Robin Van Persie to United last summer, getting Rooney back from the Red Devils would certainly be an interesting turn of events in the Premier League setting.

As reported by Metro, Arsenal is prepared to offer Rooney £200,000 per week to complete a bid for his services, and if Rooney wants to join a fellow Premier League club without losing any of his high-level European games like the Champions League, Arsenal is a great place to go.

The latest report also feels it will take at least £25 million in bid money to get United to bite on negotiations for the 27-year-old star. Rooney is the biggest name linked to Arsenal this summer, and getting his services would be a huge coup for the Gunners.

With the Champions League final for this year ending most of the major competition this year, expect the transfer window to really heat up over the next few weeks.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Ethan Grant on Twitter:

NBA Draft 2013: Highlighting 1st-Round Prospects Flying Under the Radar

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:55:57 -0400

While the 2013 NBA draft discussion to this point has revolved around Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo and Otto Porter, there are a number of future NBA talents going unrecognized this summer.

That's not to say that one of those four players isn't worthy of the top selection on June 27, but that there is plenty more value to be had once you dive deeper into the first round.

Here, we'll highlight a trio of first-round prospects flying under the radar heading into June's draft.

Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse, PG

Before a disappointing performance in the Final Four (two points, two assists and five turnovers), Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams' stock was flying through the ceiling.

The 6'6" floor general averaged 11.9 points and 7.3 assists per game last season as a sophomore, struggling from the field at times but making up for it with sensational defense and a selfless style of play.

Carter-Williams demonstrated tremendous court vision in two seasons with the Orange, and his length was key in Jim Boeheim's vaunted 2-3 zone defense.

The knocks against Carter-Williams are that he needs to bulk up in order to match up with NBA guards and that he must improve and become a more consistent shooter to become more effective at the next level.

While it's hard to argue the 21-year-old is ready to dominate right away, given his size and ability to penetrate with a quick first step on the offensive end, Carter-Williams looks poised to become a lottery pick and eventually an impact player in the NBA.

Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State, SG

After a quiet freshman year at San Diego State, Jamaal Franklin exploded onto the scene in 2011-12, playing increased minutes and boosting his scoring output from 2.9 points to 17.4 points per game.

A long, athletic shooting guard, the 6'5" Franklin is at his best when he's slashing to the basket or making a play above the rim. His leaping ability is impressive, and his rebounding prowess is exceptional for a 2-guard.

The X-factor for Franklin is his competitiveness. Scouts and coaches won't be questioning his motor anytime soon, and that's key for his development at the next level.

Like Carter-Williams, though, Franklin has to improve his jump shot in order to truly make a difference on the offensive end in the NBA. But given his athleticism and desire to win, there should be no doubt that he'll continue to improve in that area.

Franklin could go anywhere from the mid- to late-first round this summer.

C.J. McCollum, Lehigh, PG

Another talented guard few are talking about this summer is Lehigh's C.J. McCollum, who is best known for helping lead the Mountain Hawks to an upset win over Duke in the first round of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

As a senior this past season, McCollum absolutely lit it up for Lehigh, averaging nearly 24 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 51.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

He averaged at least 19 points per game in each of his four seasons with the Mountain Hawks.

The knock on McCollum is a significant one, however. He hasn't played since last January after suffering a foot injury, and there are concerns about his health and whether or not he's worth a first-round selection.

Assuming he can return to being the player he was before the injury, some NBA team is going to land an efficient scoring guard who can also impact the game defensively. McCollum averaged 2.6 steals per game as a junior.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.

Should the Shield Hold Even More Championship Belts in WWE?

John Nizinski — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:53:05 -0400

The Shield burst onto the scene about six months ago and has made a huge impact in the WWE. The group started targeting the top talent in the company and immediately made a name for itself.

Stables have been a significant thing throughout the years in professional wrestling. Groups like the N.W.O, the Four Horseman, Evolution and D-Generation X all made significant impacts that helped change the landscape in their respective companies.

The Shield is making that same impact and is starting to put itself up on the level of the aforementioned stables.

After months of ambushing top Superstars and winning every six-man tag team match it was involved in, The Shield captured some gold.

At Extreme Rules last week, Dean Ambrose beat Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship, and the team of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins defeated Team Hell No for the Tag Team titles.

With three belts currently in the stable, is that all the trio is going to get? Or will The Shield continue to accrue more titles?

The initial feeling about The Shield was that Ambrose was the leader and the other two were supporting cast members. However, the more we have seen of the group, the more we have realized that all three members have pretty much an equal amount of talent and potential.

At this point, The Shield could split up and Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins would probably be fine on their own. But the longer the group stays together, the stronger it will become and the more gold it will capture.

The three other championships The Shield has yet to win are the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship and Intercontinental Championship.

The most realistic belt it could go for next would be the Intercontinental Championship. But right now, Wade Barrett holds that title and he is a heel as well.

If Barrett drops the belt to a face like the Miz, Reigns or Rollins could potentially go after it.

The World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship would probably come further down the road because they are obviously the two most prestigious titles in the company.

But if the group stays together for a while, it could potentially go after one of those two belts.

I think The Shield should set its sights on the Intercontinental Championship. That way, it could have all of the titles in the WWE, except the two top belts.

This could help make the stable even more dominant. It also could set up a way for the WWE to break the stable up.

If two members hold individual championship belts (the Intercontinental and United States Championships), it could create a situation where one member is jealous or seen as the weakest link.

Either way, another belt within the group could open up so many more opportunities for the group and the WWE. At the rate this dominant stable is going, I wouldn't be surprised if we see The Shield holding another championship belt in the near future.

Clemson Football: Tigers Poised for a 2013 Breakout Season on Defense

Colby Lanham — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:40:44 -0400

Most can remember the Clemson Tiger defense under first-year coordinator Brent Venables during the 2012 season.

It certainly had its rough spots—especially in the secondary—but the defense showed signs of life as the season progressed. It sparked to life in the Chick-Fil-A bowl against LSU, and proved to be among the biggest deciding factors in the game—forcing the LSU Tigers to eight three-and-outs en route to a 25-24 victory.

Now in year two, the Tigers have had a full offseason in Venables' system, and they have more numbers and flexibility at certain positions that they just didn't have this time last year. With the biggest question regarding a possible national championship being the Tigers' defense, the difference could be the emergence of playmakers that could make this defense thrive.

But what players have the chance to emerge as solid playmakers for this defense?

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Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger Injured in UCL Final Warmup (GIF)

Adam Hirshfield — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:40:39 -0400

Breaking news from Wembley Stadium prior to the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. According to multiple sources on and around the pitch, star Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger injured himself in pre-match warmups after running into teammate Mario Mandzukic.

Worry for Bayern. Reports that Mandzukic caught Schweinsteiger's ankle while they were warming up. Schweini went back to dressing room.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

But Fahey and the Associated Press quickly updated Schweini's status:

Schweinsteiger's on the pitch. Seems fine.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) May 25, 2013

Losing a player of Schweinsteiger’s stature would have been a huge loss for Bayern, but he is back up and walking, and that there’s no reason to think he won’t be more or less at 100 percent for Jupp Heynckes.

Again, Schweinsteiger ambled out onto the pitch with the rest of Bayern's starting lineup, so all systems are go for the 28-year-old.

Curtis Axel: What Is the Real Meaning Behind His Sudden Push?

David Levin — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:39:55 -0400

The jury is still out for me on whether Curtis Axel's re-emergence in the WWE is the right move at the right time. I have my reservations given the fact the WWE has been so quick in recent past to give up on angles involving Zack Ryder and Bo Dallas and have not worked to give Cody Rhodes the push he deserves.

Having another up-and-comer thrown immediately into the spotlight and not building his character is a lot like Ryback being thrust into the title spotlight before he was ready. While I think Joe Hennig's character has loads of talent and plenty of possibility, I already see an overuse of talent—and top-level talent at that (The Miz)—who've been used up quicker than Kim Kardashian's 15 minutes of fame.

Don't get me wrong in my meaning. The Curtis Axel gimmick is great and should be used. I, however, am worried it will be used at the expense of Wade Barrett or Rhodes or even Damien Sandow, just because the WWE changes its mind with angles more so than it changes its opinion of a particular wrestler.

Axel's appearance in the WWE means a few things, one of which is that CM Punk will probably return to the company as a face, seeing the light of his wrongdoing and utterly destroying a character who is one o the best ever created in this company.

It also means characters like Bo Dallas, Zack Ryder, The Miz and Rhodes will never get a true push or will have to wait further down in the pecking order. The WWE is doing too much at once. While Axel is being pushed by Paul Heyman as his new guy, Daniel Bryan is in the middle of a midlife wrestling crisis and may be overshadowed by the emergence of Axel as the new "villian" of the company.

Now that he has "disposed" of Triple H, with the help of Brock Lesnar, who becomes the choice for Axel's opponent? I do not see him challenging Dolph Ziggler or John Cena for the WWE or World titles as Rndy Orton and The Rock did early on in their careers. Will there be a slow build? The WWE wouldn't have Axel beat Shield member Dean Ambrose or Wade Barrett (unless Barrett turns face), and Alberto Del Rio is caught up in a feud with Jack Swagger and Ziggler.

Randy Orton could be a fit, but he probably won't be the answer. Chris Jericho, if he could stop dancing around Fandango, would be an awesome matchup, as would The Miz. And there is Kofi Kingston, who needs a heel change more than Zack Ryder needs a personality.

The fact is, having another possible great Superstar in the WWE is something this company needs. But if there is no true plan for him and there is no dance partner to make the gimmick work, then the point of having him join the fray is useless.

Giro d'Italia 2013 Standings: Stage 20 Results, Leaderboard and Highlights

Tyler Conway — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:39:38 -0400

If Vincenzo Nibali didn't already have the 2013 Giro D'Italia championship locked up before today, he can now all but coast to a victory following Saturday's triumphant Stage 20.

The Astana cyclist climbed the event's most treacherous course, a trek all the way up to 7,550 feet above sea level in the Dolomites. He finished his day at the hallowed Tre Cime di Lavaredo, fighting through some of the worst conditions in the event's history.

Heavy snow and ice forced the cancellation of Friday's 19th stage, leaving Saturday as one last opportunity for the field to catch Nibali. However, an altered route lessened the difficulty of the Giro D'Italia's hardest climb—the riders went on a flatter route from Silandro to Tre Cime di Lavaredo—and Nibali took advantage as he scampered to a stage victory in 5:27:41.

The Giro D'Italia's Twitter feed sent out a picture of Nibali crossing the finish line through the inclement weather:

Colombia's Fabio Duarte finished second in the stage, 17 seconds behind the likely race champion. Duarte was one of three Colombian riders who finished within 21 seconds of Nibali on a day that saw conditions wipe out most of the Italian's top contenders.

Here's a look at the full results for the rest of Saturday's top-10 riders.

Finish	Cyclist	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Italy	5:27:41
2	Fabio Duarte	Colombia	+ 0:17
3	Rigoberto Uran	Colombia	+ 0:19
4	Carlos Betancur	Colombia	+ 0:21
5	Fabio Aru	Italy	+ 0:44
6	Franco Pellizotti	Italy	+ 0:48
7	Domenico Pozzovivo	Italy	+ 0:54
8	Damiano Caruso	Italy	+ 0:58
9	Darwin Atapuma	Colombia	+ 1:00
10	Rafal Majka	Poland	+ 1:04

Having won the 18th stage time trial, it would have been easy for Nibali to rest on his laurels. He had opened up a massive lead prior to Saturday's running, one comfortable enough to make him the prohibitive favorite. When Friday's 19th stage was canceled, Nibali's positioning looked even better—leaving some to wonder whether he would be aggressive or lay back when trekking up the mountain.

Instead, Nibali went on the offensive. He charged to the front of the pack with about two miles remaining in the stage, putting his nearest competitors on ice (almost literally) on his way to Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Rigoberto Uran and Cadel Evans both lost time to Nibali, who now holds a lead of four minutes and 53 second on the field. With wins in each of the past two stages, Nibali has a relatively flat ride to Brescia remaining and should breeze to the championship.

Here is a look at the increasingly spaced out top-five following Stage 20:

Finish	Cyclist	Country	Time
1	Vincenzo Nibali	Italy	79:23:19
2	Rigoberto Uran	Colombia	+ 4:43
3	Cadel Evans	Australia	+ 5:52
4	Michele Scarponi	Italy	+ 6:48
5	Carlos Betancur	Colombia	+ 7:28

Standings via the BBC.

Barring something catastrophic happening between now and Sunday, Nibali will walk away with the biggest win of his career. Nibali's most notable previous triumph came at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana.

But the 2013 cycling season has seen the 28-year-old ascend to the top of the sport. As cycling commentator Anthony McCrossan noted, Mark Cavendish and Nibali are separated by the thinnest of margins for the Maglia Rossa jersey:

With an easy ride facing him in Stage 21, there is no hotter cyclist in the world than Nibali as he prepares for the Tour de France later this year.

Stage 21 Preview

A relatively relaxing final stage is a staple of the cycling world, allowing the triumphant rider to celebrate his victory on a relatively breezy ride. The sipping of some bubbly has been a Tour de France tradition for years, and Nibali should face an easy enough ride if he wants to partake on Sunday.

The final stage of the Giro D'Italia is a 122-mile trek that starts in Riese Pio X and finishes in Brescia. This year is the first time the race's final stage has concluded in Brescia, as it beat out Vicenza in vying for the honor. Many saw the shift away from Milan as a shocker, with the traditional finish becoming synonymous with the race.

However, officials decided a change was necessary.

The result for the riders is rather negligible. Riders will notice that there are very few twists and turns to this course and the ride is almost completely flat. They will see a slight uphill climb at Bosco Di Sona midway through and again at the two-thirds mark.

Holding a lead of nearly five minutes means that none of this should be a problem for Nibali. His torrid finish to the Giro D'Italia proves that Nibali is firmly in his prime and not prone to any major fatigue that will hurt his chances. Look for Nibali to run a conservative race, hanging behind the main pack to avoid any accidents for drivers looking to aggressively move up.

Though he might have hoped for better conditions, Nibali should be smiling all the way to the finish line to capture his first Giro D'Italia following Stage 21.

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva: What to Expect in UFC 160's Rematch

John Rozum — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:23:02 -0400

Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva will square off in UFC 160—a rematch of the 146 bout from a year ago.

What can we expect entering this heavyweight title fight?

More of the same.

In the previous fight, Velasquez totally wrecked Silva from start to finish. His wrestling ability, combined with defense, initially gave him the advantage on a takedown. Thereafter, Velasquez's marksmanship on striking with his punches and elbows simply took over.

As for this bout, Velasquez holds an edge whether it's on the feet or the ground. He's incredibly quick when counter-attacking and brings an onslaught of combinations to break his opponent's defense.

Even better, though, Velasquez is a stronger martial artist on the ground. With his excellent wrestling experience, he's rarely caught out of position and knows how to avoid any lock or submission hold.

Jeff Wagenheim of Sports Illustrated puts this fight's potential into perspective:

Cain is faster, in better shape, is disciplined and has the wrestling chops to dictate where this fight is fought. That means the big fists of “Bigfoot” are unlikely to be a factor, and Velasquez will roll onward, possibly into a rematch with Junior dos Santos.

If anything, Silva must find a way to first win on his feet. His size is a favorable edge regarding reach and power, so avoiding the ground keeps that relevant. Given Velasquez's defense, Silva must also avoid telegraphing kicks to prevent easy takedowns.

Fighting with a lower center of gravity and building efficiency from punches will help him gain the advantage. The challenge is actually matching Velasquez's reactionary quickness and instincts.

That was an obvious disparity between the two in their first match. Don't expect that to change here.

After getting the victory over Junior dos Santos in December, Velasquez just has more confidence now than ever before. He's also, however, displaying admirable humility. Per Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, Velasquez said:

What I have learned is that the smart thing to do is to consider we're fighting for a new belt and that neither of us is the champion. The truth of it is, what has happened in the past really matters when it comes to this fight. What happens on Saturday night is going to determine what happens in Saturday's fight, not what happened in my last fight or any fight before that.

This shows great focus and preparation on Velasquez's part, as well as respect for Silva. Refusing to get overconfident and suppress his anxiousness to fight is quite impressive.

Mesh all that with having smashed Silva's face in once before, and UFC 160 won't offer anything unexpected.

NBA Draft 2013: The Boston Celtics' 5 Most Important Draft Targets

Matthew Wolfe — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:04:35 -0400

The Boston Celtics finished with a 41-40 regular season in 2013, which got them the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

They were bounced out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks in round one after putting up a fight and bringing the series to six games.

The days of the Big Three are coming to an end due to age and free agency, and the Celtics are looking to get younger with the 16th pick in this year's draft.

Although the core of their team may be slowly deteriorating, the Celtics still have plenty of young pieces to build around, giving them hope for the future.

Here is a look at the Boston Celtics' five most important draft targets.

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UFC 160 Live Streaming: How to Watch Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva Online

Sean Smith — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:04:04 -0400

Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will meet Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in a rematch on Saturday, and you can watch UFC 160 live streaming online.

Velasquez dominated Silva in their first meeting, but "Bigfoot" rightly earned a shot at the re-established titleholder by upsetting Alistair Overeem with a come-from-behind knockout win. Despite already being a two-time heavyweight champion, Velasquez will try to successfully defend his belt for the first time against Silva.

Before Velasquez and Silva even step into the Octagon, the next heavyweight title challenger will already be determined. Former champion Junior dos Santos and the surging Mark Hunt will clash in the co-main event, and the winner is almost guaranteed to earn a fight with the victor of the UFC 160 main event.

Here is how MMA fans can tune in to watch every portion of the UFC 160 fight card.

YouTube Prelims—6:30 p.m. ET

Stephen Thompson vs. Nah-Shon Burrell

Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

All three of these preliminary card bouts will be shown on the below video player. Follow the link to the UFC's official YouTube page.

FX Prelims—8 p.m. ET

Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

Contact your cable provider for more information on how to watch FX on your television.

UFC 160 Pay-Per-View—10 p.m. ET

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

Glover Teixeira vs. James Te-Huna

Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant

Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons

You can purchase the pay-per-view via the above YouTube player. Follow the link to the UFC's official YouTube page.

Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund: Key Players Who Will Decide Champions League Final

Tim Daniels — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:03:42 -0400

Last season, Chelsea completed a miracle run to the Champions League final. There were no such underdog stories this time around. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were quickly established as title contenders and will now battle for the coveted trophy.

The German rivals both earned their championship match spots with semifinal victories over La Liga powerhouses. Bayern crushed Barcelona by an aggregate score of 7-0, while Dortmund survived a comeback bid by Real Madrid, 4-3.

It will mark the fifth meeting of the campaign between the Bundesliga sides. Bayern is unbeaten in those matches. Let's examine the most important player from each club. They will have a major impact on deciding whether FCB's dominance continues or Dortmund pulls off the upset.

Bayern Munich: Thomas Muller

Muller is the main reason Bayern are playing for the title. He was virtually unstoppable against Barcelona, scoring three goals over the two legs. His ability to put relentless pressure on the Barca back line caused it to wear down and then the floodgates opened for the Bundesliga champions.

What makes the 23-year-old attacking midfielder special is his unique approach. At times, it's a bit unorthodox, but he uses a combination of creativity, vision and a nearly unmatched work rate to create chances for both himself and teammates.

There are certain stars who always appear like they playing the match a couple steps ahead of everyone else. He's one of them. He can drive toward the box with what seems like reckless abandon, and in the blink of an eye, the ball is in the net.

He creates, while others react. That split-second difference is what makes him so dangerous heading into the final. It only takes a single defensive lapse from Dortmund for Muller to completely change the course of the match.

The German international has been in fine form lately, netting four goals over his past five appearances. Expect him to get plenty of touches in the first half as Bayern makes him the focal point of the attack. From there, they hope he creates his usual magic.

Borussia Dortmund: Robert Lewandowski

In many ways, Lewandowski is built from the same mold as Muller—somebody without extraordinary natural gifts, but he built himself into a vital asset for Dortmund through hard work and a tremendous finishing touch.

Look no further than his four-goal outburst against Real Madrid in the semifinals. The Blancos didn't pay nearly enough attention to him early. He built up momentum and had so much confidence by the second half that the defenders were powerless to stop him.

Dortmund are going to need a similar effort from him in the final. They will be without superstar midfielder Mario Gotze, who was ruled out due to injury. His absence is going to leave a void in the attack that must be covered.

Lewandowski has only scored once in four meeting with Bayern this season. That's mostly because FCB understands exactly how critical he is to Dortmund's success. The Polish star must find a way to produce despite the added attention.

Bayern's advantage in the midfield should allow them to create more chances. That means the ones the Dortmund midfielders are able to generate for Lewandowski need to get converted if they want to pull off the upset and capture the trophy.

Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2: Keys to Cain Knocking Off Antonio Silva at UFC 160

Mike Chiari — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:39:25 -0400

When Cain Velasquez and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva met at UFC 146 last year, most expected it to be one of the most exciting fights on the card. That turned out to be true, but it didn't last long, as Velasquez knocked out Silva in just three minutes and 36 seconds. Silva will have another crack at Velasquez at UFC 160 on Saturday, however.

Velasquez has since captured the UFC heavyweight title after defeating Junior dos Santos in December, so the stakes will be even higher this time around. Based on their last fight, Velasquez is a heavy favorite. He can't afford to take Silva lightly, though, because the Brazilian has a big-time track record of success.

Here are the three biggest keys that Velasquez must adhere to if he hopes to repeat his UFC 146 performance against Silva on Saturday at UFC 160.

Go for the Knockout

After getting thoroughly dominated by Velasquez at UFC 146, it's possible that Silva will be a bit more cautious this time around. Velasquez can't allow that type of approach to influence him, though. Three out of Silva's four career losses have come by way of knockout and Velasquez has nine career knockout victories in his own right, so there is no point in straying from that.

Perhaps in an effort to get into his opponent's head and throw him off his game, Silva claims that he is going to knock Velasquez out, according to MMASpot.com.

Velasquez's one career loss did come by way of knockout against dos Santos, so that may actually be the best strategy on Silva's part. However, Velasquez shouldn't let Silva's talk distract him.

Velasquez isn't the type of fighter who generally goes the distance, nor is Silva. Velasquez's aggressive style has allowed him to become the best heavyweight in UFC, and he needs to worry about fighting the fight that is most comfortable for him rather than falling into his opponent's traps.

Avoid Mat Grappling

Both Velasquez and Silva are considered to be knockout fighters by most, but Silva certainly has the ability to tap his opponent out in certain situations. Silva has three career submission victories, and although he hasn't turned the trick since beating Jim York with an arm-triangle choke in 2009, it is something that he has in his back pocket at all times.

Velasquez, on the other hand, has never scored a submission win, so he should do everything in his power to avoid mat grappling with Silva. That means Velasquez should stand toe-to-toe with Silva and throw punches for as long as possible before ultimately going for a takedown. If Velasquez is too sloppy, though, Silva could turn the tables and put him in a very precarious position.

That is why Velasquez can't get overzealous until he is sure that he has the advantage. Velasquez is the clear favorite, but Silva's submission ability definitely makes him a threat. As long as Velasquez succeeds in keeping the upper hand, though, he should be fine.

Forget About Last Fight

It would probably be pretty easy for Velasquez to enter UFC 160 with a great deal of confidence and maybe even a bit of cockiness after UFC 146. He took Silva out to the woodshed and laid a beating on him, but that fight is in the past and has very little to do with Saturday night. If Velasquez comes into UFC 160 expecting a similar fight, he could be in for a rude awakening.

Velasquez remembers what he did to Silva, but Silva remembers as well. Bigfoot will do everything in his power to ensure that he isn't embarrassed again, so Velasquez needs to be on his toes and can't simply expect to do the same thing as last time. It's unclear if either man will be able to block UFC 146 from their memories, but Connor Casey of H4TV has noticed that UFC itself is treating UFC 160 like an entirely different ballgame.

As long as Velasquez does the same and focuses on taking care of UFC 160, he should be able to beat Silva for a second time and retain his title.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Champions League Final 2013: Last-Minute Preview for Bayern vs. Dortmund

Ethan Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:35:33 -0400

After a few weeks of waiting, the highly anticipated matchup of German rivals is set to commence on Saturday in London.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are already rivals in Bundesliga play in their native country, but that rivalry will reach its boiling point on Saturday night, as the two German clubs square off for the 2013 UEFA Champions League title.

Bayern and Dortmund have faced each other four times this season, with the Bundesliga champs winning two and the other two matches ending in draws.

The two German clubs managed to defeat Real Madrid and Barcelona en route to the Champions League final, with Bayern dominating a Lionel Messi-less Barca and the Borussians hanging on for a 4-3 aggregate victory over Madrid.

The title will now be decided in London's Wembley Stadium. As Fox Sports posted on Twitter, the stadium is already rocking and ready for the German invasion of fans, of sorts, that has already descended to watch these two clubs battle it out.

With the match right around the corner, we've got you covered with a last-minute preview, complete with each team's projected lineups and some top storylines to follow during this all-German final.

Event Information

Where: Wembley Stadium in London, England

When: Saturday, May 25 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox and Fox Deportes

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Probable Lineups

BAYERN MUNICH		BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Pos.	Player	Pos.	Player
G	Manuel Neuer	G	Roman Weidenfeller (c)
D	Philipp Lahm (c)	D	Lukasz Piszczek
D	Jerome Boateng	D	Neven Subotic
D	Dante	D	Mats Hummels
D	David Alaba	D	Marcel Schmelzer
M	Bastian Schweinsteiger	M	Sven Bender
M	Javi Martinez	M	Ilkay Gundogan
M	Arjen Robben	M	Jakub Blaszczykowski
M	Thomas Mueller	M	Marco Reus
M	Franck Ribery	M	Kevin Grosskreutz
F	Mario Mandzukic	F	Robert Lewandowski
Coach	Jupp Heynckes	Coach	Juergen Klopp

Injuries

Bayern Munich

Toni Kroos, OUT

Holger Badstuber, OUT

Borussia Dortmund

Mario Gotze, OUT

Top Storylines

Bayern Dominance

In addition to not dropping a match against Borussia Dortmund this season, Bayern has been victorious in each of its last 14 matches—the one exception being a draw to Dortmund on May 4 that helped provide a window to how tense this match could be.

With only a valid argument to be made for a handful of other Premier League and La Liga teams, Bayern has been the best team in Europe this year—the Champions League legs have helped prove that assertion to be right on target.

On a historical level, Bayern has also dominated the group and elimination stages of Champions League play.

This will be Bayern's third appearance in the last four years in the Champions League final, and they have been unable to finish the job in the match after losing to Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea in last year's thrilling CL finish.

With experience, a revenge-factor of sorts and the four previous matches between these two teams during the 2012-13 calendar season, Bayern figure to have all the momentum heading into this mother of all European finals.

Gotze's Absence

Mario Gotze has proven himself as one of the biggest rising stars in Europe this season, scoring 20 goals in 43 games (all competitions) this season. As fans descend on Wembley Stadium, they'll notice that Gotze won't be in action for this Champions League final:

He's also joining up with the team on the other side of the field next season.

Expected to join Bayern when the 2013-14 season commences, Gotze would have already been in a weird place if he was on the pitch for this match. He won't be, though, and Borussia Dortmund will have their hands full in replacing his production.

As noted by OptaFranz, he's not an easy player to replace for a match of this magnitude:

However, Dortmund is a pesky squad who has no problem playing the underdog role in any given match. Additionally, Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus are fine players, capable of playing a solid match to force the ball on the attack.

Will Dortmund crumble without Gotze, or rise to the occasion and prove his absence won't be that noticeable next season? It's one of the big questions of the match.

All-German Rivalry

Like many rivalries in professional sports (Ohio State-Michigan, New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers), you throw previous records out the window when the game commences.

Prepare to do the same for this match.

Bayern had the upper hand on Dortmund for most of the season—both home and away matches ended in a 1-1 draw in Bundesliga play—but Dortmund won the previous two Bundesliga finals before this year's Bayern triumph.

Prepare for the fireworks to commence both on and off the field in this matchup of bitter rivals. As most Champions League finals are, expect this one to resonate in your soccer memories for years to come.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Ethan Grant on Twitter:

2013 French Open: Dark Horse Contenders to Watch in Women's Bracket

Merlisa Lawrence Corbett — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:33:58 -0400

Serena Williams is the favorite to win the French Open.

However, she was also the favorite going into last year's French Open, where she lost in the first round.

Unlike Rafael Nadal on the men's draw, no Women's Tennis Association player is a sure-thing on clay.

The last woman to repeat as French Open champion was Justin Henin, who won in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Even defending champion Maria Sharapova is no lock to make it to the finals.

Counter punchers and clay-court specialists, like Angelique Kerber and Sara Errani, could upset Williams or Sharapova.

That's why this year's French Open looks anything but bleak for these dark horse contenders.

Begin Slideshow

NBA Picks: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers, Game 3

Jeff Grant — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:28:57 -0400

The Miami Heat are 4-0 against the spread on the road during the 2013 NBA playoffs, which can't be ignored when making your picks Sunday, as they continue their best-of-seven series against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are one-point favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 183.5 in the betting market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction along the way.

Begin Slideshow

English Premier League Promoted Teams: Players to Watch Next Season

Jack O'Riordan — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:27:14 -0400

With three teams being promoted to the Premier League, there will be several new players catching the eyes of supporters.

Cardiff and Hull have already booked their places in the Premier League, and next Monday sees Crystal Palace and Watford do battle in the world’s most lucrative football match for the final spot in the Championship playoff final.

With that in mind, there will be some fresh, exciting and hungry new talent entering the Premier League fray for the next season. Here are some of those names who could make an impact and help their teams to achieve the greatest of successes next campaign—maintaining Premier League status.

CARDIFF

Keep an eye out— Ben Turner

Young Ben Turner really came of age at the heart of Cardiff’s defence last season. The champions of the Championship won the league at a canter, in truth, and Turner was one of the unsung heroes of that tremendous run.

Standing at 6’4”, the 24-year-old is a domineering figure for strikers to try and get past or around, and his positional sense makes it very difficult to catch him off guard. He played 31 games in the league last season and will be an integral part of Malky Mackay’s squad in the Premier League.

There are a few players in this Cardiff side who will have points to prove next season; Peter Whittingham, Craig Bellamy, Frazier Campbell and Mark Hudson to name but a few, so there were plenty of worthwhile candidates to choose from. But in Turner, Cardiff have a leader.

A young man who is still developing, still learning the game and, should he get a chance to further that in the Premier League, could turn into one of the country’s finest centre-backs.

One to watch—Craig Noone

As I said, there are some established names in this Cardiff side that can offer a lot of experience to some of the younger heads in their debut Premier League season.

One of those young heads is Craig Noone, whose form last season was one of the reasons why Cardiff were so imperious in their rise to the top of the league.

The diminutive midfielder scored seven goals in 32 appearances, a fairly decent return, and he made an immediate impact on his debut and continued to do so right the way through the season.

Noone is blessed with blistering pace which makes it incredibly hard to defend, especially when he marauds right through the middle of the park. His pace is augmented by some fancy tricks which he has the confidence to use in order to beat a man.

His displays have made him a favourite with the fans, and he could pick up a few more admirers if he can replicate the form shown last season in the Premier League.

HULL CITY

Keep an eye out—Jack Hobbs

Hull City’s counter-attacking style of football is predicated upon a solid base at the back from which to build. One of the main reasons for having this solid base is Jack Hobbs. The former Liverpool youth player and England U-21 international has excelled in the past season.

Playing in his manager's former position, Hobbs has been the bedrock that has served the Tigers so well in the Championship.

His calm under pressure and assured performances stood out in the Championship and, at 24 years of age, he is only going to improve.

Hull will know it is the conceding of goals, rather than the scoring of them, that is the most difficult part of assimilation into the Premier League but with Hobbs they have a young, tenacious, physical specimen that won’t be bullied into defensive submission.

Schooled at Liverpool, he has experience in playing with big players, so I expect he shouldn’t be too daunted. In fact, quite the opposite: He will probably relish the Premier League challenge.

One to watch—Sone Aluko

Brought in from Rangers in 2012, Sone Aluko has continued to impress with his all-action, box-to-box style. With his boundless energy mixed with his considerable ability, he has been the midfield general at the heart of Hull’s promotion push to the Premier League.

Playing in 22 games this season, he scored nine goals, which represents a healthy return from the midfield. Cut from the mold of an Abou Diaby or a Mo Diame type figure, it is easy to see why he is such an imposing figure on the pitch.

For those of you who like to have a fantasy league team, this could be a player to pick up points for a cheap return. He has all the attributes, including the confidence, to achieve relative success with Hull in the Premier League next season.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Keep an eye out—Wilfred Zaha

It would be remiss not to mention this electric, dynamic prospect who, irrespective of whether Crystal Palace win their playoff final match against Watford, will be playing in the Premier League with Manchester United next season.

His transfer to the English champions was for £15 million no less—a clear indication of the talent this young man possesses.

His two goals, against rivals Brighton, were the match winning goals responsible for getting the Eagles to the playoff final, so he will leave Palace on good terms.

Zaha has lightning pace and several tricks in his armory, but probably his biggest asset is his direct approach to goals. Yes, he does like to display his tricks but only when possible. Zaha has that innate knowhow of when and where to showboat during matches.

He knows how to score and has an explosive right foot at his disposal. Though he may not start many times for United next season, he will certainly make an impact when he does play. Expect big things from this young man.

One to watch— Mile Jedinak

Mr. Captain Fantastic, Mile Jedinak, will be the one to watch should Crystal Palace make it to the Promised Land next season. He really is the epitome of the complete footballer. That’s not to say to quite the same calibre as a Yaya Toure or a Xavi, but he has every attribute in his locker.

He tackles, passes, motivates, unlocks defence and scores goals. He creates the moves from deep inside his own half, allowing the electric pace of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfred Zaha to expose space on the wings and the guile of Owen Garvan to make space in the middle of the pitch.

As captain, though, he knows the importance of defensive responsibility and marshals the defence too. Talismanic in his performances, he played 43 times in the last season for Crystal Palace, missing only three league games all season.

Jedinak is the metronome that keeps Palace ticking—he is also capable of having those barnstorming appearances so associated with all-conquering midfielders. He is a crowd favourite too, and when he is on song, you can bet the Palace faithful will be at their fervent best.

WATFORD

Keep an eye out—Matej Vydra

The Czech Republic striker, on loan from Italian side Udinese, was sensational in his first season in English football. He scored 22 league goals and was named with the Championship Player of the Year after propelling Watford into playoff contention.

Watford are under a transfer embargo at the moment, meaning boss Gianfranco Zola can’t sign players until after this summer’s window so Vydra might not be able to turn out for the Hornets, should they get promoted.

If they can find a loophole to keep hold of him, though, the 20-year-old will be a terrific prospect in the Premier League. His pace is electric, his finishing accomplished and he is adept at both playing off the shoulder of the last defender or coming in from a wide position and penetrating back four’s with that whippet-like pace.

He formed a formidable partnership with Troy Deeney upfront for Watford, which saw the Hertfordshire club top-score the Championship with an incredible 85-goal haul—let’s just hope there is an opportunity for the two to showcase that partnership next season.

One to watch—Troy Deeney

After a tough year away from the game because of some transgressions in his personal life, Troy Deeney came back with a bang.

Watford gave him another chance to prove his worth, and he hasn’t left them regretting the decision. Deeney is big and powerful but has pace and agility too. Crucially for his position on the park, he also has an eye for goal.

He scored 20 of them in a rip-roaring season for the Hornets, including a dramatic last gasp winner in the playoff semifinal against Leicester City to send them to Wembley and one step away from the Premier League.

Too often we hear about the peccadilloes of professional footballer’s but never about when they turn it around and prove their worth as an individual. In Deeney’s case, if he gets the chance to play in the top tier, he will have earned it, and he could cause defences a few problems with his strength and keen eye for a goal.

Is Lionel Hollins Coaching for His Memphis Grizzlies Future vs. Spurs?

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:25:36 -0400

Lionel Hollins has coached the Memphis Grizzlies to the best season in the team's history, taking them to their first Western Conference Finals in the process, yet he still seems to be coaching for his future.

As the 56-26 Grizzlies do their best to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the San Antonio Spurs, Lionel Hollins remains without a contract for next season.

Even as other teams are nipping at Hollins after each game he and the Grizzlies win, the front office is seemingly still questioning whether or not he's the right coach for the team it has put together.

Obviously there are fundamental differences between Hollins and the front office.

When Robert Para bought the team back in October, no decisions were made considering the direction of the team, as it seemed they were reserved to see how the season unrolled.

In essence, it seemed like a tryout for a lot of the team this season, and that includes Hollins.

What has become a problem throughout the season is that the new owners have gone all-in on embracing the statistical revolution in basketball. They hired ESPN's John Hollinger back in December in an attempt to start filling the front office with younger, analytic-driven basketball minds.

While that seems to be a good idea given the success of the Houston Rockets and the importance they've placed on analytics in the past few seasons, it's a style that clashes with Hollins.

Hollins is generally considered to be in the old-school basketball camp, intent on playing a traditional lineup pigeonholing players into certain positions given their size.

He's a defensive-minded coach who has ingrained his professionalism into the rest of the players on the roster, and he also happens to be the winningest coach in Grizzlies history.

However, the Rudy Gay trade at the deadline seemed to be a direct contrast to old-school basketball thinking.

Memphis got rid of its leading scorer, brought back Tayshaun Prince, a lanky veteran, and Ed Davis, a guy who would be called a power forward by old standards but simply a "big" in today's NBA.

There is no "true" center other than Marc Gasol on the team, and that's the way the front office designed the team. However, that's not the way that Hollins coaches. (Via the Memphis Commercial Appeal)

One of the issues that I have is that neither Darrell or Ed (Davis) are fives. We don't have another big guy. We weren't able to play big and have two bigger people across the board because we don't have a bigger guy to put in the game.

Davis averaged just 15 minutes per game following the trade to Memphis, compared to 24 minutes when he was splitting starts with Amir Johnson on the Toronto Raptors.

Hollins also talked with Grantland's Zach Lowe following the Gay trade, telling Lowe that he wasn't a fan of the Gay trade when it went down:

People made it seem like I didn't know, or that I was upset. I wasn't upset. Somebody asked me a question: "Would you want to do the trade or not?" And I said I would not. But I also voiced that to management before the trade was even made, because they asked me.

Even though Hollins did lead the team to its most successful season yet, if he's not the type of coach that fits what the team is trying to do, letting him go wouldn't be that far-fetched.

They're obviously not at a boil-over point yet, especially since the team is winning, but it seems to be a similar situation to the Art Howe-Billy Beane dynamic with the Oakland Athletics back in 2002, around which the book Moneyball was based.

Howe was the old-school manager, while Beane was championing moneyball from behind the scenes.

The A's won 103 games in 2002, yet Beane released Howe from his contract following the season to go in a different direction.

I suppose now all we need is for Brad Pitt to play Hollinger and Phillip Seymour Hoffman to take on the Hollins role, the pair of them starring in Moneyball II: Mid-Range Jumper.

It still seems as if things are hunky-dory in Memphis (the team is successful), it's just up to the front office to decide whether it wants a coach to challenge the team or run its system to a tee.

One of the biggest votes of confidence for Hollins came after the Grizzlies lost two games out of the gate against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. (Via ESPN)

The only conversations we've had is they said they wanted me back. After we lost the first two games to the Clippers, we had a friendly conversation about the series and how they just wanted me personally to know that regardless of what's being said out there, this is how they felt.

Regardless of what the Grizzlies decide, it seems safe to say that Hollins will be coaching in the NBA next season.

2013 NBA Playoffs: Who Will Prevail in Heat's Big 3 vs. Pacer's Big 5? Who Knows

Martin Telleria — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:21:24 -0400

It seems that, contrary to popular belief, LeBron James is indeed human.

In the Indiana Pacers’ 97-93 win over the Miami Heat Friday night, James opened the floodgates for criticism once again.

If there is one chink in the king’s armor, it is that he is selfless to a fault. In the eye’s of LeBron, there is always a better shot. It is rare that we see a superstar so hell-bent on making the right play.

Friday night, it cost him.

He picked the wrong time to have two turnovers in the last minute of a playoff game, desperately attempting to convert passes that simply weren’t there.

That being said, I’m not putting the loss completely on him. Once again, he was brilliant, scoring 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting. Throw in his eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot and you have a typical LeBron box score.

No, the Heat didn’t lose because of LeBron. They lost because, quite simply, the Pacers are a fantastic team.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports that star Paul George, in his postgame press conference, said what many of us have known.

"Take nothing away from their Big Three, what they have going. But we'll take a big five any day. That's what we have."

George is absolutely on the money with his opinion. The Pacers were the epitome of a team.

All five guys in the starting lineup chipped in at least 10 points, balance in its purest form.

None, however, were bigger than Roy Hibbert (literally and figuratively). Scoring a hyper-efficient 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting, Hibbert continues to expose the biggest flaw in the defending champion’s armor: size.

Hibbert was candid with his remarks after the game, oozing confidence as he spoke.

"We're not going to back down. They could be the champs, but we're coming for them.

"A lot of us feel we should be up 2-0. They're at the top. Like I said, we're coming for them."

Hibbert is correct in his assessment. The Pacers are one defensive lapse away from being up 2-0 in the series.

As strange as it seems to say, the Heat no longer look the favorite to emerge from this war. If anything, this series is dead even, the greatness of the Heat’s stars doing battle with the greatness of the Pacers’ as a whole.

It’s a beautiful juxtaposition of styles.

At this point, this is a series that absolutely nobody has any idea how it will turn out.

In Game 1, it appeared that James’ superiority as a player would ultimately be the deciding factor between two evenly matched foes. Game 2, however, showed that the Pacers not only do not fear the King, but they have the tools to stop him.

Anyone offering predictions should simply be ignored. They don’t know how this series will play out. Neither do you, and most certainly, neither do I.

It’s time for us all to just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s probably going to be a long one.

Cold Hard Fact for Saturday, May 25, 2013

Daily Cold Hard Facts — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:14:31 -0400

Fact: In 1963, Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, "They'll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run." On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Perry hit his first and only home run.

Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Fact of the day, presented by Coors Light.

2013 Detroit Red Wings Thriving as Playoff Underdogs

Greg Eno — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:11:49 -0400

So this is how the other half lives, when it comes to playoff hockey.

This is what it’s like to be a low seed, prohibitive underdog.

This is what it’s like to have a goalie as hot as a firecracker, turning into Mr. Zero against a high-powered offense.

This is what it’s like to see the players on the other team frustrated, angry and telling themselves that the breaks will eventually go their way.

This is what it’s like to squeak into the playoffs, flying under all the so-called experts’ radar.

This is what it’s like to upset a high seed in the first round and vex another high seed in the second round.

This is what it’s like to play loosey goosey while the other guys are gripping their sticks like they’re strangling a chicken.

This is what it’s like to watch the other coach juggle lines as frantically as a circus performer.

This is what it’s like to actually have fun, instead of carrying the weight of Stanley Cup-or-bust expectations on the shoulders.

This is what it’s like to have a team short on talent but long on spunk.

This is what it’s like to be Cinderella on skates.

For 22 straight springs, the Red Wings have qualified for the playoffs. In about 20 of those years, they were in the conversation for the Stanley Cup.

The 1990-91 season is when the streak began. The Red Wings were a playoff pretender that year, not a contender. They were 34-38-8 and were considered easy first-round fodder for the St. Louis Blues.

But the Red Wings kicked up their heels and took a 3-1 series lead over the Blues before collapsing into defeat, 4-3.

That was the last time—22 years ago—when the Red Wings didn’t have a team considered Stanley Cup worthy.

They didn’t always win it, of course. Sometimes they were blotted out in the very first round. But when those regular seasons ended, NHL observers pretty much threw the Red Wings into the mix of teams who had a shot at hoisting the Cup.

Not this year.

The string of playoff appearances continued this spring, but the streak of being a Cup contender ended.

The Red Wings had to hustle just to make the playoffs, number one. They had to win their final four games to nip the rest of the pack at the wire. Teams that do that can’t seriously be considered Cup-ish.

Going back even further, to the start of the season, hockey folks had the Red Wings’ grave dug and the team lowered three feet into it.

There was no Nicklas Lidstrom, most famously. The All-Universe defenseman retired last summer, and according to the puck brains, Lidstrom took with him any real chance that the Red Wings could continue to be a playoff team, much less one that could make a long run.

The Red Wings were as young and as inexperienced heading into this season as any Red Wings team in recent memory. In fact, you might have to go back further than that 1990-91 team to find a team this youthful wearing the Winged Wheel on its collective chests—certainly when it comes to playoff hockey.

Not that this team, which is on the verge of swatting the mighty Chicago Blackhawks out of the playoffs, doesn’t have its veterans.

There are still your Hank Zetterbergs and your Pavel Datsyuks and your Danny Clearys and your Todd Bertuzzis and your Johan Franzens.

But the list of recently retired Red Wings reads like a mini franchise Who’s Who.

Since 2009, the Red Wings have lost the following to retirement: Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Chris Chelios, Tomas Holmstrom and Chris Osgood. There are about 215 Stanley Cups in there.

This year’s squad?

It’s not exactly made up of a bunch of grizzled playoff veterans.

Beyond Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary, Bertuzzi, Justin Abdelkader, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson and Johan Franzen, the Red Wings are made up of mostly rookies, second- and third-year guys, and a few re-treads.

It’s a patchwork lineup—the likes of which have spoiled Red Wings playoff parties in years past, back in the days of 100-plus point seasons and when anything less than a Stanley Cup was considered to be failure.

There’s another aspect of these playoffs that has often been played out by the Red Wings’ opponents over the years, and one that has spurred this spring’s surprise uprising.

That would be the goaltending of one Jimmy Howard.

Red Wings fans know this story, but it’s been told by the other team’s guy.

Remember New Jersey’s Marty Brodeur in the 1995 Cup Finals? J-F Giguere in the 2003 first round against Anaheim? Those are just two examples. There have been others—goalies whose feats have caused Hockeytown’s fans to wake up in a cold sweat.

This year, it’s Howard who’s “that guy.”

It’s Howard who is repelling shot after shot, scoring chance after scoring chance—turning a powerful opponent into a pile of frustrated rubble.

Howard made Anaheim’s Corey Perry look to the heavens more than once in the seven-game first round. Perry, a top goal scorer ever since he entered the league, went goal-less against Howard.

Now Howard’s doing it to Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, who has yet to score a goal in this conference semifinal series against the Red Wings.

Toews did get a hat trick of sorts in Game 4—he took three straight penalties in the second period, all within a 5:34 time frame. The Red Wings scored on one of those three power plays, and it turned out to be the only goal they needed, as Howard was again stellar.

The Blackhawks hadn’t been shut out all season. They also hadn’t lost three straight games all season. Both those streaks ended Thursday night. Howard can’t be judged an innocent in making that happen.

Howard is playing the best hockey of his career, and in the process he is exorcising demons—the ones that said he isn’t a money goalie, and that he can’t be trusted in the playoffs.

Win me a playoff series and then we’ll talk, the Howard critics like to say about the goalie they hate to love.

Now, that might seem like an unfair measuring stick, but this is Detroit, whose fans have always had a fascination with the quarterbacks and goalies who were on the sidelines and on the bench, rather than supporting the ones actually playing.

The Red Wings haven’t won this series against the Blackhawks yet. The fourth win won’t be easily attained. Frankly, for it to happen, Howard has to continue to be red hot.

And, for it to happen, the Red Wings have to continue to be the team that they loathed to play against in so many of those aborted playoff runs.

They have to continue to experience how the other half has lived for the past 22 years.

UFC 160 Main Event Will Be Highlighted by Cain Velasquez's Unrivaled Power

Patrick Clarke — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:09:08 -0400

It's been nearly a year since Cain Velasquez destroyed Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva at UFC 146 in Las Vegas. But the only thing that's changed over those 12 months is that this time around, Velasquez enters the Octagon as the reigning UFC heavyweight champion.

Therefore, the 30-year-old will head into Saturday's main event at UFC 160 with a massive target on his back. But don't expect the current UFC heavyweight trend of champions going down to continue.

Velasquez is no Brock Lesnar, and as he proved last December, he's a step above Junior dos Santos.

The belt won't change anything for Velasquez this weekend. At the end of the night, the former college wrestler's unrivaled power, stamina and strength will be what fans remember most about UFC 160.

After all, four of Velasquez's five victories have come via knockout or technical knockout, including last year's first-round win over Silva. While Velasquez had plenty of motivation to annihilate Silva on that night, having surrendered the title in his previous bout, the motivation this time around is simple: Keep the belt.

As Velasquez's trainer Javier Mendez recently pointed out, the UFC's heavyweight division has been plagued by parity (via ESPN.com's Josh Gross):

Remember, no one has defended the title more than twice, so if he's talking about wanting to keep defending that title, he wants to be remembered by everybody as one of the greatest, like Fedor [Emelianenko].

While recent history suggests that Velasquez will soon be forced to hand over the title, recent performances from the current champion tell us he will be a heavy favorite when the bell rings on Saturday night.

Silva only lasted a little over three-and-a-half minutes in the cage with Velasquez in their first meeting. But he was lucky to last that long. He had no answer for Velasquez's power, speed and strength despite boasting a significant size advantage.

Right off the bat Velasquez forced Silva to the mat and within a minute he drew blood, delivering an elbow to Silva's head. After Velasquez landed a plethora of combinations and significant strikes, the referee finally stepped in and stopped the fight.

Velasquez absolutely dominated from start to finish, and while his speed was perhaps the difference, it was his deceptive power that put Silva on the defensive within moments.

While the 6'4" Bigfoot has had plenty of time to analyze what went wrong for him in that fight, there's simply no way around Cain Velasquez's strength and speed. This is a terrible matchup for Silva, as it is for just about every heavyweight fighter in the UFC.

The result of Saturday's main event remains to be seen, but all indications are that Cain Velasquez will put on a show, displaying more of his unrivaled power in another dominant performance.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.